Who was Theodoret of Cyrus?

Theodoret of Cyrus (AD 393—466) was an influential Christian bishop, theologian, and scholar in Syria. Historians consider him a church father, alongside other notable figures such as Athanasius, Augustine, and Jerome. This means Theodoret was a key leader during a critical era of the early church, between the time of Jesus Christ and the Middle Ages. In his role as the bishop of Cyrus, Theodoret’s legacy includes defending the church against heresy and writing biblical commentaries.

In AD 423, church leaders made Theodoret the bishop of the city of Cyrus. Today, the ruins of Cyrus can still be seen in northern Syria, near the town of Nabi Huri. During Theodoret’s life, Cyrus was the center of a large rural area that contained more than 800 churches. As bishop, Theodoret cared for people through preaching, teaching, and sharing the gospel.

One major part of Theodoret’s legacy was his work to defend the truth of the Bible during a key era in church history. During his time, false ideas like Eutychianism and Nestorianism gave people the wrong view of who Jesus is. Eutychianism said that Jesus wasn’t really human, while Nestorianism argued that His divine and human natures were not truly joined together.

Earlier debates helped the church prepare for this discussion. One of the key leaders in those debates was Cyril of Alexandria. As Patriarch of Alexandria, Cyril spoke persuasively at the Council of Ephesus in AD 431, which supported the Nicene Creed—a confession of faith that affirmed Jesus’ deity—and rejected Nestorianism.

Theodoret had always rejected Eutychianism. However, at first, he thought Nestorius’s ideas better aligned with what the Bible taught about Jesus. Because of this, he disagreed with Cyril’s phrase “one nature of the Word of God incarnate.” He believed the phrase didn’t make a clear enough distinction between Jesus’ humanity and divinity. Theodoret stressed that both natures, human and divine, must stay distinct, even though they are united in one person.

In AD 449, after the Second Council of Ephesus, church leaders sent Theodoret into exile at his monastery. They did this because he had opposed Cyril of Alexandria’s phrasing.

In AD 451, church leaders invited Theodoret to the Council of Chalcedon. But at first, they did not let him participate. The council discussed what the Bible teaches about Jesus’ divine and human natures. Before its completion, the council confirmed the teaching now known as the hypostatic union—that Jesus is one person with both a fully divine nature and a fully human nature.

While the council was still meeting, Theodoret changed his view. He came to see that Nestorius’s teaching did not match what the Bible says about Jesus. Following this, church leaders welcomed Theodoret back into full fellowship and allowed him to take part in the council. In the end, he agreed with the council’s statement that Jesus is one person with two distinct natures.

Theodoret is also known for writing biblical commentaries. Most of them are on the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament letters of Paul. His view of Scripture emphasized the plain or historical meaning of the text. This contrasted with the allegorical method that many in the Alexandrian tradition favored. Theodoret believed that readers should interpret Scripture according to its original context and intended meaning, rather than searching for hidden spiritual symbols behind every detail.

Theodoret’s ministry consisted of caring for churches and teaching Scripture with wisdom. His efforts helped preserve and promote biblical truth during a key period in Christian history. His life is an example of faithful ministry, commitment to the truth, and humility to submit to the authority of Scripture.