Commentary on Isaiah 3.4.14–3.4.20
Greek text: PG 70.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
part 3, chapter 4
3.4.14PG 70
τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, προσδέξααθαι τὴν εὐχὴν, καὶ ἐποπτεῦσαι Ὦ τὸ δάχρνον" νέμει τε αὐτῷ παραχρῆμα τὸ διαπηδῆσαι: δύνασθαι τοῦ θανάτου τὸ δεῖμα, καὶ τῆς προστεθείσης ζωῆς χατασημαίνει τὸ μέτρον, ἵνα πρὸς τὸ τέλος ἀφορῶν, καὶ ὅτι πάντη τε καὶ πάντως τεθνήξεται διακείμενος, ἀπαράδεκτον εἰς νοῦν τὸ τῆς ὑπεροψίας ποιοῖτο νόσημα. ᾿ἵἹπισχνεῖται δὲ ὅτι, καθάπερ ἐπὴγγελται φθάσας, κρείττονα τῆς ᾿Ασσυρίων χειρὸς ἀποφαίνει μὲν αὐτὸν, ὑπερασπιεῖ δὲ τῆς Ἱερουσαλήμ. Ἕδρα τε ταῦτα, πάντα τρόπον δυσθυμίας ἐκ μέσου τιθεὶς, καὶ πολὺ λίαν ἀλγήσαντα τοῖς ἐξ ἡμερότητος ἀγαθοῖς ἀναχτώμευος. Ὁ γὰρ πλήξας μοτώσει ὑμᾶς. Χρηστὸς γάρ ἔστι καὶ φιλοιχτίρμων ὁ τῶν ὅλων θεός. … τὰ ἐπηγγελμένα σημείῳ τῷ κατὰ τὸν ἥλιον, κατὰ τὴν γενομένην τότε ἐπιστργφὴν τῆς σκιᾶς ἐν τοῖς δέκα ἀναδαθμοῖς. Φασὶ δὲ ὅτι “Αχαζ ὁ Ἐζεχίου πατὴρ ὡς ἐκ μηχανῆς τινος καὶ τέχνης ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ οἴκῳ ἀναδαθμούς τινας γενέσθαι παρεσκεύασεν, οἷον ὧρολογοῦντας, καὶ τὸν ἡλίου δρόμον ἐκμετρεῖν τῇ καταδρομῇ τῆς ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς γενομένης σκιᾶς. Ὅτι τοίνυν ἔμελλεν ὁ Ἐζεκίας ὑπονοστήσειν εἰς ζωὴν, φανερὸν ἐποίει θεὸς ἀνόπιν ἰούσης τῆς ἡλίου σκιᾶς, καὶ ἐχτεινομένης ἡμέρας εἰς ὡρῶν ἀσύνηθες μέτρον. Δυσήνυτον δὲ παντελῶς οὐδὲν τῷ τῶν ὅλων Δεσπότῃ, ἀλλ᾽ ὅπερ ἂν ἕλοιτο, κατορθοῖ χατανεύσας μόνον. Ἤνίχα ἐμαλακίσθη, ὐφ: ἀνέστη ἐκ τῆς μαλακίας αὐτοῦ. Ἑτγὼ εἶπα ἐν τῷ ὕγει τῶν ἡμερῶν μου, Πορεύσομαι ἐν πύλαις ἔδου " καταλείψω τὰ ἔτη τὰ ἐπί»,᾿οιπα. Εἶπα" Οὐκέτι οὐ μὴ ἴδω τὸ σωτήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, οὐχότε οὗ μὴ ἴδω ἄνθρωπον ἐκ τῆς συγγενείας μου. Κατέλιπον τὸ λοιπὸν τῆς ζωῆς μου " ἐξῆ.θε καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, ὥσπερ ὁ καταλύων σκηνὴν πήξας, τὸ πνεῦμά μου παρ᾽ ἐμοὶ ἐγένετο, ὡς ἱστὸς ἐρίθου ἐγγιζούσης ἐκτεμεῖν. Ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐχείγῃ παρεδόθην, ἕως πρωΐ ὡς «1οντι, οὕτως τὰ ὀστᾶ μου συνέτριψεν" ἀπὸ γὰρ τῆς ἡμέρως ἕως τῆς νυκτὸς παραδόθην αὑτῷ. ᾿λναγκαῖον ἐκεῖνο καὶ πρό γε τῶν ἄλλων εἰπεῖν " οἱ μὲν γὰρ Ἑδδομήχοντα τεθείκασιν, ἐν τούτοις τὸ «ἐν τῷ ὕψει τῶν ἡμερῶν μου,» ὡς γε μὴν ἕτεροι τῶν ἑρμηνευτῶν τὸ ε ἐν ημίσει τῶν ἡμερῶν » ἐκδεδώκασιν. Οἷμαι δὲ ἔγωγε, καὶ σφόδρα ἐμφρόνως τὰς τῶν γὰρ ἡ ἁγία πόλις, Ῥαψάχου καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ κύκλῳ περιστησάντων τὴν τῶν ᾿Ασσυρίων ἀριθμοῦ κρείττονα πληθύν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἐπηγγέλλετο Θεὸς διὰ τῆς Ἡσαΐου φωνῇς, ὅτι ποιήσει παράδοξα, καὶ διασώσει τοὺς κινδυνεύοντας, καὶ ἀποστήσει τῆς Ἰουδαίας τὸν τύρᾶννον, καὶ ὅτι τεθνήξεται τὰ οἴκοι καταλαδών. Τούτων δὴ οὖν ἁπάντων εἰς πέρας ἐχδεδηχότων, καθ᾽ ὃν ἔφη καιρὸν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, ἔμελλε τῆς Ἐξεχίου βασιλείας αἴρεσθαι εἰς ὕψος τὰ αὐχήματα. Ἐγὼ τοίνυν Ὁ εἶπον ἐν ἐμαυτῷ, φησὶν, ὅτι ἐν καιρῷ τῆς εὐκλείας, ἤγουν ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ ὑψοῦσθαι τὰς ἡμέρας μον, ἔσομαι - μὲν ἐν πύλαις δου, καταλείψω δὲ τὰ ἔτη τὰ ἐπίλοιπα. Εἶτα τούτοις προσεπάγει τὰ δι᾽ ὧν τοῖς ἐσχάκατειλημμένους, καὶ οὗ μακρὰν ὁρῶντας τὸν θάνατον.
tout᾽ esti, prosdexaathai tēn euchēn, kai epopteusai Ō to dachrnon" nemei te autǭ parachrēma to diapēdēsai: dynasthai tou thanatou to deima, kai tēs prostetheisēs zōēs chatasēmainei to metron, hina pros to telos aphorōn, kai hoti pantē te kai pantōs tethnēxetai diakeimenos, aparadekton eis noun to tēs hyperopsias poioito nosēma. ᾿hiIpischneitai de hoti, kathaper epēngeltai phthasas, kreittona tēs ᾿Assyriōn cheiros apophainei men auton, hyperaspiei de tēs Hierousalēm. Hedra te tauta, panta tropon dysthymias ek mesou titheis, kai poly lian algēsanta tois ex hēmerotētos agathois anachtōmeuos. Ho gar plēxas motōsei hymas. Chrēstos gar esti kai philoichtirmōn ho tōn holōn theos. … ta epēngelmena sēmeiǭ tǭ kata ton hēlion, kata tēn genomenēn tote epistrgphēn tēs skias en tois deka anadathmois. Phasi de hoti “Achaz ho Ezechiou patēr hōs ek mēchanēs tinos kai technēs en tǭ idiǭ oikǭ anadathmous tinas genesthai pareskeuasen, hoion hōrologountas, kai ton hēliou dromon ekmetrein tę̄ katadromę̄ tēs ep᾽ autois genomenēs skias. Hoti toinyn emellen ho Ezekias hyponostēsein eis zōēn, phaneron epoiei theos anopin iousēs tēs hēliou skias, kai echteinomenēs hēmeras eis hōrōn asynēthes metron. Dysēnyton de pantelōs ouden tǭ tōn holōn Despotę̄, all᾽ hoper an heloito, katorthoi chataneusas monon. Ēnicha emalakisthē, yph: anestē ek tēs malakias autou. Hetgō eipa en tǭ hygei tōn hēmerōn mou, Poreusomai en pylais edou " kataleipsō ta etē ta epi»,᾿oipa. Eipa" Ouketi ou mē idō to sōtērion tou Theou epi tēs gēs, ouchote hou mē idō anthrōpon ek tēs syngeneias mou. Katelipon to loipon tēs zōēs mou " exē.the kai apēlthen ap' emou, hōsper ho katalyōn skēnēn pēxas, to pneuma mou par᾽ emoi egeneto, hōs histos erithou engizousēs ektemein. En tę̄ hēmerą echeigę̄ paredothēn, heōs prōï hōs «1onti, houtōs ta osta mou synetripsen" apo gar tēs hēmerōs heōs tēs nyktos paradothēn hautǭ. ᾿lnankaion ekeino kai pro ge tōn allōn eipein " hoi men gar Heddomēchonta tetheikasin, en toutois to «en tǭ hypsei tōn hēmerōn mou,» hōs ge mēn heteroi tōn hermēneutōn to e en ēmisei tōn hēmerōn » ekdedōkasin. Hoimai de egōge, kai sphodra emphronōs tas tōn gar hē hagia polis, Rhapsachou kai tōn syn autǭ kyklǭ peristēsantōn tēn tōn ᾿Assyriōn arithmou kreittona plēthyn. ᾿All᾽ epēngelleto Theos dia tēs Hēsaïou phōnę̄s, hoti poiēsei paradoxa, kai diasōsei tous kindyneuontas, kai apostēsei tēs Ioudaias ton tyrannon, kai hoti tethnēxetai ta oikoi kataladōn. Toutōn dē oun hapantōn eis peras echdedēchotōn, kath᾽ hon ephē kairon ho tōn holōn Theos, emelle tēs Exechiou basileias airesthai eis hypsos ta auchēmata. Egō toinyn Ho eipon en emautǭ, phēsin, hoti en kairǭ tēs eukleias, ēgoun en autǭ tǭ hypsousthai tas hēmeras mon, esomai - men en pylais dou, kataleipsō de ta etē ta epiloipa. Eita toutois prosepagei ta di᾽ hōn tois eschakateilēmmenous, kai hou makran horōntas ton thanaton.
that is, to accept the prayer and look upon the tear; and he grants him at once to be able to leap over the dread of death, and marks the measure of the added life, so that, looking to the end and knowing that he will in any case die, he might make the disease of pride inadmissible to his mind. And he promises, as he had announced before, that he shows him stronger than the hand of the Assyrians and will shield Jerusalem. He did these things, putting every kind of despondency out of the way and restoring, with the goods of his gentleness, one who had grieved very much. For he who struck will bind you up. For the God of all is good and compassionate. … the things promised, with the sign in the sun, according to the turning back of the shadow on the ten steps that then took place. They say that Ahaz, Hezekiah's father, had some steps made in his own house by a certain contrivance and art, telling the hours, as it were, and measuring the course of the sun by the descent of the shadow cast on them. So God made it plain that Hezekiah would return to life, when the sun's shadow went backward and the day was stretched out to an unusual measure of hours. Nothing at all is hard to accomplish for the Master of all; whatever he chooses he accomplishes by a mere nod.
“… when he was sick and rose from his sickness: I said in the height of my days, I will go into the gates of Hades; I will leave the remaining years. I said, I will no longer see the salvation of God on the earth; I will no longer see a man of my kindred. I have left the rest of my life; it has gone out and departed from me, like one who takes down a tent he had pitched; my spirit was with me like the web of a weaver drawing near to cut it off. On that day I was handed over until morning as to a lion; so he crushed my bones; for from day until night I was handed over to him.”
This must be said before the rest: the Seventy have put here “in the height of my days,” whereas other translators have rendered it “in the half of my days.” I myself think, and very prudently, … For the holy city …, the Rabshakeh and those with him having stationed round it the multitude of the Assyrians beyond number. But God promised through Isaiah's voice that he would do wonders, save those in danger, remove the tyrant from Judea, and that he would die when he reached home. When all these things had come to fulfilment, at the time the God of all had said, the boasts of Hezekiah's kingdom were to be lifted on high. I, then, said in myself, he says, that in the time of glory, or in the very exaltation of my days, I will be in the gates of Hades and leave the remaining years. Then he adds to these the things by which … those seized … and seeing death not far off.
Isa 38:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 38:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Hos 6:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 38:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 38:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 38:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 38:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 38:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 38:13 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: God's answer freed Hezekiah from fear of death while fixing the length of his added life, to guard him against pride; the shadow went back on the steps of Ahaz's sundial (Isa 38:5–8); in Hezekiah's song (Isa 38:9–13) Cyril defends the Septuagint's “in the height of my days” against the other translators' “in the half of my days.”
- Lemma: Isa 38:9–13 (LXX; the heading “The prayer of Hezekiah king of Judea” is lost in the OCR). “The other translators” are the later Greek versions (Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotion), whose rendering matches the Hebrew. Words are lost in several places (marked “…”), where Migne's Latin version, read as Greek letters by the OCR, has been removed. Allusion: Hos 6:1 (he who struck will bind up).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's Latin version read as Greek letters by the OCR; lost Greek marked): Ἄοοηιτγλοιοιδίῃ «ἢ ηΐ 6 πιοαΐο ργοἢίψϑη8, οἱ θυ ψυ].. 4ποά τε γακηι ἐεἰ υ πεεα;, ἐπὶ υἱέ εἰ τεσδεεῖί α πιό, → … .
