Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures

On the Clause, and in One Lord Jesus Christ, with a Reading from the First Epistle to the Corinthians

For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth^{Edition note 2}; yet to us there is One God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and One Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through Him.

1. They who have been taught to believe “In One God the Father Almighty,” ought also to believe in His Only-begotten Son. For he that denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father^{Edition note 3}. I am the Door^{Edition note 4}, saith Jesus; no one cometh unto the Father but through Me^{Edition note 5}. For if thou deny the Door, the knowledge concerning the Father is shut off from thee. No man knoweth the father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son shall reveal Him^{Edition note 6}. For if thou deny Him who reveals, thou remainest in ignorance.

There is a sentence in the Gospels, saying, He that believeth not on the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.^{Edition note 7} For the Father hath indignation when the Only-begotten Son is set at nought. For it is grievous to a king that merely his soldier should be dishonoured; and when one of his nobler officers or friends is dishonoured, then his anger is greatly increased: but if any should do despite to the king’s only-begotten son himself, who shall appease the father’s indignation on behalf of his only-begotten son?

2. If, therefore, any one wishes to shew piety towards God, let him worship the Son, since otherwise the Father accepts not his service. The Father spake with a loud voice from heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased^{Edition note 8}. The Father was well pleased; unless thou also be well pleased in Him, thou hast not life. Be not thou carried away with the Jews when they craftily say, There is one God alone; but with the knowledge that God is One, know that there is also an Only-begotten Son of God.

I am not the first to say this, but the Psalmist in the person of the Son saith, The Lord said unto Me, Thou art My Son^{Edition note 9}. Heed not therefore what the Jews say, but what the Prophets say. Dost thou wonder that they who stoned and slew the Prophets, set at nought the Prophets’ words?

3. Believe thou In One Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son of God. For we say “One Lord Jesus Christ,” that His Sonship may be “Only-begotten:” we say “One,” that thou mayest not suppose another: we say “One,” that thou mayest not profanely diffuse the many names^{Edition note 10} of His action among many sons. For He is called a Door^{Edition note 11}; but take not the name literally for a thing of wood, but a spiritual, a living Door, discriminating those who enter in. He is called a Way^{Edition note 12}, not one trodden by feet, but leading to the Father in heaven; He is called a Sheep^{Edition note 13}, not an irrational one, but the one which through its precious blood cleanses the world from its sins, which is led before the shearers, and knows when to be silent.

This Sheep again is called a Shepherd, who says, I am the Good Shepherd[^n1126]: a Sheep because of His manhood, a Shepherd because of the loving-kindness of His Godhead. And wouldst thou know that there are rational sheep? the Saviour says to the Apostles, Behold, I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves^{Edition note 14}. Again, He is called a Lion^{Edition note 15}, not as a devourer of men, but indicating as it were by the title His kingly, and stedfast, and confident nature: a Lion He is also called in opposition to the lion our adversary, who roars and devours those who have been deceived^{Edition note 16}.

For the Saviour came, not as having changed the gentleness of His own nature, but as the strong Lion of the tribe of Judah^{Edition note 17}, saving them that believe, but treading down the adversary. He is called a Stone, not a lifeless stone, cut out by men’s hands, but a chief corner-stone^{Edition note 18}, on whom whosoever believeth shall not be put to shame.

4. He is called Christ, not as having been anointed by men’s hands, but eternally anointed by the Father to His High-Priesthood on behalf of men^{Edition note 19}. He is called Dead, not as having abode among the dead, as all in Hades, but as being alone free among the dead^{Edition note 20}. He is called Son of Man, not as having had His generation from earth, as each of us, but as coming upon the clouds To Judge Both Quick and Dead^{Edition note 21}. He is called Lord, not improperly as those who are so called among men, but as having a natural and eternal Lordship^{Edition note 22}.

