Homilies for the book of Leviticus

“Homilies on the Book of Leviticus” (16 homilies) were written by Origen in 239-242. and cover most of the book of Leviticus. The main content of the homilies is related to the consideration of the ritual provisions of the Old Testament. Since their historical explanation from the point of view of Origen has no significant significance for Christians, the literal interpretation here is almost completely replaced by the allegorical approach. The “spiritual” explanations proposed by Origen are built into 2 main figurative and conceptual schemes: 1) Christological, in which the sacrifices and priestly ministries of the Old Testament are seen as references to Jesus Christ, the only saving Sacrifice and true High Priest; 2) anthropological, within which the Old Testament ministries are associated with the hierarchical structure of the Christian Church, and the sacrifices of the Old Testament are correlated with the diverse veneration and service that Christians render to God both externally, in the Christian Church, and internally, in their own spiritual life. *The title of the essay in Latin is In Leuiticum homiliae. Homilia I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI 1. Just as “in the last days” (cf. Acts 2:17) the Word of God came into this world clothed in the flesh received from Mary, being neither as it was seen nor as it was understood - for His flesh was revealed to the gaze of all, and only a select few were given the share of His Divinity - so through the prophets and the Lawgiver the Word of God appeared to people, hidden under covered with proper appropriate clothing. And just as the spiritual meaning is hidden under the veil of the letter (cf. 2 Cor. 3:14), so the Divinity is hidden behind the flesh. For just as it is hidden under the veil of flesh, so under the veil of the letter, as if under the flesh, lurks the spiritual meaning, perceived as Divinity. We see this in the book of Leviticus, which describes sacred rites, various sacrifices and the duties of the priests. Perhaps both the worthy and the unworthy see and hear all this in accordance with the letter, which is, so to speak, the flesh of the Word of God and the robe of Divinity. But “blessed are the eyes” (cf. Luke 10:23), seeing with their inner gaze the Divine Spirit hidden under the veil of the letter; and blessed are those who hear all this with the pure hearing of the inner man. Otherwise, these words will clearly indicate the “letter” that “kills” (cf. 2 Cor. 3:6). Если я так же, как и некоторые среди нас, последую простому пониманию, и без всяких словесных ухищрений и туманных аллегорий – за что обычно насмехаются над нами – восприму голос Законодателя, то я – человек церковный, живущий по вере во Христа и поставленный посреди Церкви, и сила Божественных повелений побуждает меня приносить в жертву тельцов и агнцев и жертвовать лучшую пшеничную муку, фимиам и елей. For this is what those do who force us to take the literal meaning and adhere to the letter of the law. Но теперь время вспомнить слова святой Сусанны, обращенные к бесстыдным старейшинам. Those who reject this story exclude it from the list of Divine books. Но мы принимаем и умело используем против них сказанные Сусанной слова: «Тесно мне ото всюду». Поэтому если соглашусь следовать вместе с вами букве закона, то «смерть мне», если же не соглашусь, «то не избегну от рук ваших. Лучше для меня не сделать этого и впасть в руки ваши, нежели согрешить пред Господом» ( Дан.13:22–23 ). So let us, if necessary, fall into your disgrace, for the Church, which has turned to Christ the Lord, knows the truth of the words of God, hidden under the veil of the letter. For the Apostle says: “But when they turn to the Lord, then this veil is removed. The Lord is Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor. 3:16–17). And therefore we must beg the Lord Himself and the Holy Spirit Himself, so that the fog and darkness will be dispelled, everything that obscures the abomination of sin in our hearts, so that we may gain a wonderful and spiritual knowledge of His law, according to who said: “Open my eyes, and I will see the wonders of Your law” (Ps. 119:18). Let us, as far as we can, lightly touch on a few of the many, concentrating not so much on the explanation of individual words - for this is what the writer does at leisure - but on those things that serve the instruction of the Church, in order to enable those who hear us to understand us for themselves, instead of overwhelming them with a wealth of interpretations, as it is said: “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be even wiser” (Prov. 9:9). 2. So, at the beginning of the book of Leviticus it is said: “And the Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the tabernacle of meeting,” so that he would proclaim to the children of Israel the laws of sacrifices and offerings. It is said: “When a person from among you wants to offer a sacrifice to the Lord, then, if from livestock, you offer your sacrifice from bulls and small livestock” (Lev.1:2), that is, “from sheep or from goats” (cf. Lev.1:10); “If he offers a burnt offering to the Lord from birds, he shall offer his offering from turtledoves or from young pigeons” (Lev. 1:14). “If,” it is further said, not a person, but “any soul, wants to bring to the Lord a grain offering made from baking in the oven, then offer unleavened wheat bread mixed with oil, and unleavened cakes anointed with oil” (Lev. 2:1, 4). We are then taught that nothing “leavened” should be brought to the altar of God, and that “honey” should in no way be mixed with the offerings, but, as it is said, “salt with salt” all offerings and offerings. Secondly, we are commanded to bring “as a gift of the firstfruits,” to sacrifice to the Lord “fresh, baked and well-peeled” 1 (cf. Lev. 2:14). After this, in the same law about the “saving sacrifice 2” we are commanded to sacrifice, firstly, “from bulls” and, secondly, “from small livestock”, that is, “from sheep” or “from goats” “male or female” (cf. Lev. 3: 1,6,7,12), and are ordered not to sacrifice any other animals except these. But let’s go back a little and see, first of all, what it means: “If a man among you 3 wants to make a sacrifice” (Lev. 1:2), as if the sacrifice could be performed by someone else other than a person. After all, it would be enough to say: “If any of you wants to make a sacrifice,” but it is said: “If any of you wants to make a sacrifice,” and then: “If any soul wants to make a sacrifice” (cf. Lev. 2:1). Further, when the Lord speaks to Moses for the second time, indicating what sacrifices should be offered for sin, it is said: “If the anointed priest sins” (cf. Lev. 4:3), then let him sacrifice such and such. Or when “the whole congregation of Israel sins” or “the ruler sins” or “one soul 4 ” sins (cf. Lev. 4:13,22,27), everyone is commanded to offer a sacrifice. For what? Or do we think that all these differences are not significant, so that one is commanded to make offerings under the name "man", another - "soul", another - "priest", another - "the congregation of Israel", another - "chief", another - "one soul"? Meanwhile, in my humble understanding, I think that the one who is called here “man” and named before others who offer sacrifice to God should be understood as the entire human race, and the one whose sacrifice “is a burnt offering of bulls without blemish” is called man (cf. Lev. 1:3). But be careful that this calf “without blemish” does not turn out to be that “fattened calf” that the father, who lost his son who “wasted his property,” slaughtered for the one who returned and was returned to him; and he made a great feast and rejoiced, as “there is joy among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” This man, who “was lost and is found,” because he had nothing of his own that he could sacrifice - for he “wasted his substance by living dissolutely” (cf. Luke 15:13), found this calf sent to him from heaven, but coming from the line of the patriarchs and from the descendants of Abraham. And therefore it is not simply said “calf,” as if it were ordered to sacrifice any calf, but “a calf from bulls,” that is, one that came from the line of patriarchs. But He is “male, without blemish” (cf. Lev. 1:3). He is truly “male”; He does not know sin, which is female weakness. Therefore, only this “male” calf, only He “without blemish” and “committed no sin, and no lie was found in His mouth” (Is. 53:9), but acquired “favor in the sight of the Lord,” was sacrificed at the door of the “tent of meeting” (Lev. 1:3). At the door of the tabernacle means not inside, but outside. Jesus was outside, for “he came to his own, and his own did not receive him” (John 1:11). He did not enter the tabernacle to which he approached, but was sacrificed as a burnt offering at its door, since he suffered “outside the camp” (cf. Lev. 4:12). After all, the evil “vinedressers, when they saw their son, took [him] out of the vineyard and killed him” (cf. Matt. 21:38–39). This is what is sacrificed at the door of the tabernacle of meeting and accepted by the Lord (cf. Lev. 1:3). And what sacrifice can be compared with the sacrifice of “Christ, who through the Holy Spirit offered Himself blameless to God” (cf. Heb. 9:14)? 3. It is written: “And he shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering and kill the bull before the Lord; The sons of Aaron, the priests, will bring the blood and sprinkle the blood on all sides on the altar, which is at the entrance of the tabernacle of meeting” (Lev. 1:4-5). From what has been said, it is clear that Annas and Caiaphas and the others who “had a meeting about Jesus to put Him to death” (cf. Matt. 27:1) and shed His blood “at the foot of the altar of burnt offerings, which was at the entrance of the tabernacle of meeting” (cf. Lev. 4:7), were from the sons of Aaron. For blood was shed where the altar and its foundation were, just as the Lord Himself says: “It does not happen that a prophet perishes outside of Jerusalem” (Luke 13:33). “And he will lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering” (cf. Lev. 1:4), that is, He laid the sins of men on His body, for He Himself is the head of His Body - the Church (cf. Eph. 1:22–23). But perhaps this was not done without a reason, for first it is said: “Let him bring it to the door of the tabernacle of meeting” (Lev. 1:3), and it is repeated further, where it is again said: “On the altar that is at the door of the tabernacle of meeting” (Lev. 1:5), as if it were not enough to say this once in the same narrative. Perhaps he wanted to explain that the blood of Jesus was shed not only in Jerusalem, where the altar and its foundation and the tabernacle of meeting were located, but that this same blood was sprinkled on the high altar, which is in heaven in the “church of the firstborn” (cf. Heb. 12:23), as the Apostle says: “That through Him he might reconcile all things to himself, having made peace through him through the blood of his cross, and earthly and heavenly” ( Col. 1:20 ). Therefore, for the second time the “altar” is mentioned, which is at the entrance of the “tent of meeting” (cf. Lev. 1:5), for the sacrifice of Christ was offered not only for earthly things, but also for heavenly things. And it was here that He shed the very bodily substance of His blood for people, and in heaven - if there are those who perform the duties of priests - He offered the life force of His body as a kind of spiritual sacrifice. Do you want to know how the double sacrifice was accomplished in Him, fitting for the earthly and fitting for the heavenly? The Apostle in his letter to the Hebrews writes: “Through the veil, that is, His flesh” (Heb. 10:20). But, on the other hand, he calls the inner veil the heavens, which Jesus pierces, “to appear now for us in the presence of God” (cf. Heb. 9:24), as it is said, “always living to make intercession” for us (cf. Heb. 7:25). Therefore, if we understand in this way the two veils through which Jesus enters as a high priest, we should also understand in the same way the double sacrifice by which He saves both earthly and heavenly things. And so, what follows seems more appropriate to a heavenly sacrifice than an earthly one. 4. It is said: “And he will flay the burnt offering and cut it into pieces; The sons of Aaron, the priests, will put fire on the altar and lay wood on the fire; And the sons of Aaron the priests will lay out the parts, the head and the fat, on the wood that is on the fire on the altar; And he shall wash the entrails of the sacrifice and its feet with water, and the priest shall burn everything on the altar: it is a burnt offering, a sacrifice, an aroma pleasing to the Lord” (Lev. 1:6-9). But it is worth considering how the flesh of the Word of God, here called the calf, can be flayed, and how the priests can divide Him into pieces. I think that the priest who removes the veil from the bullock of a burnt offering and strips off the skin that covers its limbs is one who unveils the letter (cf. 2 Cor. 3:14) from the word of God and reveals its inward parts, which are parts of spiritual understanding; He places these members of the word, conscious internally, not in some bad place, but in something sublime and sacred, that is, he places them on the altar when he reveals the Divine secrets not to mediocre people leading a despicable earthly life, but to those who are the altar of God, in which the Divine fire always burns, constantly devouring the flesh. On these rests the body cut into pieces, sacrificed as a burnt offering. For he will “cut it [the sacrifice] into pieces,” who can explain in order and say with due discernment what kind of goodness it is to touch “the hem of the garment” (cf. Matt. 9:20) of Christ and wash His feet with tears and wipe with the hair of his head (cf. Luke 7:44) and how even more gracefully to anoint His head with oil (cf. Luke 7:46) and fall “to breast of Jesus" (cf. John 13:25; 21:20). Thus, to explain the causes of each of these different degrees, making some understandable to beginners, others to those who are growing in faith in Christ, others to those who are perfect in their knowledge, is to cut the calf into pieces. And the one who knows how to show what were the origins of the law, what the prophets added to it and the fullness of the perfection of the Gospel, or the one who can teach with that “milk” the words with which the babes in Christ are to be nourished, and with that food with which the “weak in the faith” should be restored, and even with that solid food with which the athletes of Christ should be fattened (cf. Heb. 5:12,14; Rom. 14:1,2), who knows how to discern all this by spiritual reasoning - such a teacher can be considered a priest who cuts the burnt offering into pieces and places it on the altar. And whoever lays out the “wood” on the altar (cf. Lev. 1:7), kindles and maintains the fire on it, is the one whose words convey not only the bodily virtues of Christ, but also His Divinity. For the Divinity of Christ is from above, and it kindles this fire. Accordingly, Divine fire consumes everything that the Savior created in the flesh and restores it to the nature of His Divinity. However, this fire is supported by the wood supplied to it; for Christ suffered in the flesh on the tree. Thus, when He was lifted up on the tree, the dominion of the flesh ended; having risen from the dead, He ascended into heaven; and thus fire reveals His nature. Therefore, the Apostle says: “Even if we knew Christ according to the flesh, now we know it no more” (2 Cor. 5:16). For, indeed, the burnt offering of His flesh, offered on the wood of the cross, united the earthly with the heavenly, the human with the Divine. The words of the command prescribe: “And he will wash the entrails of the victim and his feet with water” (cf. Lev. 1:9), figuratively proclaiming the sacrament of baptism. He who cleanses his conscience washes his entrails; he who washes his feet is the one who accepts the fullness of this sacrament and knows that “he who is washed need only wash his feet” (cf. John 13:10) and that no one has a part with Jesus unless He washes his feet (cf. John 13:8). 5. If you want to understand all this in a moral sense, then you have a “calf” that must be sacrificed to you. This calf is your very wayward flesh. If you want to sacrifice her to the Lord, then you keep her pure and undefiled and lay her “at the door of the tabernacle of meeting,” that is, where she can listen to the Divine books. Your offering must be “male”, not know a woman, reject lust, beware of weakness; She should not strive for anything dissolute and cowardly. Lay “your hand on the head of the burnt offering” so that it may be accepted by the Lord, and slaughter it “before the Lord” (cf. Lev. 1:3ff), that is, put a bridle of self-control on it and do not remove from it the hand of teaching, like the one laid on his flesh by those who said: “I subdue and enslave my body, so that, having preached to others, I myself should not remain unworthy” ( 1 Cor.9:27). And slaughter him “before the Lord,” without hesitating to kill his “earthly members” (cf. Col. 3:5). “The sons of Abraham, the priests” (cf. Lev. 1:7) sacrifice his blood. The priest and his sons are the mind in you and his perception, which are rightly called the priest and the sons of the priest, for only they perceive God and are capable of knowing God. Therefore, the Divine Word desires that you offer your flesh as a sacrifice to God in purity and rational understanding, just as the Apostle says: “Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1). To sacrifice blood on the altar through a priest or the sons of a priest means to become pure in both body and spirit. There are also those who offer their flesh as a burnt offering, but not through a priest. They perform sacrifices unconsciously and not in accordance with the law that is in the mouth of the priest, and therefore they are pure in body, but not in spirit. Either they are defiled by the lust of human glory, or stained by the passion of greed, or struck by the sterility of envy and malice, or tormented by the madness of hatred and the fury of anger. Such may be pure in body, but they do not offer their burnt offering through the hands and ministry of the priest. For they do not have the insight and prudence to fulfill the duties of a priest before God, but are like those five foolish virgins who, of course, maintained chastity and were pure in body, but did not know how to store “in their vessels” the “oil” of peace and love and all other virtues; and therefore they were not admitted to the wedding feast. Thus, it is impossible to reach the altar of the Lord by mere abstinence of the flesh if other virtues and priestly service are absent. So, we, who read or listen to all this, must work in both directions - to be pure in body, upright in mind, blameless in heart, impeccable in behavior, perfected in deeds, constantly growing in knowledge and faith, be perfect in understanding and actions, so that we can draw closer to the likeness of the sacrifice of Christ through our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who with the Almighty Father and the Holy Spirit “Glory and power forever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:11; Rev. 1:6). About the order of sacrifices, in other words, about offerings and sacrifices for salvation 5 and for sin; and how the “anointed priest” makes a sacrifice “for his sin” and for the sin of the people or for a soul “of the people of the earth” who sinned involuntarily (cf. Lev. 4:3,27) 1. The beginning of the book of Leviticus, discussed above, teaches us the law of sacrifices, called gifts, for “if a man wants to offer a sacrifice to the Lord,” then “let him offer it” from livestock, that is, from bulls, “from sheep or from goats” (cf. Lev. 1: 2, 3, 10). “If he offers a burnt offering to the Lord from birds, he shall offer his sacrifice of turtledoves or young pigeons” (Lev. 1:14). “If any soul wishes to bring to the Lord a grain offering made from baking in the oven, then offer unleavened wheat bread mixed with oil. If you bring a grain offering to the Lord of the firstfruits, offer an offering of your firstfruits” (Lev.2:1,4,14) of the finest wheat flour, fresh and well refined. Bake bread from it and break it into two pieces so that they are not too small, for this is an offering of the firstfruits. “And pour oil on them, and put frankincense on them: this is a grain offering” (Lev. 2:15). But if someone brings a “saving sacrifice,” then he is ordered to bring it from bulls, “from sheep” or “from goats” (cf. Lev. 3: 1,6,12), and besides these animals nothing can be offered as a saving sacrifice. For in general the soul is commanded to offer a sacrifice for involuntary sin, but then it is specified how different people should act; it is prescribed that “if the anointed priest sins, then for his sin he shall present a bull from the herd” (Lev. 4:3) as a burnt offering, but not according to the ritual by which he presents this bull as a sacrifice. For in accordance with it only “all the fat thereof, the fat that covers the inward parts, and all the fat that is on the inward parts, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is on the flanks, and the caul on the liver, and the priest will burn them on the altar of burnt offering” (Lev. 4:8-10). “And the priest shall take the anointed blood of the bull, and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle the blood seven times before the Lord upon the horns of the altar of incense” (Lev. 4:5–7). “And he shall take the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, and his entrails, and his uncleanness, the whole bullock outside the camp to a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn it” (Lev. 4:11-12). It should be noted that the Lawgiver, when speaking about the sin of a priest, does not add that he can sin unwittingly or by mistake, for he who is appointed to teach others cannot fall through ignorance. “If the whole congregation of Israel sin,” it is prescribed that they should offer a bull as a burnt offering. But if it is said about the sin of the entire society that it will be committed out of ignorance “and the matter will be hidden from the eyes of the congregation, and will fulfill one of the commandments of the Lord, which ought not to be done” (Lev. 4:13), then it is obvious that the whole society can sin out of ignorance. The Lord confirms this in the Gospel when he says: “Father! forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). If a “chief” brings a sin offering, he must bring “a goat from the flock as a sacrifice,” but not as a burnt offering, but “the priest will take” only “the blood from the sacrifice and burn all the fat thereof on the altar” (cf. Lev. 4:25–26). The priest takes the rest for himself, and only the blood pours out “at the foot of the altar of burnt offering” (cf. Lev. 4:30). But it is said that if one soul “of the people of the earth sins,” let him bring “a goat from the flock as a sacrifice” (cf. Lev. 4:27–28), in accordance, of course, with the ritual by which, as was said before, a goat is sacrificed. “If he is not able to bring a sheep, then,” as it is said, “he will bring to the Lord two turtle doves or two young doves” (cf. Lev. 5:7). If he cannot afford even this, then he must bring “a tenth of an ephah of fine flour; let him not pour oil on it, and let him not put frankincense on it” (cf. Lev. 5:11). We have already talked about all this in the previous sermon reading, but last time we did not give explanations due to lack of time; and I do not think that it will now be superfluous to say a few words about it, especially for zealous students and those who remember previous readings, despite our desire to discuss what we have just read. 2. And, first of all, I would like to see what those differences are, where it is said that one should offer a “man”, another a “soul”, another an “anointed priest”, another a “society”, another a “one soul from the people of the earth” (cf. Lev. 1:2; 2:1; 4:3, 13, 22, 27). I think that “man” refers to one who is created in the image and likeness of God (cf. Gen. 1:26) and lives wisely. Therefore, he brings a “calf” as an offering to God when he overcomes the arrogance of the flesh; “sheep” - when he corrects his unreasonable and reckless impulses; “goat” - when voluptuousness is curbed. Likewise, he sacrifices "two turtle doves" when he is not alone, but unites his mind to the Word of God in true marriage; and since one species of bird is spoken of, the integrity of this marriage union is maintained. He also sacrifices “two young doves” (cf. Lev. 5:7), when he himself comprehends the secret that the eyes of the beloved are “like doves by streams of water” (cf. Song 5:12), and his neck is like a turtle dove. So, these sacrifices are made by man, as we explained above. However, much smaller sacrifices are specified for the “soul”. She has neither bull, nor sheep, nor goat, which she could lead to God; she cannot find “two turtle doves or two young pigeons.” She has only fine “wheat flour”, from which “unleavened wheat bread” is brought, baked “in the oven”, taken “from the frying pan” or from the grate, or from flour mixed with oil (cf. Lev. 2:4 ff.). Based on all this, it seems to me that by “soul” we should understand what Paul calls “a natural man” (cf. 1 Cor. 2:14), who, even if he is not inclined to sin and does not strive for vice, nevertheless has nothing spiritual in himself, nothing of what is figuratively understood as the flesh of the Word of God. The Apostle Paul says about such a person: “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, because he considers them foolishness; and cannot understand, because this must be judged spiritually. But he who is spiritual judges all things” (1 Cor. 2:14–15). Therefore, the one who is called “soul” cannot sacrifice everything, since he is not able to explore everything. He donates only fine wheat flour and unleavened bread, that is, ordinary life devoted, for example, to agriculture or navigation or other activities of daily life. And yet it is an offering to God, even if it is said that it is only fine flour of wheat mixed with oil. For every soul needs Divine mercy, and no one can escape earthly life unless he has the oil of heavenly mercy. Secondly, it must bring “the gift of the firstfruits” (cf. Lev. 2:14), in other words, the firstfruits of the harvest. If you remember, the law commands this offering to be made on the day of Pentecost (cf. Ex. 23:16; Deut. 16:9ff), and this command was given to them as a “shadow” (cf. Heb. 10:1), but the truth is prepared for us. For on the day of Pentecost, after the sacrifices of prayer have been offered, the Apostolic Church receives the first fruits of the coming of the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 2:4). And truly they are young, because they are new; therefore it is said that “they were drunk of new 7 wine” (cf. Acts 2:13). "Burn by fire." For tongues of fire “rested one on each of them” (cf. Acts 2:3). And “broken in half.” For they were broken in two when the letter was separated from the spirit. And “well cleansed” (cf. Lev. 2:14). For the presence of the Holy Spirit cleanses all filth, granting forgiveness of sins. The oil of mercy is also poured onto this sacrifice and the frankincense is placed, through which we are made with the fragrance of Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 2:15). Then it speaks of saving sacrifices made from animals, that is, bulls or “sheep or goats” (cf. Lev. 3:1 ff.), and nothing else can be brought into this sacrifice, not even birds, which were said above to be used as a substitute for the sacrifice. For the one who brings a saving sacrifice, without a doubt, already knows about his salvation, and therefore it is necessary for the one who has acquired salvation to sacrifice something more significant and perfect. So the Apostle says: “Solid food is characteristic of those who are perfect” (Heb. 5:14). After this, the order of offering sacrifices for sin is determined, where in the second place it is written: “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Every soul sins against the Lord without its will” (Lev. 4: 1–2). And it is true that when sin is spoken of, the “soul” is indicated, since one who sins would not be called a spirit. Nor would they call him a man in whom sin took root instead of the image of God (cf. Gen. 1:26). Thus, it is not the spirit that sins, for the “fruit of the spirit,” as the Apostle said, is “love, joy, peace, longsuffering” (Gal. 5:22) and others similar to them, which are also called “fruits of life.” Then, in another place, he says: “He who sows to his flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Gal. 6:8). And since one sows, and into another they sow, but it is sown either “into the flesh,” when sin is committed, in order to reap “corruption,” or “into the spirit,” when life is led according to God, in order to reap “eternal life,” then it is the soul that sows “into the flesh” or “into the spirit” and can either perish in sin, or turn away from sin, and the body is its result, depending on its choice; the spirit leads her to perfection if she wants to follow it. 3. Previously these things were spoken of in general terms; now they are divided according to their characteristics. It is said: “If the anointed priest sins and makes the people guilty, then for the sin he has committed, he is to present an oxen calf, without blemish, to the Lord” (Lev. 4:3). Along with mercy, fear is also found in the laws of God. Is no one free from it, not even the anointed priest? And who is the anointed priest? The one who is anointed, who kindles the sacred fire on the altar, who brings gifts and saving sacrifices to God; who serves as a mediator and reconciles a person with God; and even he, I say, is not free from the abomination of sin. But notice the mercy of God and comprehend its fullness, which Paul teaches. In the letter to the Hebrews he says: “For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed for men to serve God” (Heb. 5:1), and a little lower it says: “The Law appoints as high priests men who have infirmities” (Heb. 7:28), so that they can offer sacrifices both for their own weaknesses and for the weaknesses of the people. Look at the wisdom of God. She appoints as priests not those who cannot sin in any way - otherwise they would not be people - but those who should imitate the One who “committed no sin” (cf. 1 Pet. 2:22) and “Who does not need to offer sacrifices daily, like those high priests, first for their own sins, then for the sins of the people” (cf. Heb. 7:27). But what is most striking about such a priest? Not that he does not sin - he cannot do that - but that he recognizes and understands his sin. For the one who believes that he does not sin never corrects himself. And besides, the one who experiences reproaches of conscience due to his weaknesses can more quickly forgive the sin of another. What kind of sacrifice does the priest make “for sin”? It is said: “A calf for a burnt offering” (cf. Lev.4:3,7). Secondly, we find that the high priest offers the bull once for a burnt offering and once “for sin.” But the calf sacrificed is burned “on the altar” of the burnt offering (cf. Lev. 1:3,5), and the calf offered “for sin,” “and all its flesh, with its head and with its feet, and its entrails and its uncleanness,” is ordered to be taken “outside the camp to a clean place” (Lev. 4:11–12), and only the fat and kidneys are burned on the altar (cf. Lev. 4:9 ). And although it is not in our power to explain, and not in yours to hear how to separate and distinguish one from the other, we will still try to interpret something for you. So, see if Jesus, who, according to Paul, reconciled everything to Himself with the Blood of His Cross, “both earthly and heavenly” (cf. Col. 1:20), is not the same calf offered in heaven, of course, not “for sin,” but as a sacrifice; and on earth, where sin reigned “from Adam to Moses” (cf. Rom. 5:14), He was sacrificed “for sin.” And He is the One who suffered “outside the camp” (cf. Lev.4:12; Heb.13:12); I think, outside the camp that Jacob saw, the heavenly camp of God's angels, about which it is written in the book of Genesis: “And [Jacob] looked and saw the camp of God. And the Angels of God met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of 8 God” (Gen. 32:1–2). Thus, outside this heavenly camp is everything in which we live, the earthly space where Christ suffered in the flesh. When it is said that they burn “the whole calf” “and its inward parts and its uncleanness” (cf. Lev. 4:11), see if the body of human nature is not allegorically called uncleanness here in comparison with the heavenly body. For it is dust and to dust it will return (cf. Gen. 3:19). But what does this basket of sewage placed on the roots of a cut down fig tree mean (cf. Luke 13:7), if not the mystery of the providence received into the body? However, it does not say that it lacks internals. For although He took “the form of a servant” (cf. Phil. 2:7), “in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead” (Col. 2:9). And although we discuss all this with boldness, the hearing of all the faithful must always be nourished by something more. The same interpretations should also be accepted in relation to the calf of the community of Israel (cf. Lev. 4:13). 4. In the moral sense, the high priest can be considered as righteousness and piety, which through the prayers and petitions that we pour out to God, and he performs in us, as it were, a kind of priestly service. And if he makes a mistake in something, he immediately forces the people to sin (cf. Lev. 4:3) against the good that is within us. For we do nothing good when our understanding, the driver of our good deeds, goes astray. And therefore, in order to correct this, not just any offering is required, but the sacrifice of the “fatted calf” itself (cf. Luke 15:23). It's the same with society's guilt; in other words, the correction of all the virtues that are in us is accomplished by nothing other than the death of Christ. It is said: “If the ruler sins, let him bring a goat from the flock as a sacrifice” (Lev.4:22-23). This boss can be understood as the power of reason operating within us. And if he sins in us and we commit some rash act, we will be afraid of what the Savior said: “You are the salt of the earth. If the salt loses its strength, then what will you use to make it salty? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out to be trampled underfoot by people” (Matthew 5:13). Thus, this leader also has his own offerings. But, as it is said, “if one soul sins, he shall sacrifice a goat from the flock” (Lev. 4:27–28), as in the substitution of the offering that we spoke about above. But perhaps those listening in the Church will say that it was easier for the ancients than for us - they could receive forgiveness of sins by making sacrifices in accordance with various rituals. For us, only that forgiveness of sins is possible, which is given in the beginning through the grace of baptism; and after that the sinner is given neither mercy nor forgiveness. Christians, those “for whom Christ died” (cf. Rom. 14:15), should have a stricter order. For the ancients, they killed sheep, goats, bulls and birds, sprinkled fine wheat flour; for you the Son of God was put to death; and how can you then like to sin again? But so that all this does not so much plunge your souls into despair as raise them to virtue, you heard what varied sacrifices were made for sins; and now listen to how our sins are forgiven according to the testimony of the Gospels. First, “for the remission of sins” we are baptized (cf. Mark 1:4). Secondly, sins are forgiven in the suffering of martyrdom. Thirdly, through alms, for the Savior says: “Give rather alms from what you have, then everything will be clean for you” (Luke 11:41). Fourthly, because we forgive the sins of our brothers. For our Lord and Savior Himself says: “If you forgive people their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive people their trespasses, then your Father will not forgive you your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15). And he teaches us to say in prayer like this: “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). Fifthly, when you turn “a sinner from his false way” (James 5:20). For the Divine Scripture says: “Whoever turns a sinner from his false path will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:20). Sixth, sins are forgiven through the abundance of love, as the Lord Himself says: “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven because she loved much” (Luke 7:47); and the Apostle says: “Love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). There is also a seventh path for the forgiveness of sins, which lies through repentance, although it is difficult and laborious, when a sinner wets his bed with his tears (cf. Ps. 6:7), and “tears” become for him “bread day and night” (cf. Ps. 41: 4), when he is not ashamed to reveal his sin to the priest of the Lord and seek a means to heal him, as it is said: “But I revealed my sin to You and did not hide it.” my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and You have taken away from me the guilt of my sin” (Ps. 31:5). What the Apostle James spoke about was fulfilled in the following: “If any of you is sick, let him call the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him” (James 5:14–15). So you too, when you come to the grace of baptism, you sacrifice a “calf,” for “into His [Christ’s] death” (cf. Rom. 6:3) you were baptized. When martyrdom attracts you, you offer a “goat,” for you will slaughter the devil, the progenitor of sin. When, moved by compassion for those in need, you give alms and pour out love and mercy, you burden the sacred altar with fattened goats. And if you forgive “from your heart your brother his sins” (cf. Matt. 18:35) and reject the wound of rage, if you find a simple and peaceful spirit in yourself, be sure that you have slaughtered a ram or sacrificed a sheep. Moreover, if, taught by the Divine readings, you will yearn “like a dove” (cf. Isa. 38:14), and “on the law” of the Lord you will begin to meditate “day and night” (cf. Ps. 1: 2), you will turn the sinner away from his errors and call him back from despicable dissipation to the innocence of a dove, if, clinging to goodness (cf. Rom.12:9), you will cause him to imitate the friendliness of the turtledove, which means you have sacrificed to the Lord “two turtle doves or two young doves” (cf. Lev.5:11). And so is “love”, which is greater than faith and hope (cf. 1 Cor. 13:13), will become abundant in your heart, and you will love “your neighbor” not only “as yourself” (cf. Matt. 19:19), but as it is said: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13); know that you brought bread baked from fine wheat flour, “mixed with the oil” of love (cf. Lev. 2:4), “not with the leaven of vice and wickedness, but with unleavened bread of purity and truth” (cf. 1 Cor. 5:8). But if in sorrowful weeping you are consumed by sorrow, groaning and tears, if you torture your flesh, drying it out with fasts and many abstinences, and you say: “My bones are burned like a frying pan” (cf. Ps. 101:4), then “your sacrifice is a grain offering from a frying pan or lattice” (cf. Lev. 2:5); and so you will see that you have offered sacrifices more suitable and perfect according to the Gospel, which Israel cannot offer according to the law. 5. But let's see what thoughts what we just read can evoke in us. It is said: “If one soul from the people of the earth sins involuntarily and fulfills one of all the commandments of the Lord, which should not be fulfilled, and is guilty, then when the sin that she has sinned is known to her, let her sacrifice a goat from the flock without blemish for the sin that she has sinned” (Lev. 4:27-28). And then, as we explained above, the whole ritual of making sacrifices is described. We have already explained, as best we could, how a soul should be understood when it makes sacrifices under the yoke of sin. The addition here to what has been said: “If one soul from the people of the earth sins,” does not seem to me at all to be superfluous. Who doubts that what is said in the law is addressed to souls or to the people of the earth? Why, then, was it necessary to add “of the people of the earth” to the phrase “if one soul sins”? Perhaps in order to distinguish it from the one who is not “of the earth” (cf. John 3:31), to say that the soul that “sins” is “of the people of the earth.” For what has been said cannot be applied to the one who said: “Our citizenship is in heaven, from where we wait for the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20). And how can I say that “from the people of the earth” is that soul that has nothing in common with the earth, but is entirely in heaven, “where Christ sits at the right hand of God” (cf. Col. 3:1), where it is “drawn” to “be with Christ, because this is incomparably better; but is it more necessary for you to remain in the flesh” ( Phil. 1:23–24 )? Thus, the soul that sins is “one of the people of the earth,” one that “will do one of all the commandments of the Lord, which ought not to be done.” For a long time now, something in these words has struck me, because I do not see the connection in what was said: “the soul will sin and fulfill one of all the commandments of the Lord, which it should not fulfill.” After all, if the commandment of the Lord is given, then how should it not be fulfilled, when the commandments of the Lord were given for this purpose in order to fulfill them? And how does it say here that that soul will sin if it “fulfills one of all the commandments of the Lord, which should not be fulfilled”? Perhaps someone will see here a speech error made by the translators. However, upon closer examination, it seems to me that all the translators are offering approximately the same thing, and therefore this is not a translation error, but rather something that requires a deeper understanding. As far as we can tell, the solution is as follows. Some commands are given to be fulfilled, others - not to be fulfilled. But human frailty requires that what should be done be interspersed with what should not be done. Let us give an example from what we are talking about now - making sacrifices. It is ordered to slaughter a lamb at Passover (cf. Ex. 12:3); Of course, God does not require the sacrifice of a lamb every year, but rather He has appointed to sacrifice the Lamb, “who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Thus, He wants not the first to be fulfilled, but the last. Thus, the Lord says through Isaiah: “Why do I need the multitude of your sacrifices? I am full of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of sheep, and I have no desire for the blood of bulls and lambs and goats” (Isaiah 1:11). Do you hear that He does not want the sacrifice of rams and the fat of sheep? And yet He gives commands on how bulls or sheep should be sacrificed. However, one who understands the law spiritually seeks to sacrifice all this spiritually. But if someone makes an offering in accordance with the external, carnal form of the command, then he is “one soul from the people of the earth”, which “will sin involuntarily and fulfill one of all the commandments of the Lord, which should not be fulfilled, and will be guilty” (Lev. 4:27); and therefore it is further added: “When the sin that she has sinned is known to her, she is to offer a sacrifice to the Lord” (Lev. 4:28). The soul must make a sacrifice when it becomes aware that God does not want carnal sacrifices, for “a sacrifice to God is a broken spirit” (Ps. 50:19). Therefore, “her sin will be known” when she hears from the Lord: “I want mercy, not sacrifice” (Hos. 6:6), when she learns to offer the sacrifice of praise in the Church and pay “vows to the Most High” (cf. Ps. 49:14) through Christ our Lord, “To whom be honor and glory forever and ever.” Amen" (Rom. 16:27). About what has been said: “If a soul sins and hears the voice of an oath, and becomes a witness or sees or knows, but does not declare, then it will bear the sin. And if any soul touches anything unclean or a dead body or captured by a wild beast 10" (Lev. 5:1-2) and so on. 1. We are talking about the sacrifices made by those who sinned unwittingly or out of ignorance. Above, when we talked about the sacrifices of the high priest, we noted that in relation to him there was no mention of sin due to ignorance. But if anyone remembers what we talked about, then he can tell us that the sacrifice that, as we indicated, the high priest offers “for sin” (cf. Lev. 4:3) can be understood as an image of Christ. It would be wrong to believe that Christ, “who knew no sin” (2 Cor. 5:21), offered a sacrifice “for sin,” although this was done through mystery, and He Himself is both the high priest and the sacrifice. So see if we can object to this that although Christ “committed no sin,” he became “a sacrifice for sin for us” (2 Cor. 5:21). He who dwelt in the form of God condescends to take the form of a servant (cf. Phil. 2:6–7); He who is immortal dies, the impassive suffers, the invisible becomes visible, and since both death and other infirmities of the flesh are caused by our sinful state, even He who became “in the likeness of men and in appearance” became “like a man”, without a doubt, it was precisely “for sin”, taken from us, that bore our sins (cf. 1 Pet.2:24), as a calf “without blemish” (Lev.4:3), that is, “gave up” His pure flesh “as an offering and sacrifice to God” (Eph.5:2). But what can we learn from what follows? For where it is said: “If the anointed priest sins,” there is added to this: “and makes the people guilty, then let him present a sacrifice for his sin” (Lev. 4:3). How, then, is it consistent that, having become guilty of sin through the flesh that was assumed from us, Jesus “will make the people guilty”? Look, maybe we can answer this coherently. The suffering of Christ truly brought life to believers and death to unbelievers. And although through His Cross the pagans are saved and justified, for the Jews He is condemnation and destruction. For it is said in the Gospel: “Behold, this one is destined for the fall and rising of many” (Luke 2:34). And thus, through His guilt, that is, through the flesh given on the cross, into which He accepted our sins, He freed us, the faithful, from sin, but made guilty a disobedient and stubborn people (cf. Rom. 10:21), who added the wickedness of sacrilege to the crime of unbelief. In the same way, this High Priest, through the sin He perceived, made the people “guilty,” when, clothed in flesh, they could be detained and killed. Let us imagine, for example, that if the “God of glory” (Ps. 28:3) had not come in the flesh, He would not have condemned the Jews and it would not have been so painful for them to look at Him, and certainly they would not have been able to detain Him and put Him to death; and, without a doubt, “His blood” would never have fallen on them and their children (cf. Matt. 27:25). But since He came in the flesh and was made “for us to be a sacrifice for sin” (2 Cor. 5:21) and endured all this, it is said that He “made the people guilty,” who had made Him capable of sin in Himself. 