THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
Cyril. The moment of our Saviour's Resurrection signifies that those who are made holy through the Spirit and justified by faith can bear the fruit of a fresh and sinless existence. This truth is clearly articulated in the law, which states: “And then you shall bring a new grain offering to the Lord: From your dwellings you shall bring two loaves of libation, which shall consist of two tenths of an ephah of wheat flour, and shall be baked sour, as the firstfruits unto the Lord; and with the loaves you shall present seven lambs without blemish, of one year old, and of cattle one calf and two rams...; let these be a burnt offering to the Lord, and the grain offering and the libation to them, a sacrifice, a sweet savour to the Lord.
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Prepare also out of the flock of goats one goat for a sin offering, and two yearling lambs for a peace-offering...And the priest shall bring it, shaking it before the Lord, together with the first-fruits loaves and the two lambs, and it shall be a holy thing unto the Lord: to the priest that bringeth it shall belong: and ye shall call the people this day, a holy convocation shall ye have, ye shall work no work: this is an everlasting ordinance in all your dwellings throughout your generations” (Leviticus 23:16-21).
The beginning and the firstfruits of creation being renewed is Immanuel; He is perceived by us as the very first bread and the new mixture. Similarly, we too, in some sense, having embarked on this same journey, are regarded as a new mixture. This is clearly indicated by the offering of the bread from new fruits; however, the law specifies that two loaves, not just one, should be offered, representing the two nations that are united in Christ the Intercessor. It is noted that only the leavened bread shall be prepared.
What, then, does this enigmatic statement mean? Could we interpret it as referring to leaven associated with wickedness and unrighteousness? Such a notion seems preposterous; how could we view those who have entered into the renewal of gospel life as free from wickedness if that were the case? What relevance does this have to renewal? Moreover, how can anyone be identified as a new mixture if traces of wickedness still linger within him, preventing him from being entirely pure from vile and unholy acts? Therefore, in accordance with sound reasoning, we must understand that another form of leaven is intended here—one that is not to be condemned but is, in fact, worthy of awe, as indicated in the divinely inspired Scriptures. Thus, the Saviour compares it to the beneficial influence of Divine instruction, stating: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and put into three measures of flour, until all was leavened” (Matthew 13:33). The transformative power of the gospel, once it enters the mind and heart, revitalizes the soul, body, and spirit, imparting its nature upon them. This is the leaven by which the nations, appearing as loaves, are to be leavened. Each is “of two tithes,” which symbolically points to a dual form of instruction.