The Trinity And Plato

Πορφύριος γάρ φησι, Πλάτωνος ἐκτιθέμενος δόξαν, ἄχρι τριῶν ὑποστάσεων τὴν τοῦ θείου προελθεῖν οὐσίαν, εἶναι δὲ τὸν μὲν ἀνωτάτω θεὸν τἀγαθόν, μετ' αὐτὸν δὲ καὶ δεύτερον τὸν δημιουργόν, τρίτον δὲ καὶ τὴν τοῦ κόσμου ψυχήν· ἄχρι γὰρ ψυχῆς τὴν θειότητα προελθεῖν. Ἰδοὺ δὴ σαφῶς ἐν τούτοις ἄχρι τριῶν ὑποστάσεων τὴν τοῦ θείου προελθεῖν οὐσίαν ἰσχυρίζεται· εἷς μὲν γάρ ἐστιν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεός, κατευρύνεται δὲ ὥσπερ ἡ περὶ αὐτοῦ γνῶσις εἰς ἁγίαν τε καὶ ὁμοούσιον Τριάδα, εἴς τε Πατέρα φημὶ καὶ Υἱὸν καὶ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, ὃ καὶ ψυχὴν τοῦ κόσμου φησὶν ὁ Πλάτων· ζωοποιεῖ δὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα, καὶ πρόεισιν ἐκ ζῶντος Πατρὸς δι' Υἱοῦ, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ ζῶμεν καὶ κινούμεθα καὶ ἐσμέν. Ἀληθεύει γὰρ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστός· Τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστι τὸ ζωοποιοῦν. Καὶ πάλιν ὁ αὐτὸς Πορφύριος περὶ Πλάτωνος· ∆ιὸ ἐν ἀπορρήτοις περὶ τούτων αἰνιττόμενός φησι· Περὶ τὸν βασιλέα πάντα ἐστί, καὶ ἐκείνου ἕνεκα πάντα, καὶ ἐκεῖνο αἴτιον πάντων καλῶν, δεύτερον δὲ περὶ τὰ δεύτερα, καὶ τρίτον περὶ τὰ τρίτα. Ὡς γὰρ πάντων μὲν περὶ τοὺς τρεῖς ὄντων θεούς, ἀλλ' ἤδη πρώτως μὲν περὶ τὸν πάντων βασιλέα, δευτέρως δὲ περὶ τὸν ἀπ' ἐκείνου θεόν, καὶ τρίτως περὶ τὸν ἀπὸ τούτου. ∆εδήλωκε δὲ ἐμφαίνων καὶ τὴν ἐξ ἀλλήλων ὑπόστασιν, ἀρχομένην ἀπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ τὴν ὑπόβασιν καὶ ὕφεσιν τῶν μετὰ τὸν πρῶτον, διὰ τοῦ πρώτως καὶ δευτέρως καὶ τρίτως εἰπεῖν, καὶ ὅτι ἐξ ἑνὸς τὰ πάντα καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ σῴζεται. Τεθεώρηκε μὲν οὖν οὐχ ὑγιῶς εἰσάπαν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τὰ Ἀρείου πεφρονηκόσιν ἐν ἴσῳ, διαιρεῖ καὶ ὑφίστησιν, ὑποκαθημένας τε ἀλλήλαις τὰς ὑποστάσεις εἰσφέρει, καὶ τρεῖς οἴεται θεοὺς εἶναι διῃρημένως τὴν ἁγίαν καὶ ὁμοούσιον Τριάδα. Πλὴν οὐκ ἠγνόηκεν ὁλοτρόπως τὸ ἀληθές, οἶμαι δὲ ὅτι κἂν ὑγιῶς ἔφη τε καὶ πεφρόνηκεν, ἐξήνεγκε δὲ καὶ εἰς τοὺς ἄλλους ἅπαντας τῆς περὶ Θεοῦ δόξης τὸ ἀρτίως ἔχον, εἰ μὴ τάχα που τὴν Ἀνύτου καὶ Μελήτου γραφὴν ἐδεδίει καὶ τὸ Σωκράτους κώνειον. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Προς Τα Του Ἐν Ἀθεοις Ιὀυλιανου, Λογος B' Source: Migne PG 76.556a

Expounding an opinion of Plato, Porphyry says, 'The divine substance extends even to three persons, the highest and best God, and after Him there is a second maker, and the third is the soul of the universe, for divinity extends even to soul.' And behold in these things it is manifest that he contends that the three Divine hypostases proceed from the Divine substance, since certainly the God of all things is one, but extended, according to his own understanding, into the holy and consubstantial Trinity, into the Father, I say, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, whom Plato calls the soul of the world, for the Spirit gives life and proceeds from the living Father through the Son, and 'in Him we live and move and have our being.' 1 For our truthful Lord, Jesus Christ, says 'The Spirit is He who gives life,' 2 And again the same Porphyry says of Plato: 'Where secretly intimating these things and speaking obscurely and in a mystery, he says: 'To the king everything is related, and all things are caused by him, and he is the cause of all beautiful things, and related to the second are second things, and third things are related to the third, 3 so that everything exists in relation to three gods, but firstly to the king of all things, and secondly to the god from him, and thirdly to the one who is from that one.' He declares here what the hypostases have from themselves, and that it begins from the king, and there is a declension and descent of things after the first, through the first and the second and the third, he says, for everything is from one, and through him they are preserved. Certainly not everything was seen correctly here, for thinking of these things in the same way of Arius, he divides and imposes inferiority, and he introduces subordination among those subsisting, and he thinks the holy and consubstantial Trinity is three distinct gods. But I think Plato was not ignorant of the whole truth, and would have thought of it and spoken of it rightly, and also published the real and genuine truths about God publicly and openly, but he perhaps feared the accusations of Anytus and Melitus and the hemlock of Socrates. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Against Julian, Book 2 1 Acts 17.28 2 Jn 6.63 3 Plato Letter 2 312e

Going Out To Him

Τοὶνυν ἐξερχώμεθα πρὸς αὐτὸν, κ.τ.λ. Φέρωμεν τοίνυν τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν αὐτοῦ, τουτέστι τόν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν σταυρόν. Οὕτω καὶ αὐτὸς ἔφη· Ὂς οὐ λαμβάνει τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀκολουθεῖ ὀπισω μου, οὐκ ἔστι μου ἄξιος· Τὸ δὲ ἔξω τῆς πύλης, ἔξω τοῦ κόσμου νοεῖν ἔοικε. Ζωῆς γὰρ ἡμᾶς ἐξίστησι κοσμικῆς τὸ θέλειν ἔπεσθαι τῷ Χρσιτῷ. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας,Εἰς τὴν πρὸς Ἑβραίους Ἐπιστολὴν, Ἐκλογαι Source: Migne PG 74.1000c

Thus let us go out to Him... 1 Let us, then, bear His disgrace, that is, the cross on which He suffered for us. So He Himself said, 'He who does not take up his cross and follow after me, he is not worthy of me.' 2 Then, 'outside the gate,' seems to mean outside the world. For the wish to follow Christ draws us out of a worldly life. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Letter to Hebrews, Fragment 1 Heb 13.13 2 Mt 10.38

Teaching And Firmness

Διδαχαῖς ποικίλαις καὶ ξέναις μὴ παραφέρεσθε. Τὸ δὲ παραφέρεσθαι εἴρηται ἐκ μεταφορᾶς τῶν μαινομένων, τῶν τῇδε κὰκεῖσε περιφερομένων· ἤ τῶν εὐπαραφόρως ἐν ἴσῳ δόναξιν ἐς τὸ ἀεὶ προσωθοῦν εὐκόλως μετακλινομένων, καὶ μηδὲν βέδαιον ἐχόντων, καίτοι Παύλου μὲν διακεκραγότος· Ἐδραῖοι γίνεσθε, ἀμετακίνητοι. Αὐτοῦ δὲ τοῦ Δεσπότου τὸ λίαν εὐπάροιστον καὶ εὐδιαπτόητον τοῦ τρόπου τὴν ἀνωτάτω τοῖς ἔχουσι τιθέντος διαβολὴν, καὶ δίκην ὀρίζοντος τῇ νόσῳ τὴν ἀποστροφὴν. Ἔφη γὰρ ὧδε περὶ τινῶν· Ἠγάπησαν κινεῖν πόδας αὐτῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἐφείσαντο, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ εὐδόκησεν ἐν αὐτοῖς. Τὸ γάρ τοι βεβαίως τε καὶ ἀκλινῶς ἰδρυμένον πρὸς πᾶν ὁτιοῦν τῶν τελούντων εἰς ὄνησιν, ἀσφαλές τε καὶ ἄσυλον· καλὸν γὰρ χάριτι βεβαιοῦσθαι τὴν καρδίαν, οὐ βρώμασιν, ἐν οἵς οὐκ ὠφελήθησαν οἱ περιπατήσαντες. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας,Εἰς τὴν πρὸς Ἑβραίους Ἐπιστολὴν, Ἐκλογαι Source: Migne PG 74.1000a-b

