THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
Palladius. You've made a good point; however, please clarify this for me: the law prohibits the consumption of blood, and rightly so; but what does the essence of this command truly signify? Cyril. If you are agreeable, let's also refer to what is prescribed in Leviticus; there it states: ‘If any man of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that dwelleth among you, shall eat any blood, I will turn my face upon the soul of him that eateth blood, and I will destroy her out of her people: for the soul of the body is in blood, and I have appointed it unto you for an altar to purify your souls: for this blood purifieth the soul: wherefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that dwelleth among you eat blood.
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If any of the children of Israel, and of the stranger that dwell among you, catch a beast or a bird to eat, he shall let its blood run out, and cover it with earth: for the soul of every body is its blood, it is its soul: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not eat blood of any body: for the soul of every body is its blood: whosoever shall eat thereof shall be destroyed’ (Lev. 17:10-14). Notice how plainly blood is represented as the essence of the soul. Palladius. I see the point you’re making. Cyril. Therefore, the law serves to dissociate blood from the bodies that are being nourished, affirming the truth that we accept by faith and honor in our congregations—that the rational soul of humanity is to be regarded as eternal. It does not perish with the physical body at death; instead, it is separated, liberated, and relieved from earthly afflictions by the Creator, who grants it participation in everlasting life. As it is written, ‘for in the beginning man was created ‘unto a living soul,’ since God put into him ‘the breath of life’ (Gen. 2:7). It would be unjust to claim that the vital essence bestowed upon all creation ceases to exist along with the temporary, physical forms. Rather, by embracing the belief in the immortality of the soul, we adorn ourselves with a divine wisdom, pleasing to the Creator of all, in whom ‘we ... live and move and exist’ (Acts 17:28). This, I believe, conveys the true meaning of the commandment.