THEOSISBeda Venerabilis
It is clear from Isaiah's teachings that Cyrus, the initial king of the Persians, symbolizes the Lord Savior, having ended the enslavement of God’s people and commanded the reconstruction of the temple (cf. Is. 44:28; 1 Ezra 1:1-4). Likewise, we can regard Artaxerxes, his successor, as a figure of the Lord, as he also demonstrated reverence by initiating the restoration of Jerusalem. This mirrors the Lord's action in establishing a city of living stones, that is, the one Church of the chosen, through the work of His messengers.
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The name Artaxerxes can be interpreted as ‘the light that comes in silence.’ The Lord, as the light of life, enters the hearts of the faithful quietly at times, filling them with the sweetness of divine grace, while at other moments enveloping them in the trials of life. These challenges serve to educate them in their earthly struggles, igniting within them a longing for eternal goodness.