Do not be stolen away by various and strange teachings. 1 Stolen is used here as a metaphor for being taken away by madness, for he who is borne away by such things, or is easily disturbed by them, is always being bent like a reed by the power of their will and is never stable, concerning which Paul cries out: 'Be firm and immobile.' 2 And the Lord Himself says that those who have light and inconstant ways place a grave accusation against themselves, and He perceives it to be like the mania of a sickness, for concerning such folk he says, 'They love to move their feet and will not be still, they have not pleased the Lord.' 3 Thus what stands firmly and will not bend is useful in all things, and it is like a guard and a wall. 'For it is good to have the grace to be firm in one's heart, yet not with food, which has not profited those that walk so.' 1 Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Letter to Hebrews, Fragment 1 Heb 13.9 2 1 Cor 15.58 3 Jerem 14.10

From Of Old

Mνήσθητε νόμου Μωυσῆ τοῦ δούλου μου καθότι ἐνετειλάμην αὐτῷ ἐν Χωρηβ πρὸς πάντα τὸν Ισραηλ προστάγματα καὶ δικαιώματα Ἀναπείθι πάλιν ἐννοεῐν τοὺς ἐντευξομένους τοῖς τοῦ προφήτου λόγοις ὅτι μὴ καινὸν ἤ ἀσύνθες τὸ ἐπὶ Χρσιτῷ γέγονε κήρυγμα, μήτε μὴν μόναις ταῖς Μαλαχίου φωναῖς προαπηγγελμένον· ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἄνθωέν τε καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆς, καὶ ἐκ πρώτων, ἴνα οὕτως εἴπωμεν, χρόνων, καθ' οὔς κέκληται πρὸς θεογνωσίαν ὁ Ἰσραὴλ, ὅτε τοὺς ἐν Χωρὴβ κεκρσμᾡδηκε νόμος. Καταβέβηκε μὲν γὰρ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς ἐν εἱδευ πυρὸς ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος τὸ Σινᾶ, ἔφαίνοντο δὲ καπνοὶ μὲν, καὶ φλόγες ὑψοῦ τε διάττουσαι, καὶ πολὺ τοῖς θεωμένοις ἐμποιοῦσαι τὸ δεῖμα. Σκότος δὲ ἦν, καὶ γνόφος, καὶ θύελλα, καὶ φωνὴ τῆς σάλπιγγος, ἠχούσῃς μέγα. Τότε δὴ, τότε περίφοβοι γεγονότες υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ προσῇεσαν λέγοντες τῳ μεσίτῃ καὶ παιδαγωγῷ, Μωσῆς οὕτος ἤν· Λάλει σὺ πρὸς ἡμᾶς, καὶ μὴ λαλείτω πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὁ Θεὸς, ἵνα μὴ ἀποθάνωμεν. Καὶ δὴ πρὸς ταῦτα Θεὸς· Ὄρθῶς, φησὶ, πάντα ὅσα ἐλάλησαν. Προφήτην αὐτοῖς ἀναστήσω ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτῶν ὥσπερ σὲ, καὶ θήσω τοὺς λόςους μου εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ, καὶ λαλήσει αὐτοῖς κατὰ πάντα ὅσα ἐντέλωμαι αὐτῷ. Ὀρᾷς ὅπως ἐκ μακρῶν τῶν ἄνεθεν χρόνων προανεφώνει Χριστὸν τὸ Γράμμα τὸ ἱερόν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὰς εἰ δὴ βοῦλοιτό τις τὰς τοῦ νὁμου βασανίζειν σκιὰς, Χριστὸν εὑρήσει γραφόμενον, καὶ τὸ ἐπ' αὐτῷ μυστήριον. Καὶ γοῦν ἔφασκεν Ἰουδαίοις· Εἰ ἐπιστεύετε Μωσῇ, ἐπιστεύετε ἄν ἐμοί· περὶ ἐμοῦ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ἔγραψε. Πλήρωμα γὰρ νόμου καὶ προφητῶν ὁ Χριστός. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Εἰς Τὸν Προφήτην Μαλαχίαν, Κεφαλ Δ’ Source: Migne PG 72.364c-d

Remember the law of Moses, my servant, as I instructed him on Horeb for all of Israel, with precepts and judgements. 1 Again he exhorts those attendant to the words of the prophet that there is not a new or unprecedented preaching being made about Christ, nor was it foretold by Malachi alone, but from of old and, we might say, from the earliest times, when Israel was called to the knowledge of God, it was hidden in the law on Horeb. For the God of all things came down in the form of fire on Sinai, and amid smoke, and flames flashing on high, and the sight of such things was a cause of grave terror. And there was darkness and blackness and storms and the loud blasting of a trumpet, and then the sons of Israel who were struck with fright came to the mediator and instructor, that is, Moses, and said, 'Speak for us, and let not God speak to us, lest we perish.' Concerning which God said, 'Everything they have said is well spoken. I shall raise up from them a prophet from among their brothers, just like you, and I shall place my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them everything which I have commanded him.' 2 Do you now see how from the oldest times Christ was foretold by Holy Scripture? For if someone wishes to examine these things of the law, he shall grasp that Christ and His mystery is written in them. Thus He Himself says to the Jews, 'If you believed in Moses, you would believe in me, for he wrote of me.' 3 For Christ is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Prophet Malachi, Chapter 4 1 Malachi 4.4 2 Exod 20.19, Deut 18.17-18 3 Jn 5.46

Flight And Prayer

Προσεύχεσθε δὲ, ἵνα μὴ γένηται ἡ φυγὴ ὑμῶν χειμῶνος, μηδὲ ἐν Σαββάττῳ. Τοῦτο αἰνίττεται ὁ Χριστός· εὔχεσθαι ἡμᾶς μὴ γενέσθαι ἐν ἐκδυμίᾳ τοῦ σώματος, μήτε ἐν ἀργίᾳ ὄντας τῶν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἔργῶν, ὃ ὑποσημαίνει τὸ Σάββατον· μήτε ἐνοχλουμένους ἐν ταῖς βιωτικαῖς τύρβαις τε καὶ ταραχαῖς· ὅπερ δηλοῖ ὁ χειμών. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον Εὐάγγελιον Source: Migne PG 72.441a

But pray that your flight is not in winter, nor on the Sabbath. 1 Christ means this: pray that in the departure from the body the works of virtue are not wanting, which is what the Sabbath indicates. And that one is not embroiled in worldly confusions and tribulations, which is what winter signifies. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Fragment 1 Mt 24.20

Faith And Dispute

Ἔστι δὲ πίστις, ἐλπιζομένων ὑπόστασις, πραγμάτων ἔλεγχος οὐ βλεπομένων Τό γε μὴν πίστει παραδεχθὲν ἀπολυπραγμόνητον εἶναι χρὴ, ἀλλ' οὐ θρασυτέραις ὥσπερ ἐκβασανίζειν ἑρεύναις. Πίστις γὰρ οὐκ ἔτι τὸ ζητούμενον. Τὸ γάρ τοι βασανιζόμενον πῶς ἔτι πεπίστευται; Ὅνπερ γὰρ τρόπον ἐλπὶς βλεπομένη ἀζήτητον, πίστις οὐκ ἂν εἶη κατὰ τὸν ἴσον ἐλπίδι λόγον· τὸ γὰρ πίστει τετιμημένον, βασάνου πάντως ἐλεύθερον. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας,Εἰς τὴν πρὸς Ἑβραίους Ἐπιστολὴν, Ἐκλογαι Source: Migne PG 74.989c-d

And it is faith that is the foundation of what we hope for, and convinces us of things unseen... 1 Faith received must be beyond dispute, it is not something to be recklessly examined. Faith is not still questioning, since has anything been believed about which there is still dispute? Just as it is with things hoped for when they are seen, so faith is in that same state of hope. Faith's dignity is to be free from all dispute. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Letter to Hebrews, Fragment 1 Heb 11.1

