Fragments on Acts and the Catholic Epistles
The Distribution of Charisms§1
1He said to them: 'It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father has set in his own authority' (Acts 1:7).
For it is not necessary to be overly curious about things that are too secret and hidden in God, and through these things he taught; rather, they wanted to go and were very youthful towards what is beneficial, and they wanted to fulfill the ministry of the apostleship, having entrusted the knowledge of all things to God.
And there appeared to them divided tongues like fire.
Some spoke with tongues, although they did not know them before; others understood, interpreting, although they had not previously been accustomed to such things.
The divine Paul boasts of those who then received the grace to speak in tongues, not as a portion of charisma, but as a sign in order to the faithful, and he also set forth a prophetic word: 'That I will speak in different tongues and different lips to this people, and even so they will not believe' (Isaiah 28:11).
The Spirit distributed the gifts of charisma in different ways.
Just as, he says, this thick body from the earth was composed of small particles, so also Christ—that is, his body, which is the Church—has a constitution that is most perfect in its spiritual unity through a great multitude of holy people.
And after a little while: when those who were mystagogues under the sun were about to proclaim the evangelical and saving message to every nation and every language, the tongues gave them a sign.
Being men of Galilee and having been brought up in Judea, Hebrews and from Hebrews, Medes and Parthians, and indeed Elamites, and those from the middle of the flowing rivers, Cappadocians and Egyptians, they spoke in their own languages; and the matter was being accomplished for them by the Spirit's working and grace.
For it is written that there appeared to them divided tongues like fire, and the following things.
But the manner of the economy was what was being done; however, not all understood.
Since they once spoke in other languages, they made a display of the grace done through the Spirit, receiving the sign as an occasion for boasting and an opportunity for greed; they were careless about discussing the things of the holy prophets and the evangelical doctrines with the crowds, as it had been proclaimed from above and from long ago.
They were revering the ability to speak in tongues as the only thing, and thought it necessary to be transformed only in this; and the matter was among the most urgent preoccupations.
'And I will give wonders in the heaven above, and signs on the earth below' (Mark 16:18).
The holy Cyril says that the things that happened upon the cross of Christ are clearly taught, as are the things happening to the Jews through the Roman war; he says that the great and manifest day of Christ is the day of his resurrection: 'the sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood' (Joel 2:31).
Greek · §1
Fragmenta in Acta apostolorum et in epistulas catholicas Εἶπε δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς· Οὐχ ὑμῶν ἐστι γνῶναι χρόνους ἢ καιροὺς, οὓς ὁ Πατὴρ ἔθετο ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ. Κυρίλλου. Οὐ γὰρ περιεργάζεσθαι χρῆναι τὰ λίαν ἀπόῤῥητα καὶ ἐν Θεῷ κεκρυμμένα, καὶ διὰ τούτων ἐδίδασκεν· ἰέναι δὲ μᾶλλον ἐθέλειν καὶ σφόδρα νεανικῶς ἐπὶ τὸ σφίσι λυσιτελές· καὶ πληροῦν ἐθέλειν τῆς ἀποστολῆς τὴν διακονίαν ἀνατεθεικότας Θεῷ τῶν ὅλων τὴν γνῶσιν. Καὶ ὤφθησαν αὐτοῖς διαμεριζόμεναι γλῶσσαι ὡσεὶ πυρός. Κυρίλλου. Οἱ μὲν ταῖς γλώσσαις ἐλάλουν, καίτοι πρὶν οὐκ εἰδότες αὐτάς· οἱ δὲ συνῆσαν διερμηνεύοντες, καίτοι πάλαι τὸ οὖς οὐκ ἐν τριβῇ τε καὶ ἐν ἔθει τῶν τοιούτων ἐχόντων τινῶν. ∆εδόσθαι γε μὴν ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος τοῖς τότε τὴν χάριν διϊσχυρίζεται τὸ γλώσσαις λαλεῖν, οὐχ ὡς μοῖρα χαρίσματος, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐν τάξει σημείου τοῖς πιστοῖς, καὶ δὴ καὶ προτρεπτικὸν παρετίθει λόγιον οὕτως ἔχον· Ὅτι ἐν ἑτερογλώσσοις καὶ ἑτεροχείλεσι λαλήσω τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ, καὶ οὐδ' οὕτως πιστεύσουσιν. Ἔνειμε διαφόρως τὸ Πνεῦμα τὴν τῶν χαρισμάτων διανομήν. Ἵνα ὥσπερ, φησὶ, τὸ παχὺ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ ἀπὸ γῆς σῶμα συνέστηκεν ἐκ μορίων, οὕτω καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς, ἤτοι τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ, τουτέστιν ἡ Ἐκκλησία, διὰ πολλῆς ἁγίων πληθύος εἰς ἑνότητα τὴν νοητὴν, τελειοτάτην ἔχει τὴν σύστασιν. Καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα· Ὅτε τοίνυν ἔμελλον οἱ τῆς ὑφ' ἡλίῳ μυσταγωγοὶ, γλώσσῃ τε ἁπάσῃ καὶ ἔθνει παντὶ προσλαλεῖν τὸ εὐαγγελικὸν δηλονότι καὶ σωτήριον κήρυγμα, σημεῖον ἐδίδου τὰς γλώσσας αὐτοῖς. Ἄνδρες ὄντες Γαλιλαῖοι καὶ τεθραμμένοι κατὰ τὴν Ἰουδαίαν, Ἑβραῖοί τε καὶ ἐξ Ἑβραίων, Μήδοις τε καὶ Πάρθοις, καὶ μέντοι καὶ Ἐλαμίταις, καὶ τοῖς ἐκ μέσης οἰκούσης ποταμῶν, Καππαδόκαις τε καὶ Αἰγυπτίοις, ταῖς αὐτῶν προσελάλουν γλώσσαις· καὶ διεπεραίνετο μὲν τὸ 74.760 χρῆμα αὐτοῖς τῇ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐνεργείᾳ καὶ χάριτι. Γέγραπται γὰρ, ὡς Ὤφθησαν αὐτοῖς διαμεριζόμεναι γλῶσσαι ὡσεὶ πυρὸς, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ἀλλὰ τρόπος μὲν οἰκονομίας τὸ δρώμενον ἦν· συνίσταν δὲ οὐ πάντες. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἅπαξ ταῖς ἑτέρων γλώσσαις ἐλάλουν, ἐπίδειξιν ὥσπερ τινὰ τὴν διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος ποιούμενοι χάριν, καὶ φιλοκομπίας ἀφορμὴν δεχόμενοι τὸ σημεῖον, ῥᾴθυμοι μὲν ἦσαν τὸ δεῖν τοῖς ὄχλοις τὰ ἐκ τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν διαλέγεσθαι, καὶ τοῖς εὐαγγελικοῖς συναγορεύειν δόγμασιν· ὡς ἄνωθέν τε καὶ ἐκ πολλοῦ προκεκηρυγμένου· ἀποσεμνυνόμενοι δὲ ὡς ἐπὶ μόνῳ τῷ δύνασθαι γλώσσαις λαλεῖν, τούτου τε καὶ μόνου μεταποιεῖσθαι δεῖν ᾤοντο· καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα ἦν ἐν σπουδαῖς ταῖς προὐργιαιτάταις. Καὶ δώσω τέρατα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἄνω, καὶ σημεῖα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κάτω. Τοῦ ἁγίου Κυρίλλου. Τὰ ἐπὶ τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ γενησόμενα προδιδάσκει σαφῶς, καὶ τὰ δι' αὐτὸν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις συμβαίνοντα διὰ τοῦ Ῥωμαίων πολέμου· τὴν δὲ Χριστοῦ ἡμέραν τὴν μεγάλην καὶ ἐπιφανῆ, τὴν τῆς ἀναστάσεώς φησιν. Ὁ ἥλιος μεταστραφήσεται εἰς σκότος, καὶ ἡ σελήνη εἰς αἷμα.
Hope in Resurrection§2
2He was about at once to be burned up with the cities and himself the ill-famed temple; houses too to be smoked, shaken by earthquakes.
That moreover before the day of the great and manifest one, in which to all the divine judgment-seat of Christ giving to each according to his works will be set forth, these things will happen to the Jews, he foretold saying: Before the coming of the day of the Lord the great and manifest.
Moreover also my flesh will encamp upon hope.
Of Cyril. For he rose again three-day, because it was not possible for life existing according to nature him to be held fast by the bonds of death.
And again: Not indeed it is lawful to say corruption to be able ever to hold fast the flesh united to the Word, and to be a dwelling place of them the gates of Hades the divine to become soul.
For he was not left in Hades, as also the blessed Peter said: That you will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will you give your holy one to see corruption.
Of Cyril. For he rose again having spoiled Hades, and to those in bonds saying: Come forth; and to those in darkness: Be revealed.
He made known to me ways of life.
and as upon us the first calling beautiful.
Greek · §2
Κυρίλλου. Ἐπὶ ταῖς τῶν Ἰουδαίων δυσσεβείαις, ταῖς εἰς Χριστὸν δηλονότι γεγενημέναις, καὶ αὐτὴ τῶν στοιχείων δεδυσφόρηκεν ἡ φύσις, κατωλοφύρατο δὲ ὥσπερ ἡ κτίσις, ὑβρισμένον ὁρῶσα τὸν ἑαυτῆς ∆εσπότην. Καὶ ὁ μὲν θεῖος ναὸς μονονουχὶ καὶ ἀσχάλλων τοῖς πενθοῦσιν ἐν ἴσῳ, περιεῤῥήγνυτο· γέγραπται γὰρ ὅτι τὸ καταπέτασμα τοῦ ναοῦ ἐσχίσθη ἀπὸ ἄνωθεν ἕως κάτω. Ἥλιος δὲ τὸ οἰκεῖον ἀνάπτων σέλας, καὶ τὴν ἀκτῖνα συνενεγκὼν, οὐκ ἠξίου φαίνειν ἕτι τοῖς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· ἐποίει γὰρ σκότος ἀπὸ ὥρας ἕκτης ἕως ὥρας ἐνάτης. Ἐσχίζοντο δὲ καὶ αἱ πέτραι· τάχα δέ που καὶ περὶ τὸν τῆς σελήνης κύκλον ἐπράττετό τι τῶν ἀσυνήθων, ὡς δοκεῖν εἰς αἷμα μεταπεποιῆσθαι καὶ αὐτήν. Σεσίγηται μὲν οὖν τὸ τοιόνδε παρὰ τοῖς ἁγίοις εὐαγγελισταῖς· ἀξιόχρεώς γε μὴν ἡ πίστις ἐκ προφητείας. ὅτι τοῖς τοῦ ∆ημιουργοῦ νεύμασιν οὐκ ἐν ἡλίῳ μόνῳ τὰ σημεῖα γέγονεν, ἀλλ' οἷον ὅλη πρὸς τὸ 1 ἀκαλλὲς καὶ ἀσύνηθες αὐτῇ μετακεχώρηκεν ἡ κτίσις, σαφὲς ἂν γένοιτο διὰ φωνῆς λέγοντος Ἡσαΐου· Καὶ ἐνδύσω τὸν οὐρανὸν σκότος, καὶ θήσω ὡς σάκκον τὸ περιβόλαιον αὐτοῦ. Οὐρανὸν δὲ ὅταν λέγῃ, πάντα που πάντως φησὶν τὰ ἐν οὐρανῷ· καὶ οἷον σάκκῳ τῷ σκοτεινῷ καταμφιέσαι φησὶ, πενθοῦντά τε καὶ κατηλγηκότα· καὶ αὐτῷ δὴ τούτῳ διακεκραγότα τῷ σχήματι. Σημεῖα μὲν οὖν ἤτοι τέρατα τὰ ἐν οὐρανῷ ταυτὶ φαίην ἄν. Τὰ δέ γε εἰς γῆν αἷμά τε καὶ πῦρ καὶ ἀτμίδα καπνοῦ, καταδηλώσειεν ἂν, οἶμαί που, τὰς τῶν Ἰουδαίων συμφορὰς, ἃς ὁ παγχάλεπος αὐτοῖς ἐπεσώρευσε πόλεμος, ὁ διὰ τῆς Ῥωμαίων χειρός. Αἵματι μὲν γὰρ ἡ πᾶσα μὲν αὐτοῖς κατεῤῥαίνετο χώρα· ἔμελλε δὲ ὅμου ταῖς πόλεσι καταπίμπρασθαι καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ διαβόητος νεώς· οἶκοί τε καπνίζεσθαι κατασεσεισμένοι. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἡμέρας τῆς μεγάλης καὶ ἐπιφανοῦς, καθ' ἣν ἅπασι τὸ θεῖον προκείσεται βῆμα Χριστοῦ διδόντος ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ, τὰ τοιάδε τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις συμβήσεται, διαμεμήνυκεν εἰπών· Πρὶν ἐλθεῖν τὴν ἡμέραν Κυρίου τὴν μεγάλην καὶ ἐπιφανῆ. 74.761 Ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἡ σάρξ μου κατασκηνώσει ἐπ' ἐλπίδι. Κυρίλλου. Τριήμερος γὰρ ἀνεβίω, καθότι οὐκ ἦν δυνατὸν ζωὴν ὅντα κατὰ φύσιν αὐτὸν τοῖς τοῦ θανάτου κρατεῖσθαι δεσμοῖς. Καὶ πάλιν· Οὐ γάρ τι θέμις εἰπεῖν φθορᾷ μὲν δύνασθαι κρατεῖσθαί ποτε τὴν ἑνωθεῖσαν τῷ Λόγῳ σάρκα, κάτοχον δὲ αὐταῖς ᾅδου πύλαις τὴν θείαν γενέσθαι ψυχήν· οὐκ ἐγκατελείφθη γὰρ εἰς ᾅδου, καθὰ καὶ ὁ θεσπέσιος ἔφη Πέτρος. Ὅτι οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψεις τὴν ψυχήν μου εἰς ᾅδην, οὐδὲ δώσεις τὸν ὅσιόν σου ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν. Κυρίλλου. Ἀνεβίω γὰρ σκυλεύσας τὸν ᾅδην, καὶ τοῖς ἐν δεσμοῖς εἰπών· Ἐξέλθετε· καὶ τοῖς ἐν τῷ σκότει· Ἀνακαλύφθητε. Ἐγνώρισάς μοι ὁδοὺς ζωῆς. Κυρίλλου Ἀλεξανδρείας. Ἐκεῖνο διδάσκων ὅτι τὸ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος ἔχων πρόσωπον ὁ καθ' ἡμᾶς γεγονὼς, τοὺς ἡμῖν μᾶλλον καὶ οὐκ αὐτῷ πρέποντας, καθὸ νοεῖται Θεὸς, ἀνίησι λόγους, ὡς ἐφ' ἑαυτῷ καὶ πρώτῳ καλῶν· ἐφ' ἡμᾶς τὴν
Divine Humility and Authority§3
3The heavenly goods are participated in by humans, for as it is said, they have been given to human nature, and this is because we have been enriched by human poverty.
