Heavy hands: Israel slow to the cross; altar named the Lord my refuge
and conquered we will understand, because of not wishing to accept the cross, to whom also Christ was addressing saying: ‘Amen, amen I say to you, if you do not believe that I am, you will die in your sins.’ And he says Moses’ hands are heavy, and barely being raised, and stretched out very reluctantly, unto the need to show the precious schema of the cross—hinting that enigmatically, I think, that Israel was not very ready unto receiving the faith, coming most reluctantly and barely unto wishing to take up the reproach of Christ; for because of this the divine Paul also names the cross well a scandal to Jews. ‘And taking,’ it says, ‘a stone, they put it under him, and he was sitting upon it, and Aaron and Hur were supporting his hands, from here one and from here one.’ And a precious stone, chosen, cornerstone, honorable is Christ, upon whom also resting (for the sitting makes clear the rest) the more equitable and more teachable of those from Israel, the remnant of the grace according to election, spread the hands—that is, accept the cross—Christ as it were somehow supporting and holding them through even unto this, as is signified in Hur and Aaron, being understood at once as judge and high priest. For Hur was an unbribed judge; and Aaron high priest, the one holding together the remnant according to election of grace of those from Israel, toward the salvation through faith. For this I think is what was said prophetically through Isaiah’s voice: ‘And if the Lord of hosts had not left us a seed, we would have become as Sodom, and we would have been likened as Gomorrah.’ Amalek who stood opposed having fallen therefore—I mean Amalek—‘Write,’ it says, ‘this unto a memorial into a book, and give into Jesus’ ears.’ For through the writing of the holy evangelists Christ’s achievements were going to be stretched unto unfinished and long memory. And it said the writing is to be given into Jesus’ ears. For as it were an offering are praises and encomia to Christ—the writings of the saints. And Amalek already having fallen and been conquered, Moses raises an altar to God; and he also writes a name for it, ‘My Lord, my refuge.’ And this also would be a type of Christ. For he has become Lord to us and refuge; for having conquered the ruler of this age, and having trampled the power of death, and having offered himself for us as it were a blameless victim, unto an odor of fragrance to God and Father. A type of Christ therefore is the altar, for which also a fitting and true name is ‘My Lord, my refuge.’
Palladius: I agree; for you understand rightly.
Cyril: And having warred the intelligible Amalek with a hidden hand and conquered, Christ mastered the nations, and plundered his vessels, just as
Greek