He is called Jesus by a fitting name, as having the appellation from His salutary healing. He is called Son, not as advanced by adoption, but as naturally begotten. And many are the titles of our Saviour; lest, therefore, His manifold appellations should make thee think of many sons, and because of the errors of the heretics, who say that Christ is one, and Jesus another, and the Door another, and so on^{Edition note 23}, the Faith secures thee beforehand, saying well, In One Lord Jesus Christ: for though the titles are many, yet their subject is one.

5. But the Saviour comes in various forms to each man for his profit^{Edition note 24}. For to those who have need of gladness He becomes a Vine; and to those who want to enter in He stands as a Door; and to those who need to offer up their prayers He stands a mediating High Priest. Again, to those who have sins He becomes a Sheep, that He may be sacrificed for them. He is made all things to all men^{Edition note 25}, remaining in His own nature what He is. For so remaining, and holding the dignity of His Sonship in reality unchangeable, He adapts Himself to our infirmities, just as some excellent physician or compassionate teacher; though He is Very Lord, and received not the Lordship by advancement^{Edition note 26}, but has the dignity of His Lordship from nature, and is not called Lord improperly^{Edition note 27}, as we are, but is so in verity, since by the Father’s bidding^{Edition note 28} He is Lord of His own works.

For our lordship is over men of equal rights and like passions, nay often over our elders, and often a young master rules over aged servants. But in the case of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lordship is not so: but He is first Maker, then Lord[^n1142]: first He made all things by the Father’s will, then, He is Lord of the things which were made by Him.

6. Christ the Lord is He who was born in the city of David^{Edition note 29}. And wouldest thou know that Christ is Lord with the Father even before His Incarnation^{Edition note 30}, that thou mayest not only accept the statement by faith, but mayest also receive proof from the Old Testament? Go to the first book, Genesis: God saith, Let us make man, not ‘in My image,’ but, in Our image^{Edition note 31}. And after Adam was made, the sacred writer says, And God created man; in the image of God created He him^{Edition note 32}. For he did not limit the dignity of the Godhead to the Father alone, but included the Son also: that it might be shewn that man is not only the work of God, but also of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is Himself also Very God.

This Lord, who works together with the Father, wrought with Him also in the case of Sodom, according to the Scripture: And the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah fire and brimstone from the Lord out of heaven^{Edition note 33}. This Lord is He who afterwards was seen of Moses, as much as he was able to see. For the Lord is loving unto man, ever condescending to our infirmities.

7. Moreover, that you may be sure that this is He who was seen of Moses, hear Paul’s testimony, when he says, For they all drank of a spiritual rock that followed them; and the rock was Christ^{Edition note 34}. And again: By faith Moses forsook Egypt^{Edition note 35}, and shortly after he says, accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt^{Edition note 36}. This Moses says to Him, Shew me Thyself. Thou seest that the Prophets also in those times saw the Christ, that is, as far as each was able.

Shew me Thyself, that I may see Thee with understanding^{Edition note 37}. But He saith, There shall no man see My face, and live^{Edition note 38}. For this reason then, because no man could see the face of the Godhead and live, He took on Him the face of human nature, that we might see this and live. And yet when He wished to shew even that with a little majesty, when His face did shine as the sun^{Edition note 39}, the disciples fell down affrighted. If then His bodily countenance, shining not in the full power of Him that wrought, but according to the capacity of the Disciples, affrighted them, so that even thus they could not bear it, how could any man gaze upon the majesty of the Godhead?

‘A great thing,’ saith the Lord, ‘thou desirest, O Moses: and I approve thine insatiable desire, and I will do this thing^{Edition note 40} for thee, but according as thou art able. Behold, I will put thee in the clift of the rock[^n1155]: for as being little, thou shalt lodge in a little space.’

8. Now here I wish you to make safe what I am going to say, because of the Jews. For our object is to prove that the Lord Jesus Christ was with the Father. The Lord then says to Moses, I will pass by before thee with My glory, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee^{Edition note 41}. Being Himself the Lord, what Lord doth He proclaim? Thou seest how He was covertly teaching the godly doctrine of the Father and the Son. And again, in what follows it is written word for word: And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.

