Fragments on Matthew · §144 · Cyril of Alexandria

Matthew 13:15

Click or tap any sentence to jump there. The side buttons skip a paragraph.

Saying “lest they turn and I heal them” (Matthew 13:15) shows intensified stubbornness — yet it is also the speech of one drawing and stirring them. He shows that if they turn, he heals them. He speaks this way for their salvation. He could have said nothing at all and kept silent; yet he does everything not for his own glory, but for their salvation.

Greek

Τὸ εἰπεῖν μήποτε ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτοὺς ἐπιτετα μένην ἐμφαίνει δυστροπίαν, πλὴν καὶ ἐπισπωμένου ἐστὶν καὶ ἐρεθίζοντος· δείκνυσι γάρ, ὅτι ἐὰν ἐπιστρέψωσιν, ἰᾶται αὐτούς· διὰ γὰρ τὸ σωθῆναι αὐτοὺς οὕτως λαλεῖ, ἐπεὶ ἔδει αὐτὸν ὅλως μηδὲν λαλῆσαι, ἀλλὰ σιωπᾶν, πλὴν οὐ διὰ τὴν ἰδίαν δόξαν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν αὐτῶν σωτηρίαν πάντα ποιεῖ.