Nestorius, Letter 5: Second Letter to Cyril (CPG 5669)
| Reference: | CPG 5669/8632 |
| Incipit: | Τὰς μὲν καθ’ ἡμῶν ὕβρεις |
| Date: | c. June 430 |
| Greek Text: | ACO 1.1.1:29-32 |
| Latin Text: | ACO 1.2:41-43; 1.3:23-26; 1.5:46-49 |
| English Translation: | FCC (below): J. Winkel and G. Thompson; CE #11:122-125; McG 364-368; CCC 298-300; FC 76:43-48 |
The Greek text below is that of ACO 1.1.1:29-32; the Latin is that of ACO 1.2:41-43. For information about the historical context of this letter and its connection to the escalating Christological controversy of the time, click here.
| Τῷ εὐλαβεστάτῳ καὶ θεοσεβεστάτῳ συλλειτουργῷ Κυρίλλῳ Νεστόριος ἐν κυρίῳ χαίρειν. | To the most devout and God-fearing fellow-worker Cyril, greetings in the Lord from Nestorius. | Venerabili et reuerentissimo conministratori Cyrillo Nestorius. |
| 1. Τὰς μὲν καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ὕβρεις τῶν θαυμαστῶν σου γραμμάτων ἀφίημι ὡς μακροθυμίας ἀξίας ἰατρικῆς καὶ τῆς διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων αὐτῶν κατὰ καιρὸν πρὸς αὐτὰς ἀποκρίσεως· ὃ δέ γε σιωπῆς οὐκ ἀνέχεται, ὡς μέγαν φέρον, εἰ σιγηθείη, τὸν κίνδυνον, τούτου, καθὼς ἂν οἷός τε ὦ, οὐ πρὸς μακρολογίαν ἀποτεινόμενος, ποιήσασθαι πειράσομαι τὴν διήγησιν σύντομον, τὸν τῆς σκοτεινῆς καὶ δυσπέπτου μακρηγορίας ναυτιασμὸν φυλαττόμενος. ἄρξομαι δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν πανσόφων τῆς σῆς ἀγάπης φωνῶν, αὐτὰς αὐτολεξεὶ παραθείς. τίνες τοίνυν αἱ τῆς θαυμαστῆς τῶν σῶν γραμμάτων διδασκαλίας φωναί; | I dismiss the arrogance towards us in your astonishing letters, as worthy both of healing patience and of an answer for them, which will come through the circumstances themselves at the right time. But it is impossible to keep silent, for it carries great danger if I am silent, and I will try to make a short narration of it, not extending myself to many words and being on guard against the nausea of dark and indigestible tedium. I will begin by putting down your loving statement word-for-word. And what are the words of the amazing teaching of your writings? | Iniurias quidem quae contra nos sunt, mirandarum tuarum litterarum dimitto utpote medicinali patientia dignas,dilata rerum ipsarum responsione usque ad tempus idoneum; quod autem taciturnitatem non patitur, quasi magnum ferat, si taceatur, periculum, hoc, ut possibileest, non ad multiloquium tendens, compendiosam narrationem facere temptabo, obscurae et indigestae loquacitatis cauens fastidium. Incipiam autem a sapientissimis tuae dilectionis uocibus, ipsas isdem sermonibus adponens. Quae sunt igitur ammirandae tuarum litterarum doctrinae uoces? |
| “Ἡ ἁγία φησὶν καὶ μεγάλη σύνοδος αὐτὸν τὸν ἐκ θεοῦ πατρὸς κατὰ φύσιν γεννηθέντα υἱὸν μονογενῆ, τὸν ἐκ θεοῦ ἀληθινοῦ θεὸν ἀληθινόν, τὸ φῶς τὸ ἐκ φωτός, τὸν δι᾽ οὗ τὰ πάντα πεποίηκεν ὁ πατήρ, κατελθεῖν σαρκωθῆναι ἐνανθρωπῆσαι παθεῖν ἀναστῆναι.” | “The holy and great synod says that he is begotten from God the Father according to nature as the only-begotten Son, true God from true God, Light from Light, through whom the Father has made all things. He came down, was made flesh, made a man, suffered, rose.”1 | “Sancta inquit et magna synodus ipsum ex deo et patre secundum naturam genitum filium unigenitum, ex deo uero deum uerum, lumen de lumine, per quem omnia fecit pater, descendisse, incarnari, humanari, pati, resurgere.” |