Sealed With Light

Ἐσημειώθη ἐφ' ἡμᾶς τὸ φῶς τοῦ προσώπου σου, Kύριε... Κρυφιωδέστερον δὲ καὶ μυστικώτερον, πρόσωπον μὲν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, ὀ Υἱὸς, φῶς δὲ τὸ ἐξ αὐτοῦ πεμπόμενον Πνεῦμα εἰς ἡμᾶς· δι' οὗ κατεφραγίσμεθα, εἰς εἰκόνα τὴν πρώτην ἀναμορφούμενοι· δι' οὗ καὶ δεδιδάγμεθα τὰ ὄντως ἀγαθὰ, δι' ἃ καὶ τὴν νοητὴν εὐφροσύνην ἐσχήκαμεν τὴν εἰς νοῦν καὶ καρδίαν, βεβαιούμενοι πρὸς ἐλπίδα τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐσομένοις ἀγαθοῖς. Οἱ μὲν ἄγγελοι βλέπουσι διὰ παντὸς· τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ Θεοῦ, οἱ δὲ ἄνθρωποι τὸ φῶς τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦ. Πρόσωπον δὲ Κυρίου ἐστὶ θεωρία πνευματικὴ πάντων τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς· φῶς δὲ προσώπου ἐστὶν ἡ μερικὴ γνῶσις τούτων αὐτῶν· εἶπερ, κατὰ τὴν σοφὴν Θεκωῗτιδα, ὡς ἄγγελος Θεοῦ ἦν ὁ Δαβὶδ εἰδὼς τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς πάντα. Και ποῖον ἄρα ἐστὶν τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, οὗ τὸ φῶς ἐφ' ἡμᾶς σεσημείωται; Ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱος, ἡ ἀπαράλλακτος εἰκων· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο λέγων· Ὁ ἑωρακὼς ἐμὲ, ἐωρακε τὸν Πατέρα μου. Ἐσημάνθη δὲ ἡμῖν, συμμόρφους ἡμᾶς ἀποδείχας ἑαυτῷ, καὶ τὸν διὰ πνεύματος τοῦ ἰδίου φωτισμὸν ἐγχαράξας ὡς θείαν εἰκόνα τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς αὐτὸν. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Εἰς Τους Ψαλμους, Ψαλμός Δ’ Souce: Migne PG 69.739b-c

Sealed on us is the light of your face, O Lord. 1 In a more hidden and mystical sense the face of God the Father is the Son, and the light from Him to us is the sending of the Spirit, with which we were sealed, refashioned to image of the first man, through which we have received good things, and by which we receive spiritual joy in the heart and mind, being confirmed in the hope of future goods. Certainly angels always gaze on the face of God, 2 but men see the light of His face. And the face of the Lord is spiritual insight into all the things on the earth, and the light of his face is a partial knowledge of these things, since according to the wise woman from Thecua, David was like an angel of God because he knew all the things on earth. 3 Now what is the face of God the Father that is sealed on us? It is the Son of God, the unchangeable image, because of which He says: 'He who sees me, sees my Father.' 4 And thus He has been sealed on us so that he may make us conform to Himself, and by the enlightenment of His Spirit He has impressed the Divine image on those faithful to Him. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Psalms, from Psalm 4 1 Ps 4.7 2 Mt 18.10 3 2 Kings 14.20 4 Jn 14.9

Advice On Fighting

Ἀναλάβετε ὅπλα καὶ ἀσπίδα, προσπεφώνηκέ τισιν ὁ προφήτυς Ἡσαῗας. Παυλός γε μὴν ὁ σοφώτατος· Ἐνδύσασε, φησὶν, τὴν πανοπλίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Οἱ γὰρ Θεῷ γνώριμοι, καὶ ἀρετῆς ἐρασταὶ, καὶ ταῖς παγκάλαις ἐπιεικείαις σύντροφοι, καταστρατεύονται μὲν ὅτι μάλιστα γενικῶς ἀπὰπσης βεβήλου καὶ σαρκικῆς ἡδονῆς, ἀντεξάγουσι δὲ ὥσπερ ταῖς τοῦ διαβόλου δυστροπίαις, τὸ ἐρηρεισμένον ἐν πίστει, τὸ ἀκατασειστον εἰς ὑπομονὴν, τὸ εἰς πόνους τληπαθὲς, καὶ τὸ πρόόθυμον εἰς φιλεργίαν, τὴν ἐφ' ἄπασι δηλονότι τοῖς τεθαυμασμένοις. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν, οἶμαι, τὶς εἰς τοῦτο ποτε πνευματικῆς εὐῥῥωστίας ἀφίκοιτο μέτρον, ὡς καὶ τὴν οὕτω περιφανῆ καὶ παντὸς ὑπέκεινα θαύματος δόξαν ἐλεῖν, εἰ μὴ Χριστὸν ἔχοι τὸν προασπίζοντα. Συναθλήσει δὲ πάντως , καὶ συνέσται προθύμως τοῖς τὰ αὐτοῦ φρονεῖν ᾑρημένοις καὶ τὴν δι' αὐτοῦ κάθαρσιν ἐκπεπλουτηκόσιν, αὔχημά τε ποιεῖσθαι μεμελητηκόσι τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ γοῦν ὁ θεσπέσιος Ψαλμῳδός· Ὁ καταοικειν ἐν βοηθείᾳ τοῦ Ὑψίστου, ἐν σκέπῃ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐρανοῦ αὐλισθήσεται. Ἐρεῖ τῷ Κυρίῳ· Ἀντιλήπτωρ μου εἶ καὶ καταφυγή μου, ὁ Θεος μου, βοηθός μου, καὶ ἐλπιῶ επ' αὐτόν. Ὅτι αὐτὸς ῥύσεταί με ἐκ παγίδος θηρευτῶν, καὶ ἀπὸ λόγου ταραχώδους. Ἀμείνους γὰρ ὅτι τῶν πολεμίων ἐσόμεθα, διασώζοντος τοῦ Θεοῦ, πιστὸς ἔσται λέγων αὐτός· Ὅτι ἐπ' ἐμε ἦλθε, καὶ ῥύσομαι αὐτὸν. Κέκραξε τε πρὸς με, καὶ ἐπακούσομαι αὐτοῦ· μετ' αὐτοῦ εἰμι ἐν θλίψει· ἐξελοῦμαι, καὶ δοξάσω αὐτόν. Ἀλλ' ὅρα τὸ χρῆμα καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ γραφόμενον τοῦ πανσόφου Μωσέως. Ἔφη γὰρ· Ἐὰν δὲ ἐξέλθῃς παραβαλεῖν εἰς τὸν πόλεμον ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου, καὶ φυλάξῃ ἀπὸ παντὸς πονηροῦ ῥήματος· ἐὰν ᾗ ἐν σοὶ ἄνθρωπος ὃς οὐκ ἔστι καθαρὸς ἐκ ῥύσεως αὐτοῦ νυκτὸς, καὶ ἐξελεύσεται ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς, καὶ οὐκ εἰσελεύσει εἰς τὴν παρεμβολὴν. Καὶ ἔσται τὸ πρὸς ἐσπέραν λούσεται τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ ἐν ὕδατι, καὶ δεδυκότος ἡλίου, εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν παρεμβολήν. Καὶ τόπος ἔσται σοι ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς· καὶ ἐξελεύσῃ ἐκεῖ ἐξω· καὶ πάσσαλος ἔσται σοι ἐπὶ ζώνῃς σου. Καὶ ἔσται ὅταν διακαθιζάνῃς ἔξω, καὶ ὀρυξεις ἐν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀπαγαγὼν καλύψεις τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην σου ἐν αὐτῷ. Ὅτι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς σου ἐμπεριπατεῖ ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ σου, ἐξελέσθαι σε, καὶ παραδοῦναι τόν ἐχθρόν σου εἰς τὰς χεῖρας σου. Καὶ ἔσται ἡ παρεμβολὴ σου ἁγία, καὶ οὐκ ὀφθήσεται ἔν σοι ἀσξημοσύνη πράγματος, καὶ ἀποστρέψει ἀπὸ σοῦ. Ἀκούεις ὅτι τοὺς κατανεανιεύεσθαι τῶν ἐχθρῶν καὶ εὐδοκιμεῖν ἐθέλοντας, ἀπαλλάττεσθαι χρὴ παντὸς μολυσμοῦ; Ἡ πάλη γὰρ ἡμῶν, οὐ πρὸς αἷμαι καὶ σάρκα, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰς ἀρχὰς, πρὸς τὰς ἐξουσίας, πρὸς τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους, πρὸς τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας, ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις, αἵ τὸν ἀνθρώπινον ἀκριβῶς κατασκέπτονατι βίον, καὶ τῆς εκάστου ζωῆς πολυπραγμονοῦσι τὸν τρόπον. Δεῖ δὴ οὖν ἀμώμητόν τε καὶ ἀνεπίληπτον ἡμᾶη ποιεῖσθαι τὴν πολιτείαν, ἵνα μὴ τοὶς παρ' ἐκείνων ἐγκλήμασιν ὑποφέρηται. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐχθρός ἐστι καὶ ἐκδικητὴς ὁ τῆς ἁμαρτίας πατήρ. Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἐν τῷδε τῷ κόσμῷ νόμῳ πολέμου καὶ μάχης ἀνεγειρόμενοι τοῖς ἐχθροῖς, τὰς εἰς σῶμα πληγὰς ἤτοι δέχονται τυχὸν, ἢγουν ἑτέροις ἐπάγουσιν. Ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐχ οὕτω· Τὰ γὰρ ὅπλα ἡμων οὐ σαρκικὰ, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον. Οὐκοῦν οὐδὲ εἰς σάρκα πληττόμεθα, ἀλλ' εἰς νοῦν καὶ καρδίαν εἰσδεχόμενοι τὰς ἐπιθυμίας, καὶ εἰς τὰ τῆς φιλοσαρκίας διαπιποντες πάθη. Χρὴ τοίνυν ἡμᾶς παντευχίαις ἐνηρμόσθαι ταῖς πνευματικαῖς, καὶ τῇ ἄνωθων χάριτι περιφράττεσθαι, καὶ εἰς ὅσον οἶον τε τὸν νοῦν ἔξω βέλους νοητοῦ ποιεῖσθαι παντός. Περιεσόμεθα γὰρ ὡδὶ τῶν ἁνθεστηκότων, καὶ πέρα παντὸς ἰέντες πάθους, ἀδιαλώβητον τῷ Θεῷ τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς τηρήσομεν κάλλος. Ταύτῃ τοι φησὶν ὁ νόμος· Ἐὰν δὲ ἐξέλθῃς παρεμβαλεῖν εἰς πόλεμον ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου, καὶ φυλάξῃ ἀπὸ παντὸς ῥήματος πονηροῦ, τουτέστιν, αἰτίας ἀπάσης ἀποτάτω ποίει σαυτὸν, μηδεὶς ἔσται κατὰ σου λόγος ἀληθὴς ἐπ' αἰσχίῳ τε καὶ διαβεβλημένῳ πράγματι, παραιτοῦ τὴν κατάῥῥησιν τὴν ἐφοτῳουν καὶ ἀργείτω κατὰ σου πᾶν ῥημα πονηρόν. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας,Γλαφυρών Ἐις Τὸ Δευτερονόμιον Source: Migne PG 69.657d-661b

