The Copy Book

Breaking Death

For Jesus Christ to step down alive from his cross would have been a mighty miracle, but not the mightiest.

990-994

King Ethelred the Unready 978-1016

The Harrowing of Hell, by Markos Bathas (1498-1578).

Via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.

More Info

Back to text

Breaking Death

Via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain. Source

The Harrowing of Hell, by Markos Bathas (1498-1578).

X

‘Christ is risen from the dead / By death trampling down death, / and giving life to those in the grave’ (Easter acclamation). A sixteenth-century icon of the resurrection of Christ, showing the ‘harrowing of hell’, releasing Adam and Eve. The icon was painted by Markos Bathas (1498-1578).

Back to text

Introduction

In a sermon for Easter Day, Abbot Elfric (955-1010) reminded his congregation that the people of Jerusalem thought it would be a miracle worthy of God for Jesus to step down alive from his cross. A miracle, yes; but not so worthy of God as the one he then performed.

THE Jews called out to Christ, fastened to the cross, saying that ‘if he was the King of Israel, he should descend now from the cross, and they would believe in him.’*

Had he descended from the cross and not borne their mockery, then without question he would have set us no example of his fortitude; but he did remain there, did bear their mockery, and did show fortitude.

However, he who would not break away from the cross rose up from death. It was more of a miracle to rise up from death than to break away alive from the cross; it was mightier to break death in pieces by his resurrection, than to cling to life and descend from the cross.

When they saw that despite their mockery, he did not descend from the cross, but waited there for death, they supposed him vanquished, and his name snuffed out. But in the event, by this death his name ran through all the earth.

From a Sermon on Easter Day by Elfric, Abbot of Eynsham (955-1010) as given in ‘Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church’, edited by Benjamin Thorpe. The translation below is based on Thorpe’s.

See Mark 15:29-32.

Archive

Word Games

Spinners Find in Think and Speak

For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.

This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.

1 Alive. If. Saying.

2 Bear. Fortitude. Snuff.

3 Believe. More. Wait.

Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)

Verb and Noun Find in Think and Speak

Many words can serve as noun or verb depending on context: see if you can prove this with the examples below. Nouns go well with words such as the/a, or his/her; verbs go well after I/you/he etc..

This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.

1 Break. 2 Bear. 3 Cross. 4 Wait. 5 Run. 6 Question. 7 Rise. 8 Set. 9 Show.

Variations: 1.if possible, use your noun in the plural, e.g. cat → cats. 2.use your verb in a past form, e.g. go → went. 3.use your noun in a sentence with one of these words: any, enough, fewer, less, no, some.

Homophones Find in Think and Speak

In each group below, you will find words that sound the same, but differ in spelling and also in meaning. Compose your own sentences to bring out the differences between them.

This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.

1. Wait. Weight. 2. Bare. Bear. 3. Boar. Bore. 4. Wood. Would. 5. Sees. Seas. Seize. 6. Scene. Seen. 7. Knot. Not. 8. Know. No. 9. Brake. Break.

High Tiles Find in Think and Speak

Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?

x 0 Add

Your Words ()

Show All Words (15)

If you like what I’m doing here on Clay Lane, from time to time you could buy me a coffee.

Buy Me a Coffee is a crowdfunding website, used by over a million people. It is designed to help content creators like me make a living from their work. ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ prides itself on its security, and there is no need to register.

Related Posts

Brightest Beacon

Christ’s cross promises to take away the fear of Judgment Day.

The Six Leaps of Faith

The eighth-century English bishop and poet Cynewulf explores a prophecy from the Song of Solomon.

At Heaven’s Gate

The eighth-century English bishop and poet Cynewulf takes us to the threshold of God’s holy city, and gives us a choice.

High Beneath Heaven’s Roof

The Cross of Christ speaks, and tells of the amazing transformation from sign of shame to sign of redemption.