And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, both keeping righteousness and shewing mercy unto thousands, taking away iniquities, and transgressions, and sins^{Edition note 42}. Then in what follows, Moses bowed his head and worshipped^{Edition note 43} before the Lord who proclaimed the Father, and said: Go Thou then, O Lord, in the midst of us^{Edition note 44}.

9. This is the first proof: receive now a second plain one. The Lord said unto my Lord, sit Thou on My right hand^{Edition note 45}. The Lord says this to the Lord, not to a servant, but to the Lord of all, and His own Son, to whom He put all things in subjection. But when He saith that all things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted, which did put all things under Him, and what follows; that God may be all in all^{Edition note 46}. The Only-begotten Son is Lord of all, but the obedient Son of the Father, for He grasped not the Lordship^{Edition note 47}, but received it by nature of the Father’s own will.

For neither did the Son grasp it, nor the Father grudge to impart it. He it is who saith, All things are delivered unto Me of My Father^{Edition note 48}; “delivered unto Me, not as though I had them not before; and I keep them well, not robbing Him who hath given them.”

10. The Son of God then is Lord: He is Lord, who was born in Bethlehem of Judæa, according to the Angel who said to the shepherds, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that unto you is born this day in the city of David Christ the Lord[^n1164]: of whom an Apostle says elsewhere, The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching the gospel of peace by Jesus Christ: He is Lord of all^{Edition note 49}. But when he says, of all, do thou except nothing from His Lordship: for whether Angels, or Archangels, or principalities, or powers, or any created thing named by the Apostles, all are under the Lordship of the Son.

Of Angels He is Lord, as thou hast it in the Gospels, Then the Devil departed from Him, and the Angels came and ministered unto Him^{Edition note 50}; for the Scripture saith not, they succoured Him, but they ministered unto Him, that is, like servants. When He was about to be born of a Virgin, Gabriel was then His servant, having received His service as a peculiar dignity. When He was about to go into Egypt, that He might overthrow the gods of Egypt made with hands^{Edition note 51}, again an Angel appeareth to Joseph in a dream^{Edition note 52}.

After He had been crucified, and had risen again, an Angel brought the good tidings, and as a trustworthy servant said to the women, Go, tell His disciples that He is risen, and goeth before you into Galilee; lo, I have told you[^n1169]: almost as if he had said, “I have not neglected my command, I protest that I have told you; that if ye disregard it, the blame may not be on me, but on those who disregard it.” This then is the One Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the lesson just now read speaks: For though there be many that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, and so on, yet to us there is One God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and One Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through Him^{Edition note 53}.

11. And He is called by two names, Jesus Christ; Jesus, because He saves,—Christ, because He is a Priest^{Edition note 54}. And knowing this the inspired Prophet Moses conferred these two titles on two men distinguished above all[^n1172]: his own successor in the government, Auses^{Edition note 55}, he renamed Jesus; and his own brother Aaron he surnamed Christ^{Edition note 56}, that by two well-approved men he might represent at once both the High Priesthood, and the Kingship of the One Jesus Christ who was to come. For Christ is a High Priest like Aaron; since He glorified not Himself to be made a High Priest, but He that spake unto Him, Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek^{Edition note 57}.

And Jesus the son of Nave was in many things a type of Him. For when he began to rule over the people, he began from Jordan^{Edition note 58}, whence Christ also, after He was baptized, began to preach the gospel. And the son of Nave appoints twelve to divide the inheritance^{Edition note 59}; and twelve Apostles Jesus sends forth, as heralds of the truth, into all the world. The typical Jesus saved Rahab the harlot when she believed: and the true Jesus says, Behold, the publicans and the harlots go before you into the kingdom of God^{Edition note 60}. With only a shout the walls of Jericho fell down in the time of the type: and because Jesus said, There shall not be left here one stone upon another^{Edition note 61}, the Temple of the Jews opposite to us is fallen,