The Jewish people were awaiting illumination from the Messiah, having heard the prophecies that declared, "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you" (Isaiah 60:1) and "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened" (Isaiah 35:5). Although they were not unfamiliar with the promise of hope, the leaders of the synagogue once questioned, "Is the Messiah coming from Galilee? Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from the family of David and from Bethlehem?" (John 7:41-42). The Samaritan woman acknowledged this when she spoke to Christ about His mission, saying, "We know that the Messiah is coming, who is called Christ; when He comes, He will tell us all things" (John 4:25). Indeed, they anticipated enlightenment from Him, yet the opposite transpired; instead of receiving the authentic light, they descended into profound darkness, becoming blind leaders guiding the blind, as affirmed by the Savior (Matthew 23:24). Thus, those who longed for light found only darkness, and those who awaited the dawn walked in profound gloom. The Prophet reiterated this sentiment, expressing that those yearning for daybreak walked in thick darkness, illustrating their blindness by stating they would touch the wall like the sightless. At noon, a time when the brightest rays of the sun illuminate the earth, they will falter as if in the darkest night, demonstrating their failure to heed Christ's admonition to "Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you" (John 12:35). Consequently, those who rejected the light found themselves ensnared in darkness. They will encounter another kind of fate; as if afflicted by a grave ailment, they will rise, embodying a painful and wretched existence. But they will move like a bear and a dove, not as two distinct creatures, but rather as a representation of their respective conditions and the states of their souls, together resembling both a bear and a dove. Their lamentations will reflect the depth of their sorrow, for bears, when robbed of their cubs, emit a fearsome roar and become frenzied, terrorizing the land. The Almighty expressed this sentiment through the prophet, declaring to Israel, "I will meet them like a bear bereaved of her cubs" (Hosea 13:8). Conversely, doves, residing in their nests, coo with a mournful tone, mirroring the Jews' sorrow when their homeland was ravaged, the holy city reduced to ashes, and the temple destroyed. They feel intense grief for its conquerors’ cruelty, yet mourn like doves, as it is written, "On the mountains, doves shall mourn" (Ezekiel 7:16). It is possible that the prophecy speaks to another truth, indicating that they will move as a bear and a dove, embodying a coarse spiritual life marred by folly, with the bear symbolizing this lack of refinement, whereas the dove embodies simplicity and naivety. One prophet remarked, "Ephraim is like a silly dove, without sense" (Hosea 7:11). We may observe that many among the Jewish people are indeed crude and devoid of understanding, lacking the gentleness and wisdom that flows from Christ, whom they have rejected—the source of true wisdom and humility. Thus, the prophet Jeremiah lamented, "Every man is foolish in his knowledge" (Jeremiah 51:17), and questioned, "How can they be wise, having rejected the word of the Lord?" (Jeremiah 8:9).
THEOSIS