18. But deliver us from the evil. If Lead us not into temptation implied the not being tempted at all, He would not have said, But deliver us from the evil. Now evil is our adversary the devil, from whom we pray to be delivered [2510] . Then after completing the prayer thou sayest, Amen [2511] ; by this Amen, which means "So be it," setting thy seal to the petitions of the divinely-taught prayer.
19. After this the Priest says, "Holy things to holy men." Holy are the gifts presented, having received the visitation of the Holy Ghost; holy are ye also, having been deemed worthy of the Holy Ghost; the holy things therefore correspond to the holy persons [2512] . Then ye say, "One is Holy, One is the Lord, Jesus Christ [2513] ." For One is truly holy, by nature holy; we too are holy, but not by nature, only by participation, and discipline, and prayer.
20. After this ye hear the chanter inviting you with a sacred melody to the communion of the Holy Mysteries, and saying, O taste and see that the Lord is good [2514] . Trust not the judgment to thy bodily palate [2515] no, but to faith unfaltering; for they who taste are bidden to taste, not bread and wine, but the anti-typical [2516] Body and Blood of Christ.
21. In approaching [2517] therefore, come not with thy wrists extended, or thy fingers spread; but make thy left hand a throne for the right, as for that which is to receive a King [2518] . And having hollowed thy palm, receive the Body of Christ, saying over it, Amen. So then after having carefully hallowed thine eyes by the touch of the Holy Body, partake of it; giving heed lest thou lose any portion thereof [2519] ; for whatever thou losest, is evidently a loss to thee as it were from one of thine own members. For tell me, if any one gave thee grains of gold, wouldest thou not hold them with all carefulness, being on thy guard against losing any of them, and suffering loss? Wilt thou not then much more carefully keep watch, that not a crumb fall from thee of what is more precious than gold and precious stones?
22. Then after thou hast partaken of the Body of Christ, draw near also to the Cup of His Blood; not stretching forth thine hands, but bending [2520] , and saying with an air of worship and reverence, Amen [2521] , hallow thyself by partaking also of the Blood of Christ. And while the moisture is still upon thy lips, touch it with thine hands, and hallow thine eyes and brow and the other organs of sense [2522] . Then wait for the prayer, and give thanks unto God, who hath accounted thee worthy of so great mysteries [2523] .
23. Hold fast these traditions undefiled and, keep yourselves free from offence. Sever not yourselves from the Communion; deprive not yourselves, through the pollution of sins, of these Holy and Spiritual Mysteries. And the God of peace sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit, and soul, and body be preserved entire without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ [2524] :--To whom be glory and honour and might, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.
[2471] This title is added by the Benedictine Editor. There is nothing corresponding to it in the Greek.
[2472] The text is made up from memory of James i. 21: dio apothemenoi pasan rhuparian, and 1 Pet. ii. 1: apothemenoi oun pasan kakian kai panta dolon kai hupokriseis kai pasas katalalias.
[2473] In the Apostolic Constitutions, VIII. xi, this duty is assigned to a sub-deacon: "Let one of the sub-deacons bring water to wash the hands of the priests, which is a symbol of the purity of those souls that are devoted to God." See Dictionary of Christian Antiquities, "Lavabo." The Priest who celebrates the Eucharist is here distinguished by the title hiereus from the other Presbyters who stood round the altar.
[2474] Cyril evidently refers to the custom of placing vessels of water outside the entrance of the Church. Bingham, Antiquities, VIII. iii. 6. Chrysost. In Johannem Hom. lxxiii. 3: "Do we then wash our hands when going into Church, and shall we not wash our hearts also?" That the same custom was observed in heathen Temples appears from Herod. I. 51: perirrhanteria duo anetheke (See Bähr's note). Compare also Joseph. Ant. Jud. III. vi. 2.
[2475] [to] nipsasthai. Rupp: "To ex conjectura addidi." Possibly the original reading was nipsamenoi, which would easily become altered through the presence of nipsasthai in the preceding line. This washing is not mentioned in the Liturgy of St. James.
