On Prayer · III. On Prayer · Chapter XIV
Apostrophe
Page 618 of 661
Albeit Israel washed daily all his limbs over, yet is he never clean. His hands, at all events, are ever unclean, eternally dyed with the blood of the prophets, and of the Lord Himself; and on that account, as being hereditary culprits from their privity to their fathers' crimes,8846 they do not dare even to raise them unto the Lord,8847 for fear some Isaiah should cry out,8848 for fear Christ should utterly shudder. We, however, not only raise, but even expand them; and, taking our model from the Lord's passion8849 even in prayer we confess8850 to Christ.
Notes
- 8846
See ; .
- 8847
I do not know Tertullian's authority for this statement. Certainly Solomon did raise his hands (), and David apparently his (see ; ; , etc.). Compare, too, , . But probably he is speaking only of the Israel of his own day. [Evidently.]
- 8848
.
- 8849
i.e. from the expansion of the hands on the cross.
- 8850
Or, "give praise."