Commentary on Isaiah 1.3.6–1.3.12
Greek text: PG 70.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
part 1, chapter 3
1.3.6PG 70
Ἐπορεύθησαν γὰρ, φησὶν, ὑψηλῷ τραχήλῳ, καὶ νεύμασιν ὀφθαλμῶν" καίτοι γυναικὶ τῇ κοσμιωτάτῃ, καὶ τὸν ἐν σεμνότητι καὶ ἐπιεικείᾳ τιμώσῃ βίον, αἰδώς τέ ἐστιν ὅτι μάλιστα φίλῃ, καὶ πρέποϊ ἂν τὸ Ὁ μηδὲ ὁρᾶσθαι τοῖς ἀῤῥένων ὀφθαλμοῖς " αἱ δὲ πρὸς τοῦτο ἐξώκειλαν βλαδίας τε ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀναισχυντίας, ὡς ἐπιδεικτιᾷν ἐν προόδοις, καὶ αἴρειν μὲν ὑψοῦ τὸν ἄσας ἔσθ᾽ ὅτε, καὶ μονονουχὶ τῷ γέλωτι χκαθυπ- Νιπιγαιη νου 8 116 651 δἱ ἰὸς αὖ 1 δά εἰοξδηἰσχνουμένας ἤδη τοῖς ὁρῶσι τὴν σύνοδον. Ὑδαρεὶ γὰρ ἀεὶ τὸ πορνικὸν φρόνημά ἐστι, καὶ πολὺ χαλᾶται πρὸς ἑτοιμότητα τὴν εἰς ἡδονὰς, ἐπιτείνει ἂΣ αὐταῖς τὰ τῆς ῥᾳθυμίας ἐγκλήμᾳτα, καὶ πεπορνεῦσθαί φηαιν, ἅμα συρούσας τοὺς χιτῶνας, καὶ παιζούσας τοῖς ποσίν. Εἰκὸς δὲ ἦν οἴεσθαι, καὶ τοῦτο εἰς κόσμον συντελεῖν αὐταῖς " πορνικὸν ἃὲ τὸ ἐπιτήδευμα, καὶ βδελυρίας ἀπόδειξις τῆς ἐσχάτης. Ὅπου γὰρ ὁ τῶν ποδῶν κτύπος εὐρύθμοις ἄσμασι συνηχεῖ, ἐκεῖ ποὺ πάντως καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ διὰ χειρῶν ἀναχτυπεῖ κρότος, καὶ πᾶν εἶδος αἰσχρῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων, καὶ πρόχλησις τοῖς ὀρῶσιν εἰς ἀκαθαροίαν. Κατ' ἐκεῖνο δὴ οὖν τοῦ καιροῦ ταπεινώσει, φησὶν, ὁ Θεὸς ἀρχούσας θυγατέρας Σιὼν, καὶ ἀποκαλύψει τὸ σχῆμα αὐτῶν, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, ἢ περιελεῖ τὸν κόσμον, ἣ τὴν αἰσχύνην χαταθήσει φανεράν. Ἔσται δὲ τοῦτο, ὅταν ἔρημαι καὶ γυμναὶ κόσμου παντὸς καὶ περιδολῆς ἀποδεδειγμέναι ταῖς τῶν πολεμίων ἐναλοῖεν χερσὶν, δοῦλαι καὶ αἰχμάλωτοι, καὶ ἀπάσης ἔμπλεοι ταλαιπωρίας. Καὶ ἀφελεῖ Κύριος τὴν δόξαν τοῦ ἱματισμοῦ αὑτῶν, καὶ τοῦ κόσμου αὐτῶν" καὶ τοὺς κοσύμξους αὐτῶν, καὶ τὰ ἐμπλόκια, καὶ τοὺς μηνίσκους, καὶ τὸ κάθεμα, καὶ τὸν κόσμον τοῦ προσώπου αὑτῶν, καὶ τὴν σύνθεσιν τῆς δόξης τοῦ κόσμον αὐτῶν, καὶ τοὺς χλιδῶνας, καὶ τὰ ψέλλια, καὶ τὸ «ἰίους, καὶ τὰ ἐγώτια, καὶ τὰ περιπόρφυρα, καὶ τὰ μεσοπόρφυρα, καὶ τὰ ἐπιβλήματα, καὶ τὰ μετὰ τὴν οἰκίαν, καὶ τὰ διαςανῆ μιακωνικὰ, καὶ, τὰ βύσσιγα, καὶ τὰ ὑαχίγθινα, καὶ τὰ κόκκινα, καὶ τὴ» βύσσον, σὺν χρυσίῳ, καὶ ὑακίγθῳ ᾿Αποκαλυφθήσεσθαι λέγων ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ τὸ Ν σχῆμα αὐτῶν δίεισιν ἀχριδῶς, καὶ τίνα δὴ τρόπον τὸ σχῆμα αὐταῖς συμδήσεται. Ὅτι γὰρ ἐν ἐνδείᾳ καὶ ἀποδολῇ πάντων ἔσονται τῶν ἐξιτήλως μένων, καὶ τῆς ἀρκαίας ἐκείνης εὐημερίας καὶ τρυφῆς προσαναπείθει προστιθεὶς, ὅτι παντὸς ἔσονται κόσμου γυμναὶ, τοὺς χοσύμδους ἀποδαλοῦσαι, μηνίσχους τε καὶ τὸ χάθεμα, καὶ τὰ τούτοις συνημμένα. Δι᾽ ὧν ἔστιν ἰδεῖν ἀχορέστως ἐχούσας εἰς ὡραϊσμοὺς, καὶ εἰς φρόνημα τὸ φιλόχοσμον, μᾶλλον ἤδη τὸ φιλόπορνον. Γυναιξὶ μὲν γὰρ ταῖς ἀγαθαῖς τὴν φρένα, καὶ ποσμιότητος φίλαις ἐχθρά που πάντως ἐστὶ τὰ τοιάδε τῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων, καὶ τὰ δι᾽ ὧν ἂν εἶεν ἐν ἀσέμνῳ σχήματι φευχτὰ καὶ μεμισημένα, τέθεινται δὲ μᾶλλον, τὸ δεῖν ἐπαινεῖσθαι διὰ πράξεων ἀγαθῶν. Ταῖς γε μὲν ἑταίραις αἷς ἂν ὁρῷτο φίλον τὸ ἑταιρίζεσθαι καὶ πασχητιᾷν πρὸς πᾶν τοὐναντίον μετακεχώρηχεν ὁ νοῦς, καὶ τὰ τῆς προθυμίας αὐταὶς ἐξ ἀντιστρόφου φέρεται. Ἐν σπουδῇ δὲ πάσῃ τὸ ὡραΐξεσθαι, καὶ πανταχόθεν συλλέγειν τὰ εἰς τοῦτο χρήσιμα. Καὶ πρέποι ἂν ἑκάστῃ τῶν τοιούτων ἀκούειν " ᾿Ανεπτερωμένη δέ ἔστι καὶ ἄσωτος, Μέμνηται δὲ τῆς οὕτως ἀσέμνου καὶ σεσοθημένης καὶ ὁ Σολομὼν λέγων" …" ηὲ αὐτῆς, δεσμὸς εἰς χεῖρας αὐτῆς’ ἀγαθὰς πρὸ προσὦπου Θεοῦ ἐξαιρεθήσεται ἀπ᾽ αὐτῆς, καὶ ἁμαρτάνων συλληφθήσεται ἐν αὑτῇ.» Καὶ ταυτὶ μὲν ἡμῖν εἴς γε τὸ παρὸν εἰρήσεται περὶ γυναικῶν ἀσέμνων καὶ πονηρῶν. Ἱστέον δὲ ὅτι διὰ φωνῆς Ἰεζεχιὴλ, πρὸς τὴν Ἰουδαίων Συναγωγὴν διαλέγεται Θεὸς, ὡς πρὸς μίαν γυναῖκα - ἣν καὶ κόσμῳ ποικίλῳ χατακαλλῦναί φησιν, Ἔχει δὲ οὕτω περὶ αὐτῆς γεγραμμένα" «Καὶ διεπέτατα τὰς πτέρυγάς μου ἐπὶ σὲ, καὶ ἐκάλυψα τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην σου, καὶ ὥμοσά σοι. Καὶ εἰσῆλθον ἐν διαθήκῃ μετὰ σοῦ, λέγει ᾿Αδωναῖ Κύριος, καὶ ἐγένου μοι, καὶ ἔλουσά σε ἐν ὕδατι, καὶ ἀπἐνέδυσά σε ποικίλα, καὶ ὑπέδυσά σε ὑάκινθον, καὶ ἔζωσά σε βύσσῳ" καὶ περιέθαλόν σε τριχάπτῳ “ καὶ ἐχόσμησά σε κόσμῳ, καὶ περιέθηκα ψέλλια περὶ τὰς ἔδωκα ἐνώτιον περὶ τὸν μυκτῆρά σου, καὶ τροχίσχους περὶ τὰ ὦτά σου καὶ στέφανον καυχήσεως περὶ
Eporeuthēsan gar, phēsin, hypsēlǭ trachēlǭ, kai neumasin ophthalmōn" kaitoi gynaiki tę̄ kosmiōtatę̄, kai ton en semnotēti kai epieikeią timōsę̄ bion, aidōs te estin hoti malista philę̄, kai prepoï an to Ho mēde horasthai tois arrhenōn ophthalmois " hai de pros touto exōkeilan bladias te homou kai anaischyntias, hōs epideiktiąn en proodois, kai airein men hypsou ton asas esth᾽ hote, kai mononouchi tǭ gelōti chkathyp- Nipigaiē nou 8 116 651 di ios au 1 da eioxdēischnoumenas ēdē tois horōsi tēn synodon. Hydarei gar aei to pornikon phronēma esti, kai poly chalatai pros hetoimotēta tēn eis hēdonas, epiteinei aS autais ta tēs rhąthymias enklēmąta, kai peporneusthai phēain, hama syrousas tous chitōnas, kai paizousas tois posin. Eikos de ēn oiesthai, kai touto eis kosmon syntelein autais " pornikon hae to epitēdeuma, kai bdelyrias apodeixis tēs eschatēs. Hopou gar ho tōn podōn ktypos eurythmois asmasi synēchei, ekei pou pantōs kai autos ho dia cheirōn anachtypei krotos, kai pan eidos aischrōn epitēdeumatōn, kai prochlēsis tois orōsin eis akatharoian. Kat' ekeino dē oun tou kairou tapeinōsei, phēsin, ho Theos archousas thygateras Siōn, kai apokalypsei to schēma autōn, tout᾽ estin, ē perielei ton kosmon, hē tēn aischynēn chatathēsei phaneran. Estai de touto, hotan erēmai kai gymnai kosmou pantos kai peridolēs apodedeigmenai tais tōn polemiōn enaloien chersin, doulai kai aichmalōtoi, kai apasēs empleoi talaipōrias. Kai aphelei Kyrios tēn doxan tou himatismou hautōn, kai tou kosmou autōn" kai tous kosymxous autōn, kai ta emplokia, kai tous mēniskous, kai to kathema, kai ton kosmon tou prosōpou hautōn, kai tēn synthesin tēs doxēs tou kosmon autōn, kai tous chlidōnas, kai ta psellia, kai to «iious, kai ta egōtia, kai ta periporphyra, kai ta mesoporphyra, kai ta epiblēmata, kai ta meta tēn oikian, kai ta diasanē miakōnika, kai, ta byssiga, kai ta hyachigthina, kai ta kokkina, kai tē» bysson, syn chrysiǭ, kai hyakigthǭ ᾿Apokalyphthēsesthai legōn en tę̄ hēmerą ekeinę̄ to N schēma autōn dieisin achridōs, kai tina dē tropon to schēma autais symdēsetai. Hoti gar en endeią kai apodolę̄ pantōn esontai tōn exitēlōs menōn, kai tēs arkaias ekeinēs euēmerias kai tryphēs prosanapeithei prostitheis, hoti pantos esontai kosmou gymnai, tous chosymdous apodalousai, mēnischous te kai to chathema, kai ta toutois synēmmena. Di᾽ hōn estin idein achorestōs echousas eis hōraïsmous, kai eis phronēma to philochosmon, mallon ēdē to philopornon. Gynaixi men gar tais agathais tēn phrena, kai posmiotētos philais echthra pou pantōs esti ta toiade tōn epitēdeumatōn, kai ta di᾽ hōn an eien en asemnǭ schēmati pheuchta kai memisēmena, tetheintai de mallon, to dein epaineisthai dia praxeōn agathōn. Tais ge men hetairais hais an horǭto philon to hetairizesthai kai paschētiąn pros pan tounantion metakechōrēchen ho nous, kai ta tēs prothymias autais ex antistrophou pheretai. En spoudę̄ de pasę̄ to hōraïxesthai, kai pantachothen syllegein ta eis touto chrēsima. Kai prepoi an hekastę̄ tōn toioutōn akouein " ᾿Anepterōmenē de esti kai asōtos, Memnētai de tēs houtōs asemnou kai sesothēmenēs kai ho Solomōn legōn" …" ēe autēs, desmos eis cheiras autēs’ agathas pro prosōpou Theou exairethēsetai ap᾽ autēs, kai hamartanōn syllēphthēsetai en hautę̄.» Kai tauti men hēmin eis ge to paron eirēsetai peri gynaikōn asemnōn kai ponērōn. Histeon de hoti dia phōnēs Iezechiēl, pros tēn Ioudaiōn Synagōgēn dialegetai Theos, hōs pros mian gynaika - hēn kai kosmǭ poikilǭ chatakallynai phēsin, Echei de houtō peri autēs gegrammena" «Kai diepetata tas pterygas mou epi se, kai ekalypsa tēn aschēmosynēn sou, kai hōmosa soi. Kai eisēlthon en diathēkę̄ meta sou, legei ᾿Adōnai Kyrios, kai egenou moi, kai elousa se en hydati, kai apenedysa se poikila, kai hypedysa se hyakinthon, kai ezōsa se byssǭ" kai periethalon se trichaptǭ “ kai echosmēsa se kosmǭ, kai periethēka psellia peri tas edōka enōtion peri ton myktēra sou, kai trochischous peri ta ōta sou kai stephanon kauchēseōs peri
“For they walked,” he says, “with lofty neck and with winks of the eyes”; and yet to the most modest woman, who honours a life of dignity and gentleness, modesty is most dear, and it would befit her not even to be seen by the eyes of men. But these ran aground on such harm and shamelessness as to make a display in their processions, sometimes raising [their neck] high and almost with laughter … the company of those who look on. For the harlot’s mind is always watery, much relaxed toward readiness for pleasures; and he presses the charges of laxity against them, and says that they played the harlot, at once trailing their tunics and playing with their feet. They probably thought that this too added to their adornment; but the practice is a harlot’s and a proof of the utmost abomination. For where the stamping of feet resounds with rhythmic songs, there surely the clapping of hands rings out too, and every form of shameful practice, and … a provocation to uncleanness for those who look on. At that time, then, he says, God will humble the ruling daughters of Zion and will uncover their form; that is, he will either strip away their adornment or make their shame manifest. This will be when, bereft and stripped of every ornament and covering, they fall into the hands of the enemy, slaves and captives and full of all misery.