'Take up your arms and shields,' it was said somewhere by the prophet Isaiah. 1 The most wise Paul also said: 'Put on the armour of God.' 2 For those who are the friends of God and lovers of virtue and who have been nutured on everything which is fitting, they certainly powerfully repel every defiling and carnal pleasure, and firm in faith, and unshakeably strong in patience and the toleration of trials, and swift for the glorious work of the soul in everything, they mightly oppose the perversity of the devil. Even so, I do not think that anyone rises to that measure of spiritual fortitude, from which such wonderful and admirable glory is acquired, unless he has Christ for a fellow fighter. He who shall certainly join and eagerly stand beside those who think upon the things that He loves, and who through Him have been washed to purity, having carefully given thought to glory and shame. Whence the Psalm says: 'He who dwells in the help of the most High, remaining under the protection of the God of heaven.' 3 And there he says to the Lord: 'You take me up and are my refuge, my God, my helper, and I hope in Him. Because He shall free me from the snare of the hunters and from the bitter word.' For He Himself promises that we shall be superior to our enemies by God's saving will: 'Because he comes to me, I shall deliver him. He called out to me, and I heard him, I am with him in tribulation, I shall draw him out and glorify him.' 4 And see that same thing was described by the wise Moses. For it says: 'If you shall go out of the camp to fight with enemies, keep yourself from every evil word. If there is a man among you unclean from discharge during the night, so he shall leave the camp and may not come back into it. And in the evening he shall wash his body with water and after sunset he shall return to the camp. And there shall  also be a place for you outside the camp. You shall go out there and there shall be a scoop in your belt. And when you sit outside, because of this foulness that is yours ,you shall use the earth to cover your uncleanliness. For the Lord your God walks in your camps, that he might seize you and give the enemy into your hands. Let the camps be holy, let there not appear among you anything unseemly, lest God turn Himself from you.' 5 Hear how those who wish to conquer the enemy and to be approved by God must be cleansed of every defilement. For our fight is not 'against blood and flesh,' as it is written, 'but against principalities and powers and the rulers of this world of darkness, against spiritual wickedness in the heavens,' 6 because of which human life must be carefully scrutinised, and enquiry made into each way of living. It is neccessary, therefore, that we be seen to have a blameless and correct life, lest our sins bring us into subjection. For the enemy and our persecutor is the father of sin. Now those who in this world strive to fight and battle well with an enemy will either receive wounds or inflict them on others, but it is not so for us when 'our arms are not carnal,' as it is written. 7 Whence we do receive wounds in the flesh but in the soul, and the heart lets in lusts, and we are pierced with alluring pleasures. Therefore it is necessary to be instructed in spiritual arms and to be walled about with heavenly grace, and, while it is possible, to keep the mind away from every exterior spiritual shaft. Thus we shall be superior to our adversaries, and having overcome every passion of our souls, we shall keep our beauty inviolate for God. Hence the law says: 'If you shall go out to fight against your enemies, keep yourself from every evil word.' 8 That is, draw yourself far apart from everything incriminating, and do not let any word against you be true in things depraved and vile, and avoid anything worthy of reproof, nor allow space for any word against you. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Glaphyra On Deuteronomy 1 Isaiah 21.5 2 Ephes 6.11 3 Ps 90.1-3 4 Ps 90 14-14 5 Deut 23.9-14 6 Ephes 6.12 7 2 Cor 10.4 8 Deut 23.9

Leading To Freedom

Λαός μου, τί ἐποίησά σοι, ἢ τί ἐλύπησά σε, ἢ τί σοι παρηνώχλησά; Ἀποκρίθητί μοι. Διότι ἀνήγαγόν σε ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐξ οἴκου δουλείας ἐλυτρωσάμην σε, καὶ ἐξαπέστειλα πρὸ προσώπου σου τὸν Μωυσῆν καὶ Ἀαρὼν καὶ Μαριάμ. Ἐξήγαγε δὲ ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐξ Αἰγύπτου νοητοῦ, τουτέστιν ἐκ σκότους, καὶ δαιμονίης πλεονεξίας, καὶ πηλοῦ, καὶ πλινθίας, σαρκικῶν δηλονότι παθῶν. Διεβίβασε καὶ θάλασσαν τοὺς ἐντεῦθεν περισπασμούς, μονονουχὶ καὶ πικρῶν ἀπήλλαξε κυμάτων ἐπ' αὐτοῖς κινδύνων, και νόμους τοὺς θείους εἰς νοῦν ἐνεχάραξεν. Ἀνέδειξε δὲ καὶ ἱερουρηὸν τὸν τῆς σωτηρίας ἡμῶν ἀρχηγον. Ἐξαπέστειλε δὲ ὥσπερ καὶ Μαριὰμ, δῆλον δὲ ὅτι τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, ἢ τῆς τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἐπιβουλῆς ὑπερῄρθη, λαμπρῶς ἀντιθεῖσα τὴν δόξαν τῷ σεσωκότι Θεῷ. Ἀεὶ γὰρ ὕμνοι, καὶ χαριστήρια, καὶ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δόσεως ἔπαινοι, καὶ ἀναῥῥησεις ἐν Ἐκκλησίᾳ. Παραφυλακτέον οὖν καὶ ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς, μὴ ἄρα πως ἡμεῖς τοῖς Ἰουδαῖκοῖς ἐγκλήμασιν ὑποπέσωμεν, καὶ μὴ φορτικὸν ἡγώμεθα, τὸ ἀνδάνον Θεῷ. Ὡς γὰρ ὁ μακάριος φησιν Ἰωάννης, Αἱ ἐντολαὶ αὐτου βαρεῖαι οὔκ εἰσι. Καὶ αὐτὸς δέ φησι ὁ Χριστός· Ὁ ζυγός μου χρηστὸς, καὶ τὸ φορτιόν μου ἐλαφρόν. Προσάγωμεν τοίνυν Θεῷ τὸ εὐνήνιον, ὅτι τῶν παρ' αὐτοῦ φορτικὸν οὐδέν. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τον Προφήτην Μιχαίαν, Κεφαλὴ Ϛ' Source: Migne PG 71.674a-c

