Law pedagogue to Christ; seventh-year release = remission in Christ
Cyril: …one taking your things, do not demand back.’ And since the mind of those in beginnings upon righteousness is not very strong, unto being able to finish the good blamelessly, the law goes forward little by little upon it as pedagogue, and measures out the mode of righteousness; as unto brothers and neighbors, the exact of compassion, and the ungrudging unto aliens, and the sharing unto all, keeping by the more perfect pedagogy—for the shadows are until a time of correction; and this time was that of Christ’s presence.
Palladius: You have spoken most urbanely.
Cyril: Having then further ordered the needing to lend across, and having cut off increasings, and promising blessing to those who choose to do this, when seven years are left upon the debts, he commands to let go, honoring the time of the release of all—that is, of Christ’s presence—according to which we all have been justified by the faith, gaining the amnesty of the ancient failings, he having nailed to his own cross the handwriting against us, and having made out of the midst the accounts which we owed the judge. And he says thus again in Deuteronomy: ‘Through seven years you will make a release, and thus the ordinance of the release: You will release every private debt which the neighbor owes you, and you will not demand back from your brother, because a release has been called upon the Lord your God. The alien you will demand back whatever should be for you with him. And to your brother you will make a release of your debt, because there will not be a needy one in you, because blessing the Lord your God will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you in a lot to inherit.’ And after other things again: ‘And if there should be in you a needy one from your brothers, in one of your cities, in the land which the Lord your God gives you, you will not turn away your heart, nor will you tighten your hand from your brother who is in need. Opening you will open your hand to him, lending you will lend him as much as he should need, and according as he falls short. Take heed to yourself lest there should ever become a hidden word in your heart, a lawless thing saying: The seventh year draws near, a year of release, and your eye should do evil to your brother who is in need, and you should not give to him, and he will cry against you toward the Lord, and it will be a great sin for you; giving you will give to him, and lending you will lend him as much as he should need of you, and you will not be grieved in your heart when you give to him; because for this word the Lord your God will bless you, in all your works, and in all where you should set your hand.’ You will not be grieved, he says, in the heart when you give to him; ‘For God loves a cheerful giver,’ according to the voice of the blessed Paul.
Palladius: Then how does this seventh year make clear the presence of our Savior, according to which the time of the release of all was shown, or rather the mode has been perfected?
Greek
αἴροντος τὰ σὰ, μὴ ἀπαίτει.» Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐκ ἄγαν εὐσθενὴς τῶν ἐν ἀρχαῖς ἐπὶ δικαιοσύνῃ ὁ νοῦς, εἴς γε τὸ περαίνειν ἀμωμήτως δύνασθαι τὸ ἀγαθὸν, κατὰ βραχὺ πρόεισιν ἐπ' αὐτὸ παιδαγωγῶν ὁ νόμος, καὶ τὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης τρόπον ἐπιμετρεῖται· ὡς εἰς ἀδελφοὺς καὶ γείτονας, τῆς εὐσπλαγχνίας τὸ ἀκριβὲς, καὶ τὸ εἰς ὀθνείους ἄφθονον, καὶ τὸ εἰς ἅπαντας κοινωνικὸν, παιδαγωγίᾳ τηρῶν τῇ τελεωτέρᾳ, μέχρι γὰρ καιροῦ διορθώσεως αἱ σκιαί· καιρὸς δὲ ἦν οὗτος ὁ τῆς Χριστοῦ παρουσίας.
{ΠΑΛΛ.} Ἀστειότατα ἔφης.