“And the Lord will take away the glory of their clothing and their adornment: the tassels and the braids and the crescents and the necklace and the ornament of their face, and the arrangement of the glory of their adornment, and the anklets and the bracelets and the [hair nets], and the earrings, and the purple-bordered and the purple-centred garments, and the shawls, and the [things for the house], and the transparent Laconian garments, and the linen ones and the violet and the scarlet, and the fine linen with gold and violet.”
Saying that their form will be uncovered in that day, he goes through precisely in what way this will happen to them. For that they will be in want and in the loss of all their extravagant things and of that ancient prosperity and luxury, he further persuades by adding that they will be stripped of every ornament, throwing off the tassels, the crescents, the necklace, and the things joined to them. From these one may see them insatiably given to ornaments and to a love of finery, or rather now to a love of harlotry. For to women good in mind and friends of modesty such practices are surely hateful, and the things by which they would appear in an immodest bearing are to be fled and detested; rather they set themselves to be praised through good deeds. But for courtesans, to whom it is dear to play the courtesan and to be lewd, the mind has moved wholly the opposite way, and their eagerness runs in reverse. With all zeal they adorn themselves and gather from everywhere what is useful for this. And it would befit each such woman to hear: “She is flighty and profligate.” Solomon too mentions such an immodest and mincing woman, saying: “[… I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, and her heart nets], a bond in her hands; he who is good before God will be delivered from her, but the sinner will be caught by her.” Let this be said by us for the present about immodest and wicked women. One must know that through the voice of Ezekiel God speaks to the synagogue of the Jews as to one woman, whom he says he adorned with varied ornament. It is written of her thus: “And I spread my wings over you and covered your nakedness, and I swore to you and entered into a covenant with you, says Adonai the Lord, and you became mine; and I washed you in water, [and anointed you], and clothed you in embroidered cloth, and shod you with violet leather, and girded you with fine linen, and covered you with fine silk, and adorned you with ornaments, and put bracelets on your [hands and a necklace on your neck], and I gave you a ring for your nose, and earrings for your ears, and a crown of boasting on
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Isa 3:16–24 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 7:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Eccl 7:26 (7:27 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ezek 16:8–12 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Cyril condemns the immodest display of the daughters of Zion as the conduct of harlots, foretells their stripping in captivity, and contrasts modest women praised for good deeds; he recalls Ezekiel’s picture of God adorning Israel as a bride.
- Isa 3:16–24; Prov 7:11; Eccl 7:26 (LXX 7:27); Ezek 16:8–12 are quoted. The opening of the quotation of Ecclesiastes is lost in the scan, replaced by Latin from Migne’s column, and is supplied in brackets; several items of the long Septuagint list of Isa 3:18–24 are damaged and are translated as printed or supplied in brackets. “Played the harlot” renders πορνεύω, used of the women’s conduct. Cyril’s remarks about women are his own and are translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin column fragment glued into the Greek; Latin column fragment replacing the opening of the quotation): καὶ Α ϑίοη, οἱ πρόχλησις → καὶ πρόχλησις; ἰυμἰςἷ5 δι γίαι5, οἱ πῃ π ἢ 8, οἱ ἰοΓ406, εἰ φυ μαι εἱ Ἰοηφο ἀΐνογδυπι : οἱ αἱ εἰοβδηίοδ 5Βἰπὶ οἰ → ….
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Comm. Isa. 1.3.6 (PG 70; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/1-3-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/1-3-6
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 70 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.3.7PG 70
τὴν κεφαλήν σου. Καὶ ἐχόσμησά σε κόσμῳ χρυσῷ καὶ ἀργυρῷ καὶ τὰ περιθόλαιά σον βύσσινα, καὶ τρίχαπτα, καὶ ποικίλα.» Οὐκοῦν ποικίλῳ μὲν κόσμῳ χὴν, καὶ τοῖς ἐξ ἀρετῶν αὐὔχῆμασιν πολυτρόπως στεφανοῖ. ᾿Αλλὰ τοῖς μὲν διασώζουτι τὴν ἑαυτῶν πολιτείαν ἀμώμητον, καὶ διατελοῦσιν ἐν ἀγιασμῷ, τὰ τῆς εὐχοσμίας τῆς νοητῆς ἐν ἐπιδόσεσιν ἔσται ἀν, νἱάρδι πὸ οδὐδὶ δ, » Αἀ το δοοθάφρηίεβ δὰ πτουσιν ἐφ᾽ ἃ μὴ προσῆκεν ἑτοίμως, καὶ ἀπονεύουσιν' ἐλαφρῶς εἰς τὰ τῆς φαυλότητος ἔργα, συμδήσεται πάντως ἐν ἀποδολῇ γενέσθαι παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ, καὶ τῶν πάλαι δεδωρημένων νοσῆσαι τὴν ἐρημίαν. Περιπεσεῖται γὰρ πονηροῖς τε καὶ ἀκαθάρτοις ἐρατταῖς, τοῖς ἄρχουσι τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου, καὶ τοῖς χοσμοχράτορσι τοῦ σκότους τούτου, τοῖς πνευματικοῖς τῆς πονηρίας, οἵ δὴ μάλιστα τὰς ἐναρέτους θηρῶσι ψυχάς. Τρυφὴ γὰρ αὐτοῖς τὸ καταστρέφειν αὐτάς. Καθἀπερ ἀμέλει καὶ τοῖς τῶν πτηνῶν θηρευταῖς, ληπτον εἶναί τι τὸ χρῆμα δοκεῖ τὰ τῶν στρουθίων περιχαλλέστερα. Γέγραπται δὲ ποῦ καὶ περὶ τοῦ Σατανᾶ, ὅτι τὰ βρώματα αὑτοῦ ἐχλεχτά. Οὐκοῦν ἀκόλουθον ἡμᾶς ἐγρηγορέναι τε καὶ ἀνδρίζεσθαι μετὰ Θεοῦ, καὶ διαμεμνῆσθαι λέγοντος τοῦ μακαρίου Παύλου, ὥστε. ε Ὃ δοκῶν ἐδχάναι, βλεπέτω μὴ πέσῃ.» Δεῖ δὲ δὴ πρὸς τούτῳ Θεῷ τῷ πάντα ἰσχύοντ" προσιόντας λέγειν ἐν προσευχαῖς" « Κύριε, ἐν τῷ θελήματί σου παρέσχου τῷ κάλλει δύναμιν. » ἀντὶ ζώνης, σχοινίῳ ζώσῃ, καὶ ἀντὶ τοῦ κόσμου τῆς κεραῆς τοῦ χρυσίου ςαλάχρωμα ἕξεις διὰ τὰ ἔργα σου " καὶ ἀντὶ τοῦ χιτῶνος τοῦ μεσοπορφύρου, περιζώσῃ σάκκον. Καὶ ὁ υἱός σου ὁ κά!- “ιστος, ὃν σὺ ἀγαπᾷς, μακαίρᾳ πεσεῖται. Καὶ οὐ Ἰσχύοντες ὑμῶν μακαίρᾳ πεσοῦνται, καὶ ταπειγωθήσονται, καὶ πεγθήσουσιν αἱ θῆκαι τοῦ κόσμου ι ὑμῶν, καὶ καταειφθήσῃ μόνη, καὶ εἰς τὴν γὴν Νοῦ 885 τὰ ᾿ιΐσ, υἱ νἱάδγὶ ροίοδι πον ηυ 8, δυδύ- Τ᾿ Οὐ μάτην ἐν τούτοις οἴοιτό τις ἰσχνολογεῖ λίαν ὁ προφητικὸς ἡμῖν λόγος, ἔκαστα δὲ τὰ ταῖς τρυφώσαις καθ᾽ ἡδονὴν δίεισιν ἀχριδῶς τά τε εἴδη τοῦ κόσμου, καὶ αὐτὰς; τὰς πάλαι τρυφάς. Εἶτα ὅτι συμδήσεται πάντη τε καὶ πάντως παθεῖν αὐτὰς τὴν τῶν οὕτω; συντήχων εἰς λύπας, καὶ εἰς ἀνάμνησιν τῆς εὐημερίας ὡς ἤδη παθούσας ἀναχομίζων ἀστείως, ἵνα τῇ τῶν ἐσομένων προσδοκίᾳ, καὶ τοῖς ἐντεῦθεν δείμασι, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ἀφορήτοις συμφοραῖς καταπτοήσας γοργῶς μεταστήσῃ πρὸς εὐκοσμίαν, καὶ εἰς τὸ τῷ Θεῷ δοκοῦν ἀναπείσῃ παλινδρομεῖν. Συμδήσεται τοίνυν, φησὶν, οὐκ ἐν μόνῃ στερήσει τοῦ κόσμου γενέ- 6θαι τὰς οὕτω τρυφώσας, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ ἔσται ἀντὶ ὀσμῆς ἡδείας, κονιορτὸς, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, ἀντὶ τῶν οἵτρυφεροῖς ἔτι ποσί. Καὶ οὐκὶ δὴ τοῦτο μόνον, ἀλλὰ. γὰρ καὶ ἔσονται καὶ ἐν σχήματι, καὶ ἐν εἴδει τῷ λίαν ἡ ἀτιμωτάτῳ, ὡς ἀντὶ ζώνης χρυσῆς σχοινίῳ περιδεδέσθαι μόνῳ, καὶ ἐν γυμνότητι χεφαλῆῇς ἤγουν φαμένης. ΓἌμφιον δὲ δίδωσιν αὑταῖς, ὃ ταῖς αἰχμαλώταις πρέπον, παχύ τε καὶ εὐτελὲ;, ὃ καὶ ὀνομάζει σάχ- [ὁ χον, καὶ τοῦτο αὐταῖς ἀντὶ τοῦ μεσοπορφύρου νὸς καὶ τρυφερῶν ἐσθημάτων. Προσεπάγει δὲ τούτοις, ὅτι Καὶ ὁ υἱός σου ὁ κάλλιστος, ὃν ἀγαπᾷς, μακαίρᾳ πεσεῖται. Ἔθος γὰρ τοῖς ἑλοῦσι πόλιν ἢ χώραν, ἐξ αὑτῆς ἀρπάζειν θήλει; καὶ κόλπων μητρὸς, τὰ μιἱξκρά τε καὶ ὑποτίτθια Ῥρέφη φονεύειν ὠμῶς, ἵνα βαδίζοιεν αἱ τούτων μητέρες οὐ πεφορτισμέναι, καὶ μὴ τῇ τῶν νηπίων φροντίδι χατηχθισμέναι. Οὐκοῦν ἣ κατὰ τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον μακαίρᾳ πεσεῖσθαί φησι τὸν ἀγαπητὸν αὐταῖς νὸν, ἣ καὶ ἑτέρως μαχόμενον, κα Πανὶ δΙἴαπι, νὰ] οὐΐδπι ἐν ργα!ο οἱ ᾿οϑιίιπι Ἢ τῇ τῶν πολεμίων τεθνεῶτα χειρί. Πενθήσειν γε μὴν τὰς θήκας ἔφη τοῦ κόσμου αὐτῶν, οὐκ ὡς τῶν αἰσθητῶν θηχῶν πενθεῖν δυναμένων, ἀλλ' ὡς ἂν εἴ τις λέγοι καὶ οἶκον πενθεῖν οὐδενὸς οἰκοῦντος ἐν αὐτῷ.