Whom God raised from the dead, this one, Jesus Christ, has been presented before you healthy and alive.
The Father raises the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, clearly the matter is being worked out regarding his flesh, and no one would doubt this, for he himself, being the life-giving and active power of the Father, vivifies his own temple, according to the words 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it.'
The vivified thing, his body, was not foreign, nor one of the humans among us, but the body of the Word itself.
Men, brothers and fathers, listen to me, and prepare for the benevolent, bending your ear to understand subtly the power of divine words, as it is said, 'Go out from your land and from your kin'.
Take away the weakness of the law; for the God of all things shows himself, but when he shows himself, Moses turns away his face.
Christ, casting out evil demons as into an abyss, and not willingly changing the tyranny over us, was said to cast them out through these things; they said: this one does not cast out demons except in Beelzebub, the ruler of demons; I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.
Therefore, it is clear that for those who follow God completely and in every way, and who have made hope in him second to fleshly and worldly desires, the blessing from above will richly abound.
And Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; he was powerful in his words and deeds, and when he was forty years old, God said, 'I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob'.
Thus the Christ said; 'I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel', for the promises are theirs, and the fathers are theirs.
For we do not give that the Word from God the Father, that is, a man, has gone out among us; and we say that he has become outside of divine glory, if it is true that, being rich, he became poor and emptied himself; but the one doing injustice to the neighbor pushed him away, saying; who appointed you as ruler and judge over us? do you not want to destroy me as you destroyed the Egyptian yesterday?
The sons of Israel could not endure the divine glory of the Son, showing himself and almost bringing knowledge.
Greek · §3
τῶν οὐρανίων μέθεξιν ἀγαθῶν. Ὡς γὰρ ἑαυτῷ δεδόσθαι φησὶ, τῇ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου φύσει προσνέμει· ἐπεί πως τῇ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου πτωχείᾳ πεπλουτήκαμεν. Ὃν ὁ Θεὸς ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν, ἐν τούτῳ οὖτος παρέστηκεν ἐνώπιον ὑμῶν ὑγιῆς. Κυρίλλου. Ὅτι δὲ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστῆσαι λέγεται τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, ἐνεργουμένου δηλονότι περὶ τὴν σάρκα αὐτοῦ τοῦ πράγματος, οὐκ ἂν ἐνδοιάσειέ τις· αὐτός τε ὑπάρχων ἡ ζωοποιός τε καὶ ἐνεργὴς δύναμις τοῦ Πατρὸς, τὸν ἴδιον ἐζωοποίει ναὸν, κατὰ τὸ, Λύσατε τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον, καὶ ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἐγερῶ αὐτόν. Ἦν ἄρα τὸ ζωοποιούμενον οὐκ ἀλλότριον, οὔτε μὴν ἑνὸς τῶν καθ' ἡμᾶς ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλ' ἴδιον αὐτοῦ τοῦ Λόγου σῶμα. Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοὶ καὶ πατέρες, ἀκούσατέ μου. Κυρίλλου Ἀλεξανδρείας. Ἑτοιμάζεσθαι κελεύει πρὸς τὸ εὐήνιον, καὶ μονονουχὶ κατακλίνοντας τὸ ὠτίον συνιέναι λεπτῶς τῶν θείων λόγων τὴν δύναμιν. Ἔξελθε ἐκ τῆς γῆς σου, καὶ ἐκ τῆς συγγενείας σου, κ. τ. λ. Κυρίλλου. Ἄθρει δὴ οὖν ὅτι τοῖς ὁλοσχερῶς τε καὶ ὁλοτρόπως ἀκολουθοῦσι Θεῷ, καὶ τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν ἐλπίδος πεποιημένοις δεύτερα τὰ σαρκὸς καὶ φιληδονίαν κοσμικὴν, ἕψεται πάντως τοῖς τοιούτοις τὸ εὐλογίας τῆς ἄνωθεν πλουσίως μεταλαχεῖν. Καὶ ἐπαιδεύθη Μωϋσῆς πάσῃ σοφίᾳ Αἰγυπτίων· ἦν δὲ δυνατὸς ἐν λόγοις καὶ ἔργοις αὐτοῦ. Ὡς δὲ ἐπληροῦτο αὐτῷ τεσσαρακονταετὴς χρόνος. Τοῦ ἁγίου Κυρίλλου. Τοιγάρτοι καὶ ἔφασκεν ὁ 74.764 Χριστός· Οὐκ ἀπεστάλην εἰ μὴ εἰς τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἀπολωλότα οἴκου Ἰσραήλ. Αὐτῶν γὰρ αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι· αὐτῶν οἱ πατέρες. Τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Ἦ γὰρ οὐχὶ τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς Λόγον ἐν τοῖς καθ' ἡμᾶς γεγονότα, τουτέστιν ἄνθρωπον μονονουχὶ ἐκβεβηκέναι δώσωμεν· ἔξω τε γενέσθαι τῆς θεοπρεποῦς εὐκλείας ἐροῦμεν, εἴπερ ἐστὶν ἀληθὲς, ὅτι πλούσιος ὢν ἐπτώχευσε, καὶ καθῆκεν ἑαυτὸν εἰς κένωσιν. Ὁ δὲ ἀδικῶν τὸν πλησίον, ἀπώσατο αὐτὸν εἰπών· Τίς σε κατέστησεν ἄρχοντα καὶ δικαστὴν ἐφ' ἡμῶν; Μὴ ἀνελεῖν με σὺ θέλεις, ὃν τρόπον ἀνεῖλες χθὲς τὸν Αἰγύπτιον; Κυρίλλου. Ἀλεξανδρείας. Ἐνεκαλεῖτο 2 μὲν ὁ θεσπέσιος Μωϋσῆς ὡς ἀνελὼν τὸν Αἰγύπτιον, καίτοι θλίβοντα καὶ ἐγκείμενον. Καταχωννύων δὲ ὥσπερ εἰς ἄβυσσον ὁ Χριστὸς τὰ πονηρὰ δαιμόνια, καὶ τῆς καθ' ἡμῶν τυραννίδος καὶ οὐχ ἑκόντα μεθιστὰς, διὰ τούτων ἐχόντων ἐκπέμπειν αὐτὰ, καίτοι δέον ἐπὶ τούτῳ θαυμάζεσθαι, ἔφασκον· Οὗτος οὐκ ἐκβάλλει τὰ δαιμόνια εἰ μὴ ἐν Βεελζεβοὺλ, ἄρχοντα τῶν δαιμόνων. Ἐγὼ ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων σου, ὁ Θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ. Κυρίλλου. Ἄθρει τοῦ νόμου τὸ ἀδρανές· ἐμφανίζει μὲν γὰρ ἑαυτὸν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, ἀλλ' ἐμφανῆ καθιστάντος ἀποστρέφει τὸ πρόσωπον ὁ Μωϋσῆς. Σημεῖον δ' ἂν γένοιτο καὶ τοῦτο ἡμῖν ἐναργὲς, τοῦ μὴ δύνασθαι τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ τὴν θεοπρεπῆ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καταθρῆσαι δόξαν, ἑαυτὸν ἐμφανίζοντος καὶ μονονουχὶ προσάγοντος ἐπίγνωσιν. Εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Κύριος· Λῦσον
Removal of Corruption§4
4The sandal of your feet is a sign of death and corruption, for every sandal is a remnant of a dead and corrupted animal, and thus Christ is inaccessible to those who are still bound by the law and pedagogical worship.
It is necessary to remove the stain and the dirt from sin, and to wipe away the dirt that comes from sin, which includes removing the filth that arises from sin, and also to remove the defilement and to scrape off the dirt that comes from sin, in order to be transplanted beyond Babylon.
You have filled up the evil of the Moabites, neighbor of Damascus, therefore you will be expelled from Damascus to Babylon.
Jacob asked to find a dwelling place for God, saying that he would not rest until he found the place of the Lord and the dwelling of God, which is clearly Christ (Genesis 28:22).
However, Solomon built a house for him, but the Most High does not dwell in handmade temples (1 Kings 8:27).
The wise Solomon built a famous temple in Jerusalem, and the crowd of Jews was very pleased with it, thinking that God had dwelled in it, but they were slow to understand and ignorant of the words of God.
They thought Jerusalem was the city of God and that he dwelled only in it, but God rebukes those who think small, saying, 'What kind of house will you build for me, who has the heaven as a throne and the earth as a footstool?' (Isaiah 66:1-2, Acts 7:49-50).
Stephen was stoned, calling out and saying, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit' (Acts 7:59).
As the holy Cyril says, I commit my spirit into your hands.
This is a great and extraordinary achievement for our souls, as Stephen, with his knees down, cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them' (Luke 23:34, Acts 7:60).
After saying this, he fell asleep.
Saul was in agreement with his murder.
Stephen's prayer was not just a simple one, but one that was said with attention and care, as he was apologizing, saying that not even the previous things were of anger, he says, 'Lord', and wanting to draw them to this.
For just as he was apologizing, he was able to leave his anger and wrath behind, and cleanse his soul of the passion, making his words acceptable.
In the introductions of his preaching, Stephen was like a river flowing above the rest, silencing all his opponents and stopping the shameless tongues of the Jews, who were unable to withstand him, as he was confounding all the Jewish things, and setting up a bright trophy and a manifest victory.
He was a generous and wise man, full of grace, and his preaching benefited the Church greatly, even though he did not preach for a long time.
Unfortunately, he was suddenly seized and condemned as a blasphemer, and stoned.
Greek · §4
τὸ ὑπόδημα τῶν ποδῶν σου. Κυρίλλου. Νεκρότητός τε καὶ φθορᾶς τὸ χρῆμα σημεῖον· εἴπερ ἐστὶ πᾶν ὑπόδημα ζώου λείψανον τεθνεῶτος ἤδη καὶ κατεφθαρμένου. Ἀπρόσιτος οὖν ὁ Χριστὸς τοῖς ἐν νόμῳ καὶ παιδαγωγικῇ λατρείᾳ. Προσαπονίζεσθαι γὰρ ἀνάγκη τὸν μολυσμὸν, καὶ τὸν ἐκ τῆς ἁμαρτίας προαποτρίβεσθαι ῥύπον. Καὶ μετοικιῶ ὑμᾶς ἐπέκεινα Βαβυλῶνος. Κυρίλλου. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὴν Μωαβιτῶν κακίαν πεπληρώκατε τῆς γείτονος ∆αμασκοῦ, ταύτῃ τοι οἰχήσεσθαι ∆αμασκοῦ ἐπέκεινα, τουτέστιν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα. Καὶ ᾐτήσατο εὑρεῖν σκήνωμα τῷ Θεῷ Ἰακώβ. Κυρίλλου. Οὐδεμιᾶς γὰρ, φησὶ, ἀναπαύλης μεθέξω, πρὶν ἂν μάθοιμι τὸν τοῦ Κυρίου τόπον καὶ τὸ σκήνωμα (τουτέστι τὴν σκήνωσιν) τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἰακώβ· δῆλον δὲ ὅτι Χριστοῦ. Σολομὼν δὲ ᾠκοδόμησεν αὐτῷ οἶκον· ἀλλ' οὐχ ὁ Ὕψιστος ἐν χειροποιήτοις ναοῖς κατοικεῖ. Κυρίλλου. Ἀνεδείματο μὲν ἐν τοῖς Ἰεροσολύμοις 74.765 τὸν διαβόητον ἐκεῖνον νεὼν ὁ σοφώτατος Σολομών· ἐπεγάννυτο δὲ λίαν αὐτῷ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ὁ δῆμος, ᾤοντό τε ὅτι κατῴκησεν ἐν αὐτῷ περιειλημμένος ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεός. Βραδεῖς γὰρ ἀεί πως εἰς σύνεσιν καὶ τῶν περὶ Θεοῦ λόγων ἀνεπιστήμονες· οἵ γε καὶ Θεοῦ πόλιν οἰηθέντες τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ καὶ μόνῃ διετείνοντο [Cod. διεγίνοντο] κατοικεῖν αὐτὸν, διά τοι τοῦ λέγεσθαι διὰ φωνῆς τοῦ ∆αβίδ· ∆εδοξασμένα ἐλαλήθη περὶ σοῦ, ἡ πόλις τοῦ Θεοῦ. Σμικρὰ τοιγαροῦν δοξάζοντας ἐλέγχει Θεὸς, καί φησι· Ποῖον οἶκον οἰκοδομήσετέ μοι, θρόνον ἔχοντι τὸν οὐρανὸν, ὑποπόδιον τὴν γῆν; Καὶ ἐλιθοβόλουν τὸν Στέφανον, ἐπικαλούμενον καὶ λέγοντα· Κύριε Ἰησοῦ, δέξαι τὸ πνεῦμά μου. Τοῦ ἁγίου Κυρίλλου εἰς τὸ Πάτερ, εἰς χεῖράς σου παρατίθημι τὸ πνεῦμά μου. Μέγα πάλιν καὶ ἐξαίρετον κατόρθωμα ταῖς ἡμετέραις ψυχαῖς, Θεὶς δὲ τὰ γόνατα, ἔκραξε φωνῇ μεγάλῃ· Κύριε, μὴ στήσῃς αὐτοῖς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ταύτην. Καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἐκοιμήθη. Σαῦλος δὲ ἦν συνευδοκῶν τῇ ἀναιρέσει αὐτοῦ. Τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἀπολογούμενος ὅτι οὐδὲ τὰ πρότερα ἦν θυμοῦ, φησί· Κύριε· καὶ βουλόμενος αὐτοὺς ταύτῃ ἐπισπάσασθαι. Τὸ γὰρ ἀφεῖναι μὲν τὸν θυμὸν καὶ τὴν ὀργὴν τῷ φόνῳ, καθαρθῆναι δὲ τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ πάθους, εὐπαράδεκτον ἐποίει τὸν λόγον. Τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς εὔχεται ὁ μακάριος οὗτος, ἀλλὰ μετὰ προσοχῆς θεὶς τὰ γόνατα. Ὅρα θεῖον αὐτοῦ τὸν θάνατον· μέχρι τούτου συνεχώρησε τὴν ψυχὴν εἶναι ἐν αὐτῷ ὁ ∆εσπότης. Ἐν προοιμίοις τοῦ κηρύγματος ὁ Στέφανος ὑπὲρ τοὺς ποταμοὺς ῥέων καὶ πάντας ἐπιστοματίζων, ὁ τὰς ἀναισχύντους ἀποφράττων Ἰουδαίων γλώττας, ᾧ οὐδεὶς ἀντιστῆναι ἠδύνατο, ὁ πάντα συγχεὶς τὰ Ἰουδαϊκὰ, ὁ λαμπρὸν στήσας τρόπαιον καὶ νίκην περιφανῆ, ὁ γενναῖος οὗτος καὶ σοφὸς, καὶ χάριτος πεπληρωμένος, καὶ τοσαύτην Ἐκκλησίαν ὠφελῶν, οὐδὲ πολὺν χρόνον ποιήσας ἐν τῷ κηρύγματι, ἀθρόον ἡρπάγη· καὶ ὡς βλάσφημος κατεδικάζετο καὶ κατελιθοβολεῖτο. 3
Divinity of Christ§5
5The author demonstrates a great sign of love for God when they bless, showing that they are not overly joyful about suffering for Christ, but rather, they are showing great love.
