Title: Supplemental Slides
1- Supplemental Slides
- for HT 802
- Fall 2008
2Cyril of Jerusalem (ca. 315-387)
- He was a native of Jerusalem and gave winsome
descriptions of the great holy sites before the
mid-fourth-century churches were built on them. - He was ordained a priest by Maximus of Jerusalem
(a great champion of Nicene orthodoxy) in 335. - He became bishop of Jerusalem about 350 under
obscure circumstances. There was later some
suspicion that he had been consecrated by the
Arian Acacius of Caesarea in order to bring
Jerusalem over to the Arian cause.
3Cyril of Jerusalem (ca. 315-387)
- He was banished three times by Arian leaders,
first in 357 by Acacius. He spent about 15 years
in exile over a 22-year period from 357-378. - At the Council of Constantinople in 381, he was a
leader of the homoousian majority, but he was
still investigated because of suspicions of past
Arian sympathies. - He was found to be orthodox, and it is possible
that the whole notion of his heterodoxy and
consecration by an Arian was simply a smear
campaign.
4Catechetical Lectures
- One typical baptismal practice in the 4th
century - -- A long period of instruction (catechesis)
- -- Baptism on Easter eve
- Cyril wrote one Protocatechesis and 18 Catecheses
for delivery during Lent to those who were in
final preparations for baptism. - These date from about the time he became bishop
of Jerusalem, although they may have been
modified later to reflect current liturgical
practice.
5Mystagogical Catecheses
- We also possess 5 Mystagogical Catecheses (for
delivery during Easter week to those who have
just been baptized. - In ancient times, these were sometimes attributed
to others besides, or in addition to, Cyril. - The Reformers, embarrassed by their strongly
sacramental character, questioned whether Cyril
wrote them. - It is perhaps best to regard them as coming from
Cyril, but dating to the end of his life, rather
than the beginning of his episcopacy (so ca.
385).
6Cyril on Scripture
- For where the divine and holy mysteries of the
Creed are concerned, one must not teach even
minor points without reference to the sacred
Scriptures, or be led astray lightly by
persuasive and elaborate arguments. Do not simply
take my word when I tell you these things, unless
you are given proof for my teaching from holy
Scripture. For this is the guarantee of our
Creed, not clever argument, but proof based on
Scripture. - Catechesis 4.17
7Cyril on Scripture
- Please do not read any of the apocrypha for if
you dont know the books which are universally
accepted, why do you waste effort over the
disputed ones? Read the holy Scriptures, the
twenty-two books of the Old Testament which were
translated by the seventy-two translators. - Catechesis 4.33
8Cyril on God
- We do not explain what God is we admit with a
good grace that we do not know the exact truth
about him. For in what concerns God the height of
knowledge is to admit ones ignorance. Perhaps
someone will say, If the divine substance is
incomprehensible, why do you discuss these things
yourself? But since I cant drink up a whole
river, does this mean that I cant take as much
as is good for me? - Catechesis 6.2, 5
9Cyril on God
- There is one God, who is unique, unbegotten,
without beginning or change or alteration.
Though Creator of many beings, he is the eternal
Father of one alone, his one, Only-begotten Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom he made all
things, both visible and invisible. - Catechesis 4.4
10Cyril on the Son
- Believe too in Gods one and only Son, our Lord
Jesus Christ, who is God begotten by God (ô?í dê
ôï? Èåï? Èå?í ãåííçèÝíôá), Life begotten by Life,
Light begotten by Light, like in everything to
the one who begot him (ô?í ?ìïéïí êáôN ðÜíôá ô²
ãåííÞóáíôé). He did not begin to be in time, but
was begotten by the Father before all ages,
eternally and inconceivably. He is Gods Wisdom
and Power and Justice in substantial form (ôxí
díõðüóôáôïí). Catechesis 4.7
11 Cyrils Use of Words
- Four Factions after Nicaea
- Faction What they said What they meant
- Old Nicaeans homoousios Son same substance as
Father - New Nicaeans homoiousios Son same substance as
Father - Semi-Arians homoiousios Son is of merely
similar substance as Father - Radical Arians anomoiousios Son is not even
similar to Father
12 Cyrils Use of Words
- Latin Greek
- Words for oneness Innermost ousia
- substantia, essentia,
- natura physis
- ___________________
- Word for threeness hypostasis
- persona
- Outermost prosopon
13Cyril on the Spirit
- For there is one God, the Father of Christ and
one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-begotten Son of
the only God and one Holy Spirit, who sanctifies
and deifies all, who has spoken through the law
and the prophets, the Old Testament and the New.
