What does St. Paul mean by “the apostle of our confession”?

St. Cyril the Great believes that the goal of Christ’s prayers during His life on earth was “to make the Father’s ears attentive to the cries of the human nature,” and, “We were the ones who were in Him, praying with vehement cries and tears.”

St. Cyril believes that this verse speaks about Christ who as a High Priest ascended to heaven, as a delegate on behalf of all humanity to represent them before God the Father (Heb. 6:20; 9:24). He bore within Himself our confession of faith and all our worship and united these offerings with the sacrifice of Himself to grant them a limitless value. He ascended with these offerings as a High Priest to offer it on our behalf before the Father.

“When He became man, as St. John says that ‘the Word became flesh’ (John 1:14) — He came to be an apostle for our sake and the High Priest of our confession, to offer God the Father our confession of faith.” “When the Word of God the Father became man, He became the one who offers to Himself and to His Father, the confession of our faith.”

Commenting on the verse, “Whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you” (John 16:23), St. Cyril says that Christ is emphasizing that whatever they ask, they ask with “He Himself acting as Mediator and leading them into the Father’s Presence. For this is the meaning of the words in my Name ; for we cannot draw nigh unto God the Father save by the Son alone. For through Him we have obtained access in One Spirit unto the Father (Eph. 2:18), according to the Scripture. Therefore also He says: I am the Door: I am the Way: no one comes to the Father but by Me (John 10:7; 14:6) … This did not enter into the life of the men of old time; they never practised this manner of prayer, for they knew it not. But now is it ordained for us by Christ, at the appropriate season, when the time of the accomplishment of our redemption was fulfilled, and the perfect fruition of all good was gained for us by Him.”⁹⁷⁶

975 St. Cyril of Alexandria, On Hebrews .

976 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of St. John, Volume 2 11.2 on John 16:23–24 (LFHCC 48:465–466) amended.