Theodoret of Cyrus — Commentary on Scripture

The final victory will be the fulfillment, not the end, of Christ’s reign.

COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 270

The Arians and the Eunomians love to play with this and the next verse, claiming that it proves that Christ is not God. But here they are confusing two different things. The apostle is not speaking about Christ in his divinity but about his humanity, since the whole discussion is about the resurrection of the flesh. It is in his humanity that he will be subject, because all humanity is subject to the divine.

COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 271-72

1 Corinthians 15:31

Here Paul outlines both the magnitude of the problems he faces and the greatness of God’s providential care for him.

COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 275

1 Corinthians 15:47

Paul is referring here to the second coming of Christ.

COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 279

1 Corinthians 15:51

Paul calls this a mystery because it is not clear to everyone but is believed only by the beloved.

COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 280

1 Corinthians 16:17

These are the people who took Paul’s letter to Corinth, and they are also the ones who had brought the Corinthians’ letter about marriage to him. Paul wrote the letter when he was at Philippi.

COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 284

1 Corinthians 16:23

It was Paul’s usual custom to pray that the grace of Christ would be with those to whom he is writing.

COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 285

1 Kings 2:25

Some people blame Solomon because he killed his brother. Now the ways of life of people are different. Some of them certainly practice the highest form of philosophy; others pursue that virtue which is called political or civil; others manage the kingdom or hold power militarily. It is necessary to judge each of them according to the way of life that they follow. Therefore an apostolic or prophetic perfection cannot be expected from Solomon, but only those actions that are appropriate to kings. He knew that Adonijah desired to gain supreme command. In fact, he had tried to take hold of the kingdom. When he attacked him the first time openly, he still forgave him and promised him that he would be safe if he behaved with modesty. But after he asked for the partner of his father, he did not grant this to him because Adonijah was opening the way to tyranny. Therefore Solomon ordered him to be killed, as he was concerned for the tranquility of his kingdom.

QUESTIONS 7, ON 1 KINGS

1 Peter 1:12

Some thought that the promise and the salvation of those who lived before the coming of Christ was inferior, on the grounds that those who saw him in the flesh and observed the miracles which he did had a greater reward. This is why Peter had to show that their impression was wrong. For how could Abraham be inferior to someone who lived after the coming of Christ, when he saw the day of the Lord and that everyone who would be made perfect by the Lord would depart into his bosom? How could Moses and Elijah be inferior, when they appeared with the Lord at his transfiguration, even though they did not see him in the flesh? Peter insists that it is not necessary to have seen Jesus in the flesh, for there were many unbelievers who did so, some of whom were bold enough to transgress the old covenant. And this has been said for the benefit of those who, even if they have not seen or heard what the Lord said in the flesh, nevertheless have a divinely inspired love for those things. If someone receives the salvation sought by the prophets, it is that which they all longed for at the end of ti…

Some thought that the promise and the salvation of those who lived before the coming of Christ was inferior, on the grounds that those who saw him in the flesh and observed the miracles which he did had a greater reward. This is why Peter had to show that their impression was wrong. For how could Abraham be inferior to someone who lived after the coming of Christ, when he saw the day of the Lord and that everyone who would be made perfect by the Lord would depart into his bosom? How could Moses and Elijah be inferior, when they appeared with the Lord at his transfiguration, even though they did not see him in the flesh? Peter insists that it is not necessary to have seen Jesus in the flesh, for there were many unbelievers who did so, some of whom were bold enough to transgress the old covenant. And this has been said for the benefit of those who, even if they have not seen or heard what the Lord said in the flesh, nevertheless have a divinely inspired love for those things. If someone receives the salvation sought by the prophets, it is that which they all longed for at the end of time. For everything else was created by him, but this was not made by anyone. It was not possible for the holy angels or for any of the blessed rational creatures to partake of it beforehand, though they all longed to glimpse the things which would be revealed in the last days.

CATENA

1 Peter 1:24

Just like grass, the people have dried up and their flower has fallen. God here foretold the salvation of the Gentiles and the sterility of the Jews. For by nature the human race is like grass, and the flowers of the grass are our pride and glory. But just as when the grass withers the flowers fall off, so when men die, their pride and glory are extinguished.

CATENA

1 Peter 2:5

This is how Peter describes the way in which those who have been accepted by God are integrated into the church. It is by sharing a common origin, and by being in harmony with one another, by thinking and by saying the same things, by having the same mind and the same thoughts, that we are built into one house for the Lord.

CATENA

1 Peter 2:22

Christ was nailed to the cross, paying the penalty not for his own sins but paying the debt of our nature. For our nature was in debt after transgressing the laws of its maker. And since it was in debt and unable to pay, the creator himself in his wisdom devised a way of paying the debt. By taking a human body as capital, he invested it wisely and justly in paying the debt and thereby freeing human nature.

