We find this truth present when reflecting on the proposed words. He also mentions the most superstitious among the Gentiles, as a demonstration of the astonishing power of repentance that He calls forth. Just as the adept medical practitioners are most esteemed when they effectively alleviate the suffering of the gravely ill, God reveals His extraordinary glory by guiding those who have wandered far from the truth and have immersed themselves in great iniquity, encouraging them to seek virtue, purge evil, and don what is honorable. Thus, the Egyptians and Ethiopians, particularly those of Thebes, adjacent to the so-called Sabaeans or the Ethiopian and Indian nations—perhaps named after Saba, a once reigning figure—are described as having grown weary.
The term "weary" possesses a dual meaning: it may suggest that they have suffered exhaustion under the oppressive yoke of their cruel master, Satan, who demanded sacrifices of their very own children; or it could reflect on their historical unwavering attachment to ancient wickedness and the seduction of Hellenistic debauchery. However, when Christ manifested and brought forth true light into the hearts of all, a certain enlightenment emerged, leading them to falter from their steadfastness, resulting in a surrender to the power of His proclamation. The statement regarding them is indeed accurate, as the wise Paul articulates, "Where sin is multiplied, grace aboundeth" (Rom. 5:20). The land of Egypt now flourishes with numerous honest and holy congregations—altars erected everywhere, communities of monks, bands of virgins, and robust spiritual practices characterized by joy, zeal for righteousness, diligence, and unwavering commitment. The reverence for Christ extends even to the Sabaeans and Indian nations.
In these regions, particularly among the Egyptians, those who are known and celebrated for their strong influence, will leave behind their earlier deceptions and turn away from their prior path of destruction to serve, becoming executors of your evident ordinances, which symbolizes the divine call to servitude. They shall follow in your ways, tethered by the principles of the Gospel, as they navigate the course of the chosen life, bound with chains of love and deep reverence. This is to be understood as they declare, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" (Rom. 8:35).
These shall worship You and pray to You, for You are God, and besides You there is no other. You alone are God, and we recognize You as the Savior God of Israel. For to Christ the Savior, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess (Phil. 2:10-11), and to Him, every prayer reaches its fulfillment, as in Christ we make petitions to God the Father, confessing that within Him resides the true God, and there is no other. He instructs our understanding, addressing His disciple Philip, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?" (John 14:9-10). "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). Therefore, to declare that “In You there is God, and there is no God besides You” carries the same significance as stating that “The Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1-2).
Should one wish to attribute this understanding solely to the person of Christ, we assert that according to the divine Paul, "in Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9). He is indeed God Himself, in a unity that does not divide into two Sons, but rather the Word exists in its own flesh, in which He dwells. Thus, within this reality, God is comprehended as the soul is within the human body; however, it is crucial to recognize that the Lord's flesh is animated by a rational soul. Therefore, it is acknowledged both that in You there is the true God and that there is no God apart from You. You are God, and we know You as the Savior God of Israel.
This voice emerges from those who repent and have moved from darkness into the light, having attained the knowledge of the truth and recognizing the one true God, the Creator and Lord of all. They call Him the Savior of Israel, affirming that He became incarnate, believing Him to be the same who assisted Israel in ancient times. The name Israel may also refer to anyone capable of perceiving God, for it denotes a mind that sees God. The one who perceives God with the eyes of understanding looks upon the image of God, the Father, namely the Son. Those who resist this truth shall face shame and defeat; those who have rejected Him shall know the overpowering might of His indomitable hand, bringing upon themselves reproach without undermining His glory, which shall be fulfilled in all flesh, as the prophet has declared (Isaiah 66:24).
THEOSIS