Cyril of Alexandria: Fragments on Matthew · §249

Matthew 24:51

Let us examine what it is to be cut in two. When Adam came to be in the beginnings of punishment — God, giving nature its most complete beauty, makes him sharer of his own Spirit. For “he breathed into his face a breath of life”; for what truly gives life is the Spirit of life, that is, of Christ. But since he slipped from deceit into sin, the Spirit was removed. When God and Father was pleased “to recapitulate all things in Christ” and to bring human nature back up into its ancient beauty, we received back through grace what the intrusion of sin had damaged in us. For Christ breathed into us after the resurrection, renewing us into the ancient beauty: “Receive,” he says, “holy Spirit.” So the Spirit is united to us; for “the one cleaving to the Lord is one spirit.” Therefore, if we are found at the end in efforts according to piety, we receive back the fullness — now having the Spirit as in the order of a pledge — but if we are accused in sins we are damaged even of the Spirit’s pledge itself; for it is cut off and departs, as it were, at the time of judgment. And this, we say, is the cutting in two of which he speaks here; for it is not possible for someone to be given over to punishment together with the Spirit.

Greek

Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἶδον, ὅτι οἱ περὶ Θευδᾶν καὶ Ἰούδαν–διὰ τῶν λόγων τούτων εἰς τοιαύτην ὑποψίαν ἐμβαλεῖν.

About this text

Catena fragments on Matthew (CPG 5206). Contents follow Matthew chapter and verse. Edition fragment numbers stay in About this text and under each passage.

English follows the named copy-text (Aegean/khazarzar Migne PG 72 extract). Other prints were checked as noted; no silent merge of recensions.

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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.