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Comm. Isa. 3.4.14 (PG 70; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/3-4-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/3-4-14
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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.
3.4.15PG 70
Ταῦτα δέ ἐστιν τὸ, Οὐκέτι οὐ μὴ ἴδω σωτηρίαν τὴν παρὰ Θεοῦ, οὔτε μὴν ἴδω ἄνθρωπον ἐκ τῆς συγγεγείας τῆς ἐμῆς " ἀφῆκα τὸ λοιπὸν τῆς ζωῆς μου, ἀπῆλθεν ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ" γέγονα δὲ ὥσπερ λυομένη σκηνὴ, καὶ ὡς ἱστὸς γυναικὸς ἐρίθον, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, ἐργαζομένης, ἤγουν ὑφαινούσης, καὶ λοιπὸν ἐγγιζούσης ἐκτεμεῖν. Εἶτά φησιν, ὅτι Ἐν ὅλῃ νυκτὶ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ καθάπερ τινὶ λέοντι παρεδόθη τὰ ὀστᾶ μου συντρίθδοντι. Καὶ τίς ὁ λέων; Ἢ τῆς ἀῤῥωστείας τὸ ἄχθος, καὶ ν μονονουχὶ χαταδρυχόμενος ὡς ἐν εἴδει θηρίου ὁ θάνατος, καὶ τὴν ἔφοδον ἀπειλῶν, ἤγουν τὸ ἐκ τοῦ τεθνάναι προσδοκᾷν ἀνειμένον δεῖμα, Συντρίδει γὰρ φόδος τε ὁμοῦ καὶ δυσθυμία ψυχὴν, καὶ κᾶσαν αὐτῆς Ὡς χε.ιδὼν, οὕτως φωνήσω, καὶ ὡς περιστερὰ, οὕτως μελετήσω. Ἐξέλιπον γάρ μου οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ τοῦ βλέπειν, εἰς τὸ ὕψος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ «ρὸς Κύριον, ὃς ἐξείλετό με, καὶ ἀφείετό μου τὴν ὀδύγὴν τῆς γυχῆς. Κύριε, καὶ περὶ αὐτῆς ἀνηγγέλη σοι, καὶ ἐξήγειράς μου τὴν πνοὴν, καὶ παρακιληθεὶς ἔζησα. Εἴλου γὰρ μου τὴν γυχὴν», ἵνα μὴ ἀπόληται, καὶ ἀπέῤῥιψας ὀπίσω μου πάσας τὰς ἁμαρτίας μου. ϑίων εὐστομεῖν εἰωθότα μιμεῖσθαι κατεπαγγέλλεται, καὶ ἀχαταλήχτους ποιεῖσθαι τὰς ὑμνῳδίας, Φησὶ δὲ ὅτ: τοὺς τῆς διανοίας ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀνατείνας πρὸς Θεὸν, σέσωσται καὶ διαπέφευγε, καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν ὀδύνην, καὶ αὐτὸν δὲ τὸν θάνατον. Ἐξήγειρας γὰρ, φησὶ, τὴν ζωὴν, ἔζησά τε καὶ περιεποιήσω τὴν ἐμὴν, ἵνα μὴ ἀπόληται, καὶ ἀπέῤῥιψας ὀπίσω μου πάσας τὰς ἁμαρτίας μου. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἔστι νοτοῦντος τὴν ἀλαζονεΐῖαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπεγνωκότος ἤδη τὴν ἑαυτοῦ φύσιν, καὶ εἰδότος ἀχριδῶς ὅτι πολλαῖς ἔνοχοι πάντες ἐσμὲν ἁμαρτίαις, κἂν εἰ μὴ βούλοιτο σώζειν ἐλέῳ Θεὸς, οὐδεὶς καυχήσεται ἀγνὴν ἔχειν τὴν καρδίαν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδ' ἂν παῤῥησιάσηται καθαρὸς εἶναι ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας. Θὐχοῦν ἐν ταῖς εὐπαθείαις, αἵπερ ἂν ἡμῖν γένοιντο παρὰ Θεοῦ, δοξολογείσθω πρὸς ἡμῶν ὡς ἀμνημονήσας τῶν ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἣν εἰκὸς ὁσίως κολάζεσθαι. Σοφοὶ γὰρ, φησὶν, οἱ ἑαυτῶν ἐπιγνώμονες ᾿ Οὗ γὰρ οἱ ἐν δου αἰγέσουσί σα, οὐδὲ οἱ ἀποθανόντες εὐλογήσουσί σε, οὐδὲ ἐλπιοῦσιν οἱ ἐν ἄδου τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην σου. Οἱ ζῶντες σουσί σε. ὃν τρόπον κἀγώ. Ἀπὸ γὰρ τῆς σήμερον παιδία ποιήσω, ἃ ἀναγγελοῦσι τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου, Κύριδ τῆς σωτηρίας μου, καὶ οὐ παύσομαι εὐλογῶν σε μετὰ ψαϊτηρίου πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς μου. Τὴν ἴσην ἂν ἔχοι τοῖς προκειμένοις διάνοιαν τὰ διὰ τῆς τοῦ ψάλλοντος φωνῆς εἰρημένα « Τίς ἡ ὠφέλεια ἐν τῷ αἵματί μου ἐν τῷ χαταδαίνειν με εἰς διαφθοράν; Μὴ ἐξομολογήσεταί οι χοῦς, ἣ ἀναγγελεῖ “ἃ θαυμάσιά σου;» Οἱ γὰρ ἅπαξ τεθνεῶτες, καὶ ταῖς ἄδου πύλαις γεγονότες χάτοχοι, τάχα που καὶ τοῦ δοξολογεῖν. Προσεπιθεῖεν δ᾽ ἂν οἷς εἰργάσαντο παντελῶς οὐδὲν, μενοῦσι δὲ μᾶλλον ἐν οἷς χατελείφθησαν, καὶ τὸν τῆς καθόλου χρίδεως ξονται καιρόν. Οὐκοῦν οἱ ζῶντες, φησὶν, καὶ τοῦτο δρᾷν ὅτι τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἔχοντες ἐξουσίαν, ἐπειδὰν εὐπάθειεν, εὐλογήσουσί σε ὃν τρόπον χἀγώ. Ὑπισχνεῖται δὲ παιδία ποιεῖν, ἃ ἀναγγελοῦσι τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ διχαιοαύνην. Καὶ οἱ μέν φασιν ὅτι χοροστασίαν λχεται, καὶ ψαλτῳδοὺς τοὺς ἕν γε τῷ θείῳ ναῷ χαταῥητοτέροις ἔτι τὸν νοῦν ἐνιέντες λέγουσιν, ὅτιπερ ὑψηλὰ φρονήσας ὁ Ἐζεκίας φήθη τάχα που καὶ ἀτε-» λεύτητον ἔχειν τὴν βασιλείαν καὶ αὐτὴν ἀχατάληκχτον ζωὴν " διατεθεὶς ὅτι τὰ ἐπὶ Χριστῷ γεγραμμένα, ὡς ἐφ᾽ υἱῷ τοῦ Δαδὶδ, εἰς ἑαυτὸν εἴρηταί τε καὶ βλέπει, “Ὅθεν φασὶ, καίτοι τεσσαρεσχαιδέχατον ἕτος ἐν τῷ βασιλεύειν ἔχων, οὐκ ὁρᾶται πεφροντιχὼς τοῦ χρῆναι παιδοποιεῖν" μεμαθτχὼς τοιγαροῦν τὸ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ζωῆς πέρας, τῶν διαδεξομένων αὐτὸν ποιεῖται φροντίδα, καὶ ὅτι παιδία φησὶ, καὶ προστίθησιν ὅτι ᾿Αναγγελοῦσι τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου δικαιοσύνην, καὶ τῆς μὲν ἀληθείας διημάρτηχεν ὁ λόγος αὐτῷ. Γέγονε γὰρ ὃ Μανασσῆς δυσσεδής τε καὶ ἀλητήριο;, πλὴν τό γε ἦχον εἰς τὴν τοῦ φύσαντος γνώμην, ἦν καὶ αὐτὸς εὑσεθδὴς καὶ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δόξης ἀπαγγελεύς. ᾿ Καὶ εἶπεν Ἡσαΐας πρὸς Ἐζεχίαν- Λάδε πα.1ἀ- ᾿ θὴν ἐκ σύκων, καὶ τρίψον, καὶ κατάπιλασαι, καὶ ὑγιὴς ἔσῃ. Καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Εζεκίας" Τοῦτο δὴ τὸ σημεῖον, ὅτι ἀναδήσομαι εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ.
Tauta de estin to, Ouketi ou mē idō sōtērian tēn para Theou, oute mēn idō anthrōpon ek tēs syngegeias tēs emēs " aphēka to loipon tēs zōēs mou, apēlthen ap᾽ emou" gegona de hōsper lyomenē skēnē, kai hōs histos gynaikos erithon, tout᾽ estin, ergazomenēs, ēgoun hyphainousēs, kai loipon engizousēs ektemein. Eita phēsin, hoti En holę̄ nykti kai hēmerą kathaper tini leonti paredothē ta osta mou syntrithdonti. Kai tis ho leōn? Ē tēs arrhōsteias to achthos, kai n mononouchi chatadrychomenos hōs en eidei thēriou ho thanatos, kai tēn ephodon apeilōn, ēgoun to ek tou tethnanai prosdokąn aneimenon deima, Syntridei gar phodos te homou kai dysthymia psychēn, kai kasan autēs Hōs che.idōn, houtōs phōnēsō, kai hōs peristera, houtōs meletēsō. Exelipon gar mou hoi ophthalmoi tou blepein, eis to hypsos tou ouranou «ros Kyrion, hos exeileto me, kai apheieto mou tēn odygēn tēs gychēs. Kyrie, kai peri autēs anēngelē soi, kai exēgeiras mou tēn pnoēn, kai parakilētheis ezēsa. Eilou gar mou tēn gychēn», hina mē apolētai, kai aperrhipsas opisō mou pasas tas hamartias mou. ϑiōn eustomein eiōthota mimeisthai katepangelletai, kai achatalēchtous poieisthai tas hymnǭdias, Phēsi de hot: tous tēs dianoias ophthalmous anateinas pros Theon, sesōstai kai diapepheuge, kai tēs psychēs tēn odynēn, kai auton de ton thanaton. Exēgeiras gar, phēsi, tēn zōēn, ezēsa te kai periepoiēsō tēn emēn, hina mē apolētai, kai aperrhipsas opisō mou pasas tas hamartias mou. Touto de ouk esti notountos tēn alazoneïian, all᾽ epegnōkotos ēdē tēn heautou physin, kai eidotos achridōs hoti pollais enochoi pantes esmen hamartiais, kan ei mē bouloito sōzein eleǭ Theos, oudeis kauchēsetai agnēn echein tēn kardian, all᾽ oud' an parrhēsiasētai katharos einai apo hamartias. Thychoun en tais eupatheiais, haiper an hēmin genointo para Theou, doxologeisthō pros hēmōn hōs amnēmonēsas tōn eph᾽ hois hēn eikos hosiōs kolazesthai. Sophoi gar, phēsin, hoi heautōn epignōmones ᾿ Hou gar hoi en dou aigesousi sa, oude hoi apothanontes eulogēsousi se, oude elpiousin hoi en adou tēn eleēmosynēn sou. Hoi zōntes sousi se. hon tropon kagō. Apo gar tēs sēmeron paidia poiēsō, ha anangelousi tēn dikaiosynēn sou, Kyrid tēs sōtērias mou, kai ou pausomai eulogōn se meta psaïtēriou pasas tas hēmeras tēs zōēs mou. Tēn isēn an echoi tois prokeimenois dianoian ta dia tēs tou psallontos phōnēs eirēmena « Tis hē ōpheleia en tǭ haimati mou en tǭ chatadainein me eis diaphthoran? Mē exomologēsetai oi chous, hē anangelei “ha thaumasia sou?» Hoi gar hapax tethneōtes, kai tais adou pylais gegonotes chatochoi, tacha pou kai tou doxologein. Prosepitheien d᾽ an hois eirgasanto pantelōs ouden, menousi de mallon en hois chateleiphthēsan, kai ton tēs katholou chrideōs xontai kairon. Oukoun hoi zōntes, phēsin, kai touto drąn hoti to agathon echontes exousian, epeidan eupatheien, eulogēsousi se hon tropon chagō. Hypischneitai de paidia poiein, ha anangelousi tēn tou Theou dichaioaunēn. Kai hoi men phasin hoti chorostasian lchetai, kai psaltǭdous tous hen ge tǭ theiǭ naǭ chatarhētoterois eti ton noun enientes legousin, hotiper hypsēla phronēsas ho Ezekias phēthē tacha pou kai ate-» leutēton echein tēn basileian kai autēn achatalēkchton zōēn " diatetheis hoti ta epi Christǭ gegrammena, hōs eph᾽ huiǭ tou Dadid, eis heauton eirētai te kai blepei, “Hothen phasi, kaitoi tessareschaidechaton hetos en tǭ basileuein echōn, ouk horatai pephrontichōs tou chrēnai paidopoiein" memathtchōs toigaroun to tēs heautou zōēs peras, tōn diadexomenōn auton poieitai phrontida, kai hoti paidia phēsi, kai prostithēsin hoti ᾿Anangelousi tēn tou Kyriou dikaiosynēn, kai tēs men alētheias diēmartēchen ho logos autǭ. Gegone gar ho Manassēs dyssedēs te kai alētērio?, plēn to ge ēchon eis tēn tou physantos gnōmēn, ēn kai autos heusethdēs kai tēs tou Theou doxēs apangeleus. ᾿ Kai eipen Hēsaïas pros Ezechian- Lade pa.1a- ᾿ thēn ek sykōn, kai tripson, kai katapilasai, kai hygiēs esę̄. Kai eipen ᾿Ezekias" Touto dē to sēmeion, hoti anadēsomai eis ton oikon tou Theou.