| 2. Ταῦτα τῆς σῆς θεοσεβείας τὰ ῥήματα καὶ γνωρίζεις ἴσως τὰ σά· ἄκουε δὲ καὶ τὰ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν, ἀδελφικὴν ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας παραίνεσιν καὶ ἣν ὁ μέγας ἐκεῖνος Παῦλος τῷ φιλουμένῳ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ Τιμοθέῳ διεμαρτύρατο· “Πρόσεχε τῇ ἀναγνώσει, τῇ παρακλήσει, τῇ διδαχῇ, τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν καὶ σεαυτὸν σώσεις καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντάς σου.” | These are your God-fearing words, and perhaps you recognize them as yours. But listen also to some words from us—brotherly advice for piety, which also that great Paul urged to his beloved Timothy: “Pay attention to reading, to exhortation, and to teaching. For by doing this, you will save both yourself and your hearers” [1 Tim. 4:13, 16]. | Haec sunt tuae reuerentiae uerba, et cognoscis forte tua. Audi uero et a nobis fraternam pro pietate admonitionem et quam magnus ille Paulus amato a se Timotheo contestatus est: “Attende lectionem, consolationem, doctrinam. Hoc enim faciens, et te ipsum saluum facies et audientes te.” |
| τί δέ μοι τὸ πρόσεχε βούλεται; ὅτι τὴν τῶν ἁγίων ἐκείνων ἐξ ἐπιπολῆς ἀναγινώσκων παράδοσιν συγγνώμης ἀξίαν ἠγνόησας ἄγνοιαν, παθητὸν αὐτοὺς εἰρηκέναι νομίσας τὸν τῷ πατρὶ συναΐδιον λόγον· ἔγκυψον δέ, εἰ δοκεῖ, τοῖς ῥητοῖς ἀκριβέστερον καὶ τὸν θεῖον ἐκεῖνον τῶν πατέρων εὑρήσεις χορὸν οὐ τὴν ὁμοούσιον θεότητα παθητὴν εἰρηκότα οὐδὲ πρόσφατον γεννητὴν τὴν τῷ πατρὶ συναΐδιον οὐδὲ ἀναστᾶσαν τὴν τὸν λελυμένον ναὸν ἀναστήσασαν. | But tell me, what does “Pay attention” mean? It means that in reading the tradition of those holy ones superficially, you have in ignorance (with an ignorance worthy of lenience) thought they were saying that the Word, coeternal with the Father, is able to suffer. But please consider the more precise meaning of the words and you will find that divine chorus of the fathers saying that the divine nature is not consubstantial with the suffering one; nor that the one who was coeternal with the Father was recently born; nor that the one who raised the destroyed temple was the one who rose. | Quid autem uult hoc quod dico attende? Quia sanctorum ex superficie legens traditionem, uenia dignam ignorantiam ignorasti, eos passibilem dixisse arbitratus patri consempiternum uerbum. Inspice autem, si placet, dicta diligentius et diuinum illum repperies patrum chorum non consubstantialem deitatem passibilem dicentes nec recens natam patri consempiternam nec resurrexisse eam quae solutum templum suscitauit. |
| κἄν μοι τὰς ἀκοὰς εἰς ἀδελφικὴν ἰατρείαν παράσχῃς, αὐτάς σοι τὰς τῶν ἁγίων πατέρων φωνὰς παραθέμενος τῆς κατ᾽ ἐκείνων ἀπαλλάξω συκοφαντίας καὶ τῆς κατὰ τῶν θείων γραφῶν δι᾽ ἐκείνων. | And if, after listening to me, you reach out for brotherly healing, I will, by presenting their very words to you, set you free from your slander of the holy fathers and of the divine scriptures through them. | Et si mihi aures in fraternam medellam praebueris, ipsas tibi sanctorum patrum uoces adponens, a calumnia quae contra illos est, liberabo et ab illa quae contra diuinas scripturas per illos est. |
| 3. Πιστεύω τοίνυν φασί, καὶ εἰς τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ. σκόπησον ὅπως τὸ κύριος καὶ Ἰησοῦς καὶ Χριστός καὶ μονογενής καὶ υἱός πρότερον θέντες τὰ κοινὰ τῆς θεότητος καὶ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος ὡς θεμελίους ὀνόματα τότε τὴν τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως καὶ τοῦ πάθους ἐποικοδομοῦσι παράδοσιν, ἵνα τῶν ὀνομάτων τῆς φύσεως ἑκατέρας κοινῶν τινῶν σημαντικῶν προκειμένων μήτε τὰ τῆς υἱότητος καὶ κυριότητος τέμνηται μήτε τὰ τῶν φύσεων ἐν τῷ τῆς υἱότητος μοναδικῷ συγχύσεως ἀφανισμῷ κινδυνεύῃ. | “We believe, therefore, in our Lord Jesus Christ, his Son the only-begotten.” Consider closely how the “Lord Jesus Christ” and “only-begotten” and “Son,” names shared by divinity and humanity, are first placed as foundations, then uon them are built the tradition of incarnation, and of suffering, and of resurrection, in order that first the names signifying what is common to both natures are set down, and the sonship and Lordship would not be separated, nor would the things which belong to each nature run the risk (by the uniqueness of sonship) of being destroyed by their being confused | Credo igitur et in dominum nostrum Iesum Christum filium eius unigenitum. Considera quomodo dominus et Iesus et Christus et unigenitus et filius primum ponentes, communia deitatis et humanitatis, ut fundamenta, nomina, tunc humanationis et resurrectionis et passionis superaedificant traditionem, ut nominibus naturae utriusque communibus quibusdam significatiuis propositis neque filiationis et proprietatis secetur neque naturarum in filiationis singularitate confusionis exterminatione periclitetur. |