2. Let us now see what the soul will do that “hears the voice of an oath and becomes a witness or sees” something “or knows, but does not declare,” which is why, without a doubt, “he who has either committed something unrighteous or sworn falsely will “bear the sin” (Lev. 5:1). This teaches and instructs us in accordance with the literal meaning, so as not to somehow defile our conscience with the sin of others, so as not to become accomplices of those who do evil. I mean accomplices not in the sense of doing the same thing, but remaining silent about the committed lawlessness. Do you want to know that this is consistent with the gospel instructions? The Lord Himself says: “If you see that your brother has sinned, go and convict him between you and him alone; If he listens to you, then you have gained your brother; But if he does not listen, take two or three more with you, 11 so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established; if he does not listen to them, tell the church; and if he does not listen to the church, then let him be to you as a pagan and a publican” (Matthew 18:15–17). Here is given a more perfect gospel instruction on how sin should be revealed. Christ does not want you, seeing your brother’s sin, to immediately run to the market square, shout loudly and make his sins public; for this will not correct it, but will only dishonor him. It is said: “Reprove him between you and him alone” (Matthew 18:15). For when the sinner sees that his secret has been kept, he will be ashamed of his sin and will try to correct himself. If he sees that he is disgraced, he will immediately begin to shamelessly deny what was done; and you not only will not correct the sin, but you will double it. So learn from the Gospel the proper order. First of all, as it is said, “between you and him alone.” Then “take two or three with you.” Why “two or three”? It is said: “That by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word might be established” (Matthew 18:16). The transfer of the accusation to the Church is ordered in the third order, while the bringing of two or three witnesses is required in the second order. For if they exist and the accused does not want to be freed from his guilt when his sin is presented to the Church, then he can be acquitted by those witnesses whom you brought before. It often happens that someone who wants to fulfill this Gospel commandment seems to be a slanderer if he betrays the accused to the Church without having witnesses. And to prevent this from happening, it is prescribed to bring “two or three” witnesses to the second meeting. And since the Gospel commands, and the law prescribes, that the one who “has not declared” “bears sin,” must understand that if someone either does not declare the sin of his neighbor that he has seen in accordance with the rules set forth above, or, being called as a witness, does not tell the truth, then he will bring upon himself the sin that he has hidden, committed by another, and the punishment will extend to the accomplice who committed the sin. Thus, in this chapter, the literal meaning of what has been said is sufficient for us. I think, however, that the soul that reads what is written in the law of God that “the Lord has sworn and will not repent: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Ps. 109:4), “hears the voice of an oath” (cf. Lev. 5:1), which the scribes and Pharisees always think about, but are silent and do not want to announce to the people, so that it does not become evidence of the coming of Christ. And therefore they will bear sin for the fact that, by not declaring the truth to the people, they made Israel guilty. 3. After this, the next law was announced. It is said: “If any soul touches anything unclean, or the corpse of an unclean beast, but did not know it, then it is unclean and guilty. Or if he touches human uncleanness, any kind of uncleanness” (Lev.5:2-3) and so on. This the Jews observe is rather obscene and useless. And why is anyone who touches, for example, the corpse of an animal or the dead body of a person considered unclean? What if this is the body of a prophet? What if this is the body of the patriarch or even Abraham himself? What if someone touches the bones - will he be unclean? What if he touched the bones of Elisha, which brought the dead to life? (cf. 2 Kings 13:21). Will he be unclean who touches the bones of the prophets, and will they make him unclean whom they raised from the dead? Look how absurd the interpretation of the Jews is. But let's first look at what it means to touch and which touch makes a person unclean and which makes a person pure. The Apostle says: “It is good for a man not to touch a woman” (1 Cor. 7:1). This one who touched is unclean; for the Lord said in the Gospel: “Whoever looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). Because his heart was touched by the vice of lust, and his soul became defiled. So, if anyone touches anything in any way, that is, either desires a woman, or covets money, or is tempted by any other sin, then he has touched something unclean and has become defiled. Therefore, when you encounter something like this, you should know how to make a sacrifice according to what we talked about above, so that you can be cleansed. Do you want me to show you which soul touched something unclean and became unclean and, on the contrary, touched something pure and became clean? “A woman who suffered from bleeding for twelve years, who, having spent all her property on doctors, could not be cured by anyone,” reached such a desperate situation through the impurity of sin. For she touched sin and thereby brought upon herself the illness of the flesh. But then, filled with faith, “she touched the hem of His [Jesus] garment; and immediately the flow of her blood stopped” (Luke 8:43–44; cf. Mark 5:25ff), and suddenly she, who had been unclean for so long, became clean. And just like when she touched our Lord and Savior and He said: “Who touched Me? For I felt the power that came out of Me” (Luke 8:45-46) - undoubtedly, the power with which He healed and cleansed her - it must be understood that if someone touches sin, then some evil force comes from the sin itself and makes the one who touches it unclean; This means touching something unclean. In the same way one should speak of the body of a dead person or the “corpse” of a clean or unclean animal (cf. Lev. 5:2). For he touches the corpse of a person who in his sins imitates or strives for something dead. But if you need to find differences between touches, consider them separately. About the dead body of a person, as we said above, we can say what the Apostle wrote to the Corinthians: “I wrote to you in an epistle - do not associate with fornicators; however, not in general with the fornicators of this world, or the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, for otherwise you would have to come out of this world. But I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who, while calling himself a brother, remains a fornicator, or a covetous person, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or a predator; You shouldn’t even eat with someone like that” (1 Cor. 5:9-11). This is what it means to touch a human corpse, for he who offers himself as a table mate, who was once a man in Christ, has now become dead again in sin. Therefore, the widow, about whom the Apostle says: “The lustful one died alive” (1 Tim. 5:6), can be considered a human corpse. But we must also consider the carcasses of animals that may end up in the Church. If one of the inexperienced follows those who do not bring any knowledge into it, because they wallow in the abomination of sin, or touches them, as we explained above, it means that he has touched the corpses of animals. And about the fact that there are animals in the Church, listen to what is said in the Psalter: “You keep man and beast, O Lord” (Ps. 35:7). Those who search the word of God and the rational dispensation are called men; those who live without burdening themselves with such study, and do not exercise such knowledge, but are still faithful, are called animals, although, however, pure. And just as some are people of God, so others are sheep of God. It is written that Moses was not the sheep of God, but “the man of God” (Deut. 33:1). And Elijah was not a sheep of God, but a man of God; for he himself says: “If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fiftieth” (2 Kings 1:10). Do you want to hear about God's sheep? It is said through the prophet: “You are My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, says the Lord God” (Ezek.34:31). And the Lord also says in the Gospel: “My sheep obey my voice” (John 10:27). I don’t think He would say about people, “My people obey my voice.” “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:15), but the sheep hear His voice, and the people hear His word. Thus they are pure animals because of Christ, but “corpses” because of sin. And if anyone touches them, in other words, imitates them in sin, he will become unclean. And if anyone touches the corpse of a person, that is, someone who first lives according to reason and improves in the word of God, and then falls into sin, and if someone follows him or imitates him, he touches “a dead body” and becomes unclean. And also if anyone touches “one caught by a wild beast,” he will be unclean (cf. Lev. 5:2). What kind of animal is this? A lion or a wolf that stole something from a person or an animal? I think that this beast is the one whom the Apostle Peter calls “your adversary the devil,” who “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him with firm faith" (1 Peter 5:8-9). And the Apostle Paul also speaks about this: “For I know that after I am gone, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock” (Acts 20:29). And if you see someone captured by these wild beasts, do not follow him, do not touch him, so as not to become unclean for you too. In addition, there are other unclean animals whose corpses are prohibited from touching. Unclean animals are people outside of Christ, in whom there is neither intelligence nor any piety. And if you see their “corpses” (cf. Lev. 5:2), that is, sins, the Lawgiver tells you: do not take them, do not touch them, do not touch them. They are unclean, and you need to move away from them. But to avoid touching people or dead bodies, which rather require a godly burial, are Jewish and worthless fables (cf. Titus 1:14), “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof” (2 Tim. 3:5). So, the law of uncleanness was given first: if someone “witnesses” someone’s “oath” or sin, “but does not declare” (cf. Lev. 5:1) about it, through this in some sense he will become unclean through participation in sin. The second law prohibits touching “anything unclean or a corpse” (cf. Lev. 5:2). 4. Next, the third law is announced: “If any soul swears with his mouth to do something bad or good, any deed that people swear recklessly, and he did not know it, but later finds out, then he is guilty of it. If he is guilty of any of these, and confesses what he has sinned, then let him offer to the Lord a sheep or a goat for the sin he has committed” (Lev. 5:4-6) and so on. Of course, if I swear “with my mouth” to do something good and do not do it, then it is easy to see that I am guilty of sin. But if I swear to “do something bad” and don’t do it, then it will be difficult to count it as a sin. For it is absurd to force me, for example, to do what I promised lawlessly and recklessly. If I say in anger that I will kill a person and do not do it, then I will not seem at all like a liar or an oathbreaker. Therefore, let us consider the case where if we promise to do evil and do not do it, then we sin, and if we do, then we are free from sin, so that the truth of the doctrine can stand firmly and reasonably. As far as can be understood from what is said in this passage, to do evil means to oppose someone and prevent him from doing what he wants. And therefore, when we come to God and devote ourselves to serving Him in purity, we confess with our lips (cf. Rom. 10:9) and take an oath to bridle our flesh or do evil to it and even enslave our body (cf. 1 Cor. 9:27), so that we can save the spirit, for such an oath was given by the one who said: “I have sworn to keep Your righteous judgments, and I will fulfill” (Ps. 119:106). The spirit, without a doubt, constrains and suppresses the flesh, the voice of which says: “I do not what I want, but what I hate, that I do” (Rom. 7:15), for “the flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit” (cf. Gal. 5:17). And if the spirit does not do evil to the flesh in order to suppress and weaken it, then it will not be able to say: “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). Therefore, if someone “swears to do something evil” to the flesh, which “desires what is contrary to the spirit,” to crush and exhaust it, and does not do this, then he is guilty of vowing to crucify and enslave his flesh and not doing so. However, by the same oath he decides to do good to the spirit, for when he does evil to the flesh, he does good to the spirit. Thus, if someone takes an oath and does not do what he swore, he is guilty of sin. Do you want to know that it is impossible to do good to one without doing evil to another? Listen to how the Lord Himself says: “I kill and give life” (Deut. 32:39). What does God kill? Of course, flesh. And what revives? Without a doubt, the spirit. And then he continues: “I strike and I heal” (Deut. 32:39). What does He strike? Flesh. What heals? Spirit. Why is this being done? In order for you to be “put to death in the flesh, but [to be made alive] in the Spirit” (cf. 1 Pet. 3:18), so that you would not somehow begin to serve the “law of God” not with the “mind”, but with the “flesh”, that is, without putting it to death, you began to serve the “law of sin” (cf. Rom. 7:25). So, if you promised to follow this institution, but failed, listen to what the law teaches: “If he is guilty of any of these,” then let him “confess what he has sinned” (Lev. 5:5). There is something miraculous in this mystery, which commands us to confess our sin. After all, everything we do becomes known and is widely publicized. If we do something “in secret” (cf. John 7:4), if we do something furtively, be it a single spoken word or a secret thought, it is necessary that everything be known, everything must be open, and open to those who push us to sin and accuse us of it. For such a one encourages us to sin and accuses us when we sin. And if in this life we ​​get ahead of him and condemn ourselves, then the devil - our adversary and accuser - is not at enmity against us. For in another place in Scripture the prophet writes: “Speak first of your iniquities, that you may be justified” (Is. 43:26) 12. Does he not clearly reveal the secret we are talking about when he calls: “You speak first,” in order to show that you must forestall the one who is going to condemn you? That is why it is said: “You speak first” so that he does not get ahead of you, for if you speak “first” and offer a sacrifice of repentance according to what we talked about above about offerings, and if you give up your flesh to destruction, “so that your spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord” (1 Cor. 5:5), then it will be told to you that “in your life” “you received” “evil things; now you are comforted (cf. Luke 16:25). By the same inspiration, David says in the Psalter: “I have revealed my sin to You and have not hidden my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and You have taken away from me the guilt of my sin” (Ps. 31:5). So you see that to confess a sin is to earn its forgiveness. Then the devil, whom we have preceded in blaming, will no longer be able to condemn us. And if we blame ourselves, then we get closer to salvation (cf. Prov. 18:17), and if we hesitate and the devil condemns us, then this condemnation turns into punishment for us; for he will make his minions in Gehenna those whom he has convicted of complicity. 5. It would take too much time to describe all the variety of offerings, the various rituals and types of sacrifices, and, in addition, such a story would be very different from what parishioners usually hear in a sermon. But in order to briefly touch on some of them, let us say that in almost all the sacrifices offered there is something of the image of Christ. For each sacrifice is repeated in Him, since all the sacrifices that preceded Him as an image and “shadow” (cf. Heb. 10:1) lost their meaning after He “offered Himself” as a sacrifice (cf. Heb. 9:14). We have already talked about this before, when we showed that the calf offered by the high priest either as a sacrifice or “for sin” bears His image. But the donated “fat that is in the entrails” (cf. Lev.3:3), and “both kidneys” can be understood as His holy soul, which truly is inside, that is, covering the secrets of His Divinity, and the kidneys are the substance of His body, received from us in purity; He gave the nature of the flesh an intermediate position between the flesh and God, and it was destined to be sanctified on the sacred altars and enlightened by the Divine fire and rest with Him in heaven. But the kidneys are given over to fire, and does anyone doubt that this expresses the fact that in Christ there was nothing from the kindling of the reproductive organs? But since the high priest is commanded to sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice “seven times before the Lord” (cf. Lev. 4:6,17), the power of the Holy Spirit is clearly indicated by the mystery of the seven spirits (cf. Rev. 1:4). The four horns of the altar, anointed with blood, indicate the suffering of Christ as conveyed in the four Gospels. The liver lobe being sacrificed - and anger being stabbed into the liver - symbolizes the swift and reckless power of rage. But I think that the rest of the blood that is poured “at the foot of the altar” (cf. Lev.4:7, 18), is an image of His mercy, thanks to which “in the last days” (cf. 2 Tim. 3:1), when “the full number of the Gentiles shall come in,” all the remaining “Israel” (cf. Rom. 11:25–26), located at the end, as if at the foot of the altar, will also accept the shed blood of Christ. And about sheep and goats, doves and turtle doves, as well as about fine wheat flour mixed with oil, and about unleavened cakes (cf. Lev. 2:5, 4), we have said above as best we could. 6. Now let's see what sacrifices the law requires to be made “for sin” (cf. Lev. 5:6). It is said: “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: If any soul sins involuntarily against one dedicated to the Lord, let him, for his guilt, bring to the Lord a ram without blemish from the flock of sheep, at your price, with shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt offering; for that holy thing against which he has sinned, let him repay and add to it a fifth share, and give it to the priest, and the priest will atone for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it will be forgiven him” (Lev. 5:14–16). In the previous laws about the sacrifices of uncleanness, when it is said, for example, that a sheep or a goat must be sacrificed, it is added: “If he is not able to offer a sheep, then as a token for his sin he must offer to the Lord two turtledoves or two young doves, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering” (Lev. 5:7). And again: “If he is not able to bring two turtle doves or two young doves, let him bring for his sin a tenth of an ephah of fine flour” (Lev. 5:11). But in this law, which speaks of sin committed “against those dedicated to the Lord,” there is no second or third substitution for lesser sacrifices; he orders that only a “ram” be sacrificed. This shows that one can be freed from a sin committed against something holy only by slaughtering a ram, and not just a ram, but “at your price,” as it is said, “according to the shekel of the sanctuary” (cf. Lev. 5:15). Why is this so? If someone is poor and does not have the holy shekel with which to buy a “ram,” will he not be cleansed from sin? And should only the rich seek forgiveness of sins? But if the Lord opens our eyes to see, and the ears of your hearts to hear, then we will try to find out what meaning the Lawgiver hid in these secrets. First of all, let's look at the direct meaning of what was read to us. Apparently, this refers to those in whose hands are “dedicated to the Lord,” that is, donated to the Lord as a gift. For example, the offerings and sacrifices made in the churches of God by pious and devoted minds for sacred use and for the sacramental rites of the priests or for the immediate needs of life of the poor. Regarding these offerings, the law teaches that if someone, due to some prejudice, takes something from them, but comes to his senses and of his own free will repents in his heart that he has sinned - for for one who has repented not of his own prompting, but has been accused by others, healing is more difficult - the one who himself remembers his sin, as it is said, will return what he took, “and add to it a fifth share” and bring for his sin a ram purchased at the price of the holy shekel (cf. Lev. 5:16,15). Since it is said: “And he will add to it a fifth share,” the inexperienced think that this statement means that if, for example, five coins are taken, then one is added, and thus for five coins six are returned. However, those who are trained in arithmetic count the numbers in this statement in a completely different way. The fact is that in the Greek text there is no word πέμπτον, which simply means “five,” but stands έπιπέμπτον, which can be translated as “a fifth more,” unless among the Greeks this word has a special numerical meaning indicating that five is compensated for five and on top of that one more is added. For example, it is understood that if someone stole five coins, he must return these five and add another coin to the other five. However, this should not be understood only in relation to theft and fraud, but also if someone took money from the sanctuary for himself for the most necessary things and is in no hurry to return it, he is bound by this law, which by its letter must teach those who listen. Its observance is very useful and necessary mainly for those who are appointed to monitor the implementation of the institutions of the Church, so that they understand that what is donated for sacred use must be observed with care and diligence. 7. So let us, to whom this may not apply, let us see in what part of the sermon the law teaches us. And since today I have been entrusted, although I am a sinner, to proclaim the word of God, then it is as if the holy things of God have been entrusted to me (cf. Matt. 25:27). This is not the first time, but even before this has often been entrusted to me, and I have become accustomed to bringing it to you. Therefore, if one of you, having accepted the Lord’s money from me, as usually happens, leaving the church, consigned to oblivion everything that he heard in it, and, drawn into the whirlpool of various worldly concerns, did not do the deed that was supposed to be the word he received, then he did not return the money received from the shrine. And let him, at least after he has heard all this, remember that he neglected what was so recently entrusted to him in the word of God. So let him return what he received and add five more to it, as we said before, that is, so that there are two times five and one on top. Let's now see how these five from above are returned. The number five is often, and in fact almost always, understood as the five senses, therefore we must know how to restore them to sacred things, so that if somehow we are going to thoughtlessly squander them on worldly cares and extend their use to what we do not according to God, we will return our five senses to holy deeds and pious services. And let us add to them five others, which are the feelings of the inner man, and through them we either, having become pure in heart, will see God (cf. Matt. 5:8), or we will gain ears to hear and hear (cf. Matt. 11:15) what Jesus teaches us, or we will feel the “fragrance” about which the Apostle says: “We are the fragrance of Christ” (2 Cor. 2:15), or we will even feel the taste, about which the prophet says: “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps. 33:9), or the touch that John mentions: “What we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and what our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life” (1 John 1:1). And to all this we add one more thing, so that we can attribute all this to one God. And all this is said about the return of what someone, having committed an offense, took from the sanctuary. 8. But what do we say about the donation of a “ram” purchased at the price of the sacred shekel (cf. Lev. 5:15), which is prescribed to be sacrificed to atone for sin? To cleanse one's sin at the cost of a ram, a person must be rich. Let's see who these rich people are. The wise Solomon teaches us, saying: “The ransom of one’s own soul is one’s own wealth 13” (Prov. 13:8). Do you hear with what irresistible power every word of Wisdom is filled? She says that wealth is inherent in the ransom of "one's own soul", and not someone else's and not the common one, but "one's own wealth." This shows that one wealth is “own”, the other is not. The Lord affirms this even more clearly when he says in the Gospel: “And if you were not faithful in what belongs to others, who will give you what is yours?” (Luke 16:12). He clearly shows that the wealth of this world is not ours, but someone else's. They pass by “like a shifting shadow” (cf. Ps. 144:4). But “own wealth” is the one about which the prophet says: “And the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered together” (Zech. 14:14). Perhaps from this wealth “Abraham was very rich in cattle, and silver, and gold” (Gen. 13:2) and other household goods. Do you want me to show you from which treasuries these riches come? Listen to what the Apostle Paul states about the Lord Jesus Christ: “In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3). And the Lord teaches in the Gospel: “The scribe brings out from his treasury new and old” (Matthew 13:52). The Apostle Paul says about this: “In Him you have been enriched in everything, in all speech and in all knowledge” (1 Cor. 1:5). Thus, with what is taken from this wealth, which is stored in the treasury of “wisdom and knowledge” (cf. Col. 2:3), we must purchase a “ram”, which must be sacrificed for sins committed, of course, against holy things, and which must be purchased at the price of the sacred shekel. We have already said above that every sacrifice is an image of Christ, but most of all this is true in relation to the ram with which God once replaced Isaac, who was to be sacrificed (cf. Gen. 22:13). Therefore, we must compare Christ, who atoned for our sins, with the holy shekel. This sacred shekel bears the image of our faith. For if you offer faith as a price, you will receive forgiveness of sins from Christ, as from a ram without blemish offered as a sacrifice. As I explain all this, I cannot help but feel that the greatness of these mysteries exceeds our abilities. And although we cannot explore everything, we understand that everything is riddled with secrets. And therefore, it is enough to point out the signs to diligent people, and they will be able to rise and approach these secrets and understand the highest and deepest of them. These signs will tell you in which herd you should look for the “calf” for sacrifice, and in which one you should choose the “ram”. Jesus says: “I have other sheep which are not of this fold, and these I must bring, and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd” (John 10:16). You should know when turtle doves are needed and when doves are needed (cf. Lev. 5:7). It is said: “Your eyes are like doves by streams of water” (Song. 5:12). And one should strive for streams of water, for these words describe the beauty of the bride; it is said: “Your neck is like a turtledove’s” (cf. Song 1:9). The eyes of doves are mentioned, for when it is said: “Doves are by the streams of water” (cf. Song 5:12), it means that these birds fly to the waters, where they are often attacked by a hawk, and they notice an enemy flying from above by the shadow of his wings on the water and so, thanks to their keen vision, they avoid the danger that threatens them. So you too, if from afar you see the snares set by the devil and escape them, then you will sacrifice doves to God. Those who are interested, let them find out from which fields the fine “wheat flour” should be collected. It seems to me that this wheat is from the land that “bears fruit a hundredfold,” some “sixty,” and some “thirty” (cf. Matt. 13:23). Let them also find out - unless it seems more interesting to them than it should be - by what millstone this “wheat flour” is prepared for the offerings. And let them not forget that there are “two grinders at the millstone,” and “one is taken, and the other is left” (cf. Matt. 24:41). And this “wheat flour” should be exactly from the one that is taken. Look also from which side and how the sacred shekel should be viewed (cf. Lev. 5:15), which, as it is said, must be given for a ram. “Shekel” is the name given to the money of the Lord, and is called by different names in many places in Scripture. One shekel is called purified silver (cf. Ps. 11:7), the other is called “rejected silver” (cf. Jer. 6:30). Pure silver is that genuine money that the father of the family, “going to a foreign country, and calling his servants, gave to each according to his strength” (cf. Matt. 25:14-15). This is money called a denarius, which was agreed upon by the owner of the house with the workers and which was paid, “beginning from the last to the first” (cf. Matt. 20:8-9). But you should know that there is other money - counterfeit. Listen to what the prophet said: “They will be called rejected silver” (cf. Jer. 6:30). So, some money is genuine, others are counterfeit. And the Apostle says, as if addressing “skillful money changers”: “Test everything, hold on to what is good” (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:21). For only our Lord Jesus Christ can teach this ability to distinguish which money bears the image of the true king, and which is counterfeit and, as the people say, minted outside the mint, and although they bear the name of the king, they do not have his true image. Many have the name of Christ on their lips, but they do not have His truth. That is why the Apostle says: “For there must be differences of opinion among you, so that skillful ones may be revealed among you” (1 Cor. 11:19). That is why in today’s reading the Lawgiver, turning entirely to the spiritual, mystical meaning, adds that this “ram”, purchased for deliverance from sins, is not purchased for any shekel, that is, not for any money, but for the holy shekel (cf. Lev. 5:15). If he did not take this mystery into account, how could he then explain what should be sacrificed of a ram, bought at a strictly defined price? And it was not enough to call this money a shekel, but a holy shekel? What if someone in the flock had the best rams worthy of being sacrificed to the Lord? Or if someone is so poor that he cannot have the holy shekel? Did the Lawgiver really establish that if someone does not have a certain type of money, then his sins cannot be forgiven? It is clear that in the literal sense this seems absurd, but according to spiritual understanding it is obvious that no one will receive the remission of sins unless he brings firm, true and holy faith and acquires a “ram” for it; such is its nature that it erases the sins of the believer. And it is the sacred shekel that we call sincere, true faith, one in which there is no place for the craftiness of unbelief and the sophisticated deceit of heretics is not mixed in with it, and we, who bring true faith, can be washed “in the precious blood of Christ, as a spotless and spotless Lamb” (cf. 1 Pet. 1:19). Through Him to Almighty God the Father with the Holy Spirit “be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:11; Rev. 1:6). About what has been said: “If any soul sins and, neglecting, neglects the instructions of the Lord and lies to his neighbor in what is entrusted to him, or in fellowship 14” (Lev. 6:2) and so on. 1. If, as the law of God assures us, the Lord spoke to Moses the words that were read to us today, then I think that they should be understood, not according to the inability of those who hear, but according to the greatness of the one who spoke them. It is written: “And the Lord said” (Lev.6:1). Who is the Lord? Let the Apostle answer you, and learn from him that “the Lord is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:17). And if the words of the Apostle are not enough for you, listen to how the Lord Himself says in the Gospel: “God is Spirit” (John 4:24). If both the Lord and God are “Spirit,” then we must understand what is said by the Spirit spiritually. I will say more: we must believe that what is said by the Lord is not only spiritual, but is also “Spirit,” and I will show this by the example of not my understanding, but what is said in the Gospels. Listen to what our Lord and Savior says to His disciples: “The words that I speak to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63). Therefore, if we are taught by the voice of the Savior Himself that the words spoken by Him to the apostles “are spirit and life,” then we should in no way doubt that the words spoken through Moses are also “spirit and life.” 2. However, let us consider to the best of our ability what we should say next. It is written: “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: If any soul sins and, neglecting, neglects the instructions of the Lord and lies to his neighbor in what was entrusted to him, or in communication, or what was stolen by him, or deceives his neighbor, or finds something that was lost and forbids himself in it, and swears falsely in anything, which people do and thereby sin, then, having sinned and become guilty, he must return stolen, what he stole, or taken away, what he took away, or entrusted, what was entrusted to him, or lost, what he found; or if he swears falsely to anything, he must pay back in full, and add a fifth share to it and give it to the one to whom it belongs, on the day of the trespass offering” (Lev. 6:1-5). First, the types of sin are shown, but now it is commanded to cleanse them with sacrifices (cf. Lev. 6:6). Let those who are taught by the letter, weak and unable to perceive deep mysteries, realize that if someone “neglects the instructions of the Lord and lies to his neighbor in what was entrusted to him, or in fellowship, or stolen by him” (cf. Lev. 6:2), he is considered guilty of committing a grave sin. And let such be outside the Church of God, for I do not believe that there is anyone in this assembly of saints who will act so rashly as to reject what is “entrusted to him” to his neighbors, or destroy fellowship by deception, or who will rob or take something stolen from another and swear against his conscience. God forbid, I say, that I should think so of any of the faithful. For I affirm that you did not “know Christ in this way” and did not “learn it in Him” (Eph. 4:20-21). Moreover, the law itself does not establish these regulations for the saints and the faithful. Do you want to know that this is not said about the saints and the righteous? Listen to the distinction the Apostle makes: “The law is not made for the righteous, but for the lawless and disobedient, the ungodly and sinners, the depraved and defiled, for those who insult father and mother” (1 Tim. 1:9) and others like them. It is for such, according to the Apostle, that “the law is laid down,” and the Church of God, leaving the letter, is raised by the spirit to even greater holiness, and God forbid that it be desecrated by such sins. 3. Let us now see what is “entrusted” (cf. Lev. 6:2) to every faithful one. I believe that we are entrusted by God with our very soul and body as a guarantee. Do you want to know what even greater guarantee you receive from God? He entrusts your soul with His image and likeness (cf. Gen. 1:26). And therefore you must return this pledge intact, the same way you received it. For if you are “merciful, just as [your] Father is merciful,” then you bear within you the image of God and keep the “good deposit” (cf. 2 Tim. 1:14) unharmed. If you are perfect, “as [your] Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48), the deposit of the image of God remains in you. And the same in everything else, if you are pious, if you are just, if you are holy, if you are “pure in heart” (cf. Matt. 5:8) and if everything that is in God by nature abides in you by similarity, the deposit of the image of God remains unchanged in you. But if you do the opposite and instead of mercy you find cruelty, instead of piety - wickedness, instead of meekness - anger, instead of peace - violence, instead of generosity - greed, then the image of God is destroyed in you, and you accept the image of the devil and reject the “good pledge” entrusted to you by the Divine. And isn’t this what, in a mysterious sense, the Apostle commands Timothy, his chosen disciple: “Oh, Timothy! guard what is given to you” (1 Tim. 6:20)? I will add that similarly, we accept Christ our Lord and the Holy Spirit as a “pledge.” And we must be careful not to handle this sacred deposit without due reverence; when sins tempt us to agree with them, we testify that we do not have this deposit. For if it is in us, we cannot agree to sin. However, I have also been entrusted with that rational feeling that is in me, so that I can use it to perceive the Divine - mind, memory, prudence, thinking and everything that moves me, apparently entrusted to me by God, so that I can apply all this in what the law of God commands me. But if we turn a skillful and insightful mind to evil, and God’s to what is displeasing to God, we thereby reject the “pledge” and turn good into treachery. 