Cyrill of Alexandria
The young woman, who is entirely faultless and perfectly devoid of impurity, symbolizes our Lord Jesus Christ. He declared with confidence, "the prince of this world cometh, and in Me he hath nothing" (John 14:30). He also challenged the Jews by asking, "Which of you will reprove Me for unrighteousness? But if I speak the truth, why do you not believe Me?" (John 8:46). In the Scriptures, He is referred to both as a calf and as a young woman. This dual imagery conveys His role as a leader through the masculine representation, while the feminine reflects submission and humility. As the sovereign Lord, He reigns over all creation, and alongside God the Father, He governs all things.
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Yet, He willingly submitted to the law and adhered to the commandments of Moses, even though He transcends them, since the law was entrusted to a servant. It is no surprise that He was recognized as a prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15), appearing in the "sight of a servant" (Philippians 2:7), even as He is the Lord and God of those prophets.
The young woman must symbolize a redhead, as the mystery of the Incarnation is fulfilled through His blood, for He “obeyed the Father even unto death, and the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8), redeeming the heavenly realms through His sacrifice. The red coloring serves as a clear sign of this blood. Despite being “obedient” (Philippians 2:8) to the Father and becoming a man among us, He was also called a servant without diminishing the true nature of His incarnate form. He remains free, as He is inherently God and not bound by servitude, having never experienced its weight. He came from above and is above all, originating from the very essence of the freedom that is God and the Father. Thus, it is said that this young woman must be red-haired and pure, having not borne the yoke of captivity. If the Only-begotten “humbled Himself” and willingly assumed “the sight of a servant” (Philippians 2:7), one cannot question that His condescension stemmed from above and arose from His fullness. This voluntary descent appears as though He took on the form of a servant. Consequently, He is portrayed as a young woman because the one in authority appears to be under the law—red-haired, as the foundation of our salvation is built on His blood. She is blameless due to His sinlessness since He knew no sin; she remains untouched by toil and servitude because of His divine freedom, although He conformed to our image and was perceived as a servant.