On the True Faith, to the Princesses Arcadia and Marina · §9

Athanasius: one Son; flesh suffers, deity impassible

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— worshiped, and worshiped with his flesh in one worship. Not two sons: one a true Son of God who is worshiped, and another a human from Mary who is not worshiped, made a son of God by grace as humans are. But the one from God, as I said — one Son of God and God, himself and no other — also born from Mary according to the flesh in the last days, as the angel said to the God-bearer Mary when she asked, “How will this be, since I do not know a man?” — “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the holy one who is born will be called Son of God.” (Luke 1:34–35)

So the one born from the holy virgin is Son of God by nature and true God, not by grace and sharing. Only according to the flesh from Mary is he human; according to the Spirit he himself is Son of God and God.

He suffered our sufferings according to the flesh, as it is written, “Christ suffered for us in the flesh,” (1 Peter 4:1) and again, “He who did not spare his own Son, but handed him over for us all.” (Romans 8:32) Yet he remained impassible and unchanged according to the deity, as the prophet says: “I am God, and I do not change.” (Malachi 3:6)

He died our death according to the flesh for our sins, so that he might destroy death through the death for us, as the apostle says: “Death was swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O Hades, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54–55) And again: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” Immortal, too, and

Greek

μένην, καὶ προσκυνουμένην μετὰ τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ μιᾷ προσκυνήσει" οὐδὲ δύο υἱοὺς, ἄλλον μὲν υἱὸν Θεοῦ ἀλη- θινὸν καὶ προσκυνούμενον, ἄλλον δὲ ἐκ Μαρίας ἄνθρωπον μὴ προσκυνούμενον, κατὰ χάριν υἱὸν Θεοῦ γενόμενον às καὶ ἄνθρωποι: ἀλλὰ τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ, ὡς ἔφην, ἔνα Yiov;

» Θεοῦ kal Θεὸν, αὐτὸν, kal ovk ἄλλον, koi ἐκ Μαρίας

» γεγεννῆσθαι κατὰ σάρκα ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν, ὡς 0 "ν ^ , ’ , ἐς ^ ^ y 8. Lue. e» ἄγγελος τῇ θεοτόκῳ Μαρίᾳ λεγούυσῃ *Ilos τοῦτο ἔσται,

1.35 —» 4€me ἄνδρα οὐ γινώσκω ;" ἔλεγε “ Πνεῦμα “Αγιον ére-

» “ λεύσεται ἐπὶ σὲ καὶ δύναμις ὑψίστου ἐπισκιάσει σοι, διὸ

» * kai TO γεννώμενον ἅγιον κληθήσεται vios Θεοῦ. ὁ τοινυν

» γεννηθεὶς ἐκ τῆς ἁγίας παρθένου, Yios Θεοῦ φύσει καὶ Ἁ 3 Ἁ 4 9 ’ 4 / N , » Θεὸς aAnÓwos kal ov χαριτι καὶ μετουσίᾳ, κατὰ σάρκα N Δ ^ Α » μόνον τὴν ἐκ Μαρίας ἄνθρωπος, κατὰ δὲ πνεῦμα, avros

, υἷος ToU Θεοῦ kai Θεος. παθὼν μὲν ra ἡμέτερα παθὴ kara 15 rS.Pe. | σάρκα, ὥσπερ γέγραπται “ Χριστοῦ παθόντος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν

( Ἁ. 999 4 , €€ "O ^ ἰδί e ^ ϑ 3 , Rom. d, “ σαρκὶ, καὶ παλιν ς γε τοῦ ἰδίου υἱοῦ οὐκ ἐφείσατο,

» “αλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν πάντων παραδέδωκεν avrov" ἀπαθὴς δὲ ὃ ’ N 3 [4 hj A , Ἁ b , 9€ διαμείνας καὶ ἀναλλοίωτος kara τὴν θεότητα, kara τὸ

Maliii 6. » λεγόμενον ὕπο τοῦ προφήτου *'Eyo Θεὸς καὶ ovk 9À-?

» “ λοίωμαι. ἀποθανὼν μὲν TOv ἡμέτερον θάνατον xara

, σάρκα ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν, iva TOv θάνατον ἀνέλῃ

e ,, δια τοῦ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν Üavarov, κατὰ τὸν λέγοντα ἀπόστολον

ι ον. ,, “ Κατεποθὴ 0 θάνατος εἰς vikos" ποῦ σου θάνατε TO νῖκος:

Ib A 9» y, “ ποῦ σου ἅδη τὸ κέντρον ;" kai πάλιν * Χριστὸς ἀπέ. 1

» * Üavev ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν, κατὰ τὰς γραφας" ἀθάνατος δὲ koi ἀκρά 9 θανάτῳ διαμείνας διὰ τὴ » os δὲ kai ἀκράτητος TQ θανατῳ διαμείνας διὰ τὴν ’ ς 3 A] ^ Ν , b! Ἁ , mTUES θεοτητα, os ἀπαθὴς τοῦ Πατρος δύναμις, κατὰ τὸν λέγοντα

Apot. — , Πέτρον “ Ov yap ἦν δυνατὸν κρατεῖσθαι αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ

40 A.» , "Üavarov. X etra τούτοις ἐπιφέρει παρενθεὶς ἕτερα μεταξὺ 3" 4. γινόμενον C. Comm. ἡ. γεγενῆσθαι C. 9. ἐλεύσεται Cod. II. γεννώμενον) γενόμενον Aub. I3. μετουσίᾳ] μεσιτείᾳ C. Comm. I8. παραδέδωκεν] παρέδωκεν Edd. 20. ἐγὼ) -ἰ δὲ Cod. 24. νίκος

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. OCR of that print was cleaned section by section before Pass A/B. 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.