4. Let us now see how “communication” should be understood. Do you think there is anyone who needs a verbal reminder not to deceive his brother for the sake of money or some other form of communication? Unhappy is the soul that sinks deeper and deeper into this deception. But since man’s weakness is great, let us remember that the Apostle considered it necessary to command, “that you do nothing unlawfully or covetously to your brother: for the Lord is the avenger of all this” (1 Thess. 4:6). Now let us consider what “community of the Spirit” means. Listen to what the Apostle himself says about this: “If there is any consolation in Christ, if there is any joy of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if there is any mercy and compassion, then complete my joy” (Phil. 2:1-2). You see how the Apostle Paul understands the law of community. Listen also to what John says in the same spirit: “Our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3). And the Apostle Peter writes: “You have become partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pet. 1:4), in other words, fellow members. And again the Apostle Paul says: “What fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? What does light have in common with darkness? (2 Cor. 6:14). If “communication” of light with darkness is impossible, then there can be “communication” of light with light. Thus, if we have been given “communion” “with the Father and the Son” and the Holy Spirit, we must watch, lest through sin we reject this holy and Divine “communion”; for if we commit “works of darkness” (cf. Rom. 13:12), then we undoubtedly reject “fellowship” with the light. But the Apostle also tells us about fellowship with the saints (cf. Col. 1:12), and it is not surprising; after all, if it is said that we are in “communion” “with the Father and the Son,” then how then are we not with the saints? And not only with those on earth, but also with those in heaven? For Christ “by the blood of His cross” reconciled everything to Himself, “both earthly and heavenly” (Col. 1:20), so that earthly things could have communion with heavenly things. He points to this when He talks about what joy there is “over one sinner who repents” (cf. Luke 15:10), and he also says when he proclaims that those raised from the dead “are like the angels of God in heaven” (Matt. 22:30), and when he firmly promises people the Kingdom of Heaven (cf. Matt. 13:11). So, anyone who separates himself from this unity by his bad deeds and thoughts breaks and rejects this “communion.” After this it is said about theft (cf. Lev.6:2). Kidnappers can be good or evil. The good ones, without a doubt, are those about whom the Savior says: “Those who make effort delight” the “Kingdom of Heaven” (cf. Matt. 11:12). But there are also evil thieves, about whom the prophet said: “The spoils of the poor are in your houses” (Is. 3:14). However, the Apostle unequivocally states: “Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor fools, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10). But there is another way to steal unrighteously according to the spiritual understanding, according to which “the kingdom of heaven is taken away” in a praiseworthy manner. For example, if someone, not yet cleansed of vice, without separating himself from low and ungodly deeds, wants to secretly penetrate into the assembly of the saints and perfect ones and listen to the word explaining the mysterious rites performed, then such a person unrighteously steals the knowledge of the perfect. For we should remember the instructions of the Savior, where He says: “Neither do they put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the bottles burst, and the wine flows out, and the bottles are lost” (Matthew 9:17). This shows that souls not yet renewed, but remaining in the oldness of ungodliness, should not be entrusted with the secrets of the new mysteries, which the pure receive through Christ. 5. Further, the Lawgiver adds: “Either he will deceive his neighbor, or he will find what was lost” (Lev. 6:2-3). The law seems to literally dictate that if anyone finds something that someone else is looking for that has been lost, he should return it, so that it will not be lost to him. This is a useful teaching for those who listen, for many think that they are without sin if they keep what they have found and say: “God sent me this, to whom should I give it?” So let them know that if someone does not return what they have found, then this sin is tantamount to theft. But if the Lawgiver wanted only what is written to be understood, he could say: “If anyone finds something that someone else has lost or lost.” However, he wants us to see something more when he says: “He will find what is lost and hide from it” (Lev. 6:2), so that it is lost to the one who lost it. Those who sin beyond measure are called “destruction” in Scripture, as we read from the prophet Ezekiel: “You have become destruction 15, and you will not be forever” (Ezek. 27:36). Therefore, one who seeks many things finds destruction, as, for example, we say that heretics, inventing and defending their theories, find and distort many things in the Divine Scripture and “meet destruction.” For if they find many evidences and add their own fabrications to them, it must be said that they have met their destruction. But if one of them, having heard the word of God spoken faithfully in the Church, comes to his senses and understands that what he has found is destruction, it is said about him that he will return what he has found. And the one who “finds what was lost,” and the thief, and the one who does not return what “is entrusted to him” (Lev. 6:2), and who in any way darkens the life of his neighbor and “swears falsely” (Lev. 6:3) - he, as it is said, “must return” what is not his, at least according to the explanation that we already talked about when we reflected on the application of the fifth part. It is said: “And for his guilt, let him bring to the Lord as a guilt offering from the flock of sheep to the priest a ram without blemish, as the price of sin 16; and the priest will atone for him before the Lord, and whatever he has done, whatever he has done will be forgiven him” (Lev. 6:6-7). In the previous sermon we said what it means to sacrifice a “ram,” “bought at the price of the shekel of the sanctuary” (cf. Lev. 5:15). And now we need to explain this difference, for there the price of the holy shekel is established, but here it is simply said “price”, and neither the name of the money nor its quantity is indicated. Previously, where the law was given providing punishment for sin committed against the holy thing, we said that the money is called “sacred shekel”, and its name is “shekel”, and in another place - “obol”, in another - “drachma”, in others - “mina”, “talent”, “mite” or “denarius”. Here, however, none of these names are used; it only says that a ram must be brought “as the price of sin,” for there is a difference in sinning against something holy and not against something holy. Want to see this difference elsewhere? Listen to how in the book of Kings the priest Eli says to his sons: “If man sins against man, they will pray to God for him; If a person sins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?” (1 Samuel 2:25). Also, the Apostle John says: “There is sin leading to death: I do not mean that he should pray” (1 John 5:16). And since there is a difference between sins, we should understand from the spiritual law for which sins one must only buy a ram, and for which it must be purchased at the price of the holy shekel. Let's also find out who are selling Aries. I think that those who sell rams for sacrifice are the same ones who sell oil for lamps, about which the wise virgins say to the foolish: “Go rather to those who sell and buy for yourselves” (Matthew 25:9). Who are these people who sell either oil for lamps or sacrificial rams, if not the holy prophets and apostles, who, when I sin, instruct me and show me how to correct my mistakes and get rid of sin? Isaiah sells me a “ram” to sacrifice for sin, when he tells me, as if on behalf of God: “I am satisfied with the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle, and I do not want the blood of bulls and lambs and goats” (Is. 1:11). And a little further he adds: “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove your evil deeds from before my eyes; stop doing evil; learn to do good, seek truth, save the oppressed, defend the orphan, stand up for the widow. Then come and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they will be as white as wool” (Isa. 1:16–18). Daniel also sells me the “ram” when he says: “And we have no place for us to offer a sacrifice to You and gain Your mercy. But with a contrite heart and a humble spirit, let us be accepted. As with burnt offerings of rams and bulls, and as with thousands of fat lambs, so may our sacrifice before You now be acceptable to You” (Dan. 3:38-40). David also sells us a sacrificial ram when he says: “A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; You will not despise a broken and humble heart, O God” (Ps. 50:19). Thus, when prophets or apostles give instructions to sinners on how to get rid of sin or correct it, it is as if they were selling rams for sacrifice. But how much do they demand from buyers? I think the price of these rams is diligent reading of Scripture, attentive listening to the word of God and, most importantly, as I see it, diligent obedience, about which the Lord says: “Obedience is better than sacrifice, and obedience is better than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22). 6. It is further written: “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Command Aaron and his sons: This is the law of the burnt offering: the burnt offering shall remain in the place of burning on the altar all night until the morning, and let the fire of the altar burn on it; and the priest shall put on his linen robe, and put on his body a linen undergarment, and take away the ashes of the burnt offering which the fire burned on the altar, and lay them beside the altar; and let him take off his clothes, and put on other clothes, and take the ashes outside the camp to a clean place; and let the fire on the altar burn and not go out; and the priest shall light wood upon it every morning, and lay out the burnt offering upon it, and burn upon it the fat of the sacrifice of salvation; Let the fire burn continually on the altar and not go out” (Lev.6:8-13). Listen, too, that “the fire on the altar” must always burn if you want to be a priest of God, as it is written: “And you will be called priests of the Lord” (Is. 61:6); for it is also said to you: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for your own possession” (1 Pet. 2:9). Therefore, if you want to perform the priestly ministry of your soul, let the fire on your altar never go out. And the Lord teaches in the Gospel: “Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning” (Luke 12:35). So let the “fire” of faith and the “lamp” of knowledge always burn in you. What the Lord said in the Gospel - “let your loins be girded” - is now taught by the Lawgiver, saying that the priest must wear a linen robe over his loins, constantly renew the sacred fire and remove old ashes. And we must say: “The old things have passed away, everything is new” (2 Cor. 5:17). He wears an undergarment, or, as is said elsewhere, is girded with a linen robe, in order to restrain destructive voluptuousness with a belt of purity. The priest who serves at the throne of God must first of all be girded with purity, otherwise he will not be able to cleanse the old and establish the new unless he is clothed in linen. Previously, linen garments were often mentioned; So, when we talked about priestly attire, we mentioned that flax grows from the earth and is born without any impurities. It is necessary, however, to note that the priest puts on one robe when he makes sacrifices, and another when he goes out to the people. So did Paul, the wisest of the high priests and the wisest of the priests. When he was in the assembly of the perfect, or, as it were, in the Holy of Holies (cf. Exod. 30:29), he put on the garments of perfection and said: “We preach wisdom among the perfect, but the wisdom not of this age and not of the passing authorities of this age, but we preach the wisdom of God, secret, hidden, which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the authorities of this age learned; For if they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Cor. 2:6-8). And then, when he goes out to the people (cf. Num. 11:24), he changes his clothes, putting on different clothes, much more modest than before. And what does he say? “I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). So, you see how this most learned of priests, being as if inside, among the perfect, as if in the Holy of Holies, puts on one robe of teaching, but when he “goes out” to the weak, he changes the garments of the word and teaches less and gives some to drink “milk” as “babes” (cf. 1 Cor. 3:1-2), to others “vegetables” as “the weak” (cf. Rom.14:2), and to others he gives “solid food” - of course, to those “whose senses are trained by skill to distinguish between good and evil” (Heb.5:14). We see that Paul knew how to change clothes and wear one among the people and another when ministering in the sanctuary. However, the High Priest of high priests and the Priest of priests is our Lord and Savior, about whom the Apostle said that He is the “High Priest of good things to come” (Heb. 9:11). Listen to how He is the first to do all this, setting an example for His disciples to follow. The Gospel says this: “Jesus spoke all these things to the people in parables, and without a parable he did not speak to them” (Matthew 13:34), “but he explained everything to his disciples in private” (Mark 4:34). You see how they teach us that the high priest should use one garment when he goes out to the people, and another when he ministers in the sanctuary as taught and “perfect” (1 Cor. 2:6). Therefore, we must choose and act in such a way that Jesus does not find us so unprepared and mired in worldly cares that he would speak to us, as well as to the people, in “parables,” as if we, seeing, did not see, and, hearing, did not hear (cf. Matt. 13:13). So let us, on the contrary, become worthy of Christ finding us among those to whom he says: “It has been given to you to know the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 13:11). 7. It further says: “This is the law of the grain offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the Lord at the altar; and he shall take with his handful of the grain offering, and the flour and oil, and all the incense 17 that is on the sacrifice, and burn it on the altar: it is a sweet aroma, for a memorial before the Lord; and Aaron and his sons shall eat the rest of it; They shall eat it unleavened in the holy place; they shall eat it in the courtyard of the tabernacle of meeting; it should not be baked with leaven. This I give them as a portion of My sacrifices. It is the holy of holies 18, like the sin offering and the trespass offering. All male descendants of Aaron may eat it. This is an eternal portion throughout your generations from the sacrifices of the Lord. Everyone who touches them will be sanctified 19” (Lev. 6:14–18). It talks about how priests should make sacrifices, and regulations are given, following which God is worshiped, and the people are purified, or even how priests and ministers should receive everything they need for life. The measure called “tenth of an ephah” (cf. Lev. 6:20) was established for the offering of fine “wheat flour.” “Oil” is poured on it and “incense” is placed on it. But it is said that when the priest approaches the altar, “let him take a handful of the grain offering,” so that in the fullness of his hand there will be “oil poured on it” and “incense” laid on it, so that the drink offering and sacrifice will be “a sweet aroma” to God. And let, as it is said, the priests eat the rest. However, the law prescribes: “They shall eat it unleavened in the holy place; they shall eat it in the courtyard of the tabernacle of meeting; You must not bake it with leaven” (Lev.6:16-17), for it is said: “This I give to them as a share of My sacrifices. This is the holy of holies” (Lev.6:17). The law also requires that only men eat this grain offering; women cannot touch it. And it is added that “everyone who touches them will be sanctified” (Lev.6:18). But if we want to know about those who are Jews “in appearance” (cf. Rom. 2:28), why one is said this way and another is said differently, they will give us an exhaustive answer: this is what he who gave the law thinks; no one discusses his God. And, moving away from this last word to others in other places, let us ask what they will say about how everyone who touches this sacred sacrifice is sanctified (cf. Lev. 6:18). And if a murderer or a wicked person or a fornicator or an unclean person touches her, will he be sanctified? After all, no one is excluded, but it is said: “Everyone who touches them will be sanctified.” Let us assume that their church remains intact, that sacrifices are made and the victims are burned. And then someone unclean, evil and wicked enters the church, sees the flesh prepared for sacrifice, and touches it. Will he be immediately declared sanctified? Of course, in no way does the nature of things and religious truth allow such an explanation. Therefore, in order to understand the law, we must turn to the Gospel and Apostolic interpretation. For if the gospel had not taken the veil from the face of Moses (cf. 2 Cor. 3:14), it would have been impossible to see his face or understand his explanations. Look how in the Apostolic Church the disciples adhere to the words written by Moses, defend them, for they can be fulfilled and were spoken for a reason. And let the Jewish teachers, following the letter, accept these words as impossible and absurd. 8. Thus, the only and perfect sacrifice, of which all these sacrifices served as a prototype, is Christ who was slain (cf. 1 Cor. 5:7). And if anyone touches the flesh of this sacrifice, he will immediately be “sanctified” if he is unclean, and if he suffers from an illness, he will be healed. So the “woman who suffered with hemorrhage” and about whom I spoke a little earlier, realized that Christ was this flesh of the sacrifice, the flesh of the “holy of holies.” That’s why she came to Him, because she truly realized that He is the flesh of the “holy of holies.” But she did not dare to touch this sacred flesh, for she had not yet been cleansed, had not yet comprehended what perfection is, but she “touched His garment” that covered this holy flesh, and took “strength” from this flesh by the touch of faith, which cleansed it of impurity, “and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease” (cf. Mark 5:25 ff.). Don’t you think it is better to understand the words of Moses in this sense when he says: “Whoever touches its flesh 20 will be sanctified” (Lev. 6:27)? For, as we have already explained, all “of the Gentiles” (cf. Acts 15:19) who believe touch this flesh. And the one who said: “For we too were once foolish, disobedient, lost, slaves of lusts and various pleasures, we lived in malice and envy, we were vile, we hated each other. But when the grace and love of our Savior God appeared, He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:3-5). And in another place it is said: “And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11). For, as we said, if anyone touches the flesh of Jesus in the way we explained before, with unshakable faith, and comes to Jesus as the Word made flesh (cf. John 1:14), with unquestioning obedience, then he has touched the flesh of this sacrifice and has become sanctified. Such a one touched the flesh of the Word, about which the Apostle says: “Solid food is characteristic of those who are perfect, whose senses are trained by skill to distinguish between good and evil” (Heb. 5:14). The Word of God is also touched by the one who examines It from the inside and can explain their innermost secrets. So we, if we have such an understanding that we can discern by spiritual interpretation what is written in the law and are able to bring the hidden secret of individual words to the light of more accurate knowledge, if we can instruct the Church so that nothing from what we read remains unclear and there is nothing incomprehensible, then perhaps they will say about us that we have touched the holy flesh of the Word of God and have been sanctified. And in the same way I understand what was said: “All the male descendants of Aaron may eat it” (Lev. 6:18). For neither a woman nor a licentious and careless soul can eat the holy flesh of the Word of God. Only a man eats it. After all, only men are counted in the census (cf. Num. 1:2); Women and children are not counted anywhere. So the Apostle says: “When he became a man, he left behind his children” (1 Cor. 13:11). Thus, such a “husband” and such a man is sought who can eat holy flesh, but not everywhere, but only “in the courtyard of the tabernacle of meeting” (cf. Lev. 6:16). So let those who divide the churches hear this and, introducing alien and false theories, think that they can eat holy flesh outside the church of God and the court of the Lord. And those sacrifices that are performed contrary to the provisions of the law are wicked. It is commanded to be eaten “in the holy place, in the courtyard of the tabernacle of meeting.” The “court of the tabernacle of meeting” is that which is surrounded by a wall of faith, supported by the pillars of hope, strengthened by the fulness of charity. Where this is not the case, one can neither accept holy flesh nor eat it. 9 . It is good that the sacrifice of fine wheat flour is offered by the full “handful” with oil and incense “for a pleasing aroma to the Lord” (Lev. 6:15,21). The Apostle Paul briefly explained this passage when he wrote to the Philippians: “I am pleased, having received from Epaphroditus what you sent as incense, an acceptable sacrifice, acceptable to God” (Phil. 4:18). By this he shows that through mercy towards the poor, oil is poured as a sacrifice to God, and the priestly service performed by the saints adds the sweetness of incense. It is prescribed, however, to bring wheat flour by the full handful, for the same Apostle says: “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly; and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Cor. 9:6). Finally, in this sacrifice, which is said to be offered to the Lord, there is something called “in remembrance.” If I could meditate on the law of the Lord “day and night” (cf. Ps. 1:2) and keep in mind all the Scriptures, I would offer a sacrifice “as a memorial before the Lord.” Of course, we cannot remember everything, but we will entrust to memory at least what is now taught and read in church, so that when we leave the church and do works of mercy and fulfill God’s commands, we offer a sacrifice with incense and oil “as a memorial before the Lord” (cf. Lev. 6:15). In this way you learn that everything you hear in the church is like pure animals; meditating on them, you will recall them in your memory and compose what was said in your heart. But if something turns out to be higher and beyond your memory and beyond your understanding, do as the following command commands you: “And the rest of it [the grain offering] let Aaron and his sons eat” (Lev. 6:16). If something is beyond your understanding or beyond your memory, leave it to Aaron. In other words, give it to the priest, give it to the teacher, so he can eat it, reason about it, explain it. So Moses speaks of the same thing in another place: “Ask your father, and he will tell you, your elders, and they will tell you” (Deut. 32:7). For they know how this unleavened bread should be eaten and how it should be explained “with unleavened bread of purity and truth” (cf. 1 Cor. 5:8). 10. It goes on to say: “And the Lord spake to Moses, saying, This is the offering of Aaron and his sons, which they shall bring to the Lord on the day of his anointing: a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a constant offering, half of it for the morning and half for the evening; it must be cooked in a frying pan in oil; soaked in oil, offer it in pieces, just as a grain offering is broken into pieces; offer it as a pleasing aroma to the Lord; and the priest anointed in his place from among his sons shall do this: this is the everlasting statute of the Lord. All of it must be burned; and every grain offering from the priest must be burned and not eaten” (Lev. 6:19-23). In other institutions, the high priest, making sacrifices, performs service for the people; however, what is commanded here, the priest does for himself, and this applies only to him. For he was commanded “on the day of his anointing” to offer “a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a standing sacrifice in a pan in oil” (Lev. 6:20–21). It is offered “in pieces” “for a pleasant aroma” (cf. Lev. 6:21), and this should be an “everlasting statute” that is passed on to descendants. A requirement was added that every “sacrifice” of the priest, that is, the one he makes for himself, should be “not eaten”, but “burned”; in other words, consumed by fire. What the letter commands is obvious. And yet I want to know what image is embedded in it (cf. 1 Cor. 10:11). One must offer half the sacrifice in the morning and half in the evening; a certain measure of flour - “in a frying pan in oil.” See if this priestly sacrifice is not, as I believe, the very law proclaimed by Moses, half of which is offered in the morning and half in the evening. It is prescribed to divide the law into two parts - the letter and the spirit, of course. And indeed, the half, that is, the letter, is commanded to be brought in the morning, that is, in the early times of the law, for to those to whom it was then given according to the letter, it brought a new day and a new light. And the other part of it is prescribed to be brought in the evening, for the coming of the Savior is given to us in the evening; and this is the “half,” that is, the understanding, or spirit, of the law, for “the law is spiritual” (cf. Rom. 7:14), to offer a fresh sacrifice, “saturated with oil.” Oil is related to compassion, which should abound in the priesthood. Freshness reflects subtle and pure understanding. I also think that the phrase “in the frying pan” means the requirement that the priest be focused, dry, stern and have neither a weakness for luxury nor a penchant for pleasure. And the fact that this sacrifice should be offered “in pieces” “for a pleasant aroma,” as I see it, should be understood as pieces of priests, when the letter of the law is crushed and the food of the inner spirit hidden in it is extracted. And therefore, when “the people” listen, they are satisfied. As it is said in the Gospel, the Lord also does this when he blesses bread and gives it to the disciples, and they, breaking it, distribute these pieces to the people. And when everyone is satisfied, there remains, as it is said, “twelve baskets full of pieces” (cf. Matt. 14:14 ff.). Thus, it is a sacrifice of pieces, where we discuss various aspects of the sacred law one by one in order to obtain spiritual and pure food from them. It is also said that “the law is eternal.” The Apostle John in the book of Revelation says that the law is the “everlasting gospel” (cf. Rev. 14:6). And though we read that "the law is eternal," I would that those who would follow the letter of the law would tell me how the law of this sacrifice can be "everlasting"; for when the church was destroyed, the altar was overthrown, and all the objects called sacred were profaned, this ordinance regarding sacrifices could not be preserved. How then do they call eternal something that obviously stopped long ago and has already ended? There remains only one explanation: according to this part, the law is called eternal because “the law is spiritual” (cf. Rom. 7:14) and through it spiritual sacrifices can be made, which are never interrupted or ceased. For they are not accomplished in a certain place that can be destroyed, or in a time that is subject to change, but in the faith of the faithful and in the heart of the sacrificer. The statement “let no one eat the sacrifice of the priest, but it will all be a burnt offering 21” (cf. Lev. 6:23), undoubtedly refers to the person of our Lord and Savior, for from His sacrifice “no one eats,” but it is all a “burnt offering.” Here it should be perceived as a sacrifice of word and teaching, from which “no one eats,” that is, no one disputes it, no one changes it, but it is a “burnt offering,” for everything said in it, everything established by it, is preserved in eternal sanctification. And there is no one so foolish and wicked who could belittle these words, for which we should have admiration and reverence, offered to God as a “burnt offering.” For “heaven and earth will pass away, but [His] words will not pass away” (Matthew 24:35), but will always be there, just as He Himself will always be. Through Him to God the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:11; Rev. 1:6). About what was said: “This is the law regarding the sin offering: the sin offering must be slaughtered before the Lord in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered” (Lev. 6:25) and so on. 1. “And the Lord spake to Moses, saying, Tell Aaron and his sons, This is the law of the sin offering: The sin offering shall be slain before the Lord in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered; this is the holy of holies 22; the priest who makes the sin offering must eat it; it must be eaten in a holy place, in the courtyard of the tabernacle of meeting; everything that touches its meat will be sanctified; and if her blood is spattered on clothing, then wash it in a holy place; the clay vessel in which it was boiled must be broken; if it was boiled in a copper vessel, then it should be cleaned and washed with water; all the male sex of the priestly race may eat of it: it is the holy of holies. But every sin offering, the blood of which is brought into the tabernacle of meeting for atonement in the sanctuary, is not to be eaten; it must be burned with fire” (Lev. 6:24–30). If we do not accept these words, read in the Church, differently than their literal meaning conveys, as we have often said, then they will become more of an obstacle to the Christian faith and its downfall, rather than a sermon and instruction. But if we examine and discover in what sense this is said, and turn, as is proper, to God, who wrote all this, then the one who hears will become a Jew, but not “outwardly,” but “inwardly,” according to the distinction of Jews given by the Apostle, who said: “He is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is the circumcision that is outwardly in the flesh; But he who is a Jew inwardly, and that circumcision which is in the heart is in the Spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not from men, but from God” (Rom. 2:28-29). It is not from understanding this difference between visible and invisible Jews that wicked heretics flee, not only from these Scriptures, but from God Himself, who gave people the law and the Holy Scriptures. They also invented for themselves another god besides the One who “created the heavens and the earth” (cf. Gen. 1:1), although the truth of faith clearly states that there is only one God of the law and the Gospels, the Creator of the visible and the invisible (cf. 2 Cor. 4:18). For the visible is in a higher relationship with the invisible, as the Apostle says: “For His invisible things, His eternal power and Godhead, have been visible from the foundation of the world through the consideration of creatures” (Rom. 1:20). Thus, just as the visible and the invisible, the earth and the sky, the soul and the flesh, the body and the spirit are related, and this world is the result of this unity, so we must believe that the Holy Scripture comes from the visible and the invisible, both from the body-letter, which is undoubtedly something visible, and from the soul, the awareness of which is found within, and from the spirit, for it contains in itself something “heavenly,” as the Apostle said: “They serve the image and shadow of the heavenly.” (Heb.8:5) And if this is so, then let us call on God, who created the body, soul, and spirit of Scripture - the body, of course, for those who came before us, the soul for us, and the spirit for those who will inherit eternal life in the future (cf. Luke 18:30, 18), through which they enter the Kingdom of Heaven - and let us now try to find what we call the soul of the law, insofar as it relates to the present. I don’t know, however, whether we can ascend to his spirit in what was read to us about the sacrifices. For it must be shown to us that the one whom we call a Jew “inwardly” (cf. Rom. 2:29) is circumcised not in the flesh, but in the heart, and eats of this sacrifice not in the flesh, but in the spirit. 2. Now let's see who are those to whom the law applies. It says: “And the Lord spake to Moses, saying, Tell Aaron and his sons, This is the law of the sin offering” (Lev. 6:24-25) and so on, which was just read. And remember how we said a little earlier that the law was given not only to them, but, as it was said, one thing was prescribed for the children of Israel, another for the sons of Aaron, and another, as we have already noted, for Moses and Aaron. There is a law that was given to Moses alone, and it does not even apply to Aaron. Who is enlightened by the Divine gift of understanding such subtle differences so much that he could speak about them openly and clearly? In the next part we see the commandment of the Lord given only to Moses, that the breast of a ram without blemish was assigned to Moses, as the Lord taught him (cf. Lev. 8:29). And in this neither Aaron nor his sons can be partakers. The law relating to a ram without blemish states that it should not be given either to Aaron or his sons, much less to the other sons of Israel, but only to Moses, who is a friend of God (cf. Wisdom 7:27). But what is the need to anticipate what will be read next? In the meantime, the law given to Aaron and his sons is read, “the law of the sin offering,” that is, the sacrifice offered “for sin.” It says, “The sin offering must be slain before the Lord in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered; this is the holy of holies” (Lev.6:25). Much, of course, has been said before with God's help about the rituals of sacrifice according to spiritual understanding. But now, if the grace of the Lord comes upon us and if you help us with your prayers, we will add what the Lord gives. Some sacrifices are offered only to God, and no man takes from them (cf. Lev. 1:13,17). Some are assigned to Aaron the priest and his sons, others to his sons and daughters, so that even the priest’s wife can eat from them (cf. Lev. 10:14). Others are for the priests, their sons and daughters, and even the sons of Israel may eat some of them (cf. Lev. 7:10). And, of course, in these sacrifices, from which the children of Israel may eat, the priests and their sons undoubtedly have their share. However, the children of Israel are not allowed to eat from all the sacrifices that the priests eat. Therefore, taking into account the differences between the sacrifices, that which, as we said, is intended for God alone, from which neither Moses nor Aaron nor their sons can eat, and they cannot have a share in it, sometimes, as we see, is called “holocaustomata” 23 (cf. Lev. 1:3), and sometimes not “holocaustomata”, but “holocarpoma” (cf. Lev. 5:10) - as we would say, a fruitful sacrifice, which is certainly offered to God. Thus, this is the first decree of sacrifices, provided, of course, you either zealously observe or diligently preserve in memory what has been read and considered, and if either what we have said or what you have read in the Divine books does not pass in vain upon your ears. So the first offering is holocaustomata; for no other sacrifice to God should be named first. The second sacrifice is made for the priests to eat. The third is the one that the children of Israel, that is, those who bring it, can eat and touch. But it is not for all the sons of Israel, but only for those who are “pure” (Lev.7:19); only the pure are commanded to eat from these sacrifices. But I do not want you – a Jew “inwardly” (cf. Rom. 2:29) – to look for all these sacrifices in visible animals and think that they should be found in dumb animals, which should be offered to God. Look for these sacrifices within yourself and you will find them in your soul. Understand that within you are whole herds of bulls, those that were blessed in Abraham. Realize that within you are flocks of goats and sheep in which the patriarchs are blessed and multiplied. Understand also that you are the birds of the air. And don’t let our words surprise you that all this is inside you; realize that you are another, smaller world, and you have the sun, moon and stars. For if this were not so, the Lord would never have said to Abraham: “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can count them. And he said to him, “You will have so many descendants” (Gen. 15:5). Do not be surprised, I say that God said to Abraham: “I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven” (Gen. 22:17). This certainly applies to those who live wisely, according to faith, like his descendants (cf. Rom. 3:26), who adhere to sacred laws and decrees. Listen now to what the Savior says to the disciples: “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). Or do you doubt that the sun and the moon are within you, you who are called “the light of the world”? Do you want to hear something more about yourself so that you don't consider yourself low and insignificant and neglect your life as something insignificant? This world has a ruler - Almighty God, Who rules over it and lives in it, as He Himself says through the prophet: “Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord" (Jer. 23:24). Listen to what Almighty God says about you, that is, what He says about people: “I will dwell in them and walk in them” (2 Cor. 6:16). He adds something else that relates to you. He says: “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor. 6:18). This world has the Son of God. He also has the Holy Spirit, just as the prophet says: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were created, and by the spirit of his mouth all their host” (Ps. 32:6); and similar to this in another place: “The Spirit of the Lord fills the world” (Wis. 1:7). Listen also to what Christ says to you: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). It is said about the Holy Spirit: “I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy” (Joel 2:28). And since you see that you have within yourself everything that is the world, you should not doubt that within you there are also sacrificed animals, and from them you should offer a spiritual sacrifice. 3. But we explained all this as best we could earlier. Now let's talk about what is said: “The sin offering must be slaughtered before the Lord in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered” (Lev. 6:25). See how great is the mercy and generosity of God; where the burnt offering, offered to God alone, is slaughtered, there the “sin offering” is also commanded to be offered. By this is meant one who has sinned and repents, turning to God (cf. 1 Thess. 