Cyril of Alexandria

Suddenly two men, Moses and Elijah, began talking with Jesus. They appeared in glory and spoke about His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

“Besides, Moses and Elijah stood at Jesus' side and spoke with one another about his departure that he was about, it says, to accomplish at Jerusalem. This meant the mystery of the dispensation in the flesh and of his precious suffering upon the cross.”

Suddenly a man in the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, for he is my only child.

“This lesson proves that he delivered us from the power of unclean spirits. We heard read that a man ran toward him from among the crowd and related the intolerable illness of his son.”

I begged Your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable.”

“The father of the demoniac was rude and not courteous. He did not simply ask for the healing of the child, and in so doing crown the healer with praises.”

And they were all astonished at the greatness of God. While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus was doing, He said to His disciples,

“Now before not his father but the devil possessed him, but now the Evangelist adds that the people were astonished at the greatness of God, saying, And all were amazed at the mighty power of God, which he says, because of the gift of Christ…”

“Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.”

“He had shown His glory on the mount to His disciples, and after this delivered a man from an evil spirit, but it was necessary for Him to undergo His passion for our salvation.”

But they did not understand this statement. It was veiled from them so that they could not comprehend it, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.

“Now some one perhaps will say, How were the disciples ignorant of the mystery of the cross, seeing that it was touched upon in several places by the shadows of the Law?”

Then an argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.

“(non occ.) The devil lays plots of various kinds for them that love the best way of life. And if indeed by carnal allurements he can gain possession of a man's heart, He sharpens his love of pleasure; but if a man has escaped these…”

But Jesus, knowing the thoughts of their hearts, had a little child stand beside Him.

“What kind of type and representation did he make the child he had taken? He made the child a representation of an innocent and humble life. The mind of a child is empty of fraud, and his heart is sincere. His thoughts are simple.”

“Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not accompany us.”

“But we ought to consider not so much the worker of the miracles, as the grace which was in him, who, by the power of Christ, performed miracles.”

As the day of His ascension approached, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.

“It says, "When the days drew near for him to be received up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem."”

He sent messengers on ahead, who went into a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him.

“It would be untrue, then, to affirm that our Saviour did not know what was about to happen: for as He knows all things, He knew, of course, that His messengers would not be received by the Samaritans. Of this there can be no doubt.”

After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of Him to every town and place He was about to visit.

“God had made known by the Prophets that the preaching of the Gospel of salvation was to embrace not only Israel, but also the Gentile nations; and therefore after the twelve Apostles, there were other seventy-two (Vulg. septuaginta duos.)”

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name.” So He told them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

“According to Christ's declaration, the harvest indeed was great, but the laborers were few. In addition to those first chosen, he appointed seventy others and sent them to every village and city of Judea before his face to be his forerunners and to preach the…”

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus said. “Do this and you will live.”

“He says, "What is written in the law? How do you read?" The lawyer repeated what is in the law. As if to punish his wickedness and reprove his malicious purpose, Christ, knowing all things, says, "You have answered correctly; do this, and you will…”

One day in a place where Jesus had just finished praying, one of His disciples requested, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

“Now whereas He possesses every good in abundance, why does He pray, since He is full, and has altogether need of nothing?”

And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”

“For He wishes, if I may so speak, to make God the imitator of the patience which men practise, that the kindness which they have shown to their fellowservants, they should in like manner seek to receive in equal balance from God, who recompenses to…”

And others tested Him by demanding a sign from heaven.

“But others by similar darts of envy sought of him a sign from heaven. As it follows, And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.”

But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted, and then he divides up his plunder.

“For as soon as the Word of the Most High God, the Giver of all strength, and the Lord of Hosts, was made man, He attacked him, and took away his arms.”

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

“Would you like to hear and learn another convincing argument besides these? "He that is not with Me," He says, "is against Me: and he that gathers not with Me, scatters for Me."”

As Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee invited Him to dine with him; so He went in and reclined at the table.

“The Pharisee invites him to an entertainment for his own purpose. The Savior of all submits to this for providence's sake.”

But the Pharisee was surprised to see that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.

“The dull Pharisee himself supplied an occasion for his speech, "because he wondered," it says, "that he did not wash before dinner." Did he wonder at him as having done something of which he approved, as being especially worthy of the saints?”

Woe to you Pharisees! You love the chief seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you!

“By means of those things for which He blames us He makes us better. For He would have us be free from ambition, and not desire after vain show rather than the reality, which the Pharisees were then doing.”

“Woe to you as well, experts in the law!” He replied. “You weigh men down with heavy burdens, but you yourselves will not lift a finger to lighten their load.

“But Christ brings a severe charge against the Lawyers, and subdues their foolish pride, as it follows, And he said, Woe unto you also, ye Lawyers, for ye lade men, &c. He brings forward an obvious example for their direction.”

And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

“It is His care then diligently to know the life of the saints. Whence it follows, But the hairs of your heads are all numbered; by which He means, that of all things which relate to them He has most accurate knowledge, for the numbering…”

But whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

“But the rest, those who denied and despised him, shall be denied: when the Judge shall say to them that, as it were, which was spoken by the holy prophets to certain of old; "As you have done, it shall be done unto you; and…”