The word used is
συνάφεια,
a crucial word in the controversy concerning the union of the divine
and human natures in our Lord, cf. the third Anathema of
Cyril against Nestorius and the use of this word, and
Theodoret’s counter statement (Theod. pp. 25, 27).
Theodore of Mopsuestia had preferred συνάφεια
to ἕνωσις; Andrew of
Samosata saw no difference between them. Athanasius (de
Sent. Dionys. § 17) employs it for the mutual
relationship of the Persons in the Holy Trinity:
“προκαταρκτικὸν
γάρ ἐστι τῆς
συναφείας
τὸ
ὄνομα.”