- Catechesis 4.16
14Cyril on the Incarnation
- You must believe too that this Only-begotten
Son of God came down from heaven to earth because
of our sins, assumed a humanity subject to the
same feelings as ours (ôxí ìïéïðáèy ôáýôçí ½ìsí
Píáëáâí Píèñùðüôçôá), and was born of the holy
Virgin and the Holy Spirit. The humanity he
assumed was not an appearance or an illusion, but
true. For if the Incarnation was an illusion, so
too is our salvation. Christ was twofold man
according to what is visible, God according to
what is not visible (Tíèñùðïò ìcí ô? öáéíüìåíïí,
Èå?ò äc ô? ìx öáéíüìåíïí). As man he ate truly as
we do, for he had the same fleshly feelings as
ourselves but it was as God that he fed the five
thousand from five loaves. As man he truly died
but it was as God that he raised the dead body to
life after four days. As man he truly slept on
the boat but it was as God that he walked on the
waters. Catechesis 4.9
15Cyril on the Incarnation
- For while it is not holy to admire a mere man,
it would be blasphemous not to say that he was
only God without humanity. For if Christ were God
as indeed he is but did not assume humanity,
we would be debarred from salvation. So while we
adore him as God, let us believe him also to have
been made man. For just as it does us no good to
speak of him as man without the godhead, it does
not help our salvation if we do not couple
manhood with the godhead. Catechesis
12.1
16Cyril on Christs Death
- It was necessary for the Lord to suffer on
our behalf (cf. Lk 24.26). Nevertheless the devil
would not have dared to approach him if he had
known who he was. For if they had known, they
would not have crucified the Lord of glory (1
Cor 2.8). His body thus served as a bait for
death so that the serpent, instead of swallowing
it as he hoped, might be forced to disgorge those
whom he had already swallowed. - Catechesis 12.15
17Cyril on Christs Death
- For we were Gods enemies through sin, and God
had decreed that the sinless one should die. For
one of two things had to happen, either that God
in his truthfulness would destroy the whole race,
or that in his loving kindness he would cancel
their condemnation. But observe Gods wisdom. He
maintained both the truth of the condemnation and
the power of his loving-kindness. Christ took
our sins in his body on the wood, so that
through his death we might die to sins and live
to righteousness (1 Pet 2.24). - Catechesis 13.33
18Cyril on Christ and Us
- Jesus Christ was the Son of God, but he did not
preach the gospel before his baptism. Jesus
began his preaching only after the Holy Spirit
descended on him, in bodily form like a dove (Lk
3.22) not that Jesus wished to see the Spirit
first, for he knew the Spirit even before he came
in bodily form what he wanted was that John, who
was baptizing him, should see. If your devotion
is genuine, the Holy Spirit will descend on you
too, and the Fathers voice will resound over
you but it will not say, This person is my
Son, but This person has now become my son.
