Cyril makes a clear distinction between earnest manliness and immaturity. He emphasizes that only those who have reached spiritual maturity and the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ are counted as truly manly. This maturity involves surpassing the mind of youth and embodying the virtues of wisdom, strength, and courage. The divine law, according to Cyril, recognizes and values this maturity, and it is reflected in the spiritual census and the book of the living.

“Some have fallen into carnal desires, letting go of all reins to passion, weak and unmanly, throwing their mind to the pleasures of licentiousness.”
Manliness in the Christian tradition embodies virtue, strength, and moral integrity. Throughout Worship and Adoration in Spirit and Truth, Cyril of Alexandria provides a discourse on the virtues of Christian manliness. These dispositions are discussed throughout a series of sixteen dialogues of patristic exegesis on the Old Testament centered on sin, redemption, courage, love of the brethren, purity, holy feasts, Temple, priesthood, and sacrifices. This essay delves into Cyril’s teachings on manliness across these dialogues, examining the dispositions that demonstrate true manhood, including strength, overcoming softness and effeminacy, and a hospitality that is resistant to the age. 
Cyril highlights the spiritual dangers of effeminacy, advocating for a life of courage and virtue. Effeminacy, marked by indulgence in pleasure and a lack of striving, leads to spiritual and moral decay. Conversely, courage, supported by divine strength, paves the way for true greatness and salvation. By embracing the virtues of strength, courage, and perseverance, Christian men can find excellence in Christ and live a life that is both honorable and pleasing to God.
The Call to Love Manliness and Virtue
Those called by God to righteousness must renounce vileness and live earnestly, hastening to live righteously. Cyril considers it dangerous and repulsive for a man to love vileness and sin instead of manliness and virtue. According to Cyril, effeminate weaknesses and unnatural pleasures corrupt the mind. Instead, through Christ, it is possible to be strengthened in good labor.
Cyril states, “It is indeed dangerous, as it seems, O Palladios, and I would say even most abominable, entering into all manner of absurdity, not to love manliness but rather mediocrity and error; being softened like those who indulge in strange pleasures, and who introduce effeminate weaknesses into their mind, to abandon the courage that leads to virtue.” He continues, “And yet, through Christ, it is very possible to be strengthened in anything praiseworthy, and in addition to this, he, the most holy Paul, exhorts us, saying: ‘Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might.’”
Strength in Christ and Overcoming Passions
Manly strength in Christ is essential for combating youthful passions and fortifying the mind against them. Cyril acknowledges that achieving excellence in matters of virtue requires effort and toil. The biblical admonition, “A man in toil labors for himself, and drives his own destruction,” underscores the necessity of enduring hardship to attain spiritual maturity and manliness. He recognizes the importance of bravery and perseverance in the face of challenges, drawing from the example of David, who declared, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?”
Cyril argues, “For we will find strength in Christ; however, I do not believe that anyone could achieve mastery over passions without effort and succeed in strengthening their own mind for this purpose.” He further emphasizes, “Therefore, it is a thing both transparent and easily understood, and while it is not easily captured by those who are idle, it is readily attainable by those who value hard work. It is written, ‘A man labors in his toils for himself, and brings about his own destruction.’ To think that one can achieve the most excellent things with little effort is, I believe, ignorant and foolish. Or is it not the most valuable of all things for us to preserve our soul and to strive for our own life?”
The Dangers of Indulgence and the Pursuit of Glory
Cyril contrasts those who indulge in luxuries and an easy life with those who compete rightly and with discipline. He asserts that victory and glory belong to the diligent and hardworking, not to the weak and indulgent. This principle is illustrated through the Israelites’ experience in Egypt, where harsh treatment under Pharaoh ultimately strengthened them rather than breaking their spirit. Cyril points out that afflictions, while imposed by Satan, can be turned into opportunities for growth and strengthening in virtue through God’s providence.
He explains, “For as they were humbled, they became more numerous and stronger. Satan brings afflictions, grinding his teeth against the saints, and what God would use for good, he always jumps upon with a hiss.” He continues, “But those who are lovers of virtue and goodness, and who aspire to the glory from above, striving to partake in eternal life, bravely and boldly confront the assaults of their own passions, putting to death the flesh and resisting the movements arising within it and from it.”
Softness and Effeminacy: Hindrances to Virtue
Effeminacy and softness are described as an inclination towards comfort and luxury that weakens moral resolve and leads to sin. Effeminacy, according to Cyril, involves a lack of courage and strength, resulting in a failure to strive for virtue. He believes that these traits are contrary to the divine call to righteousness and undermine the moral and spiritual integrity necessary for true manliness. Effeminate weaknesses, as Cyril describes, are mental and spiritual vulnerabilities that prevent individuals from embracing the fortitude required to live virtuously.