1:9), who sacrifices a “broken spirit” (cf. Ps. 50:19) “in a holy place” in order to unite him with what belongs to God. Therefore, the “sin offering” is slaughtered in the same place as the “burnt offering” - “before the Lord” (cf. Lev. 6:25). You can offer a sacrifice “before the Lord” and make a sacrifice not “before the Lord.” Who then is the one who makes a sacrifice “before the Lord”? I think this is the one who does not go “from the presence of the Lord,” like Cain, but is horrified and trembles (cf. Gen. 4:16,14). And if someone who has faith to stand “before the Lord” does not flee “from the presence of the Lord” and the consciousness of his sinfulness does not turn away his gaze, then he makes a sacrifice “before the Lord.” That is why it is said that the “sacrifice” offered “for sin” is the “holy of holies” (cf. Lev. 6:25). If you are still following what is being said, then we dare to say something more. Namely, what is the “sacrifice” offered “for sin” and the “holy of holies” if not the Only Begotten Son of God (cf. John 3:18), my Lord Jesus Christ? He alone is the “sin offering” and He is the “holy of holies.” However, it is quite difficult to understand the phrase “the priest who makes the sin offering must eat it” (cf. Lev. 6:26), for what is said to be eaten apparently refers to sin, as elsewhere the prophet says of the priests that “they feed on the sins of my people” (Hos. 4:8). From this it is also clear that the priest must eat the sin of the sacrificer. We often use examples from Holy Scripture to show that Christ is also a sacrifice offered for the sin of the world and the priest making the sacrifice. The Apostle explains this in one word when he says: “Who through the Holy Spirit offered himself without blemish to God” (Heb. 9:14). Thus, the priest who eats “the sins of the people” is the One about whom it is said: “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Ps. 109:4). How does He eat the sins of the people? Listen to what is written: “The Lord your God is a consuming fire” (Deut. 4:24). What does this fire-god consume? Will we be so unthinking as to think that God the fire destroys wood, straw or hay (cf. 1 Cor. 3:12)? God the fire burns the sins of men, destroys them, consumes them, cleanses them, as He says in another place: “With fire I will cleanse you” 24 (Is. 1:25). This means that it is the sin of the one who makes a “sacrifice for sin,” for “He took on our sins” (Matthew 8:17) and ate them and, like fire, consumed them. And, on the contrary, those who remain in sin, as it is said, “will be swallowed up by death,” for it is written: “Death will swallow them up” 25 (Ps. 49:15). I think that Christ said about this in the Gospel: “I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I would like it to kindle already!” (Luke 12:49). And my land will be burned with Divine fire, so that “thorns and thistles” will no longer grow on it (cf. Gen. 3:18). Therefore, you must understand what is written: “A fire has kindled in My anger and is consuming the earth and its produce” (Deut. 32:22). So, the law says: “The priest who makes a sin offering must eat it in a holy place, in the courtyard of the tabernacle of meeting” (Lev. 6:26). For it is reasonable that both priests and ministers of the Church accept the “sins of the people” following the example of Him who gave the Church the priesthood, and, imitating their Teacher, grant the people forgiveness of sins. And these clergy of the Church must be so perfect and trained in the affairs of the priesthood that, without sinning themselves, they eat the sins of the people “in the holy place, in the courtyard of the tabernacle of meeting” (Lev. 6:26). But what does it mean “there is sin in a holy place”? Moses came to the “holy place,” as it was said to him: “The place on which you stand is holy ground” (Ex. 3:5). Likewise, the “holy place” in the Church of God is perfect faith and “love from a pure heart and a good conscience” (1 Tim. 1:5). Let anyone who remains among those present in the Church understand that he is standing “in a holy place.” For it should not be sought on the earth, over which God once pronounced judgment, saying: “Cursed is the earth because of you” (Gen. 3:17). So, a “holy place” is a strong faith and a holy life. And therefore let the priest of the Church, established in this place, eat away “the sins of the people,” so that when he slaughters the sacrifice of God’s Word and offers the sacrifices of sacred doctrine (cf. 1 Timothy 1:10), he may cleanse the consciences of those who hear from sins. And thus the priest will eat the flesh of the sacrifice "in the court of the tabernacle of meeting" (Lev. 6:26), when he can understand what is the reason for these described mysteries pertaining to the court of the tabernacle of meeting. For no one comes near these secrets and hidden courts. They are revealed only to priests if they can penetrate these secrets with their wisdom and mystical understanding. I know, however, that there are other, more secret teachings in the Church that even priests cannot approach. I am talking about where the ark of the covenant is hidden with the vessel for manna and the “tables of the covenant” (cf. Heb. 9:4). And indeed, even the priests themselves cannot enter here, “but only the high priest,” and even then “once a year” (cf. Heb. 9:7) after strictly established sacramental cleansings. There are other teachings of the Church that the Levites can also approach, but they are lower than those to which the priests are granted access. I know that there are also such teachings that the sons of Israel, that is, the laity, but not foreigners, can approach, unless they already belong to the Church of the Lord, for the third generation Egyptian will enter the Church of God (cf. Deut. 23:8). I believe that the faith in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, which is possessed by all united in God's Church, is mystically called the third generation. And yet it should be known that although the priests are allowed to eat from the sacrifices, not everything is given to them, but another part of them is offered to God and given over to the fire of the altar, so that we can see that although much has been given to us to know and understand from the Divine Scriptures, there is also something that should be left to God. And since this knowledge exceeds our understanding, and its meaning is unattainable for us, for fear that we will present it differently than in its true light, it is better to consign it to fire. And therefore, it was in this place, in the tabernacle of the Lord, that, as much as we could, we consumed what was given to people to eat. But if it is incomprehensible to your ears or beyond our ability to speak, then let us commit to the fire that part of the sacrifice that is commanded to be offered on the altar of the Lord “for sin.” 4. It is said: “This is the law about the ram, that is, about the trespass offering 26: this is a great shrine; this ram, that is, the trespass offering, must be slaughtered in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered” (Lev. 7:1ff.) and so on. It may seem that in Divine Scripture the word "transgression" is often used to denote sin, and "sin" to denote transgression, without any difference of meaning; but here they differ. For previously the ritual and order of offering sacrifices “for sin” were spoken of (cf. Lev. 6:17 ff.), but now it is commanded separately to offer a “sacrifice for transgression” (Lev. 7:2). And although everything is prescribed to be done in the same order and with the same severity, and, finally, it is added: “The law is the same for both the offering for sin and the offering for a trespass” (Lev. 7:7), yet there is a desire to show that there is a certain difference in how individual sacrifices should be offered. I think that in this the offense committed is a little less serious than sin, for, as we see, it is said that “sin” is “to death” (cf. 1 John 5:16-17). But nowhere does it say that an offense leads to death. However, I know that some thinkers understand this difference this way: when we do not do what we should, we commit a fault, and when we do what we should not, we commit a sin. But since we do not always find this distinction in Scripture, we cannot claim that these are two different concepts. Therefore, the “transgression” offering should be accepted in the same traditional way as we showed above in relation to the “sin” offering. Likewise, it is prescribed to place on the altar “the fat that covers the entrails, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, that is on the flanks, and the caul that is on the liver” (Lev. 7:3-4). And you, hearing this, know that you must commit to the fire of the altar everything that is coarse and fat in yourself, everything that covers your “inside”, so that your “inside” is cleansed and you can say after David: “Bless the Lord, my soul, and do not forget all His benefits, and all my inwardness is His holy name” (Ps. 103:1). For if this fatness covering your “inside” is not removed, it will not be able to gain either clear spiritual perception or understanding of wisdom, and therefore it will not be able to glorify the Lord. If you have removed all the fat from the kidneys and other internal organs, then, having truly cleansed yourself from every vice of passion, you have stabbed the victim “for the transgression” and offered “a sacrifice to God for a sweet aroma” (cf. Eph. 5:2). It is said: “The offering for a transgression belongs to the priest, who makes atonement through it” (Lev.7:5,7). Let the priests of the Lord who preside over the churches know that this portion is given to them along with those whom they must cleanse from wrongdoing. But what does it mean to “clear a wrongdoing”? If, by convincing, admonishing, instructing and enlightening a sinner, you lead him to repentance, turn him away from errors, deliver him from vices, and he is transformed so that God becomes merciful to him, then they will say about you that you have cleared him of his wrongdoing. Therefore, if you have become such a priest and such have become your teachings and words, then a portion of the converts was given to you with those whom you converted, and their merits became your reward, and their salvation your glory. Doesn’t the Apostle show this when he says: “Whoever’s work that he has built endures will receive his reward” (1 Cor. 3:14)? So let the priests of the Lord understand when their share is given, and let them be careful in performing their service. Let them not be drawn into idle and senseless vanity, but know that they have no other part with God than that which they offer “for sin,” that is, that by which they turn the sinner away from the path of sin. It should also be noted that what is offered “as a burnt offering” is the “inner parts,” but the outer parts are not sacrificed to the Lord. They do not bring skin to the Lord, they do not give it “as a burnt offering.” Such was the son of Judah, whose name was Er, which means “skin.” “Ir was not acceptable in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death” (Gen. 38:7); therefore nothing of the kind is sacrificed to the Lord. 5. “And every grain offering that is baked in the oven, and whatever is cooked in a pot or pan, belongs to the priest who offers it” (Lev. 7:9). What are we saying? Do we really think that Almighty God, who answered Moses from heaven, will teach about the “oven,” “pot,” and “frying pan,” so that the people would learn from Moses that God would be merciful to them if they baked something “in the oven,” boiled “in the pot,” or fried it “in the pan”? But the children of the Church “did not know Christ in this way,” did not “learn in Him” (cf. Eph. 4:20–21) through the apostles, if they can admit something so empty and insignificant about the “God of glory” (cf. Ps. 28:3). Let us rather see what this “meal offering baked in the oven” means, and how this “oven” is to be understood in the spiritual sense given to the Church by the Holy Spirit. But where can I find an approach to the Divine Scripture in order to understand how it teaches me what “oven” means? I must call on my Lord Jesus to help the one who seeks to find and to open to the one who knocks (cf. Luke 11:10) and help me find in the Scriptures the “oven” where I could prepare a sacrifice that God will accept. And it seems to me that I found it in the prophet Hosea, where he says: “All of them [blasphemers] are burned like an oven” (Hosea 7:7). And he also says: “They make their heart like an oven” (Hos. 7:6). Thus, the “furnace” is the human heart. But this heart, if it is kindled by vices or inflamed by the devil, does not bake, but burns. However, if it is ignited by the One who said: “I have come to bring fire on the earth” (Luke 12:49), then the bread of the Divine Scripture and the word of God, which I receive in my heart, I do not burn to destruction, but bake for sacrifice. And, perhaps, about what is “inside”, about that hidden thing that is not so easy for people to reveal, it is said that it is prepared “in the oven.” In Divine Scripture there is much similar to this, as, for example, in Ezekiel, when he describes either the cherubim or God and all this bewitching vision (cf. Eze. 1 and 10). If all this is not cooked “in the oven”, then it will be raw and cannot be eaten. For it should not be thought that God is represented as an animal in the form of a lion or a calf or an eagle. If this is so, then they should not be presented as raw, but they should be baked “in the oven” of your heart. So, there are three ways to prepare a sacrifice - “in the oven”, “in a pot” and “in a frying pan”. It seems to me that the “furnace,” due to its shape, means something deeper, inexplicable in the Divine Scriptures. “Pot” represents something that can be understood and explained if you think about it often and for a long time. And a “frying pan” is something that is well known and understandable without explanation. For we often say that there are three levels of understanding of the Divine Scriptures: historical, moral and mystical; by this we mean body, soul and spirit. And these three levels of understanding reflect the three ways of preparing sacrifices. However, in other places, namely those that we spoke about when we remembered the sacrifices, the sacred basket of perfection is mentioned (cf. Lev. 8:26), in which the three loaves are commanded to be kept. Do you see how the shapes of all the victims are consistent? And what else is meant by the “basket of perfection”, in which three loaves should be placed, if not the Divine Scriptures - food served three times to those who listen? Would you like us to give examples of the same mystery from the Gospels? Let us remember the words of the Lord when He talks about how someone came to his friend “at midnight,” knocked on his door and said: “Lend me three loaves of bread, for my friend came to me from the road, and I have nothing to offer him” (Luke 11:5–6). Here, speaking briefly, “night” is the time of this life (cf. Rom. 13:12), and the three loaves are those of which one is prepared “in the oven,” the other “in a pot,” and the third “in a frying pan.” 6. Then it is said: “And every grain offering, mixed with oil and dry, belongs to all the sons of Aaron, both one and the other” (Lev. 7:10). What does an offering mean, “mixed with oil” or “dry”? The “salvation sacrifice” must be offered mixed with oil, and the “sin sacrifice” must be offered without oil, dry. For it is said: “Let no oil be poured on it, for it is a sacrifice for sin” (Lev. 5:11). Therefore, since it is a “sin offering,” it is not anointed with the “oil of gladness” (cf. Ps. 44:8), and the sweetness of incense is not placed on it. For the Apostle says about those who sin: “I will mourn for many who have sinned before and did not repent” (2 Cor. 12:21). Such a “fragrance” is not “pleasant” (cf. Lev. 2:9), for it is said about the sinner: “My wounds stink and fester because of my madness” (Ps. 37:6). Meanwhile, we noted this in the previous chapter, where the law of the sacrifice “for transgression” is described (cf. Lev. 7:2). However, I have no doubt that much is hidden from us and exceeds our understanding, for we are not worthy of it and cannot say: “But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16). For He alone is the Mind that reveals everything contained in the law of sacrifices and in the mystery of the letter. After all, if I were worthy of being given the “mind of Christ,” then I could say: “We have received the Spirit from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God” (1 Cor. 2:12). But now, content with the insignificance of our mind, let's look at the beginning of the second chapter. 7. It says: “This is the law about the sacrifice of salvation that is offered to the Lord: if anyone offers it for praise, then with the sacrifice of praise 27 he must offer unleavened bread mixed with oil, and unleavened cakes anointed with oil, and fine wheat flour soaked in oil; in addition to flat cakes, let him bring leavened bread as his offering, with the sacrifice of thanksgiving for salvation; let him bring one thing from his entire offering as an offering to the Lord: this belongs to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the sacrifice of salvation; The meat of the peace offering of thanksgiving must be eaten on the day of its offering, and it must not be left until the morning” (Lev. 7:11–15). The sacrifice called saving is divided into two parts: one is called the “sacrifice of praise”, the other is called the “sacrifice of prayer 28” (cf. Lev. 7:16). But each of them is called a “saving sacrifice” (cf. Lev. 7:15). And since now we do not offer sacrifices according to the letter, let’s see which of us has come to the extent to offer God a “sacrifice of salvation” and a “sacrifice of praise” (cf. Ps. 49:23). I think the one who praises God in all His deeds, and through whom what is said by our Lord and Savior is fulfilled: “Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Therefore, he brings a “sacrifice of praise” for whose deeds, teaching, word, lifestyle and instructions glorify and bless God, just as, on the contrary, there are those about whom it is said: “For your sake the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles” (Rom. 2:24; cf. Is. 52:5). But notice how here we see “unleavened bread mixed with oil, and unleavened cakes anointed with oil, and fine flour saturated with oil” (cf. Lev.7:12), and how the sacrifice of salvation is offered through a tripartite sacrament and how, finally, it is said: “This belongs to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the sacrifice of salvation” (Lev.7:14). Previously it was said: “It belongs to the priest, who cleanses through it” (Lev. 7:7). It says here: “This belongs to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the peace offering” (Lev. 7:14). What a worthy order: first one must seek purification, and then offer the “sacrifice of salvation.” For salvation is not for everyone, but for the one who first purifies himself before God. It is said: “The meat of the saving sacrifice of praise also belongs to them” (Lev.7:15). We have often said that meat in Scripture signifies solid food (cf. Heb. 5:14) and perfect knowledge. For I know from Scripture that one food for the soul is “milk,” another is “vegetables,” and another is “meat.” The Apostle puts it this way: “I fed you with milk, and not with solid food, for you were not yet able, and even now you are not able, because you are still carnal” (1 Cor. 3:2-3). And in another place: “Some are confident that they can eat everything, but the weak eat vegetables” (Rom. 14:2); and he also says: “Solid food is for the perfect” (Heb. 5:14) and so on. Therefore, the meat of this “saving sacrifice offered as a sacrifice of praise” is commanded to be given to the priest himself. However, from the three-part grain offering, as we said above, only that which is pleasant is intended for the priest; and the rest is given to the laity who donate it so that they eat everything on the same day and leave nothing “until the morning” (Lev. 7:15). Thus, meat, which is solid food (cf. Heb. 5:14) and perfect knowledge, is given to the priests, for they must be perfect in everything - in teaching, in virtues and in lifestyle. And if they do not have all this in them, they will not eat the meat of the sacrifices. As for the part that is set apart as special, I think that it means that part of knowledge that we talked about before and which points to a perfect and deep teaching. But perhaps you will ask: if previously leaven was completely excluded from grain offerings, then how is it now commanded to give “leavened bread as your offering” (cf. Lev. 7:13)? But look carefully that the “leavened bread” is not accepted as a sacrifice, but as an addition to the sacrifice. So let's see what it is. In the Gospels, the Lord calls “leaven” the human tradition of the Pharisees, who follow “the teachings, the commandments of men” (cf. Mark 7:7), and says to His disciples: “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees” (Matthew 16:6). Such are the human sciences, for example, grammar, rhetoric, or even dialectics. Of these sciences, nothing should be mixed with sacrifices, that is, with that which should be dedicated to God alone; but clear speech, brilliant eloquence, and a discreet mind must properly serve those who bear God's word. Or did he not put the sacrifice of the word of God on this leaven who said: “Evil societies corrupt good morals” (1 Cor. 15:33); and also “Cretans are always liars, wicked beasts, sluggish in their bellies” ( Titus 1:12 ) and other similar sayings taken from the Greek leaven? 8. It is said: “The meat of the saving sacrifice of praise must be eaten on the day of its offering; it must not be left until the morning” (Lev.7:15). Let us compare this sacrifice with others and see why it must be “eaten on the day of offering,” while other sacrifices are allowed to be kept until the second and even the third day; however, on the third day, what is left is given over to the fire, so as not to defile the offering. So let's see what this difference is. Truly, we need the help of God, so that He deigns to cut off all our “fat that is in our entrails” (cf. Lev. 4:8), and remove all the veils from our meager understanding, so that we can look at it the way God showed us. Let's compare the two parts of Divine Scripture and follow the path that has opened up to us leading to the answer. We see that the Passover sacrifice is to be offered “in the evening,” and the instruction is given: “Do not leave any of its meat until the morning” (cf. Ex. 12:6,10). And it is no coincidence that God’s word commands us not to eat yesterday’s meat, but fresh and new meat, especially to those who bring the Passover sacrifice or sacrifice of praise to God (cf. Ps. 49:23). One should eat only fresh and new meat and it is forbidden to eat yesterday’s meat. I remember the prophet Ezekiel said something similar when the Lord commanded him to bake cakes “in human feces” (cf. Eze. 4:12). And he answered the Lord, saying: “Oh, Lord God! my soul has never been defiled, and I have not eaten carrion or torn to pieces by wild beasts from my youth until now; and no meat of yesterday 29 entered my mouth” (Ezek. 4:14). I have often asked myself what kind of frenzy seized the prophet if he presented to the Lord as a great deed the fact that he had never eaten yesterday's meat. But, as I see it, the prophet, taught and instructed by these mysteries, wanted to say to the Lord: “I am not a priest, therefore eating yesterday’s meat, that is, old meat, is low and shameful for me.” Listen to what has been said, you priests of the Lord. The sacrificial meat intended for the priests is the word of God, which they teach in the Church. These mystical images remind them, when they are just beginning to bring this word to people, that they do not bring yesterday’s, old, what is in the letter, but by the grace of God they always bring new things and always seek the spiritual. For if today you bring to the Church what you learned yesterday from the Jews, it means you are eating the meat of yesterday’s sacrifice. If you remember, the Lawgiver also used these words when he spoke about the offering of the first fruits, so that they would be, as he said, new and fresh (cf. Lev. 2:14). You see everywhere: what serves to praise God, that is, is a sacrifice of praise (cf. Ps. 49:23), must be new and fresh, so as not to bring the old into the Church - when your mouth speaks, but your mind bears no fruit. Listen to what the Apostle says: “When I pray in an unknown tongue, although my spirit prays, my mind remains unfruitful.” “I will begin to pray with the spirit, I will also pray with the mind; I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding” (1 Cor. 14:14-15). So you, if you bring God a word of praise, but not new and fresh, from the instruction of the spirit, from the teaching of the grace of God, then although you bring with your lips a “sacrifice of praise,” your mind will discover the sterility of yesterday’s meat. For the Lord, giving His disciples bread, says: “Take, eat” (Matthew 26:26), and does not put it aside and does not command it to be stored until tomorrow. This mysterious meaning may also lie in the fact that He told them not to take bread on the road (cf. Luke 9:3) in order to always bring you the fresh bread of the word of God that you carry within yourself. For this reason the Gibeonites were condemned and began to “cut wood and draw water” (Isnav.9:21-23), because they brought old bread to the Israelites, whom the spiritual law commanded to always consume new and fresh. Doubtless there is another image of these mysteries, which prescribes that something should be preserved and eaten “on the next day,” but nothing should be left “for the third day”; We'll talk about this in due time. Let it not be hidden from us that there is a time when it is blessed to eat the old. For about the seventh year, called the year of atonement (cf. Deut. 15:1,2) or the sabbatical year, it is said this way: “And you will eat old things and very old things 30” (Lev. 26:10). Then, in the sacrament of the seventh year, as we have already said, the blessing is given to eat old bread, but for now this is prohibited. However, we will move too far away from the topic if we consider these individual statements, because now we must explain sacrifices. 9 . It is further said: “If someone brings a sacrifice of prayer, or out of zeal, then his sacrifice must be eaten on the day of offering, and on the next day what remains of it can be eaten, and the remainder of the sacrificial meat on the third day must be burned in the fire; if they eat the meat of the sacrifice on the third day, it will not be favorable; whoever brings it will not be counted as anything; it is defilement, and whoever eats it will bear sin” (Lev. 7:16-18). This, without a doubt, is what David said in the Psalter: “Let his prayer become sin” (Ps. 109:7), when in his offering there is not only nothing worthy, but it is imputed to him as guilt. You hear the decree of the Lawgiver that if anyone “eats the meat of the sacrifice on the third day, he will bear sin.” From this it should be clear how great the danger of sin is for a person if it is committed even where a sacrifice of propitiation is offered. I believe that this is exactly what the blessed David had in mind when he asked: “Who can consider his own faults?” (Ps. 19:13). Therefore, the “sacrifice of prayer, or from zeal” is allowed to be eaten even “on the next day,” but it must be completely rejected “on the third.” And if, due to weakness or oversight, it was not possible to eat all the sacrificial meat the next day, it is said that on the third day what is left of it cannot be eaten, but should be put on fire. For if you want to eat the meat of the sacrifice after two days, you will bear sin. As far as I understand, under these two days we can understand two Testaments, in which it is possible to find and examine every word related to God - for these words are a sacrifice - and through them to gain the fullness of knowledge. But if something in the Divine Scripture remains incomprehensible, one should not look for any other, third covenant as a source of knowledge - and it is called the third day - but one should put the “remaining” to fire, that is, leave it to God, for God does not want us to know everything in this life, just as the Apostle says: “We know in part, and we prophesy in part; But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will cease” (1 Cor. 13:9-10). Thus, this is the fire to which the “remaining remains by the third day” must be given over (cf. Lev. 7:17), and we should not assume, based on unfounded assumptions, that we know everything, “desiring,” as the same Apostle said, “to be teachers of the law, but not understanding either what they say or what they affirm” (1 Tim. 1:7). Therefore, so that our sacrifice is not rejected, and our desire to gain knowledge from the Divine Scripture does not turn into sin in us, we will observe what the spiritual law given to us by the Lawgiver prescribes. 10. “This meat, if it touches anything unclean, must not be eaten, but must be burned in the fire; but clean meat can be eaten by anyone who is clean; If any soul, having uncleanness on itself, eats the meat of the Lord’s saving sacrifice, then that soul will be cut off from its people; and if any soul touches anything unclean, human uncleanness, or unclean cattle, or any unclean reptile, and eats the meat of the Lord’s saving sacrifice, then that soul will be cut off from among its people” (Lev. 7:19-21). The legislator here establishes three causes of uncleanness. The first is when the sacrificial meat “touches anything unclean.” The second is when the one who eats the “meat of the saving sacrifice” is unclean, “having uncleanness on him.” The third is when, although the meat itself is clean and the one who eats it is clean, he touches “uncleanness,” either from livestock, or from birds, or from anything that is considered unclean. This is the prescription of the sacred law regarding the ritual of making material sacrifices. However, in accordance with the order of our interpretation, where the sacred flesh is understood as God's word, the following must be noted. Often something unclean touches clean flesh. I would give this example: if someone affirms something pure and true about God the Father, His only begotten Son and the Holy Spirit, worthy of the mystery of the Godhead, and in the same way accepts and understands it in relation to all rational creatures created by God, but, following this mystery, he does not recognize the resurrection of the flesh, his first word is undoubtedly “solid food” (cf. Heb. 5:14), sacred flesh. However, the denial of the resurrection of the flesh, which is alien to faith, poisons and defiles the sacred flesh, which, as said before, was united with the true and perfect. Therefore, the Lawgiver prescribes that one should not eat flesh, to the “uncleanness” of which is added the uncleanness of infidelity. That is why the Apostle says: “Let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, not with leaven, but with unleavened bread of purity and truth” (1 Cor. 5:8). The second type of “uncleanness” is that the one who eats this flesh is unclean, “having uncleanness in him.” This can be understood, for example, like this: if someone is gifted by nature and ardent in character, then he, apparently, is not ready to immediately perceive the secrets of God's Word; it is necessary that he first renounce dark deeds and wicked deeds and become capable of knowledge, but only after he becomes capable of holiness. In the book of Numbers we read a similar statement when the Lord sends down meat from heaven to the children of Israel, saying: “Be clean for tomorrow, and you will eat meat” (Num. 11:18). This indicates that if they had not first been cleansed and sanctified, God would not have given them meat. The Lawgiver clearly shows the mercy of the Lord that He did not say: “He who was unclean will not eat meat,” but “whoever has uncleanness on him” (cf. Lev. 7:20), for one cannot be found in whom there is no uncleanness. It is possible, however, to find those who had it, but, having heard the law of God, were cleansed. But if someone remains in his uncleanness and does not want to turn and correct himself, then, as it is said, “that soul will be cut off from his people” (Lev. 7:20). The third type of uncleanness is when a clean person, “having touched something unclean” (Lev. 7:21), becomes defiled not so much by his own sin as by coming into contact with the sin of another. For example, if he makes friends or enters into communication with a person who is malicious or irritable or dissolute, then, of course, he will become involved in vices not through his own misdeeds, but still he knows and sees that this wicked person hates his brother and is a murderer (cf. 1 John 3:15) or that he is hunting for someone else’s wife and is an adulterer, or that he is blasphemous in some other way, and if he does not part with him, when all this is revealed, then he is the one who touches “something unclean” (cf. Lev. 7:21), unclean cattle or a bird or “a corpse” (cf. Lev. 5:2), and is himself defiled by someone else’s uncleanness. We have already spoken before about the various types of uncleanness with which one can become defiled. Isn’t this what the Apostle teaches us when he says: “But I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who, while calling himself a brother, remains a fornicator, or a covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or a predator; You shouldn’t even eat with someone like that” (1 Cor. 5:11)? What else does he teach us with these words, if not that we should not be defiled by the sins of others and uncleanness? 11. It goes on to say: “And the Lord spake to Moses, saying, Tell the children of Israel, You shall not eat any fat from an ox, or a sheep, or a goat. The fat from the dead and the fat from that torn by wild beasts can be used for any purpose; but if you eat it, don’t eat it; For whoever eats the fat of an animal that is sacrificed to the Lord, that soul will be cut off from his people; and you shall not eat any blood in all your dwellings, either from birds or from livestock; But whoever eats any blood, that soul will be cut off from among his people” (Lev. 7:22–27). The legislator does not allow the “fat” of those animals that are sacrificed and some others to be eaten or otherwise used, and he prohibits the eating of the blood of all flesh. In the preceding passages we considered this in a mystical sense, when the “calf” was offered as a burnt offering “for sin,” and the “fat” was placed on the altar; part of the blood was placed “on the horns of the altar,” and the rest of the blood was poured out “at the foot of the altar” (cf. Lev. 4:3–8), by which we understand the image of those who are called “the remnant of Israel” (cf. Is. 10:20) and who hope for salvation in the last times, after “the full number of the Gentiles has come in” (cf. Rom. 11:25). We called the soul of Christ that “fat”, which is the Church of His friends, for whom He laid down His life (cf. John 15:13). And therefore it may happen that in this passage, since it is commanded that no one should eat the fat of animals offered to the Lord, what He said is implied: “Let no one cause one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble” (Matthew 18:6). And since it is forbidden to eat the blood of any animal, perhaps this is exactly what the Apostle is talking about about the Israelites: “You will say: “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” Fine. They were broken off through unbelief, but you hold on by faith: do not be proud, but be afraid” (Rom. 11:19-20); and also says: “Do not be arrogant before the branches” (Rom. 11:18). And let no one mock their fall, “otherwise,” as the Apostle says, “you too will be cut off. But even those, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in” (Rom. 11:22-23). I, however, think that by “blood” we must understand these people, for they did not come from the faith and spirit of Abraham, but only from his blood. 12. It continues: “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Tell the children of Israel: whoever presents his saving sacrifice to the Lord, from this sacrifice of salvation he must bring a portion as an offering to the Lord; let his hands offer a sacrifice to the Lord 31: the fat on his chest 32 and the caul on the liver, shaking his chest before the face of the Lord; the priest shall burn the fat on the altar, and the breast belongs to Aaron and his sons; and give your right shoulder, as an offering, from your saving sacrifices to the priest; whoever of Aaron's sons offers the blood of the sacrifice of salvation and the fat, his right shoulder shall also be his share; For I take from the children of Israel from the sacrifices of salvation their breast of the wave and the shoulder of separation 33 and give them to Aaron the priest and to his sons for an everlasting portion from the children of Israel” (Lev. 7:28–34). This sacrifice is called “saving.” And only the one who is healthy and, knowing about his salvation, thanks the Lord brings it to the Lord. But someone who is weakened in soul and inconsistent in his actions cannot make a “saving sacrifice.” Do you want to see that the sick or weak cannot make this sacrifice? The leper, who, as described in the Gospel, was healed by the Lord, could not make sacrifices while he was suffering from leprosy. But when he came to Jesus and “purified himself,” then the Lord ordered him to bring to the altar “the gift that Moses commanded as a testimony to them” (Matthew 8:3–4). Do you hear who should offer the “sacrifice of salvation”? Now listen to how it should be brought. “Let his hands offer a sacrifice to the Lord” (Lev.7:30). Doesn’t the Lawgiver clearly say that it is not man who makes the sacrifice, but his hands, that is, his deeds? Indeed, truly our deeds are a sacrifice to God. For if you hide your hands when you need to give, and stretch them out to take, then you have not yet been cleansed of your leprosy and cannot offer the “sacrifice of salvation.” Therefore, “let his hands offer the sacrifice of salvation,” and “his hands” bring what should be sacrificed to the Lord, that is, “the fat on the chest and the seal on the liver” (Lev. 7:30). In this passage, where it says: “Let his hands offer sacrifice to the Lord” (Lev. 7:30), in the Greek text in place of the word “sacrifice” there is όλοκαρπώματα, meaning “all the fruits.” This shows that one who is barren, who does not bear the “fruit of righteousness” (cf. James 3:18), the fruit of mercy or the “fruits of the Spirit”, which the Apostle lists: “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness” (cf. Gal. 5:22) and others like these, cannot bring all their fruits to the Lord. The prophet David speaks about this in another place in Scripture: “May [the Lord] make your burnt offering fat” (Ps. 19:4). So he brings “the fat of the breast and the caul of the liver,” which are laid on the altar. We often talked about fat. But when it is said: “the fat is on the breast,” by “breast” one should understand the heart, from which you must expel all “evil thoughts” (cf. Mark 7:21) - for they come from it - by committing them to fire, so that your heart, having been cleansed, can see God (cf. Matt. 5:8). However, you must also bring the “liver seal” (cf. Lev. 7:30). Previously we said and explained that this part of the liver is the refuge of greed and anger. And therefore, the one who has cut off from himself all the vices of rage and acquisitiveness sacrifices the “omentum on the liver.” “The fat on the chest” is placed on the altar, but the “chest itself belongs to Aaron and his sons.” It is also prescribed to separate the “right shoulder” and offer it “as an offering, from the sacrifice of salvation” (cf. Lev. 7:32). Look what kind of offerings the priest receives. He gets "chest" and "shoulder", but the shoulder is right. Do we not believe that it is not by chance that of all the parts of the animals sacrificed, these are the ones that are chosen? It seems to me that if someone claims that he is a priest of God, but at the same time does not select the breast from all parts, then he is not a priest; and if he does not acquire the “right shoulder,” then he cannot ascend to the throne of the Lord and be called a priest. What then is the chest of a priest, what is it like? I believe that it is of the same kind as the fullness of wisdom, the fullness of knowledge, the fullness of all sacred understanding. What do I mean by complete understanding? Of course, being filled with God. The shoulder of the priest is of the same kind, which the children of Israel bring to him for the sake of their salvation, and by it they are saved (cf. Lev. 7:32). Individual decrees written in the law are images of those that must be fulfilled in the Church. And if those who listened did not receive any instruction from them, then there would be no need to read them in the Church. Therefore, if a priest, through conversation, teaching, his many care and work of vigil, was able to convert a sinner, guide him to a better path, restore the fear of God in him, revive the hope of future blessings, turn him away from evil deeds and turn him to good, if, I say, he did all this, then the one saved by his labors will give praise to God and make a “saving sacrifice” for having found salvation. In this offering, the “chest” and “right shoulder” (cf. Lev. 7:28 ff.) are given to the priest and serve as a sign that if previously the chest and heart of the sacrificer were the abode of bad thoughts, now, transformed by the efforts of the priest, good thoughts dwell in them, and he, having been cleansed, can also see God (cf. Matt. 5:8). Likewise, his shoulder is a sign that he transformed his dark and evil deeds - and they are undoubtedly bad and unkind - into righteous ones pleasing to God. This is the right shoulder, which, as it is said, is the portion of the priest. We pray that you, who hear this, will give your breast to the priests of God, so that they will cut off all that is fat from it and make it the portion of the priest. Give us your shoulders too, but we only want your right shoulder; we don’t want anything leftist 34, nothing dark and bad; we need your righteous deeds. However, what was added to this, namely that “chest” is “the chest of shock”, and “shoulder” is “the shoulder of separation”, as I think, was not said by chance. And so I would ask what must be applied to the breast in order for it to become a “breast of shock.” After the priest removes from your heart all that is fat and obese, which should be consigned to the fire, and cleanses it of all coverings, all that remains is for the grace of the Holy Spirit to descend into it, and then your breast will become a “breast of shaking,” as well as a “shoulder of separation” or “taking away” (cf. Lev. 7:54). But how can it become the “shoulder of the department”? If you know and understand how to distinguish between the works of light and the works of darkness (cf. Rom. 13:12), and you separate your deeds from the darkness so that your deeds are in the light, your shoulder becomes a “shoulder of separation,” or when you have separated from yourself every brother who “walks disorderly” (cf. 2 Thess. 