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Translated by P. E. Pusey
St Cyril of Alexandria Resources Online and in Print
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44 Pages
Page 19
A. Do they then say that to him that is of the seed of David separately and as to another son apart by himself has been given by God the name which is above every name?
B. Yea (they say), for to the Only-Begotten Who is God and forth of God by Nature, how could that be given which He hath?
A. Therefore, if the receiving is not put respecting Him, let accurate investigation be made from what the Divine Paul himself hath written: For let each one of yourselves be of the mind which was also in Christ Jesus Who being in the form of God held not the being Equal to God a thing to seize [26], yet did He empty Himself taking bondman's form, made in likeness of men, and found in fashion as a man He abased Himself made subject unto death, yea the death of the cross: wherefore God also super-exalted Him and gave Him the [27][ ]name which is above every name. If [28] therefore it is, according to them, the man that is forth of the seed of David conceived of separately and by himself who received the name that is above all, let them shew him pre-existing in the Form of God, and not holding the being equal to God a matter for robbery and moreover taking bondman's form, as though that is he had it not and was not so ere he took it: albeit as themselves say and choose to think, himself is the bondman's form. Then how can he take it as though he had it not? how too will a man be conceived of as made in likeness of men, and be found in fashion as a man? The force of the ideas then will turn them round even against their will to know the truth.
B. What truth?
A. God the Word Who is in the Form of God the Father, the Impress of His Person, Who is in all Equal to Him Who begat Him, hath emptied Himself.
B. And what is the emptying [29]?
A. The being in assumption of flesh and in bondman's form, the likeness to us of Him Who is not as we in His own Nature but is over the whole creation. Thus hath He abased Himself, lowering Himself economically into the measures of the human nature; yet was He even so God, as having not by gift That which comes to Him by Nature. Therefore He also said to God the Father Which is in Heaven, Father glorify Me with the glory which I had before the world was, with Thee. For I do not suppose that they will say that he is asking for the glory which was before the world as being his own, he [I mean] who in the last times of the world was born of the seed of David, if so be he is son by himself other than He Who is so by Nature and truly: but this utterance will rather be a most God-befitting one. For it needed, it needed that He should be co-fashioned in the measures of the manhood and should have the Excellence of the God-befitting Dignity Unimpaired and Essentially in Himself just as it is in the Father too. For how will that be true, There shall he in thee no new god, if according to them a man is made god by connection with the Word and is declared co-enthroned and sharer of the Father's Dignity? b. You say well.
A. How is one to conceive of that which is wisely spoken by voice of Paul, For even though there be many gods both in heaven and on earth yet to us is One God the Father from Whom are all things and we from Him, and One Lord Jesus Christ through Whom are all things and we through Him? For there being One Lord Jesus Christ and Paul having full well affirmed that through Him all things have been brought to their birth, what shall we do, noble sirs, when ye distinguish from the assumed man as ye call him, the Word from forth God the Father? which are we to say was the Creator of all?
26. [l] See above p. 165 note j.
27. [m] The codices A.B.C. of the New Testament insert the article, the Name. Among the different quotations of this text by S. Cyril there is variation of MSS., but the article frequently occurs: and in the Thesaurus the very good xth century Ms. Cod. Monac. 331 has it.
28. [n] See this passage carefully explained in S. Cyril's Treatise to the Empresses Pulcheria and Eudocia on the right Faith, cap. 13 pp. 141 e 142.
29. ° "He was God forth of God, Only out of Only, and Ineffably Begotten: but when He was made as we, then then will He at last be classed with His brethren through being called First-born. For where is the emptying, except in His being made First-born out of Only-Begotten, and among creatures with us as man Who is above all creation? where at all became He poor being Rich, except He is seen assuming what is alien to Him, through which also He became poor?" Dial. 4 p. 510 c d. Against the Arians who argued from the name above every name that the Son was exalted in consequence of His humiliation S. Cyril writes, " Therefore (for I will say something) deeming for the moment below what is fitting for need sake: let the Only-Begotten have the greatest thank to the falls of those on the earth and to our sins, let Him know that the sins of human nature are to Him the cause of God-making glory. For had we not sinned He had not been made as we, had He not been made as we, neither had He endured the cross, and had He not died neither had He obtained the obligation of being worshipped by ourselves and the holy angels." Dial. 5 p. 567 fin. See also above p. 57 note y.
Reference address : https://www.elpenor.org/cyril-alexandria/christ-one.asp?pg=19
