One deity raises; Son raises his own body with the Father
On Christ being said to have been raised from the dead in the Father’s power. The inspired Paul writes concerning Abraham: “It was not written for him alone that faith was reckoned to him unto righteousness, but also for us to whom it is going to be reckoned, who believe upon the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over because of our trespasses and was raised because of our justification.” (Romans 4:23–25) There is one nature of deity, yet it is worshiped in three hypostases by us and by the spirits above. And since the deity is one, every work most fitting to it alone would reasonably be a work of the whole. For all things are done by God and Father through Son in Spirit.
So even if the Father should somewhere be said to make alive, he will altogether work it through the Son in the Holy Spirit; and even if the Son works life in those needing life, it is not apart from the consubstantial Father, for he has in himself the one who begot him (John 14:10). Therefore the Father is said to have raised Christ from the dead, yet we will not find the Son idle about the resurrection of his own body. Indeed he said to the Jews: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it.” (John 2:19) And observe that when blessed Paul says faith will also be reckoned to us who have believed upon the one who raised Jesus Christ from the dead, the faith is not toward the Father alone.
Greek
Περὶ τοῦ λέγεσθαι ἀναστῆναι Χριστὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐν δυνάμει τοῦ Πατρός. Ὁ θεσπέσιος γράφει Παῦλος περὶ τοῦ προπάτορος Ἀβραάμ· «Οὐκ ἐγράφη δὲ δι’ αὐτὸν μόνον ὅτι ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ ἡ πίστις εἰς δικαιοσύνην, ἀλλὰ καὶ δι’ ἡμᾶς οἷς μέλλει λογίζεσθαι τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἐπὶ τὸν ἐγείραντα Ἰησοῦν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν ἐκ νεκρῶν, ὃς παρεδόθη διὰ τὰ παραπτώματα ἡμῶν καὶ ἠγέρθη διὰ τὴν δικαίωσιν ἡμῶν.» μία μὲν θεότητος φύσις, ἐν ὑποστάσεσι δὲ προσκυνεῖται τρισὶ παρά τε ἡμῶν καὶ τῶν ἄνω πνευμάτων· μιᾶς δὲ οὔσης θεότητος, ἁπάσης εἰκότως ἔργον ἂν γένοιτο πᾶν ὁτιοῦν τῶν ὅτι μάλιστα πρεπόντων αὐτῇ τε καὶ μόνῃ. πράττεται γὰρ πάντα παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς δι’ Υἱοῦ ἐν Πνεύματι.
ὥστε κἂν εἰ λέγοιτό που ζωοποιεῖν ὁ Πατήρ, ἐνεργήσει πάντως αὐτὸ διὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ ἐν Ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι· κἂν ἐνεργῇ τὴν ζωὴν ὁ Υἱὸς ἔν γε τοῖς δεδεημένοις τῆς ζωῆς, ἀλλ’ οὐ δίχα τοῦ ὁμοουσίου Πατρός· ἔχει γὰρ ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὸν γεννήσαντα. οὐκοῦν λέγεται μὲν ὁ Πατὴρ ἀναστῆσαι Χριστὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν, οὐχ εὑρήσομεν δὲ τὸν Υἱὸν ἀεργῆ περὶ τὴν ἀνάστασιν τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος. καὶ γοῦν ἔφη πρὸς Ἰουδαίους· «Λύσατε τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον, καὶ ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἐγερῶ αὐτόν.» ἄθρει δὲ ὅπως τοῦ μακαρίου Παύλου λέγοντος ὅτι λογισθήσεται καὶ ἡμῖν ἡ πίστις εἰς δικαιοσύνην τοῖς πιστεύσασιν ἐπὶ τὸν ἐγείραντα Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν, οὐκ εἰς μόνον ἡ πίστις τὸν Πατέρα.
About this text
Cyril’s court treatise on right faith for Pulcheria and Eudocia (CPG 5220). One Son who suffers in flesh yet remains impassible as God. English from Pusey’s Greek.
English follows Pusey’s 1877 Greek of De recta fide ad Pulcheriam et Eudociam. 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 5220 §§1–48)
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.