tēn kephalēn sou. Kai echosmēsa se kosmǭ chrysǭ kai argyrǭ kai ta peritholaia son byssina, kai trichapta, kai poikila.» Oukoun poikilǭ men kosmǭ chēn, kai tois ex aretōn auychēmasin polytropōs stephanoi. ᾿Alla tois men diasōzouti tēn heautōn politeian amōmēton, kai diatelousin en agiasmǭ, ta tēs euchosmias tēs noētēs en epidosesin estai an, niardi po odydi d, » Aa to doothaphrēieb da ptousin eph᾽ ha mē prosēken hetoimōs, kai aponeuousin' elaphrōs eis ta tēs phaulotētos erga, symdēsetai pantōs en apodolę̄ genesthai pantos agathou, kai tōn palai dedōrēmenōn nosēsai tēn erēmian. Peripeseitai gar ponērois te kai akathartois erattais, tois archousi tou aiōnos toutou, kai tois chosmochratorsi tou skotous toutou, tois pneumatikois tēs ponērias, hoi dē malista tas enaretous thērōsi psychas. Tryphē gar autois to katastrephein autas. Kathaper amelei kai tois tōn ptēnōn thēreutais, lēpton einai ti to chrēma dokei ta tōn strouthiōn perichallestera. Gegraptai de pou kai peri tou Satana, hoti ta brōmata hautou echlechta. Oukoun akolouthon hēmas egrēgorenai te kai andrizesthai meta Theou, kai diamemnēsthai legontos tou makariou Paulou, hōste. e Ho dokōn edchanai, blepetō mē pesę̄.» Dei de dē pros toutǭ Theǭ tǭ panta ischyont" prosiontas legein en proseuchais" « Kyrie, en tǭ thelēmati sou pareschou tǭ kallei dynamin. » anti zōnēs, schoiniǭ zōsę̄, kai anti tou kosmou tēs keraēs tou chrysiou salachrōma hexeis dia ta erga sou " kai anti tou chitōnos tou mesoporphyrou, perizōsę̄ sakkon. Kai ho huios sou ho ka!- “istos, hon sy agapąs, makairą peseitai. Kai ou Ischyontes hymōn makairą pesountai, kai tapeigōthēsontai, kai pegthēsousin hai thēkai tou kosmou i hymōn, kai kataeiphthēsę̄ monē, kai eis tēn gēn Nou 885 ta ᾿iïs, hui niadgi roiodi pon ēu 8, dydy- T᾿ Ou matēn en toutois oioito tis ischnologei lian ho prophētikos hēmin logos, ekasta de ta tais tryphōsais kath᾽ hēdonēn dieisin achridōs ta te eidē tou kosmou, kai autas? tas palai tryphas. Eita hoti symdēsetai pantē te kai pantōs pathein autas tēn tōn houtō? syntēchōn eis lypas, kai eis anamnēsin tēs euēmerias hōs ēdē pathousas anachomizōn asteiōs, hina tę̄ tōn esomenōn prosdokią, kai tois enteuthen deimasi, mallon de kai aphorētois symphorais kataptoēsas gorgōs metastēsę̄ pros eukosmian, kai eis to tǭ Theǭ dokoun anapeisę̄ palindromein. Symdēsetai toinyn, phēsin, ouk en monę̄ sterēsei tou kosmou gene- 6thai tas houtō tryphōsas, alla gar kai estai anti osmēs hēdeias, koniortos, tout᾽ estin, anti tōn hoitrypherois eti posi. Kai ouki dē touto monon, alla. gar kai esontai kai en schēmati, kai en eidei tǭ lian hē atimōtatǭ, hōs anti zōnēs chrysēs schoiniǭ peridedesthai monǭ, kai en gymnotēti chephalēę̄s ēgoun phamenēs. GAmphion de didōsin hautais, ho tais aichmalōtais prepon, pachy te kai eutele?, ho kai onomazei sach- [ho chon, kai touto autais anti tou mesoporphyrou nos kai trypherōn esthēmatōn. Prosepagei de toutois, hoti Kai ho huios sou ho kallistos, hon agapąs, makairą peseitai. Ethos gar tois helousi polin ē chōran, ex hautēs arpazein thēlei? kai kolpōn mētros, ta miixkra te kai hypotitthia Rhrephē phoneuein ōmōs, hina badizoien hai toutōn mēteres ou pephortismenai, kai mē tę̄ tōn nēpiōn phrontidi chatēchthismenai. Oukoun hē kata touton ton tropon makairą peseisthai phēsi ton agapēton autais non, hē kai heterōs machomenon, ka Pani dIiapi, na] ouïdpi en rga!o hoi ᾿oϑiiipi Ē tę̄ tōn polemiōn tethneōta cheiri. Penthēsein ge mēn tas thēkas ephē tou kosmou autōn, ouk hōs tōn aisthētōn thēchōn penthein dynamenōn, all' hōs an ei tis legoi kai oikon penthein oudenos oikountos en autǭ.
your head. And I adorned you with ornaments of gold and silver, and your coverings were of fine linen and fine silk and embroidered cloth.” So he [adorns the soul] with varied ornament and crowns it in many ways with the honours that come from the virtues. But for those who keep their way of life blameless and continue in sanctification, the [beauty] of their spiritual adornment will keep increasing; [while those who … run] readily to what is not fitting and turn lightly to the works of wickedness will surely come to the loss of every good and suffer the lack of what was given them of old. For they will fall among wicked and unclean lovers, the rulers of this age and the world rulers of this darkness, the spiritual forces of wickedness, who above all hunt virtuous souls. For it is a delight to them to overthrow them; just as to bird-catchers the more beautiful sparrows seem a prize worth taking. And it is written somewhere of Satan that his foods are choice. So it follows that we should keep watch and act manfully with God, and remember the blessed Paul when he says, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” And besides this we must, coming to God who can do all things, say in our prayers, “Lord, by your will you gave strength to my beauty.”
“[And instead of a sweet smell there will be dust], and instead of a girdle you will gird yourself with a rope, and instead of the golden ornament of the head you will have baldness because of your works; and instead of the purple-centred tunic you will gird on sackcloth. And your most beautiful son, whom you love, will fall by the sword, and your strong men will fall by the sword and be humbled, and the cases of your ornaments will mourn, and you will be left alone and levelled to the ground.”
Let no one think that here the prophetic word goes into great detail for nothing. It goes through precisely each of the things that pleased the luxurious women, the kinds of ornament and their former luxuries; then it says that it will by all means befall them to suffer the [loss] of these, wasting away in griefs, and it wittily brings them to the remembrance of their prosperity as though they were already suffering, so that, frightening them sharply by the expectation of what will come and the fears that arise from it, or rather by unbearable calamities, it may change them to good order and persuade them to run back to what pleases God. It will happen, he says, that such luxurious women will not only be deprived of their ornaments, but “instead of a sweet smell there will be dust”; that is, instead of [perfumes they will walk in dust] with feet still delicate. And not only this, but they will also be in a most dishonoured bearing and appearance, so as to be bound with a mere rope instead of a golden girdle, and with bare, that is, [shaven,] heads. And he gives them clothing that befits captive women, thick and cheap, which he calls sackcloth, and this instead of the purple-centred [tunic] and delicate garments. He adds to these: “And your most beautiful son, whom you love, will fall by the sword.” For it is the custom of those who capture a city or a country to snatch the little ones, the infants at the breast, from the breast and bosom of their mother and kill them cruelly, so that their mothers may walk on unburdened and not weighed down by the care of infants. So either in this way he says that their beloved son will fall by the sword, or otherwise, fighting …, dead by the hand of the enemy. And he said that the cases of their ornaments will mourn, not as though cases perceived by the senses could mourn, but as one might say that a house mourns when no one lives in it.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Ezek 16:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 6:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Hab 1:16 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 10:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 30:7 (29:8 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 3:24–26 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Cyril applies the stripping of the women of Zion also to souls that lose their spiritual adornment, and on Isa 3:24–26 describes the women’s captivity, the slaughter of their sons, and their desolate homes.
- Ezek 16:13; Eph 6:12; Hab 1:16; 1 Cor 10:12; Ps 30:7 (LXX 29:8); Isa 3:24–26 are quoted or alluded to. The opening of the lemma is lost in the scan and supplied in brackets; a few other lost words are supplied in brackets or marked “…”.
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Comm. Isa. 1.3.7 (PG 70; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/1-3-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/1-3-7
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 70 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.3.8PG 70
Προσεπάγει δὲ τούτοις τὸ, Καὶ χαταλειφθήσῃ μόνη, ἢς καὶ εἰς γῆν ἐδαφισθήσῃ, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, ἔσῃ τις ἐλεεινὴ καὶ χατεῤῥιμμένη, καὶ οἷον εἰς γῆν κειμένη. Τοιοῦτος Ὑάρ πως ὃ βίος τῶν ἐν αἰχμαλωσίᾳ καὶ ἀθλιότητι, καὶ σκληρᾷ καὶ ἀφορήτῳ δουλείᾳ. Πάνδεινον οὖν ἄρα τὸ προσχροῦσαι θεῷ, καὶ τοῦ ἐν ψυχαῖς χαταφρονῆἡ σαι κάλλους. Τοὺς γάρτοι λίαν ἀπονενευχότας ἐπὶ τὸ ῥάθυμον, παντὸς ἐξίστησι κόσμου Θεὸς, δῆλον δὲ ὅτι τοῦ νοητοῦ, καὶ γυμνοὺς ἀποφήνας ἁπάσης ἀρετῆς παραδίδωσι τοῖς ἐχθροῖς. Οὕτω φαμὲν δεδόσθαι τινὰς ᾿ εἰς ἀδόκιμον νοῦν, καὶ εἰς πάθη ἀτιμίας. Συνέχοντος ἢ μὲν γὰρ ἡμᾶς εἰς ἰσχὺν τὴν πνευματικὴν τοῦ ἐπὶ πάντας Θεοῦ, διασώζομεν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τὸ λαμπρὸν τῆς ἰδίας φύσεως κάλλος. ᾿Αφιστάντος δὲ τὴν ἐπικουρίαν, γυμνοὶ δὴ πάντως ἐσόμεθα παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ, καὶ τῶν μ τοῖς τῆς ἀτιμίας πάθεσιν ὑποκεισόμεθα, καὶ δουλεύ σομεν ἐχθροῖς. ἑνὸς, «“έγουσαι Τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν φαγόμεθα, καὶ τὰ ἱμάτια ἡμῶν περιδαλλούμεθα, πιϊὶὴν τὸ ὄνομα δὰ ας οἱ "ΠἸαὰ : οἰ ηθοτίϑ 8οῖ8, εἰ ἴῃ ἰδγγαπὶ δὲ ἡμῶν. " Διαπεράνας εὖ μάλα τὸν λόγον, ἐπί γε ταῖς Ἶου- “δαίων γυναιξὶ ταῖς ἐκ τρυφῆς καὶ πλούτου βαδιουμέναις εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν, πειρᾶται δεικνύειν, ὅτι χένανδροι μὲν αἱ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἀπομενοῦσι πόλεις, ἔσονται δὲ καὶ ἐν σπάνει πολλῇ τῶν πάλαι μαχιμωτάτων. “Ἔφη γὰρ, ὅτι « Πάντες οἱ ἰσχύοντες ὑμῶν μακαίρᾳ πεφοῦνται.» Ποία τις οὖν ὧν ἔφην ἡ δεῖξις; εὐφυῶς ἄγαν καὶ ἀστείως; ἐσχευασμένη. Νόμου γὰρ δὴ τοῦ διὰ Μωσέως λέγοντος τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ, ε Οὐκ ἔσται ἕν σοι ἄγονος οὐδὲ στείρα" » ἐν ἐσχάτοις ὀνειδισμοῖς παρὰ τοῖς Ἰουξαίοις λελόγιστο τὸ γυναῖκα μὴ τεκεῖν, ἤγουν πιδηὶ γοοί 886 τηθμ οἰ [δῖε πὶ, δι ἴῃ ἀνεβῆ γουβοτί γὰρ αὐτοῖς ὁ τῆς ἀγόνου καὶ στείρας προσετρίδετο μῶμος. Καὶ πνευματικὸς μὲν ὁ νόμος ἦν. Ἐπηγγέλλετο γὰρ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς ὅτι ὁ νοητὸς Ἰσραὴλ, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, νοῦς ὁρῶν Θεὸν, οὐκ ἄκαρπος ἔσται, οὔτε ἐστειρωμένος, ἔγχαριοος δὲ μᾶλλον καὶ γῆ τις ὥσπερ. καλὴ καὶ ἐξαίρετος. Πλὴν ἐνόουν Ἰουδαῖοι σαρκικῶς. ψυχικχοὶ γὰρ ἦσαν, πνεῦμα μὴ ἔχοντες. "ἕσται τοίνυν, φησὶν, τοσαύτη σπάνις ἀῤῥένων κατὰ τὴν χώραν, δαπανήσαντος τοῦ πολέμου τὸ γένος, ὡς ἑπτὰ χας ἤτοι πολλὰς ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς ἐπιλαμδάνεσθαι καὶ λέγειν᾿ « Τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν φαγόμεθα, καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον ἡμῶν περιδαλούμεθα’ πλὴν τὸ ὄνομα τὸ τὸν κεκλήσθω ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς, ἄφειλε τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν ἡμῶν. » Ὁρᾷς ὅπως δεδείασι τῆς ἀτοχίας τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν, καὶ τὸ τῆς 1 Ὦ ἀγόνου καὶ στείρας παραιτοῦνται ὄνομα λίαν; Προσἔρχονται γὰρ οὐ τὰ συνήθη ζητοῦντες, καὶ ὅσα δέχεσθαι γυναιξὶ παρὰ τῶν συνοικούντων ἔθος" ἑαυταῖς γὰρ ἀρχέσειν εἰς τοῦτό φασιν, αἰτοῦσι δὲ μόνον, ὡς ἔφην, τοῦ ὀνειδισμοῦ τὴν ἀφαίρεσιν. ΓΛθρει δὴ οὖν: ῦ «τοῦ λόγου τὸ βάθος. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ πλούσιος ἦν ὁ παρα-.