This is: “I will no longer see the salvation that comes from God, nor will I see a man of my kindred; I have let go the rest of my life, it has departed from me; I have become like a tent being taken down, and like the web of a woman weaver,” that is, one working, or weaving, and now drawing near to cut it off. Then he says that through the whole night and day my bones were handed over as to a lion that crushes them. And who is the lion? Either the weight of the sickness, or death, all but roaring like a beast and threatening its onset, that is, the dread let loose by the expectation of dying. For fear and despondency together crush the soul, and all its …
“Like a swallow, so I will cry, and like a dove, so I will meditate. For my eyes failed from looking to the height of heaven toward the Lord, who rescued me and took away the pain of my soul. Lord, concerning it too it was told you, and you raised up my breath, and, comforted, I lived. For you chose my soul, that it should not perish, and you cast behind me all my sins.”
He promises to imitate the birds used to singing sweetly, and to make his hymns unceasing. He says that, having lifted the eyes of the mind to God, he was saved and escaped both the pain of his soul and death itself. For you raised up life, he says, and I lived, and you preserved my soul so that it should not perish, and you cast behind me all my sins. This is not the word of one sick with arrogance, but of one who now recognizes his own nature and knows precisely that we are all liable to many sins, and that, if God did not will to save by mercy, no one would boast of having a pure heart, nor speak boldly of being clean from sin. So, in the good things that may come to us from God, let him be glorified by us as having forgotten the things for which we might justly be punished. For wise, it says, are those who know themselves.
“For those in Hades will not praise you, nor will the dead bless you, nor will those in Hades hope for your mercy. The living will bless you, as I also do. For from this day I will make children who will declare your righteousness, Lord of my salvation; and I will not cease blessing you with the psaltery all the days of my life.”
What was said through the psalmist's voice would have the same sense as these words: “What profit is there in my blood when I go down to corruption? Will dust confess to you, or declare your wonders?” For those who have once died and are held fast by the gates of Hades … perhaps also of glorifying. They would add nothing at all to what they did, but rather remain in the state in which they were left, and … the time of the universal judgment. So the living, he says, having power to do even this good, will bless you when they fare well, as I also do. And he promises to make children who will declare the righteousness of God. Some say that he means a choir and the psalm-singers in the divine temple; others, bringing a more hidden sense, say that Hezekiah, having high thoughts, supposed perhaps that he would have an endless kingdom and life itself without end, persuaded that what was written of Christ, as of the son of David, was said of himself and looked to him. Hence, they say, though in the fourteenth year of his reign, he is not seen to have taken care to beget children; so, having learned the end of his own life, he takes thought for those who would succeed him, and says “children,” and adds, “who will declare the righteousness of the Lord.” And in this his word missed the truth; for Manasseh became ungodly and a wicked wretch; but, so far as his father's intention went, he too was godly and a herald of God's glory.
“And Isaiah said to Hezekiah: Take a cake of figs, and crush it, and apply it as a plaster, and you will be well. And Hezekiah said: This is the sign that I will go up to the house of God.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Isa 38:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 38:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 38:13 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 38:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 38:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 38:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 38:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 20:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 13:10 (quotation, medium confidence) · Isa 38:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 38:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 38:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 30:9 (29:10 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 7:12 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Kgs 21:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 38:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 38:22 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Hezekiah's lament (Isa 38:11–13) and his thanksgiving: rescued by looking to God, he confesses that God cast away his sins, since no one is pure of sin; only the living can praise God, and his promise of children who would declare God's righteousness was frustrated by Manasseh (Isa 38:14–20); the fig poultice and the sign follow (Isa 38:21–22).
- Lemmas: Isa 38:14–17, 38:18–20, and 38:21–22 (LXX; “will bless” in 38:19 is partly lost). Gaps in the comment are marked “…”. Migne's Latin version, read as Greek letters by the OCR, has been removed where it split the word θάνατος. Quotations: Prov 20:9 (paraphrased); Prov 13:10 (LXX, “those who know themselves are wise”); Ps 30:9 (LXX 29:10). Allusions: 2 Kgs 21:1–2 (Manasseh); 2 Sam 7:12–16 (the promise to David's son).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's Latin version read as Greek letters by the OCR, splitting the word θάνατος): θά- αὶ επίπι {ἰπ|ο0Ρ οἱ σοπβίθγιδιυ δ μμπι, οποίος εἷας νατος → θάνατος.
Topics: Prayer, Christology
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Comm. Isa. 3.4.15 (PG 70; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/3-4-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/3-4-15
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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.
3.4.16PG 70
Ἐν τῇ τετάρτῃ τῶν Βασιλειῶν γέγραπται, ὅτι πρόφασις τῆς ἀῤῥωστίας τῷ Ἐζεκίᾳ γέγονεν ἕλκος πονηρὸν καὶ δυσμεταχείριστον, ὡς καὶ αὐτὰς ἀπειπεῖν τὰς τῶν ἰατρῶν εὐτεχνίας. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἅπαξ κατένευσε Θεὸς τῷ δικαίῳ τὴν ζωὴν, καὶ τὸ ἀποτρίψασθαι τὴν νόσον προστέταχε, δι᾽ ὧν ἦν εἰκὸς, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ἀναμφιδόλως ἔχον, ὅτι πρὸς ἐπίδοσιν ἀλγημάτων χατανεύσει τὸ τραῦμα, διὰ τούτων ἀπαλλάττεσθαι. Παραδοξοποιὸς γὰρ ἀεὶ τοῦ πάντα ΟΣ ἰσχύοντος ἡ χείρ" καὶ διὰ τῶν ἀδοκήτων ἔρχεται τῆς ἐπικουρίας ὁ τρόπος" δῆλον δὲ ὅτι τῆς παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ. Τρίψον τοίνυν, φησὶν, ἐκ σύκων παλάθην, σαι, καὶ ὑγιὴς ἔσῃ. Καὶ ὧν ἐντεῦθεν, ὡς ἔφην, ἀδικηθήσεσθαι προσδοκᾷν, ἤγουν ἀπόνασθαί τι τὸ τραῦμα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ Θεὸς προστάττων ἦν, εἰς σημείου δύναμιν τὸ χρῆμα ποιεῖται πανσύνετος ὧν Ἐζεκίας, καί φησιν, ὅτι Εἰ καὶ διὰ σύκων παλάθης ὑγιασθήσομαι, σημεῖον ἔσται τοῦτό μοι βέθαιόν τε καὶ ἀληθὲς ὅτε ἀναδήσομαι εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ, θύσων τε αὐτῷ δηλονότι, καὶ προσευξόμενος χαταληγούσης τῆς ἀῤῥωστίας, καὶ παντὸς ἀλγήματος οἱονεὶ χατευνααθέντος ἐν ἐμοΐ. Ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ ἀπέστει.1Ὲ Μεοδὰχ υἱὸς γὰρ ὅτι ἐμαλακίσθη ἕως θανάτου, καὶ ἀνέστη. Καὶ ἐχάρη ἐπ' αὑτοῖς Ἐζεκίας χαρὰν μεγάλην" καὶ ἔδειξεν αὐτοῖς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Νεχοθᾶ, καὶ τῆς σταχτῆς καὶ τῶν θυμιαμάτων, καὶ τοῦ μύβου, καὶ τοῦ ἀργυρίου καὶ τοῦ χρυσίου, καὶ πάντας τοὺς οἴκους τῶν σκευῶν τῆς γάζης, καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἦν ἐν τοῖς θησαυροῖς αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἦν οὐδὲν, ὃ οὐκ ἔδειξεν ᾿Εζχίας ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ. Τεθνεῶτος τοῦ Σεναχηρεὶμ ὑπὸ τῶν ἑχυτοῦ παΐδων βεθασπιλευχένα: φησὶ τὸ ᾿ράμμα τὸ ἱερὸν Νεχοοδὰν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἀντ᾽ αὐτοῦ. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὡς ἔοικεν, … ἐχείνου γεγονότος ἐκ μέσου, τοὺς τῆς βασιλείας κεπεπομφέναι λέγεται πρὸ; Ἐζεχίαν δῶρά τε ὁμοῦ καὶ ἐπιστολὰς. καὶ πρέσδεις " καὶ ποία τίς ἐστιν ἡ τοῦδε πρόφασις, εἰπεῖν ἀναγκαῖον. "ἤκουσε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὅτι ἐμαλαχίσθη ἕως θανάτου καὶ ἀνέστη" ἀλλ᾽ οὐκὶ τοῦτο μόνον τὸ μαλαχισθῆναι μὲν, φημὶ, τὸν Ἐζεχίαν, ῥέψαι δὲ αὖθις εἰς εὐρωστίαν ἀναδραμεῖν, χατέπληξε τὸν Βαδυλώνιον, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνο πάντως τὸ μέγα καὶ ἐξαίσιον ἀληθῶς σημεῖον " ἀῤῥήτῳ τε καὶ θεοπρεπεῖ νεύματι παλινδρομεῖν ὁ ἥλιος προσετάττετοκαὶ ὀπίσω βαδίζειν, ὥστε καὶ ἀνελθεῖν τὴν σκιὰν ποὺς δέκα ἀναδαθμούς. Βαδυλωνίων δὲ καὶ Χαλδαίων, οἱ ἐπίκλην σοφοὶ, ἰσχνοὶ λίαν ὑπάρχοντες, εἰ καὶ αὐτοὺς εἶναι φάαχοντες περί τε τοῦ ἡλίου δρόμον, καὶ ἀστέρων ἐπανατολὰς, καὶ δύσεις, οὐκ ἡγνοήχασι κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς τὴν ἀνόπιν ὑποστροφὴν, καὶ τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης τὸ ἀσύνηθες μῆκος, Ἦν δὲ δὴ καὶ μάλα εἰκὸς ἐχτεθρυλλῇῆσθαι τοῖς ἀνὰ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν τοῦ σημείου τὴν δύναμιν, καὶ ὅτι δέδοται πρὸς βεθαίωσιν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τοῦ Θεοῦ τῆς ἐπί γε, φημὶ, τῷ Ἐζεκίᾳ γενομένης. Καὶ καθ᾽ ἕτερον δὲ τρόπον τεθαυμακχέναι φαμὲν τὸν Μεωδὰχ τὸ παραδόξως συμρουσαλὴμ, οὃς ἐν μιᾷ νυκτὶ δεδαπάνηχεν ἀγγέλου χαταπταίουτα χεὶρ, ὡς εὑρεθῆναι πάντα πρωῖ τὰ σώματα νεχμά. Οὐκοῦν ἦχον μὲν οἱ πρέσδεις, ἐπ’ αὐταῖς δὴ ταύταις ταῖς πέρα λόγου θεοσημίαις χατα- Ὃ δὲ καίτοι δέον τοῖς ἐκ Βαδυλῶνος λαμπρὰν ποιεῖσθαι διήγησιν τὰς κατὰ καιροὺς ἐπικουρία: τοῦ πάντα ἰσχύοντος θεοῦ, καὶ τῶν παραδόξων τὴν μεγαλουργίαν, ἵνα καὶ ἔτι μειζόνως τὴν θείαν ὑπεροχὴν θαυμάζοντες, καὶ τὴν ἄμαχον ἑἐξουσίαν τοῦ πάντων Δεσπότου, διὰ τῶν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ μυσταγωγηθέντων λόγων, ὑπονοστήσειαν εἰς τὴν ἑαυτῶν, τὴν περὶ Θεοῦ γνῶσιν χαταπλουτήσαντες " ἦν γὰρ οὕτω δύνασθαι καὶ ἑτέρους ὠφελεῖν ἐπαγγέλλοντας ἃ μεμαθήκασι" τοῦτο μὲν οὐκ ἕδρα, παρεχομίοθη δὲ μᾶλλον εἰς ἀνθρωπίνην φιλοχομπίαν, καὶ οὐκ ἀφ᾽ ὧν τετίμηται παρὰ Θεοῦ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ δόξαν οἶκονομεῖ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ πλούτου τοῦ κατὰ τὴν βασιλείαν, καὶ μέχρι τούτων ὁρίζει τῆς ἐνούσης εὐκλείας ἑαυτῷ τὴν δύναμιν. δειξε γὰρ, φησὶν, αὐτοῖς τὸν οἶκον … τοῦ Νεχοθά" διερμηνεύεται δὲ τὸ Νεχοθὰ τῶν ἀρωμάτων, καὶ τῆς σταχτῆς, καὶ τοῦ μύρου, καὶ τοῦ τῶν σκευῶν τῆς γάζης, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, τῆς περιουσίας.
