Commentary on Isaiah

Cyril of Alexandria (376–444)

COMMENTARY ON THE PROPHET ISAIAH

Book 1

Preface

The word of the holy prophets is always obscure, but it is filled with hidden meanings, and travails for us with the foretelling of divine mysteries. For Christ is the end of the law and the prophets, as it is written. But I say that those who wish to make clear such subtle and enigmatic things must hasten to survey the breadth of the contemplations with the eye of the mind, and very prudently, on the one hand, the accuracy of the history, and on the other, the rendering of the spiritual interpretation, so that what is beneficial may come forth from all sides to the readers, and the clarification of the proposed meanings may appear, having nothing lacking. I know, then, that some who came before have written on these things, and have composed long discourses for us about them; and I think this is sufficient, and at least furnishes a not ignoble excuse for others to hesitate, and persuades them to choose silence rather than to add to what others have already said—saying nothing new, but rather repeating the same things and going through the same contemplations. But since, even if this should happen, it would not be distressing at all…

See also

• More works by Cyril of Alexandria

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