Prosepagei de toutois to, Kai chataleiphthēsę̄ monē, ēs kai eis gēn edaphisthēsę̄, tout᾽ estin, esę̄ tis eleeinē kai chaterrhimmenē, kai hoion eis gēn keimenē. Toioutos Hyar pōs ho bios tōn en aichmalōsią kai athliotēti, kai sklērą kai aphorētǭ douleią. Pandeinon oun ara to proschrousai theǭ, kai tou en psychais chataphronēē sai kallous. Tous gartoi lian aponeneuchotas epi to rhathymon, pantos existēsi kosmou Theos, dēlon de hoti tou noētou, kai gymnous apophēnas hapasēs aretēs paradidōsi tois echthrois. Houtō phamen dedosthai tinas ᾿ eis adokimon noun, kai eis pathē atimias. Synechontos ē men gar hēmas eis ischyn tēn pneumatikēn tou epi pantas Theou, diasōzomen en heautois to lampron tēs idias physeōs kallos. ᾿Aphistantos de tēn epikourian, gymnoi dē pantōs esometha pantos agathou, kai tōn m tois tēs atimias pathesin hypokeisometha, kai douleu somen echthrois. henos, «“egousai Ton arton hēmōn phagometha, kai ta himatia hēmōn peridalloumetha, piïiēn to onoma da as hoi "PIaa : oi ēthotiϑ 8oi8, ei ię̄ idngapi de hēmōn. " Diaperanas eu mala ton logon, epi ge tais Iou- “daiōn gynaixi tais ek tryphēs kai ploutou badioumenais eis aichmalōsian, peiratai deiknyein, hoti chenandroi men hai tēs Ioudaias apomenousi poleis, esontai de kai en spanei pollę̄ tōn palai machimōtatōn. “Ephē gar, hoti « Pantes hoi ischyontes hymōn makairą pephountai.» Poia tis oun hōn ephēn hē deixis? euphyōs agan kai asteiōs? escheuasmenē. Nomou gar dē tou dia Mōseōs legontos tois huiois Israēl, e Ouk estai hen soi agonos oude steira" » en eschatois oneidismois para tois Iouxaiois lelogisto to gynaika mē tekein, ēgoun pidēi gooi 886 tēthm oi [die pi, di ię̄ anebē gouboti gar autois ho tēs agonou kai steiras prosetrideto mōmos. Kai pneumatikos men ho nomos ēn. Epēngelleto gar ho tōn holōn Theos hoti ho noētos Israēl, tout᾽ esti, nous horōn Theon, ouk akarpos estai, oute esteirōmenos, encharioos de mallon kai gē tis hōsper. kalē kai exairetos. Plēn enooun Ioudaioi sarkikōs. psychikchoi gar ēsan, pneuma mē echontes. "hestai toinyn, phēsin, tosautē spanis arrhenōn kata tēn chōran, dapanēsantos tou polemou to genos, hōs hepta chas ētoi pollas henos andros epilamdanesthai kai legein᾿ « Ton arton hēmōn phagometha, kai to himation hēmōn peridaloumetha’ plēn to onoma to ton keklēsthō eph᾽ hēmas, apheile ton oneidismon hēmōn. » Horąs hopōs dedeiasi tēs atochias ton oneidismon, kai to tēs 1 Ō agonou kai steiras paraitountai onoma lian? Proserchontai gar ou ta synēthē zētountes, kai hosa dechesthai gynaixi para tōn synoikountōn ethos" heautais gar archesein eis touto phasin, aitousi de monon, hōs ephēn, tou oneidismou tēn aphairesin. GLthrei dē oun: y «tou logou to bathos. Ei men gar plousios ēn ho para-.
To these he adds, “And you will be left alone and levelled to the ground”; that is, you will be pitiable and cast down, and as it were lying on the ground. For such somehow is the life of those in captivity and misery and in harsh and unbearable slavery. It is most terrible, then, to offend God and to despise the beauty that is in souls. For those who have turned far toward laxity God removes from every ornament (the spiritual one, clearly), and, having made them bare of all virtue, hands them over to their enemies. Thus we say that some have been given over to a debased mind and to passions of dishonour. For while the God who is over all holds us together in spiritual strength, we keep within ourselves the brilliant beauty of our own nature. But when he withdraws his help, we shall surely be bare of every good and … we shall be subject to the passions of dishonour and shall serve our enemies.
“And seven women will take hold of one man, saying: We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes; only let your name be called upon us; take away our reproach.”
Having brought to a fine conclusion his discourse about the Jewish women who would go from luxury and wealth into captivity, he tries to show that the cities of Judea will remain empty of men and that there will be a great scarcity of those who were once most warlike. For he said, “All your strong men will fall by the sword.” What, then, is the proof of what I said? It is very cleverly and wittily arranged. Since the law given through Moses said to the sons of Israel, “There shall not be among you one who is childless or barren,” it was reckoned among the Jews one of the worst reproaches for a woman not to bear …; for the reproach of the childless and the barren was attached to them. And the law was spiritual. For the God of all promised that the spiritual Israel, that is, the mind that sees God, will not be fruitless or barren, but rather fruitful and like a good and excellent land. But the Jews understood it in a fleshly way; for they were natural people, not having the Spirit. There will be, then, he says, such a scarcity of men in the country, the war having consumed the race, that seven, that is, many women will take hold of one man and say: “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes; only let your name be called upon us; take away our reproach.” Do you see how they fear the reproach of childlessness and how strongly they refuse the name of childless and barren? For they come not seeking the usual things, which women are accustomed to receive from their husbands; for they say that they will provide for themselves in this, and they ask only, as I said, for the removal of their reproach. See, then, the depth of the saying. For if the man they appealed to
Isa 3:25–26 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 1:26 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 1:28 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 4:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Deut 7:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Jude 1:19 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Cyril warns that God strips careless souls of their spiritual beauty, and reads Isa 4:1 of the scarcity of men after the war, when women, dreading the reproach of barrenness under the law, would ask only for a man’s name.
- Rom 1:26, 28; Isa 3:25–4:1; Deut 7:14; Jude 19 (with 1 Cor 2:14) are quoted or alluded to. Latin from Migne’s column displaced some words, marked “…”.
Topics: Marriage
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Comm. Isa. 1.3.8 (PG 70; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/1-3-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/1-3-8
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 70 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.3.9PG 70
καλούμενος, οὐκ ἂν ἔφασαν αἱ γυναῖκες" Τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν φαγόμεθα, καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον ἡμῶν περιδαλούμεθα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἴσασι τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ πολέμου σεσω- ᾿ σμένους καὶ διαφυγόντας μόλις ἐν ἐσχάτῃ πεσόντας πτωχείᾳ, καὶ πολλὴν ἔχοντας ἀθλιότητα, ζητοῦσι μὲν παρ᾽ αὑτῶν παντελῶς οὐδὲν, αἰτοῦσι δὲ μόνον τὸ τέχνων γενέσθαι μητέρες. Καὶ ὁ μὲν λόγος τῆς ἱστορίας ἐν τούτοις. ᾿Αποχομίζουσι δὲ τὸ προκείμενον εἰς ( θεωρίαν πνευματικὴν, οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως, τινὲς οὐ σφόδρα τι ποιοῦντες ὀρθῶς" ἢ γὰρ ἂν ἑπαίνου παντὸς ἧσαν ἄξιοι. Φασὶ γὰρ εἶναι ἑπτὰ τὰς γυναῖκας, τὰ ἑπτὰ πνεύματα" ἄνθρωπόν γε μὴν ἕνα τὸν Χριστόν. Εἶτα τοῦ πρέποντος ὀλίγα πεφροντιχότες, τὰ ἑπτὰ πνεύματά φασι λέγειν οὕτως" Ἄφελε τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν ἡμῶν, ἃ κκαὶ τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν φαγόμεθα, καὶ τὰ ἱμάτια ἡ λῶν περιδαλούμεθα. Καίτοι πῶς οὐκ ἄμεινον εἰπεῖν, τὰς ἑπτὰ γυναῖκας πολλὰς εἶναι ψυχὰς, αἵ καὶ ἐπελάδοντο καὶ ὡς ἱμάτιον σωτηρίου, καὶ τὸν ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ζητοῦσαι μα Ψεκβ.3,.. δὶδ νετο εἰο ἐμίδμάουι! δι τη σΟΜ τ ἷο ας αυ ἀδ ϑυαάπογυπι πριν] !γί θα εἶν ἀα καρπόν. Τοιοῦτον γάρ τι καὶ ὁ μακάριος ἔφη Δαδὶδ περὶ τοῦ πάντων Σωτῆρος Χριστοῦ" ε« Ὁ κατοικίζων στείραν ἐν οἴκῳ μητέρα τέχνων εὐφραινομένην. » Εἴρηται δὲ καὶ στείρα τεκεῖν ἑπτὰ, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι Ὁ πολλά. Διάφοροι γὰρ ἀρεταὶ, καὶ οὐ μία μᾶλ.- ν᾿ λον, ἀλλὰ πολλαὶ ὧν εἰσι μητέρες αἱ φιλόθεοι. Ψυκαί. Τῇ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἐπιλάμψει ὁ Θεὸς ἐν βουϊῇ μετὰ δόξης ἐπὶ γῆς, τοῦ ὑψῶσαι καὶ δοξάσαι τὸ καταλειφθὲν τοῦ Ἰσραή.1. Καὶ ἔσται τὸ ὑποιῖειφθὲν ἐν Σιὼν, καὶ τὸ καταλειῳθὲν ἐν' ἱερουσαἀήμ" ἅγιοι κληθήσονται πάντες οἱ κληθέντες εἰς ζωὴν ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ. Ἐνδοιαξόντων τινῶν κατὰ ποῖον ἔσται καιρὸν τὰ ἐπί γε ταῖς τῶν Ἰουδαίων γυναιξὶν, ἤτοι πάσης αὺτῶν τῆς χώρας προανηγορευμένα διὰ τῆς τοῦ προφήτου φωνῆς, πότερα πρὸ τῆς τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἐπιδητῶν προκειμένων ἡ δύναμις, ὡς οὐκ ἕτερον ἡμῖν ὁ προφήτης χατασημαίνει καιρὸν, ἣ ἐκεῖνον αὑτὸν καθ᾽ ὃν τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν δυσσεόείας ἕνεκα. Πεπαρῳνήχασι γὰρ εἰς αὐτὸν οἱ δείλαιοι, καὶ τὴν αὐτοῖς ὅτι μάλιστα πρέπουσαν ἀποτετίχασι δίκην, χυχλουμένης ὑπὸ στρατοπέδων τῆς Ἱερουσαλήμ. Ὅτε καὶ εἰς τοῦτο δειμάτων χαταχομιαθῆναί φαμεν τῶν Ἰουδαίων τὸν νοῦν, ὡς φάναι τοῖς ὄρεσι" « Καλύψατε ἡμᾶς, καὶ τοῖς βουνοῖς" Πέσετε ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς.» Τῇ τοίνυν, φησὶν, ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνο τοῦ καιφοῦ καθ᾽ ὃν εἰς πέρας δραμεῖται τὰ προηγγελμένα, ἐπιλάμψει ὁ Θεὸς ἐν βουλῇ, μετὰ δόξης ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, «τοῦ ὑψῶσαι καὶ δοξάσαι τὸ καταλειφθὲν τοῦ Ἰσραήλ. Ὃ γὰρ ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς Λόγος, οὐκ ἀρπαγμὸν ἡγήἴμ ουπὶ ἐδ υ]ϑιἐγγυηΐ, πη χϊπιδῆυ 86 αἰ πδη) σατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα Θεῷ’ βαθὺ δέ τι καὶ ἀπόῤῥητον ἐδουλεύσατο περὶ ἡμῶν. Ἐν μορφῇ γὰρ καὶ ἰσότητι Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸ:; ὑπάρχων, γέγονε καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς, καὶ ἐπεφάνη μὲν τοῖς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς " πλὴν οὐ δίχα δόξης, καὶ εἰ γέγονε σάρξ. Εἰργάτατο γὰρ τὰ θεοπρεπῆ, καὶ σημείων γέγονεν ἀποτελεστὴς, ἃ δὴ καὶ παντὸς ἀξιοῦκαι καὶ λόγου καὶ θαύματος. Ἐπιλάμψας γὰρ χαττλέησε τὸν Ἰσραὴλ, οὐ γὰρ ἀπόλωλεν εἰσάπαν. Τετήρητα: δὲ τὸ κατάλειμμα, ὑψώθη τε καὶ δεδόξασται, καὶ ἐν βίδλῳ γέγραπται ζωῆς διαπρέψαν ἐν ἁγιασμῷ. Ἴδοι δ' ἄν τις ἀληθῆ τῆς προφητείας τὸν λόγον, ὡς ἐν ἀπαρχῇ τῶν σεσωσμένων τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀποστόλοις, οἵ καὶ ὑψώθησαν ἀληθῶς, καὶ τοῖς θείοις πεπλουτήχασιν. Ἔλαθδον γὰρ ἐξουσίαν κατὰ πνευμάτὼν ἀκαθάρτων, ὥστε ἐχθάλλειν αὐτά. Τεθεραπεύκασι γὰρ καὶ ἐν ἀῤῥωστίαις ὄντας πολλούς " ἀλλ᾽ ἦσαν καὶ ἐν βίόλῳ γεγραμμένοι ζωῆς. Καὶ γοῦν ἔχαιρον μὲν ὅτι τὰ δαιμόνια ὑπετάσσετο αὐτοῖς, καὶ «οὔτο λέγουσιν ὑπήντα Χριστὸς, καὶ τοῖς ἔτι μείζοσιν ἐπιγάννυσθαι διδάσκων αὐτούς’ «ε Μὴ καίρετε, » φησὶν, « ὅτι τὰ δαιμόνια ὑποτάσσεται ὑμῖν" καίρετε δὲ μᾶλλον ὅτι τὰ ὀνόματα ὑμῶν γέγραπται ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. » ὙΨψώθησαν τοίνυν οἱ ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ, ὡς ἐν μοίρᾳ τῇ τοῦ ἐγχαταλείμματος, ἀξίωνται γὰρ τῆς παρὰ Χριστοῦ φιλοτιμίας καὶ χάδιτος “ υἱοὶ χεχρηματίχασι Θεοῦ ἀδελφοὶ δὲ αὐτοῦ καὶ φῇλοι " κοινωνοὶ τέθεινται τῆς δόξης " ἠξίωνται δὲ καὶ τῆς ἄνωθεν καὶ ἐν οὐρανοῖς ἀπογραφῆς, καὶ πολῖται χεχρηματίκασι τῆς νοητῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ, τῆς ἢ) λδγυβαίεπι οἰν δ
