Newbold College

NATURES OF CHRIST IN THE WORK OF CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA

 – TREATISES ON THE INCARNATION:

AN ANALYSIS OF CYRILS THEOLOGY.

Essay

Presented in the Fulfilment

 of the Requirements of the Course

BICS 231 Foundations of Christian Theology

By

Allan Falk

 November 2004

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Statement of the problem

        According to St. Cyril of Alexandria Doctor of the Incarnation,[1] God revealed himself in the human life of Jesus of Nazareth.[2] Who was this Jesus of Nazareth actually?

 Purpose of the Study

        The purpose of this study is to analyse the nature of Jesus Christ, according to Cyril of Alexandria.  It will be done mainly based on Cyril’s own writings, compared with the opinion of theologians from different time periods and the Bible.

 Significance of the Essay

        Salvation of the world, being the purpose of the life of Jesus Christ, a study into his nature becomes a very significant one.

Limitations

        This being a relatively small essay, I will limit my study to one chapter THE SCHOLIA ON THE INCARNATION, in the book S. Cyril of Alexandria on the Incarnation against Nestorius.

 Basic Assumption

        Basic assumption for this work is, that the Bible is God’s true word, and that the reader has some knowledge about Cyril and the Church History.

 Procedure

        The task of this essay is accomplished in five steps:

1. In chapter 2 there is some background information about Cyril himself, and the situation of the Church when he became a Bishop in Alexandria.
2. In chapter 3 the word Incarnation will be introduced, and it will be explained why  Cyril devoted much of his life, writing about that topic.
3. In chapter 4 the Nature of Christ in the Work of Cyril will be examined.
4. In chapter 5 Cyril’s theology is analysed by comparison with the Holy Scripture and the opinion of other external sources.
5. In chapter 6 the main points are summarised.

CHAPTER II

INTRODUCTION TO CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA AND HIS TIME

        There is actually no information about Cyril’s childhood, and the year 376 A.D. for his birth is also only a round figure, but after some years as a monk in the Nitrrian Mountains he became Patriarch of Alexandria after his uncle Theophilus.[3] His ascending to power was not very democratic, he simply overpowered his rival Thimotheus by means of fighting.[4] His first action as a patriarch was to close the churches of the Novatians,[5] and drive the Jews out of the city.[6] The worst action was probably the killing of Hypatia the first female philosopher of the west.[7]

        The main reason for Cyril’s fame today is his controversy with Nestorius,[8] where he defended the theology, that Jesus was only One even if he is both Son og God and Son og Man.[9] Nestorius claimed that Jesus had two independent Natures.[10] Through the encounters with this Nestorius, and all the theological writings he did later, he actually developed Athanasius doctrine of Christ, and ended up contributing as much to the doctrine of Christ, as Athanasius did to the doctrine of Trinity.[11] In addition it should be mentioned that the Catholic Church remembers him as playing a major role in establishing Mary as the Mother of God.[12] After a long life Cyril died in 444 A.D.

        In the period of Cyril the Christians had freedom to worship, contrary to the period under Decius where they were persecuted. Whoever it is seen that even the Christians used power when they felt it necessary.

CHAPTER III

Incarnation

        Incarnation comes from the Latin word incarnatio and has the meaning, being or tacking flesh. It simply means that a God has taken form as an animal or a human. This phenomenon is known in several different Religions. In Ancient Egypt the Kings were an incarnation of one of their Gods, and later both Muslims and Hindus had their Gods revealed by incarnation. For this paper the carpenter Jesus ben Joseph from Nazareth has our interest, because the Christians by interpretation of the Bible claims, that he was God.[13]

        It should be noted, that the doctrine as it is has been developed over the centuries, is not clearly expressed in the Bible.[14]

 The importance of the defence of the doctrine of incarnation

        The Incarnation is one of the greatest events, which has ever happened in the history of the Universe. The fact that God the Son himself became Man, and identified with us humans, and finally died for our transgressions, making it possible for sinful people again to be accepted in the presence God the Father.[15]

        It is most likely, that the issue of salvation also motivated Cyril in his attempts to defend the thru doctrine of Christ Incarnate.

