24. The course of instruction in the Faith
would lead me to speak of the Ascension also; but the grace of God so
ordered ᾠκονόμησε.
In this word, as also in the phrase below, κατ᾽
οἰκονομίαν
τῆς Θείας
χάριτος, Cyril refers to the
order of reading the Scriptures as part of a dispensation established
by Divine grace. it, that thou
heardest most fully concerning it, as far as our weakness allowed,
yesterday, on the Lord’s day; since, by the
providence of divine grace, the course of the Lessons ἀναγνωσμάτων
a term including the portions of Scripture (περικοπαί)
appointed for the Epistle and Gospel as well as the daily lessons from
the Old and New Testaments. in Church included the account of our
Saviour’s going up into the heavens The section
Luke xxiv.
36–53, which in the
Eastern Church is the Gospel for Ascension Day, is also one of the
“eleven morning Gospels of the Resurrection (εὐαγγέλια
ἀναστασιμὰ
ἑωθινά), which were read
in turn, one every Sunday at Matins.” Dictionary of Chr.
Antiq. “Lectionary.” This Lecture being delivered
on Monday, the Section in question had been read on the preceding
day.;
and what was then said was spoken principally for the sake of all, and
for the assembled body of the faithful, yet especially for thy
sake μάλιστα
μὲν…ἐξαιρέτως
δέ.. But the question is, didst thou
attend to what was said? For thou knowest that the words which
come next in the Creed teach thee to believe in Him “Who
rose again the third day, and ascended into Heaven,
and sat down on the right hand of the Father.” I
suppose then certainly that thou rememberest the exposition; yet I will
now again cursorily put thee in mind of what was then said.
Remember what is distinctly written in the Psalms, God is gone up
with a shout Ps. xlvii. 5.; remember that the
divine powers also said to one another, Lift up your gates, ye
Princes Ps. xxiv. 7: Lift up, O gates, your
heads. The order of the Hebrew words misled the Greek
Translators., and the rest;
remember also the Psalm which says, He ascended on high, He led
captivity captive Ps. lxviii. 18. On the reading ἀνέβη, found in a few
mss. of the Septuagint, see
Tischendorf’s note on Eph. iv. 8.; remember the
Prophet who said, Who buildeth His ascension unto
heaven Amos ix. 6: (R.V.) It is He that
buildeth His chambers in the heaven. (A.V.) His
stories. Marg. ascensions, or spheres.
Sept. τὴν
ἀνάβασιν
αὐτοὐ.; and all the other
particulars mentioned yesterday because of the gainsaying of the
Jews.