Cyril of Alexandria
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Festal Letter 5.8
Written Easter 417 CE.
Source:
Cyril of Alexandria. 2009. Festal Letters, 1-12, p. 100. Translated by
Philip R. Amidon, S.J. The Fathers of the Church: A New Translation 118.
Washington, D.C: The Catholic University of America Press.
But before all else, let
us hold to love for each other; let the bitter demon of detraction be driven
out; let jealousy be banished from our souls; let malice and deceit take
flight; let falsehood be absent, and that most chief of evils, perjury. But let
us not swear at all; let our “yes” be “yes,” as the Savior says, and our “no,”
“no.” Let us visit those who struggle with that cruelest of beasts, meaning
those in poverty. Let us refresh the orphan and the widow. Let us offer respite
with the appropriate remedies to those mistreated. Let us be found kindly and
compassionate to prisoners. For it is then, yes then, that we will achieve a
true and perfectly pure fast for Christ.
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Commentary on Luke
Written c. 412-429
CE
Source: Cyril of Alexandria., 1859. A Commentary upon the
Gospel According to St. Luke, p. 4-5. Trans. R.P. Smith. Oxford University
Press.
1:73. The oath which He sware to our father
Abraham,
But let no one accustom himself to swear from
hearing that God sware unto Abraham. For just as anger, when spoken of God, is
not anger, nor implies passion, but signifies power exercised in punishment, or
some similar motion; so neither is an oath an act of swearing. For God does not
swear, but indicates the certainty of the event,----that that which He says
will necessarily come to pass. For God's oath is His own word, fully persuading
those that hear, and giving each one the conviction that what He has promised
and said will certainly come to pass.
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Commentary on Isaiah
On Isaiah. 65:16-18. Written
c. 412–425 CE
Source: Cyril
of Alexandria. 2000. Cyril of Alexandria, p. 93-94. Translated by Norman
Russell. London; New York: Routledge.
And if any real need
should arise to confirm our assurances with oaths in any matter, they swear by
the true God. For it is the custom with those who worship idols when they swear
oaths to swear them by heaven or by one of the heavenly elements. Those who
have accepted the Christian faith, have also in their youth abandoned their
sins in this matter. For they swear oaths only by the God of all things, since
they know that he is truly Lord by nature, and on no other god whatsoever. This
was also decreed by the Mosaic law: ‘You shall
worship the Lord your God,’ it says, ‘and you shall serve him alone, and swear
by his name’ (cf. Deut. 6:13).
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On Adoration and Worship in Spirit and in Truth, 6
Written c. 412–423 CE
Source: PG 68: 471-474
Greek
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Latin