{ΚΥΡ.} Προσεπιτάξας δὴ οὖν τὸ χρῆναι διακιχρᾷν, καὶ πλεονασμοὺς ἀποτεμὼν, καὶ τοῖς τοῦτο δρᾷν ἑλομένοις εὐλογίαν ὑπισχνούμενος, ἑπτὰ τοῖς ὀφλήμασιν ἐπελιττομένων ἐνιαυτῶν, ἀνεῖναι προστάττει, τὸν τῆς ἁπάντων ἀφέσεως τιμῶντας καιρὸν, τουτέστι, τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ παρουσίας, καθ' ὃν οἱ πάντες δεδικαιώμεθα τῇ πίστει, τῶν ἀρχαίων πλημμελημάτων τὴν ἀμνηστίαν ἀποκερδαίοντες, προσηλώσαντος αὐτοῦ τῷ ἰδίῳ σταυρῷ τὸ καθ' ἡμῶν χειρόγραφον, καὶ οὓς ὠφλήσαμεν λόγους τῷ κριτῇ, πεποιηκότος ἐκ μέσου. Λέγει δὲ οὕτω πάλιν ἐν τῷ Δευτερονομίῳ· «Δι' ἑπτὰ ἐτῶν ποιήσεις ἄφεσιν, καὶ οὕτως τὸ πρόσταγμα τῆς ἀφέσεως· Ἀφήσεις πᾶν χρέος ἴδιον, ὃ ὀφείλει σοι ὁ πλησίον, καὶ τὸν ἀδελφόν σου οὐκ ἀπαιτήσεις, ὅτι ἐπικέκληται ἄφεσις Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ σου. Τὸν ἀλλότριον ἀπαιτήσεις ὅσα ἐὰν ᾖ σοι παρ' αὐτῷ. Τῷ δὲ ἀδελφῷ σου ἄφεσιν ποιήσεις τοῦ χρέους σου, ὅτι οὐκ ἔσται ἐν σοὶ ἐνδεὴς, ὅτι εὐλογῶν εὐλογήσει σε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ἐν τῇ γῇ, ᾗ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου δίδωσί σοι ἐν κλήρῳ κατακληρονομῆσαι αὐτήν.» Καὶ μεθ' ἕτερα πάλιν· «Ἐὰν δὲ γένηται ἐν σοὶ ἐνδεὴς ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου, ἐν μιᾷ τῶν πόλεών σου, ἐν τῇ γῇ ἣν Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου δίδωσί σοι, οὐκ ἀποστρέψεις τὴν καρδίαν σου, οὐδὲ μὴ συσφίγξῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου, τοῦ ἐπιδεομένου. Ἀνοίγων ἀνοίξεις τὴν χεῖρά σου αὐτῷ, δάνειον δανιεῖς αὐτῷ ὅσον ἂν ἐπιδέηται, καὶ καθ' ὅσον ὑστερεῖται. Πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ μήποτε γένηται ῥῆμα κρυπτὸν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ἀνόμημα λέγων· Ἐγγίζει τὸ ἔτος τὸ ἕβδομον, ἔτος τῆς ἀφέσεως, καὶ πονηρεύσηται ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου τῷ ἐπιδεομένῳ, καὶ οὐ δῷς αὐτῷ, καὶ βοήσεται κατὰ σοῦ πρὸς Κύριον, καὶ ἔσται σοι ἁμαρτία μεγάλη· διδοὺς δώσεις αὐτῷ, καὶ δάνειον δανιεῖς αὐτῷ ὅσον ἂν ἐπιδέηταί σου, καὶ οὐ λυπηθήσῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, διδόντος σοῦ αὐτῷ· ὅτι διὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο εὐλογήσει σε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις σου, καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν οὗ ἂν ἐπιβάλῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου.» Οὐ λυπηθήσῃ, φησὶ, τῇ καρδίᾳ διδόντος σοῦ αὐτῷ· «Ἱλαρὸν γὰρ δότην ἀγαπᾷ ὁ Θεὸς,» κατὰ τὴν τοῦ μακαρίου Παύλου φωνήν.
{ΠΑΛΛ.} Εἶτα πῶς τὸ ἔτος τὸ ἕβδομον τοῦτο τὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν καταδηλοῖ παρουσίαν, καθ' ἣν ὁ τῆς ἀπάντων ἀφέσεως ἀνεδείχθη καιρὸς, ἤτοι τετελείωται τρόπος;
About this text
Cyril continues the dialogue with Palladius. Book 8 of a seventeen-book dialogue — not the whole work.
English follows Migne PG 68 (Aubert reprint). The PDF and a cleaned text of the same print were checked against each other. This page is Book 8 of seventeen. This is a reading translation for study, not a new critical edition of the Greek.
Witnesses
- Copy-text Migne PG 68 De adoratione Book 5 (Aubert reprint) (Greek · Book 8)
- Checked print PDF of PG 68 De adoratione (Greek · Book 8)
English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.