The
lifeless Crucified One is placed in the Life-giving Tomb. His Holy Body is
wounded and bleeding but incorrupt. The eyes are closed but the countenance is
heavenly. The lament of the myrrh bearers is suffocating. Then there is
silence. It is Good Friday evening, the onset of the total resting of the
Sabbath. The lifeless One, however, is not dead, he is Lifegiver. He is still,
like a sleeping lion. Not defeated, but mighty and fearsome. At an earlier time
(around 1600 BC), the patriarch Jacob had prophesied that from the tribe of
Judah a lion’s cub would lie down to sleep (Genesis 49:9). However, he would
not cease to be the Almighty King, whom no one would dare even in His sleep,
approach and disturb Him. There is an icon of Jesus “ the Reclining One” («ο Αναπεσών»), in which the Lord is portrayed as a
child reclining to rest, seeming as though contemplating the salvation of
humankind, gazing caringly over His people. He reclines to sleep, to rest from
the great triumph and spectacular drama. Everything on earth is holding its breath,
and Hades is trembling: “ The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David,
has prevailed” hear the inspired writer of Revelations (chapter 5, verse 5). He
has won! He has won through His utter humility and His extreme wilful lowliness.
The Crucified One is victorious! Jesus the God-Man has destroyed the power of
sin and death. “ Life is liberated” (John Chrysostom). The earth is espoused with
holiness, virtue, eternity, Grace! Humanity is celebrating! The bells are
ringing joyously. Salvation is here!
