On the Lord's Prayer 24
Summary: God looked at Abel's heart, not his gift; Abel became the first martyr, while one who hates his brother is not saved even by martyrdom.
Textual problem in this passage: the printed text is uncertain or disputed here. See the notes.
Latin text · CSEL 3.1:285
Neque enim in sacrificiis quae Abel et Cain primi optulerunt munera eorum Deus, sed corda intuebatur, ut ille placeret in munere qui placebat in corde. Abel pacificus et iustus, dum Deo sacrificat innocenter, docuit et ceteros, quando ad altare munus offerunt, sic uenire cum Dei timore, cum simplici corde, cum lege iustitiae, cum concordiae pace. merito ille dum in sacrificio Dei talis est, ipse postmodum sacrificium Deo factus est, ut martyrium primus ostendens initiaret sanguinis sui gloria dominicam passionem qui et iustitiam Domini habuerat et pacem. tales denique a Domino coronantur, tales in die iudicii cum Domino uindicabuntur. ceterum discordans et dissidens et pacem cum fratribus non habens, secundum quod beatus apostolus et scriptura sancta testatur, nec si pro nomine occisus fuerit, crimen dissensionis fraternae poterit euadere, quia sicut scriptum est qui fratrem suum odit homicida est, nec ad regnum [caelorum] peruenit aut cum Deo uiuit homicida. non potest esse cum Christo qui imitator Iudae maluit esse quam Christi. quale delictum est quod nec baptismo sanguinis potest ablui, quale crimen est quod martyrio non potest expiari!
English · Claude translation
For in the sacrifices which Abel and Cain first offered, God looked not at their gifts but at their hearts, so that he was pleasing in his gift who was pleasing in his heart. Abel, peaceable and righteous, while he sacrificed innocently to God, taught others also, when they offer their gift at the altar, to come so: with the fear of God, with a simple heart, with the law of righteousness, with the peace of concord. Rightly, being such in God's sacrifice, he himself afterwards became a sacrifice to God, so that, being the first to show martyrdom, he began the Lord's passion by the glory of his own blood, having both the righteousness and the peace of the Lord. Such, in the end, are crowned by the Lord; such will be vindicated with the Lord on the day of judgment. But one who is discordant and at variance, and has no peace with the brothers, as the blessed apostle and holy Scripture testify, will not escape the crime of brotherly dissension even if he is killed for the name; because, as it is written, "He who hates his brother is a murderer," and a murderer does not attain to the kingdom or live with God. He cannot be with Christ who has preferred to be an imitator of Judas rather than of Christ. What a sin it is that cannot be washed away even by the baptism of blood! What a crime that cannot be expiated by martyrdom!
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- Abel and Cain are Gen 4:3–8; the quotation is 1 John 3:15. "The baptism of blood" is martyrdom. The editor deletes "caelorum" ("of heaven") after "kingdom".
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: "a" for "e".): simplici corda → simplici corde.
Cite this passage
Cyprian, Dom. or. 24 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/cyprian-dominica-oratione/24/).
Plain text
Cyprian, Dom. or. 24 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/cyprian-dominica-oratione/24/).
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