The Holy Sepulcher
The Holy Sepulcher
which it contrived against its Creator? Nothing could be more appropriate than that death should have caused death—spiritual death causing one that is physical, a culpable death causing one that is penal, and a willful death one that is constrained.
20. Because therefore humankind was condemned to a twofold death according to our double nature—a voluntary spiritual death and an imposed physical death—the God-Man mercifully and powerfully banished both by his own death, both physical and voluntary. And this one death of his has canceled our double death. This was quite fitting, for of our two deaths, the first we deserved by our fault and the second we owed in punishment.
Accepting the punishment, yet without participating in the fault, he underwent a voluntary but only physical death and won for us both life and justice. Otherwise, if he had not suffered physically, he would not have paid what was owed, and if he had not died willingly his death would have been without merit. Now then, if death is what sin deserves and death is what sin owes, as we have seen, then Christ in remitting the sin and dying for sinners has removed both what is deserved and what is owed.
21. How do we know moreover that Christ is able to forgive sins?
Doubtless because he is God12 and can do whatever he wills. But how do we know that he is God? His miracles proved it. He did things which nobody else was able to do13—to say nothing of the oracles of the Prophets14 or the heavenly testimony of the Father's voice coming down to him from majestic glory.15 If God is for us, who is against us?16 It is God who justifies, who can condemn?17
If it is he and no other18 to whom we daily confess, Against you alone have I sinned,'19 who better, or rather who else, can forgive
12 Lk 5:21.
13 Jn 15:24.
Is 9:5.
15 2 Pet 1:17; Mt 17:5.
16 Rom 8:31.
17 Rom 8:33-34.
18 Deut 4:35; Is 45:18.
19 Ps 50:6.
In Praise of the New Knighthood what has been committed against him alone? How could he— who is able to do all things—not be able [to forgive].20 I can forgive something done to me, if I choose, so can God not also remit offenses against himself? If then the Almighty, and he alone against whom we have sinned, can forgive sins,21 then surely blessed is he to whom the Lord imputes no sin.22 Therefore we recognize that Christ is able to remit sins by the power of his divinity.
22. And who can doubt that he is willing to do so? He put on our flesh and endured our death; do you think he will refuse us his justice? He freely took flesh,23 freely suffered and was freely crucified;24 will he withhold only justice from us? What he is plainly able to do in virtue of his divinity, he is clearly willing to do in virtue of his humanity.
But again, how are we confident that he has overcome death?
Precisely because he did not deserve it, but endured it. Why would anything more be demanded of us in payment which he has already satisfied in our stead? He who has taken on what our sin deserved, while bestowing his justice on us, has himself paid death's debt and restored life. Life will return once death is dead,25 just as justice is re-established once sin is removed. Moreover, death has been put to flight by the death of Christ26 and the justice of Christ is now counted as our own.
How could he who is God really die? How, except that he was also man? But by what arrangement could the death of that one man be credited to another? How, except that this man was just?27
Obviously because he was a man, he was able to die; because he
Wis 7:27; Mt 28:18.
Lk 5:21.
Ps 31:2.
Heb 10:7.
Jn 10:18.
Hos 13:14.
1 Cor 15:54.
Lk 23:47.
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was a just man, he did not die to no purpose. Of course, one sinner cannot discharge the debt of death for another sinner, since each must die for himself. But why should the death of the one who had no need to die for himself not be of benefit to others? The more undeservedly he died, who did not deserve to die, the more justly will those, for whom he dies, live.
23. 'But what kind of justice is this', you may ask, 'that the innocent should die for the guilty?'28 It is not justice, but mercy. If it were justice, he would have died, not freely, but deservedly. If deservedly, he would have died indeed, but those for whom he died would not have lived. But if this is not justice, neither is it contrary to justice. Otherwise he could not at the same time be both just and merciful.29
'But even if a just man can not unjustly make satisfaction for a sinner, yet by what arrangement can one man satisfy the debts of many? Justice would seem to be stretched quite enough if one life is redeemed by another's death.' This the Apostle has already answered: Just as all men were condemned by the offense of one man,' he says, so all men receive the justification of l i f e through the justice of one. Just as by the disobedience ofone man many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one many will be made just.30 'But perhaps the one who can restore justice to many cannot restore life?' Death came by one man, we read, and by one man came life.
