Theodoret of Cyrrhus→Aphthonius, Theodoritus, Nonnus, Scylacius, Apthonius, and Joannes, Magistrates of Zeugmatensis|c. 440 AD|theodoret cyrrhus
From: Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrrhus
To: Aphthonius, Theodoritus, Nonnus, Scylacius, Apthonius, and Joannes, Magistrates of Zeugmatensis [a province in the Euphrates region]
Date: ~449 AD
Context: Theodoret congratulates civic leaders for standing firm in orthodox faith, using the story of Naboth's vineyard as a parallel, and provides a detailed Christological exposition defending the two natures of Christ.
To the Magistrates of Zeugmatensis,
I know the strength and firmness of your faith, and it fills me with the greatest possible delight. Since we who worship the eternal Trinity form one body, it is only natural that when one member is honored, all the members rejoice together [1 Corinthians 12:26]. I rejoice with you in your struggle for the apostolic doctrines -- you who follow the example of the famous Naboth in matters far more important. Naboth suffered a most unjust death rather than give up the inheritance of his fathers [1 Kings 21]. You are fighting not for vineyards but for divine doctrines, rejecting this new and counterfeit heresy that would darken the bright teaching of the Gospel.
You refuse to let the number of the blessed Trinity be either diminished or increased. It is diminished by those who attribute the passion of the Only-begotten to His Godhead. It is increased by those who have the audacity to introduce a second Son. You believe in one Only-begotten, just as in one Father and one Holy Spirit. In the Only-begotten made flesh, you see the human nature He took from us and offered on our behalf.
To deny this human nature puts our salvation out of reach. If the Godhead of the Only-begotten is impassible -- as the nature of the Trinity is impassible -- and we refuse to acknowledge a nature that is by its own character able to suffer, then preaching a passion that never happened is empty and pointless. If there is no subject that suffers, how can there be suffering? We declare the divine nature to be impassible -- a point our opponents themselves concede. How then could there be a passion with no subject capable of undergoing it? The great mystery of salvation [the "Economy"] would become a mere illusion, a show rather than reality. That is the fable invented by Valentinus, Bardesanes, Marcion, and Manes [early heretics who denied Christ's true humanity].
The teaching handed down to the churches from the beginning recognizes, even after the incarnation, one Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and confesses Him to be everlasting God and man made at the end of days. He became man not by changing His Godhead but by assuming manhood. If the divine nature had changed into human nature, it would no longer be what it was -- and those who worship it would be wrong to call Him God. We, on the contrary, recognize the Only-begotten Son of God to be immutable as God, and the very Son of the very God. We have learned from Scripture that "being in the form of God, He took the form of a servant" [Philippians 2:6-7]; He "took on the seed of Abraham" -- not was changed into it -- and shared in our flesh and blood and in a rational, sinless soul. Preserving these for our sinful bodies, He offered His sinless body; for our souls, His soul free from all stain.
This is why we have hope in the common resurrection. For the human race will surely share with its firstfruits, and as we have shared with Adam in his death, so with Christ our Savior we shall share in His life. The divine Apostle has taught us plainly: "Now is Christ risen from the dead and become the firstfruits of those who sleep. For since by a man came death, by a man came also the resurrection of the dead; for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" [1 Corinthians 15:20-22].
I write not to instruct you but to remind you. I have tried to be brief, but I fear I have exceeded the limits of a letter. I was urged to write by the reverend and godly presbyter and archimandrite Mecimas, who, out of love, has undertaken this long journey, told us of your zeal, and asked me to strengthen it by letter. I have granted his request, and I pray the Lord of all to keep you safe in the faith and make you stronger than the one who sifts us.
Letter 125
Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more — all for only $19.99...
To Aphthonius, Theodoritus, Nonnus, Scylacius, Apthonius, Joannes, Magistrates of the Zeugmatensis.