En tę̄ tetartę̄ tōn Basileiōn gegraptai, hoti prophasis tēs arrhōstias tǭ Ezekią gegonen helkos ponēron kai dysmetacheiriston, hōs kai autas apeipein tas tōn iatrōn eutechnias. Epeidē de hapax kateneuse Theos tǭ dikaiǭ tēn zōēn, kai to apotripsasthai tēn noson prostetache, di᾽ hōn ēn eikos, mallon de kai anamphidolōs echon, hoti pros epidosin algēmatōn chataneusei to trauma, dia toutōn apallattesthai. Paradoxopoios gar aei tou panta OS ischyontos hē cheir" kai dia tōn adokētōn erchetai tēs epikourias ho tropos" dēlon de hoti tēs par᾽ autou. Tripson toinyn, phēsin, ek sykōn palathēn, sai, kai hygiēs esę̄. Kai hōn enteuthen, hōs ephēn, adikēthēsesthai prosdokąn, ēgoun aponasthai ti to trauma. Epeidē de ho Theos prostattōn ēn, eis sēmeiou dynamin to chrēma poieitai pansynetos hōn Ezekias, kai phēsin, hoti Ei kai dia sykōn palathēs hygiasthēsomai, sēmeion estai touto moi bethaion te kai alēthes hote anadēsomai eis ton oikon tou Theou, thysōn te autǭ dēlonoti, kai proseuxomenos chatalēgousēs tēs arrhōstias, kai pantos algēmatos hoionei chateunaathentos en emoï. En tǭ kairǭ ekeinǭ apestei.1E Meodach huios gar hoti emalakisthē heōs thanatou, kai anestē. Kai echarē ep' hautois Ezekias charan megalēn" kai edeixen autois ton oikon tou Nechotha, kai tēs stachtēs kai tōn thymiamatōn, kai tou mybou, kai tou argyriou kai tou chrysiou, kai pantas tous oikous tōn skeuōn tēs gazēs, kai panta hosa ēn en tois thēsaurois autou, kai ouk ēn ouden, ho ouk edeixen ᾿Ezchias en tǭ oikǭ autou. Tethneōtos tou Senachēreim hypo tōn hechytou païdōn bethaspileuchena: phēsi to ᾿ramma to hieron Nechoodan ton huion autou ant᾽ autou. ᾿All᾽ hōs eoiken, … echeinou gegonotos ek mesou, tous tēs basileias kepepomphenai legetai pro? Ezechian dōra te homou kai epistolas. kai presdeis " kai poia tis estin hē toude prophasis, eipein anankaion. "ēkouse gar, phēsin, hoti emalachisthē heōs thanatou kai anestē" all᾽ ouki touto monon to malachisthēnai men, phēmi, ton Ezechian, rhepsai de authis eis eurōstian anadramein, chateplēxe ton Badylōnion, all᾽ ekeino pantōs to mega kai exaision alēthōs sēmeion " arrhētǭ te kai theoprepei neumati palindromein ho hēlios prosetattetokai opisō badizein, hōste kai anelthein tēn skian pous deka anadathmous. Badylōniōn de kai Chaldaiōn, hoi epiklēn sophoi, ischnoi lian hyparchontes, ei kai autous einai phaachontes peri te tou hēliou dromon, kai asterōn epanatolas, kai dyseis, ouk hēgnoēchasi kata to eikos tēn anopin hypostrophēn, kai tēs hēmeras ekeinēs to asynēthes mēkos, Ēn de dē kai mala eikos echtethryllę̄ēsthai tois ana pasan tēn gēn tou sēmeiou tēn dynamin, kai hoti dedotai pros bethaiōsin tēs epangelias tou Theou tēs epi ge, phēmi, tǭ Ezekią genomenēs. Kai kath᾽ heteron de tropon tethaumakchenai phamen ton Meōdach to paradoxōs symrousalēm, hoos en mią nykti dedapanēchen angelou chataptaiouta cheir, hōs heurethēnai panta prōi ta sōmata nechma. Oukoun ēchon men hoi presdeis, ep’ autais dē tautais tais pera logou theosēmiais chata- Ho de kaitoi deon tois ek Badylōnos lampran poieisthai diēgēsin tas kata kairous epikouria: tou panta ischyontos theou, kai tōn paradoxōn tēn megalourgian, hina kai eti meizonōs tēn theian hyperochēn thaumazontes, kai tēn amachon heexousian tou pantōn Despotou, dia tōn par᾽ autou mystagōgēthentōn logōn, hyponostēseian eis tēn heautōn, tēn peri Theou gnōsin chataploutēsantes " ēn gar houtō dynasthai kai heterous ōphelein epangellontas ha memathēkasi" touto men ouk hedra, parechomiothē de mallon eis anthrōpinēn philochompian, kai ouk aph᾽ hōn tetimētai para Theou tēn heautou doxan oikonomei, all᾽ ek ploutou tou kata tēn basileian, kai mechri toutōn horizei tēs enousēs eukleias heautǭ tēn dynamin. deixe gar, phēsin, autois ton oikon … tou Nechotha" diermēneuetai de to Nechotha tōn arōmatōn, kai tēs stachtēs, kai tou myrou, kai tou tōn skeuōn tēs gazēs, tout᾽ esti, tēs periousias.
In the fourth book of Kingdoms it is written that the cause of Hezekiah's sickness was an evil and intractable sore, so that even the skills of physicians gave up. But since God had once granted life to the righteous man and commanded that the disease be thrown off, … that he be freed through the very things through which it was likely, or rather beyond doubt, that the wound would incline to an increase of pain. For the hand of the all-powerful always works wonders, and the manner of help comes through the unexpected, plainly the help that comes from him. Crush, then, he says, a cake of figs, …, and you will be well. And from these, as I said, … to expect that harm would be done, or that the wound would profit nothing. But since it was God who commanded, Hezekiah, being all-wise, takes the thing as having the force of a sign, and says: If I am healed even by a cake of figs, this will be to me a sure and true sign that I will go up to the house of God, plainly to sacrifice to him and to pray, when the sickness has ceased and every pain within me has been, as it were, put to sleep.
“At that time Meodach son of … sent …, for … that he had been sick unto death and had risen. And Hezekiah rejoiced over them with great joy, and showed them the house of Nechotha, and of the stacte and the incense and the myrrh, and of the silver and the gold, and all the houses of the vessels of the treasure, and all that was in his treasuries; and there was nothing that Hezekiah did not show in his house.”
When Sennacherib had died at the hands of his own children, the sacred writing says that Nechordan his son reigned in his place. But, as it seems, when he had been removed from the scene, … of the kingdom is said to have sent to Hezekiah gifts together with letters and envoys; and what the reason for this was it is necessary to say. For he heard, it says, that he had been sick unto death and had risen. But it was not this alone — I mean that Hezekiah had been sick and then turned back again to health — that astounded the Babylonian, but surely that great and truly extraordinary sign: by an ineffable nod befitting God the sun was commanded to run back and go backward, so that the shadow went up ten steps. And the so-called wise men of the Babylonians and Chaldeans, being very subtle and claiming to be versed in the course of the sun and the risings and settings of the stars, naturally did not fail to notice the backward turning and the unusual length of that day. And it was very likely that the force of the sign had been noised abroad to those throughout the whole earth, and that it was given to confirm God's promise, I mean the one made to Hezekiah. And in another way too we say that Meodach marvelled at what had happened beyond expectation … Jerusalem, whom the hand of an angel, striking them down, consumed in one night, so that in the morning all the bodies were found dead. So the envoys came, … at these very divine signs beyond words. But he, though he ought to have given those from Babylon a splendid account of the help of the all-powerful God at various times and of the grandeur of his wonders — so that, marvelling still more at the divine pre-eminence and the invincible authority of the Master of all, through the words of initiation from him, they might return to their own land enriched with the knowledge of God; for so they would have been able to benefit others too, reporting what they had learned — this he did not do, but was carried away rather into human boastfulness; he managed his own glory not from what he had been honoured with by God but from the wealth of his kingdom, and to these things he limited the power of the renown that was his. For he showed them, it says, the house of Nechotha. Nechotha is interpreted … of spices, and of the stacte, and of the myrrh, and of the vessels of the treasure, that is, of the wealth.
2 Kgs 20:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 38:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 38:22 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 39:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 39:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 37:38 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 38:8 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Chr 32:31 (allusion, medium confidence) · Isa 37:36 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: God healed Hezekiah's sore through a fig poultice, a remedy that should have harmed it, and Hezekiah took it as a sign (Isa 38:21–22); Merodach's envoys came, amazed by the sun's turning back and the Assyrian disaster, but Hezekiah, instead of telling them of God's works, showed them his treasures (Isa 39:1–2).
- Lemma: Isa 39:1–2 (LXX; “Baladan king of Babylon … letters and envoys and gifts to Hezekiah; for he heard” lost in the OCR; marked “…”). Cyril's text calls the king Meodach and Sennacherib's son Nechordan. Words are lost in the comment (marked “…”), where Migne's Latin version, read as Greek letters by the OCR, has been removed. Allusions: 2 Kgs 20:7 (the sore, “the fourth book of Kingdoms”); 2 Chr 32:31 (the envoys and the sign); Isa 37:36–38.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's Latin version read as Greek letters by the OCR; lost Greek marked): Α 56, υἱ ἀρραγεῖ, 60 4φυοηιι 6 τῃθεϊΐο δι δῖα, τορεΐ. → … ; ἢ (λου!αΐαπι. αὐτὰ → … .
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Comm. Isa. 3.4.16 (PG 70; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/3-4-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/3-4-16
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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.
3.4.17PG 70
τὸν πλοῦτον, ἤτοι τὴν περιουσίαν. Καὶ ἦλθεν ἩΗσαΐας ὁ προφήτης πρὸς τὸν βασι- «2:έα ᾿Εζχίαν, καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν" Τί έγουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι οὗτοι, καὶ πόθεν ἥκασι πρὸς σέ; Καὶ εἶπεν Ἐζχίας" ᾿χ γῆς πόῤῥωθεν ἤκασι πρός με, ἐκ Βαδυιῶνος. Καὶ εἶπε» Ἡσαΐας" Τί εἴδοσαν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου; Καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Εζχίας" Πάντα τὰ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μου εἴδοσαν, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μου, ὃ οὐκ εἴδοσαν, ἀ.1.1ὰ καὶ τὰ ἐν τοῖς θησαυροῖς μου εἴδοσαν. Καὶ εἶπεν αὑτῷ ἀργυρίου καὶ τοῦ χρυσίου, καὶ πάντας τοὺς οἴκους Γάζα γὰρ λέξις μὲν εἶναι λέγεται Περσικὴ, δηλοῖ δὲ ἐπ᾿ … ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου, καὶ ὅσα συνήγαγον οἱ πατέρες ὅτι Καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν τέκνων σου ὧν ἐγέγνησάς γε λήψονται, καὶ ποιήσουσι σπάδονας ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ βασιλέως τῶν Βαδυωγνίων. … σπουδάζοντες τῆς ἀνόπιν ὑποστροφῆς τοῦ ἡλίου, … κτίσις παραχωρεῖ, τὸν οἶκον ἔδειξε τῶν θυμιαμάτων, … ἐφ᾽ ὅτῳ τε ἤκουσι, καὶ τίς ὁ λόγος αὐτοῖς. Ὁ δὲ πρὸς … ἡμέρας ἥξειν φησὶ, καθ᾽ ἃς ἅπαντα τὰ ἐν τοῖς θησαυ… ὁ Ναθουχοδονόσορ, κατεμπρήσας δὲ τὰ ᾿Ιεροσόλυμα, … τούτον Θεὸς, ἣ ὅτι τοῖς ἐκ Βαδυλῶνος ἥκουσιν, ἄμεινον ἦν δήπου, καὶ σοφὸν, ἀναγκαίαν ποιήσασθαι διήγησιν τὰ παραδόξως γεγενημένα διὰ τῆς θείας ὑπεροχῆς, καὶ μεγαλουργίας, ἤγουν καὶ μονονουχὶ καὶ χατερεθίσαι τὸν Βαδυλωνίων ὀφθαλμὸν, διὰ τοῦ καραδεῖξαι τὰ κεκρυμμένα ἐν θησαυροῖς. … καὶ δικαιοσύνη ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις μου. … φησι τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ λόγον, καίτοι προαπηγγελχότα. δάκρυον. Εἶτα τὴν ἐν ταῖς ἰδίαις ἡμέραις εἰρημένην [γρ. εἰρήνην] ζητεῖ, μονονουχὶ καὶ φράσας ἐῤῥῶσθαι ας μετ᾽ αὐτὸν ἐσομένοις, καὶ ἀφειδήσας παντελῶς χώρας τε ὁμοῦ τῆς ἰδίας πόλεώς; τε καὶ γένους. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἣν ἄμεινον αὑτῷ χατολοφύρεσθαι μὲν ἐπί γε τοῖς ποοηγορευμένοις, ἐξαιτῆσαι δὲ παρὰ Θεοῦ τὸν ἔλεον, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς μετ᾽ αὐτὸν, οὐ πρόσκαιρον, καὶ συνεσταλμένην εὐημερίαν αἰτεῖν. ᾿Αλλὰ γὰρ ἀσθενὴς ἄγαν ὁ ἀνθρώπου νοῦς, καὶ πολλὰ πταίομεν, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, ἀγχίνους δὲ καὶ σοφὸς οὐδεὶς ἂν γένοιτο τῶν καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς εἰσάπαν, διεχπίπτει δὲ πολλάκις εἰς τὸ μὴ ἔχον ὀρθῶς, καὶ καρδία θεοφιλὴς, χἀὶ νοῦς ὁ ὁ Θεός" ἱερεῖς, λαλήσατε εἰς τὴν καρδίαν Ἱερου- Β σαιλὴμ, παρακαιέσατε αὐτὴν, ὅτι ἐπλήσθη ἡ ταπείνωσις αὑτῆς" «1έλυται αὐτῆς ἡ ἁμαρτία, ὅτι ἐδέξατο ἐκ χειρὸς Κυρίου διπλᾶ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα αὑτῆς.
