Indeed, having become man, the Divine Word, the only begotten Son of God, sacrificed His life for us, willingly enduring death in the flesh for our benefit, taking nothing into His divine nature; although above suffering, God in this manner humiliated Himself, and this He did for sinners. The wise Paul was similarly astonished, stating that God's love for us is demonstrated while we were still sinners; He died in due time for the ungodly (Rom. 5:8 cf. Rom. 5:6). Moreover, Christ Himself proclaims elsewhere, ‘The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep’ (John 10:11). Thus, He laid down His life for us, for by His wounds we are healed; He was pierced for our transgressions, and for our iniquities, He was delivered (Is. 53:5). Therefore, let the holy one be honored, that is, let him be revered as holy, for this is rightly due to God and Him alone in an unqualified and true sense. Although many beings—both spiritual and human—are termed holy due to their communion with Him who is inherently holy and who genuinely embodies holiness. Just as He is the true light, He imparts this dignity to others, saying, ‘You are the light of the world’ (Matthew 5:14); being holy, He uniquely shares His sanctification with those who partake in it alongside God the Father and the Holy Spirit, drawing from His own fullness. In our prayers, we likewise say: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name (Matthew 6:9). We do not mean that we are requesting additional sanctification for the Father's name, as such a notion would be nonsensical, but rather we pray for the genuine holiness and reverence that already exists. Here, the term sanctify must also be understood, even as it is mentioned that He humbled His spirit, which indicates that He experienced something human, tasting death through His flesh (and He laid down His life for many). However, the prophetic word extends further, alluding to aspects that may sometimes obstruct faith in Him for those unable to perceive the depth of the process - for those with sound understanding, it will surely pose no challenge - thus Jesus, who was betrayed and brought before Pilate, faced vile mockery from some soldiers, being struck maliciously and dishonored through spitting and the scornful crowning with thorns while being hailed as ‘King of the Jews’ (Matt. 27:20). Therefore, it is said that He who is oppressed by the language of slaves and rulers, subject to this without doubt, is reliant on sanctification. Yet what He endured, following the structure of the Divine plan, includes reviling from the Gentiles, but afterward, He proclaims that He will shine and be exalted by all those in both high and low positions, prophesying that kings shall see Him and rise, clearly from royal thrones, and likewise, princes shall worship Him. They shall not behold Him with their physical eyes but with the eyes of the mind and heart; this is how we perceive the glory of Christ. They will venerate Him for the Lord’s sake, that is, for my sake, for He is glorified as the Son of God and the Father, as the faithful One of Israel. The term faithful signifies eternal presence, for the kingdom of God the Father, and of the Son, is unshakeable; in contrast, false deities are unfaithful, having only recently come into existence, perishing, and failing to endure. However, the Savior and Lord is genuinely faithful, standing firm in His dignity, remaining steadfast, and choosing those who were called through Christ, calling and sanctifying and glorifying them (Rom. 9:29-30). It is therefore appropriate, indeed fitting, for the elect to sanctify Him who humbled His spirit, considering the acts of His humanity, ensuring not to strip Him of His inherent glory nor stray from an accurate understanding of Him. Conversely, acknowledging the wisdom of creation’s workings, they are to worship Him, possessing a strong conviction that He is indeed the true and natural Son of the faithful Lord, even though He appeared in a form similar to ours, clothing Himself in humility.
THEOSIS