THEOSISTheodoret of Cyrus
For what reason did the Almighty God, when He affirmed that Jesus possessed the Spirit of God within Him, instruct Moses to lay ‘His hand upon Him’ (Num. 27:18)? This aligns with the case of Cornelius's household, who, having received grace, were already baptized. Similarly, the Lord Christ, who had obtained all gifts of the Spirit in His humanity before His incarnation, approached the baptism by John. He directed His servant to place His hand upon His head, illustrating the descent of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. The apostles, after receiving the Holy Spirit from the Lord, also experienced the grace that came down upon them from above.
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Joshua, too, was filled with the Spirit's grace, yet for the assurance of the people regarding his divine appointment as their leader, Moses laid his hands upon him, following God's directive. It is stated, ‘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), meaning he shall share equal honor, and by the declaration of judgment established upon Eleazar’s hands, he will gain the knowledge of his duties. This illustrates that those ordained by bishops partake in spiritual grace. Here, the Lord God also stated: ‘give on him of thy glory.’ Interestingly, although the Prophet had children, a brother, and a nephew, he did not choose any of them as a leader; instead, he sought God's guidance and appointed the one called by God. Following this, Moses delivered reminders concerning feasts and sacrifices and provided laws for those who make vows to offer gifts to the Lord (Num. 30:3). He mandated that every individual must fulfill their vow through action. If a promise is made under a father’s authority, it must be confirmed by him. Should the father disapprove of her vow, she will not bear blame. However, if the father consents or remains silent after her vow is declared, then the promise shall be honored. He established similar guidelines for married individuals, stating that a husband’s consent is required to validate a vow.