I know the strength and stability of your faith, and have been filled with the greatest possible delight, for, since we worshippers of the eternal Trinity constitute one body, it is only natural that together with the members that are sound the rest of the members should rejoice. So says the divine Apostle; Whether one member be honoured all the members rejoice with it. I therefore rejoice with you in your struggles on behalf of the apostolic doctrines and your following of the famous Naboth in more excellent things. Naboth for his vineyard's sake suffered most unrighteous slaughter, because he would not give up the heritage of his fathers. You are fighting not for vineyards, but for divine doctrines, and reject this new-fangled and spurious heresy as blackening the brightness of the teaching of the gospel; you do not suffer the number of the blessed Trinity to be diminished or increased. For it is diminished by those who ascribe the passion of the only begotten to the Godhead; it is increased by those who have the audacity to introduce a second son. You believe in one only begotten, as you do in one Father and in one Holy Ghost. In the only begotten made flesh you behold the assumed nature which He took from us and offered on our behalf. The denial of this nature puts our salvation far from us; for if the Godhead of the only begotten is impassible, as the nature of the Trinity is impassible, and we refuse to acknowledge that which is by nature adapted to suffer, then the preaching of a passion which never happened is idle and vain. For if that which suffers has no existence how could there be a passion? We declare that the divine nature is impassible — a doctrine confessed by our opponents as well as by ourselves. How then could there be a passion when there is no subject capable of suffering? The great mystery of the œconomy will appear an appearance, a mere seeming instead of the reality. This is the fable started by Valentinus, Bardesanes, Marcion and Manes. But the teaching handed down to the churches from the beginning recognises, even after the incarnation, one Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and confesses the same to be everlasting God, and man made at the end of days; made man not by the mutation of the Godhead but by the assumption of the manhood. For suppose the divine nature to have undergone mutation into the human nature, then it did not remain what it was; and if it is not what it was, they who have these objects of worship are false in calling Him God. We, on the contrary, recognise the only begotten Son of God to be immutable as God, and Son of the very God. For we have learned from the divine Scripture that being in the form of God He took the form of the servant; and took on Him the seed of Abraham, not was changed into Abraham's seed; and shared just as we do both in flesh and blood and in a soul immortal and immaculate. Preserving these for our sinful bodies He offered His sinless body and for our souls His soul free from all stain. It is for this reason that we have the hope of the common resurrection for the race will assuredly share with its first fruits, and as we have shared with Adam in his death, so too with Christ our Saviour shall we be sharers in His life. This the divine Apostle has plainly taught us, for now he says is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead, for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
I write thus not to inform you but to remind you. I have tried to be brief, but I fear I have transgressed the limits of a letter. I was however urged to write by the very reverend and godly presbyter and archimandrite Mecimas, who, in obedience to the law of love, has undertaken so long a journey, told us of your excellency's zeal, and begged us to inflame it by a letter. I have therefore granted his supplication, and written my letter, and I implore the Lord of all to keep you safe in the faith and make stronger than him who sifts us.
◆
From:Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrrhus
To:Aphthonius, Theodoritus, Nonnus, Scylacius, Apthonius, and Joannes, Magistrates of Zeugmatensis [a province in the Euphrates region]
Date:~449 AD
Context:Theodoret congratulates civic leaders for standing firm in orthodox faith, using the story of Naboth's vineyard as a parallel, and provides a detailed Christological exposition defending the two natures of Christ.
To the Magistrates of Zeugmatensis,
I know the strength and firmness of your faith, and it fills me with the greatest possible delight. Since we who worship the eternal Trinity form one body, it is only natural that when one member is honored, all the members rejoice together [1 Corinthians 12:26]. I rejoice with you in your struggle for the apostolic doctrines -- you who follow the example of the famous Naboth in matters far more important. Naboth suffered a most unjust death rather than give up the inheritance of his fathers [1 Kings 21]. You are fighting not for vineyards but for divine doctrines, rejecting this new and counterfeit heresy that would darken the bright teaching of the Gospel.
You refuse to let the number of the blessed Trinity be either diminished or increased. It is diminished by those who attribute the passion of the Only-begotten to His Godhead. It is increased by those who have the audacity to introduce a second Son. You believe in one Only-begotten, just as in one Father and one Holy Spirit. In the Only-begotten made flesh, you see the human nature He took from us and offered on our behalf.
To deny this human nature puts our salvation out of reach. If the Godhead of the Only-begotten is impassible -- as the nature of the Trinity is impassible -- and we refuse to acknowledge a nature that is by its own character able to suffer, then preaching a passion that never happened is empty and pointless. If there is no subject that suffers, how can there be suffering? We declare the divine nature to be impassible -- a point our opponents themselves concede. How then could there be a passion with no subject capable of undergoing it? The great mystery of salvation [the "Economy"] would become a mere illusion, a show rather than reality. That is the fable invented by Valentinus, Bardesanes, Marcion, and Manes [early heretics who denied Christ's true humanity].
The teaching handed down to the churches from the beginning recognizes, even after the incarnation, one Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and confesses Him to be everlasting God and man made at the end of days. He became man not by changing His Godhead but by assuming manhood. If the divine nature had changed into human nature, it would no longer be what it was -- and those who worship it would be wrong to call Him God. We, on the contrary, recognize the Only-begotten Son of God to be immutable as God, and the very Son of the very God. We have learned from Scripture that "being in the form of God, He took the form of a servant" [Philippians 2:6-7]; He "took on the seed of Abraham" -- not was changed into it -- and shared in our flesh and blood and in a rational, sinless soul. Preserving these for our sinful bodies, He offered His sinless body; for our souls, His soul free from all stain.
This is why we have hope in the common resurrection. For the human race will surely share with its firstfruits, and as we have shared with Adam in his death, so with Christ our Savior we shall share in His life. The divine Apostle has taught us plainly: "Now is Christ risen from the dead and become the firstfruits of those who sleep. For since by a man came death, by a man came also the resurrection of the dead; for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" [1 Corinthians 15:20-22].
I write not to instruct you but to remind you. I have tried to be brief, but I fear I have exceeded the limits of a letter. I was urged to write by the reverend and godly presbyter and archimandrite Mecimas, who, out of love, has undertaken this long journey, told us of your zeal, and asked me to strengthen it by letter. I have granted his request, and I pray the Lord of all to keep you safe in the faith and make you stronger than the one who sifts us.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.