If those who suffered repented, their sin was forgiven, as seen in the example of Paul, who had thrown many stones and persecuted the Church, yet became a leader of the Church.
The Scripture passage being read was about a sheep being led to slaughter, and it says, 'He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth' (Isaiah 53:7).
In this passage, although the sheep is suffering, it does not attack those who are shearing it, and similarly, Christ, when insulted, did not insult back, and when suffering, He did not threaten.
The shepherds lead the sheep to be sheared at the right time, according to the season, and they bring scissors to shear them, but the sheep do not attack those doing this, illustrating Christ's meekness.
The mystery of Christ's birth according to the flesh is believed to have been accomplished beyond nature, and therefore, it is said that His generation cannot be declared.
It is also said that His life is taken away from the earth, yet it is lifted up and is higher than those on earth, that is, His citizenship.
His life is also taken away in another sense, and is above all, that is, the existence of the Only-Begotten, when He was outside the flesh and not yet according to us.
The question arises, who was I to hinder God?
A certain economy occurred because of the great distinction of those from circumcision who believed before baptism, so that those around Cornelius were deemed worthy of the Spirit, in order to stop the murmuring of the discontented.
As John completed his course, he said, 'What do you suppose me to be? I am not, but behold one coming after me, of whom I am not worthy to loosen the shoe of his feet' (Matthew 3:11).
Having heard this, the contradicting ones became silent (as seen in Acts 11:18).
For it is the work of the all-surpassing substance to show those approaching it to be partakers of the Holy Spirit and divine nature, and this exists in Christ not by participation or sharing from another, but inherently and substantially, for He baptizes in the Holy Spirit.
Thus, the incarnate Word is God and fruit of God and Father, and when He became human, as one Son with the flesh inseparably and incomprehensibly united to Him, He did not lose His divinity.
The blessed Baptist said that this one would baptize in the Holy Spirit and fire, and he acknowledged that even he was not worthy to loosen the strap of His shoes, implying that Christ has feet and shoes, but only in His human form, not in His divine nature.
Greek · §5
Τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Σημεῖον μέγιστον ἐκφέρων τῆς εἰς Θεὸν ἀγάπης. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ καταρώμενος τῷ διώκοντι δείκνυσιν ὅτι οὐ σφόδρα χαίρει ὑπὲρ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ταῦτα πάσχων, οὕτως ὁ εὐλογῶν πολὺν ἐμφαίνει αὐτοῖς τὸν ἔρωτα. Τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Τί οὖν οὐκ ἔστησεν αὐτοῖς τὸ ἁμάρτημα, ἀλλ' ἀφήθη, φησίν; Εἰ μετενόησαν ἀφήθη. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ μυρίαις βάλλων αὐτὸν χερσὶ, καὶ διώξας τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν Παῦλος, τῆς Ἐκκλησίας προστάτης ἐγένετο. Ἡ δὲ περιοχὴ τῆς Γραφῆς ἣν ἀνεγίνωσκεν, ἦν αὕτη· Ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη, καὶ ὡς ἀμνὸς ἐναντίον τοῦ κείραντος αὐτὸν ἄφωνος· οὗτος οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ. Κυρίλλου. Ἐμφανὴς μὲν λίαν τῶν προκειμένων ὁ νοῦς. Ἀποφέρονται γὰρ εἰς τὸ καρθῆναι κατὰ και 74.768 ροὺς τὰ πρόβατα, καὶ τὰς κουρίδας μαχαίρας ἐπιφέρουσιν οἱ ποιμένες· καίτοι πάσχοντα, τοῖς τοῦτο δρῶσιν οὐκ ἐπιπηδᾷ· οὕτως καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς λοιδορούμενος οὐκ ἀντιλοιδόρει· πάσχων οὐκ ἠπείλει· ἐπειδή περ καὶ ὑπὲρ φύσιν τὴν καθ' ἡμᾶς πεπράχθαι πιστεύεται τὸ τῆς κατὰ σάρκα γεννήσεως αὐτοῦ μυστήριον. ∆ιὰ τοῦτό φησιν, ὅτι Τὴν γενεὰν αὐτοῦ τίς διηγήσεται; Ὅτι αἴρεται ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ· ἀντὶ τοῦ, ἐπαίρεται καὶ ὑψηλοτέρα τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς ἐστιν ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ, τουτέστιν ἡ πολιτεία. Αἴρεται δὲ καὶ ἑτέρως, καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντας ἐστὶν ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ· τουτέστιν ἡ ὕπαρξις τοῦ Μονογενοῦς· ὅταν ἔξω σαρκὸς καὶ οὕπω καθ' ἡμᾶς γενόμενος. Ἐγὼ τίς ἤμην δυνατὸς κωλῦσαι τὸν Θεόν; Κυρίλλου. Οἰκονομία τις ἐγένετο διὰ τὴν πολλὴν τῶν ἐκ περιτομῆς πιστευσάντων διάκρισιν, πρὸ τοῦ βαπτίσματος καταξιωθῆναι τοὺς περὶ τὸν Κορνήλιον τοῦ Πνεύματος· ἵνα τὴν ἀντίῤῥησιν τῶν ἀγανακτούντων παύσῃ. Ὅθεν δὲ καὶ εἰκότως περὶ τῶν ἀντιλεγόντων εἴρηται· Ἀκούσαντες δὲ ἡσύχασαν. Ὡς δὲ ἐπλήρου Ἰωάννης τὸν δρόμον, ἔλεγε· Τίνα με ὑπονοεῖτε εἶναι, οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐγὼ, ἀλλ' ἰδοὺ, ἔρχεται μετ' ἐμὲ, οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς τὸ ὑπόδημα τῶν ποδῶν λῦσαι. Κυρίλλου. Μόνης γὰρ καὶ ἰδικῶς ἔργον ἐστὶ τῆς πάντα ὑπερκειμένης οὐσίας, τὸ ἓν εἶναι δύνασθαί τισι τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον καὶ θείας φύσεως κοινωνοὺς ἀποφαίνειν τοὺς προσιόντας αὐτῇ. Ἐνυπάρχει δὲ τοῦτο οὐ κατὰ μετάληψιν καὶ μέθεξιν τὴν παρ' ἑτέρου τινὸς, ἀλλ' οἴκοθεν καὶ οὐσιωδῶς τῷ Χριστῷ· βαπτίζει γὰρ ἐν ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι. Θεὸς οὖν ἄρα ἐστὶ καὶ καρπὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς ὁ ἐνανθρωπήσας Λόγος. Ἀλλ' ἔδρα τοῦτο, καὶ ὅτε γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, ὡς εἷς ὢν Υἱὸς μετὰ τῆς ἀῤῥήτως τε καὶ ἀπερινοήτως ἑνωθείσης αὑτῷ σαρκός. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ μακάριος Βαπτιστὴς προειπὼν, ὅτι Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἄξιος ἵνα κύψας λύσω τὸν ἱμάντα τῶν ὑποδημάτων αὐτοῦ, προσήνεγκεν εὐθύς· Οὗτος ὑμᾶς βαπτίσει ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ πυρί· καὶ πόδας δηλονότι καὶ ὑποδήματα ἔχων. Οὐ γάρ τοι φαίη τις ἂν, εἴ γε νοῦν ἔχοι, ὡς ἄσαρκος ὢν ὁ Λόγος, καὶ οὔπω γενόμενος καθ' ἡμᾶς, πόδας ἔχει καὶ ὑποδήματα, ἀλλ' ὅτε γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος· ἐπειδὴ τὸ εἶναι Θεὸς οὐκ ἀπώλεσεν·
Christological nature and the incarnation§6
6The Spirit worked again, and it did so in a divinely fitting manner, giving itself to those who believe in Him.
In this, God and man were the same person, and the one who acknowledges the sandal is not worthy to untie it, let alone be compared to the divine essence.
As it is written in the second Psalm, 'You are my Son; I have today begotten you' (Psalm 2:7).
Cyril explains that the Son, who alone knows the Father and is known by the Father alone, is the Wisdom and the Word of God, and the Angel of the great counsel, and that He clearly explains to us the mystery of the economy with flesh through the voice of the prophet.
The Son, being by nature and truly the Son of God, and having taken on the essence of God and the Father, became flesh, that is, man, according to the voice of John, and He has become a brother to those on earth, having undergone birth according to the flesh with us.
Although He is eternal and has always co-existed with the Father, He became flesh, and as the unique Son, He is seen by the Father, who says, 'You are my Son; I have today begotten you.'
This statement shows the manifest confession, namely the exaltation, and the phrase 'You are my Son' establishes His eternal nature, while the phrase 'I have today begotten you' reveals His birth according to the flesh, which He willingly underwent through the Holy Virgin, and by which He is also named Theotokos.
We must beware, lest what is said in the prophets comes upon us: 'Behold, the scorners, and marvel, and be vanished…'
Cyril says, 'Behold, the scorners, and look upon; and how the rough thing is cut off.'
The Lord warns us that what was said to others should not come upon us.
For the Lord has commanded us, 'I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you might be for salvation unto the ends of the earth' (Acts 13:47).
Christ shone upon the Gentiles, leaving under the heavens a light infused with divinity, so that the divine nature and the higher realms might be beheld by eyes of pure intellect, and the ways of spiritual worship might be established.
When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their garments and leaped into the crowd, shouting and crying out.
It is the custom of the Jews to tear their garments at blasphemies against God, as Caiaphas did when Christ called Himself the Son of God, shouting aloud and saying, 'He has blasphemed!'!
The godly disciples Paul and Barnabas also did this in Lycaonia, where they became known; for some had wandered from the passion, and the matter was paradoxical to those watching, and the observers desired to offer sacrifices to them as signs of divinity, saying, 'The gods, having been made like unto men, have come to us.'
They called Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes, because he was, as they said, the leader of the word.
