Some may ponder why the apostle inquired, "Does God care for oxen?" (1 Corinthians 9:9), as an ox holds more value than a sparrow. However, caring for something differs from guiding it. Additionally, the act of counting hairs symbolizes God's all-seeing nature rather than a literal count. God does not literally tally every hair; rather, He, who possesses complete knowledge, inherently understands their numbers. Nonetheless, stating that they are numbered is fitting, for we count what we hold dear.
Let us seek deeper spiritual insights, as it might seem absurd to liken humans to birds. Perhaps the five small birds symbolize the five sensory faculties: touch, smell, taste, sight, and hearing. If these senses, akin to birds, delve into filth to seek sustenance in unpleasant places, they become ensnared by their sins and cannot ascend to the higher fruits that nurture the spirit. The enticements of worldly pleasures ensnare our souls, and earthly indulgences drain the fervent power and purity of our nature, reducing it to the marketplace of vices for the cost of temporal indulgences.
Our shortcomings are available for sale. In this marketplace, we, ensnared by diverse temptations, are either captured by sin (see Romans 7:14) or offered redemption from it. The enemy enslaves us, puts us up for sale to death, but it is Christ who liberates us from sin, Christ who saves us. Matthew beautifully illustrates the soul and body as two birds (see Matthew 10:29): when the flesh obeys God's law and casts aside the law of sin, it, alongside the soul, transcends the sensual realm and soars toward heaven on spiritual wings. Thus, the apostle reminds us that while nature grants us the ability to rise, pleasure weighs us down with the burdens of vice-laden earthly existence.
It is no coincidence that Scripture notes no bird falls to the ground without God's will; those that tend toward the earth descend, while those that soar ascend to the heights of eternal life. To dispel any doubt regarding Matthew's assertion, Luke clarifies that God's will is synonymous with His knowledge: no one falls by divine will, but once burdened by transgressions, they cannot conceal themselves from God. Even Job experienced trials by divine counsel (see Job 1:12). God permits adversaries, yet He also prepares rewards. Weakness does not justify you; the image of God resides within you (see Genesis 1:27). Thus, you have been granted power! Your salvation is also assured by the knowledge that the enemy cannot harm you without God's consent; otherwise, you would fear the devil’s power more than blasphemy.
There is no doubt that our soul is likened to a small bird: "Our soul is plucked like a sparrow out of the net of those who catch it" (Psalm 123:7). In another instance, Scripture asks, "How say ye to my soul, Fly away to your mountain like a bird?" (Psalm 10:1). Humanity is also likened to a bird: "I am as a solitary bird on the roof" (Psalms 101:8). Out of the two birds, one emerges, as if two wings unify in the seamless motion of spiritual essence. The sparrow, by nature, possesses the exquisite ability to soar. However, it is wretched when it loses the power to fly, ensnared by the filth of earthly vices, like the sparrow sold for two assariahs. In one account, they are exchanged for one assarias, while in another, for two (see Matthew 10:29; Luke 12:6).
How insignificant is the price of sin! Death commands little worth, yet virtue is invaluable. The enemy has offered us as captives and slaves at a meager price, but the Lord has redeemed us at a great cost, recognizing us as His beloved creation, made in His likeness and aware of the worth of His beings. The apostle stresses, "Ye were bought with a dear price" (1 Corinthians 6:20). Indeed, a dear price it is—not in gold or silver but in blood! Christ died for us, securing our freedom with His precious blood. St. Peter also affirms this in his letter: "You have not been redeemed with corruptible silver or gold from the futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter 1:18-19). Truly precious, for it is the blood of the sinless body, the blood of the Son of God, who redeemed us not just from the curse of the law (see Galatians 3:13) but from the everlasting death of sin.
The essence of this matter is clear: if the Lord attends to the small birds and unfaithful individuals, causing the sun to rise on them and providing earthly sustenance, and if He extends His mercy to all, it is undeniable that the worthiness of the faithful holds significance to Him. It is remarkable that He emphasized faith, fostering its growth, as undergirding faith lies the foundation of virtues; faith ignites courage, for the basis of courage is indeed faith.
THEOSIS