[1781] Bel and the Dragon, v. 33: Compare Ezek. viii. 3.
[1782] Heb. xi. 5.
[1783] 2 Kings ii. 11.
[1784] Ps. lxviii. 17: chiliades euthenounton. The Hebrew means literally "thousands of repetition," i.e. many thousands: euthenein, "to abound."
[1785] Sept. hos eis ton ouranon. In 1 Macc. ii. 58 the mss. vary between heos and hos, but the latter (says Fritzsche) "is an alteration made to agree with 2 Kings ii. 11. But there the reference is to the intended exaltation of Elijah into heaven, and therefore hos is rightly used (Kühner, Gramm. § 604, note; Jelf, § 626, Obs. 1), while here the thing is referred to as an accomplished historical fact." The distinction here drawn by Cyril is therefore hypercritical, as is seen below in § 26, where he writes, 'Elias men gar anelephthe eis ouranon.
[1786] Matt. xvi. 19.
[1787] 2 Cor. xii. 2, 4.
[1788] See Cat. iv. 7; xi. 17. The clause, kai kathisanta ek dexion tou Patros, does not occur in the original form of the Nicene Creed, but is found in the Confession of Faith contained in Const. Apost. c. 41, in the four Eusebian Confessions of Antioch (341, 2 a.d.), and in the Macrostichos (344 a.d.). An equivalent clause is found in the brief Confession of Hippolytus (circ. 220 a.d.) Contra Hæres. Noeti, c. 1: "kai onta en dexia tou Patros," and in Tertullian, De Virgin. Veland. c. 1: "Regula quidem Fidei una omnino est, sola immobilis et irreformabilis,....sedentem nunc ad dextram Patris:" de Præscriptione, c 13: "Regula est autem fidei....sedisse ad dexteram Patris:" adversus Praxean, c. 2: "sedere ad dexteram Patris."
[1789] ek prokopes. Cf. Cat. x. 5, note 8.
[1790] aph' houper estin, (esti de aei gennetheis). In both clauses estin is emphatic.
[1791] Is. vi. 1.
[1792] John i. 18.
[1793] Ps. xciii. 2.
[1794] Ps. cx. 1.
[1795] Matt. xxii. 43.
[1796] Acts ii. 34.
[1797] Matt. xxvi. 64.
[1798] 1 Pet. iii. 22.
[1799] Rom. viii. 34.
[1800] Eph. i. 19, 20.
[1801] Col. iii. 1.
[1802] Heb. i. 3.
[1803] Ib. v. 13.
[1804] Ib. x. 12.
[1805] Ib. xii. 2. On Cyril's omission of Mark xvi. 19. see Westcott and Hort.
[1806] ten ensarkon parousian. Cf. § 27.
[1807] 1 Thess. iv. 17.
[1808] Col. ii. 5.
[1809] Ps. vii. 9.
[1810] Isa. viii. 18; Heb. ii. 13.
Lecture XV.
On the Clause, And Shall Come in Glory to Judge the Quick and the Dead; Of Whose Kingdom There Shall Be No End.
Daniel vii. 9-14
I beheld till thrones were placed, and one that was ancient of days did sit, and then, I saw in a vision of the night, and behold one like unto the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, &c.
1. We preach not one advent only of Christ, but a second also, far more glorious than the former. For the former gave a view of His patience; but the latter brings with it the crown of a divine kingdom. For all things, for the most part, are twofold in our Lord Jesus Christ: a twofold generation; one, of God, before the ages; and one, of a Virgin, at the close of the ages: His descents twofold; one, the unobserved, like rain on a fleece [1811] ; and a second His open coming, which is to be. In His former advent, He was wrapped in swaddling clothes in the manger; in His second, He covereth Himself with light as with a garment [1812] . In His first coming, He endured the Cross, despising shame [1813] ; in His second, He comes attended by a host of Angels, receiving glory [1814] . We rest not then upon His first advent only, but look also for His second. And as at His first coming we said, Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord [1815] , so will we repeat the same at His second coming; that when with Angels we meet our Master, we may worship Him and say, Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord. The Saviour comes, not to be judged again, but to judge them who judged Him; He who before held His peace when judged [1816] , shall remind the transgressors who did those daring deeds at the Cross, and shall say, These things hast thou done, and I kept silence [1817] . Then, He came because of a divine dispensation, teaching men with persuasion; but this time they will of necessity have Him for their King, even though they wish it not.