3:11), or if, according to the prophet, you do not touch the unclean, you come out from among him, you cleanse yourself, wearing “vessels of the Lord” (cf. Is. 52:11). And finally, some, based on the usual understanding of Scripture, believe that unclean things are called common 35. So a voice from heaven proclaims to Peter: “What God has cleansed, do not consider unclean” (Acts 10:15). From this it follows that if the unclean is called “common,” then the holy must be called “separate.” We will add to this that if someone is a servant of one God, then he cannot be called common, that is, unclean. But if someone is unclean, then he undoubtedly serves many masters and is therefore called “common.” There is a great mystery in this passage, which the fleshly Israelites, although they use, do not understand. They are called common and unclean (cf. Acts 10:28). But they do not understand why they are called unclean. So let them learn from the Church of God that a saint serves only God and does not associate with anything unclean. But the sinner and the unclean belong to many, for many demons possess him, and therefore he is called “common.” Finally, healed by the Lord, who is described in the Gospel, to the question “what is your name?” answered: “My name is Legion, because we are many” (Mark 5:9). It may seem that we have deviated from the topic, but all this has been said out of necessity, in order to understand for us the mystery of what is written “chest of shock” and “shoulder of separation” (cf. Lev. 7:34) and why they were given to the priests “for an eternal portion”, and through this we are made worthy to, through purity of heart and good deeds, receive for us a part of the Divine sacrifice through the eternal High Priest, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, in whom God To the Father with the Holy Spirit “be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:11; Rev. 1:6). On the Robe of the High Priest and Priests 1. The Apostle briefly points out to us the reason why what is read to us may or may not be understood when he says that “in the reading of the Old Testament” the “veil is removed” from the hearts of those who “turn to the Lord” (cf. 2 Cor. 3:14-16). By this he wants to say that the secrets of the Old Testament are revealed to us to the extent that we turn to the Lord. Therefore, we must work hard so that, freed from worldly cares and earthly affairs and, if possible, from friendly conversations, we can receive the word of God and meditate on His law day and night (cf. Ps. 1:2), so that, turning with all our hearts to the Lord, we can look “on the face of Moses” (cf. 2 Cor. 3:7), from which the veil has been removed. This especially applies to what we read today both about the priestly vestments and about the installation of the high priest, where something is said that completely excludes the literal understanding characteristic of carnal Israel. And therefore we must try to explain what was said not by the power of human understanding, but by the petitions and prayers we pour out to God. We also need your help, so that God, the Father of the Word, will give us the word (cf. Eph. 6:19) and we can meditate on the wonderful mysteries of His law. 2. What we read today begins with the words: “This is the portion for Aaron and the portion for his sons from the sacrifices of the Lord from the day when they appear before the Lord for the sacred rites, which the Lord commanded to give them from the day of their anointing from the children of Israel. This is an everlasting decree throughout their generations. This is the law of the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the trespass offering, the dedication offering, and the salvation offering, which the Lord gave to Moses on Mount Sinai, when He commanded the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai” (Lev. 7:35-38). When the Lawgiver said: “From the day of the anointing of Aaron and his sons” (Lev. 7:36), he did not indicate what kind of anointing it was, and did not explain how he anointed, but did it later; now, after he said: “From the day of their anointing,” he added nothing about the anointing itself. Apparently, this was done to show that what was mentioned before, that is, “the chest of shaking and the shoulder of separation,” will be the anointing of Aaron and his sons, so that we do not think that it should be understood in a material sense, but that these words are given to teach us the sacrament of anointing. In conclusion, he repeats what was said before and says: “This is an everlasting statute throughout their generations—the law of burnt offerings and of sin offerings” (Lev. 7:37). Thus, this, that is, explained earlier, apparently, is άνακεφαλαίωσις, otherwise it is a “repetition” of the sacraments that we explained in more detail earlier. However, then it is written: “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments and the anointing oil, and the bullock for the sin offering, and the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread, and call the whole congregation to the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Moses did as the Lord commanded him and called the whole congregation to the entrance of the tabernacle of meeting. And Moses said to the congregation: This is what the Lord commanded to do. And Moses brought Aaron his brother and his sons and washed them with water; and he put a tunic on him, and girded him with a belt, and put on an inner 36 robe, and put an ephod on him, and girded him with the girdle of the ephod, and fastened the ephod on him with it, and put a breastplate on him, and on the breastplate he put the message and the truth, 37 and put a miter on his head, and on the miter on the front of it he put a polished tablet, the diadem of the sanctuary, as the Lord commanded Moses” (Lev.8:1-9). Listen with an attentive ear and a watchful heart to this rite of ordination of a high priest or priest, for according to the promises of God you too are priests of the Lord, “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood” (1 Pet. 2:9). It is said that at the command of the Lord, Moses took “Aaron and his sons” and first washed them, and then clothed them. Consider the order of actions more carefully: first he washes, then he dresses. You cannot be dressed before you have been washed. Therefore, “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away your evil deeds from your souls 38” (Isa. 1:16). After all, if you do not wash yourself, you will not be able to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, just as the Apostle says: “Put on our Lord Jesus Christ, and do not turn the cares of the flesh into lusts” (Rom. 13:14). So let Moses wash you, let him wash you and clothe you himself! Many times have you heard how Moses can wash you. For we have often said that in the Holy Scriptures Moses represents the law, just as the Gospel says: “They have Moses and the prophets; let them listen to them” (Luke 16:29). Thus, the law of God washes you, it removes your uncleanness, and if you hear it, it will wash away the filth of your sin. Priests are sanctified by Moses himself, that is, by the law, and no one can be a priest unless the law appoints one as a priest. For there are many priests, but among them there are those whom the law has not washed, and the word of God has not made pure, and the Divine word has not cleansed from the filth of sins. So you too, who strive to accept holy baptism and acquire the grace of the Holy Spirit, must first be cleansed by the law. First, having heard the word of God, you must tame your natural vices and curb your barbaric habits, so that, having acquired humility and meekness, you may also acquire the grace of the Holy Spirit. For the Lord, through the prophet, says: “To whom will I look: to him who is humble and contrite in spirit, and to him who trembles at My word” (Is. 66:2). And unless you are humble and contrite in spirit, the grace of the Holy Spirit cannot abide in you unless you receive the words of God with fear. For the Holy Spirit departs from a proud, stubborn and deceitful soul. Therefore, you must first meditate on the law of God, so that if you are intemperate in your affairs and disorderly in your habits, the law of God can correct and transform you. Do you want to see that Moses is always with Jesus, that is, the gospel law? Let the Gospel teach you that when Jesus was “transfigured” in glory, Elijah also “appeared with Moses” with Him (cf. Mark 9:2ff), so that you may know that the law, the prophets and the gospel always go together and are in one glory. And therefore even Peter, when he wanted to make three tents for them, showed his ignorance, “for he did not know what to say,” because there are not three tents for the law, the prophets and the Gospel, but one, and this is the Church of God. So, first Moses washes the priest of the Lord, and when the Lawgiver has already washed him and he has been cleansed from the filth of his vices, then he clothes him. But let’s see what the clothes are that Moses dresses his “brother” Aaron, the first high priest, and whether you also have the opportunity to put on the same clothes and become a high priest. Of course, the highest High Priest is our Lord Jesus Christ, but He is not the High Priest of priests, but the High Priest of high priests. He is not the prince of priests, but the Prince of princes of priests, as it is said about Him: not the king of nations, but “King of kings”; and not master of servants, but “Lord of lords” (cf. 1 Tim. 6:15). And therefore it may happen that if you are washed by Moses and become clean, as if you were the only one whom Moses himself washed, then you can also find the clothes that Moses gave - those clothes in which he clothed “his brother Aaron and his sons.” However, these robes are needed not only for priestly service, but also to cover the loins. But before we begin to talk about this type of clothing, I would like to compare the sacred and reliable garments with those in which the first man was dressed after the Fall. It is said that God made them: “And the Lord God made garments of skins for Adam and his wife and clothed them” (Gen. 3:21). These clothes were made from animal skins, for it was precisely in such clothes that the sinner had to be clothed - as it is said, “in clothes of skin,” which are a symbol of the mortality he acquired as a punishment for sin, and the corruption caused by the fact that his flesh became subject to corruption. But if you have already been washed and cleansed by the law of God, then Moses will clothe you with incorruptible garments, “lest your nakedness be revealed” and “so that what is mortal may be swallowed up into life” (cf. 2 Cor. 5:4). 3. So let's look at the order in which the high priest is installed. It is written: “And he called the whole congregation to the door of the tabernacle of meeting. And Moses said to the congregation, “This is what the Lord commanded to do” (Lev.8:4-5). And although the Lord gave instructions about the appointment of a high priest and Himself chose him, nevertheless, “the whole community” gathered. For during the ordination of a priest, the presence of the people was also required, so that everyone could see and know that the best, the wisest, the most holy, the most virtuous of all had been chosen for priestly service, so that later, when he stood before the people, no one would have any doubts or hesitations. The Apostle also teaches this when he speaks about the ordination of a priest: “He must also have a good testimony from outsiders” (1 Tim. 3:7). In the words “called the whole congregation” (cf. Lev. 8:4) I am inclined to see something more: I think that “to call the whole congregation” means to collect and unite all the virtues of the soul into one, so that when it comes to ordination to the priesthood, all the virtues of the soul become vigilant and attentive, so that there is no lack of wisdom, knowledge, zeal, but so that the whole multitude of feelings, the whole collection of holy thoughts is present. And so that, having gathered all this together in the inner sanctuary of his heart, he could reveal what the high priest is, what his vestments symbolize and what the anointing is. So Moses washes and clothes the high priest. What clothes? It is said: “And he put a tunic on him, and girded him with a belt, and put on him a long robe” (Lev. 8:7), or, as we read elsewhere, “an inner robe.” As I understand it, the high priest is dressed by Moses in two garments. But what then to do with the fact that Jesus forbade His priests, our apostles, to have two garments (cf. Luke 3:11)? We have already said that Moses and Jesus, that is, the law and the Gospel, agree with each other. Some might say that Jesus' command not to have two clothes does not contradict the law, but improves it, as in the fact that when the law prohibits murder, Jesus commands to abstain even from anger (cf. Matt. 5:21-22), and when the law prohibits fornication, Jesus rejects even the lust of the heart. Therefore, it seems that there the high priest puts on two clothes, and here the apostles wear one. Of course, if such an explanation seems plausible, then it may be so. However, I by no means limit the ordination of priests to this narrow understanding. It seems to me that there is something more in this image. The high priest is the one who knows the law, who knows the meaning of each sacrament, in a word, the one who understands the law both in spirit and in letter. The high priest, then appointed by Moses, knew that circumcision was spiritual, but, nevertheless, he also observed the circumcision of the flesh, for the high priest could not be uncircumcised. Therefore, he had two clothes: one was the service of the flesh, the other was spiritual understanding. He also knew that spiritual sacrifices must be made to God, and, despite this, he also made carnal sacrifices. For he could not be the high priest of those living at that time if he did not perform sacrifices. Therefore it is truly said that this high priest was clothed in two garments. But the apostles, who subsequently said: “If you are circumcised, you will have no benefit from Christ” (Gal. 5:2) and also said: “Let no one judge you for food or drink, or for any holiday, or for the new moon, or for the Sabbath: this is a shadow of the future” (Col. 2:16-17), they were forbidden to have two clothes, so that they could completely reject such regulations of the letter of the law and not tire the disciples Jewish fables (cf. Titus 1:4) and not to place “on the necks of the disciples a yoke, which neither our fathers nor we could bear” (Acts 15:10). One garment is enough for them - the “inner” one, for they do not need the outer robe of the law, but the one given from above. And Jesus allows them to have one garment - the “inner” one. Finally, Moses places on the high priest the “ephod,” which is a richly decorated robe fastened on the shoulders. But shoulders symbolize work and labor. Thus, he wants the high priest to be adorned with works, but knowledge alone is not enough, for “whoever does and teaches, he will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19). 4. It is also said: “He girded him with the girdle of the ephod” (Lev.8:7). It has already been said that Moses "girded him with a girdle" over the tunic, and now he girdles it again with the "girdle of the ephod" (cf. Lev. 8:7). What does this double belt mean with which Moses wants to tie the high priest on all sides? He must be restrained in words, in deeds, free from everything superfluous, so that there is no licentiousness or negligence in him. He must be girded with all the virtues of the soul and abstain from carnal vices. And he should not be afraid of any offenses of soul or body. He must always have both belts in order to be pure “both in body and spirit” (cf. 1 Cor. 7:34). It is good for him to be girded with the “girdle of the ephod,” for in his deeds and labors he will wear the girdle of virtue. It goes on to say: “And he put a breastplate on him, and on the breastplate he put the message and the truth, and he put a turban on his head” (Lev. 8:8-9). Let's look at what "confidant" symbolizes. After the nakedness of the high priest is covered and his wickedness is covered with a robe, after he is strengthened with works and girded with two belts, then a breastplate is given to him. A confidant is a sign of wisdom, for wisdom is based on reason, and shows what the virtue of wisdom and reason is. “And he put the message and the truth on his breastplate” 39 (Lev.8:8). For it is not enough for the high priest to have wisdom and to know the reason for everything if he cannot communicate his knowledge to the people. Therefore, a “message” is placed “on the confidant” so that he can answer anyone who asks him about something concerning the foundation of faith and truth. “Truth” is also placed on it, so that the high priest never adds anything from what he can come up with with his mind, but speaks only that which contains “truth,” and never deviates from it, so that it always remains in his every word. This is what it means to put “message and truth” “on your confidant.” Unhappy are those who, reading this, direct all their understanding to the understanding of bodily clothing. Let them tell us what the garment of “message” is, or what the garment of “truth” is. If anyone has ever seen, if anyone has ever heard of, the garments called “message and truth,” let him tell us what kind of women wove them, or in what tailor’s shop they were made. But if you want to hear the truth, then know that wisdom makes such garments. It is she who weaves the mysterious message, the truth of everything. So let us pray that we may be worthy to receive wisdom from the Lord, so that it will clothe us in these garments. But notice also how sacred and wonderful this sequence is. The breastplate is not put on before the ephod, for wisdom does not come before works. One must do deeds first, and only then seek wisdom. And therefore the “communication” is not before the confidant, for we should not teach others until we ourselves have become learned and prudent. However, after this comes “truth,” for truth is the highest wisdom. Finally, the prophet follows the same order when he says: “Sow for yourselves in righteousness, and reap the fruits of life; be enlightened by the light of knowledge 40” (Hosea 10:12). Notice that he does not first say “be enlightened by the light of knowledge,” but first “sow to yourselves the truth.” It is not enough to just sow, but it is said: “Reap the fruits of life,” so that you can then fulfill what is written next: “Enlighten yourself with the light of knowledge.” That is why here, too, a decorated “ephod” is put on; however, this is not enough; he is also surrounded by a “belt”. But even this is not enough; the high priest is girded a second time, in order to finally place on him the “breastplate,” and then the “message and truth.” These are the robes the high priest wears; Such vestments should be used to decorate those who perform priestly service. 5. But that's not all; Another decoration must be put on him: a crown must be placed on him. Therefore, first he takes the “kidar”, which is either a headdress or an ornament for the head, and then the “tiara”. “On the front side” of the high priest, that is, on the forehead, is a polished gold tablet (cf. Lev. 8:9), on which, as it is said, the name of God is carved (cf. Ex. 28:36). But this head ornament, which is said to bear the name of God, is put on after the other parts of the body are clothed. This, as I see it, shows that the knowledge of God, the Creator of existence, is above everything that can be known or understood both about the world and about the rest of creation. And just as God is the head of everything (cf. 1 Cor. 11:3), so this decoration is put on the head on top of everything else, for after it nothing else rests on the head of the high priest. And therefore those are unhappy about whom the Apostle says that they do not hold fast to “the head, from which the whole body, being joined and held together by joints and bonds, grows with the growth of God in the Holy Spirit” (Col. 2:19). But if we correctly understood what the luxurious robes of a priest are, and especially the glory of his head, then we will want not only to learn and hear about the immeasurable depths of the Divine mysteries, but to accomplish and fulfill them, “for the hearers of the law are not righteous before God, but the doers” (Rom. 2:13). As we have often said, if you prepare your clothes with diligence and care; if the word of God's law has washed you and made you clean, and the grace and anointing of your baptism remain undefiled; if you were dressed in two clothes, the spirit and the letter; if you were girded twice, so that you would be clean “both in body and spirit”; if you are adorned with the “ephod” of works and the “breastplate” of wisdom, if your head is crowned with the “turban” and the golden tablet (cf. Lev. 8:7ff.), the fullness of the knowledge of God; I will recognize you, even if you are hidden and unknown to people, and you will become God’s high priest in the church of your soul. “For you are the church of the living God” (2 Cor. 6:16), if “the Spirit of God dwells in you” (1 Cor. 3:16). We have already spoken more than once about what was said after this about consecration and anointing. 6. It further says: “And Moses brought the sons of Aaron, and dressed them in tunics, and girded them with a belt, and put turbans on them, as the Lord commanded Moses” (Lev. 8:13). From this we learn the difference between junior and senior priests. The junior priests are not given two vestments, nor an ephod, nor a breastplate, nor a head ornament. They are given only "turbans" and "tunics" girded with a "belt" (cf. Lev. 8:7ff). Thus they receive the grace of the priesthood and perform the ministry, but they are not the one who is clothed with the “ephod” and the “breastplate”, on which “message and truth” shines, who is adorned with the golden plate. From this it seems to me that it is one thing to perform priestly service, and another to be taught and prepared in everything. For anyone can perform religious rites, but there are few who are adorned with morality, instructed in doctrine, enlightened in wisdom, who are very well equipped to communicate the truth, and who expound the wisdom of faith, not forgetting the ornaments of understanding and the greatness of judgment, as evidenced by the golden tablet on his head. For a priest has one name, but his dignity is determined both by a righteous life and by the virtues of the soul. And therefore, every priest must, as if in a mirror, consider himself in the provisions of the law of God and determine the measure of his dignity if he sees himself in all these sparkling priestly vestments, which we spoke about above; if he realizes that he corresponds to them both in wisdom, and in deeds, and in teaching, then he will understand that he has acquired the highest priesthood not only in name, but also in dignity. Otherwise, he will see that he is on the lowest level, although he bears the name of a priest. Undoubtedly, we should not ignore what an attentive reader can say and what I often think about. Thus, reading in the book of Exodus where instructions are given about priestly vestments (cf. Ex. 28:2 ff.), I find eight garments there, whereas only seven are listed here. The question arises which one is missing. It speaks of eight vestments - the tunic is mentioned, or, as it is said elsewhere, “a linen undergarment to cover the nakedness of the body from the loins to the shins” (Ex. 28:42), which is not mentioned here among other garments. What do we say to this? Can we admit that when the Holy Spirit enumerated the garments the second time, one of them, about which He spoke before, escaped His attention? I do not dare to assume this in relation to sacred words. But let's see: perhaps, since we said before that this type of clothing is a symbol of chastity and either covers the loins or tightens the kidneys and lower back, I will say that perhaps it is not always said about those who have become priests that these limbs are tightened, for sometimes relief is made in relation to descendants and heirs. I, however, do not affirm such an understanding in relation to the priests of the Church, for I see that something else is hidden in this mystery. For priests and teachers of the Church can give birth to sons, just as he said: “My little children, for whom I am again in pain of birth, until Christ is formed in you” (Gal. 4:19). And in another place he says: “Though you have thousands of teachers in Christ, yet you have not many fathers; I have begotten you in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (1 Cor. 4:15). Therefore, such teachers of the Church, giving birth to such descendants, from time to time bind their loins and refrain from bringing them into the world, for they find listeners who, as they know, cannot bear fruit. Finally, in the Acts of the Apostles it is said about these: “We were unable to preach the word of God in Asia 41” (Acts 16:6). In other words, they threw a veil over their loins and restrained themselves without begetting sons, for these listeners were those in whom the seed would die without sprouting. Therefore, the priests of the Church, when they see ears that are unable to perceive the word of God, or when they see feigned and hypocritical listeners, let them put on a “tunic”, let them throw on “a linen undergarment to cover their bodily nakedness” (cf. Ex.28:42), so that the seed of the word of God does not perish, for the Lord also commands: “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you to pieces” (Matthew 7:6). Therefore, if someone wants to become a high priest, not in name, but in dignity, let him imitate Moses; let him follow the example of Aaron. What is said about them? “You shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of meeting” (Lev.10:7). They did not go out “from the door of the tabernacle of meeting” (cf. Lev. 10:7). Moses constantly remained in the “tent of meeting.” What was his responsibility? Either learn something from God, or instruct the people. These are the two duties of the high priest: either to learn something from God by reading the Holy Scriptures and meditating on them often, or to teach the people. But let him instruct in what he learns from God, and not “from his own heart” (cf. Eze. 13:2), and not from human understanding, but from the Holy Spirit. Moses has one more thing to do. He does not rush into battle, does not fight with enemies. What is he doing? He prays, and while he prays, his people are overcome. But as soon as he relaxes and gives up, his people suffer defeat and take flight (cf. Ex. 17:11). Let the priest of the Church continually pray that his people will overcome the invisible Amalekite soldiers, who are demons attacking those who desire to “live godly in Christ Jesus” (cf. 2 Timothy 3:12). So let us think about these words and, repeating them in our memory “day and night” (cf. Ps. 1:2) and being in fervent prayer and vigil, let us ask the Lord that in what we read He will reveal wisdom in us and show us how we must fulfill the spiritual law not only with our understanding, but also in our deeds, so that, having been enlightened by the law of the Holy Spirit, we may be worthy to acquire spiritual grace in Christ Jesus our Lord, “To whom be glory and dominion forever and ever.” Amen" (1 Peter 4:11; Rev. 1:6). About the commandment to Aaron and his sons not to drink “wine or strong drink when they enter the tabernacle of meeting or approach the altar”, and about the “breast of the shaking and the shoulder of separation” (cf. Lev. 10:9,14 ff.) and about clean and unclean animals and food (cf. Lev. 11: 1 ff.) 1. We were read about many things in the previous instruction, but due to limited time, we examined only a few subjects in their entirety. For our task now is not to explain the Scriptures, but to instruct the Church, although from what we have explained before, every intelligent listener can find the right path to understanding. Therefore, from what we have just read, for we cannot cover everything, let us gather together something that will instruct those who listen, like those small flowers from “the field that the Lord blessed” (cf. Gen. 27:27). Let's see what is said in what was read to us. “And the Lord spake unto Aaron, saying, Thou shalt not drink wine or strong drink, neither thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye enter into the tabernacle of meeting, lest thou die. This is an everlasting statute throughout your generations, that you may be able to discern the holy from the profane and the unclean from the pure, and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord spoke to them by Moses” (Lev. 10:8-11). Both priests and senior priests must, when approaching the altar, abstain from wine and other drinks that can cause intoxication; in the Divine Scripture they are usually called by the general name “strong drinks.” Thus, the Divine word wants the priests of the Lord to be sober in everything, so that those who come to the altar of God and pray for their people (cf. Lev. 9:7) hinder the misdeeds of others, those who have no inheritance in the land, but “their part” is the Lord Himself. The Scripture says this about them: “In their land you will have no inheritance, and you will not have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance” (Num. 18:20). So, God wants those of whom He is a part to be sober, to fast and watch unceasingly, especially when they approach the altar, pray to the Lord and offer sacrifices before Him. These commands retain their force and must be strictly fulfilled, to such an extent that the Apostle confirms them in the New Testament law (cf. 1 Tim. 15:23). Likewise, when establishing rules of life for priests and senior priests, he tells them not to “become enslaved to drunkenness” and not to be drunkards (cf. Titus 1:7; 2:3). Sobriety is the mother of all virtues, just as, on the contrary, drunkenness is the mother of all vices. For the Apostle instructs, directly stating: “Do not get drunk with wine, from which comes debauchery” (Eph. 5:18), showing by this that drunkenness gives rise to debauchery, as if it were its firstborn. In addition, the Savior, by His authority as Lord and King, establishing laws and regulations, both for priests and for the people, says: “Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with drunkenness 42 and drunkenness and cares of this life, and lest sudden destruction come upon you 43” (Luke 21:34). You have heard the proclamation of the eternal King. You have learned what a sad end to intoxication or drunkenness leads to. If some skillful and wise healer, instructing you, said: “Be careful that no one, for example, gets drunk on this or that potion, because then sudden death will befall him,” I have no doubt that everyone, taking care of their health, would begin to follow his instructions and heed his warnings. But now the Lord, Who is the physician of souls and bodies, commands us to avoid, as a deadly poison, the vice of drunkenness and intoxicating drugs, as well as worries about worldly affairs. I don't know if there is even one among us who is not burdened, not to say absorbed, by them. Thus, getting drunk on wine is destructive in all respects, for this is the only vice that weakens not only the soul, but also the body. For in what other way can it happen that when the flesh is “weak,” then the spirit is “strong” (cf. 2 Cor. 12:10), and “even if our outer man decays, the inner man is renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4:16). In the disease of drunkenness, both the soul and the body are destroyed, and the spirit decomposes along with the flesh. All bodily members - legs, arms - weaken, the tongue becomes loose, the eyes become darkened, forgetfulness clouds the mind, and even to such an extent that the drunkard does not remember himself and does not realize that he is a man. So, first of all, drunkenness is disgraceful to the body. Now, if we consider the ways in which the human mind becomes intoxicated, we will see that there are drunkards who think that they are sober. The soul is intoxicated by malice, and anger produces an even worse effect on it, if anything worse than intoxication is possible. Greed and greed not only intoxicate a person, but also embitter him. Obscene desires intoxicate the soul, just as, on the contrary, pious desires also intoxicate it, but with that sacred intoxication about which one of the saints said: “How beautiful is your intoxicating cup” 44 (Ps. 22:5). Next we will talk about the different types of intoxication; In the meantime, look how many things intoxicate the soul. She is intoxicated by fear and unfounded suspicions; envy and bitterness exhaust her more than drunkenness. It is impossible to list everything that affects the unfortunate soul that has succumbed to the vice of drunkenness. Let us now talk about the priests, who are commanded by the law to abstain from wine when they approach the altar. Indeed, if we take these words literally, then what has been said is quite enough. But if we follow the mystical interpretation, we will again come to the thought already expressed, for, according to the Apostle Paul, our Lord and Savior is the “High Priest of future good things” (cf. Heb. 9:11). Thus, He is Aaron, and “his sons” are His apostles, to whom He Himself said: “Children! I will not be with you for long” (John 13:33). Let's see how we can correlate what the law commands Aaron: “You shall not drink wine or strong drink, nor your sons with you, when you come to the altar” (Lev. 10:9), with the true High Priest Jesus Christ our Lord and His priests and sons - our apostles. First of all, we must consider how, before approaching the altar, the true High Priest drinks wine with His priests, but as soon as He is about to approach the altar and enter the tabernacle of meeting, He abstains from wine. Do you think we can find some meaning in this? Do you think that we can apply Old Testament images to the words and deeds of the New Testament? We can, if the Word of God honors us with His help and inspires us. So, let us see how our Lord and Savior - the true High Priest - drinks wine with His disciples - the true priests - before approaching the altar of God, but does not drink it when he approaches. The Savior came into this world to give His flesh for our sins “as an offering and sacrifice to God” (cf. Eph.5:2; Gal.1:4). Before He made this sacrifice, He sometimes drank wine. That is why it is said about Him as a man “who loves to eat and drink wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (cf. Matt. 11:19). But when the time came to ascend the cross and approach the altar, on which He was to sacrifice His flesh, then “he took the cup and blessed it, and gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you” (Matthew 26:27). Drink, you who do not now approach the altar, He says. The One who approaches him says about Himself: “I tell you that from now on I will not drink from this vine 45 until that day when I drink new wine with you in the kingdom of My Father” (Matthew 26:29). If any of you is worthy of hearing this with clean ears, let him pay attention to the ineffable secret hidden here. What does it mean when it is said: “I will not drink of this vine until the day when I drink new wine with you in the kingdom of My Father”? We said before that the promise of a wholesome drink was given to the saints when it was said, “How wonderful is Thy intoxicating cup” (Ps. 22:5). We read about this in many other places of Scripture, for example: “They are satisfied from the fatness of Your house, and from the stream of Your sweets You give them to drink” (Ps. 35:9). In the book of the prophet Jeremiah, the Lord also says: “And I will give drink to My people” 46 (Jer.31:14). And Isaiah says: “My servants will drink, but you will be thirsty” (Is. 65:13). In Divine Scripture you will find many references to such intoxication. It, without a doubt, serves to cheer the soul and delight the mind, as, I remember, we said in another place that it is one thing to get drunk at night (cf. 1 Thess. 