THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
The narrative outlines the fate of the cities against which it is affirmed that the Lord’s prophecy has come to pass. It begins with Tyre and Sidon, cities renowned for their extraordinary glory, the strength and affluence of their inhabitants, and their dominance over surrounding towns. Tyre and Sidon, as the account suggests, look upon themselves with great pride, perceiving themselves as formidable and untouchable, placing their trust in their fortifications — the protective walls and edifices that contribute to the city’s prosperity and security. In their abundance, they have been lulled into self-delusion.
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However, they will learn through experience that the Lord will take possession of them, meaning that when they are laid waste by the Israelites or by the forces of Vespasian and Titus, they will be claimed by God.
It was God Himself who handed them over to their conquerors, for the Romans, who brought the entire world under their rule, treated those who surrendered without struggle with kindness, while those who dared to resist faced severe consequences. Thus, it is foretold that Tyre will be consumed by the flames after its fortifications are cast into the depths of the sea and its wealth is stripped away. Although the inhabitants of Tyre amassed riches comparable to ‘feathers’ of gold and ‘the shaving of the ways’ of silver, they were skilled maritime traders, as the scriptures of Ezekiel elaborate. Therefore, those who mock God and deride the faithful will not find that their fortifications — every trench and every enclosure — will provide them with any real advantage; their wealth will yield only a yearning for desolation rather than safety.
In modern times, it is evident that the proud children of Greece regard worldly wisdom highly, sheltering their misconceptions behind cleverly constructed arguments and eloquent discourse, adorning themselves with the polished sheen of words akin to silver and exquisite ideas resembling gold. Nevertheless, Christ has claimed them; He dismantled their fortifications, toppling falsehoods, and their riches were seized. Those who once held authority in the churches — respected and wise figures who appropriated the power of eloquence for themselves — presented their ill-gotten gifts to God through their struggles for true doctrine and robust proclamations of their errors. This narrative parallels the experiences of the Israelites, who, after securing gold and silver vessels from the Egyptians, offered these precious items to the holy God during the establishment of the sacred tabernacle and the consecration of the holy vessels.
In a similar manner, those who construct the church through worldly wisdom and the allure of eloquence plunder the children of Greece, as if amassing gold and silver for themselves, thus making it a heritage for God. They proclaim truths for His glory, dismantling the strongholds of their ancestors and spiritually edifying the holy city, which represents the church.