43. For said (the Evangelist,) "He cried out greatly, and gave up His Spirit to His Father⁶⁹: and (so) effected a release from His soul, and made His departure from the body. On this account, He had previously delivered this same His death to his disciples, when teaching (them) and saying; "No man taketh my life from me;" and, "I have power to lay it down:" and again, "I have power

to take it up⁷⁰: and again, "I am the good shepherd, and I know my own, and my own know me; and I lay down my life for my sheep⁷¹." The cause of His death too, He establishes in a few words, when saying, that, "Unless the grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it remaineth alone ; but, if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit⁷²."