Over Jesus is, because in the beginning was
the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God (Jn 1.1) over him is, because he has
always been the Son of God. But over you has now
become, because you do not possess sonship by
nature, but receive it by adoption. He is
eternal you receive the grace as an
advancement. - Catechesis 3.14
19Cyril on Christ and Us
- Once more, when I tell you that he is the Son,
do not take this statement to be a mere figure of
speech, but understand that he is the Son truly,
Son by nature, without beginning, not promoted
from the state of slave to that of son, but
eternally begotten as Son by an inscrutable and
incomprehensible birth. Scripture says also with
regard to other men You are sons of the Lord
your God. And in another place I said, You
are all gods and sons of the Most High (Gen
49.4 Mt 21.39). I said, not I begot. They
received adoption when God spoke, and did not
enjoy it before. But Christ did not first exist
in one form before being begotten in another, but
he was begotten as Son from the beginning. - Catechesis 11.4
20Cyril on Baptism
- After this you were led to the holy pool of
sacred baptism, just a Christ was taken from the
cross to the tomb which stands before you. Then
you were each asked if you believed in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit. You made the saving profession of faith
and three times you were immersed in the water
and came up from it again. There in the font you
symbolically re-enacted Christs three-day
burial. - Mystagogical Catechesis 2.4
21Cyril on Baptism
- We did not literally die, we were not literally
buried, we did not literally rise again after
being crucified. We experienced these things only
in symbols and representations but salvation we
experienced literally. Christ was really
crucified and really buried and literally rose
again, and all of this he did for our sake, so
that by sharing his sufferings in imitation, we
might gain salvation in truth. - Mystagogical Catechesis 2.5
22Cyril on Faith
- How great is Gods love for mankind! The
righteous earned Gods approval over many years
but what they obtained by earning his approval
over many years Jesus now bestows on your in a
single hour. For if you believe that Jesus Christ
is the Lord and that God raised him from the
dead, you will be saved and transported to
Paradise by the one who admitted the thief into
Paradise. Dont doubt whether it is possible. For
the one who saved the thief here at holy Golgotha
for the faith of a single hour will save you too
if you believe. - Catechesis 5.10
23Gregory of Nyssa (ca. 330-395)
- He was born to a devout, wealthy family in
Cappadocia. - He pursued a career in oratory.
- Under Macrinas influence, he returned to the
Church and retired to his brother Basils
monastery. - He was forced to become bishop of Nyssa.
- He was deposed by Arians in 376 and reinstated in
378. - He was one of the dominant players in the Council
of Constantinople in 381.
24Origen and Origenism
- Pre-Cosmic Cosmic/Temporal Eternal
- Creation of Souls Union with God
- (likeness)
- Creation of
- Fall physical world (loss of
individuality) - Union with bodies
- (image of God)
25Gregory as Theologian
- Cosmic/Temporal (but ) Eternal
- Creation of humanity Return to undif-
- (undifferentiated) ferentiated hu-
- manity in union
- with God
- (Foreknowledge
- of fall)
- Division into
- male and female
26Gregory as Theologian
- God as the highest good
- Participation in God as sharing in his goodness
- To say God made humanity in his image is the
same as to say that He made human nature
participant in all good (ðáíôò Pãáèï ìÝôïïí)
for if the Deity is the fulness of good, and this
is His image, then the image finds its
resemblance to the Archetype in being filled with
all good (dí ô² ðëyñåò åqíáé ðáíôò Pãáèï). - On the Making of Man 16.10
27Gregory as Theologian
- Thus there is in us the principle of all
excellence, all virtue and wisdom, and every
higher thing that we conceive but pre-eminent
among all is the fact that we are free from
necessity, and not in bondage to any natural
power. - On the Making of Man 16.11
28Gregory as Theologian
- But this that which God has prepared is
nothing else, as I at least understand it, but to
be in God Himself, for the Good which is above
hearing and eye and heart must be that Good which
transcends the universe. But the difference
between the virtuous and the vicious life led at
the present time will be illustrated in this way
viz. in the quicker or more tardy participation
of each in that promised blessedness. - On the Soul and the Resurrection
29Gregory as Theologian
- When such the passions, then, have been
purged from it the soul and utterly removed by
the healing processes worked out by the Fire,
then every one of the things which make up our
conception of the good will come to take their
place incorruption, that is, and life, and
honour, and grace, and glory, and everything else
