St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Twelve Prophets Band III

This final volume in a series of three contains Cyril's commentary on Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Applying his knowledge of ancient Israelite history in his analysis of the immediate context for each of these prophetic books, Cyril believes that Zephaniah was addressed to the residents of Jerusalem in the years preceding the Babylonian Exile, and the other three were addressed to a newly repatriated, post-exilic nation. An emphasis on theodicy is a primary theme of this book. God's love for humankind, says Cyril, is expressed in the many warnings sent through the prophets and in the ample amount of time that God allows for people to repent. When no repentance ensues, God sends harsh but just punishments, employing the brutality of enemy nations as his instruments, yet always doing so with the loving purpose of returning his people to himself. Cyril's focus on the historical details of the Old Testament is matched by his concern for the Church of his own day. Where the prophetic oracles mention the Jewish priesthood, altar, or sacrifices, Cyril takes the opportunity to exhort Christian priests to preserve their moral purity and to fulfill their liturgical duties with devotion. This extrapolation from the ancient to the contemporary, from Israel to the Church, is compatible with the typological interpretation that Cyril utilizes in conjunction with his literal, historical approach. The Temple is a type, or foreshadowing, of the Church, and the sacrificial lamb of the Passover prefigures Christ. Thus Cyril maintains his connection with the Alexandrian tradition of allegorical exegesis while presenting a balanced, multi-faceted interpretation that applies passages from many other parts of the Bible to extract a wealth of meaning from the prophetic books. Annotation This final volume in a series of three contains Cyril's commentary on Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Applying his knowledge of ancient Israelite history in his analysis of the immediate context for each of these prophetic books, Cyril believes that Zephaniah was addressedto the residents of Jerusalem in the years preceding the BabylonianExile, and the other three were addressed to a newly repatriated, post-exilic nation. An emphasis on theodicy is a primary theme of this book. God's love for humankind, says Cyril, is expressed in the many warnings sent through the prophets and in the ample amount of time that God allows for people to repent. When no repentance ensues, God sends harsh but just punishments, employing the brutality of enemy nations as his instruments, yet always doing so with the loving purpose of returning his people to himself. Cyril's focus on the historical details of the Old Testament is matched by his concern for the Church of his own day. Where the propheticoracles mention the Jewish priesthood, altar, or sacrifices, Cyril takes the opportunity to exhort Christian priests to preserve their moral purity and to fulfill their liturgical duties with devotion. This extrapolationfrom the ancient to the contemporary, from Israel to the Church, is compatible with the typological interpretation that Cyril utilizes in conjunctionwith his literal, historical approach. The Temple is a type, or foreshadowing, of the Church, and the sacrificial lamb of the Passover prefigures Christ. Thus Cyril maintains his connection with the Alexandriantradition of allegorical exegesis while presenting a balanced, multi-faceted interpretation that applies passages from many other parts of the Bible to extract a wealth of meaning from the prophetic books Cyril, Bishop Of Alexandria (412-444), Is Best Known As A Protagonist In The Christological Controversy Of The Second Quarter Of The Fifth Century. Readers May Be Surprised Therefore To Find Such Polemic Absent From This Early Work On The Twelve Minor Prophets Of The Old Testament. Indebted To The Diverse Approaches Of Didymus, Jerome, And Theodore, Cyril Appears In This Work As A Balanced Commentator, Eclectic In His Attitude And Tolerant Of Alternative Views. Although He Displays An Occasional Uncertainty In His Grasp Of Historical And Geographical Details, As Well As An Inclination To Verbosity, Cyril Has Conspicuously Influenced The Exegesis Of His Younger Contemporary Theodoret Of Cyrus, And Has Made A Vital Contribution To The Development Of Biblical Interpretation In The Church.