My people, tell me what have I done to you, how have I mistreated you? Answer me. I led you from the land of Egypt and set you free from the house of slavery, and I sent forth Moses and Aaron and Mariam before you. 1 He led them from the spiritual Egypt, that is, from the darkness and the deceits of the devil, and from mud and bricks, that is, from carnal passions. And He led them through the sea, from the confusion there, and he freed them from the bitter waves of danger looming over them, and He inscribed the Divine laws in their minds. And He even revealed a holy high priest for their salvation. And He sent forth Mariam, who clearly is the Church, superior to the plots of enemies, that they return glory to God the saviour. For in the Church hymns always break forth, and deeds of grace, and praises of Divine benefactions. Let us therefore also be careful lest we also fall into Jewish errors, and we judge that what pleases God is intolerable. For as the blessed John writes: 'His commands are not burdensome.' 2 And Christ Himself says: 'My yoke is easy and my burden light.' 3 Let us then offer eager minds to God, because there is nothing from Him that is burdensome. 4 Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Prophet Micah, Chapter 6 1 Micah 6.3-4 2 Heb 2.10 3 1 Jn 5.7 4 Mt 11.30

Gaining The Reward

Mὴ ἀποβάλητε οὖν τὴν παρρησίαν ὑμῶν, ἥτις ἔχει μεγάλην μισθαποδοσίαν... Διδάσκει δὲ καὶ πῶς τῶν ἐπάθλων τυχεῖν δυνατόν· ὅτι δι' ὑπομονῆς καὶ τοῦ μὴ ἀψικόρως ἔχειν περὶ τὸ πληροῦν τὰ ἐξαίρετα τῶν κατορθωμάτων, ἀλλὰ διψῇν μὲν ἀεὶ, καὶ ἀκορέστως ἔχειν, καὶ ἀπλήστως ἐρᾷν παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ πράγματος, καὶ κατασωρεύειν ἑαυτοῖς τὴν ἐκ πράξεων εὐδοκίμησιν, ἐν τοιαύταις δὲ εἶναι προθυμίαις, ἐν αἶσπερ ἂν εἶεν καὶ οἱ τοῦ πλουτεῖν ἐρασταὶ, περὶ ὦν γέγραπται· Ἀγαπῶν ἀργύριον, οὐ πλησθήσεται ἀργυρίου. Εἰ δὲ οὐ κορέννυσιν ἐκείνους τὰ γήῖνα καὶ πρόσκαιρα καὶ εὐμάραντα, πῶς οὐκ ἀναγκαῖον ἡμᾶς θερμοτέραις κεχρῆσθαι ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις, ἵνα κερδάνωμεν τὰ παρὰ Θεοῦ, ἅ καὶ εἰς ἀπεράντους αἰῶνας ἐκτείνεται, καὶ ἀκατάληκτον ἔχει τὴν εὐθυμίαν; Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας,Εἰς τὴν πρὸς Ἑβραίους Ἐπιστολὴν, Ἐκλογαι Source: Migne PG 74.989b-c

Do not cast away your confidence, which has a great reward... 1 He teaches how it is possible that the reward comes to us, which is by endurance and constancy in whatever good work we have chosen to do, for we should always thirst and never be satisfied, even with unquenchable love for every good deed, because of which good doing a great account is heaped up for us, whence our eagerness should be like that which others have for the seeking out of wealth, concerning whom it is written: 'He who loves silver, he shall not be filled with silver.' 2 For if there is no satisfying their desire for worldly things, which are transitory and swiftly wither, shall we be less fervent to burn for that which enriches us with God, and which the eternal age stores up and is treasured in endless happiness? Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Letter to Hebrews, Fragment 1 Heb 10.35 2 Sirach 5.9

Leaving The Humble Way

Καὶ ὁδὸν ταπεινῶν ἐξέκλιναν... Τοῦτο νοήσεις δίχα. Ἤ γὰρ ἐκεῖνό φησιν, ὅτι πεφρονήκασιν ὑπέροψκα, καὶ θεοστυγμοῦς ἁλαζονείας εἰς τοῦτο ἢκουσιν τὸ μέτρον, ὡς παραιτεῖσθαι καὶ ἀδελφοὺς, εἰ μὴ πλούτῳ περιχέοιντο, καὶ λαμπρὰς ἔχοιεν τὰς περιουσίας, μισεῖν δὲ ὥσπερ ἰέναι καὶ κατὰ ταυτὸ τοῖς οὐκ ἄγαν ἐξησκηκόσι τὸ φιλοχρήματον πάθος, οἵ καὶ εἰσὶ ταπεινοὶ, τὸν εἰκαῖον τοῦ βίου διωθοὺμενοι σάλον. Ἤγουν ὅτι καθηγηταὶ γεγονότες, καὶ λαῶν ἠγούμενοι, παρευθύνουσι τὴν ὁδὸν τῶν ἀσθενεστέρων, ἤτοι τῶν ταπεινῶν, δῆλον δὲ ὅτι τῶν οἴκοθεν μὲν οὐκ ἐχόντων τὴν τοῦ συμφέροντο, εἰδησιν ἀκριβῆ, προσκειμένων δὲ μᾶλλον ταῖς τῶν παιδαγωγούντων φωναῖς. Πλείστη δὲ ὅση πληθὺς ἡ τοιάδε. Ζῶσι μὲν γὰρ ἀπεριεργότερον καὶ ἐν ἀπλότητί τινες, ἀπήρτηνται δὲ τῆς τῶν διδασκόντων φωνῆς, ἤτοι παιδαγωγίας, καὶ ἤνπερ ἂν μάθοιεν εὖ ἔχειν ὁδὸν, ἀγαπῶσι λίαν. Οὐκοῦν οἱ μὲν σοφοὶ καὶ θεοφιλεῖς τῶν καθηγεισθαι λαχόντων, τὴν ἐπ' εὐθὺ δεικνύουσι τρίβον, δι' ἧς μάλα διᾴττοντες, τὴν ἀνδάνουσαν Θεῷ κατορθοῦσι ζωήν. Οἱ δὲ δὴ μακρὰν τοῦ θείου πεφρονηκοντες νόμου, παρευθύνουσι τῶν ταπεινῶν τὴν ὁδὸν, ἔξω τοῦ εἰκότος καὶ τοῦ πρέποντος ἀληθῶς γενέσθαι παρασκευάζοντες, ὁποῖόν τι δέδρακεν Ἰεροβοὰμ ἀναπεπεικὼς προσκυνεὶν ταῖς χιεροτεύκτοις δαμάλεσι, καὶ ἀποστήσαντες ὁδοῦ τὴς εἰς εὐθύ τε κιὰ ἀγαθὸν, τοῦ προσκεῖσθαι, φημὶ, τῷ φύσει Θεῷ. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τον Προφήτην Ἀμώς, Κεφ' Β' Source: Migne PG 71.441b-d

And they have left the way of the humble... 1 This can be understood in two ways. Either it is said that they were puffed up beyond measure and by their arrogance they came to abhor God, so that they despised their brothers unless they were surrounded with wealth and possessed a splendor of the abundance of things, and because of this they hated those who did not have an excessive passion for adorning themselves with wealth, even the humble, who thus thrust away the wild turmoils of life. Or because being instructors and leaders of the people they left the way of the weak, or the humble, that is, they did not take from their stores that which was of benefit to them, but rather they devoted themselves to the voices of the erudite. And such a thing is far from the many. For they live incurious and in simplicity, and they depend on the voices of teachers and instructors that they might learn of the good way, and love it vehemently. The wise who are lovers of God do not lead the way in possessions, but they show the way which is right, which is composed of deeds in the pursuit of the upright life that is pleasing to God. But those whose thoughts are far from the law of God, they pervert the way of the humble, and they do that which is neither fair nor beffiting, as Jeroboam did, who persauded the people to revere idols, taking them away from the way of the right and good, and from revering, I say, the Divine nature. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Prophet Amos, Chapter 2 1 Amos 2.7