| 4. τούτου γὰρ αὐτοῖς παιδευτὴς ὁ Παῦλος γεγένηται, ὃς τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως τῆς θείας τὴν μνήμην ποιούμενος καὶ μέλλων τὰ τοῦ πάθους ἐπάγειν, πρότερον θεὶς τὸ Χριστός, τὸ κοινόν, ὡς μικρῷ πρότερον ἔφην, τῶν φύσεων ὄνομα, προσάγει τὸν λόγον ἀμφοτέραις πρεπώδη ταῖς φύσεσιν. τί γάρ φησιν; “Τοῦτο φρονείσθω ἐν ὑμῖν ὃ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ὃς ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα θεῷ. ἀλλ᾽,” ἵνα μὴ τὰ καθ᾽ ἕκαστον λέγω, “ὑπήκοος ἐγένετο μέχρι θανάτου, θανάτου δὲ σταυροῦ.” ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἔμελλεν τοῦ θανάτου μεμνῆσθαι, ἵνα μὴ τὸν θεὸν λόγον ἐντεῦθέν τις παθητὸν ὑπολάβῃ, τίθησιν τὸ Χριστός, ὡς τῆς ἀπαθοῦς καὶ παθητῆς οὐσίας ἐν μοναδικῷ προσώπῳ προσηγορίαν σημαντικήν, ὅπως καὶ ἀπαθὴς ὃ Χριστὸς καὶ παθητὸς ἀκινδύνως καλοῖτο, ἀπαθὴς μὲν θεότητι, παθητὸς δὲ τῇ τοῦ σώματος φύσει. | For Paul himself was the one who taught this, who made mention of the divine incarnation, and who, about to introduce suffering, first puts down “Christ,” the name common to both natures, as I just said above. It is a word applied properly to both natures. For what does he say? “Have this way of thinking among you, which also was in Christ Jesus. Although he was in the form of God, he did not consider being equal to God as a prize to be grasped. But,” so that I not repeat everything, “he became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” [Philip. 2:5-6, 8]. For since he was about to make mention of death, in order that no one suppose from this that God the Word suffered, he put down “Christ,” as the name signifying both the unsuffering and the suffering essences in a single person. In this way Christ is called both unsuffering and suffering without danger: unsuffering because of his divinity, but suffering because of the nature of his body. | In hoc enim eis eruditor Paulus factus est, qui humanationis diuinae mentionem faciens et ea quae passionis sunt, inlaturus, prius ponens Christus, commune, sicut paulo ante dixi, naturarum nomen, infert dictum utrisque condecens naturis. Quid enim dixit? “Hoc sapiatur in uobis quod et in Christo Iesu, qui cum in forma dei esset, non rapinam arbitratus est esse [se] aequalis deo, sed,” ne per singula discurram, “oboediens factus est usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis.” Quoniam enim memoriam mortis facturus erat, ne deum uerbum ex hoc quisquam passibile suspicetur, ponit Christus, tamquam inpassibilis et passibilis substantiae in singulari persona appellationem significatiuam, quatenus et inpassibilis Christus et passibilis sine periculo uocetur, inpassibilis quidem deitate, passibilis autem corporis natura. |
| 5. Πολλὰ λέγειν περὶ τούτου δυνάμενος καὶ πρῶτόν τε τὸ μηδὲ γεννήσεως ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκονομίας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐνανθρωπήσεως τοὺς ἁγίους ἐκείνους μνημονεῦσαι πατέρας, τὴν τῆς βραχυλογίας ἐν προοιμίοις ὑπόσχεσιν χαλινοῦσαν τὸν λόγον αἰσθάνομαι καὶ πρὸς τὸ δεύτερον τῆς σῆς ἀγάπης κινοῦσαν κεφάλαιον, | I could say much about this, and first, at least this: that those holy fathers made mention not of a “begetting” with regards to the plan of salvation, but of an “incarnation.” But I see that my introductory promise to keep my words brief must now keep my speech in check, and so I will proceed to your love’s second topic. | Multa de hoc potens dicere et primum quidem, quod non natiuitatem in dispensatione, sed humanationem sanctos illos patres commemorasse, promissionem breuiloquii a me in principiis factam dum refrenantem sentiam sermonem et ad secundum tuae dilectionis pergentem capitulum, |
