Fragments on Matthew · §33 · Cyril of Alexandria

Matthew 4:23

If someone asks the difference between disease and weakness, we answer: weakness is the body’s temporary irregularity; disease is disproportion among the elements in the body.

Note also that the inheritance of the tribe of Zebulun and Naphtali stretched as far as the gentile city Sidon, and that Jews were already living mixed with the nations. Zebulun is interpreted “good journey” (Matthew 4:15) and “blessing”; Naphtali, “a loosened stem,” that is, a plant stretched out.

Those who believed in Christ became these things. Journeying well, they were counted worthy of the divine blessing and were broadened in every good — those who were formerly in Galilee, which is interpreted “rolling down,” that is, those rolling down into the pits of destruction.

Greek

Εἰ δέ τις ἐρωτᾷ, τίς ἡ διαφορὰ νόσου καὶ μαλακίας, ἀποκρινού μεθα, ὅτι μαλακία μέν ἐστιν ἡ πρόσκαιρος ἀνωμαλία τοῦ σώματος, νόσος δὲ ἀσυμμετρία τῶν ἐν τῷ σώματι στοιχείων. χρὴ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ἐπισημήνασθαι, ὅτι ἡ κληρουχία τῆς φυλῆς τοῦ "Ζαβουλὼν καὶ Νεφθα λεὶμ" ἄχρι Σιδῶνος ἐθνικῆς πόλεως παρετέτατο καὶ ὅτι ἀναμὶξ τοῖς ἔθνεσιν Ἰουδαῖοι κατῴκουν λοιπόν. ἑρμηνεύεται δὲ "Ζαβουλὼν" μὲν εὐοδία καὶ εὐλογία, "Νεφθαλεὶμ" δὲ στέλεχος ἀνειμένον ἤγουν φυτὸν παρατεινόμενον. γεγόνασιν δὲ ταῦτα οἱ εἰς Χριστὸν πιστεύσαντες· εὐόδως γὰρ πορευόμενοι τῆς θείας εὐλογίας ἠξιώθησαν καὶ τοῖς καλοῖς ἅπασιν ἐνεπλαντύνθησαν οἱ πρὶν ἐν Γαλιλαίᾳ ὄντες, ἥτις κατακυλιστὴ ἑρμη νεύεται, τοῦτ' ἔστιν οἱ κατακυλιόμενοι κατὰ τῶν βαράθρων τῆς ἀπω λείας.

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