Father perfects the enfleshed Son; Only-begotten’s aim to suffer in own flesh
So since God-breathed Scripture is indifferent about the wording of the phrase and also accepts it of the Father, nothing still pushes us to turn “through whom” onto the Son’s person as if by necessity. And since this is true, why not rather leave his person aside for the moment, and then, following the aim of the holy writings and keeping the account that fits the Only-begotten’s economy with flesh, say that the Father perfected through sufferings the Son who became human? “For he endured a cross, despising shame,” (Hebrews 12:2) surely in the good pleasure of God and Father — so that he might also show us bold who have chosen to follow in his tracks, persuaded by “Do not fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul.” (Matthew 10:28)
So the Only-begotten’s aim has been to suffer in his own flesh for us. And what sort of reason this has, the inspired Paul will teach, saying: “Since the children have shared blood and flesh, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might abolish the one who has the power of death — that is, the devil — and free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their life.” (Hebrews 2:14–15)
Greek
ἀδιαφορούσης τοίνυν τῆς θεοπνεύστου γραφῆς περὶ τὴν τῆς λέξεως ἐκφώνησιν, δεχομένης δὲ αὐτὴν καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς, οὐδὲν ἔτι τὸ συνωθοῦν ἡμᾶς εἰς τὸ τοῦ Υἱοῦ περιτρέπειν πρόσωπον, ὡς ἐξ ἀνάγκης, τὸ «δι’ οὗ.» ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοῦτό ἐστιν ἀληθὲς, τί μὴ μᾶλλον ἀφέντες εἰς τὸ παρὸν τὸ αὐτοῦ πρόσωπον, εἶτα τῷ σκοπῷ τῶν ἱερῶν γραμμάτων ἑπόμενοι, τῇ μετὰ σαρκὸς οἰκονομίᾳ τοῦ Μονογενοῦς τὸν αὐτῇ πρέποντα τηροῦντες λόγον, τὸν Πατέρα φαμὲν τελειῶσαι διὰ παθημάτων ἐνανθρωπήσαντα τὸν Υἱόν; «ὑπέμεινε γὰρ σταυρὸν, αἰσχύνης καταφρονήσας,» ἐν εὐδοκίᾳ που πάντως τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρός· ἵνα καὶ ἡμᾶς τοῖς ἴχνεσιν αὐτοῦ κατακολουθεῖν ἡρημένους, νεανικοὺς ἀποφήνῃ, πειθομένους τῷ «μὴ φοβεῖσθε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποκτενόντων τὸ σῶμα, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν μὴ δυναμένων ἀποκτεῖναι.»
σκοπὸς οὖν ἄρα γέγονε τῷ Μονογενεῖ, σαρκὶ τῇ ἰδίᾳ παθεῖν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν. καὶ ποία τίς ἐστιν ἡ τοῦδε πρόφασις, διδάξει λέγων ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος· «Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὰ παιδία κεκοινώνηκεν αἵματος καὶ σαρκὸς, καὶ αὐτὸς παραπλησίως μετέσχε τῶν αὐτῶν, ἵνα διὰ τοῦ θανάτου καταργήσῃ τὸν τὸ κράτος ἔχοντα τοῦ θανάτου, τουτέστι τὸν διάβολον, καὶ ἀπαλλάξῃ τούτους ὅσοι φόβῳ θανάτου διὰ παντὸς τοῦ ζῆν ἔνοχοι ἦσαν δουλείας.»
About this text
Cyril’s court treatise on right faith for Pulcheria and Eudocia (CPG 5220). One Son who suffers in flesh yet remains impassible as God. English from Pusey’s Greek.
English follows Pusey’s 1877 Greek of De recta fide ad Pulcheriam et Eudociam. 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 5220 §§1–48)
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.