ton plouton, ētoi tēn periousian. Kai ēlthen HēĒsaïas ho prophētēs pros ton basi- «2:ea ᾿Ezchian, kai eipe pros auton" Ti egousin hoi anthrōpoi houtoi, kai pothen hēkasi pros se? Kai eipen Ezchias" ᾿ch gēs porrhōthen ēkasi pros me, ek Baduiōnos. Kai eipe» Hēsaïas" Ti eidosan en tǭ oikǭ sou? Kai eipen ᾿Ezchias" Panta ta en tǭ oikǭ mou eidosan, kai ouk estin en tǭ oikǭ mou, ho ouk eidosan, a.1.1a kai ta en tois thēsaurois mou eidosan. Kai eipen hautǭ argyriou kai tou chrysiou, kai pantas tous oikous Gaza gar lexis men einai legetai Persikē, dēloi de ep᾿ … en tǭ oikǭ sou, kai hosa synēgagon hoi pateres hoti Kai apo tōn teknōn sou hōn egegnēsas ge lēpsontai, kai poiēsousi spadonas en tǭ oikǭ tou basileōs tōn Badyōgniōn. … spoudazontes tēs anopin hypostrophēs tou hēliou, … ktisis parachōrei, ton oikon edeixe tōn thymiamatōn, … eph᾽ hotǭ te ēkousi, kai tis ho logos autois. Ho de pros … hēmeras hēxein phēsi, kath᾽ has hapanta ta en tois thēsau… ho Nathouchodonosor, katemprēsas de ta ᾿Ierosolyma, … touton Theos, hē hoti tois ek Badylōnos hēkousin, ameinon ēn dēpou, kai sophon, anankaian poiēsasthai diēgēsin ta paradoxōs gegenēmena dia tēs theias hyperochēs, kai megalourgias, ēgoun kai mononouchi kai chaterethisai ton Badylōniōn ophthalmon, dia tou karadeixai ta kekrymmena en thēsaurois. … kai dikaiosynē en tais hēmerais mou. … phēsi ton tou Theou logon, kaitoi proapēngelchota. dakryon. Eita tēn en tais idiais hēmerais eirēmenēn [gr. eirēnēn] zētei, mononouchi kai phrasas errhōsthai as met᾽ auton esomenois, kai apheidēsas pantelōs chōras te homou tēs idias poleōs? te kai genous. ᾿All᾽ hēn ameinon hautǭ chatolophyresthai men epi ge tois pooēgoreumenois, exaitēsai de para Theou ton eleon, kai epi tois met᾽ auton, ou proskairon, kai synestalmenēn euēmerian aitein. ᾿Alla gar asthenēs agan ho anthrōpou nous, kai polla ptaiomen, kata to gegrammenon, anchinous de kai sophos oudeis an genoito tōn kath᾽ hēmas eisapan, diechpiptei de pollakis eis to mē echon orthōs, kai kardia theophilēs, chai nous ho ho Theos" hiereis, lalēsate eis tēn kardian Hierou- B sailēm, parakaiesate autēn, hoti eplēsthē hē tapeinōsis hautēs" «1elytai autēs hē hamartia, hoti edexato ek cheiros Kyriou dipla ta hamartēmata hautēs.
… the wealth, or the substance.
“And Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and said to him: What do these men say, and from where have they come to you? And Hezekiah said: They have come to me from a land far off, from Babylon. And Isaiah said: What did they see in your house? And Hezekiah said: They saw everything in my house, and there is nothing in my house that they did not see; they also saw what is in my treasuries. And … said to him: … of the silver and of the gold, and all the houses …”
“Gaza” is said to be a Persian word, and it signifies …
“… in your house, and all that your fathers gathered … And from your children whom you begot they will take, and they will make eunuchs in the house of the king of the Babylonians.”
… eager [to learn] about the backward turning of the sun, … which creation yields to, he showed the house of incense … for what they had come, and what their business was. But he … says that days will come in which all that is in the treasuries … Nebuchadnezzar, having burned Jerusalem, … God … this; or that for those who came from Babylon it would surely have been better and wise to give the needful account of the things done wondrously through the divine pre-eminence and grandeur, rather than all but provoking the eye of the Babylonians by showing them the things hidden in the treasuries.
“… and righteousness in my days.”
… he says that the word of God …, though it had foretold … tear. Then he seeks peace in his own days, all but bidding farewell to those who would come after him, and wholly without concern for his country, his city, and his race together. But it would have been better for him to lament over what had been foretold, to beg mercy from God, and to ask for those after him a prosperity that was not temporary and narrow. But the human mind is very weak, and we stumble in many things, as it is written; and none of us would be wholly sharp and wise, but even a heart dear to God, and a mind, often falls into what is not right.
“… God. Priests, speak to the heart of Jerusalem, comfort her, for her humiliation has been fulfilled; her sin has been loosed, for she has received from the hand of the Lord double for her sins.”
Isa 39:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 39:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 39:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 39:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 39:7 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 24:13 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Kgs 25:9 (allusion, medium confidence) · Isa 39:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Jas 3:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 40:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 40:2 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Isaiah rebukes Hezekiah for showing the Babylonian envoys his treasures instead of telling them God's wonders, and foretells the Babylonian plunder and captivity (Isa 39:3–7); Hezekiah's wish for peace in his own days shows the weakness of even a godly mind (Isa 39:8); the lemma of Isa 40:1–2 follows.
- This section is badly damaged: long runs of Migne's Latin version, read as Greek letters by the OCR, have been removed, and the remaining Greek of the lemmas (Isa 39:3–7; 39:8, of which only the end survives; 40:1–2, whose opening “Comfort, comfort my people, says” is lost) and of the comment is fragmentary (marked “…”). “Peace”: the printed text reads εἰρημένην, and Migne's note proposes εἰρήνην, followed here. “Gaza” (treasure) is explained as a Persian word. Allusions: 2 Kgs 24:13 and 25:9 (the plunder and burning of Jerusalem); Jas 3:2 (we stumble in many things).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's Latin version read as Greek letters by the OCR; Migne's Latin version read as Greek letters by the OCR; lost Greek marked): Βαϑνυίοπενι νεπίδηϊ, εἰ πἰδὶί τεϊϊμσμεμς : αἰἰφμε → … ; εἶδ 8018, δ οὺγ ]Ι06 δίβπυπι (δε σοἰουγαίαιη [Δοίυπὶ θεῖν → … ; δι} Πιπϑηιογιπὶ εἰ βάΖαγυ!. ϑἰβο 80 ᾿ε!10Ὁ ργος → … ; ουἱΐ 41} ργογβι8 1116 γεβρομαϊι : μος δοίαπι ἀΐεῖι, → … ; ἐκ ΒΑΡ γ οη εἰ ἐκ 84 Βανγἱοηΐοβ : δά δεῖ οἱ {Π 4, φυοά εκ [υἱυτί8 → … ; ἄομεβ, ἰὰ δὶ ουμυοῖο5β. Ου͵υδιποι! δὲ ἰθο, οἱ οἱ → … ; ἀὐυν ἴῃ εἰοϑδιτγβ οϑιοπάοτεί!. → … ; ἀϊεϑυ πιεῖε. → … ; Αἰν 6586 86 γιβο πὶ οἷ, ἴοι με ρυιθηυπιίανογ!, → … ; πιδιιδτεηϊ. → .
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Comm. Isa. 3.4.17 (PG 70; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/3-4-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/3-4-17
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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.
3.4.18PG 70
Μεταπεφοίτηχεν ὁ λόγος ἐπὶ τὰ ἐν Χριστῷ, καὶ τῆς δι᾽ αὐτοῦ χάριτος ποιεῖται λοιπὸν ἐναργῆ τὴν ἀνάῤῥησιν" πλὴν οὐκ ἕξω τοῦ εἰκότος ὁρᾶται χεχωρηχὼς, οὔτε μὴν εἰσχεχομισμένος ἐν οὐ χαιρῷ τῷ καθήκοντι. Φαῖεν γὰρ ἂν ἴσως τινὲς τῶν οὐ λίαν ἠκχριδηκότων τὰ ἐν τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ Τίνα δὴ τρόπον τοῖς ᾿Εζεχίου λόγοις ὁ προφήτης ἐν τούτοις ἡμῖν ποιεῖται γείτονα τὴν ἐπὶ Χριστῷ προαγόρευσιν, ᾿Απολογησόμεθα δὲ πρὸς τοῦτο ἡμεῖς ἐκεῖνο λέγοντες ὅτι διαμνημονεύσας ὁ λόγος τῆς τελευταίας ἁλώσεως τῆς Ἰουδαίων γῆς, καὶ αὐτῶν δὲ τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων, ὡς ἐν καιρῷ καὶ χρείᾳ λοιπὸν, τὴν μετὰ τοῦτο γενομένην παρὰ Θεοῦ παράκλησιν εἰσχεχόμιχεν ἀναγκαίως. Ἐρῶ δὲ διὰ βραχέων τὴν διασάφησιν ἀχριδῇ τῶν ἀρτίως ἡμῖν εἰρημένων. Πλεῖτται μὲν γὰρ γεγόνασι κατὰ τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων ἔφοδοι, καὶ πεπόρθηται πολλάκις ἡ τῶν Ιουδαίων χώρα " τοῦτο μὲν ὑπὸ χειρὸς ᾿Ασσυρίων " τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐξ ὁμόρων Βαρδάρων, καὶ μὴν καὶ ἑτέρων τινῶν καταδῃούντων αὐτήν. Εἶτα τελευταία γέγονεν ἄλωσις, ἡ διά γε τοῦ Ναδουχοδονόσορ ἐν χαιροῖς τῆς Ἰεχονίου βασιλείας, ὅτε καὶ αἰχμάλωτος ὁ Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τὴν τῶν ἡρηχότων ἀπεχομίσθη χώραν. Καὶ ἐν καιροῖς τῆς βασιλείας … τὴν Ἰουδαίαν, ἀνεδείματό τε τὸν νεὼν, καὶ κατῳχήχασὶιν οὐ μεμερισμένως, μέχρι τῆς τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν παρουσίας. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν τῆς ἐσχάτης αἰχμαλωσίας πεποίηται μνήμην, ὅτε πάντα τὰ ἐν θησαυροῖς τῶν βασιλέων τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἐλθόντες (γρ. ἐχόντες) οἱ Βαδυλώνιοι ὑπενόστησαν εἰς τὴν ἑαυτῶν, ἀναγχχίως καὶ τῆς μετὰ τοῦτο γεγενημένης παρακλήσεως, δῆλον δὲδτι τῆς διὰ Χριστοῦ, ποιεῖται τὴν προαγόρευσιν τοῖς τὸ θεῖον ἱερουργοῦσιν Εὐαγγέλιον, ἐπιτάττων, καὶ λέγων" « Παρακαλεῖτε, παραπαλεῖτε τὸν λαόν μου, λέγει ὁ θεός. » Παράκλησις γὰρ πρὸς σωτηρίαν πρώτοῖς μάλιστα τοῖς ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ ἡ Χριστοῦ γέγονε … «Οὐκ ἀπεστάλην εἰ μὴ εἰς τὰ ἀπολωλότα πρόὅατα οἴχου Ἰσραήλ.» Ὧ τοίνυν, φησὶν, ἱερεῖς, ὦ λειτουργοὶ τῶν νέων, καὶ διὰ Χριστοῦ θεσπισμάτων, λαλήσατε εἰς τὴν καρδίαν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, εὐπαράδεκτον τοῖς ἀκροωμένοις τὸν τῆς παρακλήσεὼς ποιήσασθε λόγον. Φορτικὸς μὲν γὰρ ὁ νόμος ἦν ἅπασι, καὶ σκιὰς διδάσκων καὶ τύπους " οὐκ εἷς νοῦν καὶ καρδίαν τὴν περὶ τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἑνιεὶς παίδευ σιν τοῖς ἀκροωμένοις, ἀλλ᾽ οἷον ἐξωφανῆ τινα γνῶσιν τὴν ὡς ἐν γράμμασι μόνοις ἐνετίθει μόλις. Τὸ δέ γὙ1εὲ σωτήριον, καὶ εὐαγγελικὸν λαλεῖται κήρυγμα, δεικνύοντος τοῦ ἀγίου Πνεύματος τῆς ἑκάστου διανοίας τὸ βάθος, καὶ πνευματικὰς θεωρίας εἰσπέμποντος, καὶ τοὺς τῶν ἁγίων ἐμπηγνύντος λόγους, καὶ τοῖς ἐσωτάτοις τῆς διανοίας μυχοῖς οἱονεί πως ἐγχατακαίοντος. Τοιοῦτός τις ἦν ὁ μακάριος Δαδὶδ ψάλλων τε καὶ λέγων" « Ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου ἔκρυψα τὰ λόγιά σου, ὅπως ἂν μὴ ἁμάρτω σοι. » ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀποστόλοις προσπεφώνηχεν ὁ Σωτὴρ, ὅτι Θέσθε ὑμεῖς εἰς τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν λόγον, δῆλον δὲ ὅτι τὸν παρ᾽ αὑτοῦ, καὶ σωτήριον. Ὅτι δὲ εἰς νοῦν καὶ καρδίαν λαλεῖται τὸ εὐαγγελικὸν κήρυγμα παρὰ τῶν ἁγίων μυσταγωγῶν, συνεργαζομένου πρὸς τοῦτο, μᾶλλον δὲ κατορθοῦντος τὸ πᾶν τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, ἐκ τῶν ἱερῶν Γραμμάτων ἕποιτο ἂν ἡ πίστις. "Ἔφη γάρ που Θεὸς δι᾽ ἑνὸς τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν ᾿ ε Ἰδοὺ ἡμέραι ἔρχονται, λέγει Κύριος, καὶ συντελέσω ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον Ἰούδα διαθήκην τράσιν αὐτῶν, ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐπιλαδομένου μου τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῶν, τοῦ ἐξαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, ὅτι αὐτοὶ οὐκ ἀνέμειναν ἐν τῇ διαθήκῃ μου. Κἀγὼ ἡμέλησα αὐτῶν, λέγει Κύριος, ὅτι αὕτη ἣ διαθήκη ἣν διαθήσομαι αὐτοῖς ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις, λέγει Κύριος “ διδοὺς νόμους μον εἰς τὴν διάνοιαν αὑτῶν, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς καρδίας αὐτῶν ἐπιγράψω αὐτούς. » Γράφει δέ τισι καὶ ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος" ε Ἡ ἐπιστολὴ ὑμῶν ὑμεῖς ἐστὲ, γινωσκομένη τε καὶ ἐπιγινωσχομένη ὑπὸ πάντων ἀνθρώπων, φανερούμενοι ὅτι ἐστὲ ἐπιστολὴ Χριστοῦ διαχονηθεῖσα ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν, ἐγγεγραμμένη οὐ μέλανι, ἀλλὰ Πνεύματι Θεοῦ ζῶντος, οὐκ ἐν πλαξὶ λιθίναις, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν πλαξὶ καρδίας σαρκίναις. ν Δοκεῖ δέ τισιν, ἀντὶ τῶν τοῦ θείου κηρύγματος ἱερουρ-