Greek · §6
ἐνήργηκε πάλιν καὶ οὕτω θεοπρεπῶς, τὸ Πνεῦμα διδοὺς τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς αὐτόν. Ἦν γὰρ ἐν ταυτῷ Θεός τε ὁμοῦ καὶ ἄνθρωπος ὁ αὐτός. Ὁ τὸ ὑπόδημα ὁμολογῶν οὐκ ἄξιος εἶναι λῦσαι, πῶς τῇ οὐσίᾳ συγκριθήσεται; Ὡς καὶ ἐν τῷ ψαλμῷ γέγραπται τῷ δευτέρῳ· Υἱός μου εἶ σύ, ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε. Κυρίλλου. Ὁ μόνος εἰδὼς τὸν Πατέρα, καὶ ὑπὸ μόνου γινωσκόμενος τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἡ σοφία καὶ ὁ Λόγος αὐτοῦ, ὁ τῆς μεγάλης βουλῆς Ἄγγελος, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ προφήτου φωνὴν, τῆς μετὰ σαρκὸς οἰκονομίας 74.769 ἡμῖν τὸ μυστήριον εὖ μάλα διατρανοῖ. Υἱὸς γὰρ ὢν φύσει καὶ ἀληθῶς, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς ἀναλάμψας τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, γέγονε σὰρξ, τουτέστιν ἄνθρωπος, κατὰ τὴν Ἰωάννου φωνήν· καὶ κεχρημάτικεν ἀδελφὸς τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ τὴν κατὰ σάρκα μεθ' ὑμῶν ὑπέστη γέννησιν· καίτοι προαιώνιος ὢν καὶ ἀεὶ συνυφεστηκὼς τῷ γεγεννηκότι, πλὴν εἰ καὶ γέγονε σάρξ. Ἴδιον ὄντα Υἱὸν οἶδεν αὐτὸν καὶ οὕτως ὁ Πατήρ· ἔφη γὰρ, ὅτι Υἱός μου εἶ σύ· ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε. Ὁρᾷς ἐναργῆ τὴν ὁμολογίαν ἤγουν τὴν 4 ἀνάῤῥησιν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ εἶ τέθεικεν, ἵνα δείξῃ τὸν προαιώνιον· οὐ γὰρ ἐν χρόνῳ γέγονεν· ἀλλ' ἦν ἀεὶ τοῦτο, τουτέστιν Υἱός. Ἐπήνεγκε δὲ τὸ σήμερον ἐγέννησά σε, ἵνα τὴν νεωτάτην αὐτοῦ καὶ κατὰ σάρκα δείξῃ γέννησιν, ἣν ὑπέμεινεν ἑκὼν διὰ τῆς ἁγίας Παρθένου· ταύτῃ τοι καὶ θεότοκος ὠνόμασται. Βλέπετε οὖν μὴ ἐπέλθῃ τὸ εἰρημένον ἐν τοῖς προφήταις, Ἴδετε, οἱ καταφρονηταὶ, καὶ θαυμάσατε, καὶ ἀφανίσθητε, κ. τ. λ. Κυρίλλου. Ἴδετε, οἱ καταφρονηταὶ, καὶ ἐπιβλέψατε· καὶ τὸ τραχὺ ὂν πῶς ὑποτέμνεται· μὴ ἐπέλθῃ, φησὶν, ἐφ' ὑμᾶς τὸ πρὸς τοὺς ἄλλους εἰρημένον. Οὕτως γὰρ ἐντέταλται ἡμῖν ὁ Κύριος· Τέθεικά σε εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν, τοῦ εἶναί σε εἰς σωτηρίαν ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς. Κυρίλλου. Ἐπέλαμψε τοίνυν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ὁ Χριστὸς, καὶ φωτὸς θείου μεμεστωμένην ἀπέφηνε τὴν ὑπ' οὐρανὸν, καὶ καθαροῖς διανοίας ὄμμασι τὴν θεῖαν τε καὶ ἀνωτάτω περιαθρῆσαι φύσιν· καὶ τοὺς τῆς πνευματικῆς λατρείας καθιερῶσαι τρόπους. Ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ ἀπόστολοι Βαρνάβας καὶ Παῦλος διαῤῥήξαντες τὰ ἱμάτια ἑαυτῶν, ἐξεπήδησαν εἰς τὸν ὄχλον, κράζοντες καὶ λέγοντες. Κυρίλλου. Ἔθος ἐστὶν Ἰουδαίοις ἐπὶ ταῖς κατὰ Θεοῦ δυσφημίαις περιρρηγνύναι τὰ ἱμάτια. Καὶ γοῦν ὁ Καϊάφας, Υἱὸν ἑαυτὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ λέγοντος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, περιέῤῥηξε τὴν ἐσθῆτα, διακεκραγώς τε καὶ λέγων, Ἐδυσφήμησε. ∆εδράκασι δὲ τοῦτο καὶ οἱ θεσπέσιοι μαθηταὶ Παῦλός τε καὶ Βαρνάβας. Γεγόνασι μὲν ἐν Λυκαονίᾳ· ἐπειδὴ δέ τινα τῶν ἠῤῥωστηκότων τοῦ πάθους ἀπήλλαττον, καὶ παράδοξον ἦν τοῖς ὁρῶσι τὸ χρῆμα, θύειν ἤθελον αὐτοῖς τῆς θεοσημείας οἱ θεωροί· ἔφασκον γάρ· Οἱ θεοὶ ὁμοιωθέντες ἀνθρώποις ἦλθον πρὸς ἡμᾶς. Ἐκάλουν δὲ τὸν μὲν Βαρνάβαν ∆ία, τὸν δὲ Παῦλον Ἑρμῆν, ὅτι αὐτὸς ἦν, φησὶν, ὁ ἡγούμενος τοῦ λόγου.
Critique of Legalistic Burden and Call to Inner Repentance§7
7Since the action undertaken was regarded as a kind of disgrace, they tore their garments, following Jewish traditions and written customs. Moreover, the custom itself is slandered as not deriving from the law and being altogether lawless. Indeed, the God of all things spoke to those who were shaping such practices and turning far from true piety, saying to the Jews: 'Return to me with all your heart, in fasting and weeping and lamentation; tear your hearts, and not your garments.'
Now then, what are you trying to do, placing a yoke upon the neck of the disciples?... Cyril. Furthermore, since the law is burdensome and hard to bear, the godly disciples have truly confessed this, reproaching certain forms of ignorance. For they said: 'Now then, what are you trying? And the following things.' This is the same point: the law is admittedly burdensome to those of Israel, and the godly disciples agreed to this as well. The Savior himself taught us this, saying: 'Come to me, all who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.' Yet he describes those who labor and are burdened under the law as such, while he himself calls himself gentle, not claiming this quality comes from the law. As it is written, after these things I will return and rebuild the tent of David that has fallen.... Cyril. The tent of David signifies the race of the Jews.
Greek · §7
Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὸ δρώμενον δυσφημία τις ἦν, διέῤῥηξαν τὰ ἱμάτια ἑαυτῶν, παραδόσεσι Ἰουδαϊκαῖς καὶ ἐγγράφοις ἔθεσιν ἀκολουθοῦντες. Ἔτι διαβέβληται τὸ ἔθος, ὡς οὐκ ὂν ἐκ νόμου καὶ ἀνόνητον παντελῶς. Καὶ γοῦν ἔφη πρὸς Ἰουδαίους ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, πλαττομένους τὰ τοιάδε, καὶ τῆς ἀληθοῦς εὐσεβείας ἀποφοιτῶντας μακράν· Ἐπιστρέψατε πρός με ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας ὑμῶν, ἐν νηστείᾳ καὶ κλαυθμῷ καὶ ἐν κοπετῷ· καὶ διαῤῥήξατε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, καὶ μὴ τὰ ἱμάτια ὑμῶν. 74.772 Νῦν οὖν τί πειράζετε τὸν Θεὸν, ἐπιθεῖναι ζυγὸν ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον τῶν μαθητῶν, κ. τ. λ. Κυρίλλου. Καὶ γοῦν ὅτι τε εἰ φορτικὸς καὶ δύσοιστος ὁ νόμος, διωμολογήκασιν ἀληθῶς οἱ θεσπέσιοι μαθηταὶ, ταῖς τινων ἀμαθίαις ἐπιπλήττοντες. Ἔφασκον γάρ· Νῦν οὖν τί πειράζετε; καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Φορτικὸς μὲν γὰρ ὁμολογουμένως ὁ νόμος ἦν τοῖς ἐξ Ἰσραήλ· ὡμολόγουν δὲ τοῦτο καὶ οἱ θεσπέσιοι μαθηταί. Καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ τοῦτο ἡμᾶς ἐδίδαξεν ὁ Σωτὴρ προσφωνῶν καὶ λέγων· ∆εῦτε πρός με πάντες οἱ κοπιῶντες καὶ πεφορτισμένοι· κἀγὼ ἀναπαύσω ὑμᾶς. Ἄρατε τὸν ζυγόν μου ἐφ' ὑμᾶς, καὶ μάθετε ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, ὅτι πραΰς εἰμι καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ· καὶ εὑρήσετε ἀνάπαυσιν ταῖς ψυχαῖς ὑμῶν. Κοπιῶντας δὲ καὶ πεφορτισμένους τοὺς ὑπὸ νόμον εἶναί φησιν, ἑαυτὸν δὲ πρᾶον ὠνόμαζεν, ὡς οὐκ ἔχοντος τοῦτο τοῦ νόμου. Καθὼς γέγραπται, μετὰ ταῦτα ἀναστρέψω καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσω τὴν σκηνὴν ∆αβὶδ τὴν πεπτωκυῖαν, κ. τ. λ. Κυρίλλου. Σκηνὴν ∆αβὶδ τὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων σημαίνει γένος. Ἰστέον δὲ ὅτι Κύρου τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας ἀνέντος τὸν Ἰσραὴλ, κατῆλθον πάλιν εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν, καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν τὸν θεῖον ναὸν, τειχίσαντες τὰς ἠρημωμένας πόλεις, ᾤκουν ἐν αὐταῖς ἀσφαλῶς κατὰ τὰς ἡμέρας τοῦ αἰῶνος, τουτέστιν εἰς ἡμέρας πολλὰς καὶ χρόνους μακρούς. ∆εῖγμά τε καὶ πληροφορία γεγόνασι τοῖς ἄλλοις ἔθνεσι, τοῦ χρῆναι λοιπὸν ἐπιστρέφειν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. Καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα· Ὁ μὲν οὖν τῆς ἱστορίας ἐν τούτοις λόγος· ὁ δὲ ἐσωτέρω καὶ ἀληθέστερος εἴη ἂν ἐν Χριστῷ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνεβίω τὴν εἰς θάνατον αὐτοῦ πεσοῦσαν σκηνὴν, τουτέστι, τὴν ἀπὸ γῆς σάρκα ἐγείραντος τοῦ 5 Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, τότε δὴ, τότε πάντα τὰ ἀνθρώπινα πρὸς τὸ ἀρχαῖον ἀνέστη σχῆμα, καὶ πάντα ἡμῶν τὰ κατεῤῥιμμένα πρὸς νέαν ὄψιν ἐνήνεκται. Εἴ τις γὰρ ἐν Χριστῷ καινὴ κτίσις, κατὰ τὰς Γραφάς· συνεγηγέρμεθα γὰρ αὐτῷ· καὶ κατέσκαψε μὲν ὁ θάνατος τὰς ἁπάντων σκηνὰς, ἀνῳκοδόμησε δὲ ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ ἐν Χριστῷ. Ὃν οὖν ἀγνοοῦντες εὐσεβεῖτε, τοῦτον ἐγὼ καταγγέλλω ὑμῖν. Κυρίλλου. Τουτέστι τὸν Θεὸν τὸν ὕψιστον. Οἱ γὰρ δείλαιοι Ἕλληνες οἴονται εὐσεβεῖν καὶ τὸν ὄντως ὄντα Θεὸν, ἐὰν τοῖς λοιποῖς θεοῖς σχοῖεν τὸ σέβας αὐτοῦ· ἀγνοοῦντες ὅτι μείζονος τιμωρίας ἀξιωθήσονται, τὸ φῶς τῷ σκότει συγκρίνοντες, καὶ τῷ φαύλῳ τὸ ἀγαθὸν, καὶ τῷ ἀλόγῳ τὸ νοερὸν, καὶ τῷ εὐτελεῖ τὸ θεῖον. Ὅθεν
Faith and Works§8
8The Lord called them fools, saying that those who claim to be wise have become foolish. He knew that after his departure, false teachers would arise, and so the Holy Spirit, keeping us safe, warns us against the ravings of heretics. In the early days, it was customary for ships to have symbols of the Dioscuri, which were considered foreign and possibly idolatrous, as Isaiah says, they will sail in foreign ships, navigating the sea (Isaiah 60:9). We must ask in faith, without doubting, for the doubter is a blasphemer. If we do not believe that our requests will be fulfilled, we should not approach God at all, lest we be found guilty of accusing him of not being able to fulfill our requests. To avoid this shameful disease of doubting, we must bring the rational sacrifice and be strengthened by the laws of nature, striking the center of inexorable love, and not exchange any earthly thing for the love towards God. The apostle James says that our father Abraham was justified by his works, when he offered his son Isaac on the altar, while the apostle Paul says that he was justified by faith. This apparent contradiction must be understood in the context of faith and works. Before Abraham had Isaac, he believed in God and received Isaac as a reward of his faith. This faith was not just a feeling, but a conviction that led to action. When God commanded Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, Abraham obeyed, not only doing what was commanded but also trusting in God's power to raise the dead, considering that God is able to raise from the dead. In this way, Abraham's faith was perfected through his works. The apostle Paul also testifies to the importance of faith, making David a witness to the power of faith, who wisely prepared the way for forgiveness through faith and announced it to all people, saying that faith without works is dead. This forgiveness, which would come through Christ, was known to Paul, who understood that faith cooperates with works to bring about righteousness. Therefore, the one who honors God with faith has righteousness, and if someone does not stumble in word, they are perfect and able to control their whole body.
