THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
Let us turn our attention, if you agree, to the essence of Mosaic integrity and the splendor of righteousness as stipulated by the law. The individual who sincerely seeks to understand justice and values the significance of loving his fellow man ought to be resolute and unwavering in his character—authentic and not whimsical, rejecting falsehoods and pretense. Instead, he must strive to maintain the purity and integrity of his spirit. The law instructs: ‘Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people, neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor’ (Leviticus 19:16-17). Furthermore, it adds, ‘Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, of wool and linen together’ (Deuteronomy 22:11).
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This directive addresses a grave and repugnant issue: the act of deceit masquerading as integrity, which is profoundly detestable to God and manifests as duplicity and wavering thought—a condition that incites Divine displeasure. The Scripture speaks of such individuals: ‘Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceit. With their mouth they speak peaceably to their neighbor, but in their heart, they lay wait for him. Shall I not visit them for these things? says the Lord; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?’ (Jer. 9:8-9). Additionally, David states: ‘He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart, who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully’ (Ps. 24:4). Therefore, the law admonishes us against living a life of deceit, which amounts to a deliberate choice to betray justice and harm our brethren, disregarding the commandments of love. Moreover, it warns us against garments made of two kinds of fabric, symbolizing the need to avoid a divided mind—illustrating the inner conflict of a hypocrite, whose life is merely a façade to appear virtuous in the eyes of others while being insincere. Indeed, a double-minded person is characterized by conflicting desires. In contrast, the psalmist extols the virtue of single-mindedness, noting that such individuals are blessed with divine favor: ‘The Lord loves the upright’ (Psalms 67:7). He also remarks, ‘God shall break the bones of the flatterers’ (Psalm 52:6), and Paul vehemently rejects such duplicity when he declares, ‘For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ’ (Galatians 1:10). Let it be evident to all that true double-mindedness and hypocrisy are foolish and distant from genuine righteousness. It is, therefore, the essence of love, harmoniously aligned with the characteristics of a just and good person, to be entirely free from deceit.