Metapephoitēchen ho logos epi ta en Christǭ, kai tēs di᾽ autou charitos poieitai loipon enargē tēn anarrhēsin" plēn ouk hexō tou eikotos horatai chechōrēchōs, oute mēn eischechomismenos en ou chairǭ tǭ kathēkonti. Phaien gar an isōs tines tōn ou lian ēkchridēkotōn ta en tę̄ theią Graphę̄ Tina dē tropon tois ᾿Ezechiou logois ho prophētēs en toutois hēmin poieitai geitona tēn epi Christǭ proagoreusin, ᾿Apologēsometha de pros touto hēmeis ekeino legontes hoti diamnēmoneusas ho logos tēs teleutaias halōseōs tēs Ioudaiōn gēs, kai autōn de tōn Hierosolymōn, hōs en kairǭ kai chreią loipon, tēn meta touto genomenēn para Theou paraklēsin eischechomichen anankaiōs. Erō de dia bracheōn tēn diasaphēsin achridę̄ tōn artiōs hēmin eirēmenōn. Pleittai men gar gegonasi kata tōn Hierosolymōn ephodoi, kai peporthētai pollakis hē tōn Ioudaiōn chōra " touto men hypo cheiros ᾿Assyriōn " touto de kai ex homorōn Bardarōn, kai mēn kai heterōn tinōn katadę̄ountōn autēn. Eita teleutaia gegonen alōsis, hē dia ge tou Nadouchodonosor en chairois tēs Iechoniou basileias, hote kai aichmalōtos ho Israēl eis tēn tōn hērēchotōn apechomisthē chōran. Kai en kairois tēs basileias … tēn Ioudaian, anedeimato te ton neōn, kai katǭchēchasiin ou memerismenōs, mechri tēs tou Sōtēros hēmōn parousias. Epeidē toinyn tēs eschatēs aichmalōsias pepoiētai mnēmēn, hote panta ta en thēsaurois tōn basileōn tēs Ioudaias elthontes (gr. echontes) hoi Badylōnioi hypenostēsan eis tēn heautōn, ananchchiōs kai tēs meta touto gegenēmenēs paraklēseōs, dēlon dedti tēs dia Christou, poieitai tēn proagoreusin tois to theion hierourgousin Euangelion, epitattōn, kai legōn" « Parakaleite, parapaleite ton laon mou, legei ho theos. » Paraklēsis gar pros sōtērian prōtois malista tois ex Israēl hē Christou gegone … «Ouk apestalēn ei mē eis ta apolōlota prooata oichou Israēl.» Hō toinyn, phēsin, hiereis, ō leitourgoi tōn neōn, kai dia Christou thespismatōn, lalēsate eis tēn kardian Hierousalēm, tout᾽ estin, euparadekton tois akroōmenois ton tēs paraklēseōs poiēsasthe logon. Phortikos men gar ho nomos ēn hapasi, kai skias didaskōn kai typous " ouk heis noun kai kardian tēn peri tōn anankaiōn henieis paideu sin tois akroōmenois, all᾽ hoion exōphanē tina gnōsin tēn hōs en grammasi monois enetithei molis. To de gY1ee sōtērion, kai euangelikon laleitai kērygma, deiknyontos tou agiou Pneumatos tēs hekastou dianoias to bathos, kai pneumatikas theōrias eispempontos, kai tous tōn hagiōn empēgnyntos logous, kai tois esōtatois tēs dianoias mychois hoionei pōs enchatakaiontos. Toioutos tis ēn ho makarios Dadid psallōn te kai legōn" « En tę̄ kardią mou ekrypsa ta logia sou, hopōs an mē hamartō soi. » ᾿Alla kai tois hagiois apostolois prospephōnēchen ho Sōtēr, hoti Thesthe hymeis eis tas kardias hymōn logon, dēlon de hoti ton par᾽ hautou, kai sōtērion. Hoti de eis noun kai kardian laleitai to euangelikon kērygma para tōn hagiōn mystagōgōn, synergazomenou pros touto, mallon de katorthountos to pan tou hagiou Pneumatos, ek tōn hierōn Grammatōn hepoito an hē pistis. "Ephē gar pou Theos di᾽ henos tōn hagiōn prophētōn ᾿ e Idou hēmerai erchontai, legei Kyrios, kai syntelesō epi ton oikon Israēl, kai epi ton oikon Iouda diathēkēn trasin autōn, en hēmerą epiladomenou mou tēs cheiros autōn, tou exagagein autous ek gēs Aigyptou, hoti autoi ouk anemeinan en tę̄ diathēkę̄ mou. Kagō hēmelēsa autōn, legei Kyrios, hoti hautē hē diathēkē hēn diathēsomai autois en tais hēmerais ekeinais, legei Kyrios “ didous nomous mon eis tēn dianoian hautōn, kai epi tas kardias autōn epigrapsō autous. » Graphei de tisi kai ho makarios Paulos" e Hē epistolē hymōn hymeis este, ginōskomenē te kai epiginōschomenē hypo pantōn anthrōpōn, phaneroumenoi hoti este epistolē Christou diachonētheisa hyph᾽ hēmōn, engegrammenē ou melani, alla Pneumati Theou zōntos, ouk en plaxi lithinais, all᾽ en plaxi kardias sarkinais. n Dokei de tisin, anti tōn tou theiou kērygmatos hierour-
The discourse has passed over to the things in Christ, and from now on makes plain proclamation of the grace through him; yet it is not seen to have gone beyond what is fitting, nor to have been brought in at an unsuitable time. For perhaps some of those not very precise in the things of divine Scripture might say: In what way does the prophet here make the prophecy about Christ neighbour to Hezekiah's words? We shall answer this by saying that, having made mention of the final capture of the land of the Jews and of Jerusalem itself, the discourse necessarily brought in, as at the right time and need, the comfort from God that came after it. I shall state briefly the precise explanation of what we have just said. There were very many attacks on Jerusalem, and the land of the Jews was often sacked, now by the hand of the Assyrians, now by neighbouring barbarians, and indeed by certain others ravaging it. Then came the final capture, through Nebuchadnezzar, in the times of Jeconiah's reign, when Israel too was carried away captive to the land of its captors. And in the times of the reign … Judea, and rebuilt the temple, and dwelt there undivided until the coming of our Saviour. Since, then, he has made mention of the final captivity, when the Babylonians, having taken all that was in the treasuries of the kings of Judea, returned to their own land, he necessarily makes the prophecy also of the comfort that came after this, plainly that through Christ, to those who minister as priests the divine gospel, commanding and saying: “Comfort, comfort my people, says God.” For the comfort unto salvation came first of all to those of Israel, … “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” So, O priests, he says, O ministers of the new oracles through Christ, speak to the heart of Jerusalem, that is, make the word of comfort acceptable to the hearers. For the law was burdensome to all, teaching shadows and types, not putting instruction about necessary things into the mind and heart of its hearers, but scarcely setting in them, as it were, a surface knowledge, as in letters only. But the saving and evangelical preaching is spoken while the Holy Spirit shows the depth of each one's mind, sends in spiritual contemplations, fixes the words of the saints, and, as it were, burns them into the innermost recesses of the mind. Such was blessed David, singing and saying: “In my heart I have hidden your sayings, that I might not sin against you.” And the Saviour said to the holy apostles: “Put the word into your hearts,” plainly his own saving word. And that the evangelical preaching is spoken to mind and heart by the holy initiators into the mysteries, the Holy Spirit working with them for this, or rather accomplishing the whole, the proof would follow from the holy writings. For God said somewhere through one of the holy prophets: “Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, when I will accomplish for the house of Israel and for the house of Judah a covenant … their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not remain in my covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant which I will make with them in those days, says the Lord: putting my laws into their mind, and I will write them on their hearts.” And blessed Paul too writes to some: “You are your letter, known and read by all men, being manifested that you are a letter of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on fleshly tablets of the heart.” And some think that instead of the ministers of the divine preaching
Isa 40:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 40:2 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 24:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Ezra 1:1 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ezra 6:15 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 15:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 119:11 (118:11 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 9:44 (quotation, medium confidence) · Jer 31:31 (38:31 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 31:32 (38:32 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 31:33 (38:33 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 3:2 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 3:3 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Cyril explains why the prophecy of Christ (Isa 40:1–2) follows the account of Hezekiah: after foretelling the final captivity under Nebuchadnezzar, the prophet announces the comfort that came through Christ, first to Israel; the ministers of the gospel speak to the heart, as the Spirit writes the new covenant on hearts, not tablets of stone.
- Words are lost after “in the times of the reign” (probably of Cyrus and the return) and before the quotation of Matt 15:24 (marked “…”), where Migne's Latin version and references, read as Greek letters by the OCR, have been removed. “Having taken”: the printed text reads ἐλθόντες (“having come”), with Migne's note proposing ἑλόντες/ἐχόντες; translated by the note's sense. Quotations: Isa 40:1; Matt 15:24; Ps 119:11 (LXX 118:11); Luke 9:44 (Cyril's wording); Jer 31:31–33 (LXX 38:31–33; the words “not according to the covenant which I made with” are lost); 2 Cor 3:2–3 (Cyril's text reads “your letter”). Allusions: 2 Kgs 24:10–16 (Jeconiah); Ezra 1:1–4; 6:15.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's Latin version read as Greek letters by the OCR; lost Greek marked; Migne's references read into the text by the OCR; lost Greek marked): Ουγ8 οἱ γορίοηϊβ δὲ δι εἰν 8115 οἱ σϑηθγίβ. Ὑ οἱ ἃ ἢδο πιϊξεγίςογΐδπι ρει ν͵886, δἱ ροδίδγογιπι εἶπα υἱοίπδπι [δοΐδι 7 Αἀ μος εἰς ἀείεηδίοποιμ ἱπϑι υ → … ; πα- 9 λις. ἢ 3. δ᾽ Μά}. χ, 24. γῶς → … .
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Comm. Isa. 3.4.18 (PG 70; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/3-4-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/3-4-18
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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.
