An Ancient Voice For The Day #22

Theodoret of Cyrrhus (393-466) states in the preface to his commentary on the Letter to the Hebrews:

"Those who give admittance to the Arian disease are doing nothing unexpected in raging against the apostolic writings, separating the letter to the Hebrews from the others and calling it spurious. After all, if they direct their diatribes aganist God and our Savior, what would they stop at in opposition to his kindly and eloquent heralds of truth? It was in fact the Lord himself who said, “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” They ought, however, if nothing else, at least respect the length of time the Church’s nurslings have spent reading this letter in the churches; from the time the churches of God had access to the apostolic writings, they have been reaping the benefit of the letter to the Hebrews. Now, if even this does not suffice to persuade them, they should at least have given credence to the Palestinian Eusebius, whom they class as a supporter of their own teachings: he admitted this letter to be by the most divine Paul, and said all the ancient commentators held the same view of it. Insisting with everyone, however, that the disease is not on their part, they shamelessly resist the truth, unable to bear the brightness of the insight into divine things on the part of the apostle with which he adorned the opening; they were unable to resist what is clearly stated about the divinity of the Only-begotten, and so presumed to reject the whole letter, despite its teachings and other arguments having a clear relationship with the other letters."

Source: Robert Charles Hill, trans., Theodoret of Cyrus: Commentary on the Letters of St. Paul, Vol. 2 (Brookline: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2001), p. 136 .


Theodoret of Cyrrhus (393-466) states in the preface to his commentary on the Letter to the Hebrews:

"This is surely the reason the divine apostle at the very opening presents him [i.e. Christ] as superior to all the inspired authors. Then beginning with the true doctrine about God, he shows him to be eternal, equally eternal with the Father, and creator of all things. Next, after comparing him with the angels, he brings the divine Scripture to the fore, which clearly teaches that whereas he is Son and God, they are servants and creatures."

Source: Robert Charles Hill, trans., Theodoret of Cyrus: Commentary on the Letters of St. Paul, Vol. 2 (Brookline: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2001), p. 137.


Theodoret of Cyrrhus (393-466) commenting on Hebrews 1:3:

"Since the image of the effulgence gave sufficient indication of their shared eternity and oneness in being, while providing those under the baleful influence of the positions of Sabellius and Photinus with no grounds for their blasphemy, the effulgence having no subsistence of its own, he eliminates this blasphemy by means of of a different image as well."

Source: Robert Charles Hill, trans., Theodoret of Cyrus: Commentary on the Letters of St. Paul, Vol. 2 (Brookline: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2001), p. 140.


Theodoret of Cyrrhus (393-466) commenting on Hebrews 1:2-3:

"Likewise the blessed Paul called him Son to show him to be different from the Father in regard to personhood; he spoke of him as creator of the ages to bring out in these ways his eternity, and called him also effulgence of glory to indicate by this his shared eternity and the sameness of being, the effulgence being of the nature of the fire. He added that he is imprint of his substance to bring out both things at the same time, that he subsists of himself and that he reveals in himself the paternal characteristics. He adds also something else: carrying all things by the word of his power: he not only made everything but also directs and guides it. He brought out the surpassing degree of his power by saying a word was sufficient for him for the creation and care of everything; he said, remember, “Let there be light, and there was light,” and he said, “Let a firmament be made, and so it was made,” and all the other things in similar fashion. Likewise also blessed David, “He spoke, and they were made; he commanded, and they were created.” On seeing this unambiguous doctrine of God, those of the mind of Arius endeavored to reject this letter from the apostolic treasury — hence our showing it to be consistent with the evangelical teaching."

Source: Robert Charles Hill, trans., Theodoret of Cyrus: Commentary on the Letters of St. Paul, Vol. 2 (Brookline: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2001), pp. 140-141.


For an excellent compilation of quotes of the Church fathers teaching on the primacy, sufficiency and ultimate authority of Scripture, get a copy of Holy Scripture:The Ground and Pillar of Our Faith Vol III- The Writings of the Church Fathers Affirming the Reformation Principle of Sola Scriptura.