Voices and influences
Theodoret of Cyrus
He ran a poor country diocese, commented on nearly the whole Bible, and stood by his friends when it cost him his seat.
Summary
This site quotes Theodoret of Cyrus 84 times across 20 books, and lists 0 works.
- Lived died 458.
- Quoted here most in Psalms: 20 of 84.
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Theodoret of Cyrus
- Lived
- died 458
- Tradition
- Patristic
5 of 84 quotations
Own words
Quoted at 50 words or fewer, because Theodoret of Cyrus's works are in copyright.
The blessing followed as Boaz said it would. For Ruth received the full reward from God, so that she was the progenitor of the blessing of the nations.
QUESTIONS ON RUTH, 458
Ruth 2:12 May the LORD repay your work, and may you receive a rich reward from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have taken refuge.” BSB
Regard for truth is in danger of being snuffed out, with everyone, you might say, suffering from distrust in one another.… They pretend friendship and perform the actions of enemies.… Some use their lips to direct falsehood into their neighbor's heart; others return the compliment.
COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 12:2, 458
Psalms 12:2 They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart. BSB
Not for being lowly is God exalted, nor does he receive what he does not possess; instead, what he possesses he reveals … your exaltation is revealed in your ineffable power, which we shall continue to celebrate and sing, recounting your marvelous works.
COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 21:8, 458
Psalms 21:13 Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength; we will sing and praise Your power. BSB
Those constantly reared on the sacred Words have a precise knowledge from them that all the dispensations of God our Savior are tempered with mercy and truth: to some, who repent of sins committed, he extends mercy and pardon; others unconquered he proclaims and crowns …
COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 25:5, 458
Psalms 25:10 All the LORD’s ways are loving and faithful to those who keep His covenant and His decrees. BSB
Prayer offered to God befits a king: it is appropriate for one appointed to rule to exercise complete care of his subjects. This is surely the reason that blessed David offered prayer not only for himself but also for a people entrusted to him, especially …
COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 25:10, 458
Psalms 25:22 Redeem Israel, O God, from all its distress. BSB
Influence, on the record
This site quotes Theodoret of Cyrus 84 times across 20 books.
This site’s own count of what it does with the voice
The life, in order
The life told as one accountfrom this site's record
Theodoret was born about 393 at Antioch. His mother, according to his own account, had been childless for years and had gone to a local hermit for prayer. He was raised around the monks of the district, gave away his inheritance when his parents died, and entered a monastery near Apamea. In 423, against his will, he was made bishop of Cyrrhus — a poor, mostly Syriac-speaking diocese in the countryside northeast of Antioch with about eight hundred parishes. He stayed there the rest of his life and worked at it. He records building bridges, aqueducts, baths, and porticoes for the town out of church income and his own; bringing in doctors; and travelling constantly among villages where the church had barely reached. He says he never took a bribe, never accepted a gift, and owned nothing. He was also the ablest writer his party had, which made him a target. When Cyril of Alexandria published his twelve anathemas against Nestorius, John of Antioch asked Theodoret to answer them, and he did, sharply. At the Council of Ephesus in 431 he stood with John and the Eastern bishops against Cyril. Two years later he helped negotiate the Formula of Reunion that ended the split — but he would not personally condemn Nestorius, who had been his friend, and that refusal followed him for the rest of his life. In 449, at the assembly Leo the Great called the Robber Council, Theodoret was deposed in his absence and confined to his monastery. He appealed to Rome. At the Council of Chalcedon in 451 he was brought in, and the bishops shouted that he must anathematise Nestorius before he could take his seat. He tried to speak; they would not let him. Finally he said the words, was restored to his see, and went home. A century later, at Constantinople in 553, certain of his writings against Cyril were condemned as one of the Three Chapters — though the council was careful not to condemn the man, since Chalcedon had received him. His books outlasted the politics. He wrote commentaries on the Psalms, the Song of Songs, the prophets, and all fourteen letters of Paul, in a clear question-and-answer style that has kept him readable; he is one of the most quoted of the Greek fathers on Paul. He wrote a Church History continuing Eusebius to 428, a Compendium of Heretical Fables, a defence of providence in ten discourses, and Eranistes, a dialogue on the person of Christ. And he wrote the Religious History — thirty short lives of the Syrian ascetics he had known personally, including Symeon the Stylite on his pillar. It is the record of a whole movement that would otherwise be almost invisible, written by a bishop who had grown up among them. He died about 458 or shortly after. Sources: Theodoret of Cyrus, Ecclesiastical History, Letters, and Dialogues (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, second series volume 3); A History of the Monks of Syria, trans. R. M. Price; the Acts of the Council of Chalcedon.