kaloumenos, ouk an ephasan hai gynaikes" Ton arton hēmōn phagometha, kai to himation hēmōn peridaloumetha. Epeidē de isasi tous ek tou polemou sesō- ᾿ smenous kai diaphygontas molis en eschatę̄ pesontas ptōcheią, kai pollēn echontas athliotēta, zētousi men par᾽ hautōn pantelōs ouden, aitousi de monon to technōn genesthai mēteres. Kai ho men logos tēs historias en toutois. ᾿Apochomizousi de to prokeimenon eis ( theōrian pneumatikēn, ouk oid᾽ hopōs, tines ou sphodra ti poiountes orthōs" ē gar an hepainou pantos hēsan axioi. Phasi gar einai hepta tas gynaikas, ta hepta pneumata" anthrōpon ge mēn hena ton Christon. Eita tou prepontos oliga pephrontichotes, ta hepta pneumata phasi legein houtōs" Aphele ton oneidismon hēmōn, ha kkai ton arton hēmōn phagometha, kai ta himatia hē lōn peridaloumetha. Kaitoi pōs ouk ameinon eipein, tas hepta gynaikas pollas einai psychas, hai kai epeladonto kai hōs himation sōtēriou, kai ton ap᾽ autou zētousai ma Psekb.3,.. did neto eio emidmaoui! di tē sOM t hio as au ad ϑyaapogypi prin] !gi tha ein aa karpon. Toiouton gar ti kai ho makarios ephē Dadid peri tou pantōn Sōtēros Christou" e« Ho katoikizōn steiran en oikǭ mētera technōn euphrainomenēn. » Eirētai de kai steira tekein hepta, tout᾽ esti Ho polla. Diaphoroi gar aretai, kai ou mia mal.- n᾿ lon, alla pollai hōn eisi mēteres hai philotheoi. Psykai. Tę̄ de hēmerą ekeinę̄ epilampsei ho Theos en bouïę̄ meta doxēs epi gēs, tou hypsōsai kai doxasai to kataleiphthen tou Israē.1. Kai estai to hypoiieiphthen en Siōn, kai to kataleiǭthen en' hierousaaēm" hagioi klēthēsontai pantes hoi klēthentes eis zōēn en Hierousalēm. Endoiaxontōn tinōn kata poion estai kairon ta epi ge tais tōn Ioudaiōn gynaixin, ētoi pasēs autōn tēs chōras proanēgoreumena dia tēs tou prophētou phōnēs, potera pro tēs tou Sōtēros epidētōn prokeimenōn hē dynamis, hōs ouk heteron hēmin ho prophētēs chatasēmainei kairon, hē ekeinon hauton kath᾽ hon tēs eis Christon dysseoeias heneka. Peparǭnēchasi gar eis auton hoi deilaioi, kai tēn autois hoti malista prepousan apotetichasi dikēn, chychloumenēs hypo stratopedōn tēs Hierousalēm. Hote kai eis touto deimatōn chatachomiathēnai phamen tōn Ioudaiōn ton noun, hōs phanai tois oresi" « Kalypsate hēmas, kai tois bounois" Pesete eph᾽ hēmas.» Tę̄ toinyn, phēsin, hēmerą ekeinę̄, tout᾽ esti, kat᾽ ekeino tou kaiphou kath᾽ hon eis peras drameitai ta proēngelmena, epilampsei ho Theos en boulę̄, meta doxēs epi tēs gēs, «tou hypsōsai kai doxasai to kataleiphthen tou Israēl. Ho gar ek Theou Patros Logos, ouk arpagmon hēgēim oupi ed y]ϑiengyēï, pē chïpidēu 86 ai pdē) sato to einai isa Theǭ’ bathy de ti kai aporrhēton edouleusato peri hēmōn. En morphę̄ gar kai isotēti Theou kai Patro:? hyparchōn, gegone kath᾽ hēmas, kai epephanē men tois epi tēs gēs " plēn ou dicha doxēs, kai ei gegone sarx. Eirgatato gar ta theoprepē, kai sēmeiōn gegonen apotelestēs, ha dē kai pantos axioukai kai logou kai thaumatos. Epilampsas gar chattleēse ton Israēl, ou gar apolōlen eisapan. Tetērēta: de to kataleimma, hypsōthē te kai dedoxastai, kai en bidlǭ gegraptai zōēs diaprepsan en hagiasmǭ. Idoi d' an tis alēthē tēs prophēteias ton logon, hōs en aparchę̄ tōn sesōsmenōn tois hagiois apostolois, hoi kai hypsōthēsan alēthōs, kai tois theiois peploutēchasin. Elathdon gar exousian kata pneumatōn akathartōn, hōste echthallein auta. Tetherapeukasi gar kai en arrhōstiais ontas pollous " all᾽ ēsan kai en biolǭ gegrammenoi zōēs. Kai goun echairon men hoti ta daimonia hypetasseto autois, kai «outo legousin hypēnta Christos, kai tois eti meizosin epigannysthai didaskōn autous’ «e Mē kairete, » phēsin, « hoti ta daimonia hypotassetai hymin" kairete de mallon hoti ta onomata hymōn gegraptai en tois ouranois. » HyPspsōthēsan toinyn hoi ex Israēl, hōs en moirą tę̄ tou enchataleimmatos, axiōntai gar tēs para Christou philotimias kai chaditos “ huioi chechrēmatichasi Theou adelphoi de autou kai phę̄loi " koinōnoi tetheintai tēs doxēs " ēxiōntai de kai tēs anōthen kai en ouranois apographēs, kai politai chechrēmatikasi tēs noētēs Hierousalēm, tēs ē) ldgybaiepi oin d
had been rich, the women would not have said, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes.” But since they know that those who were saved from the war and had barely escaped had fallen into extreme poverty and great misery, they seek nothing at all from them, but ask only to become mothers of children. And this is the sense of the history. Some, I know not how, carry the passage over to a spiritual contemplation, in doing which they do not act very rightly; or else they would have deserved all praise. For they say that the seven women are the seven spirits, and the one man is Christ. Then, caring little for what is fitting, they say that the seven spirits speak thus: “Take away our reproach, for we will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes.” And yet how would it not be better to say that the seven women are many souls who took hold [of Christ] and [put him on] as a garment of salvation, and who seek from him … fruit? For the blessed David says something of this kind about Christ, the Saviour of all: “He who settles the barren woman in a house as a joyful mother of children.” And it is said, too, that the barren has borne seven, that is, many. For the virtues are various; they are not one but many, and the God-loving souls are their mothers.
“And in that day God will shine forth in counsel with glory upon the earth, to exalt and glorify the remnant of Israel. And what is left in Zion and what remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, all who have been written for life in Jerusalem.”
Since some are in doubt at what time the things foretold through the prophet’s voice concerning the women of the Jews, or rather their whole country, will take place, whether before the Saviour’s coming [or after it, the force] of the passage [shows] that the prophet marks for us no other time than that in which [they paid the penalty] for their impiety toward Christ. For the wretches behaved outrageously toward him and paid the penalty that most befitted them when Jerusalem was surrounded by armies. Then, we say, the mind of the Jews was brought to such terror that they said to the mountains, “Cover us,” and to the hills, “Fall on us.” “In that day,” then, he says, that is, at that time when the things foretold will run their course to the end, “God will shine forth in counsel with glory upon the earth, to exalt and glorify the remnant of Israel.” For the Word who is from God the Father did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but counselled something deep and ineffable concerning us. Being in the form and equality of God the Father, he became as we are, and appeared to those on earth, yet not without glory, even though he became flesh. For he worked deeds worthy of God and performed signs worthy of all account and wonder. Shining forth, he had mercy on Israel; for it did not perish utterly. The remnant was preserved; it was exalted and glorified, and was written in the book of life, distinguished in sanctification. One would see that the word of the prophecy is true, as in the first fruits of the saved, in the holy apostles, who were truly exalted and enriched with the divine [gifts]. For they received authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out; they healed many who were in sickness; but they were also written in the book of life. And so they rejoiced that the demons were subject to them, and Christ met them as they said this, teaching them to delight in still greater things: “Do not rejoice,” he says, “that the demons are subject to you; but rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven.” Those of Israel, then, were exalted in the portion of the remnant; for they were counted worthy of the generosity and grace of Christ. They were called sons of God, his brothers and friends; they were made partners of his glory; they were counted worthy of the enrolment above in heaven, and were called citizens of the spiritual Jerusalem, [the one above, which is free],
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Isa 4:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 61:10 (allusion, medium confidence) · Isa 11:2 (allusion, low confidence) · Ps 113:9 (112:9 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Sam 2:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 4:2–3 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 21:20 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 23:30 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:6–7 (allusion, high confidence) · John 1:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 10:20 (quotation, high confidence) · John 15:15 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gal 4:26 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Cyril rejects an allegory of the seven women as the seven spirits, preferring to read them as souls who take hold of Christ and become fruitful in virtues, and reads Isa 4:2–3 of the incarnate Word’s glory and the saved remnant of Israel, first of all the apostles.
