THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
In criticizing the Jews' eagerness to instruct others, the prophet Jeremiah rightly observed: “How do you say, ‘We are wise, and we have the law of the Lord’? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has turned him into a lie also. The wise are put to shame, confounded, and ensnared in their own traps; for they have rejected the word of the Lord; where is their wisdom?” (Jer. 8:8-9). Although the scribes and Pharisees, with their lofty displays of legal knowledge, appeared arrogant to the people, they were not afflicted with ignorance and were exposed through their actions as foolish and unwise. Their rejection of the true Wisdom descending from heaven, the Word from God the Father, who became for us "wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption" (1 Cor.
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1:30), led them to be deemed empty and senseless, described by the Savior as "blind guides" (Matt. 23:17). In rejecting the Divine message and distancing themselves from the life-giving grace, they constantly revealed their profound disobedience and ultimately faced spiritual starvation. The prophecy declared through Jeremiah was realized: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, when I will send a famine upon the earth, not a famine for bread, nor a thirst for water, but a thirst to hear the words of the Lord. And they shall wander from sea to sea and from north to east, seeking the word of the Lord, and they shall not find it” (Am. 8:11-12). Those who had the Word offered in abundance, yet foolishly rejected it, faced Divine judgement and suffered loss, depriving themselves of the blessings they could have received. Their decision to disobey and to offend the Divine Grace led to the famine of heavenly doctrine rightfully descending upon them. In contrast, for us who believe, Immanuel has become our bread of life. He is the bread that “came down from heaven... and gave life to the world” (John 6:41, 51, 58, 33); through Him, we overcome the corruption brought by enmity toward God and, clothed in the grace of incorruption sent down from above, are presented to God the Father as pure and holy. How can we conclude our earthly lives without being blessed in this manner? The Scriptures affirm this reasoning: “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,... one law shall be for you” (Numbers 15:17-29). This concept is similarly echoed in the book of Leviticus, where the sacrament is described differently though the essence remains similar. Thus, recalling these truths, we weave a singular narrative. It is noted again: “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Declare unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When ye enter the land which I give unto you and reap a harvest, bring the first sheaf of your harvest unto the priest; he shall lift it up before the Lord that you may obtain favor: on the day following the feast, the priest shall lift it up; and on the day of the offering of the sheaf offer a one-year-old lamb without blemish for a burnt offering, along with flour mingled with oil as an offering for a sweet fragrance, and a quarter of a hin of wine; and you shall eat no new bread, dried grain, nor raw grain until the day you bring an offering unto your God: this shall be an everlasting ordinance in all your generations in all your dwellings” (Lev. 23:9-14). The sheaf symbolizes the initial harvest and the promise of new life, while the bread signifies the grains gathered for sustenance. God commanded those settled in the promised land to present this offering to Him so that both acts might illuminate the nature of Christ. He is “the bread coming down from heaven” and the source of life (John 6:33), initiating the spiritual mixing (dough) of those being renewed in Him. The foundation of this ancient mixture was Adam; however, when he disregarded the command given, he fell into sin, resulting in a curse that condemned humanity to death and decay. In contrast, Christ embodies the beginning of a new creation. He broke the curse, for He became “an oath for us” (Gal. 3:13) and vanquished corruption, rising from the dead and ascending to the Father as a light offering and the first fruits of renewed humanity free from corruption. Consequently, presenting bread in the holy tabernacle and offering it to God in the holy of holies symbolizes the ascension of Immanuel to heaven. “For Christ entered not into the sanctuary made with hands, which are copies of the true; but He entered into heaven itself, to appear now before God for us,” as stated (Heb. 9:24).
The law subtly represented this truth, cloaked in a coarse covering yet forecasting the true bread from heaven, Christ, who gives life to the world (John 6:33). Reflect upon how, having taken on human form and shared in our likeness, He is dedicated to God and the Father as the firstborn from the dead (Col. 1:18) and as the source of resurrection for all (1 Cor. 15:20), ascending to heaven; for He was made of the seed of Abraham, as Paul writes (Heb. 2:16), ordained for the sake of all, that He might bring life to all, and as the first sheaf offered from the harvest, He is presented to God and the Father.