the heavens. They went on to voice claims that, were they presented to the heavens, the heavens would burst; or to the earth, it would split apart; or to the mountains, they would crumble. There was therefore no room for disputing with such people, for the unbelief they stated openly was too clear to be doubted, and other Christians—such as the Melkites and the Nestorians—testified to this against them.

He said:
“Next I examined the doctrine of the Melkites, the Byzantines, who make up the majority of Christians, and I found that they say: ‘The eternal Son, who is God the Word, took flesh from Mary in a complete incarnation like the rest of human bodies. Into that body He placed a complete soul endowed with intellect, perception, and knowledge, like the souls of all other humans. By virtue of that soul and body—which are of the substance of humanity—He became a man, while by the essence of divinity He remained God, just as His Father has always been. He is a man by the human essence, like Abraham and David; and He is one person, His number not multiplied, to whom the essence of divinity is permanently affirmed, while the essence of humanity that He assumed from Mary is also truly His. He is one person—His number not increased—yet possesses two natures, and each nature has a complete will: by His divinity He has a will like that of the Father and the Spirit, and by His humanity a will like that of Abraham and David.’

They also say: ‘Mary gave birth to a god, and that “the Messiah,” a term that encompasses…’