Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world. (John 6:47–51)

Faith therefore is the door and way unto life, and return from corruption to incorruption. But herein no less is the economy a marvel to the learners: for when He perceived that they understood nothing at all, and saw that they did not suppose they ought to give any credence even to the words of the Prophets, He cuts off, as far as possible, their weakness unto faith by human arguments, by an oath to its truth. For setting before them which believe prizes much to be envied, with their longing desire for these as with traces, He all but constrains them against their will, and persuades them to come to what is proclaimed to them. For what would be more precious than eternal life, to those to whom death and the sufferings from decay are bitter? And this too, a wise teacher will appropriately re-instruct to the better by every way that invites unto life those who have chosen to think foolishly. But He, being Eternal Life, promises to give Himself to those who believe: that is, that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith.…

He says, “I die for all, that I may may give life to all by Myself, and I made My Flesh a Ransom for the flesh of all. For death shall die in My Death, and with Me shall rise again the fallen nature of man. For this reason I became like you, Man and of the seed of Abraham, that I might be made like in all things unto My brethren.” The blessed Paul himself also, well understanding what Christ just now said to us says, For as much then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same, that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. For no otherwise was it possible that he that has the power of death should be destroyed, and death itself also, had not Christ given Himself for us, a Ransom, One for all, for He was in behalf of all. Therefore He says in the Psalms too, offering Himself as a spotless Sacrifice to God the Father,

“Sacrifice and offering You did not will;
But a body You prepared for me;
A whole burnt offering and a sin offering You did not require.”
Then I said, “Behold, I come
(it is written of me in the volume of the book);
I willed to do Your will, O my God,
And Your law in the midst of my heart.”

For since the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sufficed not unto the purging away of sin, nor yet would the slaughter of brute beasts ever have destroyed the power of death, Christ Himself came in, in some way to undergo punishment for all.

Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel According to St. John 4.1–2