| 6. ἐν ᾧ τὴν μὲν τῶν φύσεων ἐπῄνουν διαίρεσιν κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος καὶ θεότητος λόγον καὶ τὴν τούτων εἰς ἑνὸς προσώπου συνάφειαν καὶ τὸ τὸν θεὸν λόγον δευτέρας ἐκ γυναικὸς μὴ φάσκειν δεδεῆσθαι γεννήσεως καὶ τὸ πάθους ἄδεκτον ὁμολογεῖν τὴν θεότητα. ὀρθόδοξα γὰρ ὡς ἀληθῶς τὰ τοιαῦτα καὶ ταῖς τῶν αἱρέσεων πασῶν περὶ τὰς δεσποτικὰς φύσεις ἐναντία κακοδοξίαις. | In it, I commend the distinction of the natures according to the concepts of humanity and divinity, and the combination of these into one person. I also commend not saying that God the Word was in need of a second begetting from a woman, and confessing that the divinity does not accept suffering. For these sorts of things are truly orthodox and opposed to the evil teachings of all heresies concerning the nature of the Lord. | in quo naturarum quidem laudabam diuisionem secundum humanationis et deitatis rationem et earum in unius personae coniunctionem et quod deum uerbum secunda ex muliere dicerent non eguisse natiuitate, et passionis incapabilem profiteri deitatem. Orthodoxa enim, ut ueritas habet, haec huiusmodi sunt et omnium haeresum malis sectis circa dominicas naturas contraria. |
| τὰ λοιπὰ δὲ εἰ μέν τινα σοφίαν κεκρυμμένην ἐπήγετο ταῖς τῶν ἀναγινωσκόντων ἀκοαῖς ἀκατάληπτον, τῆς σῆς ἐστιν ἀκριβείας εἰδέναι· ἐμοὶ γοῦν τὰ πρῶτα καταστρέφειν ἐδόκει. τὸν γὰρ ἐν τοῖς πρώτοις ἀπαθῆ κηρυχθέντα καὶ δευτέρας γεννήσεως ἄδεκτον πάλιν παθητὸν καὶ νεόκτιστον οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως εἰσῆγεν, | But if the remaining things introduce a certain hidden wisdom incomprehensible to the ears of readers, it will be up to you to understand carefully. For to me, at least, it seemed that they controverted the first statements, for they reintroduced (I do not know how) the one who in the first statements was proclaimed to be unsuffering and incapable of a second begetting, as suffering and newly made. | Reliqua autem si quidem aliquam sapientiam occultam inferebant legentium auribus inconprehensibilem, est tuae diligentiae scire; mihi enim uidebantur prima peruertere. In primis enim inpassibilem praedicatum et secundae natiuitatis incapabilem iterum passibilem et recens creatum nescio quomodo intulit, |
| ὡς τῶν κατὰ φύσιν τῷ θεῷ λόγῳ προσόντων τῇ τοῦ ναοῦ συναφείᾳ διεφθαρμένων ἢ μικροῦ τινος τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νομιζομένου τοῦ τὸν ἀναμάρτητον ναὸν καὶ τῆς θείας ἀχώριστον φύσεως τὴν ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτωλῶν γέννησίν τε καὶ τελευτὴν ὑπομεῖναι ἢ πιστεύεσθαι τῆς δεσποτικῆς οὐκ ὀφειλούσης φωνῆς πρὸς Ἰουδαίους βοώσης· | All this they did as if the qualities which belong to God the Word according to nature were corrupted in the joining of the temple, or as if it was something trivial to men that the sinless temple, undivided from the divine nature, endured both birth and death on behalf of sinners, or as if the voice of the Lord ought not to be believed, which shouted out to the Jews, | quasi secundum naturam deo uerbo accidentibus templi copulatione corruptis aut parum aliquid hominibus putatur quod sine peccato templum et a diuina inseparabile natura pro peccatoribus natiuitatem et mortem sustinuisset, aut non credi debeat dominica uox ad Iudaeos clamans: |