- Isa 61:10; Ps 113:9 (LXX 112:9); 1 Sam 2:5; Isa 4:2–3; Luke 21:20; Luke 23:30; Phil 2:6–7; John 1:14; Luke 10:20; John 15:15; Gal 4:26 are quoted or alluded to. The allegory Cyril rejects (seven women as the seven spirits of Isa 11:2) is not attributed to a named writer. Some words lost in the scan are supplied in brackets or marked “…”.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Comm. Isa. 1.3.9 (PG 70; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/1-3-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/1-3-9
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 70 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.3.10PG 70
τῶν ἁγίων μητρὸς, ἧς αὐτὸς ὁ προφήτης Ἡσαῖας διαμέμνηται λέγων" «Οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σον ὄψονται Ἱερουσαλήμ" πόλις πλουσία, σκηναὶ αἵ οὐ μὴ σεισθῶ σι).» “Ὅτι ἐκπλυνεῖ Κύριος τὸν ῥύπον τῶν υἱῶν καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων Σιών" καὶ τὸ αἷμα. ἐκκαθαριεῖ ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν, ἐν πνεύματι χρίσεως καὶ πνεύματι καύσεως. ᾿Ανανήφει πάλιν ὁ τοῦ προφήτου λόγος, καὶ τὰς ἐσομένας ἔσθ᾽ ὅτε παρά τινων εὑρεσιλογίας περιττὰς ἀποφαίνει, καὶ τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ χριμάτων κχατεξανἰστασθαί τισι κατ᾽ οὐδένα τρόπον ἑφιεὶς γεῖται χρησίμως " ὥσπερ γάρ τινος ἐκεῖνο βοῶντος " δε, ἐπ ερίτίια ἡμαϊοὶ! ἐἰ ἐρί τί εοπιϑμδιϊοπῖε. τας, ἐλιθοδόλησαν τοὺς ἀπεσταλμένους, καὶ αὐτὸν ιν αὐτῶν αἱ χεῖρες αἵματος πλήρεις. Τί οὖν ὁ προνοῦ ΐβ 55. » Αἰ ουθὶ ᾿ἰόγαιῃ : ε Εἰ πὰς, ἴγϑιγοβ, φήτης; ε Ἐκπλυνεῖ,» φησὶ, ε Κύριος τὸν ῥύπον τῶν υἱῶν, καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων Σιὼν, καὶ τὸ αἷμα ἐκκαθαριεῖ ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν, ἐν πνεύματι χρίσεως καὶ ἐν πνεύματι χαύσεωξ. ν Πεπλημμελήχασι μὲν γὰρ ὁμολογουμένως ᾿ ἐδικαίου δὲ πάντας ἡ χάρις ἢ διὰ Χριστοῦ, καὶ αὐτοῖς δὲ τοῖς πεφονευχόσιν ἐχαρίζετο τὴν ἀμνηστίαν. Καὶ γοῦν ὁ θεσπέσιος Πέτρος τοῖς Ἰουδαίων δήμοις προσεφώνει λέγων, ποτὲ μὲν, ὅτι « Ὑμεῖς δὲ τὸν Δγιον καὶ Δίκαιον ἢρνήσασθε, καὶ ἡτήεἶς οἱ δυβυι, εἰ ρεοοδιὶ ἱπαυϊηδιίοιιοιν αι αἱ « Καὶ νῦν, ἀδελφοὶ, οἶδα, κατὰ ἄγνοιαν ἐπράξατε, ὥσπερ καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες ὑμῶν. Μετανοήσατε οὖν, χα! βαπτισθήτω ἕκαστος ὑμῶν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Κυρίον Ἰησοῦ, καὶ λήψεσθε τὴν δωρεὰν τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος " ὑμῖν γάρ εἰσιν αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις ὑμῶν. » Ὃ τοίνυν, φησὶν, ὁ τῶν ὅλων δημιουργὸς καὶ Κύριος, ὁ πολὺς εἰς ἔλεος, ὁ νικῶν ἡμερότητι τὰς ἀνθρωπίνας μικροψυχίας" ὁ μὴ θέλων τὸν θάνατον τοῦ ἀποθνήσκοντος, ὡς τὸ ἐπιστρέψαι αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ αὐτοῦ τῆς πονηρᾶς, καὶ ζῇν αὑτόν. Ἐκπλυνεῖ τὸν ῥύπον τῶν ἡμαρτηκότων, ἐκκαθαριεῖ δὲ καὶ τὸ αἷμα ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν ἐν πνεύματι χρίσεως καὶ ἐν πνεύματι καύσεως. Καὶ τὸ μὲν τῆς χρίσεως πνεῦμά φαμεν, τὴν μετὰ χρίσεως ὀρθῆς, ἤτοι δικαιοσύνης, ἐξενεχθεῖσαν ἐφ᾽ ἡμῖν παρὰ Θεοῦ ψῆφον. Οὕτω γάρ πού φησιν ὁ Σωτήρ᾽ «ε Νῦν χρίσις ἐστὶ τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτον. » Ἐδίκασε γὰρ τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ καὶ τῷ Σατανᾷ" καὶ ποὺς ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ διὰ τῆς πίστεως ὡς ἠδικημένους. Καύσεως δὲ πνεῦμά φαμεν τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ ἀγίῳ βαπτίσματι χάριν, οὐ δίχα Πνεύματος ἐν ἡμῖν γινομένην. Βεδαπτίσμεθα μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ἐν ὕδατι γυμνῷ, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ σποδῷ δαμάλεως, ἐῤῥαντίσμεθα δὲ πρὸς μόνην τὴν τῆς σαρκὸς καθαρότητα, καθά φησιν ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ, καὶ πυρὶ τῷ θείῳ καὶ νοητῷ, τοὺς τῆς ἐν ἡμῖν φαυλότητος δαπανῶντι ῥύπους, καὶ τὸν ἐκ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐχτήχοντι μολυσμόν.
tōn hagiōn mētros, hēs autos ho prophētēs Hēsaias diamemnētai legōn" «Hoi ophthalmoi son opsontai Hierousalēm" polis plousia, skēnai hai ou mē seisthō si).» “Hoti ekplynei Kyrios ton rhypon tōn huiōn kai tōn thygaterōn Siōn" kai to haima. ekkathariei ek mesou autōn, en pneumati chriseōs kai pneumati kauseōs. ᾿Ananēphei palin ho tou prophētou logos, kai tas esomenas esth᾽ hote para tinōn heuresilogias perittas apophainei, kai tōn tou Theou chrimatōn kchatexanistasthai tisi kat᾽ oudena tropon hephieis geitai chrēsimōs " hōsper gar tinos ekeino boōntos " de, ep eritiia hēmaïoi! ei eri ti eopiϑmdiïopie. tas, elithodolēsan tous apestalmenous, kai auton in autōn hai cheires haimatos plēreis. Ti oun ho pronou ïb 55. » Ai outhi ᾿iogaię̄ : e Ei pas, igϑigob, phētēs? e Ekplynei,» phēsi, e Kyrios ton rhypon tōn huiōn, kai tōn thygaterōn Siōn, kai to haima ekkathariei ek mesou autōn, en pneumati chriseōs kai en pneumati chauseōx. n Peplēmmelēchasi men gar homologoumenōs ᾿ edikaiou de pantas hē charis ē dia Christou, kai autois de tois pephoneuchosin echarizeto tēn amnēstian. Kai goun ho thespesios Petros tois Ioudaiōn dēmois prosephōnei legōn, pote men, hoti « Hymeis de ton Dgion kai Dikaion ērnēsasthe, kai hētēeis hoi dybui, ei reoodii hipauïēdiioiioin ai hai « Kai nyn, adelphoi, oida, kata agnoian epraxate, hōsper kai hoi archontes hymōn. Metanoēsate oun, cha! baptisthētō hekastos hymōn eis to onoma tou Kyrion Iēsou, kai lēpsesthe tēn dōrean tou hagiou Pneumatos " hymin gar eisin hai epangeliai kai tois teknois hymōn. » Ho toinyn, phēsin, ho tōn holōn dēmiourgos kai Kyrios, ho polys eis eleos, ho nikōn hēmerotēti tas anthrōpinas mikropsychias" ho mē thelōn ton thanaton tou apothnēskontos, hōs to epistrepsai auton apo tēs hodou autou tēs ponēras, kai zę̄n hauton. Ekplynei ton rhypon tōn hēmartēkotōn, ekkathariei de kai to haima ek mesou autōn en pneumati chriseōs kai en pneumati kauseōs. Kai to men tēs chriseōs pneuma phamen, tēn meta chriseōs orthēs, ētoi dikaiosynēs, exenechtheisan eph᾽ hēmin para Theou psēphon. Houtō gar pou phēsin ho Sōtēr᾽ «e Nyn chrisis esti tou aiōnos touton. » Edikase gar tǭ aiōni toutǭ kai tǭ Sataną" kai pous en tǭ kosmǭ dia tēs pisteōs hōs ēdikēmenous. Kauseōs de pneuma phamen tēn epi tǭ agiǭ baptismati charin, ou dicha Pneumatos en hēmin ginomenēn. Bedaptismetha men gar ouk en hydati gymnǭ, all᾽ oude spodǭ damaleōs, errhantismetha de pros monēn tēn tēs sarkos katharotēta, katha phēsin ho makarios Paulos, all᾽ en Pneumati hagiǭ, kai pyri tǭ theiǭ kai noētǭ, tous tēs en hēmin phaulotētos dapanōnti rhypous, kai ton ek tēs hamartias echtēchonti molysmon.
the mother of the saints, which the prophet Isaiah himself mentions, saying: “Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a rich city, tents that will not be shaken.”
“For the Lord will wash away the filth of the sons and daughters of Zion, and will cleanse the blood from their midst by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of burning.”
The word of the prophet again grows sober, shows to be superfluous the pretexts some might sometimes invent, and usefully [explains], in no way allowing anyone to rise up against the judgments of God. For it is as if someone were crying this: [They killed the prophets], they stoned those who were sent, and [Christ] himself; [and] their hands are full of blood. What, then, does the prophet [say]? “The Lord,” he says, “will wash away the filth of the sons and daughters of Zion, and will cleanse the blood from their midst by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of burning.” For they confessedly sinned; but the grace that comes through Christ justified all, and granted amnesty even to the murderers themselves. And so the divine Peter addressed the peoples of the Jews, saying at one time, “But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked [for a murderer to be granted to you],” and at another: “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your rulers also. Repent, then, and let each of you be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promises are for you and for your children.” So, he says, the Creator and Lord of all, who is great in mercy, who overcomes human pettiness by his gentleness, who does not want the death of the one who is dying so much as that he should turn from his wicked way and live, will wash away the filth of those who have sinned, and will cleanse the blood from their midst by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of burning. The spirit of judgment, we say, is the vote passed for us by God with right judgment, that is, with righteousness. For so the Saviour says somewhere: “Now is the judgment of this world.” For he gave judgment against this world and against Satan, and [for] those in the world through faith, as people who had been wronged. And the spirit of burning, we say, is the grace given in holy baptism, which comes to be in us not without the Spirit. For we have been baptized not in bare water; nor have we been sprinkled with the ashes of a heifer for the purity of the flesh alone, as the blessed Paul says; but in the Holy Spirit and in the divine and spiritual fire, which consumes the filth of the wickedness within us and melts away the defilement that comes from sin.
Isa 33:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 4:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 3:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 3:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 2:38–39 (quotation, high confidence) · Ezek 18:23 (allusion, high confidence) · Ezek 33:11 (allusion, high confidence) · John 12:31 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 9:13 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 3:11 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: On Isa 4:4 Cyril says that Christ’s grace offered forgiveness even to those who shed his blood, as Peter preached, and explains the spirit of judgment as God’s verdict against Satan and the spirit of burning as the grace of baptism in the Spirit and fire.
- Gal 4:26; Isa 33:20; Isa 4:4; Acts 3:14, 17; Acts 2:38–39; Ezek 18:23 (33:11); John 12:31; Heb 9:13; Matt 3:11 are quoted or alluded to. A few lost words are supplied in brackets.
Topics: Baptism
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Comm. Isa. 1.3.10 (PG 70; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/1-3-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/1-3-10
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 70 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.3.11PG 70
Τοιαύτην ἡμῖν τοῦ Σωτῆρος τὴν ἄφιξιν καὶ ἕτερος ἵν πὶ οἱ φυδϑὶ δυγυπὶ “3.» ἢ δυάξεἶδ δηΐμ κυΐ ἵπο6- Ὁ τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν προχκαταμεμήνυχε λέγων " «Ὅτι ἰδοὺ αὐτὸς εἰσπορεύεται ὡς πῦρ χωνευτηρίου, ὶ ὡς πόα πλυνόντων, καὶ καθιεῖται χωνεύων ὡς τὸ ἀργύριον καὶ ὡς τὸ χρυσίον. ». Περὶ μὲν γὰρ τῶν δαίων, ὀΐ καὶ τοῖς τῆς ἀπειθείας ἐγκλήμασιν ἔνοχοι μεμενήκασιν" ε Ἐξέλιπε,» φησὶ, φυσητὴρ ἀπὸ πυρὸς, ἐξέλιπε μόλιδδος, εἰς κενὸν ἀργυροκόπος ἀργυροχοπεῖ. Πονηρίαι αὐτῶν οὐκ ἐτάχησαν " ἀργύριον ἀποδεδοχι- Κύριος. » Ἐφ' ἡμῖν δὲ τοῖς πεπιστευκόσιν, οὖκ εἰς κενὸν χεχοπίαχεν ἀργυροκόπος, οὔτε μὴν ἐξέλιπε φυσητὴρ ἀπὸ πυρὸς ἢ μόλιδδος, χεχαθάρμεθα γὰρ ἐν πνεύματι χρίσεως καὶ ἐν πνεύματι καύσεως. Εἰ δὲ δὴ βούλοιτό εις τὴν ἐν πνεύματι καύσεως ἀποκάθαρσιν εἱ οιῃηίυηι ει ϊεὶ ἀάτα ρα ηδα, ᾿μἰοτάσπι ἃ γεγενῆσθαι λέγειν ἐπὶ τοῖς Ἰουδαίων δήμοις, διὰ τῆς ἐκ τοῦ πολέμου συμφορᾶς καὶ ὧν ὑπομεμενήχάσιν ( ἀποχαθαίρουσι μὲν γὰρ αἱ κολάσεις, καὶ ἀπαλλάττει ἔσθ᾽ ὅτε πολλῶν πλημμελημάτων τὸ ἐποῦαν τὰς δίκας τῷ πάντων κριτῇ )" φορέσει καὶ οὕτω τὸ ἀληθὲς ὁ λόγος. Καὶ ἥξει, καὶ ἔσται, πᾶς τόπος τοῦ ὄρους Σιὼν, καὶ πάντα τὰ περικύχιλῳ αὐτῆς, σκιάσει ἡμέρας, καὶ ὡς κακτγοῦ, καὶ ὡς φωτὸς πυρὸς Καὶ ἔσται εἰς σκιὰν ἀπὸ καύματος, καὶ ἐν σκέπῃ καὶ ἐν ἀποκρύφῳ ἀπὸ σκιϊηρότητος καὶ ὑετοῦ. Περὶ τίνος ἄρα τὸ, Ἥξει, φησί; Πότερα τοῦ καιροῦ, καθ᾽ ὃν ἔσται ταῦτα, ἣ περὶ τοῦ χαθέντος ἑαντὸν εἰς κένωσιν, καὶ χαταδάντος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἵνα τὸ ἀνθρώπι-. οεΐ! ἰοεο ὠεῦτα αὖ (εἰμ, φἰ ἰοοο ἰεσμικαπῖὶ, εἰ αϑενον διασώσῃ γένος: ᾿Αρμόσει τοίνυν ὁ λόγος, κἂν εἴ δογνδΙοῖ 7 «ἑ τις λέγοι περὶ τοῦ καιροῦ τῆς ἐπιδημίας εἰρῆσθαι ταυτί" κἂν εἴτ᾽ οὖν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῦ βούλοιτο τοῦ Χριστοῦ. ᾿Αφικόμενος γὰρ τοὺς τῆς νοητῆς Σιὼν υἱοὺς καὶ τῆς ἐλευθέρας Ἱερουσαλὴμ τῆς παρ ἑαυτοῦ χάριτος στεφανῶν ἀπέφηνε μακαρίους, καὶ οἷόν τις αὐτοῖς σέγονε σκεπαστὴς, μονονουχὶ τὴν ἀρκαίαν ἐχείνην ἑκαρτήσας νεφέλην τὴν πάλαι χατασχιάζουσαν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τὸν Ἰσραήλ ταύτῃ τοί φησι " Καὶ ἥξε:, καὶ ἔσται πᾶς τόπος τοῦ ὄρους Σιὼν, καὶ τὰ πάντα τὰ περὶ κύκλῳ αὐτῆς σχιάσει νεφέλη ἡμέρας. Ἵνα γὰρ [05 φϑιαπὶ οἱ ργοθδιίοποδ 40:9 δκ ἰδπίδιϊονΐθυε τοῦ παρόντος βίου τὸν καύσωνα, καὶ τὰς ἐκ τῶν πειοἱ τὴν νοητὴν οἰκοῦντες Σιών, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, νεφέλης δίκην μονονουχὶ καὶ ἐπιχρεμάμε σκεπαστὴς ἔσται, φησὶν, ὁ Χριστός " ὁ αὐτὸς δὲ πάλιν τὸν ἐκ τῆς ἀμαθίας καὶ διαδολιχῆς σκαιότητος ἀποσοδεῖ σκότον, ἐπιλάμπων εἰς νοῦν, ὡς φῶς ἐν σκότῳ, καὶ ὡς πυρὸς αὐγή. Γέγραπται δὲ περὶ τῶν υἱῶν Ἰν»ραὴλ, ὅτι Ὡδήγησεν αὐτοὺς ἐν νεφέλῃ ἡμέρας, καὶ ὅλην τὴν νύκτα ἐν φωτισμῷ πυρός. ᾿Αλλὰ τύποι μὲν ἐκεῖνα, καὶ τῶν νοητῶν εἰκόνες " ἀλήθεια δὲ τὰ διὰ Χριστοῦ. Καὶ γάρ ἐστιν αὐτὸς ἡ ἀλήθεια. Οὗ τῆς ἐπικουρίας ἠξιωμένοι, πάντη τε καὶ πάντως φησὶν, ὡς εἰς σκιὰν ἀπὸ καύματος, καὶ ἐν σκέπῃ καὶ ἐν ἀποκρύφῳ ἀπὸ σκληρότητος καὶ ὑετοῦ. Σχληρότητι δὲ καὶ ὑετοῖς παρεικάζει πάλιν τὴν τῶν πει- Οὕτω γάρ πού φησιν ὁ Χριστός" ε Πᾶς οὖν ὅστις ἀκούῃ λόγους τούτους καὶ ποιῇ αὐτοὺς, ὁμοιωθήσεται ἀνδρὶ φρονίμῳ, ὅστις ῳκοδόμησε τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν " καὶ χατέδη ἡ βροχὴ, καὶ ἦλθον οἱ αοταμοὶ, καὶ ἔπνευσαν οἱ ἄνεμοι καὶ προσέπεσαν τῇ οἰκίᾳ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ οὐκ ἔπεσεν" τεθεμελίωτο γὰρ; ἐπὶ πέτραν. » Προστιθεὶς δὲ, ὅτι πάσῃ τῇ δόξῃ σχεπασθήσεται, δίδωσι νοεῖν, ὡς οὐ μερική τις ἔσται παρὰ Χριστοῦ τοῖς πεπιστευκόσιν εἰς αὐτὸν ἡ χάρις, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ὁλοκλήρῳ προθυμίᾳ τῆς ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς ἔσται φειδοῦς.