As in Adam all have died, so in Christ shall all be made alive.31
Then what? One man sins and all persons are considered guilty; shall the innocence of the other be imputed to him alone? The sin of one has caused the death of all; shall the justice of the other restore only one to life? Is the justice of God then more apt to condemn than to pardon? Can Adam do more harm than Christ can good? Shall the sin of Adam be held against me and the justice of Christ not be extended to me? Shall the disobedience of
1 Pet 3:18; Rom 5:6.
2 Mac 1:24.
Rom 5:18-19.
1 Cor 15:21-22.
In Praise of the New Knighthood the one doom me, and the obedience of the other do nothing for me?
24. 'But,' you will say, 'we have all contracted the guilt of Adam, since we have all participated in his sin.32 When he sinned we were in him, and we have been begotten from his flesh through the yearnings of the flesh.'33 Yes, but we are born even more closely related to God by spirit than to Adam by flesh; according to the spirit, we were present in Christ long before we were in Adam according to the flesh. At least we were, if we are convinced that we are counted among those of whom the Apostle says, He has chosen us in him (meaning, the Father in the Son) before the foundation of the world'
That they are also born of God, the evangelist John attests when he speaks of those, who are born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God,'35 Again in his letter he says, Anyone who is born of God does not sin,56 because his celestial heritage preserves him.
'But,' you say, 'the presence of the carnal heritage is betrayed by carnal concupiscence, and the sin which we sense in the flesh clearly proves that we are the carnal posterity of the sinner's flesh.'
Yet that spiritual begetting is no less sensed, not, of course, in the flesh, but at least in the hearts of those who can say with Paul,
We, however, have the sense of Christ.37 They sense that they have progressed to the point that they can say in total confidence:38 The Spirit himself bears witness to our spirit that we are the children of God,'39 and again: We have received, not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may recognize the gifts
Rom 5:12.
1 Jn 2:16: per concupiscentia carnis.
Eph 1:4.
35 Jn 1:13.
1 Jn 3:9.
1 Cor 2:16: sensum Christi, used with the verb sensit, translated here as experience'.
38 Acts 4:29.
Rom 8:16.
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we have received from. God.'40 By the Spirit which comes from God, therefore, his love is poured forth into our hearts,41 just as by the flesh which comes from Adam, concupiscence remains embedded in our bodies. As the one coming to us from the flesh of the first father is never absent from the flesh in this mortal life, so the other, proceeding from the Father of spirits, never departs42 from the wills of his true sons.
25. If we are born of God43 and chosen in Christ, then what kind of justice is it that our human and earthly begetting does more harm than our godly and heavenly does good? That our fleshly ancestry outweighs God's choice, and flesh passed on temporally by concupiscence frustrates his eternal design? No, surely, if death came by one man,44 why should life not far more readily come by one, by that very man? If in Adam we have all died, why will we all not far more potently be brought to life in Christ?45 Indeed,
There is no proportion between the g i f t and the fault.46
Judgment against one person led to condemnation; yet grace has delivered [us] from many faults to justification.47
Christ therefore can both forgive sins, because he is God, and die, because he is a man. In dying 48 he could pay our death dues, because he is just,49 and one man could restore all persons to life and justice, just as sin and death were communicated to everyone by one [man].
26. But it was also foreseen as utterly necessary that death be delayed and he live for a while as a man among men, so that by
1 Cor 2:12.
Rom 5:5.
1 Cor 13:8.
43 Jn 1:13.
44 Rom 5:12, 17.
1 Cor 15:22.
46 Rom 5:15.
Rom 5:16.
Gen 2:17.
Lk 23:47.
In Praise of the New Knighthood his repeated and truth-filled utterances he might stimulate them to desire things invisible, that by his mighty works he might strengthen their faith, and that by his righteous example he might instruct them. Therefore the God-Man lived a sober, righteous, and faithful life in the sight of men;50 he spoke the truth, worked wonders, and suffered indignities. What then was lacking for our salvation save the grace of the forgiveness of sins? That is, he remitted sins freely; and the work of our salvation was truly then complete.