--publisher Description. V. 1. The Commentary On The Twelve Prophets Among Cyril's Works -- Text Of The Commentary : Cyril's Biblical Text Of The Twelve -- Cyril's Style Of Commentary -- Interpreting The Twelve Prophets -- Theological Accents In The Commentary -- Cyril's Achievement In The Commentary On The Twelve Prophets -- Commentary On The Prophet Hosea -- Commentary On The Prophet Joel. V. 2. Commentary On The Prophet Amos -- Commentary On The Prophet Obadiah -- Commentary On The Prophet Jonah -- Commentary On The Prophet Micah -- Commentary On The Prophet Nahum -- Commentary On The Prophet Habakkuk. V. 3. Commentary On The Prophet Zephaniah -- Commentary On The Prophet Haggai -- Commentary On The Prophet Zechariah -- Commentary On The Prophet Malachi. St. Cyril Of Alexandria ; Translated By Robert C. Hill. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria (412-444), is best known as a protagonist in the christological controversy of the second quarter of the fifth century. Readers may be surprised therefore to find such polemic absent from this early work on the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. Another possibly unexpected feature of this Alexandrian commentary is its focus on historical exegesis, which reveals Cyril's serious interest in the fortunes of the people of Israel and Judah in the centuries preceding and following the exile. Unlike his predecessor Didymus the Blind, Cyril abjures an approach that dismisses the historicity of the text (as in his opening defense of Hosea's marriage), and he proceeds to other levels of interpretation, moral and spiritual, only after a preliminary examination of the historical. Indebted to the diverse approaches of Didymus, Jerome, and Theodore, Cyril appears in this work as a balanced commentator, eclectic in his attitude and tolerant of alternative views. Although he displays an occasional uncertainty in his grasp of historical and geographical details, as well as an inclination to verbosity, Cyril has conspicuously influenced the exegesis of his younger contemporary Theodoret of Cyrus, and has made a vital contribution to the development of biblical interpretation in the church. Abbreviations vii Select Bibliography ix COMMENTARY ON THE TWELVE PROPHETS Commentary on the Prophet Zephaniah Commentary on Zephaniah, Chapter One 5 Commentary on Zephaniah, Chapter Two 22 Commentary on Zephaniah, Chapter Three 36 Commentary on the Prophet Haggai Preface to the Commentary on Haggai 61 Commentary on Haggai, Chapter One 63 Commentary on Haggai, Chapter Two 75 Commentary on the Prophet Zechariah Commentary on Zechariah, Chapter One 93 Commentary on Zechariah, Chapter Two 108 Commentary on Zechariah, Chapter Three 116 Commentary on Zechariah, Chapter Four 127 Commentary on Zechariah, Chapter Five 142 Commentary on Zechariah, Chapter Six 149 Commentary on Zechariah, Chapter Seven 158 Commentary on Zechariah, Chapter Eight 165 Commentary on Zechariah, Chapter Nine 182 Commentary on Zechariah, Chapter Ten 199 Commentary on Zechariah, Chapter Eleven 210 Commentary on Zechariah, Chapter Twelve 231 Commentary on Zechariah, Chapter Thirteen 248 Commentary on Zechariah, Chapter Fourteen 257 Commentary on the Prophet Malachi Preface to the Commentary on Malachi 283 Commentary on Malachi, Chapter One 286 Commentary on Malachi, Chapter Two 303 Commentary on Malachi, Chapter Three 320 Commentary on Malachi, Chapter Four 338 INDICES Index of Proper Names 347 Index of Holy Scripture 353 v. 1. The commentary on the twelve prophets among Cyril's works Text of the commentary : Cyril's biblical text of The Twelve Cyril's style of commentary Interpreting the Twelve Prophets Theological accents in the commentary Cyril's achievement in the commentary on the twelve prophets Commentary on the twelve prophets Commentary on the prophet Hosea Commentary on the prophet Joel Commentary on the prophet Amos Commentary on the prophet Obadiah Commentary on the prophet Jonah Commentary on the prophet Micah Commentary on the prophet Nahum Commentary on the prophet Habakkuk Commentary on the prophet Zephaniah Commentary on the prophet Haggai Commentary on the prophet Zechariah Commentary on the prophet Malachi Maximos the Confessor's penetrating theological vision found expression in an unparalleled synthesis of biblical exegesis, ascetic spirituality, patristic theology, and Greek philosophy. On Difficulties in Sacred Scripture, presented here in a complete English translation, contains Maximos's theological interpretations of sixty-five difficult passages from the Old and New Testaments. Incorporating the diverse approaches of Didymus, Jerome, and Theodore, this book shows Cyril as a balanced commentator. Cyril has conspicuously influenced the exegesis of his younger contemporary Theodoret of Cyrus, and has made a vital contribution to the development of biblical interpretation in the church.