5:7), and another during the day. 2. So, if we have understood what the intoxication of the saints consists of and how it is presented to them in promises of joy, then let us now see how our Savior does not drink wine “until the day when” he drinks “new wine” with the saints in the Kingdom of God (cf. Matt. 26:29). My Savior is still crying for my sins. My Savior cannot rejoice while I remain in wickedness. Why? Because He is an intercessor with the Father for our sins, as His priest John says, asserting that “if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; He is the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 2:1-2). How can He who is the intercessor for my sins drink the wine of joy if I grieve Him with my sins? How can He who comes to the altar to offer Himself as a sacrifice for my sins rejoice when the sorrow of my sins continually ascends to Him? He says: “I will drink new wine with you in the kingdom of My Father” (Matthew 26:29). And until we act in such a way as to make us worthy to ascend into this Kingdom, He alone cannot drink the wine that He promised to drink with us. And therefore He grieves while we remain in our delusions. For if His Apostle mourns “many who sinned before and did not repent of uncleanness” (2 Cor. 12:21), what can we say about Him who is called “Son of love” (cf. Col. 1:13), Who, out of love for us, “emptied Himself” (cf. Phil.2:7), “does not seek his own” (cf. 1 Cor.13:5), but ours, and, being “equal with God” (cf. Phil.2:6), for this purpose “emptied himself” (cf. Phil.2:7)? And since He is looking for ours, does He not seek us even now, does He not care about our well-being, does He not grieve over our errors and does not weep over our misfortunes and our destruction, as He wept for Jerusalem, saying to it: “How many times have I wanted to gather your children, as a bird gathers its chicks under its wings, and you did not want to!” (Matthew 23:37)? So how can He, who took upon Himself our wounds and suffered for us as the healer of our souls and bodies, look indifferently at our festering wounds? For the prophet also says: “My wounds stink and fester because of my madness” (Ps. 37:6). And therefore He stands “today for us in the presence of God” (cf. Heb. 9:24; 7:25); He stands before the altar to offer a propitiation to God for us; and since He was ready to approach him, He said: “I will not drink from this vine until the day when I drink new wine with you.” And so He expects us to convert, to follow His example, to walk in His footsteps, and He will rejoice with us and drink wine with us in the Kingdom of His Father. In the meantime, since “the Lord is generous and merciful” (Ps. 102:8), He “rejoices with those who rejoice and weeps with those who weep” (cf. Rom. 12:15) with even greater feeling than His Apostle. He especially mourns those “who sinned before and did not repent” (cf. 2 Cor. 12:21). For one should not think that Paul grieves for sinners and weeps for those who sin, but Jesus my Lord holds back tears when he approaches the Father, stands before the altar and offers a sacrifice of propitiation for us. He approaches the altar, and does not drink the wine of joy, for he feels the bitterness of our sins. That is why He does not want to drink wine alone in the Kingdom of God; He is waiting for us, as He said: “Until the day when I drink new wine with you” (Matthew 26:29). So it turns out that by neglecting our lives, we delay His joy. He is waiting for us to “drink from this vine.” From what vine? From the one of whom He was: “I am the vine, and you are the branches” (John 15:5). Therefore He also says: “My flesh is truly food, and My blood is truly drink” (John 6:55). For truly “he washes his garments in wine and his garments in the blood of grapes” (Gen. 49:11). What does it mean? He expects fun. When does He expect him? He says: “When I have completed the work that You gave Me to do” (cf. John 17:4). When will He do it? When He makes me, the last and most sinful man above all, complete and perfect, then He will complete this work. For as long as I remain imperfect, His work is not complete. And until I submit to the Father, it cannot be said that He Himself submitted to the Father (cf. 1 Cor. 15:28). Not that He Himself needed to become subject to the Father, but for my sake, in whom He had not yet completed the work entrusted to Him, it is said that He did not submit, for, as we read: “You are the body of Christ, and individually members” (1 Cor. 12:27). Let us, however, look at what “separate” means. Now, for example, I have submitted to God in spirit, that is, intentionally and of my own free will; but as long as in me “the flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit, and the spirit what is contrary to the flesh” (Gal. 5:17) and I cannot subjugate the flesh to the spirit, I, of course, am submissive to God, but not completely, but in part, for my flesh and spirit remain “separately.” But if I succeed in bringing my flesh and all my other members into harmony with the spirit, then it will be possible to say that I have submitted completely. If you have understood what it means to submit partially and completely, let us now return to what we said about the submission of the Lord. Note that although it is said that we are all His body and members, yet it is said that He is not submissive until there are those among us who have not submitted with perfect obedience. But as soon as He completes the “work” and exalts His entire creation to the height of perfection, then, as it is said, He will submit to those whom He has subjected to the Father (cf. Cor. 15:28). And in this He will complete the work that God the Father commissioned Him to do (cf. John 17:4), and “that God may be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28). But what is all this for? So that we understand what we talked about earlier - how He does not drink wine, and how He drinks it. He tastes wine before entering “the tabernacle of meeting” or approaching “the altar” (cf. Lev. 10:9); but he does not drink it now, for he stands at the altar and mourns for my sins. He will drink it later, after “he has put all things under him” (cf. 1 Cor. 15:28), when everyone has been saved, and death and sin have been destroyed (cf. 1 Cor. 15:26; Rom. 6:6). Then there will be no more need to offer sacrifices “for sin.” For then joy and rejoicing will come, and then “humble bones will rejoice” (cf. Ps. 50:10), and what is written will be fulfilled: “Sorrow and sighing will be removed” (Is. 35:10). Let us not, however, forget that the words “do not drink wine or strong drink” apply not only to Aaron, but also to his sons when they enter the sanctuary. For the apostles have not yet found their joy, but they expect that I too will become a partaker of their joy. And the saints, having left here, do not immediately receive their well-deserved reward, but wait for us, although we hesitate, although we remain here. For they cannot find perfect joy while they grieve over our errors and grieve over our sins. Perhaps you will not believe my words, for who am I to say such a thing? But I will give the testimony of those whom you cannot doubt, because the Apostle Paul is “a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth” (cf. 1 Tim. 2:7). Thus, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, after he has enumerated all the holy fathers who were justified by faith, he adds: “And all these which were testified to faith did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us” (Heb. 11:39-40). Look: Abraham has not yet found the perfect one, he is still waiting for him. Isaac and Jacob are waiting for him, and all the prophets are waiting for us to receive the perfect blessing. Therefore, the secret of the postponed trial is kept until the last day. For there is “one body” (cf. Rom. 12:5) which awaits justification; there is “one body” which is said to rise from the dead on the day of judgment. “But now there are many members, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you” (1 Cor. 12:20–21). Likewise, if the eye is healthy and its ability to see is not impaired, but there are no other members, then what joy is there in that for the eye? Or how can he seem perfect if he lacks an arm, if he lacks a leg, if he lacks the rest? For if the eye has glory, it consists mainly in the fact that either it directs the body, or the other members cooperate with it. I think this is exactly what the vision of the prophet Ezekiel teaches us when he tells how “the bones began to be joined, bone to bone, joint to joint, and sinews were on them, and skin covered them” (Ezek. 37: 7-8) and each bodily member took its place. Notice what the prophet says further: “These bones” - he said not “all these people,” but “these bones are the whole house of Israel” (Ezek. 37:11). So, when you leave this life, you will find joy if you become a saint. But your joy will be complete only when you do not lack any bodily member. For you too will wait for others, because they also wait for you. And if you, being a member, do not experience perfect joy when another member is missing, then much less does our Lord and Savior, “who is the head” (cf. Eph. 4:15-16) and Creator of the whole body, receive perfect joy until he sees that His body is lacking one of the members. For this reason, He once turned a prayer to the Father, saying: “And now glorify Me, O Father, with You, with the glory that I had with You before the world was” (John 17:5). That is why He does not want to accept His perfect glory without you, that is, without His people, who are His body and His members. And he wants you to remain in the body of His Church and in the members of His people, like a soul, so that all deeds and movements are performed according to your good will; so that the prophetic word may be fulfilled in us: “I will live and walk among you” (Lev.26:12). Now, while we are not all perfect yet, but remain in sins (cf. Phil. 3:15; Rom. 5:8), we are not worthy to come to the extent of repeating after the Apostle: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). And therefore now, in the words of the Apostle, “separately” we are “members” of Him (cf. 1 Cor. 12:27) and His bones. When “bones are united, bone with bone, joint with joint” (cf. Eze. 37:7-8), according to what was said above, then the prophecy about us will be fulfilled: “All my bones will say: “Lord! who is like You?", because "all the bones" pronounce these words, sing a hymn and give praise to God, for they remember His good deeds, and therefore "all my bones will say: “Lord, who is like You, delivering the weak from the strong?”" (Ps. 34:10). About these bones, for they were scattered until He came who gathered them “together” (cf. John 11:52), a prophecy was uttered: “Our bones are poured into the jaws of the grave” (Ps. 140:7). And since they were scattered, He says through another prophet: “The bones began to be joined together, bone to bone, joint to joint, and sinews were on them, and skin covered them” (Ezek. 37:7-8). For when this happens, then “all my bones will say: “Lord! Who is like You, delivering the weak from the strong? "" (Ps. 34:10). For each of these bones was the weak and exhausted hand of the “strong,” since it had neither the “joint” of love, nor the “veins” of patience, nor the “veins” of a life-giving soul, nor the power of faith. But when the One who gathers “together” what was scattered comes, He connects “bone to bone, joint to joint” and begins to create the sacred body of the Church. All this, of course, is beyond the scope of our study, but of necessity we have provided explanations to make it clearer how my High Priest enters the sanctuary and does not drink wine before performing the priestly ministry. However, then He will drink wine, but “new wine”; new wine in a new heaven, in a new land and in a new man and with a new people, with those who sing to Him a “new song” (cf. Matt. 9:17; 2 Pet. 3:13; Eph. 2:15; Rev. 5:9). You see that it is impossible to drink the new cup of new life without “putting off the old man with his deeds” (Col. 3:9). For it is said: “They do not put new wine into old wineskins” (Matthew 9:17). If you want to drink this “new wine,” renew yourself and say: “Therefore we do not lose heart; but even if our outer man is decaying, our inner man is being renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4:16). And enough has been said about these subjects. 3. We read about many other things. But since we cannot consider everything that has been read to us, we must choose what to talk about. And since we have discussed as best we could what it means to drink wine and not drink it, now we will talk about what it means to eat the “breast of separation and the shoulder of weaning.” And then, with God’s help and as time permits, we will discuss the clean and unclean in relation to food and animals. So, the Scripture says: “Eat the breast of separation and the shoulder of weaning in a clean place, you and your sons and your daughters with you, for this was given as an allotment to you and as an allotment to your sons from the saving sacrifices of the children of Israel; the shoulder of taking away and the breast of separation” (Lev. 10:14–15). Not every breast is a “breast of separation” and not every shoulder is a “shoulder of withdrawal.” But since we apply the person of the high priest to Jesus my Lord, and the holy apostles to his sons, let us see how the high priest and his sons eat the breast of the separation. What can be separated from everything and having nothing in common with everything else, if not exclusively the essence of the Holy Trinity? Therefore, if I am able to understand the structure of the world, I cannot understand about God, as it should be, because if the knowledge about God was not revealed to me, then I, of course, can eat the breast, but not the “breast of separation.” Likewise, if I could say: “He Himself has given me a true knowledge of existence, in order to know the structure of the world and the action of the elements, the beginning, the end and the middle of times, the changes of turns and the changes of times, the circles of the years and the position of the stars” (Wis. 7:17-19), then knowledge of everything rational would allow me to eat the breast used for food, but not the “breast of separation.” But if I can learn from God about great, sacred, true and secret things, then I will eat the breast of separation, since I will know what is above all created things, what is separated from it. Therefore, my High Priest “eats” this “breast” first. How does He eat it? He says: “No one knows the Father except the Son” (Matthew 11:27). Secondly, His sons eat it. He says: “No one knows the Father except the Son, and to whom the Son wants to reveal him” (Matthew 11:27). But to whom does He reveal the Father, besides the apostles? And the “shoulder of separation”, or “taking away”, as we said above, are works and deeds that are superior to others, which my Savior and Lord Himself performs first. How does He accomplish them? He says: “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work” (John 4:34). Therefore, when He fulfills the “will of Him who sent Him,” He does not eat the breast, but the “shoulder of separation.” In like manner, His apostles eat the “shoulder of separation,” or “the taking away,” when they do the work of an evangelist and become “workers who need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Do you want to see even more clearly how the Savior eats the “shoulder of separation”? Listen to what He says to the Jews: “Many good works have I shown you from My Father, which no one has done; For which of them do you want to stone Me? (John 10:32). You see that only the one who truly eats the “shoulder of separation” is the one who performs deeds so separate and so sublime that “no one created” them. 4. Let us now consider what was read to us about clean and unclean animals and food. And just as, speaking of the cup of wine, we ascended from the shadow to the truth of the spiritual cup, so let us now ascend from the food visible through the shadow to the true, spiritual food. However, in this research we need the testimony of the Divine Scriptures, so that someone does not think - and people love to sharpen “their tongue like a sword” (cf. Ps. 63:4) - lest anyone think, I say that I distort the Divine Scriptures and attribute to people what is said in the law about clean and unclean animals, four-legged animals, or even birds or fish, and imagine that this is said about people. Perhaps someone listening will say, “Why are you twisting the Scriptures? They are called animals; they must be understood as animals.” And therefore, lest anyone consider that what has been said is distorted by human understanding, we must invoke the authority of the apostles. Listen first to what Paul says about this: “Our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and they were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and everyone ate the same spiritual food; and they all drank the same spiritual drink: for they drank from the spiritual stone that followed; and the stone was Christ” (1 Cor. 10:1–4). This is what Paul says - “a Jew of Hebrews, a Pharisee in teaching” (Phil. 3:5), “raised at the feet of Gamaliel” (Acts 22:3), who would never have dared to speak about “spiritual food” and “spiritual drink” if he had not been sure that this was precisely the meaning conveyed to him by the Lawgiver, who knows the true teaching. And since he is convinced and dares to talk about the meaning of clean and unclean food, he adds that this institution must be fulfilled not in letter, but in spirit, and says: “Let no one judge you for food or drink, or for any holiday, or new moon, or Sabbath” (Col. 2:16). So, you see how everything that Moses says about food and drink, Paul, who was taught in this better than those who proudly call themselves teachers, calls “a shadow of things to come” (cf. Col. 2:17). Therefore, as we said, we must ascend from this shadow to the truth. This is what a Christian says to Christians, for whom the authority of the apostolic word must be indisputable. If someone, filled with pride, despises or rejects these apostolic words, that is his business. “But it is good for me to draw near to God” (Ps. 72:28) and to our Lord Jesus Christ, to His apostles and to understand the Divine Scripture according to their tradition. But perhaps the time will come, if it is the will of God and a peaceful combination of circumstances allows, for we do not know “what the next day will bring forth” (Prov. 2:1), when we can apply to the Old Testament what the apostles saw with their own eyes: what is written in the Law about clean and unclean food, as well as about animals or birds or fish, must be understood as what was said about people. Now, since there is no time for a comprehensive explanation, we are content with the testimonies of two apostolic luminaries - Peter and Paul. We have already shown what Pavel thinks. The Apostle Peter, during his stay in Joppa, “went up to the top of the house to pray” (cf. Acts 10:9). I am convinced that it was not accidental that he did not want to pray below, but “went up to the top.” The apostle made the decision to go “up high” to pray for a reason, but, as far as I can tell, it shows that Peter, who died “with Christ” (cf. Rom. 6:8), is thinking about things above, where “Christ sits at the right hand of the Father,” and not about earthly things (cf. Col. 3:1-2). So Peter ascended to this roof, to this peak, about which the Lord says: “Let no one on the roof come down to take anything from his house” (Matthew 24:17). And so that you know that there is nothing suspicious in the fact that Peter “went to the top,” look at what follows, and you will agree with this. It is said: “Peter went up to the top of the house to pray, and saw heaven open” (Acts 10:9,11). Do you see that Peter ascended “to the top” not only in body, but in mind and spirit? It is said: “And he sees the heavens open and a certain vessel descending towards it, like a large sheet, tied at the four corners and lowered to the ground; in it were all four-legged creatures of the earth, animals, reptiles and birds of the air. And a voice came to him: Arise, Peter, kill and eat” (Acts 10:11-13), commanding, without a doubt, to eat four-legged animals, reptiles and birds, lowered to him from heaven over the linen. “But Peter said: Lord, You know that I have never eaten anything bad or unclean. Then another time a voice came to him: what God has cleansed, do not consider unclean. This happened three times; and the linen ascended again into heaven” (Acts 10:14–16). This applies to both clean animals and unclean ones; this knowledge was given from heaven to the Apostle, since there was no one higher than him on earth, and there was not one voice to him and not one vision, but three. And I do not admit that the phrase “it happened three times” was said in vain. Three times it is said to him, and through him to all of us: “What God has cleansed, do not consider unclean” (Acts 10:15). For what has been made pure is not purified by the first invocation, nor by the second, and unless the third invocation is pronounced, no one is purified. Because if you are not cleansed in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, then you cannot be clean. Therefore, in order for the cleansing to be complete, it does not happen once or twice, but “three times” it is revealed and “three times” it is commanded (cf. Acts 10:16). So, on this canvas were “every four-footed creature of the earth, beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air” (Acts 10:12). After this it is said that “Peter was perplexed as to what the vision meant.” And while he was thinking, “the men sent by Cornelius the centurion” (cf. Acts 10:17) came from Caesarea to Joppa. Peter was there and stayed “with a certain Simon the tanner” (cf. Acts 10:6). It is significant that Peter stayed in the house of a tanner - perhaps the one about whom Job speaks: “He clothed me with skin and flesh” (Job 10:11). However, we digress from the topic. Meanwhile, “the men sent by Cornelius” came to Peter. Having received them, he learned from them what Cornelius asked of him. And, “descending” from on high, he went to Cornelius (cf. Acts 10:21). Peter came down because Cornelius was shorter and stood below him. So Peter went to Caesarea. Entering the house of Cornelius, he “found many gathered together” (Acts 10:27) and said to them: “God has revealed to me that I should not consider any person base or unclean” (Acts 10:28). Don’t you see that the Apostle Peter classifies all “four-footed creatures, reptiles and birds” as people and sees human beings in those shown to him in the canvas lowered from heaven? 5. But perhaps someone will say: yes, as regards quadrupeds, reptiles and birds, evidence has been given according to which they should be understood as people; tell us also about “all the living creatures that are in the water” (cf. Lev. 11:9). Since the law calls some of them pure and others unclean, I urge all of you not to believe my words unless I provide solid evidence. And to show that fish are spoken of as people, I will call our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Himself, their Creator, as a witness. He says: “The kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of all kinds; and when it was full, they dragged it ashore, and sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw away the bad” (Matthew 13:47-48). He clearly teaches that fish caught in a net are either good people or bad people. So these are the ones who, according to Moses, are called either clean fish or unclean fish. So, having confirmed all this with the authority of the apostles and the Gospel, let us see how it can be shown that every person is pure or unclean. Every man has some food within himself which he gives to his neighbor when he comes to him. For it cannot be that when we approach each other as human beings and engage in conversation, we do not share food among ourselves, in the form of either questions, or answers, or gestures. And if the one from whom we take food is clean and of sound mind, then we receive pure food; but if the one with whom we communicate is unclean, we receive, as was said earlier, unclean food. I think that for this reason the Apostle Paul speaks of such unclean animals: “You should not even eat with such unclean animals” (1 Cor. 5:11). But in order to make what has been said more clearly presented to your understanding, let us take an example from a more sublime one and, gradually descending, we will come to a lower one. Our Lord and Savior says: “Unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you will not have life in you. For My Flesh is truly food, and My Blood is truly drink” (John 6:53,55). Thus, Jesus is the whole of the pure whole, the whole is the food of His Flesh and the whole is the drink of His Blood, all His works are sacred and all His words are truth. Therefore, His Flesh “truly is food” and His Blood “truly is drink.” And therefore the food and drink of His words, like pure food and drink, satiate and water the entire human race. Secondly, after the pure food of His Flesh, come Peter, Paul and the other apostles; in the third - their students. And so everyone, according to the magnitude of his merits or pure perception, gives pure food to his neighbor. Those who are unable to hear reject or distort what they hear, just like those who said: “How can He give us His flesh to eat? Who can listen to this? And they departed from Him” (John 6:52,60,66). But you, if you are sons of the Church, if you are filled with the mysteries of the Gospel, if the Word made flesh dwells in you (cf. John 1:14), hear what is said, for these are the words of the Lord, and it is no coincidence that it is said: “If anyone does not understand, let him not understand” (1 Cor. 14:38). Understand that they are images of the Divine Scriptures, and therefore examine and perceive what is said not as carnal, but as spiritual. For if you understand what is said as carnal, it will not nourish you, but will bring you harm. So, in the Gospel there is a “letter” that “kills” (cf. 2 Cor. 3:6). We see such a letter not only in the Old Testament - and in the New Testament there is a “letter” that “kills” someone who does not understand what is said spiritually. Therefore, if you follow the letter, “unless you eat My Flesh and drink My Blood,” then the letter will kill you. Do you want me to show you the letter of the Gospel that kills? It is said: “Whoever does not have [a sword], sell his clothes and buy a sword” (Luke 22:36). Look: although this letter is the Gospel, it “kills.” If you understand it spiritually, then the spirit present in it gives life (cf. 2 Cor. 3:6). And therefore, accept what is said both in the law and in the Gospel spiritually, for “he who is spiritual judges all things, but no one can judge him” (1 Cor. 2:15). As we said, every person has some kind of food within himself, which he shares with others, and if he is good, then “out of the good treasure of his heart he brings forth good things” (Luke 6:45) and gives clean food to his neighbor. If he is evil, then he “endures evil” and gives unclean food to his neighbor. Therefore, an innocent and straight-hearted person sees in his neighbor a clean animal, a sheep, and gives the listener clean food, like a sheep, a clean animal. Similar to this and everything else. B, as we said, when he talks with his neighbor, he either benefits him or causes harm - either gives him a clean animal or an unclean one, of which the clean one will be used, and he is commanded to abstain from the unclean one. If, according to this understanding, we proclaim God as the pinnacle above human laws, then, I think, His legislation will appear to us worthy of Divine greatness. If we are close to the letter, then we will accept for what is written in the law what is seen by the Jews or the crowd, and it will be a shame to claim that God gave these laws. For we will see more harmonious and reasonable laws, for example, the Romans, the Athenians or the Lacedaemonians. If, however, we understand the law of God as the Church teaches, then it becomes clear that it is above all human laws and, truly, the law of God must be trusted. And since it was sent down spiritually, we should refrain from understanding what is said about clean and unclean animals in any other way. 6. It is said: “Every cattle that has cloven hooves and a deep cut in the hooves, and chews the cud, eat; Only these you shall not eat from those that chew the cud and have cloven hooves: a camel, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, it is unclean to you; and a hedgehog 48 because he chews the cud, but his hooves are not cloven, he is unclean for you, and a hare, because he chews the cud, but his hooves are not cloven, he is unclean for you; and swine” (Lev.11:3–7) and so on. Thus, it is prescribed not to eat those types of animals that appear to be partly clean and partly unclean. For example, a camel is seen as clean because it “chews the cud,” but it is classified as unclean because “its hooves are not cloven.” The hedgehog and the hare are named after him, and it is also said about them that they chew the cud, but their hooves are not cloven. However, another list of animals is given that, on the contrary, have cloven hooves, but do not chew the cud. Let us first look at those who chew the cud, and their hooves are cloven, and therefore they are called clean. I think that it is said “chew the cud” about those who attach importance to knowledge and “meditate on the law of the Lord” “day and night” (cf. Ps. 1:2). But listen to how it is said about this: “Whose hooves are cloven, and who chews the cud” (Lev. 11:3). Consequently, he “chews the cud” who applies what he has read letter by letter to spiritual understanding and ascends from the lower and visible to the higher and invisible. If you meditate on the law of God and apply what you read to an accurate and spiritual understanding, but your life and actions are not such that you can distinguish this life from the next, this age from the one to come (cf. Eph. 2:7), if you do not distinguish and separate them as you should, then you are an erring camel who, meditating and gaining understanding about the law of God, does not distinguish and separate the present and the future and does not distinguish the narrow way from the wide (cf. Matt. 7:13–14). Let us explain this more clearly. There are those who accept God's covenant with their lips, and although they have the law of God in their mouth, their lives, deeds and actions are very different from their words and speeches, “for they speak and do not” (Matthew 23:3). The prophet said about such: “But God says to the sinner: “Why do you preach My statutes and take My covenant in your mouth?”” (Ps. 49:16). This clearly shows that if someone “chews the cud,” but his “hooves are not cloven,” then he is unclean. And, on the contrary, others from those who are outside our faith, or from those who are with us, whose “hooves are cloven,” go their own way in order to prepare by their deeds for the age to come. For even among philosophers many believe in a future judgment. They feel an immortal soul within themselves and recognize deferred reward as good. Some heretics do the same; they show fear of future judgment, show caution in their actions and, as if fearing Divine condemnation, are forced to be restrained in their affairs. But neither one nor the other “chews the cud” or chews it. Thus, those who hear what is written in the law of God, but do not reflect on it, do not bring it to a subtle and spiritual understanding, but constantly reject or neglect what they heard, without trying to find the precious meaning hidden behind the usual words, the hooves are “cloven,” but they do not “chew the cud.” You, who want to be pure and bring your life into conformity and agreement with knowledge, and your actions with understanding, must be unsullied on both sides, so that you can “chew the cud” and have “cloven hooves”, but also grow or remove nails. Let us now examine why it is said that we grow our nails or, as we read elsewhere, remove them. It is written in Deuteronomy: “When you go out to war against your enemies, and the Lord your God delivers them into your hand, and you take them captive, and you see among the captives a woman of beautiful appearance, and you love her, and want to take her to be your wife, then bring her into your house, and let her shave her head and trim her nails, and take off her captive clothing, and live in your house, and mourns his father and mother for a month; and after that you can go in to her and become her husband, and she will be your wife” (Deut. 21:10-13). Our purpose now is not to explain this fragment used as evidence; We have cited this passage because it mentions nails 49 . At the same time, I myself often went “to war against my enemies” and saw among the captives “a beautiful-looking woman.” Whatever we have heard that is good and sensible said by our enemies, or read that wise and prudent that has been written by them, we must purify it from the knowledge spread among them, remove and cut off everything that is dead and useless - in other words, all the hair on the head and nails of a woman taken captive from the enemy - and, finally, “take [this woman] to be your wife,” when there is nothing left in her that is called dead due to infidelity, neither in the head nor in the hands, so that she would not have anything unclean either in deeds or in thoughts. For there is nothing pure in the women of our enemies, because there is no wisdom in them that is not mixed with something unclean. But I would like the Jews to explain why they continue to do this. What's the point? For what reason should such a woman have her head shaved and her nails cut? Suppose the one who took her discovered that she had neither hair nor nails. What, according to the law, must he cut off from her? But we, who are waging spiritual warfare, and “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal” (2 Cor. 10:4), if we meet among our enemies a beautiful woman, that is, some reasonable theory, then we will purify her in the manner described above. Thus, one who is pure must not only “split the hooves,” or, in other words, nails—not only distinguish between the deeds and actions of the present and the coming age—but also “give up the nails,” or, as we read elsewhere, “cut them off” (cf. Deut. 21:12), in order to cleanse “our conscience from dead works” (cf. Heb. 9:14) and remain alive. 7. Of course, all this was said about animals. However, about those “who are in the water,” it is said that they are clean if they have “fins 50 and scales” (cf. Lev. 11:9 ff.), but if not, then they are unclean and should not be eaten. This shows that if someone has fallen into these waters, into the sea of ​​this life, and is thrown along the waves of this century, then he must make every effort so as not to end up in the depths of these waters, like fish, which, as it is said, have no fins and scales; for they are such by nature and always remain in the lowlands, at the very bottom, like eels and the like, and they cannot rise to the surface of the water and reach its heights. But fish that have fins and are protected by scales ascend to greater heights and approach the surface, like those who strive for freedom of spirit. Thus, each saint, as if caught in a net of faith, is called by the Savior a good fish and placed in a vessel (cf. Matt. 13:47–48) as having “fins and scales.” For if he did not have “fins,” he would not be able to get out of the mud of unbelief and fall into the net of faith. But why is it said that he also has scales, if not to show by this that he is ready to take off his old clothes? (cf. Eph.4:22). For those not covered with scales seem to consist of flesh alone; they are completely carnal and cannot put off anything. Therefore, the one who has fins with the help of which he floats up is clean. And the one who does not have them, who remains below and constantly lives in the dirt, is unclean. The same applies to birds. It is said: “Of the birds you shall abhor these: the eagle, the vulture” (Lev.11:13). For these birds feed on carrion, and corpses serve as food for them. And therefore all who thus maintain their existence must be considered unclean. I think this also applies to those who count on the death of others and rely on cunning and deception. And it is no coincidence that such people are called predators and vultures, as those who lustfully look out for dead bodies. I know of other birds that live on prey. They are souls who, because they are intelligent and taught in rational theories, appear to float in the heavens - for they read and inquire about the rationality of heaven or how God's providence governs the world. That's why they are called birds. But if such people act unjustly, then they act against the law and rob their neighbor; and though their words seem to contain heavenly knowledge, yet by their actions they perform carnal and dead works. They should be called predators and vultures, who rush from heights onto lifeless, stinking meat. This also includes the greed of the kite and all others like him; Some of them are birds who are guided by greed, while others are characterized not so much by greed as by the desire for darkness and darkness. “For everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light” (John 3:20), like an owl or a bat or anyone else called unclean in the law (cf. Lev. 11:17,19). Based on all this, we, guided by spiritual vision and the desire to eat only clean animals, can also become pure and innocent through Christ our Lord, through whom to God the Father with the Holy Spirit “be glory and dominion forever and ever.” Amen" (1 Peter 4:11; Rev. 1:6). About what was said: “If a woman receives seed 51 and gives birth to a male child, she will be unclean for seven days” (Lev.12:2). And about the different types of leprosy and about the cleansing of the leper (cf. Lev. 13, 14) 1. We know that our Lord Jesus Christ is called a doctor in the Divine Scripture, just as He Himself says in the Gospel: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:12-13). All physicians prepare potions for the treatment of the body from herbs and trees, or even from the veins of minerals or the organs of animals. But if someone happens to see these herbs in a field or in the mountains before they are prepared according to medical science, he will trample them and pass by them, as if they were worthless hay. However, if he sees the infusions of these herbs arranged in proper order on the shelves in a medical school, then, although they give off a strong, bitter smell, he will believe that they contain something medicinal and medicinal, even if he does not know what medicinal effect they have. But we said this about ordinary doctors. Come now to Jesus - the heavenly Doctor, go to the hospital - His Church; see many paralytic people lying there. Now a woman came, unclean from her birth (cf. Mark 5:25; Lev. 12:2 ff), a leper came, who lived due to the uncleanness of leprosy “separately, outside the camp” (cf. Lev. 13:46; Mark 5:25). They want the Doctor to heal them: they are looking for how they can be healed, how they can be cleansed. And since Jesus, who is the Physician, is also the Word of God, He prepares medicine for His sick not from infusions of herbs, but from the sacrament of words. And if someone sees that these verbal potions are scattered in disorder throughout books, like grass in fields, not knowing the healing power of individual words, then they will not notice them as worthless and lacking verbal elegance. But he who has realized that only Christ has a medicine for souls will, without a doubt, understand from the books read in the Church how to take medicine from medicinal herbs collected from mountains and fields, in other words, the power of words, so that everyone weakened in soul can be healed not so much by the power of the branches or bark located outside, but by the power of the sap flowing within. Therefore, let's see what different and varied medicines for cleansing leprosy and uncleanness from birth are offered to us by today's reading. 2. It is written: “And the Lord spake to Moses, saying, Tell the children of Israel, If a woman conceives seed and bears a male child, she shall be unclean for seven days” (Lev. 12:1–2). First of all, let us see whether the addition “if a woman receives the seed and gives birth to a child” is not superfluous from the point of view of the literal meaning. How else can she give birth to a child if she does not accept the seed first? No, this addition is not unnecessary. The Lawgiver adds these words in order to distinguish the One who conceived and gave birth without seed from other women, so that not every woman who gave birth would be considered unclean, but only the one who gave birth after receiving the seed. To this it may be added that the law written concerning uncleanness applies to women; about Mary it is said: “The virgin will be with child and give birth” (Matthew 1:23). So let women bear the full burden of the law, and virgins be freed from it. But if some accuser attacks us and says that Mary is also called “woman” in the Scriptures, for the Apostle says: “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, who was born of a woman, made subject to the law” (Gal. 4:4), then we will answer him that the Apostle called Her a woman not because of depravity, but to indicate Her gender. When he said, “God sent His Son,” he immediately explained that He came into this world in the same way as the rest of us. In addition, this word denotes the time of life, in other words, the time when the female race reaches puberty and comes to the age when it is possible to accept a man. In the same way, one who has passed the age of adolescence is called a man, even if he does not have a wife whose husband he could be called. This word also refers to those who have not stained themselves by intercourse with a woman. Thus, if one who has not known a woman is called a man because of his maturity, why not accordingly call a virgin who has retained her innocence a woman solely because of her maturity? Finally, when Abraham sent his servant to Mesopotamia to the house of Bethuel to take “from there a wife for his son Isaac,” the slave cautiously asked: “Perhaps a woman will not want to go with me to this land, should I return your son to the land from which you came?” (Gen.24:5); he didn't say, "What if the girl doesn't want to come with me?" So, let these words become for us a confirmation that, as we noted, it was not by chance that the Lawgiver added: “The woman will receive the seed and give birth to a male child” (Lev.12:2); but there is one supernatural property that separates Mary from other women: she conceived not from a man’s seed, but by the presence of the Holy Spirit and the power of the Most High (cf. Luke 1:35). 3. Now let us consider why it is said about a woman who gives life to those born in this world that she is unclean not only when she “receives seed,” but also when she “gives birth” (cf. Lev. 12:2). She is commanded to bring “a young dove or turtledove for a sin offering at the door of the tabernacle of meeting,” and the priest “will offer it before the Lord” for her propitiation (cf. Lev. 12:6–7), as if she were to be cleansed and propitiated for having sinned by performing the service of bringing a person into this world. And therefore it is written: “The priest will bring it before the Lord and make atonement for her, and she will be clean” (Lev.12:7). I don’t dare say anything about this; I will only note that there is a certain secret here, some secret is hidden in the fact that a woman, having conceived and given birth, becomes unclean, and she, like the one who sinned, is ordered to offer a sacrifice for sin and thus be cleansed (cf. Lev. 12:7). However, Scripture says that the newborn child himself, both male and female, is unclean, for “who can be born clean from filth? No one, even if his life is one” (Job 14:4–5). And it is also said so that you know that there is something great in this that came to the saints not from their understanding, that not one of them celebrated a holiday or made a great feast on the day of his birth. None of them had fun the day their son or daughter was born. Only sinners celebrate such birthdays. So, in the Old Testament we read that Pharaoh - the king of Egypt - held a feast in honor of his birthday (cf. Gen. 40:20), and in the New Testament - Herod (cf. Mark 6:21). Both of them, however, darkened their celebration by shedding human blood, for Pharaoh killed the “farmer” (cf. Gen. 40:22), and Herod killed the holy prophet John “in prison” (cf. Mark 6:28). And the saints not only did not celebrate their birthday, but, filled with the Holy Spirit, cursed this day. And such a great prophet - I mean Jeremiah, whom God “sanctified” “in his mother’s womb” and “ordained as a prophet to the nations” (cf. Jer. 1:5) - would not have written something meaningless in the books that remained in eternity; but his words contained a great secret, and they were filled with great mystery when he said: “Cursed is the day on which I was born! May the day on which my mother gave birth to me not be blessed! Cursed is the man who brought the news to my father and said: “You have a son,” and thereby made him very happy. And let it be with that man as with the cities which the Lord destroyed and did not spare” (Jer. 20:14-16). How could the prophet wish for such terrible things if he did not know that there is something in bodily birth that apparently deserves such curses and in which the Lawgiver sees so much uncleanness, from which he subsequently commands to be cleansed? Isn't this obvious to you? But the explanation of the prophet's testimony is better left for a more appropriate time, because it will be too long, and now our task is to examine the passage we read from the book of Leviticus, not Jeremiah. However, Job, whose lips were accompanied by the Holy Spirit, cursed the day of his birth (cf. Job 3:1), saying: “Perish the day on which I was born, and the night in which it was said: man was conceived! Let that day be darkness; May God not seek him from above, and may the light not shine on him! That night, let darkness possess it, let it not be counted among the days of the year, let it not be included in the number of months!” ( Job 3:3,4,6 ). But if you do not believe that Job said this by the Divine and Prophetic Spirit, look what follows; for he adds: “Let those who curse her curse the day on which the great whale is killed 52” (Job 3:8). So, you see how, being filled with the Holy Spirit, Job predicted that the Lord would destroy the great whale, whose prototype was the “whale” of Jonah. Therefore, the Lord, Who will overthrow the “great whale” - the devil, says: “For as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights” (Matthew 12:40). But if you want to know what other saints think about birthdays, listen to what David says: “I was conceived in iniquity, and my mother gave birth to me in sin” (Ps. 50:7), showing by this that every soul born in the flesh is defiled by the uncleanness of “iniquity and sin”; and therefore we can repeat the words quoted above: “Who will be born clean from filth? No one, even if his life is one” (Job 14:4–5). To this we can add that since the baptism of the Church is given for the remission of sins, according to church regulations, infants are also baptized; and if there were nothing in them that needed to be forgiven and abandoned, then the grace of baptism would seem superfluous. So, “if a woman receives seed and gives birth to a male child, then she will be unclean for seven days” (Lev.12:2) - just like the one who “in the days of her purification” is separated from everything clean for “seven days” (cf. Lev.12:2, Num.12:15). For seven days she remains in unclean blood and thirty-three days in pure blood (cf. Lev. 12:4). But this refers to the birth of a “male child”; if “she gives birth to a female child,” then the number of days doubles. Thus, she begins to be in pure blood on the eighth day, and her blood remains pure for thirty-three days - which is, in other words, three tens and three units. And when the woman who gave birth begins to be in pure blood, then the baby is circumcised. For it is said: “On the eighth day his foreskin will be circumcised” (Lev.12:3). This is what the law says in letter; But you seek that circumcision about which the Apostle speaks, commanding us to receive and keep it, “for we are the circumcisers who serve God in the spirit” (Phil. 3:3). But listen also to what is said in the Psalter: “From birth the wicked have departed; from the womb they have gone astray, speaking lies” (Ps. 57:4). Consider whether this is not said about those who received the circumcision with which the Apostle forbade us to be circumcised. And sinners “go astray from the womb” when they are circumcised not in the spirit, but in the flesh. For “if you are circumcised by the law, you have fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:2, 4). So, it is said: “If a woman receives seed and gives birth to a male child, she will be unclean for seven days” (cf. Lev. 12:2). “If she gives birth to a female child, then” she is doubly unclean and, as it is said, “she will be unclean for two weeks” (cf. Lev. 12:5). 