Have no fear that, as God, he lacked the power to remit sin for sinners or, as the sufferer—suffering so greatly—, the will to do so, provided that we are found to be careful in imitating his example as we should, in venerating his miracles, in believing his teachings, and in being not ungrateful for his sufferings.
27. Everything in Christ therefore benefitted us, everything was highly necessary and highly salutary, his weakness no less than his majesty. Although in demanding it, he removed the yoke of sin by the power of his divinity, yet in dying, he canceled the rights of death by the weakness of his flesh. The Apostle expressed this beautifully when he said: The weakness of God is stronger than men.'51 Yes, and even by his foolishness by which it pleased him to save the world,52 he confounds the wise in order to refute worldly wisdom.53 For although he was in the form of God and equal to God he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant.54
Rich as he was, he became poor for our sakes.55 Great as he was, he became slight,56 and elevated as he was, humble.57 Strong, he became weak, he suffered hunger58 and thirst,59 he grew weary in 50 Tit 2:12.
1 Cor 1:25.
1 Cor 1:21.
53 1 Cor 1:27.
54 Phil 2:6-7.
55 2 Cor 8:9.
56 Is 9:6.
57 Mt 11:29.
58 Mt 4:2.
59 Jn 19:28.
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his travels,60 and suffered many other things from choice rather than from necessity. All these were for him a sort of foolishness, but for us were they not the path of prudence,61 the model of justice, and the paradigm of holiness? This is why the Apostle also said: The foolishness of God is wiser than men!62
His death delivered us from death, his life from error, and his grace from sin. Indeed his death was victorious because of his justice, since in repaying what he had not stolen63 the Just Man acquired a perfect right to reclaim what he had lost. As for his life, it constituted for us by its wisdom a model and mirror of life and knowledge.64 And his grace indeed, as has been said, forgave sin by that very power which is able to do whatever it wills.65 Christ's death therefore is the death of my death,66 because he died that I might live. How could someone for whom Life died fail to be alive? How can anyone still be afraid of going astray in the knowledge of life and reality when Wisdom is his guide? Again, how can anyone be judged guilty whom Justice has absolved? In the Gospel he showed himself to us as Life when he said, I am the Life.67 As for the two others, we have the testimony of the Apostle who said: He is become for us Justice and Wisdom unto
God the Father,68 28. If then the law of the Spirit of Life has delivered us in Jesus
Christ from the law of sin and death,69 why do we still die, instead of being immediately clothed with immortality?70 Surely so that the truth of God may be upheld. Because God loves both
60 Jn 4:6.
Is 40:14.
1 Cor 1:25.
Ps 68:5.
Sir 45:6.
Ps 134:6. See above, n. 21.
Hos 13:14.
67 Jn 14:6.
1 Cor 1:30. Paul did not say 'the Father but implies it.
Rom 8:2.
1 Cor 15:53; 2 Cor 5:3.
In Praise of the New Knighthood mercy and truth,71it is necessary that man die, as God has foretold;72 but also that he rise from the dead,73 lest God forget to be merciful.74 So, then, although death is not to reign forever, it remains with us for a while now because of God's truth.75 In the same way sin is not quite absent from us, even though it no longer reigns in our mortal bodies.76 Similarly, Paul glories on the one hand in being liberated from the law of sin and death,77 yet on the other he still complains that he is encumbered by some law. He cries out against the law of sin, protesting, I find another law in my members . . .78 and he also groans beneath the burden (doubtless of the law of death) awaiting the redemption of his body.79
29. These thoughts and others of this sort regarding the holy sepulcher present themselves to the reflection of Christians according to the attractions of each.801 suspect that the tender devotion which floods the person pondering this, while not slight, is not equal to that of someone who sees the Lord's actual resting place with his physical eyes. Even though this place is now empty of its sacred contents, it remains full of delightful mysteries for us. For us, I say, for us, because it is really our resting place. At least it is if we take seriously what we indubitably remember the Apostle saying: By baptism we are buried together with Christ in death, so that just as Christ rose from the dead to the glory of his Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. If we have been buried together with him in the likeness of his death, we shall also be raised up with him.81
Ps 83:12; Ps 84:11.
