484 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHAP. XIII.
but in the synagogues; calmly, neither wavering in any
thing,nor determining aught againstthe law of Moses ; on
the Sabbath also,becausethe Jews were then engaged inthe
hearingof the law.
CYRIL. Now thatthe Incarnationof the Word was mani
festedto destroycorruptionand death,and the hatred ofthe
devilagainst us, is plain from the actual events; for it
follows,And beholdtherewas a woman which had a spirit
of infirmity,fyc. He says spiritof infirmity,because the
woman sufferedfrom the crueltyof the devil,forsakenby
God because of her own crimes or for the transgressionof
Adam, on account of which the bodiesof men incurinfirmity
and death. But God givesthispower to the devil,to the
end that men when pressed down by the weight of their
adversitymight betake them to betterthings. He points
out the nature of her infirmity,saying, And was bowed
Basil. together,and couldin no wise liftup herself.BASIL. Because
in°Hex. tue ^lea^of the brutesisbent down towards the ground and
looksupon the earth,but the head of man was made erect
towards the heaven, his eyes tending upward. For it be
comes us to seek what isabove,and with our sightto pierce
beyond earthlythings.
CYRIL. But our Lord, to shew that His coming intothis
world was to be the loosingof human infirmities,healedthis
woman. Hence it follows,And when Jesus saw her,He
called her to Him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art
loosedfrom thineinfirmity.A word most suitableto God,
fullof heavenlymajesty; forby His royalassent He dispels
the disease. He alsolaidHis hands upon her,foritfollows,
He laidHis hands on her, and immediatelyshe was made
straight,and glorifiedGod. We should here answer,that
the Divine power had put on the sacred flesh. For it
was the fleshof God Himself, and of no other,as ifthe
Son of Man existedapart from the Son of God, as some
have falselythought. But the ungrateful ruler of the
synagogue,when he saw the woman, who beforewas creep
ing on the ground, now by Christ'ssingletouch made up
right,and relatingthe mighty works of God, sullieshiszeal
for the gloryof the Lord with envy, and condemns the mi
racle,that he might appear to be jealousfor the Sabbath.