THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
He is indeed the bread of life, ‘coming down from heaven’ (John 6:33) and descending from above. Furthermore, He redeems us from sin, liberating those on earth from the shackles of ignorance, presenting Himself as a pleasing aroma to God the Father. You will grasp this more clearly when you reflect with the eyes of your mind on His sacrificial death, akin to a bullock offered as a burnt offering and a goat for the unintentional sins of the people. For ‘who can comprehend the transgressions of sin?’ as expressed in Scripture (Psalm 18:13). Observe how the lawgiver distinctly emphasizes that the purification achieved through Christ supersedes the service of the law in any comparison.
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If you violate the commandments of Moses, as he asserts, and if any are found lacking in adherence to the law, then know that forgiveness (of sins) is granted to you through His blood, specifically when the bullock is slain and the goat is sacrificed. This serves as a foreshadowing of Christ. While the law lays out penalties for those who falter, it is the Precious Blood of Christ that liberates us from these penalties and removes the burden of ignorance. He surrendered His life for us to eradicate the sin of the world. Thus, we can see Christ as life-giving through the bread; as the calf, He represents the burnt offering, presenting Himself as a fragrant offering to God; and in the image of the goat, He becomes our sin offering, put to death for our transgressions. As He is spiritually represented by bread, He is also symbolized by a bullock, offered in a fragrant incense of worship, and by a goat, which serves as an offering for unintentional sins. Similarly, while He is spiritually depicted by a sheaf, He is also the perfect yearling lamb (cf. Lev. 23:12), for Christ embodies perfection and is without flaw in His nature. He is completely blameless, knowing ‘no sin,’ and ‘there was no deceit in His mouth’ (1 Pet. 2:22). He Himself is pure wheat flour enriched with oil, symbolizing life in abundance and joy. In Him, we find life, rejoicing ‘in the hope of things prepared’ (Col. 1:5); and nourished by the grace of the Holy Spirit, we echo the words from the Psalms: ‘I have anointed my head with oil’ (Ps. 22:5), for we have received forgiveness through faith in Christ.