Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 9 · Cyril of Alexandria

014 - Chapter 1 pt 5 Jn 1420

·32 min·2 clips

Cyril interprets “ye in me, and I in you” through Christ’s life, Spirit, and restoration of mortal bodies.

1. Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 9, episode 014 analyzes John 14:20 and its claim that Christ is in the Father while believers are in Christ and Christ is in them. 2. Cyril of Alexandria is the author discussed, and Rev. Thomas Randall is identified as the translator of this LibriVox public-domain recording. 3. The commentary asks whether John 14:20 describes mutual love alone or a deeper natural union between the Son, the Father, and humanity. 4. Cyril disputes unnamed opponents who say the Son is in the Father only because the Father loves the Son and the Son loves the Father. 5. He argues that believers’ love for Christ cannot explain the Son’s own union with the Father because the two relationships differ in kind. 6. John’s phrase “In that day ye shall know” is treated as referring to a future completion of knowledge rather than a fact already fully understood. 7. Cyril uses Christ’s statement that the Father loves the Son and Christ’s command to keep His commandments as evidence that love was already known before the resurrection. 8. The resurrection is presented as the event through which believers will recognize the mystery of Christ’s union and their own restored life. 9. Paul’s statements about believers’ life being “hid with Christ in God” and Christ transforming the body support Cyril’s reading of the future day. 10. Cyril identifies Christ’s incarnation as a means of gathering human nature back into its original condition through the condemnation of sin and defeat of death. 11. Philippians 2 is used to connect Christ’s equality with God, self-emptying, servant-form, and suffering on the cross. 12. Hebrews is invoked to explain that Christ shared flesh and blood so that death and the devil’s power over death could be overcome. 13. John 1 is used to describe believers receiving the right to become children of God through a birth attributed to God rather than blood or human will. 14. Cyril argues that Christ did not become human merely to save His own body but to extend the benefits of salvation to human nature as a whole. 15. Adam represents the earthly image marked by suffering and corruption, while Christ represents the heavenly image marked by incorruption. 16. Cyril interprets the divine breath given to humanity as the Holy Spirit impressed upon an already ensouled creature, not as a soul created from God’s essence. 17. The recording uses a formal patristic commentary format, with Cyril building a long argument through quoted Gospel, Pauline, and Psalm passages. 18. Its tone is polemical and doctrinal, especially when Cyril calls the opposing interpretation “rotten words” and contrasts it with the mystery of incarnation. 19. Best for listeners studying Johannine theology, patristic exegesis, and incarnation doctrine. 20. Less suited to listeners seeking conversational pacing, modern commentary, or narrative storytelling.

As heard by us

A measured meditation on incarnation and redemption.

The episode traces why the only begotten took flesh, moving from Paul's language about gathering all things in Christ to the Son sharing in flesh and blood so death itself is put down.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

For a dense case for why the Son took flesh, this one goes straight at the incarnation.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 9