that we conjecture is to be seen in God, and in
His Image, that is, human nature (ô åkêüíé
áôï, ôßò dóôéí ½ Píèñùðßíç öýóéò). - On the Soul and the Resurrection
30Gregory as Theologian
- Distinctions between individual people will be
lost. - We will say that the Resurrection is the
reconstitution of our nature in its original form
(PíÜóôáóßò dóôéí ½ åkò ô Pñásïí ôyò öýóåùò ½ìí
PðïêáôÜóôáóéò). But in that form of life, of
which God Himself was the Creator, it is
reasonable to believe that there was neither age
nor infancy nor any of the sufferings arising
from our present various infirmities, nor any
kind of bodily affliction whatever. It is
reasonable, I say, to believe that God was the
Creator of none of these things, but that man was
a thing divine (èåsüí ôé) before his humanity got
within reach of the assault of evil. - On the Soul and The Resurrection
31Gregory Summary
- Following Origen as closely as one can in the
Post-Nicaea environment - Salvation as participation in Gods qualities
- Original and final states are undifferentiated
- Virtually no room for a personal understanding of
salvation - Dramatically different from Irenaeus, Athanasius,
and Cyril of Jerusalem
32Basil the Great (ca. 330-379)
- The Holy Spirit and Salvation
- He perfects all other things, and himself lacks
nothing He gives life to all things, and is
never depleted. He does not increase by
additions, but is always complete,
self-established, and present everywhere. He is
the source of sanctification, spiritual light,
who gives illumination to everyone using His
powers to search for the truth and the
illumination He gives is Himself. - On the Holy Spirit, par. 22
33Basil the Great (ca. 330-379)
- The Holy Spirit and Salvation
- His nature is unapproachable only through His
goodness are we able to draw near it. He fills
all things with His power, but only those who are
worthy may share it ìüíïéò äc í ìåèåêôí ôïsò
Pîßïéò. He distributes His energy in proportion
to the faith of the recipient êáô Píáëïãßáí ôyò
ðßóôåùò äéáéñïí ôxí díÝñãåéáí, not confining it
to a single share. . . . In the same way as the
light of the sun illumines everything, the
Spirit is given to each one who receives Him as
if He were the possession of that person alone,
yet He sends forth sufficient grace to fill all
the universe. Everything that partakes of His
grace is filled with joy according to its
capacity the capacity of its nature, not of His
power. - On the Holy Spirit, par. 23
34Basil the Great (ca. 330-379)
- The Holy Spirit and Salvation
- the Spirit comes to us when we withdraw
ourselves from evil passions, which have crept
into the soul through its friendship öéëßáò,
with the flesh alienating us from a close
relationship ïkåêéüôçôïò with God. Only when a
man has been cleansed from the shame of his evil,
and has returned to his natural beauty ðñò ô
dê öýóåùò êÜëëïò dðáíåëèüíôá, and the original
form of the Royal Image has been restored in him,
is it possible for him to approach the Paraclete.
. . . Through Him hearts are lifted up, the
infirm are held by the hand, and those who
progress are brought to perfection. He shines
upon those who are cleansed from every spot, and
makes them spiritual men through fellowship with
Himself ðñò eáõô êïéíùíßu ðíåõìáôéêïò
Pðïäåßêíõóé. - On the Holy Spirit, par. 23
35Basil the Great (ca. 330-379)
- The Holy Spirit and Salvation
- So too Spirit-bearing souls, illumined by Him,
finally become spiritual themselves, and their
grace is sent forth to others. From this comes
knowledge of the future, understanding of
mysteries, apprehension of hidden things,
distribution of wonderful gifts, heavenly
citizenship, a place in the choir of angels,
endless joy in the presence of God, becoming like
God, and the highest of all desires, becoming God
½ ðñò Èåí ìïßùóéò, ô Pêñüôáôïí ôí ñåêôí,
èåí ãåíÝóèáé. - On the Holy Spirit, par. 23
36Gregory of Nazianzus (ca. 330-390)
- Apophaticism and Knowledge of God
- But when I directed my gaze I scarcely saw the
averted figure of God, and this whilst sheltering
in the rock, God the Word incarnate for us.
Peering in I saw not the nature prime, inviolate,
self-apprehended (by self I mean the Trinity),
the nature as it all abides within the first veil
and is hidden by the Cherubim, but as it reaches
us at its furthest remove from God, being, so far
as I can understand, the grandeur, or as divine
David calls it the majesty inherent in the
created things he has brought forth and governs.
All these indications of himself atht he has left
behind him are Gods averted figure. - Oration 28.3
37Gregory of Nazianzus
- True and False Logic
- Arians set up logical questions that assume only
two answers are possible. But in some cases the
question itself is absurd, and in other cases,
there is a third answer besides the two that the
Arians put before us. (See Oration 29.9.) - Something does not have to be either true or
false. It can be true in one sense and false in
another. (See Oration 30.7.)