Toiautēn hēmin tou Sōtēros tēn aphixin kai heteros hin pi hoi phydϑi dygypi “3.» ē dyaxeid dēïm kyï hipo6- Ho tōn hagiōn prophētōn prochkatamemēnyche legōn " «Hoti idou autos eisporeuetai hōs pyr chōneutēriou, i hōs poa plynontōn, kai kathieitai chōneuōn hōs to argyrion kai hōs to chrysion. ». Peri men gar tōn daiōn, oï kai tois tēs apeitheias enklēmasin enochoi memenēkasin" e Exelipe,» phēsi, physētēr apo pyros, exelipe moliddos, eis kenon argyrokopos argyrochopei. Ponēriai autōn ouk etachēsan " argyrion apodedochi- Kyrios. » Eph' hēmin de tois pepisteukosin, ouk eis kenon chechopiachen argyrokopos, oute mēn exelipe physētēr apo pyros ē moliddos, chechatharmetha gar en pneumati chriseōs kai en pneumati kauseōs. Ei de dē bouloito eis tēn en pneumati kauseōs apokatharsin hei oię̄ēiyēi ei ïei aata ra ēda, ᾿miotaspi ha gegenēsthai legein epi tois Ioudaiōn dēmois, dia tēs ek tou polemou symphoras kai hōn hypomemenēchasin ( apochathairousi men gar hai kolaseis, kai apallattei esth᾽ hote pollōn plēmmelēmatōn to epouan tas dikas tǭ pantōn kritę̄ )" phoresei kai houtō to alēthes ho logos. Kai hēxei, kai estai, pas topos tou orous Siōn, kai panta ta perikychilǭ autēs, skiasei hēmeras, kai hōs kaktgou, kai hōs phōtos pyros Kai estai eis skian apo kaumatos, kai en skepę̄ kai en apokryphǭ apo skiïērotētos kai hyetou. Peri tinos ara to, Hēxei, phēsi? Potera tou kairou, kath᾽ hon estai tauta, hē peri tou chathentos heanton eis kenōsin, kai chatadantos ex ouranou hina to anthrōpi-. oeï! ioeo ōeuta au (eim, phi iooo iesmikapii, ei aϑenon diasōsę̄ genos: ᾿Armosei toinyn ho logos, kan ei dogndIoi 7 «he tis legoi peri tou kairou tēs epidēmias eirēsthai tauti" kan eit᾽ oun ep᾽ autou bouloito tou Christou. ᾿Aphikomenos gar tous tēs noētēs Siōn huious kai tēs eleutheras Hierousalēm tēs par heautou charitos stephanōn apephēne makarious, kai hoion tis autois segone skepastēs, mononouchi tēn arkaian echeinēn hekartēsas nephelēn tēn palai chataschiazousan en tę̄ erēmǭ ton Israēl tautę̄ toi phēsi " Kai hēxe:, kai estai pas topos tou orous Siōn, kai ta panta ta peri kyklǭ autēs schiasei nephelē hēmeras. Hina gar [05 phϑiapi hoi rgothdiiopod 40:9 dk idpidiïonïthye tou parontos biou ton kausōna, kai tas ek tōn peioi tēn noētēn oikountes Siōn, tout᾽ esti, tēn Ekklēsian, nephelēs dikēn mononouchi kai epichremame skepastēs estai, phēsin, ho Christos " ho autos de palin ton ek tēs amathias kai diadolichēs skaiotētos aposodei skoton, epilampōn eis noun, hōs phōs en skotǭ, kai hōs pyros augē. Gegraptai de peri tōn huiōn In»raēl, hoti Hōdēgēsen autous en nephelę̄ hēmeras, kai holēn tēn nykta en phōtismǭ pyros. ᾿Alla typoi men ekeina, kai tōn noētōn eikones " alētheia de ta dia Christou. Kai gar estin autos hē alētheia. Hou tēs epikourias ēxiōmenoi, pantē te kai pantōs phēsin, hōs eis skian apo kaumatos, kai en skepę̄ kai en apokryphǭ apo sklērotētos kai hyetou. Schlērotēti de kai hyetois pareikazei palin tēn tōn pei- Houtō gar pou phēsin ho Christos" e Pas oun hostis akouę̄ logous toutous kai poię̄ autous, homoiōthēsetai andri phronimǭ, hostis ǭkodomēse tēn oikian autou epi tēn petran " kai chatedē hē brochē, kai ēlthon hoi aotamoi, kai epneusan hoi anemoi kai prosepesan tę̄ oikią ekeinę̄, kai ouk epesen" tethemeliōto gar? epi petran. » Prostitheis de, hoti pasę̄ tę̄ doxę̄ schepasthēsetai, didōsi noein, hōs ou merikē tis estai para Christou tois pepisteukosin eis auton hē charis, all᾽ en holoklērǭ prothymią tēs ep᾽ autois estai pheidous.
Another of the holy prophets also foretold such a coming of the Saviour, saying: “For behold, he comes in like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap, and he will sit refining as silver and as gold.” For of the [Jews], who have remained liable to the charges of disobedience, he says: “The bellows has failed from the fire, the lead has failed; in vain the silversmith smelts silver; their wickedness has not melted away. Call them rejected silver, for the Lord has rejected them.” But in us who have believed the silversmith has not laboured in vain, nor has the bellows failed from the fire, nor the lead; for we have been cleansed by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of burning. And if someone wishes to say that the cleansing by a spirit of burning happened to the peoples of the Jews through the calamity of the war and what they endured (for punishments cleanse, and paying the penalty to the Judge of all sometimes frees from many offences), the saying will be true in this way also.
“And he will come, and every place of Mount Zion and all that is around it a cloud will overshadow by day, and as smoke and as the light of fire [by night]. And it will be for a shade from heat, and in a covering and a hiding place from harshness and rain.”
About whom, then, does he say, “He will come”? Is it about the time when these things will be, or about him who lowered himself to the emptying and came down from heaven to save the human race? The saying will fit whether one says it was spoken of the time of the coming or prefers to take it of Christ himself. For when he came, he made blessed the sons of the spiritual Zion and of the free Jerusalem, crowning them with his own grace, and became for them a kind of protector, all but hanging up over them that ancient cloud which of old overshadowed Israel in the desert. Therefore he says: “And he will come, and every place of Mount Zion and all that is around it a cloud will overshadow by day.” For so that [those who dwell in the spiritual Zion may not be scorched by] the burning heat of the present life and by the [onsets] of temptations, Christ, he says, will be a protector to those who dwell in the spiritual Zion, that is, the Church, hanging over them almost like a cloud; and the same again drives away the darkness that comes from ignorance and the perversity of the devil, shining into the mind as light in darkness and as the brightness of fire. For it is written of the sons of Israel that he led them with a cloud by day and all the night with the light of fire. But those things were types and images of spiritual things; the truth is what comes through Christ. For he himself is the truth. Those counted worthy of his help [will be] by all means, he says, as in a shade from heat and in a covering and a hiding place from harshness and rain. He likens the [assaults] of temptations again to harshness and rains. For so Christ says somewhere: “Everyone, then, who hears these words and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the rivers came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock.” And by adding that it will be covered with all glory, he gives us to understand that the grace from Christ to those who have believed in him will not be partial, but he will spare them with whole-hearted readiness.
Mal 3:2–3 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 6:29–30 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 4:4–6 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 78:14 (77:14 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 7:24–25 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Cyril contrasts believers refined by Christ with unbelieving Israel, rejected silver, and reads the cloud and fire over Zion in Isa 4:5–6 as Christ protecting the Church from temptations and enlightening it, as the pillar of cloud and fire foreshadowed.
- Mal 3:2–3; Jer 6:29–30; Isa 4:5–6 (the Septuagint adds “it will be covered with all glory”); Phil 2:7; Ps 78:14 (LXX 77:14); John 14:6; Matt 7:24–25 are quoted or alluded to. Latin from Migne’s column displaced some words, supplied in brackets by sense. The judgment on the Jews is Cyril’s and is translated as written.
