Cyril of Alexandria: Fragments on Matthew · §284

Matthew 27:51

The tearing of the veil was no unclear sign that the temple itself all but mourned, and those brought down into ruin and destruction who crucified the Master of that very temple — perhaps also convicting them, through the custom among them, of impiety against Christ. For it was a Jewish custom to tear clothing around when God was blasphemed. But what happened also seems to hint something else needful for our benefit: the veil that hid the holies of holies within, when the time arrived in which the law’s shadow had to be drawn together and the worship in types to cease, and the holies of holies to be opened to those justified through faith in Christ, is torn around, God as it were showing them to the worthy, so that henceforth, with nothing restraining, those who go in Christ’s track may run into the inner tent.

Greek

Ἵνα μὴ "πρὸ τῆς ἑορτῆς τοῦ πάσχα" τοῖς φονεῦσιν αὐτὸν ὁ προ δότης παραδῷ, οὐ διαμεμήνυκεν ὁ σωτὴρ ἢ τὸν οἶκον ἢ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, παρ' ᾧ τὸ πάσχα πεπλήρωκεν.

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.

Witnesses

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.