[2476] Ps. xxvi. 6. In the Liturgy of Constantinople this Psalm was chanted by the Priest and Deacon while washing their hands at the Prothesis or Credence.
[2477] anupeuthunos.
[2478] These two directions by the Deacon are separated in the Liturgy of St. James: after the dismissal of the Catechumens, the Deacon says, "Take note one of another;" and after the Incense, Cherubic hymn, Oblation, Creed, and a short prayer "that we may be united one to another in the bond of peace and charity," the Deacon says, "Let us salute (agapomen) one another with a holy kiss." In the Apostolic Constitutions, VIII. 11, there is but one such direction, and this comes before the washing of hands and the dismissal of the Catechumens, "Salute (aspasasthe) ye one another with a holy kiss."
[2479] Matt. v. 23. From Cyril's reference to this passage "it may be inferred that the kiss of peace had been given before the gifts were brought to the altar, according to ancient custom attested by Justin M. Apolog. i. c. 65: Having ended the prayers' (for the newly baptized) we salute one another with a kiss. Then there is brought to the President of the brethren bread, and a cup of wine mixed with water'" (Ben. Ed.). There is the same order in the Apost. Const. VIII. 12, and in the 19th Canon of the Synod of Laodicea; but in the Liturgy of S. James the gifts are offered before the kiss of peace.
[2480] 1 Cor. xvi. 20.
[2481] 1 Pet. iii. 15.
[2482] The words are slightly varied in the Liturgies: thus in the Liturgy of St. James, "Let us lift up our mind and hearts;" in the Apost. Const. viii. 12, "Lift up your mind."
[2483] Compare the noble Eucharistic Preface in the Liturgy of St. James: "It is verily meet, right, becoming, and our bounden duty to praise Thee, to sing of Thee, to bless Thee, to worship Thee, to glorify Thee, to give thanks to Thee the Maker of every creature, visible and invisible, the Treasure of eternal blessings; the Fount of life and immortality, the God and Lord of all, whom the heavens of heavens do praise, and all the powers thereof, sun and moon and all the choir of the stars, earth, sea, and all that in them is, Jerusalem the heavenly assembly, Church of the firstborn that are written in the heavens, spirits of righteous men and prophets, souls of martyrs and Apostles. Angels, Archangels, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Authorities, and Powers dread, also the many-eyed Cherubim, and the six-winged Seraphim, which with twain of their wings cover their faces, and with twain their feet, and with twain do fly, crying one to another with unresting lips, in unceasing praises, singing with loud voice the triumphant hymn of Thy majestic glory, shouting, and glorifying, and crying aloud, and saying,--Holy, Holy, Holy, O Lord of Hosts, heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest; blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest."
[2484] Ps. xxxiv. 3.
[2485] Is. vi. 2, 3.
[2486] theologian, "the doctrine of the Godhead," either of the Son in particular, or, as here, of the whole Trinity: cf. Athanas. Contra Arianos, Or. i. § 18: nun en triadi he theologia teleia estin.
[2487] In the Liturgy of St. James the Triumphal Hymn is followed by the Recital of the work of Redemption,' and of the Institution,' by the Great Olbation,' and then by the Invocation,' as follows: "Have mercy upon us, O God, after Thy great mercy, and send forth on us, and on these gifts here set before Thee, Thine all-holy Spirit,....that He may come, and by His holy, good, and glorious advent (parousia) may sanctify this Bread and make it the holy Body of Thy Christ (Amen), and this Cup the precious Blood of Thy Christ" (Amen). In Cat. xix. 7, Cyril calls this prayer "the holy Invocation of the Adorable Trinity," and in xxi. 3, "the Invocation of the Holy Ghost."
[2488] See Index, "Sacrifice," and the reference there to the Introduction. Compare Athenagoras (Apol. c. xiii.): "What have I to do with burnt-offerings, of which God has no need? Though indeed it behoves us to bring a bloodless sacrifice, and the reasonable service."