ON DIVINE PROVIDENCE 10.26

1 Peter 2:24

This is a new and strange kind of healing. For in this case it is the doctor who receives the honor but the patient who is healed.

CATENA

1 Samuel 4:8

For he selected this one nation to teach the knowledge of God to all the others.… The Philistines also testified to this. They feared the presence of the ark and said to one another, “This is the God who struck Egypt. Woe to us Philistines.” Then God gave the ark to the Philistines to convict his people of transgressing the law. For he could not make those who flagrantly broke the law its upholders. But in giving the ark he safeguarded his majesty, teaching the Philistines that it was sinful men they had conquered and not God.

ON DIVINE PROVIDENCE 10.49-50

1 Samuel 5:2-5

So Dagon who was adored as God by them (although he was a dumb, senseless idol) was made to fall before the ark, and God prepared to stage a spectacle for the spectators, so that the Philistines might perceive the difference between false god and true God.In their folly, they raised him up again only to see him fallen a second time and brought to his knees, so to speak. Behaving thus with singular stupidity and reluctant to recognize the difference, they were taught by experience not to run to excess. Having learned their lesson, they returned to their senses, shook off their drunken ignorance and returned the ark, as was fitting, to its proper admirers, having honored it with votive offerings. They confessed their chastisements and instructed those who received it about the manner of its return.

ON DIVINE PROVIDENCE 10.50-51

1 Samuel 17:47

And we need only the Lord’s goodness to stay the storm. Easy it is for him to stay it, but we are unworthy of the calm, yet the grace of his patience is enough for us, so that with good fortune by it we may get the better of our foes. So the divine apostle has taught us to pray “for he will with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it.” But I beseech your godliness to stop the mouths of the objectors and make them understand that it is not for them who stand, as the phrase goes, out of range, to scoff at men fighting in the ranks and giving and receiving blows; for what does it matter which weapon the soldier uses to strike down his antagonists? Even the great David did not use a panoply when he killed the aliens’ champion, and Samson killed thousands on one day with the jawbone of an ass. Nobody grumbles at the victory, nor accuses the conqueror of cowardice, because he wins it without brandishing a spear or covering himself with his shield or throwing darts or shooting arrows. The defenders of true religion must be criticized in the same way, nor mu…

And we need only the Lord’s goodness to stay the storm. Easy it is for him to stay it, but we are unworthy of the calm, yet the grace of his patience is enough for us, so that with good fortune by it we may get the better of our foes. So the divine apostle has taught us to pray “for he will with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it.” But I beseech your godliness to stop the mouths of the objectors and make them understand that it is not for them who stand, as the phrase goes, out of range, to scoff at men fighting in the ranks and giving and receiving blows; for what does it matter which weapon the soldier uses to strike down his antagonists? Even the great David did not use a panoply when he killed the aliens’ champion, and Samson killed thousands on one day with the jawbone of an ass. Nobody grumbles at the victory, nor accuses the conqueror of cowardice, because he wins it without brandishing a spear or covering himself with his shield or throwing darts or shooting arrows. The defenders of true religion must be criticized in the same way, nor must we try to find language which will stir strife, but rather arguments which plainly proclaim the truth and make those who venture to oppose it ashamed of themselves.

LETTER 16

1 Thessalonians 3:2

Whenever anything happens to the helmsman, either the officer in command at the bows or the seaman of highest rank takes his place, not because he becomes a self-appointed helmsman but because he looks out for the safety of the ship. So again in war, when the commander falls, the chief tribune assumes the command, not in the attempt to lay violent hands on the place of power but because he cares for his men. So too the thrice blessed Timothy when sent by the divine Paul took his place. It is, therefore, appropriate to you as a man of faith to accept the responsibilities of helmsman, of captain, of shepherd, gladly to run all risk for the sake of the sheep of Christ and not to leave his creatures abandoned and alone.

LETTERS 78

1 Thessalonians 5:3

The woman who is pregnant knows that she has a fetus in the womb but does not know when birth will occur. So it is with us as we know that the Lord will come, but we do not teach the time itself with certainty.

INTERPRETATION OF THE FIRST LETTER TO THE THESSALONIANS

1 Thessalonians 5:14

Let us then bravely bear the ills that befall us. It is in war that heroes are discerned; in conflicts that athletes are crowned; in the surge of the sea that the art of the helmsman is shown; in the fire that the gold is tried. And let us not, I beseech you, have concern for only ourselves, but let us rather look out for the rest, and that much more for the sick than for the whole, for it is an apostolic precept which exclaims, “Comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak.” Let us, then, stretch out our hands to them that lie low, let us tend their wounds and set them at their post to fight the devil. Nothing will so vex him as to see them fighting and smiting again.

LETTERS 78

1 Timothy 1:1

It is not nature but faith that has made Timothy a son.

INTERPRETATION OF THE FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY