THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
When the law proved ineffective for the cleansing of sins, the shadow was lifted, the symbols lost their purpose, and a life-giving and genuinely beneficial judgment was established. As humanity could not attain justification through the law, the only-begotten Word of God manifested Himself, presenting the ultimate and concise work of justification through faith. Thus, He proclaims, O Israel, as you humbly submit to Christ, the Redeemer of all, you shall learn righteousness from Him, gaining insight into the perfected way of salvation He has established. Consequently, you will experience true joy. Furthermore, referencing the chernucha and cumin, He extracts a meaningful lesson, stating that the cleansing of these is not conducted harshly.
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For Israel bore guilt for its transgressions and grew complacent in adhering to the law, leading to its downfall. Therefore, the Almighty, the God of all, declared that while these individuals honor Me with their words, their hearts remain distant from Me; they worship Me in vain, teaching human commandments and doctrines (Is. 29:13). Was Israel not rightfully chastised for its neglect of the law? Indeed, it was. Yet, the intent of the lawgiver is compassionate. As he suggests, just as chaff is not removed with cruelty and the charioteer's use of kimin—clearly involving threshing and crushing—so too is grain bread not treated harshly; rather, it is diligently separated or sifted with a rod. In like manner, the Lawgiver will address those who transgress the law; He will not impose severe punishment upon them but will refine them with care and moderation. By implying that the kamin is to be consumed with bread, He illustrates that mere external compliance with lawful practices holds little value unless it is coupled with substantial nourishment, that is, with the revelation of the gospel. I have previously addressed this in my interpretation of the parable of the cumin and the darnel. What is implied here? After noting that the cumin and the refuse are thoroughly sifted with the rod, He continues, ‘I will not remain angry with you indefinitely; however, the sound of My wrath will catch up to you. I will not be unyielding, nor will I impose extreme punishment, causing you to be crushed, as typically occurs in anger. Instead, the God of all will display the highest degree of patience, which He further underscores by stating, And these miracles came forth from the Lord of hosts. It is indeed miraculous and awe-inspiring that, despite Israel’s numerous transgressions, they were granted pardon and, in God’s mercy, received forgiveness for their countless offenses.