CHAPTER IV

THE NATURE OF CHRIST IN THE WORK OF CYRIL

        On the first pages of SCHOLIA ON THE INCARNATION OF THE ONLY – BEGOTTEN, Cyril introduces and interprets different names given to the incarnate God. The names are as follows Jesus, Emmanuel and Christ.

        The first name is Christ: Christ comes from the Greek word Khristos meaning anointed. Cyril’s comment to the name Christ is that it does not tell us exactly who the person is, because so many have been anointed. Isaiah 45. 1 tells us that even an idolater could be anointed.[16]

        The second name is Emmanuel: Emmanuel is a Hebrew name meaning God is with us. Cyril interprets the meaning from Hebrew 2. 14[17] and 16 were we are told, that God came in Abrahams seed and he took part in human flesh. His interpretation is With us is God.

        The third name is Jesus: Cyril points out, that according to Matt 1. 21 Jesus means savour.[18]

        After introducing these three names for the God Son, Cyril makes it clear, that the three names refer to the same being.[19] He furthermore makes it clear, that the result of the incarnation, where God took flesh, was one person with one Nature. He takes an example from the Hellenistic philosophy, where a human being is made up by body and soul. When body and soul are joined together it makes one person only. The same with God when he entered a human body, he became only one being with one Nature, and his name was Jesus.[20] The mode of this union is according to Cyril above man’s understanding.[21]

        Talking about the Nature of Christ before he entered this world,[22] Cyril points out, that he was the creator of this world, and therefore fully God together with God the Father.[23]

        Through much of Cyril’s writings on the Incarnation, he emphasizes that Jesus was fully God even during his time her on earth. This is exemplified in quotation like this. ´, and Who was truly like us and in human nature, yet remained God, for God the Word, when He took flesh, laid not down what He was, but is conceived of the Same God alike and Man.´[24] By claiming that Jesus was fully God, Cyril also rules out the possibility, that Jesus was Man deified or just man indwelt by God or his Spirit.[25]

          Even if Jesus did many miracles during his period of work, it is still a valid question, how much he changed when he became man. On this issue Cyril is mentioning Phil 2. 6 – 11[26] when he explains how Jesus descended into emptiness and humbled himself as a servant.  Still it is the writer’s opinion, that Cyril is not really clear on this issue. Reading his treatises it is not possible to verify how many divine attributes Jesus kept during his stay her on earth.

        As already described, Cyril tries to clarify what kind of Nature and Form Jesus had both before and after his Incarnation, but that is not enough, he also mentions, that Jesus ascended into Heaven with flesh.[27] It is not explained in detail, but if the writer is correct, Cyril is of the opinion, that Jesus is still in flesh in Heaven today.      

CHAPTER V

CYRILS THEOLOGY ANALYSED

        The different names given to the Incarnate God, mentioned by Cyril, have their roots in the Holy Scripture, and to the best knowledge of the writer, they are not questioned by any scholar or authority.

        Cyril’s statement that Christ was God even before he Incarnated, is contrary to Arius teachings. Arius thought that Christ was not of the same Nature with the Father, but created in time and not eternal God.[28] Even today books written on this subject prove that there are still groups holding that position. However finding support for Cyril’s opinion is not difficult, it can be found in St. Johns Gospel chapter one verse one, it reads.  ´In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.´

        Cyril’s statement that Christ was God during his life as Jesus ben Josef born in Nazareth have always been doubted, there are literature in plenty proving that. Some theologians hold that he is just a special man chosen by God for a divine purpose,[29] or he is man adopted by God as his Son, either at his baptism or at his resurrection.[30] There are several possibilities, he could be inspired or indwelt like all the other prophets from the Old Testament, or he could be a man deified. Turning back to Cyril’s position, and looking into St. Johns Gospel again, Jesus own statement can be found in chapter 8 verse 58, it reads. ´Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.´ Here Jesus is saying that he was present before Abraham, strongly indicating that he is more than man. Turning to Martin Luther in the confession of Augsburg presented for Emperor Karl V, more support for Christ’s deity is found, it is clearly stated that Christ is creator, eternal and God exactly equal with God the Father.[31]

        Cyril’s position that Christ had only one Nature was opposed by his main opponent Nestorius, the one he was meeting at the Council in Ephesus. Nestorius believed that Christ had two Natures in one person, but fully independent.[32] Support for Cyril’s position can again be found in the confession from Augsburg, where it is stated that the two Natures the human and the divine were joined together in one person Jesus Christ, truly God and truly man.