Gen 2:17, 3:19.
Is 26:19; Mt 16:21.
Ps 76:10.
Rom 15:8.
Rom 6:12.
77 Rom 8:2.
78 Rom 7:23.
79 2 Cor 5:4.
Rom 14:5.
81 Rom 6:4-5.
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How sweet it must be for pilgrims after the great exhaustion of their long journey, after the many perils of land and sea82 there at last to find rest where they know their Lord rested! I should imagine that in their joy they no longer feel the weariness of the journey nor regret the burden of the expense, but, having finished their course83 and claimed the prize of their labor, as Scripture says, They rejoice exceedingly to have found the tomb.M
We should not be so foolish as to suppose that the holy sepulcher gained its fame by fluke or chance or by the fickle winds of popularity, when Isaiah so openly and so long ago foretold it, saying:
In that day the root of Jesse will stand as a banner before the peoples, the gentiles shall entreat him and his resting place shall be greatly honoredP Surely, we are now seeing the fulfillment of this prophecy. New to the eye, it is ancient to the ear; as happiness accompanies the novelty, so authority is not absent from antiquity. But enough about the holy sepulcher.
82 2 Cor 11:26.
1 Cor 9:24.
84 Job 3:22.
85 Is 11:10.
C H A P T E R TWELVE
B E T H P H A G E
W HAT SHALL I SAY OF BETHPHAGE, the village of priests which I almost passed over and which symbolizes both the sacrament of confession and the mystery of priestly ministry? For 'Bethphage is translated as 'the house of the mouth.'1 And it is written, The word is near, in your very mouth and in your heart.2 Remember to keep the word not only in one, but in both at once. In the heart of a sinner the word brings about a salutary contrition, while in the mouth it relieves a noxious confusion which may inhibit necessary confession.
As Scripture says, There is a shame leading to sin, and there is also a shame leading to glory.3 The good shame leads you to blush at having sinned or certainly at sinning. Even though not a single human witness is present, you will be more disconcerted by divine than by human scrutiny, given that God's purity is so much greater than man's, and that, in proportion to his greater distance from all sin, he is more offended by the sinner. Shame of this sort avoids reproach and prepares for glory, for it either eliminates sin entirely, or at least punishes it by penance and removes it by confession, if only this is our boast, the testimony of a good conscience.
But if anyone is ashamed to confess the cause of his distress, this sort of shame leads to sin and forfeits the glory of a good con-
That is, the mouth or entrance of the valley, according to Jerome. Others read 'house of green figs'. And many other interpretations are given. See
Jerome, Liber de nominibus hebraicis, PL 23:839-840.
Deut 30:14; Rom 10:8.
Sir 4:25.
In Praise of the New Knighthood science.4 The evil which compunction spurs him to cast from his heart is now unable to pass the lips which have been sealed by this misplaced shame. He ought instead to follow the example of David and say, I have not sealed my lips, O Lord, you know it.5
David, I think, was reproaching himself for this sort of absurd and unreasonable shame when he said, Because I was silent, my bones grew old.6 That is why he hoped that a gate might be placed before his lips, so that the portal of his mouth might be open to confession, but closed to excuses.7 In fact, he quite plainly requested this of the Lord in prayer, knowing all too well that confession and magnificence are his works.8 We should not remain silent concerning the magnificence of his divine goodness and power, nor hide our own malice. This double confession is a great good, but it is also a gift of God.9 Therefore he prays, Do not incline my heart to evil words, or to making excuses for my sins.10
This is why priests, as ministers of the Word, must remain carefully solicitous toward erring hearts, using such moderation in the administering of the word of contrition and fear as will not frighten them away from the word of confession. They should open hearts in a way that does not close mouths. But they should not absolve even the contrite unless they see them also making confession; since indeed, one believes in the heart and is justified; but one confess with the mouth and is saved.11 On the other hand, confession is lost to the dead as if they did not exist.12
Anyone therefore who has the word in his mouth but not in his heart is either deceitful or vain, while someone who has it in his heart but not in his mouth is either proud or craven.