| “Λύσατε τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον, καὶ ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἐγερῶ αὐτόν,” οὐ· λύσατέ μου τὴν θεότητα καὶ ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἐγερθήσεται. Πάλιν πλατῦναι κἀνταῦθα βουλόμενος, τῇ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἀναστέλλομαι μνήμῃ· ῥητέον δ᾽ οὖν ὅμως βραχυλογίᾳ χρησάμενον. | “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it” [John 2:19], not, “Destroy my divinity, and in three days it will be raised.” Here again, although I wish to explain, the memory of my promise holds me in check. Nevertheless this must be briefly stated: | “Soluite templum hoc et in tribus diebus suscitabo illud,” non: soluite diuinitatem et in tribus diebus resurget. Iterum et hic latius uolens dicere promissionis meae memoria contrahor; dicendum est tamen breui sermone me utente. |
| 7. πανταχοῦ τῆς θείας γραφῆς, ἡνίκα ἂν μνήμην τῆς δεσποτικῆς οἰκονομίας ποιῆται, γέννησις ἡμῖν καὶ πάθος οὐ τῆς θεότητος, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος τοῦ Χριστοῦ παραδίδοται, ὡς καλεῖσθαι κατὰ ἀκριβεστέραν προσηγορίαν τὴν ἁγίαν παρθένον Χριστοτόκον, οὐ θεοτόκον. | Everywhere in divine scripture, whenever mention of the Lord’s plan of salvation is made, the birth and suffering for us are not ascribed to the divinity, but to the humanity of Christ; so that, according to the most accurate terminology, the holy virgin is called “Christ-bearer,” not “God-bearer.” | Ubique diuina scriptura, quandoque memoriam facit dominicae dispensationis, natiuitatem nobis aut passionem non deitatis, sed humanationis Christi tradidit, ut uocetur secundum scrupulosam appellationem sancta uirgo Christi genetrix, non dei genetrix. |
| καὶ ἄκουε ταῦτα τῶν εὐαγγελίων βοώντων· “Βίβλος,” φησίν, “γενέσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ υἱοῦ Δαυὶδ υἱοῦ Ἁβραάμ.” δῆλον δὲ ὅτι τοῦ Δαυὶδ υἱὸς ὁ θεὸς λόγος οὐκ ἦν. δέχου καὶ ἄλλην, εἰ δοκεῖ, μαρτυρίαν· “Ἰακὼβ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἰωσὴφ τὸν ἄνδρα Μαρίας, ἐξ ἧς ἐγεννήθη Ἰησοῦς ὁ λεγόμενος Χριστός.” | Listen to these things from the evangelists, who cry out, “The book,” he said, “of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” [Matt. 1:1]. But it is clear that God the Word was not the son of David. And take another witness, if it pleases you: “Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ” [Matt. 1:16]. | Et audi haec euangeliis clamantibus: “Liber,” ait, “generationis Iesu Christi filii Dauid filii Abraham,” et certum est quia Dauid filius deus uerbum non erat. Accipe et aliud, si placet, testimonium: “Iacob autem genuit Ioseph uirum Mariae, ex qua natus est Iesus, qui dicitur Christus.” |
| σκόπει πάλιν ἑτέραν ἡμᾶς διαμαρτυρομένην φωνήν· “Τοῦ δὲ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἡ γέννησις οὕτως ἦν. μνηστευθείσης γὰρ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ Μαρίας τῷ Ἰωσήφ, εὑρέθη ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσα ἐκ πνεύματος ἁγίου.” | Again, think about the other voice which testifies for us: “In this way the birth of Jesus Christ happened. While his mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, she was found to be pregnant from the Holy Spirit” [Matt.1:18]. | Considera iterum alteram adtestantem nos uocem: “Iesu uero generatio ita est. Desponsata enim matre eius Maria Ioseph, inuenta est in utero habens de spiritu sancto.” |
| κτίσμα δὲ πνεύματος τίς ἂν τὴν τοῦ μονογενοῦς ὑπολάβοι θεότητα; τί δεῖ λέγειν καὶ τὸ “Ἦν ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐκεῖ”; καὶ πάλιν τὸ “σὺν Μαρίᾳ τῇ μητρὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ” καὶ τὸ “Τὸ ἐν αὐτῇ γεννηθὲν ἐκ πνεύματός ἐστιν ἁγίου” καὶ τὸ “Λάβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ φεῦγε εἰς Αἴγυπτον” | But who supposes that the divinity of the only-begotten is a creation of the Spirit? Why is it necessary to say “The mother of Jesus was there” [John 2:1]? And again, “With Mary, the mother of Jesus” [Acts 1:14], and “The one conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” [Matt. 1:20], and “Take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt” [Matt. 2:13], | Creaturam uero spiritus quis utique unigeniti aestimabit deitatem? Quid oportet dicere quia “mater Iesu erat ibi” et rursus “cum Maria matre Iesu” et “quod in ea natum, ex spiritu sancto est” et “accipe puerum et matrem eius et fuge in Aegyptum” |