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Comm. Isa. 1.3.11 (PG 70; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/1-3-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/1-3-11
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 70 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
1.3.12PG 70
“Ἔσονται δὲ ἐν περιθολῇ καὶ σκηνῇ τοῦ σώζειν ἰσχύον- «τος, καὶ παντὸς ἔξω τιθέντος κακοῦ. “Ἄσω δὴ τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ ἄσμα τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ τῷ ἀμπελῶνί μου. Ὅρος ὥσπερ τις καὶ προγραφὴ τῶν εἰρῆσθαι μελτἴο φυδύδηι ἐδ βδὺ 1665, οἱ ϊσεοάογαπ ρΓαϑεγίριϊο. λόντων ὁ πρῶτος ἂν εἴη τοῦ προκειμένου στίχος. Τί γὰρ βούλεται δρᾷν ὁ προφήτης ὑποσημαίνει, λέγων" “Λσὼ δὴ τῷ ἢγαπημένῳ " τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι Χριστῷ. Οὕτω γὰρ ἡμῖν αὐτὸν καὶ ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ ὠνόμαζε λέγων" «ε Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱός μον ὁ ἀγαπητὸς, ἐν ᾧ ηὐδόκησα..» ἾΑρ᾽ οὖν, ὦ προφῆτα, τῆς σῆς ἀχουσώμεθα φωνῆς; καὶ ὡς ἐκ μόνων τῶν σῶν ἐννοιῶν ἀναδύουσιν οἱ λόγοι; βλέπει δὲ ὅποι φράσον τῆς ᾧδῆς ὁ σκοπός. Οὐκοῦν εἰ καὶ δι᾽ ἐμοῦ, φησὶν, ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἐμὸς ὁ λόγος, ἀλλ᾽ ἔστι τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ" πεποίηται δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ ἀγαπητῷ ἀμπελῶνί μου’ ἧ, καθά φάσιν οἱ ἕτεροι τῶν ἑρμηνευτῶν, τῷ ἀμπελῶνι αὐτοῦ. Εἰ δὲ δὴ καὶ λέγοι ἃ τῷ ἀμπελῶγί μον, οὐκ ὡς αὐτοῦ τυχὸν τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος ὄντος τὰ τοιάδε φησὶν, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ὑπάρχων εἷς τῶν τελούντων εἰς τὸν ἀμπελῶνα. Εὐρήσομεν γὰρ ἐογομίαν [οἱ ἰμι ἐα, Εἰ ἐχερδοιαυὶ μὲ [ἐγγεὲ νας, ας 4“ εκ, 9. τοιαύταις ἔσθ᾽ ὅτε κεχρημένους φωναῖς, Οἷον ὁ προφήτης Ἱερεμίας" « Τίς δώσει μοι ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ σταθμὸν ἔσχατον, καὶ καταλείψω τὸν λαόν μου, καὶ ἀπελεύσομαι ἀπ' αὐτῶν; » Ὡς γὰρ εἷς ὑπάρχων τοῦ λαοῦ, λαὸν ἑαυτοῦ φησι τοὺς καθ᾽ αἷμά τε καὶ γένος οἰκείους. "Αδει τοίνυν ὁ πρηφήτης τῷ ἢγαπημένῳ, καὶ ἔστιν αὐτοῦ τὸ ἄσμα εἰρημένον ἐπὶ τῷ ἀμπελῶνι τῷ ἀγαπητῷ, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, τοῦ Ἰσραήλ. Γέγραπται γὰρ, ὅτι «᾿Αμπελὼν Κνρίου Σαδαὼθ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ Ἰούδα, νεόφυτον ἡ γαπημένον.» Ἀμπελὼν ἐγενήθη τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ, ἐν κέρατι, ἐν τόπῳ πίονι. Καὶ ραγμὸν περιέθηκα, καὶ ἐχαράχωσα, καὶ ἐφύτευσω ἄμπελον Σωρὴκ, καὶ φκοδόμησα πύργον ἐν μέσῳ αὑτοῦ, καὶ προιήνιον ὥρυξα ἐν αὑτῷ, καὶ ἔμεινα τοῦ ποιῆσαι σταφυιἰὴν, ἐποίησε δὲ ἀκάνθας. ᾿Αμπελῶνι παρειχάσας τὸν Ἰσραὴλ, ἐπιμένει δι᾿ ὅλου τῇ τοῦ λόγου μεταφορᾷ᾽ ε Γέγονε τοίνυν, » φησὶν, ε« ἀμπελὼν τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ, ἐν κέρατι, ἐν τόπῳ πίονι, » Φασὶ τοὺς ἑτέρους τῶν ἑρμηνευτῶν ἀρκεσθῇναι τὸ εἰπεῖν ἐν τόπῳ πίονι, ὡς τοῦ κέρατος ἡμῖν οὐδὲν ἕτερον, ἣ τοῦτο αὐτὸ σημαίνοντος. Δοκεῖ δέ τισιν τὸ ὡς ἐν κέρατι νοεῖν, ὡς ἐν δυνάμει Θεοῦ. Κεχληρονόμηχε γὰρ ὁ Ἰσραὴλ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τὴν γῆν, τοὺς πάλαι χατῳχηχότας ἐν αὐτῇ νικήσας διὰ Θεοῦ. Τοιγάρτοι φησὶ πρὸς αὑτὸν, ἐν τεσσαρακοστῷ τρίτῳ ψαλμῷ" ε Ἔν σοι τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἡμῶν κερατιοῦμεν, καὶ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου ἐξουδενώσομεν τοὺς ἑπανισταμένους ἡμῖν. » Λαμδάνεται δὲ τὸ χέρας παρὰ τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ, εἰς ἰσχὺν καὶ εἰς δύναμιν, καὶ εἰς δόξαν τὴν βασιλικήν. "ἔστι γοῦν ἀκοῦσαι τοῦ μακαρίου Δαδὶδ ποτὲ μὲν λέγοντος, ὡς ἐκ προσώπον δικαίου παντός" ε ὙΨωθήσεται ὡς μονοκέρωτος τὸ χέρας μου" » ποτὲ δὲ πάλιν περὶ Χριστοῦ" ε Τὸ κέρας αὑτοῦ ὑψωθήσε ται ἕν δόξῃ. » Περιφανεστάτη γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία Χρι στοῦ. Ὅτι δὲ πίων τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἡ γῆ, μεμα τύρηχε τὸ Γράμμα τὸ ἱερόν. Πανταχῇ γὰρ αὐτὴν ὁνι μάζει γῆν ῥέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι. Προσεμπεδοῖ δὲ τὸν λόγον καὶ ὁ θεσπέσιος Μελῳδὸς ψάλλων τε καὶ λέγων περὶ τοῦ Ἰσραΐλ᾽ ε« Λμπελον ἐξ Αἰγύπτου μετῆρας, ἐξέδαλες ἔθνη, καὶ κατεφύτευσας αὐτήν. ν Ὅρᾷς τὸ Α ΥἹάδη᾽ Πα, ἱπ σογηα, ροιϊδη απ Ὀοἱ ἷν 85 γι 8 ἐν κέρατι, τὸ ὡς ἐν δυνάμει: Θεοῦ σημαῖνον ἐν τούτοις;
“Esontai de en peritholę̄ kai skēnę̄ tou sōzein ischyon- «tos, kai pantos exō tithentos kakou. “Asō dē tǭ ēgapēmenǭ asma tou agapētou tǭ ampelōni mou. Horos hōsper tis kai prographē tōn eirēsthai meltio phydydēi ed bdy 1665, hoi ïseoaogap rGaϑegiriïo. lontōn ho prōtos an eiē tou prokeimenou stichos. Ti gar bouletai drąn ho prophētēs hyposēmainei, legōn" “Lsō dē tǭ ēgapēmenǭ " tout᾽ esti Christǭ. Houtō gar hēmin auton kai ho Theos kai Patēr ōnomaze legōn" «e Houtos estin ho Huios mon ho agapētos, en hǭ ēudokēsa..» IAr᾽ oun, ō prophēta, tēs sēs achousōmetha phōnēs? kai hōs ek monōn tōn sōn ennoiōn anadyousin hoi logoi? blepei de hopoi phrason tēs hǭdēs ho skopos. Oukoun ei kai di᾽ emou, phēsin, all’ ouk emos ho logos, all᾽ esti tou agapētou" pepoiētai de epi tǭ agapētǭ ampelōni mou’ hē, katha phasin hoi heteroi tōn hermēneutōn, tǭ ampelōni autou. Ei de dē kai legoi ha tǭ ampelōgi mon, ouk hōs autou tychon tou ampelōnos ontos ta toiade phēsin, all᾽ hōs hyparchōn heis tōn telountōn eis ton ampelōna. Eurēsomen gar eogomian [hoi imi ea, Ei echerdoiaui me [engee nas, as 4“ ek, 9. toiautais esth᾽ hote kechrēmenous phōnais, Hoion ho prophētēs Hieremias" « Tis dōsei moi en tę̄ erēmǭ stathmon eschaton, kai kataleipsō ton laon mou, kai apeleusomai ap' autōn? » Hōs gar heis hyparchōn tou laou, laon heautou phēsi tous kath᾽ haima te kai genos oikeious. "Adei toinyn ho prēphētēs tǭ ēgapēmenǭ, kai estin autou to asma eirēmenon epi tǭ ampelōni tǭ agapētǭ, tout᾽ esti, tou Israēl. Gegraptai gar, hoti «᾿Ampelōn Knriou Sadaōth anthrōpos tou Iouda, neophyton hē gapēmenon.» Ampelōn egenēthē tǭ ēgapēmenǭ, en kerati, en topǭ pioni. Kai ragmon periethēka, kai echarachōsa, kai ephyteusō ampelon Sōrēk, kai phkodomēsa pyrgon en mesǭ hautou, kai proiēnion hōryxa en hautǭ, kai emeina tou poiēsai staphuiiēn, epoiēse de akanthas. ᾿Ampelōni pareichasas ton Israēl, epimenei di᾿ holou tę̄ tou logou metaphorą᾽ e Gegone toinyn, » phēsin, e« ampelōn tǭ ēgapēmenǭ, en kerati, en topǭ pioni, » Phasi tous heterous tōn hermēneutōn arkesthę̄nai to eipein en topǭ pioni, hōs tou keratos hēmin ouden heteron, hē touto auto sēmainontos. Dokei de tisin to hōs en kerati noein, hōs en dynamei Theou. Kechlēronomēche gar ho Israēl tēs epangelias tēn gēn, tous palai chatǭchēchotas en autę̄ nikēsas dia Theou. Toigartoi phēsi pros hauton, en tessarakostǭ tritǭ psalmǭ" e En soi tous echthrous hēmōn keratioumen, kai en tǭ onomati sou exoudenōsomen tous hepanistamenous hēmin. » Lamdanetai de to cheras para tę̄ theią Graphę̄, eis ischyn kai eis dynamin, kai eis doxan tēn basilikēn. "esti goun akousai tou makariou Dadid pote men legontos, hōs ek prosōpon dikaiou pantos" e HyPsōthēsetai hōs monokerōtos to cheras mou" » pote de palin peri Christou" e To keras hautou hypsōthēse tai hen doxę̄. » Periphanestatē gar hē basileia Chri stou. Hoti de piōn tēs epangelias hē gē, mema tyrēche to Gramma to hieron. Pantachę̄ gar autēn honi mazei gēn rheousan gala kai meli. Prosempedoi de ton logon kai ho thespesios Melǭdos psallōn te kai legōn peri tou Israïl᾽ e« Lmpelon ex Aigyptou metēras, exedales ethnē, kai katephyteusas autēn. n Horąs to A HuIadē᾽ Pa, hip sogēa, roiïdē ap Ooi hin 85 gi 8 en kerati, to hōs en dynamei: Theou sēmainon en toutois?
They will be within the enclosure and tent of the one who is able to save and who puts every evil far away.
“Let me sing to the beloved a song of the beloved concerning my vineyard.”
The first line of the passage would be like a definition and preface of what is about to be said. For he indicates what the prophet wishes to do, saying, “Let me sing to the beloved,” that is, to Christ. For so God the Father too named him to us, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Shall we, then, O prophet, hear your voice? And do the words rise up from your thoughts alone? Tell us where the aim of the song looks. Well then, he says, even if it comes through me, the word is not mine, but is the beloved’s; and it is made concerning my beloved vineyard, or, as some of the other translators say, “concerning his vineyard.” And if he does say “my vineyard,” perhaps he says such things not as though the vineyard were his, but as being one of those who belong to the vineyard. For we shall find [the saints] sometimes using such expressions, as the prophet Jeremiah: “Who will give me in the desert a last lodging place, and I will leave my people and go away from them?” For being one of the people, he calls those related to him by blood and race his people. The prophet, then, sings to the beloved, and the song is his, spoken concerning the beloved vineyard, that is, Israel. For it is written: “The vineyard of the Lord Sabaoth is the man of Judah, a beloved new planting.”
“The beloved had a vineyard on a horn, in a fat place. And I put a hedge around it and fenced it, and planted a choice vine, and built a tower in its midst, and dug a winepress in it; and I waited for it to produce grapes, but it produced thorns.”
Having likened Israel to a vineyard, he keeps to the metaphor throughout: “The beloved,” he says, “had a vineyard on a horn, in a fat place.” They say that the other translators were content to say “in a fat place,” as though “horn” meant nothing else to us than this. But some think that “on a horn” is to be understood as “in the power of God.” For Israel inherited the land of the promise, having conquered through God those who lived in it before. Therefore it says to him in the forty-third psalm: “In you we will push down our enemies with the horn, and in your name we will set at nought those who rise up against us.” And in the divine Scripture “horn” is taken for strength and power and royal glory. One can hear the blessed David saying at one time, as in the person of every righteous man, “My horn will be exalted like that of the unicorn,” and at another, of Christ, “His horn will be exalted in glory.” For the kingdom of Christ is most conspicuous. And that the land of the promise is fat, the holy Scripture has testified; for everywhere it calls it a land flowing with milk and honey. And the divine Psalmist confirms the saying, singing of Israel: “You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out nations and planted it.” Do you see that “on a horn” signifies here “in the power of God”?
Isa 4:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 5:1–2 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 3:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 9:2 (9:1 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 5:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 44:5 (43:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 92:10 (91:11 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 112:9 (111:9 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 3:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 80:8 (79:9 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Cyril introduces the song of the vineyard (Isa 5:1–2) as sung to Christ, the beloved, about Israel, God’s vineyard, and explains “on a horn” as the power of God by which Israel won the fertile land.
- Isa 4:6; Matt 3:17; Jer 9:2 (LXX 9:1); Isa 5:1–2, 7; Ps 44:5 (LXX 43:6; Cyril calls it the forty-third psalm, by the Septuagint numbering); Ps 92:10 (LXX 91:11); Ps 112:9 (LXX 111:9); Exod 3:8; Ps 80:8 (LXX 79:9) are quoted. “The other translators” are the later Greek versions (Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotion). Latin from Migne’s column is removed.
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Comm. Isa. 1.3.12 (PG 70; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/1-3-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/1-3-12
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 70 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.