Sir 4:25.
Ps 39:10.
Ps 31:3.
Ps 140:3-4.
Ps 110:3.
Eph 2:8.
Ps 140:4.
Rom 10:10.
12 Sir 17:26.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
B E T H A N Y
P RESSED AS I AM, I ought not to pass over in silence Bethany, the house of obedience1 This is the village of Mary and Martha, where Lazarus was raised to life.2
Here, of course, we have held up to us the image of the two ways of life, and of God's wonderful mercy towards sinners,3 as well as of the virtue of obedience—one with the fruits of penance.
Here4 we need only briefly indicate that neither zeal for good works5 nor the repose of holy contemplation6 nor the tears of penance7 are acceptable to him except in 'Bethany;' for he so prized obedience that he chose it over life, being made obedient to his Father even unto death.8
These surely are those riches promised in prophecy by the word of the Lord: The Lord will console Sion, he says, he will strengthen all her ruins, and take his delight in her wastes. He will make her deserts as the garden of the Lord. Gladness and rejoicing will be found in her, the voice of praise and thanksgiving? These delights of
Bernard again follows Jerome here, Liber de nominibus hebraicis, PL 23:84940. Others have 'house of the poor', and many other derivations.
Jn 11:1.
Jn 11:38-44. Lazarus' four days in the tomb is understood as a figure of the soul in sin.
Bernard develops this theme at length in his sermons on the Assumption.
See especially, Asspt 3; SBOp 5:238-244.
Of which Martha is the type; see Lk 10:40-41.
Of which Mary is the type; see Lk 10:39, 42.
Of which Lazarus is the type; see Jn 11:31.
Phil 2:8.
Is 51:3.
In Praise of the New Knighthood the world, this heavenly treasure and this heritage of all faithful people is now entrusted to your care, beloved brothers, commended to your prudence and your courage. Yet you will be able to keep this heavenly trust safely and faithfully only if you rely, not on your own prudence and courage, but on Gods help, knowing that no man prevails by his own strength,10 and therefore repeating with the prophet, The Lord is my support, my refuge and my liberator,n and again, To you do I look for my strength, O
God, my protector; my God whose mercy goes before me.12 Always say, Not unto us O Lord, not unto us, but unto your own name, give the glory,13 so that in all things he may be blessed who teaches your hands to war and your fingers to fight.14
1 Sam 2:9.
11 Ps 17:312 Ps 58:10-11.
13 Ps 113:9. (Ps 113b:l).
14 Ps 143:1.
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
CRITICAL EDITION
'Liber ad Milites Templi: de laude novae militiae.' Ed. J. Leclercq and H. M. Rochais. S. Bernardi Opera. Vol. 3. Rome: Editiones
Cistercienses, 1963: 312-239.
TRANSLATIONS
Charpentier, M. 'Louange de la nouvelle milice des templiers,'
Oeuvres complètes de saint Bernard. Vol. 2. Paris: Vives, 1866.
388-412.
De Solms, E. A la louange de la milice nouvelle,' Saint Bernard.
Namur: Soleil Levant, 1958: 152-191.
Diez Ramos, G. 'De la excelencia de la Nueva Milicia,' Obras completas de San Bernardo. Vol. 2, Biblioteca de Autores Cristianos
130. Madrid: Editorial Católica, 1955: 853-881.
STUDIES Barber, Malcolm. The New Knighthood. A History of the Order of the Temple. Cambridge 1994.
Bulst-Thiele, M.-L. 'The Influence of St. Bernard of Clairvaux on the Formation of the Knights Templar', in M. Gervers, ed.
The Second Crusade and the Cistercians. New York 1992. Pp. 57-65.
Carlson, D. 'The Practical Theology of Saint Bernard and the Date of the De laude novae militiae', in John R. Sommerfeldt, ed.,
Studies in Medieval Cistercian History 11 (Kalamazoo 1987) 133-147.