| καὶ τὸ “περὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ τοῦ γενομένου ἐκ σπέρματος Δαυὶδ κατὰ σάρκα” καὶ περὶ τοῦ πάθους αὖθις ὅτι “Ὁ θεὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ υἱὸν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκὸς ἁμαρτίας καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινε τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί” καὶ πάλιν “Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν” καὶ “Χριστοῦ παθόντος σαρκί” καὶ “Τοῦτό ἐστιν,” οὐχ ἡ θεότης μου, ἀλλὰ “τὸ σῶμα τὸ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν κλώμενον.” | and “About his Son, the one begotten from the seed of David according to the flesh” [Rom. 1:3], and again concerning his suffering “God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and as an offering for sin he condemned sin in the flesh” [Rom. 8:3], and again “Christ died for our sins” [1 Cor. 15:3], and “Christ suffered in the flesh” [1 Pet. 4:1], and “This is” (not my divine nature, but) “the body broken for you for the forgiveness of sins” [1 Cor. 11:24]. | et “de filio eius qui factus est ei ex semine Dauid secundum carnem” et de passione rursus quia “deus filium suum misit in similitudine carnis peccati et de peccato condemnauit peccatum in carne” et iterum “Christus mortuus est pro peccatis nostris” et “Christo passo carne” et “hoc est” non deitas, sed “corpus meum quod pro uobis frangitur” |
| καὶ ἄλλων μυρίων φωνῶν διαμαρτυρομένων τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸ γένος μὴ τὴν τοῦ υἱοῦ νομίζειν θεότητα πρόσφατον ἢ πάθους σωματικοῦ δεκτικήν, ἀλλὰ τὴν συνημμένην τῇ φύσει τῆς θεότητος σάρκα (ὅθεν καὶ κύριον τοῦ Δαυὶδ ἑαυτὸν ὁ Χριστὸς καὶ υἱὸν ὀνομάζει· “Τί” γάρ φησιν, “ὑμῖν δοκεῖ περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ; τίνος υἱός ἐστι; λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· τοῦ Δαυίδ. ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· πῶς οὖν Δαυὶδ ἐν πνεύματι κύριον αὐτὸν καλεῖ, λέγων· εἶπεν ὁ κύριος τῷ κυρίῳ μου· κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου;” ὡς υἱὸς ὢν πάντως τοῦ Δαυὶδ κατὰ σάρκα, κατὰ δὲ τὴν θεότητα κύριος), | And many other voices testify to the ancestry of the man, that they not think the divinity of the Son to be new, or fit for receiving suffering of the body, but that the flesh, which was joined to the divinity, was. Because of this Christ calls himself both David’s Lord and Son: “‘What do you think about the Christ?’ he said. ‘Whose son is he?’ They said to him, ‘David’s.’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘How then did David, in the Spirit, call him Lord, saying, “The Lord said to my Lord; ‘Sit down at my right hand’”?’” [Matt. 22:42-44]. It is because although he is the Son of David in every way according to the flesh, according to his divinity he is Lord. | et mille aliis uocibus adtestantibus hominum genus non filii putare deitatem recentem aut passionis corporeae capabilem, sed coniunctam naturae deitatis carnem. Unde et dominum Dauid Christus semet ipsum et filium nominat. “Quid enim, ait, uobis uidetur de Christo? cuius est filius? dicunt ei: Dauid. Respondit Iesus et dixit eis: Quomodo ergo Dauid in spiritu dominum eum uocat dicens: Dixit dominus domino meo: Sede a dextris meis?” Utpote filius existens omnino Dauid secundum carnem, secundum deitatem autem dominus. |