μένους καὶ νενικημένους ἐννοήσομεν, διὰ τὸ μὴ δεῖν ἐθέλειν προσήκασθαι τὸν σταυρὸν, οἷς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς προσεφώνει λέγων· «Ἀμὴν, ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐὰν μὴ πιστεύσητε, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι, ἐν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ὑμῶν ἀποθανεῖσθε.» Βαρείας δὲ εἶναί φησι τὰς χεῖρας Μωσέως, καὶ μόλις ἐπαιρομένας, ὀκνηρῶς τε λίαν ἐκτεινομένας, εἰς τὸ καταδεῖξαι δεῖν τὸ τοῦ σταυροῦ τίμιον σχῆμα, ἐκεῖνο οἶμαί που δηλῶν αἰνιγματωδῶς, ὡς οὐ λίαν ἕτοιμος ἦν εἰς τὸ παραδέχεσθαι τὴν πίστιν ὁ Ἰσραὴλ, δυσοκνότατά τε καὶ μόλις ἐρχόμενος εἰς τὸ θέλειν ἀναλαβεῖν τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ· σκάνδαλον γὰρ Ἰουδαίοις διά τοι τοῦτο καλῶς ὀνομάζει τὸν σταυρὸν καὶ ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος. «Καὶ λαβόντες,» φησὶ, «λίθον, ὑπέθηκαν ὑπ' αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐκάθητο ἐπ' αὐτοῦ, καὶ Ἀαρὼν καὶ Ὣρ ἐστήριζον τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ, ἐντεῦθεν εἷς, καὶ ἐντεῦθεν εἷς.» Λίθος δὲ τίμιος, ἐκλεκτὸς, ἀκρογωνιαῖος, ἔντιμος ὁ Χριστὸς, ἐφ' ᾧ καὶ ἀναπαυόμενοι (δηλοῖ γὰρ ἡ κάθησις τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν) οἱ ἐπιεικέστεροι δὲ καὶ εὐμαθέστεροι τῶν ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ, τὸ λῆμμα τῆς χάριτος τῆς κατ' ἐκλογὴν, ἁπλοῦσι τὰς χεῖρας, τοῦτ' ἔστι, καταδέχονται τὸν σταυρὸν, στηρίζοντος οἱονεί που καὶ διακρατοῦντος αὐτοὺς καὶ πρός γε τοῦτο Χριστοῦ, ὡς ἐν Ὥρ τε καὶ Ἀαρὼν σημαίνεται, νοούμενος ἐν ταὐτῷ κριτὴς καὶ ἀρχιερεύς. Ὣρ μὲν γὰρ ἦν ἀδέκαστος κριτής· Ἀαρὼν δὲ ἀρχιερεὺς, ὁ τὸ λῆμμα συνέχων, τὸ κατ' ἐκλογὴν χάριτος τῶν ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ, πρὸς τὴν διὰ πίστεως σωτηρίαν. Τουτὶ γὰρ οἶμαι δηλοῦν τὸ διὰ φωνῆς Ἡσαΐου προφητικῶς εἰρημένον· «Καὶ εἰ μὴ Κύριος Σαβαὼθ ἐγκατέλιπεν ἡμῖν σπέρμα, ὡς Σόδομα ἂν ἐγενήθημεν, καὶ ὡς Γόμοῤῥα ἂν ὡμοιώθημεν.» Πεπτωκότος τοιγαροῦν τοῦ ἀνθεστηκότος, φημὶ δὴ τοῦ Ἀμαλήκ· «Κατάγραψον,» φησὶν, «εἰς μνημόσυνον τοῦτο εἰς βιβλίον, καὶ δὸς εἰς τὰ ὦτα Ἰησοῦ.» Ἔμελλε γὰρ διὰ τῆς τῶν ἁγίων εὐαγγελιστῶν συγγραφῆς εἰς ἀτελεύτητον καὶ μακρὰν ἐκτείνεσθαι μνήμην τὰ διὰ Χριστοῦ κατορθώματα. Δίδοσθαί γε μὴν ἔφη τὴν συγγραφὴν εἰς τὰ ὦτα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ. Ἀνάθημα γὰρ ὥσπερ ἔπαινοί τε καὶ ἐγκώμια τῷ Χριστῷ τὰ τῶν ἁγίων συγγράμματα. Πεπτωκότος δὲ ἤδη καὶ νενικημένου τοῦ Ἀμαλὴκ, ἀνίστησιν ὁ Μωσῆς θυσιαστήριον τῷ Θεῷ· καταγράφει δὲ καὶ αὐτῷ ὄνομα, «Κύριός μου, καταφυγή μου.» Τύπος δὲ ἂν εἴη καὶ τοῦτο Χριστοῦ. Κύριος γὰρ ἡμῖν γέγονε καὶ καταφυγή· νενικηκὼς γὰρ τὸν ἄρχοντα τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου, πατήσας δὲ τοῦ θανάτου τὸ κράτος, καὶ ἀναθεὶς ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ὥσπερ ἄμωμον ἱερεῖον, εἰς ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρί. Τύπος οὖν ἄρα Χριστοῦ, τὸ θυσιαστήριον, ᾧ καὶ πρέπον τε καὶ ἀληθὲς ὄνομα, «Κύριός μου, καταφυγή μου.»
{ΠΑΛΛ.} Σύμφημι· νοεῖς γὰρ ὀρθῶς.
{ΚΥΡ.} Ἐν χειρὶ δὲ κρυφαίᾳ πολεμήσας τὸν νοητὸν Ἀμαλὴκ καὶ νενικηκὼς ὁ Χριστὸς, κατεκράτησε τῶν ἐθνῶν, καὶ διήρπασεν αὐτοῦ τὰ σκεύη, καθά
About this text
Cyril continues the dialogue with Palladius. Book 3 of a seventeen-book dialogue — not the whole work.
English follows Migne PG 68 (Aubert reprint). The PDF and a cleaned text of the same print were checked against each other. This page is Book 3 §§1–10 of seventeen. This is a reading translation for study, not a new critical edition of the Greek.
Witnesses
- Copy-text Migne PG 68 De adoratione Book 3 (Aubert reprint) (Greek · Book 3 §§1–10)
- Checked print PDF of PG 68 De adoratione (Greek · Book 3)
English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.