Interpreting the Angel. Cyril of Alexandria and Theodoret of Cyrus: Commentators on the Book of MalachiSyriaca.org: The Syriac Reference PortalThe National Endowment for the HumanitiesThe International Balzan Prize FoundationDavid A. Michelsoncbsc_adminRecord added to Zotero bycbsc_adminSyriaca.org: The Syriac Reference Portalhttp://syriaca.org/cbss/RD9Q9ZFY/tei
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CREATED: This bibl record was autogenerated from a Zotero record.John JosephO’KeefeInterpreting the Angel. Cyril of Alexandria and Theodoret of Cyrus: Commentators on the Book of Malachihttp://syriaca.org/cbss/RD9Q9ZFYhttps://www.zotero.org/groups/a_comprehensive_bibliography_on_syriac_studies/items/RD9Q9ZFYhttps://www.zotero.org/groups/4861694/items/RD9Q9ZFY1993This dissertation studies the commentaries of Cyril of Alexandria and Theodoret of Cyrus on Malachi, examines their relationship to each other and to their predecessors, and translates them into English. It also seeks to deepen understanding of Cyril and Theodoret as representatives of the Alexandrian and Antiochene exegetical traditions.
Chapter one introduces Cyril and Theodoret as exegetical writers and evaluates their contributions to patristic exegesis. This chapter also considers the most significant influences on the exegetical methods of each author and their context in the Alexandrian and Antiochene schools. The close similarity in the methods and interpretations of Cyril and Theodoret suggests a closer kinship between the two authors than their rivalry in the christological debates would suggest.
The second chapter details interpretation of key passages from Malachi before the time of Cyril and Theodoret. The information presented here provides background material that helps contextualize the comments of Cyril and Theodoret on the book of Malachi.
Chapter three studies the Septuagint text employed in each commentary, the secondary influences, the date of composition, the context, and the intended audience. Both commentaries were composed during a period when the christological debates were not a primary concern. It is also possible that the commentaries originated as public lectures.
Commenting on Malachi 1:10, Cyril of Alexandria remarked to his audience that the prophet had "displayed in advance, like a prediction, the beauty of the polity in Christ." Similar sentiments were recorded by Theodoret. In Chapter 4, Cyril and Theodoret's belief that many passages of Malachi had found fulfillment in their own Christian times is studied. Both exegetes present a remarkably similar and highly ecclesial interpretation of the prophecy.
A translation of both commentaries follows the main text of the dissertation. This is the only translation of these commentaries in a modern language.
O’Keefe, John Joseph. “Interpreting the Angel. Cyril of Alexandria and Theodoret of Cyrus: Commentators on the Book of Malachi.” Ph.D. dissertation, The Catholic University of America, 1993.
John Joseph O’Keefe, Interpreting the Angel. Cyril of Alexandria and Theodoret of Cyrus: Commentators on the Book of Malachi (Ph.D. dissertation, The Catholic University of America, 1993).Antiochene schoolMalachiOld TestamentProphetsTheodoret of CyrusV CEexegesisprimary sources [Greek] - English translation