THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
Cyril. The offering, therefore, signifies the purification achieved through the death of Christ; our commitment is a dedication to God through a life lived in holiness. It is essential and necessary that the Law anticipates and openly affirms that the innocent shall be made pure through this offering. Among the sacrifices presented, some symbolize Christ's suffering for us, while others reflect our offering of ourselves to God; thus it is stated that they will be considered blameless and will suffer no harm. For Christ is without sin: He “created no sin” (1 Pet. 2:22). Yet, God will not accept us if we remain impure and burdened by the sin's defilement.
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In Leviticus it is written: “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Declare unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them: If any man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that dwell among the Israelites, by any vow, or by diligence, offer his sacrifice, which is offered to the Lord as a burnt offering, that he may obtain favor with God by this, the sacrifice shall be without blemish, male, of cattle, of sheep, and of goats; you shall not offer any animal that has blemish on it; for it shall not gain you favor. And if any man offer a peace-offering unto the Lord, in fulfillment of a vow, or in diligence...whether of cattle or of small cattle, the sacrifice shall be without blemish, that it may be acceptable to God: There shall be no blemish upon it; an animal that is blind, or corrupt, or ugly, or diseased, or crusty, or lousy, such shall not be offered unto the Lord, neither shall ye sacrifice them upon the altar of the Lord; a bullock and a lamb with members disproportionately long or short may be offered as a sacrifice of diligence; but if by vow, it shall not please God; an animal whose organs are crushed, broken, torn, or cut off, thou shalt not offer unto the Lord, neither shalt thou do it in thy land; and out of the hands of foreigners shalt thou not offer all such animals as a gift unto thy God, because there is corruption upon them, blemish upon them: they shall not gain you favor” (Lev. 22:17-25).
It is evident how the Law instructs the Israelites concerning blood sacrifices, addressing both those within the community and the proselytes, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that sacrifices are without defect. We must offer what is strong and unblemished, free from passions; for indulgence and weakness of spirit, as well as inner turmoil, are completely unacceptable to God, and are cast aside before Him. Is it not true that anything bearing these flaws would be deemed unsanctified? Palladius. How could it be any other way? Cyril. Thus, the weak and ineffective are rejected, whereas the robust, embodying the nature of masculinity, if accompanied by purity, is pleasing. For Immanuel represents strength and purity, as He is truly the power of God and knows no sin. He also embodies a different kind of husbandry: the male is always viewed as superior and more potent than the female; yet, the Son transcends all in excellence and reigns over all creation, though He condescended to share in our humanity, taking on the role of shepherd and being counted among the sheep for our sake.