Greek · §8
καὶ μωροὺς αὐτοὺς ἐκάλεσε λέγων· Φάσκοντες εἶναι σοφοὶ ἐμωράνθησαν. Ἐγὼ οἶδα ὅτι μετὰ τὴν ἄφιξίν μου εἰσελεύσονται λύκοι βαρεῖς εἰς ὑμᾶς, κ. τ. λ. Κυρίλλου Ἀλεξανδρείας. Ἵνα μὴ ξενιζώμεθα τῶν αἱρετικῶν τὰ ἐκβράσματα, Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ ἀσφαλιζόμενος ἡμᾶς ταῦτά φησι. Ἐν πλοίῳ ... Ἀλεξανδρινῷ παρασήμῳ ∆ιοσκούροις. 74.773 Κυρίλλου. Ἔθος ἀεί πως ἐν ταῖς Ἀλεξανδρέων μάλιστα ναυσὶ πρός γε τῇ πρώρῃ δεξιά τε καὶ εἰς εὐώνυμα γραφὰς εἶναι τοιαύτας. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἦν εἰκὸς εἰδωλολατρίας κρατούσης κατ' ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ ἐν ᾧ γεγράφθαι τῇ νηῒ τοὺς ∆ιοσκόρους, ταύτῃ τοι νοεῖν ἀκόλουθον ἀλλόφυλον, τουτέστιν εἰδωλολάτριν. Καθώς που καὶ Ἡσαΐας φησί· Πετασθήσονται ἐν πλοίοις ἀλλοφύλων, θάλασσαν ἅμα προνομεύσουσιν. SANCTI CYRILLI FRAGMENTA IN EPISTOLAS CATHOLICAS. IN EPISTOLAM B. JACOBI APOSTOLI. Αἰτείτω δὲ ἐν πίστει, μηδὲν διακρινόμενος, κ. τ. λ. Κυρίλλου. Ὑβριστὴς γὰρ ὁμολογουμένως ὁ διακρινόμενος. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ πεπίστευκας ὅτι τὴν σὴν αἴτησιν ἀποπεραίνει, μηδὲ προσῆλθες ὅλως ἵνα μὴ κατήγορος εὑρεθῇς τοῦ πάντα ἰσχύοντος, διψυχήσας ἀβουλήτως. Χρὴ τοιγαροῦν τὴν οὕτως αἰσχρὰν παραιτεῖσθαι νόσον. Θέλεις δὲ γνῶναι, ὦ ἄνθρωπε κενὲ, ὅτι ἡ πίστις χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων νεκρά ἐστι; Ἀβραὰμ ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν, κ. τ. λ. Κυρίλλου ἐκ τῆς πρὸς Ῥωμαίους Ἐπιστολῆς. Ἐπειδὴ ὁ μακάριος Ἰάκωβος τὸν Ἀβραὰμ λέγει ἐξἔργων δεδικαιῶσθαι ἀνενεγκόντα Ἰσαὰκ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον, ὁ δὲ Παῦλος λέγει αὐτὸν ἐκ πίστεως δεδικαιῶσθαι, οὕτω τὴν δοκοῦσαν ἐναντιότητα νοητέον· ὅτι πρὸ μὲν τοῦ ἔχειν τὸν Ἰσαὰκ ἐπίστευσεν, καὶ μισθὸν πίστεως ἔλαβε τὸν Ἰσαάκ· ὅμως καὶ ὅτε ἀνήνεγκε τὸν Ἰσαὰκ ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον, οὐ μόνον τὸ ἔργον ἐποίει ὃ προσετάγη, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς πίστεως οὐκ ἀπέστη, ὅτι Ἐν τῷ Ἰσαὰκ μέλλει τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ πολυπληθεῖν ὡς τὰ ἄστρα, λογισάμενος, ὅτι Καὶ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγεῖραι δυνατὸς ὁ Θεός. Ὅμως ὁ Παῦλος μάρτυρα τῶν ἰδΐων λόγων καὶ συλλήπτορα ποιεῖται τὸν μακάριον ∆αβὶδ, ἄνδρα διαβόητον ἐν εὐσεβείᾳ, καὶ σοφῶς διασκευάζει ὡς ἐν Πνεύματι τὴν διὰ πίστεως ἄφεσιν καὶ διαγγέλλει πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις· ᾔδει γὰρ ἐν Χριστῷ παρεσομένην κατὰ καιρούς. Βλέπεις ὅτι ἡ πίστις συνήργει τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἔργων ἡ πίστις ἐτελειώθη; Κυρίλλου. Προσεκόμιζε τὸ λογικὸν ἱερεῖον, καὶ τοῖς τῆς φύσεως νόμοις ἐῤῥῶσθαι φράσας, καὶ τῆς ἀπαραιτήτου φιλοστοργίας πατήσας τὸ κέντρον, καὶ τῶν ἐπιγείων οὐδὲν τῆς εἰς Θεὸν ἀντιπαρεξάγων ἀγάπης. 74.1009 Ἐπίστευσε δὲ ὁ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ Θεῷ. Κυρίλλου. Γέρας οὖν ἔχει τὴν δικαιοσύνην ὁ πίστει τιμῶν τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν καὶ ∆εσπότην. Εἴ τις ἐν λόγῳ οὐ πταίει, οὗτος τέλειος ἀνὴρ, δυνατὸς χαλιναγωγῆσαι καὶ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα. 6
Guarding the Tongue§9
9For a mind and understanding that are most perfect have a clear proof: they have nothing worthless on their tongue, and they endure not speaking foolishly. Instead, they consider it worthy of all speech to know how to speak well and say things full of all praise. For speaking wisdom is most necessary, especially for those who have chosen to live well. Holy people reject speaking foolishly, and it is unaccustomed for them to use jests or shameful talk, as the all-wise Paul says.
They love to speak well, for they remember the holy Scripture which says, 'Your speech should be with grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may give grace to those who hear' (Colossians 4:6). The scripture that is inspired by God accepts gentle speech, but rightly condemns the uncontrolled tongue (Titus 1:8). For it says, 'If someone does not stumble in speech, this one is a perfect man, able to control the whole body' (James 3:2). David sings, 'Set a guard, Lord, over my mouth, and a door of restraint over my lips' (Psalm 51:1). He also says, 'I will guard my ways, so that I do not sin with my tongue' (Psalm 34:13). The best guard is to have an untainted tongue. Do not speak against one another, brothers; for the one who speaks against a brother and judges his brother speaks against the law and judges the law (Romans 2:1). Every difficult passion of our thoughts puts away the beginning and birth of pride. Although it is necessary for some to examine themselves and live according to God, they do not do this, but rather meddle in the affairs of others.
When people see others who are weak, they often use this as an opportunity to slander and condemn them, as if they have forgotten about their own weaknesses. However, in doing so, they are actually condemning themselves, because they suffer from the same flaws as those they are criticizing. This is a point that even the wisest of writers, Paul, has made—that when we judge others, we are essentially condemning ourselves, since we are guilty of the same things.
There are those who are driven by a desire for wealth and gain, and they will endure all sorts of hardships, including long journeys and dangerous navigation, in pursuit of their goals. Others use their power and influence to exploit and take advantage of others, while some accumulate their wealth through unjust and wicked means, such as collecting excessive interest on loans. But to those who are rich and powerful, the warning is clear: your wealth will ultimately rot and decay, your fine clothes will be eaten away by moths, and your gold and silver will be corrupted. Weep and wail, for your troubles are coming.
Greek · §9
Κυρίλλου. Βεβηκότος γὰρ νοῦ καὶ φρενὸς τῆς τελειοτάτης ἀπόδειξις ἐναργὴς, τὸ μηδὲν ἐξίτηλον ἐπὶ γλώσσης ἔχειν, ἤγουν ἀθυροστομεῖν ἀνέχεσθαί ποτε· ἡγεῖσθαι δὲ μᾶλλον τοῦ παντὸς ἄξιον λόγου, εὐηγορεῖν εἰδέναι καὶ λαλεῖν τὰ παντὸς ἐπαίνου μεστά. Χρῆμα δὴ οὖν πρεπωδέστατον ὅτι μάλιστά γε ἐν τοῖς εὐζωεῖν ᾑρημένοις τὸ λαλεῖν σοφίαν· ἀπόβλητον γὰρ ἁγίοις τὸ μωρολογεῖν, καὶ ἀσύνηθες κομιδῇ τὸ κεχρῆσθαί τισιν ἢ εὐτραπελίαις, ἤγουν αἰσχρορημοσύναις, αἳ οὐκ ἀνῆκον, καθά φησιν ὁ πάνσοφος Παῦλος. Φίλον δὲ αὐτοῖς, καὶ διὰ σπουδῆς γεγόνασι τούτου, εὐηγορεῖν· διαμέμνηνται γὰρ, κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς, τῆς ἁγίας λεγούσης Γραφῆς· Ὁ λόγος ὑμῶν ἐν χάριτι, ἅλατι ἠρτυμένος, ἵνα δῷ χάριν τοῖς ἀκούουσι. Καὶ πάλιν· Ἀποδέχεται μὲν ἡ θεόπνευστος Γραφὴ τὸ ἐπιεικὲς εἰς λόγους, καταψέγει δὲ μάλα εἰκότως τῆς γλώσσης τὸ ἀκρατές. Ἔφη μὲν γάρ· Εἴ τις ἐν λόγῳ οὐ πταίει, οὗτος τέλειος ἀνὴρ, δυνατὸς χαλιναγωγεῖσθαι καὶ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα. Ψάλλει δέ που καὶ ∆αβίδ· Θοῦ, Κύριε, φυλακὴν τῷ στόματί μου, καὶ θύραν περιοχῆς περὶ τὰ χείλη μου. Καὶ πάλιν· Εἶπα· Φυλάξω τὰς ὁδούς μου, τοῦ μὴ ἁμαρτάνειν με ἐν γλώσσῃ μου. Ἀρίστη γὰρ φυλακὴ τὸ ἄπταιστον ἔχειν τὴν γλῶσσαν Μὴ καταλαλεῖτε ἀλλήλων, ἀδελφοί· ὁ καταλαλῶν ἀδελφοῦ, καὶ κρίνων τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, κατα λαλεῖ νόμου, καὶ κρίνει νόμον. Κυρίλλου. Πᾶν χαλεπὸν ἀποκείρει πάθος τῶν ἡμετέρων διανοιῶν, ὑπεροψίας ἀρχὴν καὶ γέννησιν. Καίτοι γὰρ δέον τινὰς ἑαυτοὺς κατασκέπτεσθαι, καὶ κατὰ Θεὸν πολιτεύεσθαι, τοῦτο μὲν οὐ δρῶσι, πολυπραγμονοῦσι δὲ τὰ ἑτέρων· κἂν ἀσθενοῦντας ἴδωσί τινας, ὥσπερ εἰς λήθην ἐρχόμενοι τῶν ἰδίων ἀῤῥωστημάτων, φιλοψογίας ὑπόθεσιν ποιοῦνται τὸ χρῆμα καὶ καταλαλιᾶς ὑπόθεσιν. Καταψηφίζονται γὰρ αὐτῶν, οὐκ εἰδότες ὅτι, τὰ ἴσα νοσοῦντες τοῖς παρ' αὐτῶν διαβεβλημένοις, ἑαυτῶν κατακρίνουσιν. Οὕτω που καὶ ὁ σοφώτατος γράφει Παῦλος· Ἐν ᾧ γὰρ κρίνεις τὸν ἕτερον, σεαυτὸν κατακρίνεις. Τὰ γὰρ αὐτὰ πράσσεις ὁ κρίνων. Ἄγε νῦν οἱ λέγοντες· Σήμερον καὶ αὔριον πορευσώμεθα εἰς τήνδε τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ποιήσωμεν ἐκεῖ ἐνιαυτὸν, καὶ ἐμπορευσώμεθα, καὶ κερδήσωμεν. Κυρίλλου. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ πρὸς ἐμπορίας καὶ τὰς ἐντεῦθεν φιλοκερδείας ἀκορέστως κεχηνότες ὁδοιποριῶν ἀνέχονται μακρῶν, ναυτιλίας καὶ τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ κυμάτων· οἱ δὲ τὴν πεπορισμένην αὐτοῖς δυναστείαν ὅπλον ποιοῦνται τῆς καθ' ἑτέρων πλεονεξίας· ἕτεροι δὲ αὐτὰ ἐκ μοχθηρῶν εὑρημάτων 74.1012 παχύνουσι βαλάντια, καὶ ἐπὶ τόκοις τόκους ἀνοσίως συλλέγοντες, πῦρ καὶ κόλασιν ταῖς ἑαυτῶν καταχέουσι κεφαλαῖς. Ἄγε νῦν, οἱ πλούσιοι, κλαύσατε ὀλολύζοντες ἐπὶ ταῖς ταλαιπωρίαις ὑμῶν ταῖς ἐπερχομέναις. Ὁ πλοῦτος ὑμῶν σέσηπε, καὶ τὰ ἱμάτια ὑμῶν σητόβρωτα γέγονεν· ὁ χρυσὸς ὑμῶν καὶ ὁ ἄργυρος κατίωται.
Patience and Faith§10
10The wrath of God is almost upon us, trampling and slaughtering the strong and the fat like rams and bulls.
To the wealthy it is said: Come now, weep and wail over the troubles that are coming upon you.
You have lived in luxury, squandered your wealth on the earth, and nourished your hearts as if it were a day of slaughter.
The leaders of the Jews have become like those who graze in a fertile and spacious land, feeding on the donations from the people.
Having been caught as if by the Lord’s sword, the cowards are urged: therefore, brothers, be patient until the coming of the Lord.
For if God delays the punishment of sinners, waiting for their repentance, He does not do so because He has changed or because He loves sinners, but because He gives them time to return.
Having declared the punishment of the wicked, He advises those who have been wronged to be patient, awaiting the coming of the Lord.
At the same time, He also forbids taking oaths and encourages diligence in prayer and psalm-singing, and having faith in the priests of God and love towards each other, as also to pray for one another.
The proof of the power of prayer is brought forward in the example of Elijah.
And finally, the reward of sinners who return.
But above all, my brothers, do not swear, neither by heaven nor by earth nor by any other oath.
If someone shameless, not entreating your life, dares to impose an oath on you, let your yes be yes and your no be no, instead of an oath.
This is because swearing by heaven and earth risks giving creation honor above itself, which is to make it godlike.
For those who swear by something greater are, in effect, swearing by that greater thing, as the Apostle says.
If you believe in the one you do not see, you rejoice with inexpressible and glorified joy, obtaining the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:8-9).
How terrible and difficult is unbelief, but how great is faith as a good, a precursor to every salvation.
As it is written: Behold, I place a chosen, precious stone in Zion, and the one who believes in it will not be put to shame (Isaiah 28:16).
Therefore the honor is yours, to those who believe.
This stone is the Lord Jesus Christ, who is called chosen, precious, and honorable, reflecting the glory and excellence of divinity.
He is also called a cornerstone, as He unites the two peoples, from Israel and from the nations, into one spiritual temple through one faith.