| εἶναι μὲν οὖν τῆς τοῦ υἱοῦ θεότητος τὸ σῶμα ναὸν καὶ ναὸν κατ᾽ ἄκραν τινὰ καὶ θείαν ἡνωμένον συνάφειαν, ὡς οἰκειοῦσθαι τὰ τούτου τὴν τῆς θεότητος φύσιν, ὁμολογεῖσθαι καλὸν καὶ τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν παραδόσεων ἄξιον· τὸ δὲ δὴ τῷ τῆς οἰκειότητος προστρίβειν ὀνόματι καὶ τὰς τῆς συνημμένης σαρκὸς ἰδιότητας, γέννησιν λέγω καὶ πάθος καὶ νέκρωσιν, ἢ πλανωμένης ἐστίν, ἀδελφέ, καθ᾽ Ἕλληνας διανοίας ἢ τὰ τοῦ φρενοβλαβοῦς Ἀπολιναρίου καὶ Ἀρείου καὶ τῶν ἄλλων νοσούσης αἱρέσεων, μᾶλλον δέ τι κἀκείνων βαρύτερον. | It is good and worthy of the Gospel traditions, then, to confess that the body is a temple of the divinity of the Son, and a temple according to a certain highest and divinely joined union; and that the divine nature makes the things of the body his own. But indeed, using the term “appropriation” to attribute also the properties of the joined flesh–the birth, I say, and suffering, and death–is truly a way of thinking gone astray, brother, either towards the Greeks, or towards the insanity of Apollinaris and Arius and the others who are sick with heresy. But rather, it would be worse than even those ones. | Esse quidem deitatis filii corpus templum et templum secundum summam quandam et diuinam unitum coniunctionem, quatenus proprium ducat deitatis natura, bonum est confiteri et euangelicis traditionibus dignum; nomini uero proprietatis adterere et carnis proprietates, natiuitatem dico et passionem et mortem, aut errantis est, frater, intellegentiae secundum paganos aut desipientis Apollinarii et Arriiet quae sunt aliarum aegrotantium haeresum, magis autem siquid est illis grauius. |
| ἀνάγκη γὰρ τῷ τῆς οἰκειότητος τοὺς τοιούτους παρασυρομένους ὀνόματι καὶ γαλακτοτροφίας κοινωνὸν διὰ τὴν οἰκειότητα τὸν θεὸν λόγον ποιεῖν καὶ τῆς κατὰ μικρὸν αὐξήσεως μέτοχον καὶ τῆς ἐν τῷ τοῦ πάθους καιρῷ δειλίας καὶ βοηθείας ἀγγελικῆς ἐνδεᾶ. καὶ σιωπῶ περιτομὴν καὶ θυσίαν καὶ ἱδρῶτας καὶ πεῖναν, ἃ τῇ σαρκὶ μὲν ὡς δι’ ἡμᾶς συμβάντα προσκυνητὰ προσαπτόμενα, ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς θεότητος ταῦτα καὶ ψευδῆ λαμβανόμενα καὶ ἡμῖν ὡς συκοφάνταις δικαίας κατακρίσεως αἴτια. | For it is necessary that those who are dragged away by the term “appropriation” make God the Word to become a partaker through “appropriation” in nursing, and sharing in a gradual growth, and being afraid at the time of suffering, and in need of angelic help. And I will keep silent that circumcision, and sacrifice, and sweat, and hunger, and thirst, which happened to the flesh because of us, is united and made worthy of adoration. But if these were falsely accepted about the divinity, there would also be for us, as slanderers, a reason for just condemnation. | Necesse est enim huiusmodi qui proprietatis nomine adtrahuntur, et lactationis consortem propter proprietatem deum uerbum facere et paulatim incrementi participem et pauoris tempore passionis, auxilio etiam angelico indigentem. Et taceo circumcisionem et sacrificium et sudores et esuriem, quae propter nos carni contigerunt adorabilia contingentia, in deitate uero haec false suscepta et nobis tamquam calumniate iustae condemnationis causa sunt. |
| 8. Αὗται τῶν ἁγίων πατέρων αἱ παραδόσεις· ταῦτα τῶν θείων γραφῶν τὰ παραγγέλματα· οὕτω τις καὶ τὰ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας τῆς θείας καὶ τὰ τῆς αὐθεντίας θεολογεῖ· “Ταῦτα μελέτα· ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι, ἵνα σοῦ ἡ προκοπὴ φανερὰ ᾖ πᾶσιν,” ὁ Παῦλος πρὸς πάντας φησίν. | These are the traditions of the holy fathers; they are the precepts of the divine scriptures. Thus someone also theologizes about the of the kind-hearted actions of the divinity and the deeds of his authority: “Think about these; be in them, in order that your progress be evident to all, and for all” [1 Tim. 4:15], as Paul says. | Haec sunt sanctorum patrum traditiones, haec diuinarum scripturarum praecepta; sic quispiam et quae sunt misericordiae diuinae et quae sunt auctoritatis, deificat; “Haec meditare, in his esto, ut tuus profectus manifestus sit omnibus,” Paulus ad omnes dicit. |