Faith And Salvation

Πίστει χρηματισθεὶς Νῶε περὶ τῶν μηδέπω βλεπομένων εὐλαβηθεὶς κατεσκεύασεν κιβωτὸν εἰς σωτηρίαν τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ... Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἡ σύμπασα γῆ τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτῆς διέφθειρε, καθὰ γέγραπται, καὶ ἀπονένευκεν ἡ καρδία τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τὰ πονηρὰ ἐκ νεότητος, κατακλυσμὸν τοῖς ἀνὰ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἐπηφίει Θεὸς, οἶόν τινα κῆπον ὑλομανήσαντα καὶ κεχερσωμένον ἀνακτώμενος, καὶ φυτὸν ἐν αὐτῷ τηρήσας εὐγενὲς, τὸν πανάριστον Νῶε, ἵνα ἐξ αὐτοῦ τὸ γένος τὸ ἀνθρώπινον, εἰς ἑτέραν ὥσπερ ἀρχὴν μεταστοιχειούμενον, σώζηται πάλιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Πίστει οὖν χρηματισθεὶς Νῶε, κατεσκεύαζε τὴν κιβωτὸν εἰς σωτηρίαν τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ, εἰς ἤν ὀλίγαι, τουτέστιν ὀκτὼ ψυχαὶ διεσώθησαν δι' ὕδατος. Μία μὲν γὰρ ἐξενήνεκται θανάτου ψῆφος κατὰ πάντων τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, πεπληθυμένης δηλονότι τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ εἰς ἀβουλητον ὀργὴν καλεσάσης τὸν Δημιουργόν. Ἀλλ' ἐσωζετο πανοικὶ δίκαιος ὤν ὁ Νῶε, πεπίστευκε γὰρ τῷ Θεῷ προστάττοντι κατασκευάσαι τὴν κιβωτόν. Καὶ βεβάπιστο μὲν σύμπασα γῆ, ἡ δὲ τοῖς ὕδασιν ἐπενήχετο, κυβερνήτην λαβοῦσα τὸν τῶν ὅλων σωτῆρα Θεόν· καὶ ἦν ἐν αὐτῇ λείψανον ἀνθρωπότητος ὁμοῦ γυναιξὶ καὶ τέκνοις. Ὁ πίστιν ἔχων τὸ καύχημα... Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας,Εἰς τὴν πρὸς Ἑβραίους Ἐπιστολὴν, Ἐκλογαι Source: Migne PG 74.992a-b

By faith, Noah, being warned of things not yet seen, made fearful, prepared an ark for the saving of his house... 1 Because the whole world was corrupt in His sight, as it is written, and He saw that the heart of man was inclined to evil works from its youth, 2 God brought the flood on the whole world, that He might renew the garden which once flourished and was made desolate, in the guarding of that most eminent tree, the celebrated Noah, that through him He might reorder the human race, as if with a better beginning, and so he was protected in the world. Therefore by faith, Noah, being warned, made the ark for the salvation of His family, in which a few, that is, eight souls, would be saved from the waters. For there was to be one common death for all those who dwelt on the earth, which was clearly full of sin and provoked the Lord to unavoidable anger. But the righteous Noah was saved along with his whole house, he who believed in God his protector and made the ark. Then the whole earth was submerged, and the ark alone floated on the waters, having as steersman the one saving God of all, and in it was the remnant of the human race, Noah and the wives and sons. He who, having faith, the glory... Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Letter to Hebrews, Fragment 1 Heb 11.7 2 Gen 6.12, Gen 8.21

The Doves

Καὶ περὶ αὐτῶν, οἶμαι που, καὶ ὁ σοφὸς Ἰωάαννης γράφει· Ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐξῆλθον, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν· εἰ γὰρ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν, μεμενήσκαν ἂν μεθ' ἡμῶν. Λέγοντες δὲ καὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐναργῶς, ὅτι Ἐν ὑστέροις καιροῖς ἀποστήσονται τινες τῆς πίστεως, προσέχοντες πνεύμασι πλάνοις, ὅρα καὶ τοῦδε σαφῆ τύπον διὰ Νῶε γεγενημένον. Ἀπέστειλε μὲν γὰρ πρώτην τε και δευτέραν περιστερὰν κατασκεψομενός, ὥσπερ εἰ ἐν ὑφιζήσει γέγονεν ὁ κατακλυσμός. Αἱ δὲ ὑπενόστησαν ὡς εἰς καλιὰν εἰς τὴν κιβωτὸν, καὶ τι κάρφος ἐχούσης μιᾶς ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτῆς, καθὰ γέγραπται, θαλὸς δὲ τοῦτο ἐλαίας ἦν. Ἀποστέλλονται μὲν γὰρ οἱ ἅγιοι παρὰ Χριστοῦ κατασκεψόμενοι τε τὸν κόσμον, καὶ τοὺς ἐν αὐτῷ. Ὑμονοστοῦσι δὲ ὥσπερ λαλοῠντες εἰρήνην. Τουτὶ γὰρ οἶμαι πλαγίως ὑποδηλοῦν τὸ ἐν στόματι κεῖσθαι τῆς περιστερᾶς τὸν τῇς ἐλαίας θαλόν. Σύμβολον γὰρ εἰρήνης ἀεί πώς ἐστι τὸ φυτόν. Φιλόθεοι μὲν οὖν οἱ πίστει κεκαθαρμένοι, καὶ ὡς ἐν πραότητι πολιτείας εὐαγγελικῆς, ἀπόλεκτοι τῷ Θεῷ. Πλὴν, ὅτι καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀποστήσονται τινες ἐν ἐσχάτοις καιροῖς, καθάπερ ἔφην ἀρτίως, ἐμφήνειεν ἂν ὁ τύπος. Τρίτη γὰρ καὶ τελευταία πέμπεται περιστερὰ, καὶ οὐκ ἐμελέτα τὴν ὑποστροφὴν. Ἀπομεμένηκε γὰρ, Ὑπολοφήσαντος δὲ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ, κεκάθεκεν ἡ κιβωτὸς ἐπι τὰ ὅρη Ἀραρὰτ, ἂ διερμηνεύεται μαρτυρία καταβάσεως. Ὑψηλοὶ γὰρ ὥσπερ καὶ οἰονεί πως ἐν ὅρεσι διὰ τὸ τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς πολιτείας ὑπεραναστηκὸς, οἱ ἐν Χριστῷ διὰ πίστεως, τὸν ἄνωθεν καὶ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καταβεβηκότα Θεὸν Λόγον, τοῖς ἀπανταχῇ κηρύτοντες, οἶς καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπεφώνει Θεὸς διὰ προφήτου φωνῆς· Γίνεσθε μοι μάρυτες, καὶ ἑγὼ μάρτυς, λέηει Κύριος ὁ Θεός· καὶ ὁ παῖς ὄν ἐξελεξάμην. Ἀνωτέρω δὴ οὖν τῆς ἐν κόσμῳ χθαμαλότητος τῶν ἐν Χριστῷ τὰ αὐχήματα. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Γλαφυρών Ἐις Την Γένεσιν, Λόγος Δεύτερος Source: Migne PG 69.71a-c

And concerning these, I think that the wise John writes somewhere, 'They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if there were of us, they would have remained with us.' 1 And speaking openly through the Spirit, 'In the last times some will fall away from the faith, attending to deceitful spirits.' 2 And see here the manifest type made through Noah. For he sends out the first and second doves to see whether the flood has subsided and these return to the ark as to a dovecote, and one of them has in its mouth, as it is written, an olive branch. 3 So the holy are sent from Christ to scrutinise the world and those in it. And they return speaking peace. I think this is what is obscurely signified here by the olive branch in the mouth of the dove, for the olive is always a symbol of peace. Therefore they are the pious, who are cleansed by faith, and are the delight of God in the meekness of the evangelical life. Besides which they are some who in the last times, as said, shall fall away, which this type declares, for the third and last dove sent out does not care to return. For it has been mentioned that 'with the flood subsiding, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat,' 4 which is interpreted 'witness descending.' For the exalted are like those set upon the mountains because of the sublimity of the evangelical life, those who through faith in Christ are on high, and from heaven the Word of God has come down, which they preach everywhere, concerning which God Himself cries out through the voice of the prophet 'You be my witnesses, even as I am a witness, says the Lord, and the boy whom I have chosen.' 5 Thus more sublime than anything set low in the world is their glory in Christ. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Glaphyra On Genesis, Book 2 1 1 Jn 2.19 2 1 Tim 4.1 3 Gen 8.8-11 4 Gen 8.4 5 Isaiah 43.10

New And Strange

Καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁ ἀστὴρ ὄν εἴδον ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ προῆγεν αὐτοὺς... Ἀκίνητος ἧν ὁ ἀστὴρ καὶ ἐστηκὼς, ἀλλ' οὐ τὸν οὐρανὸν καταλιπὼν πλησίον τῆς γῆς ἐπορεύετο· οὔτ' ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας ἐστήρικτο· οὐ γὰρ τὴν αὐτὴν κίνησιν τοῖς λοιποῖς ἄστροις ἐποιεῖτο, ἀλλὰ ξένην τινὰ καὶ ἀλλόκοτον. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον Εὐάγγελιον Source: Migne PG 72.368a

And behold the star which they saw in the east, going before them... 1 The star was immovable and fixed, for it did not leave the heavens and come nearer to the earth, 2 nor was it set in some house. 3 For this had not the same motion as rest of the stars, but it was something new and strange. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Fragment 1 Mt 2.9 2 As a shooting star would 3 An astrological house