And the one who believes in Him will not be put to shame.
But observe how He brings relief to the afflicted…
The text breaks off here, leaving the sentence incomplete.
Greek · §10
Κυρίλλου. Τουτέστιν ἡ ὀργὴ μονονουχὶ κατασφάξασα, καὶ οἷόν τινας κριοὺς καὶ ταύρους ἁδρούς τε καὶ πίονας καταστρώσασα. Οἷς ἂν εἰκότως λέγοιτο πρὸς ἡμῶν· Ἄγε νῦν, οἱ πλούσιοι, κλαύσατε ὀλολύζοντες ἐπὶ ταῖς ταλαιπωρίαις ὑμῶν ταῖς ἐπερχομέναις. Προσεποίσομεν δὲ τούτοις τὸ, Ἐτρυφήσατε, ἐσπαταλήσατε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἐθρέψατε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ σφαγῆς. Τοιοῦτοι γὰρ γεγόνασιν οἱ τῶν Ἰουδαίων καθηγηταὶ, καταβοσκόμενοι μὲν τρόπον τινὰ τόπον πίονα καὶ εὐρύχωρον, τὰς ἐκ τῶν λαῶν δωροφορίας. Καταπιανθέντες δὲ ὥσπερ ταῖς τῇ τοῦ Κυρίου μαχαίρᾳ περιπεσόντες οἱ δείλαιοι· Μακροθυμήσατε οὖν, ἀδελφοὶ, ἕως τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ Κυρίου. Κυρίλλου. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ὑπερτίθεται, φησὶν, ὁ Θεὸς τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων τὴν τιμωρίαν, περιμένων αὐτῶν τὴν μετάνοιαν, οὐχ ὡς μεταβεβλημένος ταῦτα ποιεῖ, ἢ καὶ φιλῶν τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας, ἀλλὰ καιρὸν αὐτοῖς ἐπιστροφῆς παρέχων Εἰπὼν τῶν ἀδίκων τὴν τιμωρίαν, τοῖς ἀδικηθεῖσιν εἰκότως μακροθυμεῖν παραινεῖ τὴν παρουσίαν ἐκδεχομένοις τοῦ Κυρίου. Ἅμα δὲ καὶ ὅρκων ἀπαγορεύει ἅπτεσθαι, καὶ 7 προσευχῇ καὶ ψαλμῳδίᾳ σχολάζειν, καὶ πίστιν ἔχειν περὶ τοὺς ἱερεῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγάπην, ὡς καὶ δέεσθαι ὑπὲρ ἀλλήλων· καὶ ἡ ἀπόδειξις τῆς ἰσχύος τῆς προσευχῆς ὁ Ἠλίας εἰς μέσον φέρεται· καὶ τελευταῖον, ὅσος ὁ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν ἐπιστρεφόντων ὁ μισθός. Πρὸ πάντων δὲ, ἀδελφοί μου, μὴ ὀμνύετε, μήτε τὸν οὐρανὸν, μήτε τὴν γῆν, μήτε ἄλλον τινὰ ὅρκον. Κυρίλλου. Ἔστω ἡ τοῦ βίου ἡμῶν μαρτυρία βεβαιοτέρα ὅρκου. Εἰ δέ τις ἀναιδὴς, μὴ δυσωπούμενος ὑμῶν τῷ βίῳ, τολμᾷ ὑμῖν ἐπαγαγεῖν ὅρκον· ἔστω ὑμῖν τὸ Ναὶ, ναὶ, καὶ τὸ Οὒ, οὒ, ἀντὶ τοῦ ὅρκου. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο κωλύει ἡμᾶς ὀμνύναι κατὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς, ἵνα μὴ δῶμεν τῇ κτίσει τὸ ὑπὲρ κτίσιν ἀξίωμα, θεοποιοῦντες αὐτά. Οἱ γὰρ ὀμνύντες, φησὶ, κατὰ τοῦ μείζονος ὀμνύουσιν, ὡς ὁ Ἀπόστολός φησι. IN EPISTOLAM I B. PETRI. Εἰς ὃν, ἄρτι μὴ ὁρῶντες, πιστεύοντες δὲ, ἀγαλ λιᾶσθε χαρᾷ ἀνεκλαλήτῳ καὶ δεδοξασμένῃ, κομιζόμενοι τὸ τέλος τῆς πίστεως ὑμῶν, σωτη ρίαν ψυχῶν. Κυρίλλου. ∆εινὸν τοίνυν καὶ χαλεπὸν ἡ ἀπιστία, 74.1013 μέγιστον δὲ ἀγαθῶν ἡ πίστις, πρόξενος πάσης σωτηρίας καθεστῶσα. ∆ιότι περιέχει ἐν τῇ Γραφῇ· Ἰδοὺ τίθημι ἐν Σιὼν λίθον ἀκρογωνιαῖον, ἐκλεκτὸν, ἔντιμον· καὶ ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ' αὐτῷ, οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ. Ὑμῖν οὖν ἡ τιμὴ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν. Κυρίλλου. Λίθον μὲν ἐκλεκτὸν, πολυτελῆ καὶ ἔντιμον, τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἀποκαλεῖ, τῇ τῆς θεότητος δόξῃ καὶ ὑπεροχῇ διαπρέποντα. Ἀκρογωνιαῖον δέ φησιν, ὡς διὰ πίστεως μιᾶς κατασφίγγοντα πρὸς ἑνότητα πνευματικὴν τοὺς δύο λαοὺς, τὸν ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ τὸν ἐξ ἐθνῶν. Ἀλλ', Ὁ πιστεύων, φησὶν, ἐπ' αὐτῷ, οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ. Ἄθρει δὲ πῶς ἀνίησι τοῖς τεθλιμμένοις τὸ
The Power of the Tongue§11
11The chosen stone is placed in the foundations of Zion, and what is the benefit from this? The one believing in him will not be put to shame, because it is essential to control one's tongue, stopping it from evil, as the Bible says that death and life are in the hand of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). Those who can control their tongue will eat its fruits, and this restraint is a great virtue, just as not having it is a painful disease. The restraint of the tongue is a crucial aspect of being a perfect person, able to bridle also the whole body, as Scripture says that if someone does not stumble in word, this one is a perfect man, able to bridle also the whole body (James 3:2).
The Only-Begotten, with authority, cried out to the souls who suffered similarly, according to the plan of the economy, saying to those in bonds, 'Come out', and to those in darkness, 'Be revealed'. This was his proclamation to those in Hades, that he might free those who were about to believe, if he had come in the flesh at the time of their life, if the incarnation was indeed profitable. For these also certainly recognized him in Hades, whom the gatekeepers of Hades, upon seeing him, were terrified by, and the bronze gates were broken, and the iron bars were shattered.
For the things beyond our economy are beyond nature and tradition, and just as Christ cried out equally to all on earth through his bodily presence, and those who believed were helped, so also through his descent into Hades, he freed those who believed and recognized him from the bonds of death. The souls of those who lived in idolatry and lawless debauchery were unable to see the rays of the divine appearance, and thus they could not faithfully recognize the one who came to free all, who appeared to those below and proclaimed to all in common, showing both his philanthropic and just nature.
Greek · §11
ἐλεύθερον. Καί φησι· Τίθημι τὸν ἐκλεκτὸν λίθον εἰς τὰ θεμέλια Σιών· καὶ τί τὸ ἐντεῦθεν ὄφελος; Ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ' αὐτῷ, οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ. Παυσάτω τὴν γλῶσσαν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ κακοῦ. Κυρίλλου. Ἁγιοπρεπὲς τὸ μάθημα καὶ σωτήριον, καὶ λόγου παντὸς ἀξίαν εἶναί φημι τὴν ὑφήγησιν. Γέγραπται γὰρ, ὅτι Θάνατος καὶ ζωὴ ἐν χειρὶ γλώσσης· οἱ δὲ κρατοῦντες αὐτῆς, ἔδονται τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς. Ἔφη δέ που καὶ ὁ Χριστοῦ μαθητής· Εἴ τις ἐν λόγῳ οὐ πταίει, οὗτος τέλειος ἀνὴρ, δυνατὸς χαλιναγωγῆσαι καὶ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα. Μέγα οὖν τῆς γλώσσης τὸ ἐγκρατὲς, ὥσπερ ἀμέλει παγχάλεπον νόσημα τὸ μὴ οὕτως ἔχειν. Ἐν ᾧ καὶ τοῖς ἐν φυλάκῃ πνεύμασι πορευθεὶς ἐκήρυξεν, ἀπειθήσασί ποτε, ὅτε ἀπεξεδέχετο ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ μακροθυμία, ἐν ἡμέραις Νῶε, κατα σκευαζομένης κιβωτοῦ, εἰς ἣν ὀλίγαι, τουτ έστιν ὀκτὼ, ψυχαὶ διεσώθησαν δι' ὕδατος. Κυρίλλου. Λύει ἐνταῦθα τὴν ἀντίθεσιν ἐκείνην ἤν τινες ἀντιτιθέντες λέγουσιν· Εἰ ἐπωφελὴς ᾗ ἡ ἐνανθρώπησις, τί δήποτε μὴ πρὸ πολλῶν ἐνηνθρώπησε χρόνων; Ἰδοὺ γὰρ καὶ τοῖς ἐν φυλακῇ πνεύμασι πορευθεὶς ἐκήρυξεν, ἵνα λύσῃ τούτους, ὅσοι πιστεύειν ἔμελλον, εἰ κατ' ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ σαρκωθεὶς τοῖς ἐπὶ γῆς ἐπεφοίτησεν. Οὗτοι γὰρ αὐτὸν καὶ ἐν τοῖς καταχθονίοις ἐπιφανέντα πάντως ἐπέγνωσαν, καὶ τῆς ἐπιφανείας ἀπέλαυσαν. Τῇ ψυχῇ πορευθεὶς ἐκήρυξε τοῖς ἐν ᾅδου, ὡς ψυχὴ μετὰ ψυχῶν ὀφθεὶς, ὃν οἱ πυλωροὶ τοῦ ᾅδου ἰδόντες ἔπτηξαν, καὶ πύλαι χαλκαῖ συνετρίβησαν, καὶ μοχλοὶ σιδηροῖ συνεθλάσθησαν· καὶ ὁ Μονογενὴς ἐφώνει μετ' ἐξουσίας ταῖς ὁμοιοπαθέσι ψυχαῖς, κατὰ τὸν τῆς οἰκονομίας λόγον, λέγων τοῖς ἐν δεσμοῖς· Ἐξέλθετε [Cod. ἐξέλθατε], καὶ τοῖς ἐν τῷ σκότει· 8 Ἀνακαλύφθητε. Τουτέστι, καὶ τοῖς ἐν ᾅδου ἐκήρυζεν, ἵνα λύσῃ τούτους ὅσοι πιστεύειν ἔμελλον, εἰ κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἐκείνων ζωῆς καιρὸν σαρκωθεὶς ἐπεδήμησεν· οὗτοι γὰρ καὶ εἰς ᾅδου πάντως ἐπέγνωσαν. Ἔστι γὰρ τὰ 74.1016 πλείω τῆς καθ' ἡμᾶς οἰκονομίας ὑπὲρ φύσιν καὶ παράδοσιν· καθάπερ οὖν ὁμοτίμως πᾶσι τοῖς ἐπὶ γῆς διὰ τῆς ἐνσάρκου παρουσίας ἐπεφώνει Χριστὸς, καὶ οἱ πιστεύσαντες ὠφελήθησαν· οὕτω καὶ διὰ τῆς εἰς ᾅδου καταβάσεως, τοὺς πιστεύοντας καὶ ἐπεγνωκότας αὐτὸν ἠλευθέρωσε τῶν τοῦ θανάτου δεσμῶν. Αἱ γὰρ τῶν ἐν εἰδωλολατρίαις καὶ ἀθεμίτοις ἀσελγείαις βιωσάντων ψυχαὶ, ταῖς σαρκικαῖς προσπαθείαις οἱονεὶ ἀποτυφλωθεῖσαι, πρὸς τὰς τῆς θεοφανείας αὐγὰς βλέπειν οὐκ ἴσχυον, ἵνα καὶ πιστῶς ἐπιγνοῖεν τὸν ἐπὶ τῷ πάντας ἐλευθερῶσαι, τό γε ἐπ' αὐτῷ, τοῖς καταχθονίοις ἐπιφανέντα, καὶ κοινῇ πᾶσι κηρύξαντα, καὶ μετὰ τοῦ φιλανθρώπου καὶ τὸ δίκαιον ἐνδεικνύμενον· ἵνα οἱ τῆς τοιαύτης εὐεργεσίας ἀποπεσόντες, σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἔχοιεν αἰτιᾶσθαι, τὸν
Faith and Hospitality§12
12When we abandon the Creator and God of all, we inevitably serve demonic and misanthropic beings, and live as friends to them.
Christ suffered in the flesh for us, and we should arm ourselves with the same mindset as he did.
The Word of God became flesh and suffered voluntarily, showing us that true strength comes from God.
As we are baptized into Christ's death, we become one with him, impassible in divinity but passible in flesh.
Christ is God, and as such, he is impassible in his divinity, but passible in his flesh.
When we receive brothers at table, we should not be anxious about much service, but rather focus on the encounters with our guests, and gain the reward of hospitality.
In what seems difficult, we should show what is noble.
We did not follow clever myths when we made known to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but rather we became eyewitnesses of his greatness.
For he received honor and glory from God the Father, and a voice was brought to him by the magnificent foot of glory.
The problems of the heretics are indeed myths and human wisdom, which Paul writes to us to avoid, as he says, 'Avoid a heretic after a first and second warning' is not our concern, but rather Paul's warning to avoid heretics (Titus 3:10).
The heretics, not having the truth, are forced to wander in various speeches to defend the falsehood.
But we are not so, for we have seen the truth with our eyes, being with him on the mountain.