38Gregory of Nazianzus
- A Fully-orbed Description of the Trinity
- We have one God because there is a single
Godhead. Through there are three in whom we
believe, they derive from the single whole and
have reference to it. They do not have degrees of
being God or degrees of priority over against one
another. They are not sundered in will or divided
in power. You cannot find there any of the
properties inherent in things divisible. To
express it succinctly, the Godhead exists
undivided in three distinct ones. It is as if
there wre a single intermingling of light, which
existed in three mutually connected Suns. When we
look at the Godhead, the primal cause, the sole
sovereignty, we have a mental picture of a single
whole, certainly. But when we look at the three
in whom the Godhead exists, and at those who
derive their timeless and equally glorious being
from the primal cause, we have three that are
worshiped. - Oration 31.14
39Gregory of Nazianzus
- Two States of God the Logos
- He whom presently you scorn was once
transcendent, over even you. He who is presently
human was incomposite. He remained what he was
what he was not, he assumed. No because is
required for his existence in the beginning, for
what could account for the existence of God? But
later he came into being because of something,
namely, your salvation. He was begottenyet he
was already begottenof a woman. - Oration 29.19
40From Trinity to Christology
- The Logical Challenge of Arianism
- Major Premise (If A, then B) If Jesus Christ
suffered, then that means that the Word suffered. - Minor Premise (If B, then C) If the Word
suffered, then he must have suffered in his own
nature. - Conclusion (If A, then C) If Jesus Christ
suffered, then the Word must have suffered in his
own nature. - Implication The Word is passible and therefore
lower than the Father.
41From Trinity to Christology
- The Church clearly rejects the conclusion that
the Word is limited. - But how can the Church refute the logic of the
Arian challenge? - __________________________
- Battle Plan 1 Refute the minor premise.
- Battle Plan 2 Refute the major premise.
42Theodore of Mopsuestia (ca. 350-428)
- The two ages
- It is in this same way that we are also born,
first in the form of semen through baptism,
before we are born of the resurrection, and have
taken shape in the immortal nature into which we
expect to be changed, but when by faith and hope
in the future things we have been formed and
fashioned into the life of Christ and remained
till the time of the resurrection, then we shall
receive according to the decree of God, a second
birth from dust, and assume an immortal and
incorruptible nature. - Catechetical Homilies 14.28
43Theodore of Mopsuestia
- Separation of the Logos from suffering
- In this he shows that ? the Godhead was
separated from the one who was suffering in the
trial of death, because it was impossible for him
to taste the trial of death if (the Godhead) were
not cautiously remote from him, but also near
enough to do the needful and necessary things for
the nature that was assumed by it. - Catechetical Homilies 8.9
44Theodore of Mopsuestia
- Christ as a graced man
- It seems evident, we shall say, that the
indwelling should fittingly be described as
taking place by good pleasure. And good pleasure
means that best and noblest will of God, which he
exercises when he is pleased with those who are
zealous to be dedicated to him, because of their
excellent standing in his sight. Therefore,
whenever he is said to indwell either the
apostles or just persons generally, he makes his
indwelling as one who takes pleasure in those who
are righteous, as one who takes delight in those
who are duly virtuous. - On the Incarnation 7
45Theodore of Mopsuestia
- Christ as a graced man
- But we do not say that Gods indwelling took
place in Christ in that way, for we could never
be so insane as that. On the contrary, the
indwelling took place in him as in a son it was
in this sense that he took pleasure in him and
indwelt him. But what does it mean to say as in
a son? It means that having indwelt him, he
united the one assumed as a whole to himself and
equipped him to share with himself in all the
honor in which he, being Son by nature,
participates, so as to be counted one person in
virtue of the union with him and to share with
him in all his dominion, and in this way to
accomplish everything in him, so that even the
examination and judgment of the world shall be
fulfilled through him and his advent. - On the Incarnation 7
46Nestorius (died ca. 451)
- A new interpretation of the Creed
- Observe how they first of all establish, as
foundations, the titles which are common to the
deity and the humanityLord and Jesus and
Christ and Only Begotten and Sonand then
build on them the teaching about his becoming
human and his passion and his resurrection, in
order that, since the titles which signify and
are common to both natures are set in the
foreground, the things which pertain to the
sonship and lordship are not divided and the
things peculiar to the natures within the unitary
sonship do not get endangered by the suggestion
of a confusion. - Second Letter to Cyril
47Cyril of Alexandria (ca. 375 444)
- The greatest student of Athanasius work
- Nephew of Bishop Theophilus
- Became bishop in 412
- The ardent opponent of Nestorius and leader of
the Council of Ephesus - The Churchs greatest christological doctor
48Cyril of Alexandria
- Gross on Cyril
- Athan., Greg. Nyss., and Cyril are best examples
of physical redemption. - Contact with the Logos through the Eucharist is
what deifies a believer. - Indwelling of HS transforms our nature, and the
other privileges of deification (conformity to
Christ, brotherhood with him, and adoptive
sonship to the Father) flow from this.