Causes Of Ruin And Salvation

Διὰ τοῦτο ἡγούμενοι λαοῦ μου ἀπορριφήσονται ἐκ τῶν οἰκιῶν τρυφῆς αὐτῶν, διὰ τὰ πονηρὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα αὐτῶν ἐξώσθησαν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ, φησὶ, οἱ ταῖς εἰσηγήσεσι καὶ ταῖς νουθεσίαις ὕφελεν δυνάμενοι τοὺς ὑπεζευγμένους, οἱ χειραγωγοὶ, καὶ πατέρες, οἱ ποιμένες, καὶ ἐπιστάται, τὴν δορὰν αὐτου ἐξέδειραν, καὶ ἀφείλοντο τὴν ἐλπίδα τὴν εἰς Θεὸν, δῖ ἧς εὐκόλως ἦν πάντα συντρίβεσθαι πόλεμον, ταύτῃτοι δικαίως τὰ οἴκοι μεθέντες ἀγαθὰ, τῶν ὅτι μάλιστα φιλαιτάτων ἐστερημένοι, τέρψεώς τε καὶ τρυφῆς ἀπωλισθηκότες, βαδιοῦνται πρὸς ἐχθροὺς, καὶ πικροὺς τῆς ῥᾳθυμίας καὶ τῆς φαυλότητος ἀποτίσουσι λόγους. Ὅτι δὲ τοῦ παθεῖν οὐχ ἕτερός τις αῡτοῖς, αὐτοὶ δὲ μᾶλλον σφισιν αὐτοῖς γεγόνασιν ἀφορμὴ, σαφηνίζει λέγων· Διὰ τὰ πονηρὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα αὐτῶν ἐξώσθησαν. Οὐ γὰρ ἀδίκως ἐκτείνεται δίκτυα πτερωτοῖς, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον. Λὺτοὶ γὰρ οἱ φόνου μετέχοντες, θησαυρίζουσιν ἑαυτοῖς κακά. Αὐτοὶ δὴ οὖν ἡμεῖς ἑαυτοὺς ἀδικήσομεν, εἰ δρᾷν ἐθέλομεν ἂ μὴ θέμις. Ἐκπεμπόμεθα δὲ καὶ ἐξ οἴκων τρυφῆς. Οἱ γὰρ Θεῷ προσκρούοντες, τὰς ἄνθ καὶ ἐν οὐρανοῖς οὐκ ὄψονται μονὰς, ἀμέτοχοι δὲ μενοῦσι, καὶ τῆς τῶν ἁγίων ἐλπίδος, καὶ τῆς εἰς αἰῶνα τρυφῦς, Ἀλλ' οἴγε σοφοί τε καὶ ἀγαθοὶ, καὶ πρὸς πᾶν ὀτιοῦν τῶν ἐπαινουμένων διανενευκότες, οὐκ ἐν τούτοις ἔσονται, φησὶ, ἔξουσι δὲ πάλιν τὴν ἐν οὐρανοῖς Ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ ταῖς ἄνω μοναῖς ἐνδιαιτήσονται, καὶ τοῖς οὐρανίοις ἐντρυφήσουσιν ἀγαθοῖς. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τον Προφήτην Μιχαίαν, Κεφαλὴ Β' Source: Migne PG 71.674a-c

Because of this the leaders of my people shall be cast out of the dwellings of their delight, and because of their wicked ways they shall be driven out. 1 Because, he says, they were able to seduce those under them with teachings and exhortations, the guides and fathers and shepherds and the great men, who thus stripped the skin off them and took from them their hope in God, by which they were able to crush down every conflict without difficulty, therefore it is right that they should lose their domestic goods, and the ones who are dearest to them, and their delights and pleasures, and tramp off to the enemy, and pay back the bitter account of their carelessness and wickedness. And no one else inflicts this on them, but they themselves are the cause, which he shows, saying: 'Because of their wicked ways they shall be driven out.' For not in vain is the net stretched out for birds, according to Scripture. 2 They are the makers of their own ruin, heaping up evils for themselves. Therefore we wound ourselves if we do not wish to do what is right. We shall be driven out from the houses of our joys. For those who set themselves against God shall not see the supernal dwellings in heaven, nor shall they be partakers of the hope of the saints and eternal joy. But those who are wise and good, ever eager for everything that is praiseworthy, they shall not be like them, but rather they shall be gathered with those assembled in heaven, and in dwellings above they shall live, and in the heavens they shall delight in eternal goods. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Prophet Micah, Chapter 2 1 Micah 2.9 Sept 2 Prov 1.17-18

The Two Hands

Εὐώνυμος αὐτοῦ ὑπὸ τὴν κεφαλήν μου καὶ ἡ δεξιὰ αὐτοῦ περιλήμψεταί με... Εὐώνυμος ὁ νόμος, δεξιὰ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον. Ἢ καὶ εὐώνυμος ὁ παρὼν βίος, δεξιὰ ὁ μέλλων, ἥτις με περιλήψεται ὅταν τοῖς ἐκ δεξιῶν εἴπῃ· Δεῦτε, οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ Πατρός μου. Λέγει δὲ καὶ ἑτέρωθι· Μῆκος βίου καὶ ἔτη ζωῆς, ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς σοφίας· ἐν δὲ τῇ ἀριστερᾷ, πλοῦτος καὶ δόξα. Δεξιὰ γοῦν αὐτῆς ἡ τῶν θείων ἐπιστήμη, ἐξ ἧς ἡ αἰώνιος ζωή· ἀριστερὰ δὲ ἡ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων γνῶσις, ἐξ ὧν πλοῦτος καὶ δόξα. Λέγει τοίνυν, ὅτι Ὑπερέχει ὁ νοῦς μου τὰ ἀνθρώπινα· καὶ ἡ θεία γνῶσις καλύψει με. Καὶ γὰρ εἴρηται πάλιν· Τίμησον αὐτὴν, ἵνα σε περιλάβῃ. Δείκνυσι τοίνυν, ὅτι ὁ αὐτὸς καὶ νυμφίος καὶ τοξότης ἡμῶν ἐστι, νύμφη τε καὶ βέλος ἡ κεκαθαρμένη ψυχή· ὡς βέλος οὖν πρὸς τὸν ἀγαθὸν εὐθύνει σκοπόν. Ὡς νύμφην εἰς κοινωνίαν ἀναλαμβάνει τῆς ἀφθάρτου ἀϊδιότητος, μῆκος βίου καὶ ἔτη ζωῆς, διὰ τῆς δεξιᾶς χαριζόμενος· διὰ δὲ τῆς ἀριστερᾶς, τὸν τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν πλοῦτον καὶ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ δόξαν, ἧς οἱ τὴν τοῦ κόσμου ζητοῦντες δόξαν ἀμέτοχοι γίνονται. Διὰ τοῦτό φησιν, ὅτι Εὐώνυμος αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλήν μου, δι' ἧς εὐθύνεται ὑπὸ τὸν σκοπὸν τὸ βέλος· ἡ δὲ δεξιὰ αὐτοῦ πρὸς ἑαυτόν με διαλαβοῦσα καὶ ἐφελκυσαμένη, κούφην με πρὸς ἄνω φορὰν ἀπεργάζεται· κἀκεῖ πεμπομένην, καὶ τοῦ τοξότου μὴ χωριζομένην, μᾶλλον ἐπαναπαύεσθαι. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τo Ἀσμα Των Ἀσμάτων Source: Migne PG 69.1281c-1284a

His left hand is beneath my head and his right hand shall embrace me... 1 The left hand is spoken of for the Law and the right for the Gospel. Or the left hand should be understood as this present life, and the right as the future, which shall embrace me when it is said to those on the right: 'Come, blessed of my Father,' 2 Indeed it says elsewhere: 'The length of the years of life is in the right hand of wisdom, and in the left are riches and glory.' 3 Thus the right hand is the knowledge of Divine things, by which eternal life is achieved, and the left hand is the understanding of human things, from which comes wealth and glory. Thus she says here: 'My mind surpasses human things and Divine knowledge shall enfold me.' For again it is said, 'Honour wisdom and she will embrace you.' 4 Therefore this shows the groom to be our archer, and the bride, which is the purified soul, is the arrow, which he directs to a good target like a shaft. So he takes up the bride for the participation in incorruptible eternity, the right hand giving the long years of life, and the left the wealth of the eternal goods and the glory of God, of which they who seek the glory of the world are deprived. Therefore it says that his left hand is beneath my head, by which the shaft is directed to the target, and the right hand grasps and draws me to him because He makes the flight to heavenly things swift, not being separated from the archer but rather finding rest. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Song Of Songs 1 Song 2.6 2 Mt 25.34 3 Prov 3.16 4 Prov 4.8

