THEOSISTheodoret of Cyrus
Question 47. What was the intention of the Sovereign God when He declared that Jesus possessed the Spirit of God within Himself and instructed Moses to place ‘His hand ... upon Him’ (Num. 27:18)? The same principle applied to the household of Cornelius, as they had already received grace and been baptized. Likewise, the Lord Christ, having received the fullness of the Spirit's gifts in His humanity before His incarnation, proceeded to John’s baptism. He commanded His servant to lay hands on His head, demonstrating the descent of the All-Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. The apostles, who had received the Holy Spirit through the Lord, were also granted the grace that came down upon them from on high. This pattern was true for Joshua as well.
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Though he was endowed with the grace of the Spirit, it was crucial for the people to be assured of his divine appointment to lead them; thus, the hands of the lawgiver were laid upon him as commanded by God. It is written, ‘Thou shalt lay thy hands upon him: and thou shalt set him before Eleazar the priest, and shalt command him before all the host, and shalt give him of thy glory, that all the children of Israel may listen to him. And before Eleazar he shall be a sacrifice’ (Num. 27: 18-21). This signifies that he was to receive equal honor, and through the pronouncement of judgment placed upon Eleazar's hands, he would know the course of action he should take. From this, we understand that those who receive ordination from bishops partake in spiritual grace. Here, the Lord God again states: ‘give on him of thy glory.’ It is particularly noteworthy that the Prophet had a brother and a nephew, yet did not appoint either as leader; instead, he sought God's guidance and designated the one whom God had chosen. Following this, Moses, after reiterating the significance of festivals and sacrifices, provided the laws regarding those who make vows to offer gifts to the Lord God (Num. 30:3). He first declared that every vow must be fulfilled by action. If a woman is under the authority of her father, her vow requires his confirmation. If the father disapproves of her vow, she will not be held liable. Conversely, if after she articulates her vow, the father either consents or remains silent, she is to fulfill her promise. The same principle applies to those who are married, where the vow must be confirmed by the agreement of the husband.