Agnus Dei

The cross where we encounter Jesus, the lamb of God, Agnus Dei (John 1:24; Rev. 5:6) has many layers of meaning. It’d be wise to look at each of these points in more detail during this week:

1) The seriousness of sin
2) The agony of separation from God
3) The madness of the mob
4) The evil of the enemy
5) The victory of the slain lamb

It’s very interesting to note that despite scholarly critiques, and not-so-scholarly critics, like Dan Brown, who claim that Christ “became” a divine figure right around the fourth century (meaning, neither he nor his disciples believed in his divinity), below is a very compelling testimony from Bishop Melito from Sardis, right around 180AD or so that demonstrates how very early on, the church had no doubt who this slain lamb truly was.

May we be especially thankful and devoted to Agnus Dei who granted us salvation and freedom from sin during this holy week.

“And so he was lifted up upon a tree and an inscription was attached indicating who was being killed.
Who was it? It is a grievous thing to tell, but a most fearful thing to refrain from telling.
But listen, as you tremble before him on whose account the earth trembled!

He who hung the earth in place is hanged.
He who fixed the heavens in place is fixed in place.
He who made all things fast is made fast on a tree.
The Sovereign is insulted.
God is murdered.
The King of Israel is destroyed by an Israelite hand.

This is the One who made the heavens and the earth,
and formed mankind in the beginning,
The One proclaimed by the Law and the Prophets,
The One enfleshed in a virgin,
The One hanged on a tree,
The One buried in the earth,
The One raised from the dead and who went up into the heights of heaven,
The One sitting at the right hand of the Father,
The One having all authority to judge and save,
Through Whom the Father made the things which exist from the beginning of time.

This One is “the Alpha and the Omega,”
This One is “the beginning and the end”
The beginning indescribable and the end incomprehensible.
This One is the Christ.
This One is the King.
This One is Jesus.
This One is the Leader.
This One is the Lord.
This One is the One who rose from the dead.
This One is the One sitting on the right hand of the Father.
He bears the Father and is borne by the Father.
‘To him be the glory and the power forever. Amen.'”

–Translated by James White (aomin.org)
Artwork by Francisco de Zurbaran (1598-1664), “Agnus Dei”