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| Καὶ μάλα, προσθείην δ ' ἂν, ὅτι καὶ καθ ' ἑτέρους τὸν Θεὸν ὑβριοῦμεν τρόπους, καὶ τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν δυσσεβείας ὄφλοι τις ἂν γραφήν τε καὶ λόγους, τὸ ψευδορκεῖν ᾑρημένος, καὶ τὸ παλίμφημόν τι, καὶ ἀπηχὲς εἰπεῖν κατά γε τῆς ὑπερτάτης καὶ ἀνωτάτω δόξης. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ κολάζεται τῇ εἰσάπαν ὀργῇ, καὶ ἀσχέτῳ ποινῇ, συντελοῦντος τοῦ δρεπάνου, καθὰ γέγραπται, τὴν τοῦ ψευδορκοῦντος ἑστίαν, καὶ κατασείοντος εἰς τὸ παντελές· «Εἰσελεύσεται γὰρ, φησὶν, εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ κλέπτου, καὶ εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ὀμνύοντος τῷ ὀνόματί μου ἐπὶ ψεύδει, καὶ καταλύσει ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ, καὶ συντελέσει αὐτὸν, καὶ τὰ ξύλα αὐτοῦ, καὶ τοὺς λίθους αὐτοῦ .» Θάτερόν γε μὴν, τὸ ἐκτεθνάναι δεῖν, καὶ τὸ πάντων ἐπέκεινα τῶν κακῶν ἔχειν τὴν δίκην . Χρὴ τοιγαροῦν ὀμνύναι μὴ ἐπὶ ψεύδει· μᾶλλον δὲ μηδ ' ὅλως ὀμνύναι . Τουτὶ γὰρ ἡμᾶς ἐδίδαξεν ὁ Σωτὴρ, λέγων· « Ἔστω ὑμῶν, τὸ Ναὶ, ναὶ, καὶ τὸ Οὒ, οὔ· τὸ δὲ περισσὸν τούτων, ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστίν .» Ὅρκου γὰρ ὅλως οὐκ ἔσται χρεία τοῖς ἐν ὑπολήψει σεμνότητος, καὶ σύνοικον ὥσπερ πεποιημένοις τὴν ἀρετήν· ἐκτετίμηται γὰρ λίαν παρὰ τοῖς εὐσεβείας ἐρασταῖς τῶν τοιούτων ὁ βίος, καὶ τὸ ἀπιστεῖσθαι μισεῖν· κἂν εἴ τι φθέγγοιτο τυχὸν, τῇ τῶν ἀκροωμένων εὐθὺς στεφανοῦται πίστει . Ἔστω τοιγαροῦν ἡμῶν εὐκλεὴς ὁ βίος, καὶ ἀργήσει πάντως που, καθάπερ ἐγᾦμαι, καὶ ἡ τοῦ διόμνυσθαι χρεία . Εἰ δὲ δή που γένοιτο, καὶ τῆς εἰς ἁγίους τιμῆς ὀλιγωρούντων ἔσθ' ὅτε τινῶν, ὅρκιος ἔστω Θεὸς, μὴ τὸ ἑτέρων ὄνομα παρακομιζέσθω τινῶν. Ἀπερισκέπτως γὰρ ἤδη τινὲς εἰς ἐκλύτους ἰόντες ἐξιτηλίας, ἀδιαφορεῖν ὑποπλάττονται, νὴ τὸν οὐρανὸν, ἢ τὴν δίκην, νὴ τὴν Ἀδράστειαν λέγοντες, νὴ τὸ φῶς, νὴ τὸν λύχνον. Ἕτερά τε ἄττα κατὰ τὸ σφίσι δοκοῦν συλλέγοντες, τάχα που καὶ εὐσεβεῖν οἴονται, τὸ μὲν θεῖον ὄνομα παρωθούμενοι, τῇ δὲ πρεπούσῃ Θεῷ καταχρυσοῦντες δόξῃ τὰ τοῖς αὐτοῦ νεύμασι κεκλημένα πρὸς γένεσιν. Τοιαύτην τινὰ πλάνησιν ἠῤῥωστηκότα κατὰ καιροὺς τὸν Ἰσραὴλ εὑρήσομεν. Ὁμολογουμένως γὰρ τῷ Θεῷ τὸν ἐν τοῖς Ἱεροσολύμοις ἀνεδείμαντο ναὸν, καὶ ἐπ' αὐτῷ δὴ τούτῳ φρονοῦντες μέγα, καὶ τῶν εἰς εὐσέβειαν αὐχημάτων εἴσω γενέσθαι πεπιστευκότες, καὶ ἀξιολογωτάτην εὖ μάλα τὴν δόξαν ἑλεῖν τῶν σφίσι διηγγελμένων διὰ τοῦ πανσόφου Μωσέως ὀλίγα φροντίσαντες ἀπεριμερίμνως ἡλίσκοντο· ἀλλ' ὅτι τὸ χρῆμα αὐτοῖς οὐ πρὸς εὔκλειαν ἔσται ποθὲν, καὶ γάννυται δὲ οὐχὶ ταῖς ἐκ λίθων οἰκοδομίαις ὁ Θεὸς, ἐδίδασκε λέγων· «Ὁ οὐρανός μοι θρόνος, ἡ δὲ γῆ ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν μου. Ποῖον οἶκον οἰκοδομήσετέ μοι; ἢ τίς τόπος τῆς καταπαύσεώς μου; λέγει Κύριος.» Ἐμπίπλησι γὰρ τὰ πάντα Θεὸς, καὶ ἐπ-αναπαύεται μὲν οὐρανῷ, διήκει δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· οὐ γὰρ ἐν ποσῷ τὸ θεῖον, ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἐστὶν ἀπωτάτω φαντασίας σωματικῆς, οὕτω καὶ τόπου καὶ τοῦ πεποσῶσθαι δοκεῖν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἅπαξ Ἰουδαῖοι λέγοντος ἤκουον, Ὁ οὐρανός μοι θρόνος, ἡ δὲ γῆ ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν μου, πρὸς ἐννοίας ἰόντες οὐκ ἀσφαλεῖς, ὅρκιον ἐποιοῦντο τὸν οὐρανὸν, θεῖον αὐτὸν ὀνομάζοντες θρόνον, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τὴν γῆν, ὡς ὑπὸ πόδας Θεοῦ κειμένην· καὶ μὴν καὶ τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, πόλις