The Ancient Witnesses

Chapter 6: The Fullness of Time • 205

having in various ways been anointed of God. 71 For some have been anointed as kings and some as prophets, but He who is God the Father’s Christ is unique, because He alone has as His Father Him that is in heaven.” 72 Cyril paused to make sure we had understood. “Peter’s definite answer,” he continued, “identified Jesus as the Messiah among many who previously were described as anointed ones— messiahs —of God. But how did Peter receive this wisdom? Jesus himself identifies the source of Peter’s knowledge as the revelation of God: Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven . 73 So, the disciple was taught by God, for he did not make this profession of faith according to his own thoughts, but because divine light shown on his understanding, and the Father led him to a correct knowledge of Christ. 74 “Now then,” Cyril concluded, “Peter believed that He who was in the likeness of mankind as part of creation was God, Who transcends all created things. He who dwells in the high and lofty place was abased from His glory to be in poverty like us. And He who, as God, is Lord of all and King of all, was in the likeness of a slave!

71 Messiah means “anointed of God,” Christos (Christ) being the Greek translation of the Hebrew meshiach (messiah). Cyril’s point is that while many were anointed by God (e.g. Saul and David), only Jesus earned the title ‘O Christos (the Christ) of God.

72 Cyril of Alexandria and R. Payne Smith 1859. Commentary upon the Gospel according to St. Luke (Oxford: Univ. Press), 216

73 Matt. 16:17.

74 Cyril of Alexandria and R. Payne Smith 1859. Commentary upon the Gospel according to St. Luke (Oxford: Univ. Press), 216