CONCERNING CHRIST

CONCERNING CHRIST 

By St. Cyril of Jerusalem

     “This is He who is and He who was, co-essential with the Father, Only-begotten, Only enthroned. Equal in power, Almighty, Without beginning, Uncreated, Unchangeable, Indescribable, Invisible, Inexpressible, Incomprehensible, Immense, Unthinkable, Uncircumscribed. He is the Brightness of the glory of the Father” (Heb. 1:3).  He is the Creator of the substance of all created things. He – the Light of light – shines from the bosom of the Father. He is the God of gods (Ps. 49:1), and God of God, who gives us the knowledge of Himself.  He is the Well of life (Ps. 35:10). flowing forth from the Father’s well of life. He is the River of God (Ps. 45:5; 64:10), which comes forth from the infinity of God but is not separated from Him. He is the Treasury of the Father’s good gifts and endless blessings. He is the living Water (Jn. 4:14) that gives life to the world. He is the uncreated Ray that is begotten but not cut off from the primal Sun.  He is God the Logos (Jn 1:1),  who with one word brought all things from non-being into being . . .  This is He who created us in the image of God, and has now made himself man in our image; man, but at the same time God.”

     Today, Sixteen centuries after this confession of faith was written, the Orthodox Church holds the same faith word for word and letter for letter.

     During the present time there are those who dispute the truth that Christ is both true God and true man, with two natures, divine and human. He is eternally born of God and in time was born of the Virgin Mary, and called Jesus Christ. Among the arguments against His divinity that are used today is that the ancient Church did not believe that Christ was the eternal God who became man. But this was the belief of the ancient Church 1600 years ago in the 4th century. St. Cyril of Jerusalem composed the above which was always the faith held by the Church from the  beginning and is also supported by Holy Scripture.