γὰρ, ἔφασκον, ἐστὶ τοῦ πάντων κρατοῦντος Θεοῦ, καί τοι τῶν ἀρχαιοτέρων ἁγίων τὸ, Ζῇ Κύριος, ἐν ὅρκου χρείᾳ πεποιημένων. Ἀλλὰ τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἠλι-θιωτάτην ἔννοιαν κατεκιβδήλευσεν ὁ Σωτὴρ, μὴ δεῖν ἀπόμνυσθαι λέγων, μήτε ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, ὅτι θρόνος ἐστὶ Θεοῦ, μήτε ἐν τῇ γῇ, ὅτι ὑποπόδιόν ἐστι τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ, μήτε εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα, ὅτι πόλις τοῦ μεγάλου βασιλέως ἐστίν· ἃ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι ληροῦντες ἔφασκον, ταῦτα χρησίμως ὁ Σωτὴρ ἐφθέγξατο, πανταχῆ κατάπλαστον, καὶ οὐκ οἶδ' ὅθεν ἐξευρημένον ἐλέγχων αὐτῶν τὸ ἔν γε τούτοις εὐλαβές. Οἰχέσθω δὴ οὖν καὶ ἡ ἐπὶ τῷδε πλάνησις. Δεδιδάγμεθα γὰρ ἐν ταῖς ὅρκου χρείαις, μηδενὸς μὲν ἑτέρου διαμεμνῆσθαι πώποτε, ποιεῖσθαι δὲ μᾶλλον εἰς πίστιν ἀσφαλῆ καὶ ἀξιόχρεων, τὸ Ναὶ, ναὶ, καὶ τὸ Οὔ, οὔ. Ἔφη δὲ καὶ ὁ νόμος· «Εἰ ἀπόλοιτο παρακαταθήκη πρός τινος, ἐξαιτοίη δὲ ὁ δοὺς τὴν ἐπὶ τῷδε πίστιν, ὅρκος ἔσται τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀναμέσον ἀμφοτέρων.» Καὶ ἄνθρωποι μὲν κατὰ τοῦ μείζονος ὀμνύουσιν· ἔφη γὰρ ὧδε Παῦλος ἡμῖν ὁ σοφός· μεῖζον δὲ εἶναί φαμεν ἀνθρώπου, νοοῦντες ὀρθῶς, οὐ τῷ μεγέθει τυχὸν, ἤγουν ἐν συνέσει καὶ σοφίᾳ, καὶ δόξῃ πλεονεκτοῦν, ἀλλ' ὡς τὸ εἶναι τοιῶσδε τυχὸν ἡμῖν. | Maxime vero. Illud etiam addiderim, aliis quoque modis in Deum injuriosos esse posse, et suae quemque erga cum impietatis reum fore, ac poenas daturum, si periurus erit, aut blasphemum aliquod verbum, et absurdum de illa suprema praestantissimaque gloria dixerit . Illud enim prius ira summa, gravissimaque poena vindicatur, falce, ut seriptum est, consumenta periuri domum, et funditus evertente: “Ingredietur enim, inquit, in domum furis, et in domum iurantis in nomine meo mendaciter, et requiescet in medio domus eius, et consumet eam, et ligna eius, et lapides eius:” Illud vero alterum morte ac supremo supplicio multatur. Non itaque in re falsa iurandum; imo vero ne iurandum quidem omnino: id enim docuit nos Salvator, cum dixit, “Sit autem sermo vester, Est, est; et Non, non; quod autem his abundantius est, a diabolo est.” Neque enim, qui graves habentur, et virtutem sibi quasi contubernalem fecerunt, iis omnino iurisiurandi ullus erit usus: nam eiusmodi hominum vita apud pietatis amatores certe magno in pretio est, neque illi fides non haberi solet; ac, si quid talis vir forte dixerit, illico fide audientium excipitur. Sit igitur vitae nostrae ratio praeclara, neque ullus erit profecto, ut ego arbitror, iurandi usus. Sin opus erit aliquado, quod honorem, quem sanetis viris haberi convenit, nonnulli interdum parvipendant, Deus testis ad iusiurandum adhibeatur; neque ullarum aliarum rerum nomen afferatur. inconsiderate namque iam nonnulli ad futiles vanitates pergunt, nihilque referre fingunt, cum per coelum, per iustitiam, per Adrastiam dicant, per lucem, per lucernam. Quin etiam alia quaedam suo arbitratu colligentes, fortassis etiam pie se facere putant, cum Dei nomen reiiciant, et ea, quae illius nutu, ut essent, vocata sunt, gloria, quae Deo convenit, exornent. Huiusmodi quodam errore laborasse