THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
The law unequivocally prohibits this, prioritizing what pleases God over even the honor due to parents. It instructs, to the father and mother, ‘let it not enter,’ indicating that in the pursuit of virtue, earthly affection must be set aside, valuing God's affection above familial ties. This teaching is echoed by Christ Himself: ‘Whosoever loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and whosoever loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; and whosoever taketh not up his cross and followeth Me is not worthy of Me’ (Matt. 10:37-38). The Savior demonstrated that divine love surpasses the respect typically accorded to parents.
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When one of His new followers approached Him, saying, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father,’ Jesus replied, ‘Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead’ (Matthew 8:21-22). He refers to those who cling to worldly matters and neglect the call to reject the deeds that lead to spiritual death. Palladius agrees. Cyril explains it this way: our existence can either be consumed with worldly concerns or, more rightly, be grounded in spirit and truth; for the law serves merely as a shadow.