March 2, 2013

Holy Fathers on the Name of God: St. Cyril of Alexandria


"He saith, then: 'Holy Father, keep them in Thy Name which Thou hast given Me; that they may be one, even as We are.' He desires His disciples to be kept by the power and might of the Ineffable Divine Nature, well and suitably attributing the power of saving whomsoever He will, yea, and with ease, to the true and living God."

"He says: 'Keep them in Thy Name which Thou hast given Me.' Note how guarded the saying is. For allotting and attributing as suitable only to the Nature of God providential care over us, He declares at once that to Himself has been given the glory of Godhead, because of the form of manhood, saying that what was His by natural right was given to Him; that is, the Name which is above every name. Therefore also we say that this Name belongs to the Son by nature, as proceeding from the Father."

"...['Keep them in Thy Name which Thou hast given Me'] He says that His disciples ought to be kept in the Name of the Father, that is to say, in the glory and power of His Godhead, so that they should be out of the power of the enemy..."

Commentary on the Gospel of St. John (17:11)
Book XI, 11, 12, 16