84 quotations across 20 books
Where this voice is quoted
In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his schemes there is no God.
“The unbeliever and the sinner never keeps God before his eyes; instead, each day and at every moment he soils and sullies his paths, not believing there is any judgment.”
They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.
“Regard for truth is in danger of being snuffed out, with everyone, you might say, suffering from distrust in one another.… They pretend friendship and perform the actions of enemies.… Some use their lips to direct falsehood into their neighbor's heart; others return the compliment.”
They say, “With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?”
“With mouths agape they heedlessly utter whatever occurs to them, scornful of divine long-suffering and giving no thought to their falling under the lordship of God.”
Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
“They trusted in horses and chariots, he is saying, and enjoyed no benefit from them but were caught up in unseen entanglements and collapsed. We, by contrast, invoked divine assistance, and won salvation in visible manner and emerged superior to the adversaries.”
Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength; we will sing and praise Your power.
“Not for being lowly is God exalted, nor does he receive what he does not possess; instead, what he possesses he reveals … your exaltation is revealed in your ineffable power, which we shall continue to celebrate and sing, recounting your marvelous works.”
He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
“He hints at the water of rebirth, in which the baptized person longs for grace and sheds the old age of sin and is made young instead of being old.”
He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from the God of his salvation.
“Now, it was quite appropriate for him to associate mercy with blessing: even what are thought rewards are given to human beings only on account of divine lovingkindness.”
All the LORD’s ways are loving and faithful to those who keep His covenant and His decrees.
“Those constantly reared on the sacred Words have a precise knowledge from them that all the dispensations of God our Savior are tempered with mercy and truth: to some, who repent of sins committed, he extends mercy and pardon; others unconquered he proclaims and crowns…”
Redeem Israel, O God, from all its distress.
“Prayer offered to God befits a king: it is appropriate for one appointed to rule to exercise complete care of his subjects.”
For You are my rock and my fortress; lead me and guide me for the sake of Your name.
“Now, through all the verses occurring here, at any rate, we learn the measure of his prudence: his appeal for divine assistance is made on the basis not of his own virtue but of God's name and of God's righteousness and because he hoped in…”
You free me from the net laid out for me, for You are my refuge.
“By this he indicated the plot of Ahithophel, which he put into operation against him, as we have spoken about previously. … After frequently encountering many disasters I was freed from them by your aid—thus I entrust my soul to your providence.”
Then my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness and Your praises all day long.
“While the psalm had this ending, therefore, I beseech those reading it not to incur even the slightest harm from the prayer of the righteous person or make it the occasion for curses against one's enemies.”
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.
“In place of the impious worship of the idols I was taught to sing the praises of the true God and offer a song—not an old one but a new one, suited to the new favors.”
These things come to mind as I pour out my soul: how I walked with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God with shouts of joy and…
“After the sad events, therefore, he proclaims pleasant ones and ahead of time teaches that they will quickly secure their recall, and with the guidance of God's grace, they will return to the land of their desire and will rebuild God's house, will celebrate the…”
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.
“From this it is clear that both psalms have the same meaning. Those using them encourage themselves to have stronger hope, overcome the feeling of discouragement and await the salvation from God that will doubtless be given them.”
The nobles of the nations have assembled as the people of the God of Abraham; for the shields of the earth belong to God; He is highly exalted.
“The promises to the patriarch Abraham, he is saying, took effect. Now the Lord of all promised to bless all the nations in his progeny.”
consider her ramparts, tour her citadels, that you may tell the next generation.
“Each generation has to pass on to the next what we have received from the former so that the saving message may pass to all generations, and all people know that he is our God and Lord, good shepherd, everlasting.”
He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the waters on foot; there we rejoiced in Him.
“Then [Symmachus] outlines what was done of old. "He turns the sea into dry land; they will cross the river on foot."”
Serve the LORD with gladness; come into His presence with joyful songs.
“"Serve the Lord with gladness," for the kingship of our God and Savior has nothing of the harsh tyranny of the devil; rather, his lordship is mild and loving.”
My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to Your word.
“Now the very faithful emperor came boldly within the holy temple but did not pray to his Lord standing, or even on his knees, but lying prone upon the ground he uttered David's cry, "My soul cleaves to the dust; you give me life according…”