THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
I will bring joy to Jerusalem and happiness to my people. I will express my delight in Jerusalem and take joy in my people: there will be no sound of sorrow in it, nor will any child or elder fail to attain their days: a youth will live to be a hundred years old, while a sinner who dies at that age will be condemned. The essence of the prophecy we are examining is profound and somewhat enigmatic, yet I will strive to clarify it as best as I can. Here, Jerusalem appears to symbolize not the ancient city but rather the Church comprised of both Jews and Gentiles. To this Church, He promises to fill with joy and gladness.
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This truth is borne out by our experiences: in the Christian Church, discouragement does not prevail; it is abundant in the promise of eternal life and unassailable glory - it has much radiance here on earth. In another sense, when He proclaims that He will make Jerusalem joyful and glad, it is for His own sake, as He rejoices in His people; then He explains the reasons for this joy, indicating that no voice of mourning should be heard within it. As it were, God transforms the reproach of past misdeeds into the praise of the Church. In times past, the leaders of the Jewish synagogue judged for personal gain and neglected the justification of the orphan and widow; driven by a love for ill-gotten wealth, they wrongfully accused the innocent and righteous, leading the injured to weep and lament. Thus, Jeremiah once lamented over Jerusalem, saying, 'O deceitful city, full of violence!' Just as a storehouse water freezes, so too does its wickedness bring about coldness: evil and wrongdoing shall forever be heard in its midst (Jeremiah 6:6-7). Another prophet stated, 'They trample upon the heads of the needy with their heels, and corrupt the ways of the humble' (Amos 2:7). Therefore, I will express joy, He says, over my people, for in them I see those who work towards the truth: there will be no weeping from those who have been wronged, nor lamenting from those who have been offended; there will be neither a child nor an old man who does not reach their appointed time: a young person will live to be a hundred years old, but a sinner who dies at the age of a hundred will be condemned. My interpretation of this prophecy is as follows: the child symbolizes the younger generation, particularly those Gentile converts, of whom David proclaimed, 'And the peoples will praise the Lord' (Psalm 101:19); similarly, the apostle advises in his letter, 'As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word' (1 Peter 2:2). Thus, the child represents the youthful, while the old man signifies the people descended from circumcision, those from Israel who are called to the spiritual Church. He indicates that, through Christ and His coming, there will be no distinction between the child and the old man; all will reach maturity, fulfilling their days, signifying that they will be perfected, achieving the stature of fullness in Christ (Ephesians 4:13).
The youth, or Gentile believers, will attain a hundred years, symbolizing completion, reaching a stage of spiritual maturity; a hundred years represents perfection. He further states that even the sinner who dies will be a hundred years old yet condemned. This illustrates that mere adherence to the law is insufficient for those who possess it if they lack faith in Christ and the redemption gained through holy baptism, which alone purifies our sinful thoughts. Thus, even if one were to achieve a hundred years, symbolizing perfect adherence to the law, but dies a sinner—lacking justification through faith—they shall find themselves condemned, rather than partaking in the victory over the law. Indeed, no Jew exists who has not faltered in some way: all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; we are now justified freely by His grace (Romans 3:23-24). This is affirmed by the apostle Paul, who clearly states that even the efforts of those who are legally perfect bear no fruit if they do not embrace the grace of Christ, writing to others about counting all things related to the law as loss in order to gain Christ and be found in Him, not seeking personal righteousness from the law, but that which comes through faith in Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:8-9). He admonishes the Jews for their lack of understanding, stating, 'For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes' (Romans 10:3-4). He similarly expressed, 'We are Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles: knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus' (Galatians 2:15-16). Thus, Christ became a curse for us (Galatians 3:13), to liberate those bound by the curse of the law, as it is written, 'Cursed is every man who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them' (Deuteronomy 27:26).
In Christ, everything has been transformed—our ministry, life, and the law itself. Instead of clinging to bygone traditions and images, we worship and serve the Most High God in spirit and truth (John 4:23). We no longer identify ourselves as Israelites descended from the patriarchs or tribes like Ephraim and Manasseh, nor do we follow the path of the scribes and Pharisees, who hold the old letter in high regard. Rather, through the renewal of life in the Gospel (Rom. 4), we follow Christ and are crowned with the name 'Christians.' This is a glorious and blessed title that resonates throughout the heavens. As recipients of Christ’s blessings, we strive to honor Him with our own expressions of gratitude and praise.
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Prior to our faith in Him, we were foolishly singing to fictitious deities, but upon recognizing the one true God, we now offer Him the fruit of our lips (Hebrews 13:15) in heartfelt praise. Moreover, if there arises a necessity to affirm anything with an oath, we will swear by the true God. Unlike idolaters who would swear by heaven or other created things, those who have embraced faith and swiftly renounce their wrongdoings will invoke only the God of all, acknowledging His supremacy with no equal. Similarly, the Law of Moses commands us to worship the Lord our God and serve Him alone, swearing by His name (Deuteronomy 6:13).
He promises that we will forget our previous sorrows, which seem to refer to the calamity we faced while serving false gods. Not knowing the true God, we were led to make sacrifices not only of livestock but even of our own children, as recorded (e.g., Isaiah 48:19). It was indeed tragic to serve a multitude of deities and to honor the unknown, leading some to be ensnared by deceit. It is no wonder that malicious and destructive spirits could wreak havoc on those lacking divine protection.
He urges us to forget this sorrow, for the heavens and the earth are made anew. In what sense? Formerly, it was believed that the gods were identified with the earth and sky. Yet, enlightened by the divine truth from our Savior, Christ, we come to new understandings, realizing these are not gods but rather creations of the true Creator of all. Consequently, we will no longer recall the former deities and will reject pagan beliefs as well as misguided notions about elements and spirits that misled us throughout history.
In place of our former sorrow, we will experience joy and gladness; this joy resides 'in her'—certainly within the Church of Christ. Some interpreters suggest this refers not to the current age but to the future, when the righteous will dwell in utter joy, delight, and everlasting spiritual fulfillment, as creation itself is transformed. Indeed, one of the holy apostles declared, "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief¹, and in it the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up; but we, according to His promise², look for new heavens and a new earth” (2 Pet. 3:10, 13). Each person may consider and choose among these perspectives as they wish, for nothing beneficial should be discarded.