        Cyril’s portraying Jesus descended down into emptiness, humbling himself by becoming like men, which are not very specific, can be broadened a bit by having a small glimpse at Jesus life. If he came to this world with all his Godly attributes, then he would not be in need of help and support from his father in Heaven. However any reader of the Gospels will be able to recognise that Jesus were constantly depending on his father, praying to him probably for assistance and assurance. An example is found in Mark 1. 35 it reads. Mark 1:35 ´And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.´ One explanation could be, that Christ willingly left his Godly attributes with God the Father, while he was her on earth, for him to be able to be like men.

        The opinion that Jesus is still in flesh in Heaven today, which is briefly mentioned in Cyril’s writings, is quite interesting, because it indicates that Jesus surely had only one Nature here on earth, which Cyril claims. If Christ’s body were pure earthly and his Soul pure divine, which in Hellenistic or Nestorian thinking could have been realistic, then it is not likely that he would have gone to Heaven with his earthly body. The writer have not been able to find serious comments on this from scholastic side,

but want to draw the attention of the reader to Acts of the Apostles 1. 9 – 11.[33] Interpreted by the writer this three verses means. Jesus Nature in Heaven today, is exactly the same as it was when he lived here on earth, because he is supposed to come back the same way. The only difference when it comes to Christ in Heaven today is that now he have received back from his Father all the Divine attributes, which he left with the Father before he Incarnated. Jesus himself indicates that, before he gives his disciples their mission.[34]

        Keeping Cyril’s motivation for defending his view on the Incarnation in mind, the salvation of sinners, his theology on Incarnation makes sense. Cyril knew that the death of a simple human could not save the human race from destruction; he had to defend Christ as fully God, because only God himself could redeem sinful man.

 CHAPTER VI

CONCLUSION

        The writer concludes after having read Cyril on Incarnation, that he was a god theologian having set the doctrine of Incarnation so clear, that nobody ever since have managed to contribute to it in a major way, apart from the ones opposing the theology that Christ was really God. 

        In brief Cyril’s theology on Christ and Incarnation can be summarized like this. He believed that Christ was the creator of all things and eternal God together with the Father. When Christ Incarnated into this world and was born by the virgin Maria, he kept his divine status, he was still fully God. Cyril describes the huge humiliation it was for Christ to become man, but he is not clear on the issue of divine attributes. Where Christ her with all his attributes, or were they with the Father while he was man? For Cyril, there is no doubt, that Christ is in heaven today as the Lord of Lords, and Cyril expects Christ to reconcile sinful men with their Heavenly Father.

        When the writer read about Cyril and the way he forcefully came to power, and the way he handled his opponents or enemies, he sees a very worldly man, but when he reads Cyril’s theological writings, he experiences a real Christian.

        Long after his death he has been honoured with the title, Doctor of Incarnation, and he deserved it.

          BIBLIOGRAPHY

Andersen Norman, The Mystery of The Incarnation, (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1978).

Athanasius, On the Incarnation, (http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/history/ath-inc.htm)

Blackman E.C., Incarnation, in The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible II,

        (TN: Abingdon Press, 1980) pp. 691 –  697.

Crawford Robert G., The Saga of God Incarnate, (Pretoria: University of South Africa, 1985).

Cyril of Alexandria, (http://www.earlychurch.org.uk/cyrilalex.html).

Dunn James D.G., Incarnation, in The Anchor Bible Dictionary III,

        (NY: Doubleday, 1992) pp. 397 –  404.

Jackson George A., The Post – Nicene Greek fathers, (www.earlychristianwritings.com/jackson2/).

Lademans, CD – ROM Leksikon 2003, (Denmark: Egmont Lademan, 2002).

Lane Tony, Cyril Of Alexandria, (England: Lion Publishing, 1984).

M.F.U., Incarnation, in the New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, Database, (Nav Press Software, 1997)

Mæland Jens Olav, Konkordie Boken, (Oslo:Lunde Forlag, 2000).

Patronage J. Magnier, Saint Cyril of Alexandria,

         (http://www.doctorsofthecatholicchurch.com/CA.html).

