Wednesday @E91 / Dr. George Bebawi / November 12, 2014 / Page 3 of 8

- What Does ' Christ ' Mean? (St. Cyril of Alexandria)
- 'The name Christ hath neither the force of a definition, nor does it denote the essence of any of what kind it is. For some of men of old were anointed with oil, as they pleased God, and the anointing was a token to them of kingdom. Prophets too were spiritually anointed with the Holy Spirit, so as thence too to be named christs and the Touch not Mine anointed and do blessed David sings in the Person of God and says, My Prophets no harm. You went forth for the The Prophet Habakkuk too says, salvation of your people, to save your christs . But in regard of Christ the Savior of all we say that an anointing took place, yet neither symbolic, as though done with oil, nor as for the grace of Prophet's office, nor yet that which is understood as in destination for the achievement of ought, such as we say took place in the case of Cyrus, who reigned over the Persians and Medes, for he led an army against the land of the Thus Babylonians, God Almighty over all instigating him thereto. For it was said, says the to Cyrus My christ, whose right hand I held. Lord Albeit the man was an idolater, he was called christ, by reason of being as it were anointed king by the decree from above and fore-ordained by God to mightily subdue the land of the Babylonians: … but this rather do we say.

Since hath reigned all, Since hath reigned all, on account of the transgression in Adam, against and then the Holy Spirit fled away from the human nature and it came therefore to be in all ill, and it needed that by the Mercy of God, it mounting up to its pristine condition should be accounted worthy of the Spirit: the Only-Begotten Word of God became Man, and appeared to them on earth with Body of earth, and was made free from sin, that in Him Alone the nature of man crowned with the glories of sinlessness, should be rich in the Holy Spirit, and thus be re-formed unto God through holiness: for thus does the grace pass through to us too, having for its beginning Christ the First-born among us. And You loved righteousness and therefore does the blessed David teach us sing to the Son, hated wickedness, therefore God, your God anointed Thee with the oil of gladness.

The Son therefore has been anointed like us in a human way with the praises of sinlessness, as I said: the nature of man having in Him been made illustrious and now become worthy of partaking of the Holy Ghost, no more departing, as at the beginning, but delighting to dwell therein. Wherefore it is also written that the Spirit soared down and hath abode upon Him. upon Christ Christ therefore is the Word of God called Who - because of us and as we - is Man and in servant's form: both anointed as Man after the Flesh, and anointing Divinely with His own Spirit them that believe on Him.' Scholia on the incarnation of the only begotten - St Cyril of Alexandria, , LFC 47, Oxford (1881) pp.185, A library of fathers of the holy Catholic church: anterior to the division of the East and West, vol. 47

- Led by the Spirit
- Verse was led by the Spirit … - Verse was led by the Spirit … - 4:1
- The common work of the Son and the Holy Spirit is now manifested. 'Led' requires co - operation, not the loss of freedom. This loss of freedom which some of us desire is simply the desire not to be free. 'Led' according to St . Cyril of Alexandria means 'constant dwelling of the Holy Spirit' (Commentary of Luke Hom 12) .

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