THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
For this reason, my people will recognize my name on that day, for I am the one who declares, "I am." When the feet of those who proclaim peace are seen on the mountains, they bring forth glad tidings. It is said that due to your negligence, I have been brought low among the nations; I will not endure such wickedness, nor will I allow my glory to be diminished by disgraceful names. At the time I manifest on earth in the flesh, those who belong to me, whether Jews or Gentiles, upon receiving faith, will come to know my name. The term "name" here signifies glory, reflecting the common understanding within the inspired Scriptures, which declare that having a good name is better than great riches (Proverbs 22:1).
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We, who have been called by Him, recognize His glory and do not approach the Savior Christ, the ultimate Judge, merely as a man; although the Word became flesh, we affirm His divine nature as God, eternally begotten of God the Father. He surpasses every creature, shining in glory upon the highest throne, ruling over all, holding the almighty right hand, and powerfully saving those He has chosen out of His dominion, unmatched in might. Yet Israel could not see Him as such; they viewed Him merely as a man like themselves, failing to recognize His divine incarnation. Thus, they questioned, "Who are you? And what authority do you claim?" (John 8:58) They accused Him of blasphemy, saying, "It is not for your good works that we stone you, but for blasphemy; for you, a mere man, claim to be God" (John 10:33). However, those called to the knowledge of the truth shall perceive My glory, for I have spoken through the prophets, for God is Lord and has appeared to us, as written. This truth is echoed by the wise Paul, who states, "God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds" (Hebrews 1:1, 2). It is essential to note that God and the Father created everything through the Son and spoke to us in these final days through Him; there is no other son born of flesh from a woman, as some erroneously believe, but rather the one and same Son— the Word who assumed human nature for our sake, who is also the Creator of the ages. Thus, He is like the beauty on the mountains; by beauty, He refers to spring. We should endeavor to discern spiritual realities from visible ones. What does the visible spring produce on the mountains? It adorns plants with new blooms, transforming barrenness into fruitfulness according to their inherent natures. An echo of this is found in the Song of Songs: "Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for behold, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come" (Song of Songs 2:10, 11). After winter's end, a bright spring invigorates the land, gifting it with flowers and promising abundant fruit. A similar spiritual rejuvenation has occurred for us; the dragon of apostasy brought about a winter in the heavens, leaving it desolate and dry, for there is no one righteous, not even one (Romans 3:12, Psalm 18:1-8). But when the Only-begotten manifested in the flesh, it was like beauty upon the mountains for us; we, having lost the allure of virtue and the beauty of our own souls, bloom anew in Him, becoming spiritually fruitful. We can say, as captured in the Song of Songs, "Let my beloved come to his garden, and eat the fruits of his choice" (Song of Songs 4:16). Thus, He became like beauty on the mountains and like the feet of those who proclaim the good news to the world. When sin separates us from God, we find ourselves at enmity with Him, rebelling against His divine intentions and becoming His adversaries. However, Christ has come as our peace; He has eradicated the sin that divides us and, through Himself, reconciled us to the Father; for through Him, we have access to the Father (Ephesians 2:18). Similarly, He compares it to a swift messenger coming to capture enemies while proclaiming peace and delivering good news; thus, the Savior of all has entered the world in the flesh, becoming our mediator of peace with God and the Father. When Satan was vanquished and all his host expelled, the time arrived for those desiring to partake in all that is good. Those who believe in Him and strive to embody His ways will inherit a rich share in heavenly blessings and be filled with every hope for the future, for the Savior abundantly bestows gifts.