3.4.19PG 70
ποὺς ἁγίους " οἷς δὴ μάλιστα πρέποι ἂν καὶ τὸ ἐν καρδίαις δύνασθαι λαλεῖν. Παρακαλέσατε τοίνυν αὐτήν. Τί δὴ ἄρα λέγοντες; ὅτι χατέληξε τῆς ὀργῆς «ἧς ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς γενομένης ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεός.ε Ἐπλήσθη ἡ ταπείνωσις αὐτῆς.» ᾿Αποχρώντως γὰρ, φησὶ, τεταπείνωται, καὶ λέλυται αὑτῆς ἡ ἁμαρτία. «Ὅτι ἐδέξατο ἐκ χειρὸς Κυρίου διπλᾶ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα αὐτῆς. »᾽Αρ᾽ οὐκὶ πέρα τοῦ δέοντος ἐχόλαζε Θεὸς, καὶ οὐκ ἰσοῤῥόποὺς τοῖς ἐγκλήμασιν ἐπετίθει τὰς δίκας, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ ταύτας πολὺ, καὶ οἷον ἐν διπλῷ " εἶτα πῶς οὐκ ἀπίθανον τὸ χρῆμά ἐστι; Πῶς δὲ ἀληθεύσει, λέγων" Οὐκ ἐκδικήσει Κύριος δὶς ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ἐν θλίψει; πῶς οὖν ἄρα συνιέναι χρὴ τὸ εἰρημένον; οἱονεὶ γάρ τις … Ὁ φιλόπαις πατὴρ καὶ πλείστην ἔχων τὴν εὐσπλαγχνίαν πλημμελοῦντά τινα τὸν υἱὸν (τῶν νἱῶν ὀλίγα λελυπηχὼς, οἴεται τάχα που καὶ παρὰ τοῦ μέτρου τὸ π᾿ αὐτῷ πεποιῆσθαι κίνημα - αἵτιον δὲ τούτου φιλοστοργία, καὶ ἡ παισὶν ἐκ πατρὸς ὀφειλομένη διάθεσις" οὕτω δεδέχθαι φησὶν ἐκ χειρὸς Κυρίου διπλᾶ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα αὑτῆς, τὴν παραχαλουμένην Ἱερουσαλὴμ, ἐπὶ πολὺ μὲν ἄγαν χατεγνωσμένην, δεινοῖς τε, καὶ ἀφορήτοις πράγμασι, μετρίως γε μὴν, καὶ οὐκ ἰσοῤῥόπως τοῖς παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ γινομένοις χεχολασμένην. ε Καὶ γάρ ἐστιν ἀληθῶς οἰκτίρμων καὶ ἐλεήμων ὁ Κύριος, μακρόθυμος, καὶ πολνέλεος, -καὶ ἀληθινὸς, καὶ οὐ κατὰ τὰς ἀνομίας ἡμῶν ἐποίησεν ἡμῖν; οὐδὲ κατὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν ἐποίησεν ἡμῖν. » Μι Φωνη βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ Ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν Πᾶσω φάραγξ πληρωθήσεται, καὶ πᾶν ὄρος καὶ βουνὸς ταπειγωθήσεται" καὶ ἔσται πάντα τὰ σκχολιὰ εἰς εὐθεῖαν, καὶ ἡ τραχεῖα εἰς πεδιάδα, καὶ ὀρθήσεται ἡ δόξα Κυρίου, καὶ ὄψεται πᾶσα σὰρξ τὸ σωτήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅτι Κύριος ἐλά- ΔΛελυτρῶσθαι λέγων τὸν Ἰσραὴλ, ἀπηλλάχθαι δὲ καὶ τῶν ἰδίων πταισμάτων τὴν ᾿ἱερουσαλὴμ παρακληθῆναί τε προστεταχὼς αὐτὴν, μονονουχὶ κατὰ πόδας τῶν εἰρημένων ἰόντα τε, καὶ τρέχοντα τὸν τῆς καραχλήσεως ὑποφαίνει καιρόν " ἔστι δὲ οὗτος τῆς τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἐπιδημίας, οὗ καὶ πρόδρομος εἰσδέθηπεν ὁ θεαπέσιο; Βαπτιστὴς ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τῆς Ἰουδαίας, διαχεχραγώς τε καὶ λέγων" ε Ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου" εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίδους ἐει. τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν. » Τοῦτό τοι προεγνωχὼς ἐν πνεύ- ( 108 ματι, καὶ ὁ μακάριος Ζαχαρίας ὁ αὐτοῦ γεγονὼς Ἰωάννου πατὴρ προεφήτευσε, λέγων" ε Καὶ σὺ, γὰρ πρὸ προσώπου Κυρίου ἑτοιμάσαι τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ. ν» Καὶ περὶ αὑτοῦ πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἔφασκεν ὁ Σωτὴρ' « Ἐκεῖνος ἦν ὁ λύχνος ἁ καιόμενος καὶ φαίνων. » Ὑμεῖς δὲ ἠθελήσατε ἀγαλλιασθῆναι πρὸς ὥραν ἐν τῷ φωτὶ αὐτοῦ. » Ἥλιος μὲν γὰρ δικαιοσύνης, καὶ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός. Λύχνῳ δὲ πλρεικάζει τὸ Γράμμα τὸ ἱερὸν, τὸν μακάριον Βαπτιστῆν.
pous hagious " hois dē malista prepoi an kai to en kardiais dynasthai lalein. Parakalesate toinyn autēn. Ti dē ara legontes? hoti chatelēxe tēs orgēs «hēs ep᾽ autois genomenēs ho tōn holōn Theos.e Eplēsthē hē tapeinōsis autēs.» ᾿Apochrōntōs gar, phēsi, tetapeinōtai, kai lelytai hautēs hē hamartia. «Hoti edexato ek cheiros Kyriou dipla ta hamartēmata autēs. »᾽Ar᾽ ouki pera tou deontos echolaze Theos, kai ouk isorrhopous tois enklēmasin epetithei tas dikas, all᾽ hyper tautas poly, kai hoion en diplǭ " eita pōs ouk apithanon to chrēma esti? Pōs de alētheusei, legōn" Ouk ekdikēsei Kyrios dis epi to auto en thlipsei? pōs oun ara synienai chrē to eirēmenon? hoionei gar tis … Ho philopais patēr kai pleistēn echōn tēn eusplanchnian plēmmelounta tina ton huion (tōn niōn oliga lelypēchōs, oietai tacha pou kai para tou metrou to p᾿ autǭ pepoiēsthai kinēma - haition de toutou philostorgia, kai hē paisin ek patros opheilomenē diathesis" houtō dedechthai phēsin ek cheiros Kyriou dipla ta hamartēmata hautēs, tēn parachaloumenēn Hierousalēm, epi poly men agan chategnōsmenēn, deinois te, kai aphorētois pragmasi, metriōs ge mēn, kai ouk isorrhopōs tois par᾽ autou ginomenois checholasmenēn. e Kai gar estin alēthōs oiktirmōn kai eleēmōn ho Kyrios, makrothymos, kai polneleos, -kai alēthinos, kai ou kata tas anomias hēmōn epoiēsen hēmin? oude kata tas hamartias hēmōn epoiēsen hēmin. » Mi Phōnē boōntos en tę̄ erēmǭ Hetoimasate tēn Pasō pharanx plērōthēsetai, kai pan oros kai bounos tapeigōthēsetai" kai estai panta ta skcholia eis eutheian, kai hē tracheia eis pediada, kai orthēsetai hē doxa Kyriou, kai opsetai pasa sarx to sōtērion tou Theou, hoti Kyrios ela- DLelytrōsthai legōn ton Israēl, apēllachthai de kai tōn idiōn ptaismatōn tēn ᾿hierousalēm paraklēthēnai te prostetachōs autēn, mononouchi kata podas tōn eirēmenōn ionta te, kai trechonta ton tēs karachlēseōs hypophainei kairon " esti de houtos tēs tou Sōtēros hēmōn epidēmias, hou kai prodromos eisdethēpen ho theapesio? Baptistēs en tę̄ erēmǭ tēs Ioudaias, diachechragōs te kai legōn" e Hetoimasate tēn hodon Kyriou" eutheias poieite tas tridous eei. tou Theou hēmōn. » Touto toi proegnōchōs en pneu- ( 108 mati, kai ho makarios Zacharias ho autou gegonōs Iōannou patēr proephēteuse, legōn" e Kai sy, gar pro prosōpou Kyriou hetoimasai tas hodous autou. n» Kai peri hautou pros autous ephasken ho Sōtēr' « Ekeinos ēn ho lychnos ha kaiomenos kai phainōn. » Hymeis de ēthelēsate agalliasthēnai pros hōran en tǭ phōti autou. » Hēlios men gar dikaiosynēs, kai phōs to alēthinon estin ho Christos. Lychnǭ de plreikazei to Gramma to hieron, ton makarion Baptistēn.
… the saints, to whom it would be most fitting to be able to speak in hearts. Comfort her, then. Saying what? That the God of all has ceased from the wrath that came upon them. “Her humiliation has been fulfilled.” For she has been humbled sufficiently, he says, and her sin has been loosed, “for she has received from the hand of the Lord double for her sins.” Did God, then, punish beyond what was due, and not impose penalties equal to the charges, but far beyond them, and as it were double? Then how is the thing not implausible? And how will he speak truly who says, “The Lord will not avenge twice for the same thing in affliction”? How, then, must what is said be understood? As if someone … A father who loves his children and has very great compassion, having grieved a son who offends even a little, perhaps thinks that his anger against him went beyond measure; the cause of this is fondness and the affection owed by a father to his children. So he says that Jerusalem, which is being comforted, has received from the hand of the Lord double for her sins: though condemned for a very long time to terrible and unbearable things, she has yet been punished moderately and not in proportion to what she did. “For the Lord is truly compassionate and merciful, long-suffering and abounding in mercy and true, and he has not dealt with us according to our lawless deeds, nor dealt with us according to our sins.”
“A voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the … Every ravine will be filled, and every mountain and hill made low; and all the crooked will become straight, and the rough into a plain; and the glory of the Lord will be seen, and all flesh will see the salvation of God, for the Lord has spoken.”
Having said that Israel has been redeemed and that Jerusalem has been freed from her own offences, and having commanded that she be comforted, he shows the time of comfort coming and running, as it were, on the heels of what was said. This is the time of our Saviour's coming, of which the divine Baptist entered as forerunner in the wilderness of Judea, crying out and saying: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight the paths of our God.” Foreknowing this in the Spirit, blessed Zechariah too, who was the father of John, prophesied, saying: “And you, … for … before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways.” And concerning him the Saviour said to them: “He was the lamp that burns and shines, and you were willing to rejoice for an hour in his light.” For Christ is the sun of righteousness and the true light; and the sacred Writing compares the blessed Baptist to a lamp.
Isa 40:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Nah 1:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 103:8 (102:8 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 103:10 (102:10 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 86:15 (85:15 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence) · Isa 40:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 40:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 40:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 3:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 1:76 (quotation, high confidence) · John 5:35 (quotation, high confidence) · Mal 4:2 (3:20 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · John 1:9 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Jerusalem's receiving “double for her sins” (Isa 40:2) does not mean God punished beyond desert, but speaks as a loving father who feels even a moderate punishment to be excessive; the voice in the wilderness (Isa 40:3–5) is John the Baptist, the lamp before Christ, the true light.
- Lemma: Isa 40:3–5 (LXX; “way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God” lost in the OCR but quoted in the comment). Words are lost in the comparison of the father and in the quotation of Luke 1:76 (marked “…”); Migne's Latin version, read as Greek letters by the OCR, has been removed. Quotations: Nah 1:9 (LXX); Ps 103:8, 10 (LXX 102:8, 10) with Ps 86:15 (LXX 85:15); Matt 3:3; Luke 1:76; John 5:35. Allusions: Mal 4:2 (LXX 3:20); John 1:9.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's Latin version read as Greek letters by the OCR; lost Greek marked): Α ΓΙΜῺ δέοι [|, → … .
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Comm. Isa. 3.4.19 (PG 70; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/3-4-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/3-4-19
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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.
