The Church Fathers on this verse

Deuteronomy 21:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

And the ancients of that city which they shall perceive to be nearer than the rest, shall take a heifer of the herd, that hath not drawn in the yoke, nor ploughed the ground,

Douay-Rheims

וְהָיָ֣ה הָעִ֔יר הַקְּרֹבָ֖ה אֶל־הֶחָלָ֑ל וְלָֽקְח֡וּ זִקְנֵי֩ הָעִ֨יר הַהִ֜וא עֶגְלַ֣ת בָּקָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־עֻבַּד֙ בָּ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־מָשְׁכָ֖ה בְּעֹֽל׃

Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Cyrill of Alexandria

5th centuryChurch Father

This young woman symbolizes Christ, as previously mentioned; however, she embodies Him because she is unburdened by any servitude. While, in His humanity, He bore the burden, in His divine essence, He remains unbound. The divine nature is inherently free and not confined to anything that is created, possessing sovereignty over all existence and upholding every being within His grasp. Even though the Son, in His godly nature, enjoys this freedom, as a man, He shared in the human condition and experienced the same burdens we do. Consequently, alongside us, He addressed God as Father, recognizing our subjection to divine authority. Thus, He is referred to as a young woman because He humbly accepted the limitations of human nature; yet, His divine glory remains untouched by any yoke.

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.