THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
The word of the Savior descends into the hearts of His hearers. When it finds them very tender, it at once transforms them and brings them into a good condition. But when it meets hardened hearts, it withdraws and, as it were, turns aside.
Thus the one whose mind is ready for right understanding gladly receives the word of salvation. The one who is not such does not.
Something like this befell the Jewish people. When they heard the Savior's words, they were divided in disagreement. The more receptive already inclined toward the beginning of salvation, while the hardened became still harder than they had been at first.
The divine Evangelist is as though struck by wonder that through these words the Jewish people had to be divided.
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For, I think, pointing expressively and with astonishment to the hardness of those who did not believe, he says that "a division occurred because of these words." By these words, he says, the Jews ought to have been firmly convinced that He is the Christ.
So wondrous were the Savior's words. Yet when these words had been spoken, by which even a very obstinate man would naturally have been caught into good obedience, "a division" arose among them.
Thus he marvels at them, impiously twisted toward shameless unbelief. For the more the words of our Savior deserve fitting wonder, the more, I think, they are subject to just accusation.
Therefore He spoke what belongs to the Godhead and what surpasses man.
But the brilliance of words above man, and divine boldness, rouses many to unrestrained folly.
Those truly possessed had a particular inclination toward blasphemy. They easily fell into frenzy, were deprived of all reason, and considered the Lord a mere man, not understanding that He was God by nature.
Therefore the Jews called Him possessed, as one uttering unbridled blasphemy. They heard from Him what it befits God alone to say.
Since they saw Him as one of those like us, and did not yet know Who He is by nature, they thought He blasphemed when He said something befitting God.
Therefore, economically, because of the weakness of His hearers, He often uses language brought down to our level.
For this reason the Jewish people is divided. Some, understanding absolutely nothing of the mysteries concerning Him, impiously reproach Him.
Others, more modest in character, do not yield to hasty condemnations. They ponder His words, examine them closely, and perceive the sweetness contained in them.
Thus they make a most careful judgment. They do not find it possible to attribute such sober words, filled with heavenly wisdom, to the senselessness of demons, since those in seizures usually speak every absurdity.
Therefore the Pharisees themselves were rather the possessed ones, since they called Him so Who was free from every passion.
Without noticing it, they reveal their own disease and, in ignorance, openly disclose the evil that possesses them.
I think they say with great malice that the Lord is possessed.
For He had accused them as cowardly and hired shepherds, abandoning the sheep to the wolf and caring nothing for the flock.
They greatly feared that the people might understand these words, renounce their shepherding, and pass over to the teaching of Christ.
Therefore, misleading the mind of those they pastured, they say, "He has a demon; why listen to Him?"
Yet these malicious words of theirs produced the opposite of what they intended.
"Others," judging by the quality of His words, acknowledge that the Lord's words are right, since such words are not the words "of one possessed."
Moreover, he says, the miracles have unconquerable testimony. Although you accuse His words as unrighteous, it is impossible for someone both to have a demon and to do what only God can do.
Thus the true judges knew Him by His fruits, while also marveling at His words.
Others said, "These are not the words of one possessed," and so forth. Judging by the quality of His words, they delivered a right judgment.
For it was madness to say, of Him who spoke such things, that He has a demon and is mad. He had said that the good shepherd would die without delay and willingly face danger for His own sheep (Jn 10:11-14).
He had also said that the hireling, being no shepherd, would flee, stunned at the mere sight of the wolf. Yet they said, "Why listen to Him?"