2. And concerning these two comings, Malachi the Prophet says, And the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to His temple [1818] ; behold one coming. And again of the second coming he says, And the Messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in. Behold, He cometh, saith [1819] the Lord Almighty. But who shall abide the day of His coming? or who shall stand when He appeareth? Because He cometh in like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' herb; and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier. And immediately after the Saviour Himself says, And I will draw near to you in judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulteresses, and against those who swear falsely in My Name [1820] , and the rest. For this cause Paul warning us beforehand says, If any man buildeth on the foundation gold, and silver, and precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man's work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire [1821] . Paul also knew these two comings, when writing to Titus and saying, The grace of God hath appeared which bringeth salvation unto all men, instructing us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, and godly, and righteously in this present world; looking for the blessed hope, and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ [1822] . Thou seest how he spoke of a first, for which he gives thanks; and of a second, to which we look forward. Therefore the words also of the Faith which we are announcing were just now delivered thus [1823] ; that we believe in Him, who also ascended into the heavens, and sat down on the right hand of the Father, and shall come in glory to judge quick and dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
3. Our Lord Jesus Christ, then, comes from heaven; and He comes with glory at the end of this world, in the last day. For of this world there is to be an end, and this created world is to be re-made anew [1824] . For since corruption, and theft, and adultery, and every sort of sins have been poured forth over the earth, and blood has been mingled with blood [1825] in the world, therefore, that this wondrous dwelling-place may not remain filled with iniquity, this world passeth away, that the fairer world may be made manifest. And wouldest thou receive the proof of this out of the words of Scripture? Listen to Esaias, saying, And the heaven shall be rolled together as a scroll; and all the stars shall fall, as leaves from a vine, and as leaves fall from a fig-tree [1826] . The Gospel also says, The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven [1827] . Let us not sorrow, as if we alone died; the stars also shall die; but perhaps rise again. And the Lord rolleth up the heavens, not that He may destroy them, but that He may raise them up again more beautiful. Hear David the Prophet saying, Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Thy hands; they shall perish, but Thou remainest [1828] . But some one will say, Behold, he says plainly that they shall perish. Hear in what sense he says, they shall perish; it is plain from what follows; And they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt Thou fold them up, and they shall be changed. For as a man is said to "perish," according to that which is written, Behold, how the righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart [1829] , and this, though the resurrection is looked for; so we look for a resurrection, as it were, of the heavens also. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood [1830] . Here let converts from the Manichees gain instruction, and no longer make those lights their gods; nor impiously think, that this sun which shall be darkened is Christ [1831] . And again hear the Lord saying, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away [1832] ; for the creatures are not as precious as the Master's words.
4. The things then which are seen shall pass away, and there shall come the things which are looked for, things fairer than the present; but as to the time let no one be curious. For it is not for you, He says, to know times or seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power [1833] . And venture not thou to declare when these things shall be, nor on the other hand supinely slumber. For he saith, Watch, for in such an hour as ye expect not the Son of Man cometh [1834] . But since it was needful for us to know the signs of the end, and since we are looking for Christ, therefore, that we may not die deceived and be led astray by that false Antichrist, the Apostles, moved by the divine will, address themselves by a providential arrangement to the True Teacher, and say, Tell us, when shall these things be, and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world [1835] ? We look for Thee to come again, but Satan transforms himself into an Angel of light; put us therefore on our guard, that we may not worship another instead of Thee. And He, opening His divine and blessed mouth, says, Take heed that no man mislead you. Do you also, my hearers, as seeing Him now with the eyes of your mind, hear Him saying the same things to you; Take heed that no man mislead you. And this word exhorts you all to give heed to what is spoken; for it is not a history of things gone by, but a prophecy of things future, and which will surely come. Not that we prophesy, for we are unworthy; but that the things which are written will be set before you, and the signs declared. Observe thou, which of them have already come to pass, and which yet remain; and make thyself safe.
5. Take heed that no man mislead you: for many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ, and shall mislead many. This has happened in part: for already Simon Magus has said this, and Menander [1836] , and some others of the godless leaders of heresy; and others will say it in our days, or after us.
6. A second sign. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars [1837] . Is there then at this time war between Persians and Romans for Mesopotamia, or no? Does nation rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom, or no? And there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in divers places. These things have already come to pass; and again, And fearful sights from heaven, and mighty storms [1838] . Watch therefore, He says; for ye know not at what hour your Lord doth come [1839] .
7. But we seek our own sign of His coming; we Churchmen seek a sign proper to the Church [1840] . And the Saviour says, And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another [1841] . If thou hear that bishops advance against bishops, and clergy against clergy, and laity against laity even unto blood, be not troubled [1842] ; for it has been written before. Heed not the things now happening, but the things which are written; and even though I who teach thee perish, thou shalt not also perish with me; nay, even a hearer may become better than his teacher, and he who came last may be first, since even those about the eleventh hour the Master receives. If among Apostles there was found treason, dost thou wonder that hatred of brethren is found among bishops? But the sign concerns not only rulers, but the people also; for He says, And because iniquity shall abound, the love of the many shall wax cold [1843] . Will any then among those present boast that he entertains friendship unfeigned towards his neighbour? Do not the lips often kiss, and the countenance smile, and the eyes brighten forsooth, while the heart is planning guile, and the man is plotting mischief with words of peace?