interdum Israelem reperiemus. Nam templum illud, quod Hierosolymis habebatur, procul dubio in honorem Dei extruxerant, et cum ob eam rem essent elati, ac pietatis ornamenta se consecutos esse, et insignem gloriam percepisse crederent, quae illis a sapientissimo viro Moyse praecepta erant, de iis prae incuria parum laborasse convincebantur; sed eam rem illis gloriae non futuram, neque se lapidum extructionibus delectari, docuit Deus, cum dixit, “Coelum mihi sedes est, et terra scabellum pedum meorum. Qualem domum aedificabitis mihi? vel quis locus requietionis meae? dicit Dominus.” Implet enim omnia Deus, ac requiescit quidem in coelo; pertingit autem etiam ad terras: neque enim mole cohaeret Dei natura, sed , ut longissimi abest a specie corporea, sic etiam a loco et molis opinione remotus est. Sed Iudaei cum semel illum dicere audissent, coelum mihi sedes est, et terra scabellum pedum meorum, ad lubricas opiniones diverterant, et coelum ad iusiurandum assumebant, thronum illud divinum appellants, simili quoque ratione terram, quasi Dei pedibus subiectam; Ierusalem praeterea, urbs enim est, aiebant, omnibus rebus dominantis Dei, quamvis sancti illi priores verba illa, Vivit Dominus, ad iurandi usum assumpsissent. Sed Iudaeorum stultissimam cogitationem improbavit Dominus, dicens, non oportere iurare neque per coelum, quia sedes Dei est; neque per terram, quia scabellum est pedum eius; neque per Hierosolymam, quia civitas magni Regis est: nam, quae illi nugantes dicebant, ea opportune Salvator enuntiavit, ubique confictam, et nescio undenam inventam in huiusmodi rebus religionem arguere volens. Absit igitur etiam in eiusmodi re error! Didicimus enim, ubi iurandum sit, nihil aliud commemorare unquam, sed potius ad fidem firmam certamque faciendam uti illis verbis, Est, est, Non, non. Dixit etiam Lex: “Si perditum fuerit depositum ab aliquo, exegeritque qui dedit, in ea re fidem, iusiurandum Dei erit inter utrumque.” Atque homines quidem per id, quod maius est, iurant; (sic enim Paulus ille sapiens dixit) maius autem esse homine, recte dicimus, non id, quod magnitudine fortasse, aut certe sapientia atque prudentia et gloria vincit: sed quod tota essentia tale sit. |
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Fragment on Matthew 5:34-35
Written c. 412-429
Source:
Simonetti, Manlio. 2001. Matthew 1-13, p. 116. Ancient Christian
Commentary on Scripture: New Testament 1a. InterVarsity Press.
Jesus prohibits us from
swearing by heaven or by the earth. This is in order that we should not give to
creation an honor surpassing creation. Do not deify creation. Those who swear,
he says, “swear by the greater,” as the apostle has said. And he also forbids
swearing by Jerusalem. For the earthly Jerusalem is a type of the Jerusalem
above, and God swears only by himself, that is, by his own glory. Wherefore,
since the similarity transcends us, we are obliged to swear neither by ourselves
nor by our own glory.
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Fragment on James 5:12
Unknown Date.
Source: Bray, Gerald, and Thomas C. Oden. James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, Jude, p. 59. Vol. 11. Taylor & Francis, 2000.