4. But at the same time, the “male child” “will be circumcised on the eighth day,” and the woman who gave birth to him will be clean. It is quite difficult to cover everything in such a short time, so we will limit ourselves to just a brief overview. The week can be considered as the time of real life, for in seven days the world was created. And while we remain in the flesh, we cannot be completely cleansed until the eighth day comes, that is, until the time of the next age comes. On that day, a courageous man is immediately purified by the very advent of the coming age, and the mother who gave birth to him is made pure; for through the resurrection the flesh is cleansed from vices. If someone does not have any courage to resist sin, but he is weak and feminine in his actions, then his sin is such that “it will not be forgiven him either in this age or in the next” (cf. Matt. 12:32), and the woman in labor spends one week and another in her uncleanness, and finally the third begins - the week of cleansing from uncleanness, when she is healed. The sacrifices that are commanded to be offered for such uncleanness are divided into two parts. First one must “offer a lamb of one year old without blemish for a burnt offering, and a young dove or turtle dove for a sin offering” (cf. Lev. 12:6). “If she is not able to bring a lamb, then she must take two turtle doves or two young doves, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering” (Lev. 12:8). That is why it seems miraculous that Mary brings not the first sacrifice, that is, a one-year-old lamb, but the second, as if She is “not able” to bring the first. It is written about Her like this: His parents came to sacrifice for Him “according to what was said in the law of the Lord, two turtle doves or two chicks of doves” (Luke 2:24). This confirms the truth of what was said that Jesus Christ, “being rich, became poor for your sake” (cf. 2 Cor. 8:9). For this reason, He chose a poor mother, from whom He was to be born, and a poor homeland, about which it is said: “And you, Bethlehem-Ephrathah, are you little among the thousands of Judah” (Mic. 5:2) and so on. But we are forced only to mention all this and not to consider in detail each statement written, for we must hasten and discuss at least a little the law about lepers, about which we were read. 5. So we see six types of human leprosy - six types described as follows. Or “whoever has a tumor, or a lichen, or a spot on the skin of his body, and on the skin of his body it will become like a sore of leprosy” (cf. Lev. 13:2). Or “leprosy will bloom on the skin, and leprosy will cover the entire skin of the sick person from his head to his feet” (cf. Lev. 13:12). Or the third type: “If someone had an abscess on the skin of their body and it healed, and a white scar appeared at the site of the abscess 53” (cf. Lev. 13:18–19). Or “there will be a burn on the skin of the body” (Lev.13:24). The fifth type is when “a man or a woman has a sore on the head or on the beard” (cf. Lev. 13:29). The latter type is described as follows: “If there is a white or reddish spot on his bald spot or on his bald spot, then leprosy has blossomed on his bald spot or on his bald spot” (cf. Lev. 13:42). And since our intention is to instruct our listeners in a few words on what has been read to us, and we do not have time to discuss in detail each phrase we read, let us resort to an abbreviated description. It seems to me that everything that we talked about above relates to certain types of sin, and from this point of view we will look at the wounds that sins inflict on the soul. Therefore, it should first of all be said that they represent the sins we commit in this life; Moreover, some can be healed from them, while others cannot. Secondly, we must understand: what we take with us after this life is of great importance and is something that is so ingrained in our souls that it cannot be destroyed; but there is also something else that can be cleared up by inspection and judgment of the high priest, for whom nothing can be secret; he will distribute the souls of people according to the described spots of leprosy and see which of them can be healed and which cannot. It will not be possible in this sermon to bring together all the differences contained in this reading, and to examine them at once, one by one, according to the direction of Scripture, which can inspire us, as we have already spoken of above. For those for whom, when reading the Old Testament, the Lord removed the “veil” (cf. 2 Cor. 3:16) can hardly fit them into many books. So, let us, as far as possible, follow the path of understanding that the Apostle Paul opens for us when he says: “The law has a shadow of good things to come, but not the very image of things” (Heb. 10:1) and, according to this, he argues that what is written in the law about oxen should be understood to mean that God does not care about the oxen (cf. Cor. 9:9), but about the apostles. In the same way we learn from what is written about leprosy that it may be a “shadow” having the image of the truth manifested in something else. So let us first of all enter into this shadow of Scripture and seek the truth hidden in it. Bodily wounds, after they heal, leave a mark called a scar or cicatrix. It rarely happens that no trace remains of the wound received. Now let us move from this “shadow of the law” to its truth and consider how a soul wounded by sin is healed, although a scar remains at the site of the wound (cf. Lev. 13:19). This scar is visible not only to God, but also to those who have received grace from Him, thanks to which they can see the weakness of the soul and distinguish between a soul that can be healed so that no traces of the wound remain on it, from one that, although it can be healed, will still bear traces of an old illness in the form of a scar. Moreover, Isaiah teaches us that there are special wounds of the soul when he says: “From the sole of the foot to the crown of the head there is no soundness in it” (Isaiah 1:6). Undoubtedly, he has in mind human sins, for among them there are those to which medicine or bandage should be applied. But about the fact that others can be sinful to such an extent that no cure can be found for them, the same prophet says: “Sores, spots, festering wounds, not cleansed and not bandaged and not softened with oil” (Is. 1:6). And Jeremiah teaches that “sickness” and “your incurable wound” were sent down for the healing of the soul. “For thus says the Lord: Your wound is incurable, your plague is cruel; no one cares about your business to heal your wound; there is no healing medicine for you; all your friends have forgotten you and are not looking for you; For I have smitten you with the blows of the enemy, with a cruel punishment for the multitude of your iniquities, because your sins have multiplied. Why do you cry about your wounds, about the cruelty of your illness? Because of the multitude of your iniquities I have done this to you, because your sins have multiplied. But all those who devour you will be devoured; and all your enemies, all of you, will go into captivity, and your desolators will be laid waste, and all your robbers will be given over to robbery. I will put a plaster over you and heal you from your wounds, says the Lord” (Jer. 30:12-17). Remember well what the prophet said about wounds, scars and ulcers, for we will need to explain what the wounds, ulcers and other such things mentioned in the law of leprosy mean. Let us add, however, that the same Jeremiah speaks in another place about the wounds and healing of the soul, on which traces remain after the wounds have healed: “Behold, I will apply a plaster and healing remedies to him, and will heal them, and will reveal to them the abundance of peace and faith, 54 and will restore the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel” (Jer. 33: 6-7). So, from the prophet we have learned enough about the wounds and scars of the soul, their treatment and healing sent by God, and now let us consider the soul about which God said: “I will heal its wounds” (Jer. 33:6). When sin wounds a soul, God will undoubtedly apply “plasters and healing remedies” to it and heal it and reveal to it “abundance of peace and faith” (cf. Jer. 33:6). But if, after knowing God and His medicines, if after the proclamation of “peace and faith” that we receive from Christ, any signs of former sin or the return of an old illness appear again, then on the skin of the body cf. Lev.13:3), which the high priest must examine according to what the Lawgiver says. 6. Here is the second type of leprosy: “If leprosy blooms on the skin, and leprosy covers the entire skin of the sick person from his head to his feet, as far as the priest’s eyes can see, then he will declare the sick person clean” (Lev. 13:12-13). “But on the day when living color appears on it 55, then it is unclean” (Lev. 13:14), for living color appeared on it that was not there before. Someone before me said about this that “living color” indicates the rationality of a person’s life; and since it has not yet been imprinted on the soul, once any sin happens to it, it is not yet imputed to it, for the one who commits an offense is seen as not yet capable of perceiving rationality. But when reason has found time and place in him, if he does something against reason, then he is rightly considered guilty. Therefore, we, who more diligently consider what is written, consider them rather to be those who should be accepted as mad or possessed, or those whose reason is darkened, and they act against reason. Therefore, they are declared clean from leprosy, that is, free from sin, for their actions and deeds are unreasonable. When the “living color” of the body appears on someone, that is, the mind regains sanity in him, and if after that he does something contrary to reason and justice, they say that he sins with that part of himself that has acquired the “living color,” that is, the feeling of the living mind. 7. The third decree on leprosy states: “If anyone had an abscess on the skin of his body and it healed, and a white scar or a white or reddish spot appeared at the site of the abscess, then he must come to the priest” (Lev. 13:18–19). Due to the abundance of unclean and harmful fluid in the body, an ulcer appears. So the ulcer of the soul is understood in such a way that it arises from the filth of passions or from unclean thoughts. If, by the grace of faith and forgiveness, sins are healed and the soul becomes healthy, but a “scar” remains, and this “scar” is not flesh-colored, but “white,” then such a person is declared a leper (cf. Lev. 13:20). Truly, the passions in it are so clear and obvious that from afar the remaining traces of sin are noticeable, and perhaps this “sin leading to death” (cf. 1 John 5:16), and therefore not only a white scar is mentioned, but also a red one (cf. Lev. 13:19). And, as it is said, the scar itself turns out to be “lower than the skin” (cf. Lev. 13:20), since, without a doubt, the stain of sin makes the soul low and vile. 8. The fourth decree on leprosy says: “If anyone has a burn on the skin of his body, and on the healed burn there is a reddish or white spot,” then, as it is said, “this is leprosy, it blossomed on the burn” (Lev. 13:24-25). Therefore, see if there is a “burn” in every soul, which is struck by the “fiery arrows of the evil one” (cf. Eph. 6:16), and if those who are burned by carnal love are not burned with fire. Thus, these burns are also from burning by fire. But he who is inflamed with a thirst for human glory, or who is inflamed by a fit of anger and rage, also suffers from the burn. If such a soul is healed by faith from the wounds it received, but then neglects the One who said: “Behold, you are healed; sin no more, lest anything worse happen to you” (John 5:14), the seed of the old vice will begin to grow from the closed scar, and the scar will not align with the skin of the rest of the body, but will be “lower” than it and will retain the color that it had at the time of leprosy, and then it is said that “it blossomed on the burn,” and therefore the priest “will declare him unclean” (cf. Lev. 13:25). 9 . The fifth type of leprosy: “If a man or a woman has a sore on the head or on the beard, and it appears deep in the skin, then it is leprosy on the head or on the beard” (Lev. 13:29-30). See if it is possible to attribute “leprosy on the head” to someone whose head is not Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 11:3), but someone else - for example, Epicurus, who proclaimed pleasure as the highest good. Don't you think that the head and beard of such a person are unclean? Moreover, of him who, while he should be a man and act as if he were perfect, is easily overcome by sin, like a child (cf. 1 Cor. 13:11), it must also be said that he has “leprosy on the beard,” for although he should overcome evil and perform with priestly honor, which is represented by the beard, he suffers “leprosy on the beard,” since vices hinder him youth. It is often said that woman in Scripture signifies the soul that can not so much give as receive the seed of the word; if leprosy is found on the head of a husband who is “the head of his wife” (cf. 1 Cor. 11:3), then she has a vicious and unclean teacher: either Marcion, or Valentinus, or one of their followers. 10. The sixth and last type of leprosy shows that it is “on bald spots or bald spots,” which in themselves are clean. The law says this: “If anyone has hair on his head, he is bald: he is clean; But if hair comes out on the front of the head, then he is bald: he is clean” (Lev. 13:40–41). And accordingly this applies to the soul, for when it strips off and overthrows everything that is mortal in it by nature, it will be declared pure. But if, after it has become pure, the sprouts of something dirty and base, unworthy of its purity, again appear in it, then such a soul becomes unclean, like a leper. For every leper whose leprosy “will be found below the skin” (cf. Lev. 13:20) and “deep in the skin” (cf. Lev. 13:30) - for every vice of the soul is below its virtues - the “law”, which is “spiritual” (cf. Rom. 7:14), prescribes: “The leper must have his clothes torn, and his head must not be covered" (Lev.13:45). This exposes the one whose soul is a leper, that is, who is nailed by sin, and he should not sew clothes for himself to cover the shame of sin, for just as the one whose “clothes are torn” is naked and the shame of his body is not covered, it is also necessary for the one who is stricken with any sins not to cover his shame and dishonor with any veil of words, with any veil of justification, so as not to become like him “whitewashed tombs, which on the outside appear beautiful, but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and all uncleanness” (Matthew 23:27). Thus, the law of God requires not only that the sinner not sew clothes for himself, but that his head should also be uncovered, so that if he commits an offense in his head, in other words, if he has committed a crime before God, if the sin is in faith, not to hide it, but to expose it to everyone, so that he can be corrected, and the sinner through intercession will be healed and worthy of forgiveness. But, nevertheless, this leper must be closed “to the lips” (cf. Lev. 13:45). Why is he ordered to expose all parts of his body and only cover his mouth? Is it not obvious that the lips of one who is infected with the leprosy of sin are closed; his mouth is covered so that neither the confidence of words nor the authority of teaching emanates from him. “God says to the sinner: “Why do you preach My statutes and take My covenant in your mouth”” (Ps. 49:16). So let the sinner’s lips be covered, for he who has not taught himself cannot teach another (cf. Rom. 2:21); and therefore it is commanded to be closed “to the lips” to those who, by doing evil, lose the freedom to speak. It is said: “As long as he has a plague, he must be unclean; he is unclean; he must live separately, his dwelling is outside the camp” (Lev.13:46). It is clear that every “unclean” is cast out from the congregation of the pure, deprived of fellowship with the saints and removed from their camp. That is why it is said: “Outside the camp is his dwelling.” If he is cleansed, then he does not go to the priest himself, of his own free will, but, as it is said, someone else brings him, and he does not enter the camp (cf. Lev. 14:4). For it is not good if he “enters the camp” (cf. Lev. 14:8) on the same day that he is cleansed (cf. Lev. 14:2), before what is due is done to him. That is why it is said that “the priest will come out” to him “from the camp” (cf. Lev. 14:3). For to those who cannot leave the camp, One always comes out who can, because He says: “I came forth from the Father and came into the world; and again I leave the world and go to the Father” (John 16:28). So the priest comes out to him and examines him to see if he is healed, if he is cleansed from leprosy. And when the priest examines him, he “will order to take for the person being cleansed two live clean chickens, cedar wood, scarlet thread and hyssop” (Lev.14:4). These two hens, as I see it, have some resemblance to two goats, one of which is sacrificed to the Lord, and the other is sent “into the wilderness” (cf. Lev. 16:10); so here, out of two chickens, one is slaughtered, and the other is released “into the field” (cf. Lev. 14:7). Thus, the one who has been cleansed of leprosy gives one part, which is sent “into the wilderness,” and the other is sacrificed for him to the Lord. Here, however, the one who is cleansed from leprosy and sacrifices chickens does not yet bring to the altar the same thing that is sacrificed to the Lord for him, namely turtledoves or doves (cf. Lev. 14:22). For the same day that someone is cleansed from leprosy, he is not yet worthy to offer sacrifices at God's altar. Therefore, the Lawgiver commands, on the day when he was cleansed, “to take two chickens for the one being cleansed” (cf. Lev. 14:2, 4). But it seems to me that this contains a hidden understanding of these two hens, through which the cleansing of sinners is accomplished and about which it is written: “How often have I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen 56 gathers her chicks under her wings, and you did not want to!” (Matthew 23:36). However, the one who has been cleansed must also be cleansed with “cedar wood” (cf. Lev. 14:4). For it is impossible for a leper to be cleansed from sin without the “tree” of the cross, unless he turns to the “tree” on which the Savior, according to the Apostle Paul, “took away the powers of the principalities and powers, having triumphed over them on the cross” (Col. 2:15,14). Further, “scarlet thread and hyssop” are also necessary for cleansing from leprosy. The “scarlet thread” bears the image of the sacred blood flowing from the side of the Savior, pierced by the “spear” (cf. John 19:34). "And hyssop." This herb has medicinal properties and has the ability to soften and cleanse if any impurity is found in the chest of a person due to the harmful effects of harmful body juices. Therefore, it is not surprising that this herb serves as an image of cleansing from sins. The color bright red is often taken as a symbol of salvation, and we often see it in the Divine Scriptures, for example, “at the time of childbirth” of Tamar, when, as it is said, “a hand was shown; and the midwife took it and tied a red thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first” (Gen. 38:28); or when the harlot Rahab received the spies and received a promise of salvation from those who said: “When we come into this land, you will tie a scarlet rope to the window through which you let us down” (Josh. 2:18). However, pay attention: it is said that the priest does not sacrifice chickens himself, for the one who had leprosy has not yet come to the point where the priest would offer sacrifices for him. For this reason, the blood of a chicken is not brought to the altar, but it is said: “And the priest will order one chicken to be killed over an earthen vessel, over living water” (cf. Lev. 14:5); water is also taken for cleansing, and the fullness of the sacrament is accomplished by the blood and water flowing from the side of the Savior (cf. John 19:34), which John also affirms in his epistle when he says that cleansing occurs “by water and blood and the Spirit” (cf. 1 John 5:6,8). From here I see that everything is present here. For the spirit is from a hen that slaughters; “living water” is contained in an earthen vessel, and “blood” is that which is sprinkled over it; We by no means believe that this grants the same grace as in baptism, but for every cleansing of sins, including that which is achieved through repentance, the help of Him is required from Whose side flowed “blood and water.” See how a living chicken, cedar wood, scarlet thread and hyssop are moistened with the blood of a slaughtered chicken and living water (cf. Lev. 14:6), so that he who is sprinkled and cleansed with “blood and water”, with which the hen that is sent “into the field” is sprinkled, and sprinkled “seven times” before the Lord (cf. Lev. 14:7), the one who is cleansed, became clean and freed from all the uncleanness of leprosy. 11. But pay attention to the following: above it was said: “This is the law of the leper; on the day when it must be cleansed” (Lev.14:2); now the phrase “and he will be clean” is added to this. And if leprosy is defeated and the patient is clean, then how can he now “be clean”? But note that even if someone is cleansed of sin and no longer commits it, it is still necessary to remove traces of the evil done both in the way that we described above and in the way that is described below. For we noted that it is said about the leper “on the day when he must be cleansed” after, among other instructions, it is said three times “and he will be clean” (cf. Lev. 14:7-9), and at the end it is written again “and he will be clean” (cf. Lev. 14:20). It seems to me that there are certain differences between the purification itself and, so to speak, the process of purification. After all, one can say about someone who has stopped sinning, “and will be clean” (cf. Lev. 14:8), but he will not immediately become so pure that he will approach the highest purity. To what has been said is added: “on the day when it is necessary to cleanse it” (Lev.14:2), a live chicken will be released into the field, and “he who is being cleansed will wash his clothes” (cf. Lev.14:7–8). After this, he will “cut all his hair” and “wash his body with water and be clean” (cf. Lev. 14:8–9). For it is not enough to sprinkle on the person being cleansed and declare him clean (cf. Lev. 14:7) if he does not do everything that is said later. And since one who is being cleansed from leprosy is wearing dirty clothes, after sprinkling he must wash them (cf. Lev. 14:8). However, these clothes do not seem to me to be woven from only evil; otherwise they would have been ordered not to be washed, but to be thrown away. This shows that he is not completely alien to God in his behavior, but at the same time he is not pure before the Lord and is not kept from sin. For he would not wash his clothes unless they were dirty, and he would not put them on again after they had been washed if the fabric had become unusable. As for the command to shave “all hair,” I think that hair here refers to all the dead deeds of the soul, established in sin, which are now commanded to be removed. Therefore, every sinner, if he wants to truly cleanse himself, must tear out and remove everything that is born in his thoughts, words or deeds, so that nothing remains. The saint must preserve all his hair, and, if possible, the “razor” should not touch “his head,” so as not to remove anything from his wise thoughts, words or deeds. So the razor did not touch Samuel’s head (cf. 1 Samuel 1:11) and the righteous Nazarenes (cf. Num. 6:5), about whom it is rightly written: “whose leaf does not wither; and whatever he does, he will prosper” (cf. Ps. 1:3). Therefore, it is said about the disciples of the Lord that “the hairs of their heads are all numbered” (cf. Matt. 10:30), that is, all their actions, all words and all thoughts are dedicated to God, for they are righteous, for they are saints. A sinner must cut off all his deeds, all his words, all his thoughts. That is why it is said: “He will shave off all his hair and be clean” (Lev.14:9). But note that even after cleansing, it is not enough that he “wash his clothes” and “shave all his hair,” if in addition to this he does not “wash his body with water” (Lev. 14:9). Truly, one should remove all dirt, all uncleanness, not only from one’s clothes, but also from one’s body, so that no stain of leprosy remains on it. And here is the third cleansing, so that he can finally enter “the camp” of the Lord; he, however, is not allowed to immediately enter his tent, but, as it is said, the one who is being purified will remain seven days outside his tent; “On the seventh day he will shave off all his hair, his head, his beard, the eyebrows of his eyes” (cf. Lev. 14:8–9); as if it were not enough to say that he “will cut off all his hair” (cf. Lev. 14:8), now it is added “he will shave all his hair, his head, his beard, his eyebrows” (cf. Lev. 14:9). For, as it seems, the same thing is said in the phrase “he will cut off all his hair.” However, this repetition does not seem to me unnecessary, for it is intended to remind the sinner, after he has been cleansed, after his sins have been forgiven through repentance, about the cleansing of his head, beard and eyebrows, as if it were said to him: “Behold, you are made whole” (John 5:14), no longer heap guilt on your own head, for “sin of the head” (cf. 1 John 5:16) means thinking differently than the faith of the Church defines Divine dogmas. The beard should remind him that he has left the sins of manhood and, having been converted, has become like a child. In his brows he rejects arrogance and bends their exalted pride to the humility of Christ. So, in the second place, he thus shaves off “all the hair of his body”; That's why it's repeated twice. It is also not enough to wash “your clothes” once (cf. Lev. 14:8) in the initial cleansing, and therefore it is prescribed that “he will wash his clothes and wash his body with water,” and then added a fourth time: “and he will be clean” (cf. Lev. 14:9). All this happens to him while he is in the camp, but “outside his tent” (cf. Lev. 14:9). And after seven days, as it is said, “on the eighth day he will take for himself two rams.” No one else will take them, but he himself will “take them for himself.” It is said: “Two rams without blemish, and one ewe of the first year without blemish, and three tenths of an ephah of fine wheat flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, and one log of oil” (Lev. 14:10), so that after this the fifth cleansing would be performed on the cleansed one. Of these two rams, one is offered “for a trespass offering,” as it is said: “[the priest] shall kill the ram in the place where they slaughter the sin offering and burnt offering, in the holy place” (Lev. 14:13). Look: he has already become worthy for the priest to make sacrifices for him, and this sacrifice is “great holiness” (cf. Lev. 14:13). The priest will bring the other ram “for a burnt offering,” and he will pray for the one being cleansed, “and he will be clean” (cf. Lev. 14:19–20). Thus, the first ram, which is offered as a guilt offering, appears to me as an image of virtue itself, which is assumed by the one who was in sin, and it allows him to reject his inclination to sin and bring repentance for his previous atrocities; the other ram symbolizes the one who has already restored virtue in himself, through which he has cast off and put to flight sin, has completely betrayed and dedicated himself to God and stands worthily at the Divine altars. So, the ram, which should be brought after the sheep (cf. Lev. 14:10), - as far as we can interpret such difficult passages - as I believe, signifies one who has turned away from sin, wholly devoted himself to God, reaps a rich harvest of good deeds and bears the abundant fruits of innocence. Thus, cleansing, that is, turning away from sin, is of three types. The first is the sacrifice that is offered for sin; the second is when the soul turns to God; the third is the offering of abundance and fruit, which the convert displays in works of mercy. And since these three types are sacrifices, “three tenths of an ephah” is added (cf. Lev. 14:10), which are necessary so that we know that no cleansing is possible without the mystery of the Trinity. Look: in the fifth cleansing of those who are being cleansed from sin, it is no longer just flour that is required, but the finest wheat flour; he is ordered to bring “the finest wheat flour” so that he may have bread that is clean and “mixed with oil.” But its oil is also divided into two parts; one is mixed with the finest wheat flour, the other part - “one log of oil,” as it is said, is taken by the priest (cf. Lev. 14:10). So, as I see it, this bread acquires the taste of mercy, and the oil, which kindles the light of truth and the fire of knowledge, “which is in the palm of the priest, he will put on the head of the one being cleansed” (Lev. 14:18). So, it is said: “The priest who cleanses will set the person being cleansed with them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting” (Lev. 14:11). Look: the priest sets up the one who turns from sin, so that he can stand firm and no longer be shaken, “so that we are no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried away by every wind of doctrine” (Eph. 4:14). Thus, he stands not only in the camp, but also “before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting” (Lev. 14:11). And then, as was said above, he brings sacrifices for purification and adds, as it is written, “a log of oil” and divides it “before the Lord.” It is written: “And the priest shall take the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it on the edge of the right ear of the one being cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot” (Lev. 14:14). And after this, as it is said, “the priest will take” not the entire log of oil, but “from the log of oil and pour it on his left palm; And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is on his left palm, and sprinkle the oil from his finger seven times before the Lord” (Lev. 14:15–16); and it is also said: “The priest will put the remaining oil that is in the palm of his hand on the edge of the right ear of the one being cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot” (Lev.14:17); and then it says: “And the rest of the oil that is in the palm of the priest he will put on the head of the one being cleansed” (Lev. 14:18). You see that the highest and perfect cleansing is the cleansing of the ears, in order to preserve pure and impeccable hearing, and of the right hand, so that our deeds are innocent and nothing unclean and dirty is mixed with them. You must also cleanse your feet in order to direct your steps only to good deeds and no longer strive for the downfalls of youth. “And [the priest] shall sprinkle oil with his finger seven times before the Lord” (Lev. 14:16). And after all that has been accomplished for purification, after he has been converted and reconciled to God, after he has offered sacrifices, it is prescribed that the priest should call upon the power of the Holy Spirit seven times upon the one who said: “Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, and strengthen me with the sovereign Spirit” (Ps. 50:14). Or, at least, since the Lord in the Gospel states that seven demons dwell in the heart of a sinner (cf. Luke 11:26), the priest, accordingly, sprinkles oil “seven times” in the cleansing “before the face of the Lord” (cf. Lev. 14:16), so that by seven times sprinkling with oil “from the finger” of the priest, he can show that “seven evil spirits” have been driven out of the heart of the person being cleansed. Thus, to those who have turned away from sin, cleansing is given through everything that is said above, and the gift of grace of the Holy Spirit is expressed in the form of “oil”, so that he who has turned away from sin can not only gain cleansing, but also be filled with the Holy Spirit, from whom he could receive “the best robe and a ring” (Luke 15:22), and, returning to the Father, again take the place of the son through our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, “To whom be glory and power forever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:11; Rev. 1:6). About the sacrifices of propitiation and about the “two goats,” of which “one lot is for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat,” which is sent “into the wilderness” (cf. Lev. 16:7–10), and about the entry of the high priest “into the sanctuary” (cf. Lev. 16:2) 1. The day of propitiation is necessary for all who have sinned, and therefore, among the festivals of the law, which contain images of heavenly mysteries, one is especially celebrated, called the day of propitiation. Therefore, what was read to us today is the law of the festival, which, as we said, is called the “day of propitiation.” But first, let us see what is contained in the letter itself for us, so that through your prayers - if you pray to God in such a way that you are worthy to be heard by Him - we may acquire the grace of the Holy Spirit, through Whom it would be within our power to explain the mysteries hidden in the law. “The two sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, came before the Lord with strange fire and died” (Lev.16:1). It was necessary that Aaron should be instructed in the heavenly teachings, how he should approach the altar and with what prayer rituals he should propitiate God, so as not to bring upon himself what his sons suffered through their carelessness when they inappropriately approached the altar of God “with alien fire,” and not with the sent down Divinity. Therefore, the law about this is preceded by the following words: “And the Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they came before the presence of the Lord and died, and the Lord said to Moses: Tell Aaron your brother that he should not at all times enter into the sanctuary behind the veil before the seat of mercy that is on the ark of the testimony, lest he die” (Lev. 16:1-2). This shows that if anyone enters “the sanctuary” “at any time” unprepared, not dressed in priestly garments, without having prepared the prescribed sacrifices and without first being reconciled to God, he will die. The same is true for those who do not do what is required before approaching the altar of God. What has been said applies to all of us, for what the law says here concerns everyone, since it prescribes how we should approach the altar of God. For at this altar we offer our prayers to God, so that we know how we should offer them: it is necessary for us to take off our “filthy garments” (Zechariah 3:4), which are the uncleanness of the flesh, the vices of habits, the filth of passions. Or do you not know that you, that is, the entire Church of God, all the faithful, have been granted the priesthood? Listen to what Peter says about the faithful: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a special people” (1 Pet. 2:9). So, you have the priesthood, for you are a “royal priesthood,” and therefore you must “continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God” (cf. Hebrews 13:15), sacrifice of prayer, sacrifice of mercy, sacrifice of purity, sacrifice of justice, sacrifice of holiness. But in order to offer them worthily, it is necessary that your clothes be clean and separated from the everyday clothes of other people, so that you possess Divine fire, not “alien” to God, but sent down to man by God, about which the Son of God says: “I came to bring down fire on the earth, and how I would like it to be already kindled!” (Luke 12:49). For if we do not use it, but another, destructive fire, with which “Satan is transformed into an angel of light” (cf. 2 Cor. 11:14), then, without a doubt, we will suffer the same fate as Nadab and Abihu. And therefore, by the command of God, it is prescribed to instruct Aaron so that he “not at all times” enters “the sanctuary” and approaches the altar (cf. Lev. 16:2), but when he first does what he must, and then he will not die. 2. First of all, let us show that what is written about the sacrifices is, in the words of the Apostle, “images for us” (1 Cor. 10:6), the truth of which is shown in another way, so that those who hear do not think that we are considering the law of God in a different way from the one in which it is written, grossly distorting it, as if what we affirm is not based on apostolic authority. Thus, Paul, who wrote in his Epistle to the Hebrews that those who, of course, read the law, meditated on it and knew it well, but did not have the proper understanding of how they should understand what was said about the sacrifices, says this: “For Christ did not enter into the sanctuary made with hands, built in the image of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear for us in the presence of God” (Heb. 9:24). And it is also said about sacrifices: “For He did this once, sacrificing Himself” (Heb. 7:27). But why look for separate evidence about Him? If anyone critically examines the entire Epistle to the Hebrews, and especially the place where the high priest of the law is compared with the high priest of the vow, about whom it is written: “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Heb. 5:6), then you will find that this entire passage from the apostolic epistle shows that what is described in the law are examples and images of the true. And therefore we must try to find a high priest who “once in the year” (cf. Lev. 16:34), that is, in the present century, offered a sacrifice to God, dressed in vestments, the properties of which we, with the help of the Lord, will demonstrate. It is said: “He must wear the sacred linen tunic” (Lev.16:4). Linen grows from the earth, therefore the “sacred linen tunic” is put on by the true High Priest Christ when he takes on the nature of earthly flesh; about the flesh it is said: “You are earth and to earth you will return 57” (cf. Gen. 3:19). Therefore, my Lord and Savior, wanting to resurrect that which would return “to the earth,” took on an earthly body so that He could lift it from earth to heaven. And what is written in the law that the high priest is dressed in a “linen tunic” contains the image of this mystery. The added word “sacred” should not be perceived as superfluous. For that “tunic” that was the flesh of Christ is “sacred”, since it was not conceived from a man’s seed, but begotten by the Holy Spirit. And, as it is said, “let a linen undergarment be on his body” (cf. Lev. 16:4). “Underdress” is a garment usually used to cover and bind indecent parts of the body. And if you admit that our Savior truly took on the human body and, being in this body, did everything that is characteristic of a person, that is, he ate, drank and the like, but did not do only what relates to certain parts of the body, and did not give up His body either to marriage or to beget sons, then you will understand in what sense He sanctified the “linen undergarment,” about which he should say: “To the members who are seem less noble in body, we confer greater honor 58" (1 Cor. 12:23). And look carefully at the very appearance of this High Priest: what appears in Him to be less decent by nature is dressed in a “linen robe” and tied with a belt in accordance with the letter of the law, and it is fitting to say about Him: “The members that seem to us less noble in the body, we confer greater honor on them.” And therefore, the one who lives chastely also imitates Christ - the One who, from the nature of man, did not know only this, but He also put on “a linen undergarment” and gave “greater honor” to the less noble members. So, the “sacred linen tunic” and the “linen undergarment” are put on his body. But so that somehow by chance the linen dress covering the obscene parts of the body does not come untied, revealing shame - for it is said: “Do not go up the steps to My altar, lest your nakedness be revealed therein” (Ex. 20:26) - so that the undergarment does not fall down and “your nakedness is not revealed in it,” he is girded with a “linen belt.” Once we talked about John the Baptist, and another time about Jeremiah, that he had a belt, and about John it is said that he had “a leather belt around his loins” (cf. Matt. 3:4), and we showed quite clearly how this signifies that this part of the body was so mortified in these people that it was impossible to imagine even the slightest frivolity or that the like was “in their loins” (cf. Heb.7:5,10) – only chastity and perfect modesty. So, the high priest “girds himself with a linen belt, and puts on a linen turban.” (cf. Lev. 16:4). Everything is linen. The "kidar" is a head ornament worn by the high priest and other priests during sacrifices. However, each of us should decorate our heads with priestly jewelry. And since “Christ is the head of every man” (cf. 1 Cor. 11:3), then everyone who acts in such a way as to glorify Christ “Who is the head” (cf. Eph. 4:15) adorns his head with his deeds. Head decoration can be understood in another way. Since the first and highest in us, the head of everything, is the mind, he who adorns his mind with the instructions of wisdom raises his head to the dignity of a high priest. These are the clothes the high priest must put on, and before that he “must not enter the sanctuary” (cf. Lev. 16:3), lest he die. 3. As for the sacrifices, the high priest is ordered to offer some of them “for himself” (cf. Lev. 16:6), and others “from the congregation of the sons of Israel” (cf. Lev. 16:5). He himself, as it is said, sacrifices a calf - the most valuable and powerful animal; the second animal, the ram, is without a doubt the most valuable of the sheep. The society is required to make the following sacrifices: a ram - from the princes, and from the people - “two goats”, one of which is sent “into the wilderness” - it is also called the “scapegoat” - and the other is sacrificed to the Lord (cf. Lev. 16:8 ff.). If all of God's people were holy and all were blessed, then there would not be two lots for the goats - one to be “sent into the wilderness” and the other to be sacrificed to God, but only one lot - a sacrifice to the Lord. But since among the many who approach the Lord, some are the Lord’s, and others are those who should be sent “into the wilderness,” in other words, those who deserve to be cast out and separated from the sacrifices to the Lord, only a part of the sacrifices brought by the people, that is, one goat, is sacrificed to the Lord. And the other, called the scapegoat, is cast out and sent “into the wilderness.” However, the lot falls to both; about the one who is sent into the wilderness, it is said that he bears “all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions and all their sins” (cf. Lev. 16:21). It is said that it is not the goat that “will bear” the sins that is “the lot for the Lord,” but the one that must be “sent into the wilderness,” and about him, I think, it is written: “I gave Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sheba as a ransom for you. Because you are precious in my sight, of great value” (Is. 43:3-4). Thus, those who were given the lot to be sent “to the desert” bear the sins of those who repented and left evil, for they were worthy of such service, such a lot. On the other hand, these include what was said: “Whoever has, to him will be given” (Matthew 13:12). And just as it is added to the one who is righteous, so the one who sins to such an extent that the lot of the scapegoat comes to him is sent into the wilderness. Such are separated from the saints so that what is written in them will be fulfilled: “From the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away,” to be given to the one who has many minas of sins (Luke 19:26,24). But since the one on whom the “lot for the Lord” fell connects his hopes not with the present, but with the future age, and whose lot is the Lord, “dies every day” (cf. 1 Cor. 15:31), then the one on whom the “lot for the Lord” fell is slain and dies in order to cleanse the people of God with his blood; and the one who has a different lot is not worthy to die, for unlike the one whose lot is the Lord and who is “not of the world,” he is “of the world,” and “the world loves its own” (cf. John 15:19). Therefore, he is not killed, he is not worthy either of being slaughtered at the altar of God, or of having his blood drained “against the wall of the altar” (cf. Lev. 1:15). 