He warns, “the one who is called to righteousness by God and redeemed must follow Him, must renounce the weakness that leads to vice, and strive instead to live earnestly and vigorously in accordance with reason.” He further elaborates, “It is indeed dangerous, as it seems, O Palladios, and I would say even most abominable, having fallen into all manner of absurdity, not to love becoming manly but rather mediocrity and sin; being softened as if by strange pleasures, and introducing effeminate weaknesses into the mind, abandoning the courage that leads to virtue.”
He admonishes us to, “reject the softness found in baseness, and [to] shake off the love for pleasures found in enmity, and the actions under the control of our enemies, who are said to rule this age.” What is this softness? It is “one not accustomed to being brave, with a kind of inactive and unwarlike nature, who loves to nurture within himself a feminine and soft mindset, like one who is still immature and lacking in strength, and still boyish.” In another place in this book, he says of these that “They themselves are effeminate (Γυναικοειδεῖς) and emasculated (ἐκτεθηλυμμένοι), being conformed to the sin ruling over them.”
Hospitality as a Practice of Christian Manliness
Cyril argues that hospitality is a demonstration of the moral strength and virtuous character that defines true manliness. Christian men must “think and act eagerly in divine matters, which lie at our feet, without any hindrance or anything drawing us to an unworthy mind.” This is what it means to be ready to walk with God. This readiness reflects a manly disposition, showing that hospitality, when practiced from strength and conviction, is a true reflection of godliness and virtue​​.
He exposits hospitality and manly virtue at length in the First Discourse:
“The inhabitants of Sodom, vehemently driven to unnatural pleasures, despised the law of union meant for the procreation of children, as determined by nature, and indulged in relations with men, committing extremely abnormal acts, stirring up wrath, and seemingly hastening the punishment that was to come upon them, despite the benevolent nature of the Creator. When the time for them to suffer was imminent, with tolerance for them seemingly exhausted, those who were to execute this punishment arrived in Sodom.
It is written as follows: “In the evening, two angels arrived in Sodom. Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom.
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Written by Derek J. Brown |
Monday, January 22, 2024
It’s not enough to have our anger motivated by the right reasons. Our anger must also be expressed in a godly way, or our anger will quickly downgrade to sinful wrath. Righteous anger is self-controlled anger. Although we may have a good reason to be angry—Christ was blasphemed, a fellow image bearer was mistreated, false teaching is wreaking havoc in people’s lives—we cannot allow that righteous anger to explode into a fury of harsh words and harmful violence. This means that righteous anger doesn’t merely vent itself (Prov. 29:11). Rather, those who are righteously angry will control their speech and their body (Prov. 14:17; 16:32), and channel that anger toward the problem rather than the person.

If you survey popular psychological literature, you’ll find that anger is often defined in negative terms. In an article at Psychology Today, for example, Hara Marano describes anger as a “negative experience so closely bound to pain and depression that it can sometimes be hard to know where one of these experiences ends and another begins.” In another article, Marano observes, “people have trouble managing anger and other negative emotions” (emphasis added). Yet, classifying anger as a negative emotion is not entirely accurate. Although anger can stem from unwholesome motives or be expressed in harmful, destructive ways, anger as such is not essentially negative or wrong.
We know that anger is not necessarily negative because God is described as one who is angry at the wicked every day (Ps. 5:5). Yes, the Old Testament speaks of God as “slow to anger” (Ex. 34:6; Num. 14:8) but the Scripture also contains several instances where God’s anger is the centerpiece of the narrative (Num. 25:4; 32:14). In the New Testament, Jesus was angry with the religious leaders for allowing the temple to become a place of trade (John 2:13-17) and for their unwillingness to show compassion on the Sabbath (Mark 3:5).  
Anger, therefore, is not necessarily wrong or sinful. In God’s case, anger is the natural response of perfect holiness in the face of sin. God’s anger is always righteous anger.
But that’s God. What about us? Is it possible for Christians to exhibit righteous anger? The Bible acknowledges that our anger may be unrighteous (Col. 3:8; James 1:19), and our experience would attest that it often is. But the Scripture also teaches that it is possible for Christians to express righteous anger and that it is our responsibility to do so when circumstances call for it.  
