I read the end of Plato's Phaedo to my brother Justice yesterday, and it spawned some thoughts about the differences between the death of Socrates, and the death of Yeshua of Nazareth.
Socrates calmly drank the draught of hemlock, lay down, and died, rebuking his friends for their tears. Yeshua, however, in the days of his flesh, offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto the One that was able to save him from death. "Abba, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not my will but your will be done." As he was dying on the cross, he called in a loud voice the eternal words from Psalm 22, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?!"

'But come, Crito, let us do as he says. Someone had better bring in the poison, if it is ready prepared; if not, tell the man to prepare it.'

'But surely, Socrates, ' said Crito, 'the sun is still upon the mountains; it has not yet gone down. Besides, I know that in other cases people have dinner and enjoy their wine, and sometimes the company of those whom they love, long after they receive the warning; and only drink the poison quite late at night. Please don't hurry; there is still plenty of time.'

'It is natural that these people whom you speak of should act in that way, Crito,' said Socrates, 'because they thing that they gain by it. And it is also natural that I should not; because I believe that I should gain nothing by drinking the poison a little later - I should only make myself ridiculous in my own eyes if I clung to life and hugged it when it has no more to offer. Come, do as I say and don't make difficulties.'


Then Yeshua said to disciples, 'If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?'


Rosh Chodesh Sameach - happy New Month!