THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
Cyril. Thus, the forgiveness of sins is also facilitated through confession along with the offering of a lamb or goat. As it is written, “Thou shalt speak thy iniquities before,” which leads to justification (Isaiah 43:26). The sacred David further proclaims, “I said: I confess my offences unto the Lord, and Thou hast taken away the guilt of my sin from me” (Ps. 31:5). However, confession alone cannot achieve complete purification: it is through the death of Christ, who endured suffering for us and carries our sins upon Himself, like every gentle animal, including the calf, sheep, and goats, that we are wholly cleansed. The Law asserts the necessity of sacrifice for those who are impure, stating that neglecting this is unforgivable, even if one lacks a calf or a sheep.
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It encourages the faithful to offer whatever they can, instructing, “But if he be not able to bring a sheep, let him bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering; and let him bring them to the priest, and the priest shall present first the one of these birds which is for sin, and shall break its head from its neck, but shall not separate it; and he shall sprinkle the blood of this sin-offering upon the wall of the altar, and the rest of the blood shall be filtered out at the foot of the altar: it is a sin-offering; and the other shall be used for a burnt-offering according to the ordinance; and so the priest shall cleanse him from his sin wherewith he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him” (Lev. 5:7-10). The turtledove and the dove may be seen as representative of our Lord Jesus Christ; the former being the sweetest and most melodious of birds, while the latter embodies the utmost gentleness. Both attributes are found in Christ: for this exalted turtledove delighted all creation with His proclamation of the Gospel, akin to a captivating melody revealing the will of God, as stated by the divine John: “He whom God sent speaks the words of God” (John 3:34). He also calls us to emulate His divine meekness and humility, saying, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matt. 11:29). Therefore, it is said, “the priest take the turtledove, and pluck it off with his nail: so small birds are slain, - but only let him not pluck off” altogether, clearly the head. Thus, Christ’s death was intended not for separation, but for unity. In ancient times, concerning the Passover sacrifice, God commanded that a lamb be slain, stating that it should be eaten “In one house” and “You shall not take the meat out of the house, nor break its bones” (Exodus 12:46). For Christ cannot be divided; He is one, encompassing all and present within each individual, and “He that is.... our peace,” uniting us with one another and with God through the Spirit (Eph. 2:14-18). The notion that Christ’s death fostered unity, rather than division, is symbolized by the bird being slaughtered while its head remained connected to its body. The sanctification of the church through His blood is also reflected in the act of sprinkling the blood of the bird upon the tabernacle and its furnishings. One of the turtledoves was offered for sin and the other for a burnt-offering; both representing Christ, who died for us, was offered as a fragrant sacrifice to the Father, and gave Himself as atonement for the life of all. Palladius. You have articulated this well.