Pope St. CelestineI, (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03477c.htm).

Richardson Neil, Was Jesus divine?, (England: The Garden City Press, 1979).

Saint Cyril of Alexandria Doctor of the Church, (http://magnificat.ca/engl/02-09.htm).

Seventh – day Adventists Believe…, (WA: Review and Herald, 1988).

S. Cyril of Alexandria, ON THE INCARNATION AGAINST NESTORIUS,

        (Oxford: James Parker and Revingtons, 1881) pp. 185 - 236.

The Holy Bible, Authorized King James Version.

[1] Patronage J. Magnier, Saint Cyril of Alexandria,

(http://www.doctorsofthecatholicchurch.com/CA.html) p. 1.

[2] S. Cyril of Alexandria, ON THE INCARNATION AGAINST NESTORIUS,

        (Oxford: James Parker and Revingtons, 1881) p. 186.

[3] Cyril of Alexandria, (http://www.earlychurch.org.uk/cyrilalex.html) p. 1.

[4] Saint Cyril of Alexandria Doctor of the Church, (http://magnificat.ca/engl/02-09.htm) p. 1.

[5] Novatians followers of Novatian a Latin theologian, known for his strict handling of Christians who left the church

         under Decius persecution of the Christians.

[6] Cyril of Alexandria Doctor of the Church, p. 1.

[7] Lademans, CD – ROM Leksikon 2003, (Denmark: Egmont Lademan, 2002) Hypatia.   

[8] Lane Tony, Cyril Of Alexandria, (England: Lion Publishing, 1984) p. 44.

[9] S. Cyril of Alexandria, ON THE INCARNATION AGAINST NESTORIUS,

        (Oxford: James Parker and Revingtons, 1881) p. 190.

[10] Lademans, CD – ROM Leksikon 2003, (Denmark: Egmont Lademan, 2002) Nestorianisme.

[11] Jackson George A., The Post – Nicene Greek fathers, (www.earlychristianwritings.com/jackson2/) p. 1.

[12] Patronage J. Magnier, Saint Cyril of Alexandria,

(http://www.doctorsofthecatholicchurch.com/CA.html) p. 2.

[13] Blackman E.C., Incarnation, in The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible II,

        (TN: Abingdon Press, 1980) p. 691.

[14] Dunn James D.G., Incarnation, in The Anchor Bible Dictionary III,

        (NY: Doubleday, 1992) p. 397.

[15] M.F.U., Incarnation, in the New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, Database, (Nav Press Software, 1997)

[16] Isaiah 45:1

        "This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armour, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:

[17] Hebrews 2:14

          Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—

[18] Matthew 1:21

          She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

[19] S. Cyril of Alexandria, ON THE INCARNATION AGAINST NESTORIUS, p. 188.

[20] S. Cyril of Alexandria, ON THE INCARNATION AGAINST NESTORIUS, p. 193.

[21] S. Cyril of Alexandria, ON THE INCARNATION AGAINST NESTORIUS, p. 192.

[22] S. Cyril of Alexandria, ON THE INCARNATION AGAINST NESTORIUS, p. 188.

[23] S. Cyril of Alexandria, ON THE INCARNATION AGAINST NESTORIUS, p. 199.

[24] S. Cyril of Alexandria, ON THE INCARNATION AGAINST NESTORIUS, p. 199.

[25] S. Cyril of Alexandria, ON THE INCARNATION AGAINST NESTORIUS, p. 198.

[26] Philip. 2:6-11

    Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: [7] But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: [8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. [9] Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: [10] That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; [11] And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

[27] S. Cyril of Alexandria, ON THE INCARNATION AGAINST NESTORIUS, p. 199.

[28] Lademans, CD – ROM Leksikon 2003,  arianisme.   

[29] Crawford Robert G., The Saga of God Incarnate, (Pretoria: University of South Africa, 1985) p. 1.

[30] Crawford Robert G., The Saga of God Incarnate, p. 3.

[31] Mæland Jens Olav, Konkordie Boken, (Oslo:Lunde Forlag, 2000) p. 28.

[32] Lademans, CD – ROM Leksikon 2003,  nestorianisme.   

[33] Acts 1:9-11

    And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. [10] And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; [11] Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

[34] Matthew 28:18

    And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

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