Captive every thought; Word emptied; Gal 2 died to law for Christ
“…taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5) How shall we demolish every high thing raised against the knowledge of God? How shall we take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ? For the Word emptied himself willingly, and became obedient to the Father as far as death (Philippians 2:7–8).
So whenever some, from things done or said economically because of the flesh and the human, exalt themselves against the knowledge of the Son — saying that the one in human form is not true God and Son by nature — then we will demolish every high thing that is raised, overturning the opinions of those who choose to think that way, and turning every thought toward the economy of obedience. For the Son who has come within the measures of humanity must not refuse the human things.
From Galatians: “For through the law I died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me.” (Galatians 2:19–20)
What, then, does the inspired Paul mean here? A law was set by God through the voice of the prophets, and it was this: “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4) A law was also set through Moses. So having followed the law of faith, he says, I died to the law through Moses — no longer working the things marked out for the ancients as in shadow and types. For that is what it means to die to the Mosaic law: that we may live to God, clinging to faith in Christ (Romans 1:17).
Greek
«…πᾶν νόημα εἰς τὴν ὑπακοὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ.» τίνα τρόπον καθαιρήσομεν πᾶν ὕψωμα ἐπαιρόμενον κατὰ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ; πῶς αἰχμαλωτιοῦμεν πᾶν νόημα εἰς τὴν ὑπακοὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ; κεκένωκε γὰρ ἑαυτὸν ὁ Λόγος ἑκών, ὁ καὶ γέγονεν ὑπήκοος τῷ Πατρὶ μέχρι θανάτου.
ὅταν τοίνυν ἐκ τῶν οἰκονομικῶς πεπραγμένων ἢ εἰρημένων διά γε τὴν σάρκα καὶ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον κατεπαίρωνταί τινες τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Υἱοῦ, λέγοντες οὐκ εἶναι Θεὸν ἀληθῆ καὶ Υἱὸν κατὰ φύσιν τὸν ἐν ἀνθρωπείᾳ μορφῇ, τότε πᾶν ὕψωμα ἐπαιρόμενον καθαιρήσομεν, τὰς τῶν ἐκεῖνα φρονεῖν ἡρημένων ἀνατρέποντες δόξας, καὶ περιτρέποντες πᾶν νόημα εἰς τὴν τῆς ὑπακοῆς οἰκονομίαν. δεῖ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος μέτροις γεγονότα τὸν Υἱόν μὴ παραιτεῖσθαι τὰ ἀνθρώπινα.
Ἐκ τῆς πρὸς Γαλάτας. «Ἐγὼ γὰρ διὰ νόμου νόμῳ ἀπέθανον, ἵνα Θεῷ ζήσω. Χριστῷ συνεσταύρωμαι· ζῶ δὲ οὐκέτι ἐγώ, ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός· ὃ δὲ νῦν ζῶ ἐν σαρκί, ἐν πίστει ζῶ τῇ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντός με καὶ παραδόντος ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ.»
τί δὲ ἄρα φησὶν ἐν τούτοις ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος, κατιδεῖν ἀναγκαῖον. νόμος τέθειται παρὰ Θεοῦ διὰ φωνῆς προφητῶν, καὶ ἦν οὗτος· «Ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται.» τέθειται δὲ καὶ νόμος διὰ Μωϋσέως. νόμῳ τοίνυν τῷ τῆς πίστεως, φησίν, ἀκολουθήσας, ἀπέθανον τῷ νόμῳ τῷ διὰ Μωϋσέως, οὐκ ἐνεργήσας ἐπὶ τὰ ὡς ἐν σκιᾷ καὶ τύποις διωρισμένα τοῖς ἀρχαίοις. τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ νόμῳ τῷ διὰ Μωϋσέως ἀποθανεῖν, ἵνα Θεῷ ζήσωμεν, τῇ εἰς Χριστὸν προσκείμενοι πίστει.
About this text
Cyril’s court treatise on right faith for Arcadia and Marina (CPG 5219). One Son, Word made flesh — not two Christs. English from Pusey’s Greek.
English follows Pusey’s 1877 Greek of De recta fide ad Arcadiam et Marinam. This is a reading translation for study, not a new critical edition.
Witnesses
- Copy-text Pusey, De recta fide ad reginas (Oxford, 1877) (Greek · CPG 5219 §§1–100)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.