49Cyril of Alexandria
- Russell on Cyril
- Cyril is very similar to Irenaeus, and very
different from Origen. - Participation is the major category for
expressing deification. - Salvation occurs through the exaltation of
Christs humanity and through the
Church/Eucharist.
50Cyril of Alexandria
- An alternative way of viewing Cyril
- Believers DO participate in Gods qualities.
- But his dominant emphasis is personal Believers
participate in the Sons relationship to the
Father. - Cyril develops technical terminology to express
this personal understanding and to guard against
mystical absorption.
51Cyril of Alexandria
- Cyrils Terminology
- käéüôçò identity of substance
- ïkêåéüôçò fellowship/communion between distinct
persons - ïkêåéüôçò öõóéêÞ the fellowship the persons of
the Trinity share because they are of the same
nature
52Cyril of Alexandria
- A crucial distinction
- We do NOT share in Gods käéüôçò in any way
whatsoever. God has only one näéïò õjüò. - Believers DO share in ïkêåéüôçò with God, and
even in Gods ïkêåéüôçò öõóéêÞ.
53Cyril of Alexandria
- Shall we then abandon what we are by nature and
mount up to the divine and unutterable essence,
and shall we depose (dêâÜëëïíôåò) the Word of God
from his very sonship and sit in place of him
with the Father and make the grace of him who
honours us a pretext for impiety? May it never
be! Rather, the Son will remain unchangeably in
that condition in which he is, but we, adopted
into sonship and gods by grace (èåôïr åkò õjüôçôá
êár èåïr êáôN Üñéí), shall not be ignorant of
what we are. - Commentary on John 1.9
54Cyril of Alexandria
- When he had said that authority was given to
them from him who is by nature Son to become sons
of God, and had hereby first introduced that
which is of adoption and grace, he can afterwards
add without danger of misunderstanding that
they were begotten of God, in order that he might
show the greatness of the grace which was
conferred on them, gathering as it were into
natural communion (ïkêåéüôçôá öõóéêÞí) those who
were alien from God the Father, and raising up
the slaves to the nobility (åãÝíåéáí) of their
Lord, on account of his warm love towards them. -
- Commentary on John 1.9
55Cyril of Alexandria
- He is not someone who after being empty attained
fullness instead he humbled himself from his
divine heights and unspeakable glory. He is not a
humble man who was exalted in glory, but rather
he was free and took the form of a slave. He is
not a slave who made a leap up to the glory of
freedom he who was in the Fathers form, in
equality with him, has been made in the likeness
of men. He is not a man who has come to share the
riches of Gods likeness. - Epistle 55
56Cyril of Alexandria
- Do you hear the way the apostle clearly proclaims
the deity of the crucified one? For he says that
we are to be shepherds of the church of God,
which he purchased through his own blood. Not
that he suffered in the nature of his deity, but
that the sufferings of his flesh are ascribed to
him because the flesh is not that of some other
man, but is the Logos own. Therefore, since the
blood is said to be Gods blood, then clearly he
was God, clothed with flesh. - Against Those Who Do Not Call Mary Theotokos
57The Council of Chalcedon (451)
- Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all
unite in teaching that we should confess one and
the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. This same
one is perfect in deity, and the same one is
perfect in humanity the same one is true God and
true man, comprising a rational soul and a body.