Two Men In A Field

Tότε δύο ἔσονται ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ, εἷς παραλαμβάνεται καὶ εἷς ἀφίεται... Ὅρα, ὅτι εἰς δύο τάγματα διαι ρεῖ ὁ λόγος τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, εἴς τε τῶν σῳζομένων καὶ τῶν ἀπολλυμένων. καὶ τοὺς μὲν σῳζομένους λέγει παραλαμβάνεσθαι, τοὺς δὲ ἀπολλυμένους ἀφίεσθαι ἤγουν ἀποδοκιμάζεσθαι. Ἀγρὸν δὲ νοητέον ὧδε τὸν κόσμον, ἔνθα ὁ μὲν εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα σπείρων θερίζει ζωὴν αἰώνιον, ὁ δὲ "εἰς τὴν σάρκα, φθοράν. Tαῖς δὲ ἀληθούσαις παρεικάζει τοὺς διδασκάλους, οἵτινες τρόπον τινὰ ἀπολεπτύνοντες τὰς γραφικὰς ἐννοίας εὐπαράδεκτα καὶ εὐνόητα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰ θεῖα λόγια προτιθέασιν· καὶ γὰρ νόμος κελεύων μὴ λαμβάνεσθαι εἰς ἐνέ χυρον μύλον ἢ ἐπιμύλιον, ἵνα μὴ τὰ τῆς τροφῆς ἐργαλεῖα λαβών τις ἐμποδίσῃ τοῖς τρεφομένοις δι' αὐ τῶν, αἰνιγματωδῶς τοὺς διδασκά λους ὑποσημαίνει. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον Εὐάγγελιον Source: Migne PG 72.445b

Then there shall be two men in a field, one is taken and the other is left... 1 See how the word distinguishes between these two men, concerning those who shall be saved and those who shall perish. For it says that those who will be saved are taken and those who will perish are left behind, that is, the wicked. Here let the field be understood as the world, where one man sows in the spirit and reaps eternal life, and the other sows in the flesh and reaps corruption. 2 One may liken teachers to these labourers, they who labouring over the meaning of the Scriptures, then set forth the Divine teachings to men in an easy and intelligible fashion. Indeed the Law commands that one should not receive a millstone as a pledge, lest in taking away the means of subsistence, harm is inflicted on those who are nourished by it, which spiritually speaks of teachers. 3 Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Fragment 1 Mt 24.40 2 Galat 6.8 3 Deut 24.6

Sensible Prayers

Προσευχόμενοι δὲ μὴ βαττολογήσητε ὥσπερ οἱ ἐθνικοί, δοκοῦσιν γὰρ ὅτι ἐν τῇ πολυλογίᾳ αὐτῶν εἰσακουσθήσονται. Mὴ οὖν ὁμοιωθῆτε αὐτοῖς, οἶδεν γὰρ ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὧν χρείαν ἔχετε πρὸ τοῦ ὑμᾶς αἰτῆσαι αὐτόν. Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ Χριστὸς παρα κελεύεται διὰ συντόμου τὰς προσευχὰς ποιεῖσθαι, ἐπειδήπερ οἶδε τὸν νοῦν εὐπαράφορον ὄντα καὶ δι' ἐννοιῶν καὶ φροντίδων ματαιῶν ἀποπλανώμενον, μάλιστα ἐν τῷ τῆς προσευχῆς καιρῷ. Kαὶ παραγγέλλει νηφαλέως καὶ ταχέως αἰτεῖν τὸν θεὸν ἃ ζητεῖ μὴ πάντα ὅσα θέλει ἀναγγέλλοντα· τοῦτο γὰρ τῆς ἄκρας ἐστὶ φρενοβλαβείας· οἶδε γὰρ ὁ θεὸς καὶ πρὸ τοῦ ἡμᾶς αἰτῆσαι τίνων χρῄζομεν. βαττολογία δὲ λέγεται ἡ πολυλογία ἀπὸ Βάττου τινὸς Ἕλληνος μακροὺς καὶ πολυστίχους ὕμνους ποιήσαντος εἰς τὰ εἴδωλα καὶ ταυτολογίαν ἔχοντας. βαττολογία ἐστὶ τὸ ἔξω τοῦ καλοῦ. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον Εὐάγγελιον Source: Migne PG 72.381c-d

When you pray, do not heap up words, like the Gentiles, for they think their many words will make them heard. Do not be like them, for your heavenly Father knows what you need before you ask Him. 1 By this Christ calls on us to keep our prayers short, since He knows that our minds are easily prone to wandering, and to veering away with different thoughts and cares, especially in the time of prayer. Therefore He commands that a man should sensibly and swiftly ask from God what he seeks, not mentioning everything that he needs, for this is the height of a crazed mind, if God knows what we need before we ask. The 'Battologia' spoken of here, which is a heaping up of words, or 'polylogia,' is derived from a certain Greek Battos who made long hymns of many verses for idols, with much repetition of words. 2 And this certainly is a defect of speech. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Fragment 1 Mt 6.7-8 2 Much more likely from Gk 'Battos' meaning stammerer, repeater of words

The Good And The Wicked Man

Ὅ ἀγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ θησαυροῦ ἐκβάλλει ἀγαθά, καὶ ὁ πονηρὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ θησαυροῦ ἐκβάλλει πονηρά. Ὅταν λέγῃ θεσαουρὸν, το πλῆθος ἐνδείκνυται τῶν ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ κειμένων· ἵνα δὲ μὴ εἰπωσί τινες, ὅτι φύσει πεφύκαμεν πονηροὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι, ἐπὶ τῶν Φαρισαίων τοῦτο ἐδήλωσεν, ὅτι δυνατὸν αὐτὸν καὶ ἕνα ἄνθρωπον ποτὲ μὲν ἀγαθὸν γενέσθαι ποτὲ δε κακὸν, λέγων· Ὁ ἁγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ περισσεύματος τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ λαλεῖ ὁμοίως καὶ ὁ κακός. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον Εὐάγγελιον Source: Migne PG 72.409d

From his treasury of good the good man draws out good things, and the wicked man from his treasury of wickedness draws out wicked things. 1 When He speaks of a treasury, He means the multitude of thoughts and wishes of the mind. But lest some say that men are made wicked by nature, He declares this to the Pharisees, for it is possible that it is one and the same man who is sometimes good and sometimes evil, when He says: 'The good man speaks from the abundance of his heart, and likewise the evil man.' 1 Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Fragment 1 Mt 12.35 2 Mt 12.34

Gifts Of The Spirit

Eἰ οὖν ὑμεῖς πονηροὶ ὄντες οἴδατε δόματα ἀγαθὰ διδόναι τοῖς τέκνοις ὑμῶν, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς δώσει ἀγαθὰ τοῖς αἰτοῦσιν αὐτόν. Δόματα δὲ ἀγαθὰ καλεῖ τὰς πνευματικὰς δωρεάς, ὁ δὲ Λουκᾶς Πνεῦμα ἅγιον εἶπεν ἀντὶ τοῦ εἰπεῖν ἀγαθά. Kαὶ οὐδὲν τὸ διάφορον· τὸ γὰρ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα αὐτό ἐστι τὸ φύσει ἀγαθόν. διὸ καὶ τοῖς μετό χοις δίδωσιν ἀγαθά. τοῖς δὲ ἄγαν πονηροῖς διὰ τὸ ἀνενδότως ἁμαρτάνειν τρόπον τινὰ φύσις αὐτοῖς ἡ κακία γίνεται, οἷός ἐστιν ὁ σατανᾶς καὶ οἱ δαίμονες· δύναται γάρ τις καὶ τούτους φύσει κακοὺς εἰπεῖν, καίπερ μὴ φύσει κακοὺς δημιουργηθέντας, ἀλλ' ἐξ αὐτοπροαιρέτου κακίας ἀπεσκληκότας. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον Εὐάγγελιον Source: Migne PG 72.386d-388a

If, then, you who are wicked know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father in heaven give goods to those who ask Him. 1 The goods He speaks of are spiritual gifts, and so Luke speaks of 'the Holy Spirit' for 'goods'. 2 Indeed there is no difference, for the Holy Spirit is good by nature and therefore to those who participate in Him He gives goods. But with the wicked, on account of their persistent sinning, their nature is in a certain way an evil, just like Satan and the demons, for one may say they have an evil nature, although they were not created wicked by nature, because by their own choice they have become hardened in evil. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Fragment 1 Mt 7.11 2 Lk 11.13