He hungered—yet He fed thousands.

He thirsted—yet He exclaimed, “Whosoever thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”

He was tired—yet He is the “rest” of the weary and the burdened.

He pays tax—yet He uses a fish to do it.

He is called a “Samaritan, demonically possessed”—but He rescues the man who came down from Jerusalem and fell among thieves.

Yes, He is recognized by demons, drives out demons, drowns deep a legion of spirits, and sees the prince of demons falling like lightning.

He is stoned, yet not hit.

He prays, yet He hears prayer.

He weeps, yet He puts an end to weeping.

He asks where Lazarus is laid—He was a man, yet He raises Lazarus from the dead.

He is sold, and cheap was the price—thirty pieces of silver; yet He buys back the world at the mighty cost of His own blood.

A sheep, He is led to the slaughter—yet He shepherds Israel and the whole world as well.

A lamb, He is dumb—yet He is “Word,” proclaimed in the world.

He is weakened, wounded—yet He cures every disease and every weakness.

He is brought up to the tree and nailed to it—yet by the tree of life He restores us.

Yes, He saves even a thief crucified with Him.

He surrenders His life, yet He has power to take it again.

He dies, but He vivifies and by death destroys death.

He is buried, yet He rises again.

He goes down to Hades, yet He leads souls up, ascends to heaven, and will come again to judge the quick and the dead.*

This Easter, let’s stand in fresh awe and wonder of the person of Jesus Christ!

*(Note: this essay is an excerpt from St. Gregory’s “Third Theological Oration” dated in the 300s AD)