He is of the same substance as the Father
according to his deity, and the same one is of
the same substance with us according to his
humanity, like us in all things except sin. He
was begotten before the ages from the Father
according to his deity, but in the last days for
us and our salvation, the same one was born of
the virgin Mary, the bearer of God, according to
his humanity. He is one and the same Christ, Son,
Lord, and Only-begotten, who is made known in two
natures united unconfusedly, unchangeably,
indivisibly, inseparably. The distinction between
the natures is not at all destroyed because of
the union, but rather the property of each nature
is preserved and concurs together into one
prosopon and hypostasis. He is not separated or
divided into two prosopa, but he is one and the
same Son, the Only-Begotten, God the Logos, the
Lord Jesus Christ. This is the way the prophets
spoke of him from the beginning, and Jesus Christ
himself instructed us, and the Council of the
fathers has handed the faith down to us.
58The Council of Chalcedon (451)
- Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all
unite in teaching that we should confess one and
the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. This same
one is perfect in deity, and the same one is
perfect in humanity the same one is true God and
true man, comprising a rational soul and a body.
He is of the same substance as the Father
according to his deity, and the same one is of
the same substance with us according to his
humanity, like us in all things except sin. He
was begotten before the ages from the Father
according to his deity, but in the last days for
us and our salvation, the same one was born of
the virgin Mary, the bearer of God, according to
his humanity. He is one and the same Christ, Son,
Lord, and Only-begotten, who is made known in two
natures united unconfusedly, unchangeably,
indivisibly, inseparably. The distinction between
the natures is not at all destroyed because of
the union, but rather the property of each nature
is preserved and concurs together into one
prosopon and hypostasis. He is not separated or
divided into two prosopa, but he is one and the
same Son, the Only-Begotten, God the Logos, the
Lord Jesus Christ. This is the way the prophets
spoke of him from the beginning, and Jesus Christ
himself instructed us, and the Council of the
fathers has handed the faith down to us.
59Maximus the Confessor
- When we fulfill the Fathers will he renders us
similar to the angels in their adoration, as we
imitate them by reflecting the heavenly
blessedness in the conduct of our life. From
there he leads us finally in the supreme ascent
in divine realities to the Father of lights
wherein he makes us sharers in the divine nature
by participating in the grace of the Spirit,
through which we receive the title of Gods
children and become clothed entirely with the
complete person who is the author of this grace.
. -
- Commentary on the Our Father 5
60Maximus the Confessor
- In Christ who is God and the Word of the Father
there dwells in bodily form the complete fullness
of deity by essence in us the fullness of deity
dwells by grace whenever we have formed in
ourselves every virtue and wisdom, lacking in no
way which is possible to man in the faithful
reproduction of the archetype. - Chapters on Knowledge 2.21
61John of Damascus on the Trinity
- If we say that there are several gods, there
must be some difference to be found among them.
For if there is no difference at all among them,
then there is one God rather than several. But,
if there is some difference, then where is the
perfection? For, if one should come short of
perfection in goodness, or power, or wisdom, or
time, or place, then he would not be God. The
identity of God in all things shows Him to be one
and not several. - The Orthodox Faith 1.5
62John of Damascus on the Trinity
- We believe in one Father, the principle and
cause of all things, begotten of no one, who
alone is uncaused and unbegotten, the maker of
all things and by nature Father of His one and
only-begotten Son, our Lord and God and Saviour,
Jesus Christ, and emitter of the All-Holy
Spirit. - The Orthodox Faith 1.8
63John of Damascus on Christ
- The holy Mother of God engendered a Person who
is known in two natures and who in His divinity
was timelessly begotten of the Father, but who in
the last days became incarnate of her and was
born in the flesh. He is two natures, for the
same is both God and man. It is the same way with
the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension,
too, because these things do not belong to
nature, but person. - The Orthodox Faith 4.7
64John of Damascus on Christ
- Christ, while being two natures, suffered in
His passible nature and in it was crucified, for
it was in the flesh that He hung on the cross,
and not in the divinity. Should they say, while
inquiring of us Did two natures die? We shall
reply No, indeed. Therefore, two natures were
not crucified either, but the Christ was
begotten, that is to say, the Divine Word was
