THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
The prophetic Moses liberated Israel from physical oppression, freeing them from the tasks of brickmaking and construction, and, positioned between God and humanity, communicated the messages from the heights of the mountains. In contrast, our Lord Jesus Christ, by fulfilling what was once presented in mere forms and shadows, liberates us from mental bondage, abolishing the sin that previously held sway over us and dismantling the authority of the adversary. He guides those who view it as essential to understand Him to abandon their earthly thought patterns and concerns for the material, redirecting their mindset towards a pursuit of righteousness, while clearly revealing the divine will of God the Father.
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Thus He states, "The words that I speak are not mine, but those of him who sent me" (John 14:24). He further affirms, "For I spoke not of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave Me commandment what I should say, and what I should speak" (John 12:49). Moses too recognized in his actions a foreshadowing of Christ’s mediating role, when he declared to the Israelites: "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet from among you, from among your brethren, like me" (Deuteronomy 18:15-16). The achievements of Moses and the impact of his intercession were but a shadow; exceedingly more profound is Christ's way of mediation. He served as a minister of the law and its shadows, serving as a channel of divine inspiration; yet Christ, as the Master of the law and the prophets, establishes what pleases Him, mediating because He embodies both divinity and humanity, united as one, since in Christ both exist harmoniously. "And Moses is faithful in all His house as a minister..... and Christ as the Son in His house; and His house is us" (Heb. 3:5-6), we who are led by faith in Him to true liberty. There is no question that Moses, the revered teacher, is the mediator of physical freedom, of letter and shadow; whereas our Lord Jesus Christ is the source of a freedom that transcends the law, granting a liberty far superior to mere physical freedom—this is spiritual liberation. Thus, He proclaimed to those who were freed in a physical sense, "If you abide in My word, then you are truly My disciples, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31-32). He reiterated, "Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. But the slave does not abide in the house forever; the son abides forever. Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:34-36).
In Deuteronomy, we observe some reiteration and elaboration on the main themes of Moses' writings. Therefore, the references drawn from here cannot rightly be identified as types or prototypes derived from subordinate worship. However, as we aim to elucidate all things for the glory of Christ, we will clarify the meaning contained in these statements. Once again, the mystery of Christ is revealed to us plainly, with subtle reasoning transforming the likeness of Moses. A prophet, He states, "the Lord your God shall raise up unto you out of your brethren, as I am."