THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
After Christ’s resurrection and His instruction to the holy apostles to “Come, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19), and following His ascension into heaven, divine retribution impacted those who had wronged Him. They faced destruction by sword and fire when the Romans waged war against them, leading to the annihilation of their cities and the devastation of Jerusalem and its renowned temple. The territory of the Jews is bordered on the east by the Euphrates River and on the south by a city called Rinokoruro, located at the dividing line between Egypt and Palestine. Thus, having delineated the boundaries of Judea, it is asserted that the Lord will enclose all that lies within, meaning all of Judea.
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The term "enclose" is employed instead of besiege or confine, suggesting an impending disaster. Moreover, the term “enclose” can be interpreted in another sense, as the mindset of the Jews was bound, unable to recognize the light of true divine revelation or discern the mystery of Christ. Blessed Paul writes about this, noting: “But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart” (2 Cor. 3:15). This indicates a blockage exists. Importantly, this obstruction was not aimed at all of heaven or all nations, but solely at Judea and its inhabitants. This is illustrated not only by stating, “A barrier shall come,” but specifically mentioning geographical markers such as “From Rebekah to Rinokorura.” This, he indicates, will be the fate of the people of Judea, those who opposed the prophets, stoned the messengers of God, and killed the very Son of God. He then shifts the focus to Christ, the Savior of us all, who speaks to the apostles and to those who would later proclaim His gospel and perform the sacraments, saying, “But gather the children of Israel one by one.” This signifies that the messages from those entrusted with teaching should not be numerous, even if Israel does not respond as a whole; rather, those among them who possess understanding should come to faith individually as chosen ones, for a remnant of Israel shall be saved. Consequently, the divine disciples often addressed the people with care; for instance, Peter said: “And now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. Repent therefore, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children” (Acts 3:17; Acts 2:38, 39). Indeed, a considerable number responded, but in relation to the entirety of Judea, they were few, received as if collectively by faith in Christ.