incarnate and begotten in the flesh, and He was
crucified in the flesh, suffered in the flesh,
and died in the flesh, while his divinity
remained unaffected. - The Orthodox Faith 4.7
65John of Damascus on Christ
- Since He is called both first-born and
only-begotten, we must maintain both of these as
applying to Him while he was only-begotten, He
was also born of a mother. For this very reason,
that he shared flesh and blood with us and then,
also, that we were made sons of God through Him
by being adopted through baptism, He who is by
nature Son of God has become first-born among us
who have by adoption and grace become sons of God
and are accounted as His brethren. - The Orthodox Faith 4.8
66John of Damascus on Salvation
- It was not profitable for him to attain
incorruptibility while yet untried and untested,
lest he fall into pride and the judgment of the
devil.... And so it was necessary first for man
to be tested, since one who is untried and
untested deserves no credit. Then, when trial had
made him perfect through his keeping of the
commandment, he should thus win incorruptibility,
the reward of virtue. For, since he had been
created half way between God and matter, should
he be freed from his natural relationship to
creatures and united to God by keeping the
commandment, then he was to be permanently united
to God and immutably rooted in good. - The Orthodox Faith 2.30
67John of Damascus on Salvation
- The Son of God became man in order that He
might again grace man as He had when He made
him. Thus, He put man in communion with Himself
and through this communion with Himself raised
him to incorruptibility. But, since by
transgressing the commandment we obscured and
canceled out the characteristics of the divine
image, we were given over to evil and stripped of
the divine communion. Through Himself and in
Himself he may restore what was to His image and
what to His likeness. - The Orthodox Faith 4.4
68John of Damascus on the Atonement
- For our sake He submits to death and dies and
offers Himself to the Father as a sacrifice for
us. For we had offended Him and it was necessary
for Him to take upon Himself our redemption that
we might thus be loosed from the condemnationfor
God forbid that the Lords blood should have been
offered to the tyrant! - The Orthodox Faith 3.27
69Theodore the Studite on Tradition
- Many teachings which are not written in so many
words, but have equal force with the written
teachings, have been proclaimed by the holy
fathers. It is not the inspired Scripture but the
later fathers who made clear that the Son is
consubstantial with the Father, that the Holy
Spirit is God, that the Lords mother is
Theotokos, and other doctrines which are too many
to list. If these doctrines are not confessed,
the truth of our worship is denied. - Second Refutation of the Iconoclasts 7
70Theodore the Studite on Christ
- Christ did not become a mere man, nor is it
orthodox to say that He assumed a particular man,
but rather that He assumed man in general, or the
whole human nature. It must be said, however,
that this whole human nature was contemplated in
an individual manner (for otherwise how could He
be seen?). For this is the novel mystery of the
dispensation, that the divine and human natures
came together in the one hypostasis of the Word,
which maintains the properties of both natures in
the indivisible union. - First Refutation of the Iconoclasts 4
71Theodore the Studite on Christ
- For Christ, who remains on His own summit of
divinity, glorified in His immaterial
indescribability, it is glory to be materially
circumscribed in His own body because of His
sublime condescension toward us. For He who had
created everything became matter (that is,
flesh). He did not refuse to become and to be
called what He had received, and it is
characteristic of matter to be circumscribed
materially. As for your argument that He is
sufficiently represented for mental
contemplation If merely mental contemplation
were sufficient, it would have been sufficient
for Him to come to us in a merely mental way.
(Continues) - First Refutation of the Iconoclasts 7
72Theodore the Studite on Christ
- Consequently we would have been cheated by the
appearance both of His deeds, if He did not come
in the body, and of His sufferings, which were
undeniably like ours. As flesh He suffered in
the flesh, He ate and drank likewise, and did all
the others things which every man does, except
for sin. And so what seems dishonor to your way
of thinking is actually true honor to the greatly
honored and exceedingly glorious Word. - First Refutation of the Iconoclasts 7
73Theodore the Studite on Christ
- On the question of whether a cross should be
venerated more than an icon - If by the cross you mean the original cross,
how could it not have priority in veneration? For
on it the impassible Word suffered, and it has
such power that by its mere shadow it burns up
the demons and drives them far away from those
who bear its seal. - First Refutation of the Iconoclasts 15