For example, Paul, quoting David from Psalm 4:4, instructs the Christians in Ephesus to “Be angry, but do not sin” (Eph. 4:26). In both texts, David and Paul are commanding their readers to be angry. How could they instruct such a thing? Because there are times when it is right and good and wholesome to be angry. Indeed, an absence of anger when a situation calls for it is likely a sign of moral indifference and apathy, not spiritual maturity. 
But given our propensity to unrighteous anger, it is vital that we understand what constitutes righteous anger. Not every angry impulse flows from godly motivations, and not every expression of anger is warranted or appropriate. In the remaining portion of this article, we will consider the marks of righteous anger so that we might grow in our capacity to be angry over the right things and angry in the right ways.
Righteous Anger Is Angry over the Right Things
Often our anger is piqued because we’ve been maligned or mistreated. While there is a place for anger over personal mistreatment (Prov. 25:23), such anger easily swerves into a selfish concern over our own desires (see James 4:1-3). When it comes to petty offenses, Scripture instructs us to overlook them (Prov. 19:11).
But a sure mark that our anger is righteous is that it is roused when God’s glory is maligned and his name mistreated. David was angry because people in Israel were speaking against the Lord and likely dishonoring the Tabernacle and corporate worship in some way (Ps. 69:9). John quotes this verse and applies it to the Greater David after he found the temple overrun by commerce and fraudulent business practice. Jesus, acting in righteous anger, flipped over tables and chased the merchants away from the spectacle (John 2:17). Jesus was incensed when his Father was dishonored, not when he was dishonored. Indeed, Jesus endured severe mistreatment without ever becoming angry or vindictive toward his enemies or seeking his own restitution (see Luke 23:34). Righteous anger is anger that is riled when our gracious heavenly Father is slandered and his worship disgraced.
Righteous anger is also kindled when we encounter injustice perpetrated against fellow image-bearers.
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Machen notes how liberal Christians ignore what the Bible clearly notes as sin (see how timely it is?) when he writes, “Without the consciousness of sin, the whole of the gospel will seem to be an idle tale. But how can the consciousness of sin be revived? Something no doubt, can be accomplished by the proclamation of the law of God, for the law reveals transgressions. The whole of the law, moreover, should be proclaimed.”

I don’t remember how it came to my attention, but last summer, I downloaded the audiobook of J. Gresham Machen’s Christianity and Liberalism. I know, I know; it’s not exactly breezy summer reading (or listening), but I definitely don’t regret it. It’s worth pointing out that this year is the 100th anniversary of this landmark work.
Machen, an evangelical scholar at Princeton, wrote Christianity and Liberalism because he believed that “the chief modern rival of Christianity is Liberalism.” The book stemmed from the rising tide of liberal theology that was only growing in the early 1920s. Machen saw how liberalism was seeping into his beloved Princeton Theological Seminary, and that phenomenon alarmed him. He and others would go on to found Westminster Theological Seminary a few years later in an attempt to counter the liberalism at Princeton with biblical orthodoxy.
It’s astonishing how timely Machen’s words are a century later. In Christianity and Liberalism, “Machen combats liberal theology that crept into the once conservative Princeton Seminary with surgeon-like precision,” writes blogger Kevin Halloran. “His main thesis being that liberal Christianity is diametrically opposed to true, biblical Christianity.”
Halloran adds that Machen “destroys liberal thought with Scripture and logic while calling all men to true faith in the Savior and biblical faithfulness.”
I read or listen to a lot of books about theology, Bible scholarship, and Christian living, but few books have stopped me in my tracks the way this one did. I found myself stopping the audio on my iPhone plenty of times and just going, “Wow.” In so many ways, it seemed like Machen was writing this book today, even though the style fits the writing of 100 years ago.
Machen reminds his readers that it’s important for Christians to know what Christianity truly is. “Christianity cannot subsist unless men know what Christianity is; and the fair and logical thing is to learn what Christianity is, not from its opponents, but from those who themselves are Christians,” he writes.
He also notes that the modern age — in 1923 just as in 2023 — tries to make sense of how Christian faith fits into the culture. “What is the relation between Christianity and modern culture; may Christianity be maintained in a scientific age?” Machen writes. “It is this problem which modern liberalism attempts to solve.”
He notes how liberal Christians ignore what the Bible clearly notes as sin (see how timely it is?) when he writes, “Without the consciousness of sin, the whole of the gospel will seem to be an idle tale. But how can the consciousness of sin be revived? Something no doubt, can be accomplished by the proclamation of the law of God, for the law reveals transgressions. The whole of the law, moreover, should be proclaimed.”
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