3.4.20PG 70
Ὡς γὰρ πρὸς τὸ θεῖόν τε καὶ ἄῤῥητον φῶς, πρὸς τὴν ἄφραστόν τε καὶ ὑπερμεγέθη λαμπρότητα, παρειχάζοιτο ἂν εἰκὸς τῷ λύχνῳ τῷ βραχεῖ τὸ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης διανοίας μέτρον, καὶ εἰ πλῆρες γένοιτο φωτὸς καὶ … Τί τοίνυν ἐστὶ τὸ, « Ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίον, νκαὶ τό γε δὴ δεῖν εὐθείας ποιεῖσθαι τὰς τρίὄους αὑτοῦ; Σαφηνίζει προστιθείς " ε Πᾶσα φάραγξ Ἐληρωθήσεται, καὶ πᾶν ὄρος καὶ βουνὸς ταπειγωθήσεται, καὶ ἔσται πάντα τὰ σκολιὰ εἰς εὐθεῖαν, καὶ ἡ τραχεῖα εἰς πεδιάδα. » Εἰσὶ μὲν γὰρ λεωφόροι τινὲς, ἤτοι τρίδοι βάσιμοι μὲν ἤκιστά γε, τραχεῖαι δὲ αὗται καὶ δυσπόρευτοι, ὡς πῇ μὲν ἀνίστασθαι πρὸς ὄρη τε καὶ βουνοὺς, πῇ δὲ αὐτὰς χαταφέρεσθαι, καὶ εἰς κρημνοὺς ἀποχρεμᾶσθαι βαθεῖς. Εἰ δὲ δὴ γένοιτό πως ὑφιζῆσαι μὲν τὰ ὑψοῦ καὶ ἀνάντη, ἀναπίμπλασθαι δὲ τὰ ἐν κοίλῳ καὶ βάθει, τότε δὴ, τότε πάντη «ε καὶ πάντως εἰς εὐθεῖαν ἔσται τὰ σκολιὰ, καὶ εἰς … τε, καὶ φαραγγώδη. Πότε τοῦτο; τοῦτο γέγονε νογ)τῶς διὰ τῆς τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἰσχύος. Πάλαι μὲν γὰρ ἅπασιν, ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, ἀνθρώποις δυσπόρευτος ἦν ἡ ἐξαίρετος ζωὴ, καὶ τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς πολιτείας ἡ τρίδος ἀνεπιτήδευτος, διάτοι τὸ κεκρατῆσθαι τὸν τῶν ἁπάντων νοῦν κοσμικαῖς καὶ γεώδεσιν ἐπιθυμίαις, καὶ «τοῖς τῆς σαρκὸς ἐχτόποις κινήμασιν ὑποφέρεσθαι. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ γεγονὼς ἄνθρωπος, ἧτοι σὰρξ, κατὰ τὰς Γραφὰς, κατήργηχε τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ, καθεῖλε δὲ καὶ ἀρχὰς καὶ ἐξουσίας, καὶ τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, λείαν ἡμῖν καὶ εὐδρομωτάτην ἀπέφηνε τὴν εἰς εὐσέδειαν ὁδὸν οὐδὲν ἔχουσαν τὸ ἄναντες, ἣ καὶ ἡρμένον ὑψοῦ. Οὐδὲν τὸ κοΐλον τὸ κάτω, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς πεδία μᾶλλον ἐψιλωμέ… ρίας ἡμοιρηκότες, ἀψευδὴς ἂν εἴη- καὶ οὕτως ὁ τοῦ διασῶσαι θελήσαντος, καὶ οὐκὶ τῶν κεκλημένων τὸ τοῦτο μόνον, ἀλλὰ γὰρ ε καὶ ὀφθήσεται, φησὶν, ἡ δόξα Κυρίου, καὶ ὄψεται πᾶσα σὰρξ τὸ σωτήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅτι Κύριος ἐλάλησε.» Δόξαν δὲ, φησὶν, ὀφθήσεσθαι, πῶς ἣ τίνα τρόπον; Ἧν μὲν γὰρ, καὶ ἔστιν ὁ μονογενὴς τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, ἅτε δὴ καὶ Θεὸς ὑπάρχων, καὶ ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς ἀποῤῥήτως γεγεννημένος ἐν ταῖς τῆς θεότητος ὑπεροχαῖς ὑπεράνω πάσης ἀρχῆς καὶ ἐξουσίας, θρόνων τε, καὶ κυριοτήτων καὶ παντὸς ὀνόματος ὀνομαζομένου, οὐ μόνον ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι - καὶ αὐτός ἔστιν ὁ τῆς δόξης Κύριος, ἐγνώκαμεν δὲ καὶ ἡμεῖς τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, καίτοι πάλαι μὴ εἰδότες, ὅτε καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς γενόμενος ἄνθρωπος οἰκονομικῶς ἔδειξεν ἑαυτὸν, ἰσοσθενῆ, καὶ ἰσαυργὸν, καὶ ἰσοκλεᾶ τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ, φέρων τὰ πάντα τῷ ῥήματι τῆς δυνάμεως αὑτοῦ, καὶ κατορθῶν εὐκόλως τὰς θεοσημίας, ἔπετιμῶν τῇ κτίσει, νεκροὺς ἀνιστὰς, καὶ τὰ ἕτερα δὲ τῶν θαυμάτων ἀμογητὶ κατορθῶν. "Ὥφθη τοίνυν ἡ δόξα Κυρίου τεθέαται δὲ καὶ πᾶσα σὰρξ τὸ σωτήριον τοῦ θεοῦ, δῆλον δὲ ὅτι τοῦ Πατρός. Σωτῆρα γὰρ ἡμῖν καὶ Δυτρωτὴν πέπομφεν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ τὸν Υἱόν. Τελειοῦντος γὰρ οὐδὲν τοῦ νόμον, καὶ τῶν ἐν τύποις θυσιῶν οὐκ ἐχουσῶν τὸ δύνασθαι διασμήχειν ἁμαρτίας, ἐν Χριστῷ πελειούμεθα, καὶ ἁπάσης κηλῖδος ἁ πηλλαγμένοι, τῷ τῆς υἱοθεσίας τετιμήμεθα πνεύματι. Καὶ ἡ μὲν ἐπὶ τούτῳ χάρις, τό γε ἧχον εἰς τὸν τοῦ διασώζοντος σκοπὸν, ἐπὶ πᾶσαν ἂν ἴοι σάρκα, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, ἐπὶ πάντας ἀνθρώπους. Σάρχα γὰρ ἐν τούτοις τὸν ἄνθρωπὸν νοητέον. Εἰ δὲ δὴ φαίνοιντό τινες τῆς σωτηπροφήτου λόγος. Ὁ γὰρ σκοπὸς τοῦ τιμήσαντος. καὶ ῥάθυμον ἐξετάζεται. Προσεπάγει δὲ ἀναγκαίως ὡς ὅτι Κύριος ἐλάλησε, ἵνα μή τις οἴηται ψευδηγορεῖν αὐτὸν, ἣ καὶ ἀπὸ καρδίας, ἣ καὶ τὸ δοκοῦν ἐρεύγεσθαι τυχόν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅτι τὸ τῷ Θεῷ δόξαν, καὶ τὸ πάντη τε καὶ πάντως ἐσόμενον προμεμήνυχε.
Hōs gar pros to theion te kai arrhēton phōs, pros tēn aphraston te kai hypermegethē lamprotēta, pareichazoito an eikos tǭ lychnǭ tǭ brachei to tēs anthrōpinēs dianoias metron, kai ei plēres genoito phōtos kai … Ti toinyn esti to, « Hetoimasate tēn hodon Kyrion, nkai to ge dē dein eutheias poieisthai tas trioous hautou? Saphēnizei prostitheis " e Pasa pharanx Elērōthēsetai, kai pan oros kai bounos tapeigōthēsetai, kai estai panta ta skolia eis eutheian, kai hē tracheia eis pediada. » Eisi men gar leōphoroi tines, ētoi tridoi basimoi men ēkista ge, tracheiai de hautai kai dysporeutoi, hōs pę̄ men anistasthai pros orē te kai bounous, pę̄ de autas chatapheresthai, kai eis krēmnous apochremasthai batheis. Ei de dē genoito pōs hyphizēsai men ta hypsou kai anantē, anapimplasthai de ta en koilǭ kai bathei, tote dē, tote pantē «e kai pantōs eis eutheian estai ta skolia, kai eis … te, kai pharangōdē. Pote touto? touto gegone nog)tōs dia tēs tou Sōtēros hēmōn ischyos. Palai men gar hapasin, hōs epos eipein, anthrōpois dysporeutos ēn hē exairetos zōē, kai tēs euangelikēs politeias hē tridos anepitēdeutos, diatoi to kekratēsthai ton tōn hapantōn noun kosmikais kai geōdesin epithymiais, kai «tois tēs sarkos echtopois kinēmasin hypopheresthai. Epeidē de gegonōs anthrōpos, hētoi sarx, kata tas Graphas, katērgēche tēn hamartian en tę̄ sarki, katheile de kai archas kai exousias, kai tous kosmokratoras tou kosmou toutou, leian hēmin kai eudromōtatēn apephēne tēn eis eusedeian hodon ouden echousan to anantes, hē kai hērmenon hypsou. Ouden to koïlon to katō, all᾽ eis pedia mallon epsilōme… rias hēmoirēkotes, apseudēs an eiē- kai houtōs ho tou diasōsai thelēsantos, kai ouki tōn keklēmenōn to touto monon, alla gar e kai ophthēsetai, phēsin, hē doxa Kyriou, kai opsetai pasa sarx to sōtērion tou Theou, hoti Kyrios elalēse.» Doxan de, phēsin, ophthēsesthai, pōs hē tina tropon? Hēn men gar, kai estin ho monogenēs tou Theou Logos, hate dē kai Theos hyparchōn, kai ek Theou Patros aporrhētōs gegennēmenos en tais tēs theotētos hyperochais hyperanō pasēs archēs kai exousias, thronōn te, kai kyriotētōn kai pantos onomatos onomazomenou, ou monon en tǭ aiōni toutǭ, alla kai en tǭ mellonti - kai autos estin ho tēs doxēs Kyrios, egnōkamen de kai hēmeis tēn doxan autou, kaitoi palai mē eidotes, hote kath᾽ hēmas genomenos anthrōpos oikonomikōs edeixen heauton, isosthenē, kai isaurgon, kai isoklea tǭ Theǭ kai Patri, pherōn ta panta tǭ rhēmati tēs dynameōs hautou, kai katorthōn eukolōs tas theosēmias, epetimōn tę̄ ktisei, nekrous anistas, kai ta hetera de tōn thaumatōn amogēti katorthōn. "Hōphthē toinyn hē doxa Kyriou tetheatai de kai pasa sarx to sōtērion tou theou, dēlon de hoti tou Patros. Sōtēra gar hēmin kai Dytrōtēn pepomphen ex ouranou ton Huion. Teleiountos gar ouden tou nomon, kai tōn en typois thysiōn ouk echousōn to dynasthai diasmēchein hamartias, en Christǭ peleioumetha, kai hapasēs kēlidos ha pēllagmenoi, tǭ tēs huiothesias tetimēmetha pneumati. Kai hē men epi toutǭ charis, to ge hēchon eis ton tou diasōzontos skopon, epi pasan an ioi sarka, tout᾽ estin, epi pantas anthrōpous. Sarcha gar en toutois ton anthrōpon noēteon. Ei de dē phainointo tines tēs sōtēprophētou logos. Ho gar skopos tou timēsantos. kai rhathymon exetazetai. Prosepagei de anankaiōs hōs hoti Kyrios elalēse, hina mē tis oiētai pseudēgorein auton, hē kai apo kardias, hē kai to dokoun ereugesthai tychon. ᾿All᾽ hoti to tǭ Theǭ doxan, kai to pantē te kai pantōs esomenon promemēnyche.
For just as, in comparison with the divine and ineffable light, with its unspeakable and surpassing brightness, the measure of the human mind might fittingly be likened to a small lamp, even if it should become full of light and … What, then, is “Prepare the way of the Lord,” and the need to make his paths straight? He makes it clear by adding: “Every ravine will be filled, and every mountain and hill made low, and all the crooked will become straight, and the rough into a plain.” For there are some highways, or paths, that are not at all easy to tread, but rough and hard going, so that in places they rise to mountains and hills, and in places descend and hang down into deep precipices. But if somehow the high and steep parts should sink and the hollow and deep parts be filled, then, then indeed the crooked will in every way become straight, and … and ravine-like. When is this? This happened spiritually through the strength of our Saviour. For of old the excellent life was hard going for, so to speak, all people, and the path of the evangelical way of life was not practised, because the minds of all were held fast by worldly and earthly desires and were carried off by the improper movements of the flesh. But since, having become man, or flesh, according to the Scriptures, he abolished sin in the flesh, and brought down principalities and authorities and the world-rulers of this world, he made the way to godliness smooth and very easy to run for us, having nothing steep or lifted on high, nothing hollow below, but rather laid bare into plains … [having no share in salvation,] would be without falsehood; and so … of him who willed to save, and not of those called. And not this only, but “the glory of the Lord will be seen,” he says, “and all flesh will see the salvation of God, for the Lord has spoken.” He says that glory will be seen — how, or in what way? The only-begotten Word of God was and is, since he is God and was ineffably begotten of God the Father, in the eminences of the Godhead, above every principality and authority, thrones and dominions, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come; and he is the Lord of glory. And we too have known his glory, though of old we did not know it, when, having become man like us, he showed himself by the dispensation equal in strength, equal in working, and equal in glory with God the Father, bearing all things by the word of his power, easily accomplishing divine signs, rebuking creation, raising the dead, and accomplishing the other wonders without toil. So the glory of the Lord was seen, and all flesh has seen the salvation of God, plainly of the Father. For he sent us the Son from heaven as Saviour and Redeemer. For since the law perfected nothing, and the sacrifices in types had no power to wipe away sins, we are perfected in Christ, and, freed from every stain, we have been honoured with the Spirit of adoption. And the grace in this, so far as the aim of the one who saves goes, would come upon all flesh, that is, upon all men; for by “flesh” here man is to be understood. And if some appear to have no share in salvation, … the word of the prophet. For the aim of the one who honoured … and what is slack is examined. He necessarily adds, “for the Lord has spoken,” so that no one may think that he speaks falsely, or perhaps belches out from his own heart what seems good to him; but that he has announced beforehand what is God's pleasure and what will in every way come to be.
Isa 40:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 40:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 40:5 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:14 (allusion, medium confidence) · Rom 8:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 2:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 6:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 1:21 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 2:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 1:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 7:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 10:4 (allusion, medium confidence) · Rom 8:15 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 John 4:14 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The levelling of the road (Isa 40:4) is the work of the incarnate Christ, who abolished sin in the flesh and overthrew the hostile powers, making the way of godliness easy; the glory seen is that of the only-begotten Word, equal to the Father, shown in his works, and the salvation offered to all flesh is God's purpose, even if some refuse it (Isa 40:5).
- The OCR has scrambled the lines near the middle of the section: part of the sentence “And if some appear to have no share in salvation, the word of the prophet would still be without falsehood; for the aim of the one who honoured … and the slackness of those called is examined” stands earlier, after “laid bare into plains”, and is incomplete in both places (marked “…”). Migne's Latin version and references, read as Greek letters by the OCR, have been removed in four places. Allusions: John 1:14; Rom 8:3; Col 2:15; Eph 6:12; Eph 1:21; 1 Cor 2:8; Heb 1:3; Heb 7:19; Heb 10:1–4; Rom 8:15; 1 John 4:14. Cyril's Christology (the Word equal to the Father in strength, working, and glory) is translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's Latin version read as Greek letters by the OCR, inside the quotation; Migne's Latin version read as Greek letters by the OCR; lost Greek marked; Migne's references read into the text by the OCR; lost Greek marked): ἰοπηρῶβ ἰμ ἴθ 0 εὐθ8 κ΄.» 830] δεῖν ἰυκε εἴς οἱ Πιχ οοφίας. → … ; Ὁ ργδνὰ ἰ" ἀΐτοοία, οἱ ἀβρϑγὰ ἴῃ υἱᾶβ ρ᾽2η48 "3.» ϑυπὶ → ; δὲ ῬΡρϑ], οἡ, 8,40. 45 ἴμιο. μὲ, δ. δ [μηο.,, 70. δα. Υ, 5. ἡ [6..., ὅ. → … ; δὶ πος δέου ϊο, δαὰ αἱ ἴν (υἱυγο ν΄; δ 'ρ56 681 → … .
Topics: Christology, Trinity
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Comm. Isa. 3.4.20 (PG 70; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/3-4-20). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-commentarius-isaiam/3-4-20
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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.