[2489] Cyril here gives a brief summary of the "Great Intercession," in which, according to the common text of the Liturgy of St. James, there is a suffrage "for the peace and welfare (eustatheia) of the whole world, and of the holy Churches of God." Mr. Hammond thinks that it has been taken from the Deacon's Litany, and repeated by mistake in the Great Intercession. But from Chrysostom's language (In Ep. ad Phil. Hom. iii. p. 218; Guame, T. xi. p. 251), we must infer that the prayer huper eirenes kai eustatheias tou kosmou formed part of the Great Intercession' in his Liturgy, as it does in the Clementine (Apost. Constit. VIII. § 10).
[2490] In the Liturgies of St. James and St. Mark, and in the Clementine, there are similar commemorations of departed saints, especially "patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs," but nothing corresponding to the words, "that at their prayers and intercessions God would receive our petition." See Index, Prayer and Intercession.
[2491] So Chrysostom (In 1 Cor. Hom. 41, p. 457 A): "Not in vain was this rule ordained by the Apostles, that in the dread Mysteries remembrance should be made of the departed: for they knew that it is a great gain to them, and a great benefit."
[2492] hoi toutois diapherontes. "Hesychius, Diapherei, anekei. Ubi Kusterus ait, anekei, id est. "pertinet," vel "attinet" Routh, Scriptor. Eccles. Opuscula, p. 441). Dr. Routh's note refers to Nicæni Conc. Can. xvi.: hupharpasai ton to hetero diapheronta. Cf. Synodi Nic. ad Alexandrinos Epist.: diapheronta te Aigupto kai te hagiotate 'Alexandreon ekklesia.
[2493] According to the Ben. Ed. the meaning is not "We offer Christ, who was sacrificed for our sins," but "We offer for our sins Christ sacrificed," i.e. "Christ lying on the altar as a victim sacrificed," in allusion to Apoc. V. 6, 12. See Index, "Sacrifice."
[2494] 1 Cor. xv. 49.
[2495] 2 Cor. vi. 16.
[2496] Is. lii. 5; Rom. ii. 24.
[2497] Rom. vi. 12.
[2498] Ps. ciii. 20.
[2499] "It is manifest that the author derives the word epiousios from the two words epi and ousia, as do many others: although the explanation which derives it from epiouse hemera is more probable. We render it "substantial" in accordance with Cyril's meaning, with which the word "super-substantial does not agree" (Ben. Ed.).
[2500] Matt. xv. 17.
[2501] Cat. xxii. § 3, note 1. Ben. Ed. "We are not to think that Cyril supposed the Body of Christ to be distributed and digested into our body; but in the usual way of speaking he attributes to the Holy Body that which belongs only to the species under which It is hidden. Nor does he deny that those species pass into the draught, but only the Body of Christ." Cf. Iren. V. ii. 2, 3, and "Eucharistic Doctrine" in the Introduction.
[2502] Heb. iii. 15.
[2503] 1 John i. 8. We deceive ourselves.
[2504] Tertull. De Bapt. c. 20: "For the word had gone before that no one untempted should attain to the celestial kingdoms.'" Apost. Const. II. viii.: "The Scripture says, A man that is a reprobate (adokimos) is not tried (apeirastos) by God.'" Resch, Agrapha, Logion 26, p. 188, quotes allusions to the saying in Jas. i. 12, 13; 2 Cor. xiii. 5, 6, 7, and concludes that it was recorded as a saying of our Lord in one of the un-canonical gospels (Luke i. 1), where it occurred in the context of the incident narrated in Matt. xxvi. 41, Mark xiv. 38.
[2505] Jas. i. 2.
[2506] apepnige. Matt. xxvii. 5: apenxato.
[2507] Compare the description of Peter's repentance in Cat. ii. 19.
[2508] Ps. lxvi. 10-12.
[2509] For emparenai the Ben. Ed. conjectures empagenai "to have been stuck fast."
[2510] Cyril is here a clear witness for the reference of tou ponerou to "the wicked one."
[2511] From § 14, euchomenos touto legeis, it seems probable that the whole Prayer was said by the people as well as by the Priest. See Introduction, "Eucharistic Rites."
[2512] Compare Waterland on this passage, c. X. p 688.