In Praise of the New Knighthood Carrière, V. 'Les débuts de l'Ordre du Temple en France,' Le
Moyen Age, 18 (1914) 308-334.
Cartulaire général de l'Ordre du Temple. Ed. Marquis d'Albon.
2 vols. Paris, 1913. Note especially, Regula commilitonum Christi, ed. G. Schnürer, 1:129-153.
Charrier, H. 'Les sens militaire chez saint Bernard,' Saint Bernard et son temps. 2 vols. Dijon, 1929: 1:68-74.
Commission d'Histoire de l'Ordre de Cîteaux. Bernard de Clairvaux. Paris: Alsatia, 1953. See especially the Table analytique
V, 6, pp. 673-674.
Cousin, P. 'Les débuts de l'Ordre des Templiers et saint Bernard,'
Mélanges saint Bernard. Dijon: Trouve, 1953: 41-52.
De Curzon, H., ed. La Règle du Temple. Paris, 1886.
Delaruelle, E. 'L'Idée de croisade chez saint Bernard,' Mélanges saint Bernard: pp. 53-67.
De Poorter, A. 'Le texte original de la Règle des Templiers,' Annual de la Société d'Emulation de Bruges, 62 (1912) 193-198.
Dessubré, M. Bibligraphie de l'ordre des Templiers. Paris, 1928.
Elm, Kaspar. Umbilicus Mundi. Beiträge zur Geschichte Jerusalems, der Kreuzzüge, des Kapitels vom Heiligen Grab in Jerusalem unter der
Ritterorden. Instrumenta Canonissarum Regularium Sancti Sepulcri 6. Sint-Kruis: Sint-Tudo=Abdij 1998.
Hugh [of Payens (?)]. Epistola. Ed. Jean Leclercq. Recueil d'études sur saint Bernard et ses écrits. Vol. 2. Rome, 1966: 93-96.
Leclercq, Jean. 'Un document sur les débuts des Templiers.' Renue d'histoire ecclésiastique 52 (1957) 81-91. Recueil 2:87-100.
Léonard, M. Introduction au Cartulaire manuscrit del'Ordre du Temple. Paris, 1930.
Lobet, M. L'histoire mystérieuse et tragique des Templiers. Liège, 1944.
Selected Bibliography
Luddy, Ailbe J. Life and Teaching of Saint Bernard. Dublin: Gill, 1950. See especially, pp. 172-178.
Luttrell, A. 'The Earliest Templars', in M. Balard, ed. Autour de la Première Croisade. Paris 1996. PP. 193-202.
Melville, M. La vie des Templiers. Paris: Gallimard, 1951.
Oliver, A. 'El Libre del Ordre de Cavalleria' de Ramon Llull y et 'De laude Novae Militia' de s. Bernard,' Estudios Llulianos, 8
(1958) 175-186.
Pensoye, P. 'Saint Bernard et la règle du Temple.' Etudes Traditionelles, 364 (1961) 81-88.
Prawer, Joshua. Histoire du royaume latin de Jérusalem. Paris, 1969.
Rousset, P. 'Les origines et la caractère de la Deuzième Croisade, Saint Bernard et la Croisade,' Saint Bernard et son temps. 1:152168.
Schnürer, G. Die Ursprüngliche Templerregel. Freiburg-imBreisgau, 1903.
. 'Zur ersten Organization der Templer,' Historisches Jahrbuch, 32 (1911) 298-314.
Sclafert, C. 'Lettre inédite de Hugues de Saint-Victor aux Chevaliers du Temple,' Revue d'ascétique et de mystique 34 (1958)
276-299.
Seiwood, D. 'Quidam autem dubitaverunt. The Saint and the Sinner, the Temple and a Possible Chronology,' in M. Balard, ed.,
Autour de la Première Croisade, Paris 1996.
Seward, Desmond. 'Dissolution of the Templars,' History Today, 31 (1971) 628635.
William ofTyr. Historia rerum transmarinarum, Liber 21, c. 7; PL 201:526-527.
Williams, E. 'Cîteaux et la seconde croisade.' Revue d'histoire ecclésiastique, 49 (1954) 116-151.