| τῆς δέ γε τῶν σκανδαλιζομένων φροντίδος καλῶς μὲν ποιεῖς ἀντεχόμενος καὶ χάρις τῇ τῶν θείων μεριμνητικῇ σου ψυχῇ καὶ τῶν παρ᾽ ἡμῖν φροντιζούσῃ· γίνωσκε δὲ πεπλανημένον σαυτὸν ὑπὸ τῶν ἐνταῦθα παρὰ τῆς ἁγίας συνόδου καθῃρημένων, ὡς τὰ Μανιχαίων φρονούντων, ἢ τῶν τῆς σῆς ἴσως διαθέσεως κληρικῶν. τὰ γὰρ τῆς ἐκκλησίας καθ᾽ ἑκάστην προκόπτει καὶ τὰ τῶν λαῶν ἐν ἐπιδόσει διὰ τὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ χάριν τοσαύτῃ, ὡς τὰ τοῦ προφήτου τοὺς βλέποντας τὰ πλήθη βοᾶν· “Πλησθήσεται ἡ γῆ τοῦ γνῶναι τὸν κύριον ὡς ὕδωρ πολὺ κατακαλύψαι θαλάσσας.” | But at least you have done well, showing concern for the scandalized, and thanks be that your spirit, anxious of the divine things, also was thinking about our affairs. But know that you yourself are led astray perhaps by your like-minded clerics, by those who have been condemned here by the holy synod as Manichaean-minded. For the things of the church advance day by day, and the matters of the peoples are on such an increase by the grace of God, that those who saw the multitudes speak like the words of the prophet: “The earth will be filled of knowledge of the Lord, like waters great enough to cover up the sea” [Is. 11:9]. | Quod uero pro scandalizatis curam geras, bene facis esse sollicitus et gratulamur diuinorum curam gerenti animae tuae et de nobis sollicitae; cognosce autem deceptum esse temet ipsum ab eis qui hic a sancta synodo depositi sunt utpote sapientes ea quae Manichaeorum sunt, aut certe forsan dilectionis tuae clericis. Quae sunt enim ecclesiae, cottidie proficiunt et populorum tanti multitudo crescit per gratiam Christi, ut uidentes multitudines quae sunt prophetae, clament: “Inplebitur terra ad cognoscendum dominum quasi aqua multa coperire maria.” |
| τά τε τῶν βασιλέων ἐν ὑπερβαλλούσῃ χαρᾷ πεφωτισμένου τοῦ δόγματος, καὶ ἵνα συνελὼν ἐπιστείλω, ἐκείνην ἐπὶ ταῖς θεομάχοις ἁπάσαις αἱρέσεσιν καὶ τῇ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ὀρθοδοξίᾳ καθ᾽ ἑκάστην εὕροι τις ἂν παρ᾽ ἡμῖν τὴν φωνὴν πληρουμένην· “Ὁ οἶκος Σαοὺλ ἐπορεύετο καὶ ἠσθένει καὶ ὁ οἶκος Δαυὶδ ἐπορεύετο καὶ ἐκραταιοῦτο.” | And the rulers have been illuminated by the doctrine in overpowering delight, and (in order that I write briefly), every day someone might with us discover that saying about all God-fighting heresy and about the orthodoxy of the church being fulfilled: “The house of Saul went and became weaker. And the house of David went and was strengthened” [2 Sam. 3:1]. | Principes uero incredibile gaudium habent etiam quae regni sunt illuminato dogmate et ut compendiose dicam, illam in omnibus haeresibus, quae contra deum certant et contra ecclesiae recta dogmata, cottidie quis repperiet apud nos uocem inpleri: “Domus Saul ibat et infirmabatur et domus Dauid ibat et firmabatur.” |
| 9. Ταῦτα τὰ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ὡς ἀδελφῶν πρὸς ἀδελφὸν συμβουλεύματα· “Εἰ δέ τις φιλονεικεῖ,” κεκράξεται καὶ δι’ ἡμῶν πρὸς τὸν τοιοῦτον ὁ Παῦλος “ἡμεῖς τοιαύτην συνήθειαν οὐκ ἔχομεν οὐδὲ αἱ ἐκκλησίαι τοῦ θεοῦ.” | This is our brotherly advice to you, brother. “But if someone seems to love strife,” Paul will have cried out through us against them, “we do not have such a custom, nor do the churches of God” [1 Cor. 11:16]. | Hae a nobis utpote a fratribus ad fratrem suasiones sunt; “Si uero aliquis contendit,” clamabit per nos ad huiusmodi Paulus: “Nos talem consuetudinem non habemus nec ecclesiae dei.” |
| πᾶσαν τὴν σὺν σοὶ ἐν Χριστῷ ἀδελφότητα ἐγώ τε καὶ οἱ σὺν ἐμοὶ πλεῖστα προσαγορεύομεν. ἐρρωμένος ὑπερευχόμενος ἡμῶν διατελοίης, δέσποτα τιμιώτατε καὶ θεοσεβέστατε. | I and those with me warmly greet all the brotherhood with you in Christ. May you remain strong and continue to pray for us, you who are most dearly valued by me and most beloved by God. | Omnem quae tecum est in Christo, fraternitatem et ego et qui mecum sunt, plurimum salutamus. Saluus et pro nobis orans permaneas, domine honoratissime et dei cultor. |
Last updated 9/25/24 by JSW
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