We also have the prophets who foretold this truth to us, and thus the word became more confirmed to us through sight than through the prophets.
For what they said, Christ confirmed by being present, and we are witnesses who also heard the testimony.
For not having followed clever myths, we made known to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but having become eyewitnesses of his greatness.
We should not consider it a strange occurrence to us to face narrowness and tribulations and bodily infirmities, but rather show what is noble in such situations.
Greek · §12
δημιουργὸν καὶ τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν ἀπολιπόντες, καὶ δαίμοσι μισανθρώποις δουλεύσαντες, καὶ ὡς ἐκείνοις φίλον ὑπῆρχε διαβιώσαντες. Χριστοῦ οὖν παθόντος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν σαρκὶ, καὶ ὑμεῖς τὴν αὐτὴν ἔννοιαν ὁπλίσασθε, κ. τ. λ. Κυρίλλου. Οὐκοῦν ἀνάγκη νοεῖν, ὅτι γεγονὼς καθ' ἡμᾶς ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος σαρκὶ πέπονθεν ἑκών. Βεβαπτίσμεθα γὰρ οὕτως εἰς τὸν αὐτοῦ θάνατον, ὡς ἑνὸς ὄντος Υἱοῦ, κατὰ μὲν τὴν τῆς θεότητος φύσιν ἀπαθοῦς, παθητοῦ δὲ κατὰ τὴν σάρκα. Κυρίλλου. Ὡς γὰρ ὑπάρχοντος Θεοῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, σοφῶς καὶ ἐμφρόνως ὁ μαθητὴς σαρκὶ πεπονθέναι φησὶν αὐτὸν, ὑπεξάγων τοῦ παθεῖν τὴν ἀπόῤῥητον φύσιν, ἧς ἀλλότριον τὸ παθεῖν. Ἰδίᾳ τοίνυν πέπονθε σαρκὶ, καίτοι τοῦ παθεῖν ἀμοιρεῖν εἰθισμένος ὁ ἐκ Θεοῦ Λόγος. Θεὸς οὖν ἄρα ὁ Χριστὸς, θεϊκῶς μὲν ἀπαθὴς, παθητὸς δὲ κατὰ τὴν σάρκα. Εἴ τις διακονεῖ, ὡς ἐξ ἰσχύος ἧς χορηγεῖ ὁ Θεός. Κυρίλλου. Οἱ τὴν ἑστίαν εὐρύνοντες ὑπαντάτωσαν ἱλαροὶ, πρόθυμοι, οὐχ ὡς διδόντες τι μᾶλλον, ἀλλ' ὡς αὐτοὶ ληψόμενοι κατὰ διττὸν τρόπον· πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ ταῖς παρὰ τῶν ξενιζομένων ἐντρυφήσωσι συντυχίαις· εἶτα πρὸς τοῦτο καὶ τὸν τῆς φιλοξενίας κερδανοῦσι μισθόν. ∆εχόμενοι δὲ εἰς ἑστίαν τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς, μὴ περισπάσθωσαν περὶ πολλὴν διακονίαν, μὴ ζητείτωσαν τὰ ὑπὲρ χεῖρα καὶ χρείαν. Λυπεῖ γὰρ πανταχοῦ ἐν παντὶ πράγματι τὸ περιττόν· ἐνεργάζεται μὲν τοῖς φιλοξενεῖν ἐθέλουσιν, ὄκνον· κάματος δὲ τοῖς ἑστιωμένοις εὑρίσκεται. Μὴ ξένον τοῦτον νομίσητε συμβαίνειν ὑμῖν καὶ στενοχωρίας καὶ θλίψεις καὶ ἀῤῥωστίας σωματικάς· ἁλλ' ἐν τοῖς δοκοῦσι δυσχερέσι τὸ δόκιμον ἐπιδείξασθε. IN EPISTOLAM IIB. PETRI. Οὐ γὰρ σεσοφισμένοις μύθοις ἐξακολουθήσαντες ἐγνωρίσαμεν ὑμῖν τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ δύναμιν καὶ παρουσίαν, ἀλλ' ἐπόπται γενηθέντες τῆς ἐκείνου μεγαλειότητος. Λαβὼν γὰρ παρὰ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς τιμὴν καὶ δόξαν, φωνῆς ἐνεχθείσης αὐτῷ τοιᾶσδε ὑπὸ τῆς μεγαλοπρε ποῦς δόξης. Κυρίλλου. Μῦθοι γὰρ ὄντως καὶ ἀνθρώπινα σοφίσματα τῶν αἱρετικῶν τὰ προβλήματα, οὕστινας ἐκτρέπεσθαι βουλόμενος ἡμᾶς ὁ Παῦλος γράφει· Αἱρετικὸν ἄνθρωπον μετὰ μίαν καὶ δευτέραν νουθεσίαν παραιτοῦ, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ἄρχεται μὲν ἤδη τῆς κατὰ τῶν αἱρετικῶν ἐπιδρομῆς· καθὸ ἐκεῖνοι, τὴν ἀλήθειαν οὐκ ἔχοντες, ποικίλοις λόγοις ἀναγκάζονται περιπλάττειν τὸ ψεῦδος. Ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς οὐχ οὕτω, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐθεασάμεθα, μετ' αὐτοῦ ὄντες ἐν τῷ ὄρει· ἔχομεν οὖν καὶ τοὺς προφήτας ταύτην αὐτὴν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἡμῖν προμηνύσαντας, καὶ οὕτως διὰ τῆς ὄψεως βεβαιότερος τῶν προφητῶν ὁ λόγος ἡμῖν ἐγένετο· ἃ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι εἶπον, ταῦτα παρὼν ὁ Χριστὸς ἐπιστώσατο. Καὶ μάρτυρες ἡμεῖς, οἱ καὶ τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἀκούσαντες 9
Ignorance and the Beast Within§13
13The Father’s word is sure. You will do well to obey the prophetic word, for it leads those who are in ignorance as a light-bringer, until the light of the Gospel shines clearly among you, and the intellectual morning star, that is Christ, rises in your hearts, having been testified by the Father.
But those who act like irrational beasts, born for capture and corruption, who in their ignorance blaspheme, will be destroyed in their very corruption, receiving the wages of injustice.
Cyril says: And indeed the glorious Melodus declares that man, though placed in honor, did not understand, but was mingled with the senseless beasts and became like them. For customs of ignorance, woven together like laws, having brought only a little through, appeared as beasts, as I said, which have become only for corruption.
Concerning impious conduct, he says, and the whole life having been corrupted... He showed. The custom of divine Scripture is to take the things according to nature, which are divine, as wild beasts, and present them to men as images and examples, so that from those natural things the things of choice—meaning human movements—may be made evident, and thus either base or just the manner of these is shown.
Upon the base things, if he commands: Do not become as horse and mule, which have no understanding. Or also when, blaming those who have become thus, he says: Man, being in honor, did not understand, was mingled with the senseless beasts, and became like them. And again: Mares, becoming lustful, were made. And the Savior calls Herod a fox, and to the 74.1020 disciples he commanded: Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves.
Greek · §13
τοῦ Πατρός. Εὖ δὲ καὶ ὑμεῖς ποιήσετε τῷ προφητικῷ πειθόμενοι λόγῳ· οὗτος γὰρ τοὺς ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ φωταγωγεῖ, ἕως καθαρὸν ὑμῖν τὸ φῶς τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου διαφανῇ, καὶ ὁ νοητὸς ἑωσφόρος, τουτέστι Χριστὸς, ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν ἀνατείλῃ, μαρτυρηθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ Πατρός. Οὗτοι δὲ, ὡς ἄλογα ζῶα, γεγενημένα εἰς ἅλωσιν καὶ φθορὰν, ἐν οἷς ἀγνοοῦσι βλασφημοῦντες, ἐν τῇ φθορᾷ αὐτῶν καταφθαρήσονται, κομιού μενοι μισθὸν ἀδικίας. Κυρίλλου. Καὶ γοῦν ὁ θεσπέσιος Μελῳδὸς, Ἄνθρωπος, φησὶν, ἐν τιμῇ ὢν οὐ συνῆκε, παρασυνεβλήθη τοῖς κτήνεσι τοῖς ἀνοήτοις, καὶ ὡμοιώθη αὐτοῖς. Ἔθη γὰρ ἀλογίας συμπεπλεγμένα νόμους ὤσπερ ἔχοντες, ὀλίγα κομιδῇ διενεγκόντες ἐφαίνοντο κτηνῶν, ὡς ἔφην, ἃ πρὸς μόνην γέγονε φθοράν. Πρὸς τῷ ἀσεβεῖν, φησὶ, καὶ τὸν βίον ἅπαντα κατεφθαρμένον ... ἔδειξεν. Ἔθος τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ τὰ κατὰ φύσιν ὄντα θεῖα [φ. θήρεια] πράγματα ταῦτα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις εἰς εἰκόνας καὶ παραδείγματα λαμβάνειν. Τοῦτο δὲ ποιεῖ, ἵνα ἐκ τῶν κατὰ φύσιν ἐκείνων τὰ ἐκ προαιρέσεως φαίνηται τῶν κινημάτων τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ οὕτως ἢ φαῦλος ἢ δίκαιος ὁ τούτων δείκνυται τρόπος. Ἐπὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν φαύλων, ἐὰν παραγγέλλῃ· Μὴ γίνεσθε ὡς ἵππος καὶ ἡμίονος, οἷς οὐκ ἔστι σύνεσις. Ἢ καὶ ὅταν μεμφόμενος τοὺς οὕτω γενομένους λέγῃ· Ἄνθρωπος ἐν τιμῇ ὢν οὐ συνῆκε, παρασυνεβλήθη τοῖς κτήνεσι τοῖς ἀνοήτοις, καὶ ὡμοιώθη αὐτοῖς. Καὶ πάλιν· Ἵπποι θηλυμανεῖς ἐγενήθησαν. Καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ τὸν Ἡρώδην ἀλώπεκα καλεῖ· καὶ τοῖς 74.1020 μαθηταῖς παρήγγειλεν· Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω ὑμᾶς ὡς πρόβατα ἐν μέσῳ λύκων· γίνεσθε φρόνιμοι ὡσεὶ ὄφεις, καὶ ἀκέραιοι ὡς αἱ περιστεραί. Ἔλεγε δὲ τοῦτο, οὐχ ἵνα γενώμεθα ὄφεις ἢ περιστεραί· οὐ γὰρ οὕτως ἡμᾶς αὐτὸς πεποίηκε· διὸ οὐδὲ τοῦτο οἶδεν ἡ φύσις· ἀλλ' ἵνα ἡμεῖς, τῶν μὲν τὰς ἀλόγους ὁρμὰς ἐκφεύγωμεν, τοῦ δὲ τὸ φρόνιμον, ἵνα γινώσκοντες μὴ ἀπατώμεθα παρ' αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῆς περιστερᾶς τὸ πρᾶον ἀναλάβωμεν. Ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν θείων πάλιν εἰκόνας τοῖς ἀνθρώποις λαμβάνων, φησὶν ὁ Σωτήρ· Γίνεσθε οἰκτίρμονες ὡς ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. –Καὶ ἔσεσθε ὑμεῖς τέλειοι, ὡς ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν [Cod.
Imitation of God's Mercy§14
14Our heavenly perfect one is, and he does not mean that we should strive to become like God when he says we should become merciful like the Father, because it is impossible for us to become like the Father, being creatures and having come from non-being, out of that which does not exist.
Rather, we are to look at the good deeds of our heavenly Father and do good things for his sake, not for human recognition, so that we will receive our reward from him, and not from humans, just as we, being one only-begotten Son by nature and true, become sons by grace of the one who called us.
We are called gods by grace, being humans, and not by nature, and we become merciful like God, not by being equal to him, but by imitating his kindness, for it is not our discovery to do good, but God's, and we are to extend kindness to all people, without discriminating, just as God does.
This is the only way we can become imitators of him, and it is by serving each other from him, as also in all his Epistles, speaking about these things, in which there are some things that are hard to understand.
For Christ speaks in him, and you, beloved, knowing beforehand, will guard yourselves, so that you will not be led astray by the error of the lawless and fall from your own steadfastness.
You must turn away from those who come to you in the name of Christ but are actually deceivers, for our Lord Jesus Christ has given us a command for our safety and salvation, warning us to beware of those who come to us in sheep's clothing but inside are ravenous wolves (Matthew 7:15).
The Lord commands us not to become like a horse and a mule, so that we do not imitate their irrationality, and he says 'Become merciful like the Father', which means we should do good things, looking at his good deeds, and not for human recognition.
By following this command, we will be able to extend kindness to all people, without discriminating, and receive our reward from God, not from humans.
As the apostle Paul says, some things in his Epistles are hard to understand, but it is certain that they are full of wisdom from above, for Christ speaks in him.
Therefore, knowing beforehand, you will guard yourselves, so that you will not be led astray by the error of the lawless and fall from your own steadfastness, and you must turn away from those who come to you in the name of Christ but are actually deceivers.
