Fragments on Hebrews · §30 · Cyril of Alexandria

Steadfastness in the Cross of Christ

And yet Paul cries out, 'Be steadfast, immovable!' But the Lord himself, in his most approachable and persuasive manner, sets the highest value on those who possess anything, only to meet with slander. He draws a boundary against the disease of turning away.

For he said of certain ones, 'They loved to move their feet and did not spare themselves, and God did not approve in them.' For what is firmly and immovably established toward anything useful is safe and inviolable. Indeed, the blood of animals is brought forth, and so on.

But there are also many other words about these matters; however, let them pass by now because of their multitude. Nevertheless, Christ died according to the flesh, that he might cleanse us by his own blood.

Therefore we go forth to him. Let us then bear his reproach, that is, the cross on our behalf. Thus he also said, 'Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.'

Greek

ἀτρέπτῳ καὶ ἀμεταποιήτῳ φύσει κεῖσθαι τὸν Υἱὸν ὁμολογεῖ, ὅπερ ἴδιόν ἐστι μόνου τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, ἑτέρῳ δὲ πρόσεστι τῶν γενητῶν οὐδενί. οὐκοῦν εἰ μόνος ἄτρεπτος ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ, ἐν ταυτότητι δὲ φύσεως καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς, ἀεὶ τοῦτο ὢν ὅπερ καὶ ὁ γεννήσας αὐτὸν, πῶς ἂν εἴη τῶν γενητῶν εἷς ὁ μόνος τῷ φύσαντι κατὰ τὸν ἄφραστον τῆς οὐσίας λόγον ἁμιλλώμενος, καὶ τοῦτο ὢν κατὰ φύσιν, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ὁ Πατὴρ, δίχα μόνου τοῦ εἶναι πατήρ; ὅτι γὰρ οὐκ ἀλλοιοῦται γεγονὼς ἄνθρωπος καθ' ἡμᾶς ὁ Λόγος, ἐν τούτοις διαμεμήνυκεν ὁ πνευματοφόρος. καὶ σημαντικὸν μὲν τοῦ παρῳχηκότος χρόνου ποιεῖται τὸ χθὲς, τοῦ γεμὴν ἐνεστῶτος τὸ σήμερον, τοῦ δὲ ἐσομένου καὶ μέλλοντος τό Εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας· εἰ δὲ τὸ χθὲς καὶ σήμερον ἀντὶ τοῦ προσφάτου τινὲς δεχόμενοι διατείνονται, ὁ χθὲς καὶ σήμερον πῶς ἂν εἴη καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας; μεταστήσομεν καὶ ἡμεῖς τὴν τῆς ἐρωτήσεως δύναμιν εἰς τὸ ἔχον ἐναντίως· ὁ γὰρ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας ὢν Λόγος, πῶς ἂν λάβοι τὸ χθὲς καὶ σήμερον ἐφ' ἑαυτῷ, εἴπερ ἐστὶν εἷς ὁ Χριστὸς, καὶ οὐ μεμέρισται, κατὰ τὴν Παύλου φωνήν; ἢ δηλονότι Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς χθὲς καὶ σήμερον σωματικῶς, ὁ αὐτὸς πνευματικῶς καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. ∆ιδαχαῖς ποικίλαις καὶ ξέναις μὴ παραφέρεσθε. Τὸ δὲ παραφέρεσθαι εἴρηται ἐκ μεταφορᾶς τῶν μαινομένων, τῶν τῇδε κἀκεῖσε περιφερομένων· ἢ τῶν εὐπαρα 418 φόρως ἐν ἴσῳ δόναξιν ἐς τὸ ἀεὶ προσωθοῦν εὐκόλως μετακλινομένων, καὶ μηδὲν βέβαιον ἐχόντων· καίτοι Παύλου μὲν διακεκραγότος "Ἑδραῖοι γίνεσθε, ἀμετακίνητοι·" αὐτοῦ δὲ τοῦ ∆εσπότου τὸ λίαν εὐπάροιστον καὶ εὐδιαπτόητον τοῦ τρόπου τὴν ἀνωτάτω τοῖς ἔχουσι τιθέντος διαβολὴν, καὶ δίκην 23 ὁρίζοντος τῇ νόσῳ τὴν ἀποστροφήν· ἔφη γὰρ ὧδε περί τινων "̓Ηγάπησαν κινεῖν πόδας αὐτῶν καὶ οὐκ ἐφείσαντο, καὶ ὁ "Θεὸς οὐκ εὐδόκησεν ἐν αὐτοῖς·" τὸ γάρ τοι βεβαίως τε καὶ ἀκλινῶς ἱδρυμένον πρὸς πᾶν ὁτιοῦν τῶν τελούντων εἰς ὄνησιν ἀσφαλές τε καὶ ἄσυλον. Ὧν γὰρ εἰσφέρεται ζῴων τὸ αἷμα κ.τ.λ. Εἰσὶ δὲ καὶ ἕτεροι πλεῖστοι λόγοι περὶ τούτων, ἀλλὰ παρείσθωσαν νῦν διὰ τὸ πλῆθος· ἀπέθανε μέντοι κατὰ τὴν σάρκα Χριστὸς, ἵνα ἡμᾶς καθαρίσῃ τῷ ἰδίῳ αἵματι. Τοίνυν ἐξερχώμεθα πρὸς αὐτὸν κ.τ.λ. Φέρωμεν τοίνυν τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν αὐτοῦ, τουτέστι τὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν σταυρόν· οὕτω καὶ αὐτὸς ἔφη "Ὃς οὐ λαμβάνει τὸν "σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀκολουθεῖ ὀπίσω μου οὐκ ἔστι μου "ἄξιος·" τὸ