THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
The land of Judea was populated by numerous cities and towns; however, God commanded that the sacrifices and observance of the law regarding the Passover should occur solely within the sacred city. This stipulation by the law clearly indicates to us that it is neither fitting nor allowed to administer the sacrament of Christ in any way or in any location other than the one established as special for this purpose, which is the sacred city—the Church—where the ordained priest officiates, and the offering is made with consecrated hands. As the prophet has said, “incense is offered to God Almighty, and the sacrifice is pure” (Malachi 1:11).
Read more (383 words)
Therefore, those who distort the truth undermine the significance of this law; they offer the lamb not in the sacred city nor through those chosen by the Holy Spirit for the priesthood. As the Apostle Paul explains, they presume to take this “honor” upon themselves (Hebrews 5:4) and make sacrifices anywhere they please. Like uncontrollable and restless cattle, they chase only their own inclinations. However, they will face harsh judgments from the Divine for such reckless thoughts if they allow their wildness to take over. We, on the other hand, will follow the well-established path, reflecting on the directive from the law we have cited, which you have already heard articulated: “Keep the month of Abib...kill the Passover to the Lord your God of small and large cattle.” One might question, “Did the one who established the Passover law for those in Egypt command only the sacrifice of a lamb, while there is no reference to sheep or cattle? Did Moses err in his responsibilities?” Not in any way; for in the book of Numbers, God instructed that oxen and sheep should also be included alongside the lamb. The Lord declared, “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is the Passover of the Lord. And on the fifteenth day of this month it shall be a feast; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall have a holy assembly and shall do no ordinary work. You shall present a food offering, a burnt offering to the Lord: two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old without blemish, and their grain offering shall be of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for each bull, two tenths for the ram, and one tenth for each of the seven lambs, and one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you, in addition to the regular burnt offering, which is a continual burnt offering. On each of the seven days, the same ritual shall be performed; it is a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the Lord, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering. On the seventh day, you shall have a holy assembly; you shall not do any ordinary work” (Numbers 28:16-25).