Source: Bray, Gerald, and Thomas C. Oden. James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, Jude, p. 59. Vol. 11. Taylor & Francis, 2000.
“Let the witness of our life be stronger than
an oath, and if some shameless person dares to ask an oath from you, let your
yes be yes and your no be no, instead of swearing an oath. James forbids us to
swear by heaven or by earth for this reason, that we should not give the
creation more value than it has by deifying it. For those who swear, swear by
something greater than themselves, as the apostle says.”
Source: PG
74: 1011-1012
Greek
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Latin
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Πρὸ
πάντων δέ, ἀδελφοί μου, μὴ ὀμνύετε, μήτε τὸν οὐρανὸν μήτε τὴν γῆν μήτε ἄλλον
τινὰ ὅρκον·
Ἔστω ἡ τοῦ βίου ἡμῶν μαρτυρία βεβαιοτέρα
ὅρκου. Εἰ δέ τις ἀναιδὴς, μὴ δυσωπούμενος ὑμῶν τῷ βίῳ, τολμᾷ ὑμῖν ἐπαγαγεῖν ὅρκον·
ἔστω ὑμῖν τὸ Ναὶ, ναὶ, καὶ τὸ Οὒ, οὒ, ἀντὶ τοῦ ὅρκου.
∆ιὰ τοῦτο κωλύει ἡμᾶς ὀμνύναι κατὰ
τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς, ἵνα μὴ δῶμεν τῇ κτίσει τὸ ὑπὲρ κτίσιν ἀξίωμα, θεοποιοῦντες
αὐτά. Οἱ γὰρ ὀμνύντες φησὶ, κατὰ τοῦ μείζονος
ὀμνύουσιν, ὡς ὁ Ἀπόστολός φησι.
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Ante
omnia autem, fratres mei, nolite iurare neque per caelum, neque per terram
neque aliud quodcumque juramentum.
Sit vita nostra testimonium
juramento validius. Quod si autem quis, impudentia commotus et mores tuos
parum reveritus, juramentum postulaverit, sit tibi illud: “Est, est” aut, “Non,
Non,” pro juramento.
Ea de causa prohibemur per caelum
aut per terram jurare, ne, divino cultu iis exhibito, creaturam magis quam
decet, extollamus: “Homines enim per majorem sui jurant,” ut ait Apostolos.
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Commentary on John
Written
c. 425-428 CE
Commentary on John 13:9
Source: Cyril
of Alexandria. 2015. Commentary on John: Volume 2, p. 120. Translated by
David R. Maxwell. InterVarsity Press.
And let swearing be
completely absent from our tongues because words are spoken at the spur of the
moment without reflection, and changes of plan inevitably happen. One should
say that having a discreet tongue that rarely slips into unbecoming language is
worthy and truly enviable. And since the divine Scripture itself has shown us
that it is a struggle ("for no one can tame the tongue," as it is
written), let us keep the expression of our words free from oaths. Then if
circumstances force us to omit something, the blame will be less and the error
will incur a more modest indictment. I think we will also obtain a ready pardon
from God because of the carelessness of speech that always besets us. "
For who can understand their errors?" as it is written. Otherwise, how
could the human race not perish from the face of the earth, since language
easily falls into mistakes of all kind? It is very difficult to restrain our
tongue.
---
Commentary on John 13:35
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Festal Letter 22.4
Written Easter 434 CE.
Source: Cyril
of Alexandria. 2013. Festal Letters 13-30, p. 125. Translated by Philip
R. Amidon, S.J. The Fathers of the Church: A New Translation, Volume 127.
Washington, US: Catholic University of America Press.
For he will render to
each according to his work. As those, therefore, who are to render an account
of our own lives, let us hasten to lay claim to the glories of virtuousness,
and let each of us adorn his own life with every virtue. Let us observe bodily
chastity; let us cease from every wicked, loathsome pleasure; let us be seen to
be above dissension between brothers; let us restrain the impulses to anger;
and may it be far from us to swear by God, and, as the all-wise Paul says, “Let
your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, that it may please your
listeners.” Let us show ourselves kind and compassionate toward the needy. Let
us do good to orphans, let us support widows, let us visit prisoners. Let us
remember the infirm, since we ourselves are in bodies. Let our loyalty to
Christ, the Savior of all, be firm and unshaken.
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