Eternal goings-forth; baptize in Spirit; leper; demons; harvest Lord
How, then, is the one born in Bethlehem of Judea said to have goings forth from the beginning of the age (Micah 5:2) — that is, the beginning of existence — though he was born in the last times of the age? So Christ is God, and what is most ancient of the Word of God would befit him. For he was God, and for our sake endured a fleshly birth from a woman.
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who comes after me is stronger than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor.” (Matthew 3:11–12) We deny that baptizing in the Holy Spirit is a work of mere humanity; nor do we say the intelligible threshing floor — that is, those on the earth — belongs to a mere human. All things are God’s, and to him alone it befits to be able to baptize believers in the Holy Spirit. Yet Christ, who comes after John according to the flesh, has done this; and he also clears his own floor. So he is true God.
“And behold, a leper came and worshiped him, saying: Lord, if you will, you can make me clean. And stretching out his hand he touched him, saying: I will; be clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” (Matthew 8:2–3) To be able to work in a way proper to God is not a human property; it would follow rather the nature beyond all things alone. Working thus, Christ is not a bare human as we are, but rather God in human form. So also understand the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law, and when he is seen rebuking winds and sea.
“And the demons begged him, saying: If you cast us out, send us into the herd of pigs. And he said to them: Go.” (Matthew 8:31–32) Whose work is it to provide for all things and save them, if not the one who is God by nature alone? See what providence over beings Christ exercised: unclean demons were not even allowed authority over a herd of pigs.
“Then he says to his disciples: The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. And calling his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over unclean spirits.” (Matthew 9:37–10:1)
Greek
πῶς οὖν ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐν Βηθλεὲμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς αἰῶνος τὰς ἐξόδους ἔχειν λέγεται, τουτέστι τῆς ὑπάρξεως τὴν ἀρχήν, καίτοι γεννηθεὶς ἐν ἐσχάτοις τοῦ αἰῶνος καιροῖς; Θεὸς οὖν ἄρα Χριστός, καὶ πρέποι ἂν αὐτῷ τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου πρεσβύτατον. Θεὸς γὰρ ἦν δι’ ἡμᾶς σαρκικὴν ὑπομείνας γέννησιν τὴν ἐκ γυναικός.
«Ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ ὑμᾶς ἐν ὕδατι βαπτίζω εἰς μετάνοιαν· ὁ δὲ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἰσχυρότερός μου ἐστίν, οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς τὰ ὑποδήματα βαστάσαι· αὐτὸς ὑμᾶς βαπτίσει ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ πυρί· οὗ τὸ πτύον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ διακαθαριεῖ τὴν ἅλωνα αὐτοῦ.» οὐκ ἀνθρωπότητος ἔργον φαμὲν τὸ βαπτίζειν εἶναι ἐν Ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι· ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ τὴν ἅλω τὴν νοητήν, τουτέστι τοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἰδίαν εἶναί φαμεν ἀνθρώπου· Θεοῦ γὰρ τὰ πάντα ἐστί, καὶ αὐτῷ καὶ μόνῳ πρέπει τὸ ἐν Ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι βαπτίζειν δύνασθαι τοὺς πιστεύοντας. ἐνήργηκε δὲ τοῦτο Χριστὸς ὁ μετὰ Ἰωάννην ἐρχόμενος κατὰ σάρκα· αὐτὸς δὲ καὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἅλω καθαρίζει. Θεὸς οὖν ἄρα ἐστὶν ἀληθής.
«Καὶ ἰδοὺ λεπρὸς προσελθὼν προσεκύνει αὐτῷ λέγων· Κύριε, ἐὰν θέλῃς, δύνασαί με καθαρίσαι. καὶ ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα ἥψατο αὐτοῦ λέγων· Θέλω, καθαρίσθητι· καὶ εὐθέως ἐκαθαρίσθη αὐτοῦ ἡ λέπρα.» τὸ ἐνεργεῖν δύνασθαι θεοπρεπῶς οὐκ ἴδιον ἀνθρώπου· αὐτῇ δὲ μᾶλλον ἕποιτο ἂν καὶ μόνῃ τῇ πάντων ἐπέκεινα φύσει. ἐνεργῶν δὲ οὕτω Χριστός, οὐκ ἄρα ψιλὸς ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος καθ’ ἡμᾶς, Θεὸς δὲ μᾶλλον ἐν ἀνθρωπείᾳ μορφῇ. οὕτω νοήσεις καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς Πέτρου πενθερᾶς, κἂν τοῖς ἀνέμοις ἐπιτιμῶν ὁρῷτο, θαλάσσῃ τε καὶ ὕδασιν.
«Οἱ δὲ δαίμονες παρεκάλουν αὐτὸν λέγοντες· Εἰ ἐκβάλλεις ἡμᾶς, ἀπόστειλον ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν ἀγέλην τῶν χοίρων. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ὑπάγετε.» τὸ προνοεῖν τῶν ὅλων καὶ σώζειν αὐτά τίνος ἂν εἴη, πλὴν ὅτι μόνου τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν ὄντος Θεοῦ; ἰδοὺ τοσαύτην τῶν ὄντων πρόνοιαν ἐποιεῖτο Χριστός, ὡς μὴ ἐξεῖναι τοῖς ἀκαθάρτοις δαίμοσι μηδὲ χοίρων ἀγέλης ἔχειν τὴν ἐξουσίαν.
«Τότε λέγει τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ· Ὁ μὲν θερισμὸς πολύς, οἱ δὲ ἐργάται ὀλίγοι· δεήθητε οὖν τοῦ κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ ὅπως ἐκβάλῃ ἐργάτας εἰς τὸν θερισμὸν αὐτοῦ. καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος τοὺς δώδεκα μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν κατὰ πνευμάτων ἀκαθάρτων.»
About this text
Cyril’s court treatise on right faith for Arcadia and Marina (CPG 5219). One Son, Word made flesh — not two Christs. English from Pusey’s Greek.
English follows Pusey’s 1877 Greek of De recta fide ad Arcadiam et Marinam. This is a reading translation for study, not a new critical edition.
Witnesses
- Copy-text Pusey, De recta fide ad reginas (Oxford, 1877) (Greek · CPG 5219 §§1–100)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.