Greek · §14
ἡμῶν] ὁ οὐράνιος τέλειός ἐστι. Ἔλεγε δὲ καὶ τοῦτο, οὐχ ἵνα γενώμεθα πάλιν ὡς ὁ Πατήρ· γίνεσθαι γὰρ ἡμᾶς ὡς ὁ Πατὴρ ἀδύνατον, κτίσμα ὄντας καὶ ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος γενομένους· ἀλλ' ὥσπερ οὐχ ἵνα γενώμεθα κτήνη παραγγέλλει, Μὴ γίνεσθε ὡς ἵππος καὶ ἡμίονος, ἵνα μὴ τὸ ἄλογον ἐκείνων μιμησώμεθα· οὕτως οὐχ ἵνα γενώμεθα ὡς ὁ Θεὸς ἔλεγε, Γίνεσθε οἰκτίρμονες ὡς ὁ Πατὴρ, ἀλλ' ἵνα, πρὸς τὰς εὐεργεσίας ἐκείνου βλέποντες, ἃ ποιοῦμεν καλὰ, μὴ δι' ἀνθρώπους, ἀλλὰ δι' αὐτὸν ποιῶμεν· ὥστε παρ' αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ παρὰ ἀνθρώπων, τὸν μισθὸν ἔχειν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἑνὸς ὄντος Υἱοῦ φύσει καὶ ἀληθινοῦ καὶ μονογενοῦς, γενόμεθα καὶ ἡμεῖς υἱοὶ κατὰ χάριν τοῦ καλέσαντος· καὶ ἄνθρωποι τυγχάνοντες θεοὶ χρηματίζομεν, οὐχ ὡς ὁ ἀληθινὸς Θεὸς, ἢ ὁ τούτου Λόγος· ἀλλ' ὡς ἠθέλησεν ὁ τοῦτο χαρισάμενος Θεός· οὕτω καὶ ὡς ὁ Θεὸς οἰκτίρμονες γινόμεθα, οὐκ ἐξισούμενοι τῷ Θεῷ, οὐδὲ φύσει καὶ ἀληθινοὶ εὐεργέται γινόμενοι· οὐ γὰρ ἡμῶν εὕρημα τὸ εὐεργετεῖν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἵνα δὲ αὐτὰ τὰ παρὰ Θεοῦ εἰς ἡμᾶς κατὰ χάριν γινόμενα, ταῦτα καὶ ἡμεῖς μεταδιώκωμεν εἰς ἑτέρους, μὴ διακρινόμενοι, ἁπλῶς δὲ εἰς πάντας ἐκτείνοντες τὴν εὐεργεσίαν· κατὰ τοῦτο γὰρ μόνον δυνάμεθά πως αὐτοῦ μιμηταὶ γενέσθαι, καὶ οὐκ ἄλλως· ὅτι παρ' αὐτοῦ διακονοῦμεν ἀλλήλοις. Ὡς καὶ ἐν πάσαις ταῖς Ἐπιστολαῖς, λαλῶν ἐν αὐταῖς περὶ τούτων· ἐν οἷς ἐστι δυσνόητά τινα. Κυρίλλου Ἀλεξανδρείας. ∆οκεῖ δέ τισιν ὁ πάνσοφος Παῦλος δυσχερῆ τινα λέγειν, ἤτοι δυσνόητα, κατὰ τὴν τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων φωνήν· ὅτι δὲ σοφίας τῆς ἄνωθεν μεμέστωται ταῦτα οὐκ ἔστιν ἀμφιβάλλειν· λαλεῖ γὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ ὁ Χριστός. Ὑμεῖς οὖν, ἀγαπητοὶ, προγινώσκοντες φυλάσ σεσθε, ἵνα μὴ τῇ τῶν ἀθέσμων πλάνῃ συν απαχθέντες, ἐκπέσητε τοῦ ἰδίου στηριγμοῦ. 10 Κυρίλλου. Προσήκει τοίνυν ἀποστρέφεσθαι τοὺς τοιούτους, κἂν τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Χριστοῦ πρὸς ἀπάτην ἀμφιέννυνται. Αὐτοῦ γὰρ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ πρόσταξίς ἐστι πρὸς ἡμετέραν ἀσφάλειάν τε καὶ σωτηρίαν λέγοντος· Προσέχετε ἀπὸ τῶν ἐρχομένων πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν ἐνδύμασι προβάτων, ἔσωθεν δέ εἰσι λύκοι ἅρπαγες. Καὶ
Deception and Love§15
15We must be careful not to be deceived by anyone, for many will come in my name claiming to be the Christ and will deceive many.
Paul cries out, warning us to beware of those who are evil workers of the faith in the Lord Jesus, referring to them as 'dogs'.
God is light, and there is no darkness in him; in fact, God exists as light in essence.
Those who walk in virtues in him will truly become light, while darkness represents evil, a concept that is also illustrated through the Jews.
The Lord himself taught us about love, saying that 'no one has greater love than to lay down his life for his friends' (John 15:13).
This commandment of love is not new, but rather an old one that we have had from the beginning, and it is the word that we heard from the beginning.
The Lord promised this commandment through the prophets, saying that it is not an elder or an angel, but the Lord himself who saves us because he loves us and cares for them.
I am writing to you, fathers, and to you, young men, and to you, children.
When considering age, it is the inner man that matters, for the evangelist did not write to infants, but rather to those who have come to spiritual maturity.
In this context, young men are those who have come to spiritual manhood, and elders are those who have attained wisdom, while infants are those who have just believed in Christ.
We are instructed not to love the world, nor the things in the world, for if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Greek · §15
πάλιν· Βλέπετε μή τις 74.1021 ὑμᾶς πλανήσῃ· πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐλεύσονται ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματί μου λέγοντες· Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Χριστὸς, καὶ πολλοὺς πλανήσουσι. Καὶ ὁ Παῦλος βοᾷ· Βλέπετε τοὺς κύνας, βλέπετε τοῦς κακοὺς ἐργάτας τῆς πίστεως τῆς εἰς τὸν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν. AD EPISTOLAM I DIVI JOANNIS. Ὁ Θεὸς φῶς ἐστι, καὶ σκοτία ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδεμία. Κυρίλλου. Ἢ ὅτι κατ' οὐσίαν φῶς ὑπάρχει ὁ Θεὸς, ἐν τοῖς ἐν αὐτῷ διὰ τῶν ἀρετῶν περιπατοῦσιν, ἀληθῶς φῶς γενόμενος· ἣ σκοτίαν τὴν κακίαν λέγει διὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους. Ἀγαπητοὶ, οὐκ ἐντολὴν καινὴν γράφω ὑμῖν, ἀλλ' ἐντολὴν παλαιὰν, ἣν εἴχετε ἀπ' ἀρχῆς· ἡ ἐντολὴ ἡ παλαιά ἐστιν ὁ λόγος, ὃν ἠκούσατε ἀπ' ἀρχῆς. Κυρίλλου. Περὶ ἀγάπης ὑμῖν διαλεγόμενος· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ καθὼς ἐκεῖνος περιεπάτησεν ἐν ἀγάπῃ· ὡς γὰρ αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος ἔλεγε· Μείζονα ταύτης ἀγάπην οὐδεὶς ἔχει ἐνδείξασθαι, ἢ ἵνα τις θῇ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ὑπὲρ τῶν φίλων αὐτοῦ. Ταύτην οὖν τὴν περὶ ἀγάπης ἐντολὴν οὐ καινὴν γράφω ὑμῖν· ἀλλ' ἐντολὴν παλαιὰν, ἣν εἴχετε ἀπ' ἀρχῆς· ἡ ἐντολὴ ἡ παλαιά ἐστιν ὁ λόγος, ὃν ἠκούσατε ἀπ' ἀρχῆς. Κυρίλλου. Περὶ ἀγάπης ὑμῖν διαλεγόμενος· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ καθὼς ἐκεῖνος περιεπάτησεν ἐν ἀγάπῃ· ὡς γὰρ αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος ἔλεγε· Μείζονα ταύτης ἀγάπην οὐδεὶς ἔχει ἐνδείξασθαι, ἢ ἵνα τις θῇ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ὑπὲρ τῶν φίλων αὐτοῦ. Ταύτην οὖν τὴν περὶ ἀγάπης ἐντολὴν οὐ καινὴν γράφω ὑμῖν· πάλαι γὰρ αὐτὴν διὰ τῶν προφητῶν ἐπηγγείλατο· Οὐ γὰρ πρέσβυς, φησὶν, οὐκ ἄγγελος, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος ἔσωσεν αὐτοὺς, διὰ τὸ ἀγαπᾷν αὐτοὺς καὶ κήδεσθαι αὐτῶν. Γράφω ὑμῖν, πατέρες· γράφω ὑμῖν, νεανίσκοι· γράφω ὑμῖν, παιδία. Κυρίλλου. Ἡλικίας ἐνταῦθά μοι νόει κατὰ τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον· οὐ γὰρ ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς πρὸς βρέφη ἔγραφε. Καὶ νεανίαι μὲν, οἱ εἰς ἀνδρίαν ἐλθόντες πνευματικήν· πρεσβῦται δὲ, οἱ εἰς φρόνησιν ἐλάσαντες· νήπιοι δὲ, οἱ ἐν Χριστῷ ἄρτι πιστεύσαντες. Μὴ ἀγαπᾶτε τὸν κόσμον, μηδὲ τὰ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ. Ἐάν τις ἀγαπᾷ τὸν κόσμον, οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐν αὐτῷ.
Faith and Worldly Distractions§16
16The things of this world are either vanity or uselessness, for some people do not preserve them for any useful purpose, but rather act foolishly, as they are seen acting without a purpose.
The present life is marked by superfluous and useless distractions, as well as the filthiness of worldly desires.
The disciple of Christ warns us, saying, 'Do not love the world or the things in the world' (1 John 2:15), and 'if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence towards God' (1 John 3:21).
As long as we are on this path of life, which is a journey taken by all people, we should receive and not disregard the reminder from our conscience.
However, if we disregard and run past our life, our conscience will accuse you before the judge, make you subject to the verdict of the one judging, and subject you to unbearable punishments.
We would not have suffered these things if we had obtained favor towards the opponent by receiving rebukes with favor, as the divine evangelist John also reminds us that if our conscience does not condemn us, we have confidence towards God (1 John 3:21).
Our faith is the victory that has conquered the world, and it is the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God who conquers the world (1 John 5:5).
Neither Greek, nor Jew, nor heretic can stand against this faith once the victorious works of our faith have been brought forth.
Beloved, making every effort to write to you about our common salvation, I had a necessity to write to you, exhorting you to struggle for the faith once delivered to the saints.
While simultaneously safeguarding us and condemning the heretics, the Holy Spirit, through the prophets and apostles, has forewarned us about the rise of heretics, making us more secure in our faith, so that we will not be caught off guard by their clever arguments.
We are not to be distracted by the heretics' deception and wicked faith.
Greek · §16
Κυρίλλου. Καὶ τί τὰ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἢ ματαιότης, ἢν ἐπ' οὐδενὶ τῶν χρησίμων τηροῦσί τινες; Ἤγουν ἐμμόνως ὁρῶνται πράττοντες· ὁ περιττὸς καὶ ἀνόνητος τοῦ παρόντος βίου περισπασμός· ἡ τῶν κοσμικῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν χυδαιότης. Ἐξίστησιν ἡμᾶς ὁ Χριστοῦ μαθητὴς οὕτω λέγων· Μὴ ἀγαπᾶτε τὸν κόσμον, μηδὲ τὰ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ἀγαπητοὶ, ἐὰν ἡ καρδία ἡμῶν μὴ καταγινώσκῃ ἡμῶν, παῤῥησίαν ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. Κυρίλλου. Ἕως εἶ κατὰ τὸν βίον τοῦτον, ὁδὸς γὰρ 74.1024 ὁ βίος ὑπὸ πάντων ἀνθρώπων παροδευόμενος, προσδέχου καὶ μὴ παραλογίζου τὴν ἐκ τοῦ συνειδότος ὑπόμνησιν· εἰ δὲ παραλογίσῃ καὶ παραδράμῃς τὸν βίον, αὐτὸ τὸ συνειδὸς ἀντιδίκου τάξιν ἐπέχον ἐπὶ τοῦ κριτοῦ κατηγορήσει, καὶ ὑπὸ τὴν ψῆφον ποιήσει σε τοῦ δικάζοντος, καὶ παραδοθήσῃ ταῖς ἀνηκέστοις κολάσεσιν. Ἃ οὐκ ἂν ἔπαθες, εἴ γε κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν εὔνοιαν ἐκτήσω πρὸς τὸν ἀντίδικον, τοὺς ἐλέγχους ὡς μετ' εὐνοίας προσφερομένους καταδεχόμενος. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ θεσπέσιος εὐαγγελιστὴς Ἰωάννης ἐπιστέλλων φησίν· Ἐὰν ἡ συνείδησις ἡμῶν μὴ καταγινώσκῃ ἡμῶν, παῤῥησίαν ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ νίκη ἡ νικήσασα τὸν κόσμον, ἡ πίστις ἡμῶν. Τίς δέ ἐστιν ὁ νικῶν τὸν κόσμον, εἰ μὴ ὁ πιστεύων ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ; 11 Κυρίλλου. Καὶ οὔτε Ἕλλην, οὔτε Ἰουδαῖος, οὔτε αἱρετικὸς δύναται πρὸς αὐτὴν, ἅπαξ τοῖς ἔργοις τὰ νικητήρια τῆς καθ' ἡμᾶς πίστεως ἀπενεγκαμένης. IN EPISTOLAM JUDE. 1 Ἀγαπητοὶ, πᾶσαν σπουδὴν ποιούμενος γράφειν ὑμῖν περὶ τῆς κοινῆς ἡμῶν σωτηρίας, ἀνάγκην ἔσχον γράψαι ὑμῖν παρακαλῶν ἐπαγωνίζεσθαι τῇ ἅπαξ παραδοθείσῃ τοῖς ἁγίοις πίστει. Κυρίλλου. Ὁμοῦ μὲν ἀσφαλιζόμενος ἡμᾶς, ὁμοῦ δὲ καταστίζων τοὺς αἱρετικοὺς ταῦτά φησι. Οὐκοῦν οὐ ξενιστέον ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν αἱρετικῶν πλάνῃ τε καὶ κακοπιστίᾳ· τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος προμηνύσαντος ἡμῖν διὰ τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν τε καὶ ἀποστόλων τὴν τούτων ἔγερσιν. Μᾶλλον γὰρ ἡμᾶς διὰ τῆσδε τῆς προφητείας ἀσφαλεστέρους ἐποίησεν, ὥστε μὴ ταῖς σοφιστείαις τούτων ἁλῶναι. 12