4. But let's see who is the one on whom the lot falls to become a scapegoat in order to carry the iniquities “into the impenetrable land.” It is said: “The goat on which the lot was chosen for the scapegoat” will be sent “with 59 prepared men into the wilderness” (cf. Lev. 16:10,21). The end of this lot is the desert, that is, a deserted place where there are no virtues, no God, no justice, no Christ, no good. So, for each of us there remains only one lot out of these two. Either we do good and become a lot for the Lord, or we do evil, and then our lot leads us into the desert. Do you want me to show you that these two lots are always fulfilled and each of us becomes the lot of either the Lord or the scapegoat and the desert? Remember the Gospel story about how a certain rich man lived in luxury and “feasted brilliantly” and “there was also a certain beggar named Lazarus, who lay at his gate covered with scabs and wanted to be fed with the crumbs falling from the rich man’s table” (cf. Luke 16:19-21). The end of both is described: “Lazarus died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was taken to a place of torment” (Luke 16:22–23). You see that these lots lead to different places. Pay attention also to who carries them; it is said that these are angels who are always ready to carry away anyone, for they are the servants of God, appointed precisely for this purpose. They fulfill the lot that you have prepared for yourself. For if you “give your life to the hungry,” clothe the “naked” (cf. Isa. 58:10, 7), judge “with righteous judgment” (cf. John 7:24), rebel against your unrighteousness (cf. Ps. 93:16), do not hold counsel with those who lay snares for the innocent (cf. Ps. 56:7), the Lord will become your lot. If you begin to serve the passions, you will be “more voluptuous than God-loving,” you will not hate evil, your lot will be a scapegoat, and they will take you “into the wilderness” by the hand of the servants of God, appointed for this by God Himself; and therefore he is called a minister who is not ashamed of anyone: neither the rich, nor the strong, nor the king, nor the priest. Do you want to know what is said applies to us? The animals taken for the lot are not unclean and are not alien to the altars of God, they are clean and are usually sacrificed; and know that these images are not outside of faith, but in faith; for a goat is a clean animal and sanctified by the altars of God. So you too are sanctified by the grace of baptism on the altar of God and become a pure animal. But if you do not fulfill the commandment of the Lord, who said: “You have recovered; sin no more, lest anything worse happen to you” (John 5:14), and, having become pure, you are again defiled by the impurity of sin and turn from virtue to passion and from innocence to impurity, then, although you were a pure animal, by your vice you will betray yourself to the lot of the scapegoat and the desert. 5. Another interpretation is also possible: by a person prepared and clean, who sends “the goat on which the scapegoat came out into the wilderness” (cf. Lev. 16:21,10), - the one who takes him away as if he had touched something unclean is told that by evening he “must wash his clothes” (cf. Lev. 16:26) and cleanse himself, - our Lord and Savior Himself is understood in that which is our nature, that is, the received garment of our flesh and blood, and He will wash it “at evening”; That’s why the prophet said about this before: “And I saw Jesus the great priest, dressed in filthy robes, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him” (Zechariah 3:1,3). That is why He “washes in wine”—that is, in His blood—“His clothing” and is cleansed by evening. And perhaps that is why, when after the Resurrection Mary wanted to fall at His feet, He said: “Do not touch Me” (John 20:17). Do you want to see another image of these two lots? Remember the two “evildoers, one on the right and the other on the left” (cf. Luke 23:33) from His cross, and look at the one who confessed the Lord, becoming His lot, and was immediately taken into paradise, while the other, who slandered Him (cf. Luke 23:39-43), became the lot of the scapegoat and was led into the wilderness the underworld. However, He, about whom it is said that “having taken away the strength of the rulers and powers, he powerfully subjected them to shame, having triumphed over them in Himself” (cf. Col. 2:15), fulfilled the lot of the scapegoat in Himself and seemed to send him “with a prepared man into the wilderness.” Finally, the Lord says in the Gospel: “When the unclean spirit comes out of a person, it walks through dry places, looking for rest, and does not find it” (Matthew 12:43). Thus, by “prepared man” one can also understand our Savior, Who, by the lot of the Lord, made His Church and consecrated the Divine altar; He made the scapegoat the lot of the opposing forces, “the rulers of the darkness of this world, the spirits of wickedness in high places” (cf. Eph.6:12), and, according to the Apostle, “powerfully put them to shame, having triumphed over them with Himself” (cf. Col.2:15). "Brought 60." Where did it lead, if not “into the desert”, “into the impassable land”? Therefore, the one who confessed Christ opened the gates of paradise: “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43), and thereby opened for those who believe and confess the entrance that Adam had previously closed with his sin - and who else could remove the “flaming sword that turns to guard the way to the tree of life” (cf. Gen. 3:24), and open the gates of paradise? Who else could turn the “cherubim” away from his vigilant vigil, if not the only one to whom “all authority in heaven and on earth was given” (cf. Matt. 28:18)? No one, I say, except Him could have done all this, no one else could have triumphed over the principalities and powers and rulers of the world (cf. Col. 2:15; Eph. 6:12) and sent those whom the Apostle lists “into the wilderness” of the underworld, except the One who said: “Take courage: I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Therefore, it was necessary that my Lord and Savior not only be born a man among people, but also descend into the underworld, so that, like a “prepared man,” he would send away the “goat on which the lot was cast for scapegoating into the wilderness” of the underworld, and, returning from there, having completed His work, ascend back to the Father, and there, at the heavenly altar, be more completely cleansed, so that He could bestow on our flesh a guarantee of eternal purity. Thus, this is the true day of propitiation, when God is reconciled to man, as the Apostle says: “For God in Christ reconciled the world to himself” (2 Cor. 5:19); and also says about Christ: “That through Him he might reconcile all things to himself, making peace through him through the blood of his cross, both earthly and heavenly” (Col. 1:20). Therefore, the law commands that on the day of propitiation all the people should humble their souls (cf. Lev. 16:29). The Lord Himself teaches how to humble souls, saying: “The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast” (Matthew 9:15). That is why, according to the law, many holidays are celebrated. There is a certain festival in the days of the “first month” (cf. Ex. 12:18), and another in the “second month” (cf. Num. 9:11). But in the first month, apparently, the festivals of Passover and unleavened bread are combined into the festival of “unleavened Passover,” for the beginning of the festival of unleavened bread occurs at the end of Passover (cf. Ex. 12:15,18). And only one day, on which the Passover lamb is slaughtered, is called Passover, and the rest are called the days of unleavened bread, as it is said: “Observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days” (cf. Ex. 23:15). So, this is the first holiday. Then, as it is said, “observe both the feast of the harvest of the first fruits of your labor, which you sowed in the field, and the feast of gathering in the fruit at the end of the year, when you gather your work from the field” (Ex. 23:16). This day - Pentecost - comes seven weeks after Easter, when it is commanded: “Cleansing the holy things of my house” (cf. Ex. 29:36). Then, in the seventh month, other holidays are celebrated. “On the first day of the month” the new moon is celebrated with trumpets (cf. Num. 29:1ff), as it is said in the psalm: “Blow the trumpet at the new moon” (Ps. 80:4). And “on the tenth day of the seventh month” (cf. Lev. 16:29) comes the day of atonement. Only “on this day” does the high priest put on all the priestly vestments, then he places “appearance and truth” (cf. Ex. 28:30), then he enters an inaccessible place, where he is allowed to enter “once a year” (cf. Ex. 30:10), that is, “into the Holy of Holies” (cf. 2 Chronicles 4:22). For “once a year” the high priest, leaving the people, enters where the “throne of mercy” is located, and above it are two cherubim, where the “ark of the testimony” and the “altar” are (cf. Ex. 25:18–21; 27:1; 29:37), where the law does not allow anyone to enter except the high priest (cf. Herv. 9:7). If I were to consider how the true High Priest, my Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Heb. 4:14), being in the flesh, was with the people all year, that year about which He Himself says: “The Lord has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God” (Isa. 61:1-2), I would point out how one day in this year, on the “day of vengeance,” He enters “in The Holy of Holies" (cf. 2 Chronicles 4:22), that is, when, having fulfilled what is due, he passes through the heavens (cf. Heb. 4:14) and ascends to the Father to intercede for all those who believe in Him, so that the Father may become favorable to the human race. The Apostle John knows about this reconciliation by which people propitiate the Father, who said: “My children! I write this to you so that you will not sin; and if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; He is the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 2:1-2). And Paul mentions propitiation when he speaks of Christ: “Whom God set forth as a propitiation by his blood through faith” (Rom. 3:25). Therefore, the day of propitiation lasts until the setting of the sun (cf. Lev. 11:25), that is, until the end of the world comes. Thus, we stand “at the door” (cf. James 5:9), waiting for our High Priest, who lingered “in the Most Holy Place,” that is, “before the Father” (cf. 1 John 2:1), making propitiation for the sins of “those who wait for Him for salvation” (cf. Heb. 9:28), and not for the sins of all who wait. For He does not propitiate for those on whom the lot falls on the goat, which is sent “into the wilderness” (cf. Lev. 16:9–10). He propitiates only for those who are the Lord’s lot, waiting “at the door,” who do not depart “from the church, serving God day and night with fasting and prayer” (cf. Luke 2:37). Or do you think that if you come to Church only on holidays, listen to the word of God without due attention, and do not do the deeds prescribed by the commandments, then the Lord’s lot may fall to you? But we hope that, having heard this, you will try not only to listen to the words of God in church, but also to apply them at home in your affairs “and on His law” to meditate “day and night” (cf. Ps. 1:2); for both there Christ and everywhere He is for those who seek Him. That is why the law commands us to meditate on it when we walk along the road and when we sit at home and when we lie on our bed and when we get up from it; this means to wait at the door of the High Priest, who lingers “into the Most Holy Place,” and to become the Lord’s lot. 6. But let the one who hears not accept what is said about the lot as if what is called a lot is what happens between people by chance, and not deliberately. The lot of the Lord should be understood as the election of the Lord or a part of the Lord, and, on the contrary, the lot of the one sent into the desert should be accepted as that part that the Lord rejects and discards as unnecessary. For the very phrase “scapegoat” contains a deeper meaning of rejection and abandonment. From it we can also understand that, for example, if bad thoughts creep into your heart, the desire for someone else’s wife or your neighbor’s property, then understand such impulses immediately as the lot of a scapegoat and immediately discard them and tear them out of your heart. How can I get them out? If you have the hand of a prepared person (cf. Lev. 16:21), that is, if you have the Divine reading in your hands, and God’s commands before your eyes, then you will find yourself truly “prepared” to remove and throw away from yourself everything that is from another lot. If anger has risen in your heart; if with jealousy, if with envy, if with malice you “kicked up” “your brother” (cf. Hos. 12:3), be “prepared” to reject, discard and send them “into the wilderness.” But if thoughts arise in your heart about “how to please God” (cf. 1 Cor. 7:34), about mercy, about justice, about piety, about peace, then they are from the lot of the Lord, they are offered to the altar of God; The High Priest accepts them and in them reconciles you to God. Thus, one who rejects what is the lot of a scapegoat (cf. Lev. 16:10), in other words, evil thoughts, evil desires, is by no means a barren person, not absorbed in worldly concerns, but “prepared,” zealous and vigilant. And likewise, if someone appears to have become unclean because he has touched something unclean, he will immediately “wash his clothes and be clean” (cf. Lev. 13:6). We can understand, as it applies to each of us, that, according to the moral interpretation, the "prepared man" (cf. Lev. 16:21) is the very mind that is within us, and by it we distinguish between good and evil, even if it seems to have become defiled by discussing and examining something evil; and if the rational mind nevertheless rejects it and tears it out of the heart and removes it away from itself, then it is, as it were, washed and cleansed with good thoughts and becomes pure. Of course, you will not be surprised that we attach to the person of the Savior the one who rejects the scapegoat and sends him “into the wilderness,” for he washes his clothes and becomes clean, as we read in what the prophet said about the Lord: “And I saw Jesus the great priest, clothed in filthy robes” (cf. Zech. 3:1,3). And, of course, if we understand this statement piously, as His perception of the flesh, even here in the washing of clothes the same image is preserved. 7. Let us now see what the high priest does. It is said: “And he will take a censer full of burning coals from the altar that is before the Lord” (Lev.16:12). And in the prophet Isaiah we read how he is cleansed by fire: “One of the Seraphim flew to me, and in his hand he had a burning coal, which he took with tongs from the altar, and touched my mouth and said: your iniquity is taken away from you, and your sin is purged” (Is. 6: 6-7). It seems to me that this mystical statement shows that burning coals are applied to the members of everyone worthy of cleansing, in proportion to his sins. For the prophet says here: “For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people also of unclean lips” (Is. 6:5), and therefore with the coal taken from the altar with tongs, the seraphim cleanses only his lips, which, as the prophet claims, are unclean. This shows that his sin is found only in words, but he does not sin in his deeds or actions; otherwise he would have said: “I am a man with an unclean body” or “my eyes are unclean,” if he had sinned by coveting someone else’s; he would say, “I am a man with unclean hands,” if he had defiled them with unrighteous deeds. But since, apparently, he was aware of his sins only in words, about which the Lord says: “For every idle word that people speak, they will give an answer on the day of judgment” (cf. Matt. 12:36), for even perfect people find it difficult to avoid transgressions in words, the prophet only needed to cleanse his lips. But if anyone appeals to his conscience, I do not know whether we can justify any of our bodily members that would not need purification by fire. And since the prophet was pure in everything, he was honored to have “one of the Seraphim” “fly” to him (cf. Is. 6:6), who only cleansed his lips. I am afraid, however, that we deserve fire not only for individual members, but for the whole body. For when our eyes are corrupted by lawless lust or devilish spectacles, what do they gather for themselves if not fire? When our ears do not turn away from empty and offensive gossip about our neighbors, when our hands cannot restrain ourselves from killing, from stealing and from robbery, when our feet “run to evil and hasten to shed innocent blood” (cf. Is. 59:7), and when we give our body not to the Lord, but to depravity (cf. Matt. 5:29)? But this is always spoken of with contempt. Why? Lacks faith. Moreover, if you were told today that a secular judge wants to burn you alive tomorrow, having heard about it, knowing that you only have one day left to spend in freedom, how much would you do? Where and to whom would you run? What baseness, complaints and lies would you not resort to? Would you give all your money to those whose intervention you thought could save you from this fate? Would you give everything you have to ransom your soul? And if someone tried to detain or stop you, would you not say: “Let everyone die for my salvation, let nothing remain, as long as I live”? Wouldn't you do that? Then you would not doubt as you doubt now. And therefore the all-good Lord says: “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8). And why do I speak of certain and imminent dangers when it comes to the earthly court, before which there always seems to be something to fear: are we not always on the alert, do we not prepare gifts for the defenders in case there is a threat of trial, or only the shadow of this threat, or do we not put aside money to pay a fine? Why don’t we believe that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what he has done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10)? After all, if we believed, then what is written in us would be fulfilled: “With his riches a man ransoms his life” (Prov. 13:8). But how can we think about it, believe it, understand it when we don't even gather to listen to it? For which of you, when the Scriptures are read, listens carefully? God, through the prophet, threatens, and, moreover, in strong anger: “I will send a famine on the earth, not a famine of bread, not a thirst for water, but a thirst for hearing the words of the Lord” (Am. 8:11). But now He does not send His Church either hunger or “thirst to hear the words of the Lord.” For we have “bread that came down from heaven” (cf. John 6:41), and we have “living water flowing into eternal life” (cf. John 4:10,14). So why do we starve and thirst ourselves in times of plenty? It is natural for a lazy and idle soul to go hungry when there is so much food around for it. Don’t you know from the Divine Scriptures that in people there is a battle between the flesh and the spirit, “for the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh” (Gal. 5:17)? Don’t you know that if you feed your flesh with luxury and an endless series of pleasures, it inevitably wars against the spirit and becomes stronger than it (cf. Mark 3:27,29)? And if this happens, then the flesh certainly suppresses the spirit and subordinates it to its laws and vices. But if you often go to church, listen to the Divine Scriptures, if you accept the explanation of heavenly commands, as the flesh accepts food and pleasures, then the spirit through God’s word and judgment is strengthened and, becoming stronger than the flesh, forces it to obey his laws. Thus, food for the spirit is Divine reading, unceasing prayer, the word of teaching. The spirit feeds on this food, through it it becomes stronger, through it it conquers. And since you do not do all this, then do not complain about the weakness of the flesh, do not say that you want, but cannot, that you want to live abstinently, but the flesh deceives you with its weakness and torments you with its whims. You indulge your flesh, arm it and make it powerful in the fight against the spirit, when you satiate it with meats, when you fill it with wine beyond measure, when you pamper it in luxury, when you feed it with all sorts of temptations. Or don’t you know that the building of the Church cannot be built from leper stones? Listen to what the Apostle says: “A little leaven leavens the whole lump. Cleanse out therefore the old leaven, that it may be new lump for you” (1 Cor. 5:6-7). However, let's return to our subject. 8. It is said: “And he will take a censer full of burning coals” (Lev.16:12). Not everyone is purified by the fire taken “from the altar” (cf. Lev. 16:12). Aaron and Isaiah and others like them were purified by this fire; others, to whom I count myself, will be purified by another fire, I am afraid, the one about which it is written: “A river of fire came out and passed before Him” (Dan. 7:10). This fire is not “from the altar.” The fire “from the altar” is the fire of the Lord; and the one who is outside the altar is not the Lord’s, but burns in all sinners, about whom it is said: “Their worm will not die, and their fire will not be quenched” (Is. 66:24). So, their fire is the one that they themselves kindled, as it is said in another place: “Go into the flame of your fire and the arrows that you have heated!” (Isa.50:11). Thus, Isaiah was assigned not his fire, but the fire from the altar, which “touched his mouth” (cf. Is. 6:7) and about which it is said: “And he will take a censer full of burning coals from the altar that is before the Lord, and full handfuls of a mixture of finely ground incense” (Lev. 16:12). What our Lord created in its entirety. For He took “handfuls full of fragrant incense,” about which it is said: “Let my prayer be like incense before Thy face” (Ps. 141:2). Therefore He filled His hands with sacred deeds, perfect for the human race. But why does it say “smoking mixtures”? Because there is not just one type of action, but they are done out of justice and out of piety, out of temperance, out of prudence and out of all similar virtues that reconcile with God. However, it should be understood that the expression “finely ground” was not added by chance. After all, someone who strives for perfection cannot understand the word of God roughly and carnally, but he must look for a simple and subtle meaning in it, so that when he hears what is written: “Do not muzzle an ox that is threshing,” he understands that this is not said about oxen - “Does God care about oxen?” (1 Cor.9:9) - but about the apostles. To see the subtlest plan of God's Providence means to take “full handfuls of a mixture of fragrant finely ground incense” (cf. Lev. 16:12). And which of us is zealous and prepared enough to enter “the Holy of Holies” and bring to the High Priest “a mixture of fragrant, finely ground incense”? Therefore, it is necessary that each of us bring a sacrifice to the tabernacle of God, in the vestments of the high priest, which, by the hand of the high priest, would be offered to God Himself as a “pleasant aroma” (cf. Lev. 2:9). And our High Priest, the Lord and Savior, stretches out His hands to us and wants to receive fragrant incense from each of us; we need to explore the types of incense. We must look for “Lebanon” (cf. Sir. 39:17), and not just any, but a bright one. The High Priest does not want to accept something dark or unclean from you, but demands something light. He also asks you for galbanum, which drives away poisonous snakes with the power of its smell. He also requires tactics; as pure and bright as our words and deeds. He also needs them (cf. Ex. 30:34), who, like a shield, protects the one who has it, and he remains unharmed. He wants you to take the “shield of faith” and be able to “quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (cf. Eph. 6:16). He wants you to have this whole mixture, so that there is nothing obscene, nothing disorderly, nothing ugly in it, but he wants everything to be “decent and orderly” (cf. 1 Cor. 14:40). And to this day Christ stands as our true High Priest and wants us to fill His hands with a mixture of “fragrant, finely ground incense” (cf. Lev. 16:12), so that in every church that is under heaven, we will reflect on why to make sacrifices, how to correctly and diligently compose our incense, how to make it “finely ground”, that is, how each of us arranges our affairs and how we refine our perception of spiritual understanding of the Holy Scriptures; so that the angels do not cease their ministry; for the angels of God ascend and descend “to the Son of Man” (cf. John 1:51), carefully searching (cf. Matt. 13:41) what can be found in each of us to offer to God. They carefully watch the mind of each of us to see if he is thinking about something so significant and holy that it is worthy to be offered to God. They closely observe and ponder whether any of us, as it is read in the Church, have a “contrite heart” (cf. Ps. 50:19) and a soul turned to repentance, whether any of us “keeps his way pure” (cf. Ps. 119:9; Prov. 21:29) and, “forgetting what is behind,” reaches “forward” (cf. Phil.13:3), at least like that most wicked Ahab, about whom the Lord says: “Do you see how Ahab humbled himself before Me?” (1 Kings 21:29). But with all this, what can we say about those who do not hear with their ears and do not receive with their hearts? What hope of repentance could there be in them, what hint of conversion and path of correction? For if we doubt even those who hear, what then can we say about those who do not hear? But let us say in the words of the Savior: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Matthew 11:15), and let those who hear know what is written: “When you turn and cry, then you will be saved and you will know where you have been” (Isaiah 30:15). And if you tell your iniquities first (cf. Is. 43:26), I will hear you like a holy nation. You have heard how, even if you were a sinner, you turned and forsook sin, then you are immediately called a saint. And therefore, one who repents and turns to the Lord should not despair; for the evil of sins does not exceed the goodness of God. 9 . So, the high priest “shall take a censer full of burning coals from the altar that is before the Lord, and handfuls full of finely ground incense, and bring it within the veil” (Lev. 16:12). First of all, let us understand what the literal meaning indicates, and then we will examine what is being said here in the spiritual sense. There are two sanctuaries in the tabernacle of meeting or in the church of the Lord. In the first there is an “altar with burnt offering” (cf. Ex. 29:25), on which an unquenchable fire is kindled, and in this sanctuary only priests are allowed to stand, serve and perform sacrificial rites; neither the Levite nor anyone else can enter here. The second sanctuary is the outer one, separated from the first by a veil. Behind it is the “ark of the covenant” and the “throne of mercy” (cf. Exodus 26:33–34), above which are located “two cherubim” (cf. Exodus 25:18) and the “ark of the testimony” (cf. Exodus 30:6). The first to enter this sanctuary “once a year” (Ex. 30:10; Lev. 16:34), having first offered the sacrifice of propitiation, which we spoke about above, was the one who was the high priest, filling both hands, one with burning coals, and the other with fragrant finely ground incense (cf. Lev. 16:12); and as soon as he entered, smoke rose from the coals and the incense placed on it and filled the entire sanctuary, so that a “cloud of incense” (cf. Lev. 16:13) hid from view the sacred objects revealed at his entry. If the ancient tradition of sacrifices is clear to you, let us now see what is contained in this according to mystical understanding. You heard that there were two sanctuaries: one as if visible and open to the priests, and the other as if invisible and unattainable; and with the exception of only the high priest, all the others were outside him. I think that this first sanctuary can be understood as the church in which we now find ourselves in the flesh, where the priests serve at the altar “with burnt offerings” (cf. Ex. 29:25) and where the fire was kindled, about which Jesus said: “I have come to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” (Luke 12:49). I don't want you to be surprised that this sanctuary is only accessible to priests. For all who are anointed with the world of sacred unction become priests, as Peter says, addressing the whole Church: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” (1 Pet. 2:9). Thus, you are a priestly race and therefore approach the sanctuary. But each of us has a burnt offering within us and he himself kindles the altar “with the burnt offering” so that it burns unceasingly. For if I renounce everything I have (cf. Luke 14:33), and take up my cross and follow Christ (cf. Mark 8:34), then I offer a burnt offering at the altar of God. Or “if I give my body to be burned” and have love (cf. 1 Cor. 13:3) and accept the glory of martyrdom, then I offer myself to the altar of God as a burnt offering. If I love my brothers and lay down my life for them (cf. 1 John 3:16), if I strive “for the truth to death” (Sir. 4:32), then I offer a burnt offering at the altar of God. If I mortify my earthly members (cf. Col. 3:5) to all carnal desires, if “the world is crucified to me, and I to the world” (cf. Gal. 6:13), then I bring the burnt offering to the altar of God and I myself become the priest of my sacrifice. This is how in the first sanctuary the priesthood is exercised and sacrifices are made, and from this sanctuary the high priest, clothed in sacred vestments, comes forward and enters the inner veil, as we indicated above, citing the words of Paul: “Christ has entered not into the sanctuary made with hands, but into heaven itself, now to appear for us in the presence of God” (Heb. 9:24). And so the inner tabernacle is the image and likeness of heaven and the very throne of God. But look at the wonderful order of the rituals performed. When the high priest enters “the Most Holy Place,” he carries with him fire from that altar and takes incense from that sanctuary. But the robes in which he is dressed are also taken from this place. Don’t you think that my Lord, the true High Priest, will find an opportunity to accept from me some of the “fragrant finely crushed incense” and transfer it with Him to the Father? Don't you think that He will find in me some small fire and my flaming burnt offering, from which He will “take a censer full of burning coals” (cf. Lev. 16:12), and bring it to God the Father “for a pleasant aroma” (cf. Lev. 17:6)? Blessed is the one whose coals He finds so alive and flaming that He places them on the “ark of the testimony” (cf. Lev. 4:7). Blessed is the one in whose heart He discovers such a subtle, such a clear and such a spiritual understanding, so thoroughly mixed with the manifold fragrances of virtues, that He fills His hands with it and brings to God the Father the pleasant fragrance of his understanding. And, on the contrary, that soul is unhappy whose fire of faith has faded and the heat of love has cooled; and when our heavenly High Priest comes, trying to find burning coals in it to bring a fragrance to the Father, he will find in it only lifeless ashes and cooled coals. Such are all those who have separated themselves and are far from the word of God, fearing that, having heard Divine instructions, they will not be inflamed with faith, not inflamed with love, not inflamed with mercy. Do you want me to show you how fire comes from the words of the Holy Spirit and ignites the hearts of the faithful? Listen to what David says in the psalm: “The word of the Lord sets him on fire” (cf. Ps. 119:140). And in the Gospel it is written, after the Lord spoke to Cleopas: “Did not our heart burn within us when He explained the Scripture to us” (Luke 24:32). So why do you light up? Where will the “burning coals” come from within you if you have never been ignited by the teachings of God, if you have never been ignited by the words of the Holy Spirit? Listen to what David himself says in another place: “My heart was kindled within me; A fire was kindled in my thoughts” (Ps. 39:4). Why are you on fire? Where will the fire come from in you if you have never thought about what God says? And on the contrary, what could be more regrettable than the fact that you are inflamed by spectacles at the circus, at horse races or at athletic competitions? This fire is not from the altar of the Lord, but the one that is called “strange fire,” and you heard a little earlier that those who came “with strange fire before the Lord died” (cf. Lev. 16:1). You also flare up when anger rises in you, when rage inflames you, when the love of the flesh burns you and you throw yourself into the flames of the most shameful passions. All this is an alien fire, contrary to God, and whoever kindles it will inevitably suffer the fate of Nadab and Abihu. 10. The Divine Ordinance further instructs: “And he shall put incense on the fire before the Lord, and a cloud of incense shall cover the throne of mercy, which is over the ark of the testimony, lest it die; And he will take the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat in front and before the mercy throne on the east” (Lev. 16:13-14). The rite of propitiation before God among the ancients was performed as prescribed for them, but you, who approach Christ, the true High Priest, who with His blood propitiated God for you and reconciled you with the Father (cf. Rom. 5:11), do not remain in the blood of the flesh, but study the Blood of the Word and listen to him who told you that “this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many in remission of sins" (Matthew 26:28). Anyone who knows these mysteries is filled with the flesh and blood of the Word of God. But let us not dwell on what is known to the initiated and cannot be accessed by the ignorant. Do not think that the phrase “sprinkle before the mercy seat to the east” was said without a reason. Propitiation comes to you from the east; from there, “The Man, His name is East” (cf. Zech. 6:12), “mediator between God and men” (cf. 1 Tim. 2:5). Therefore, they urge you to always look “to the east” (cf. Var.4:36) - there the “Sun of Righteousness” will rise for you (cf. Mal.4:2), there the light will light up for you; so that no one walks in darkness (cf. John 12:35) and finds you in darkness on the last day; may the night and darkness of ignorance not snatch you away, but may you always remain in the light of knowledge, always have a day of faith, always preserve the light of love and peace. 11. Then the Scripture says, “No man shall be in the tabernacle of meeting when he [the high priest] entereth to cleanse the sanctuary” (Lev. 16:17). How about “not a single person”? As I understand it, the one who can follow Christ and enter with Him into the inner sanctuary and ascend on high will no longer be a man, but, according to His word, “like an angel of God” (cf. Matt. 22:30). Or, perhaps, the word spoken by the Lord Himself will be fulfilled in him: “I said: you are gods, and the sons of the Most High are all of you” (Ps. 82:6). Thus, either, becoming spiritual, he becomes one spirit with the Lord, or through the glory of the Resurrection he passes into the rank of angels, and then, indeed, he is no longer a man; everyone reveals himself in such a way that he either rises above the name of a person or is limited by the framework of this word. For if he who was created “in the beginning” (cf. Mark 10:6) by man, would pay attention to what Scripture says to him: “Behold, today I have set before your eyes 61 life and good, death and evil; choose life” (Deut. 30:15); and if he had done so, the human race would never have suffered the fate of being mortal. But since, having left life, he rushed towards death, he became a man; and not only by man, but also by dust, for it was said to him: “You are dust, and to dust you will return” (Gen. 3:19). But I will ask what is that death about which He said: “I have set death before your eyes.” As for life, no doubt God points to Himself; He says: “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). So what then is this death, the opposite of life, which God “set before our eyes”? I think that we can say about her what Paul says: “The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15:26). Thus, this “enemy” is the devil, who was first presented “before the eyes” and in the end “will be destroyed.” But he was presented “before our eyes” not so that we would follow him, but so that we would avoid him. Therefore, it seems to me that the soul itself cannot be called either mortal or immortal. If it cleaves to life, then it will partake of eternal life (for there is no death in life); if she turns away from life, she will become a partaker of death and will herself become mortal. So the prophet says: “The soul that sins will die” (Ezek. 18:4); and although we do not believe that her death is the destruction of the essence, since she is far removed from God and alien to Him who is true life, we must believe that she is mortal. “What fellowship has righteousness with iniquity? What does light have in common with darkness? What agreement is there between Christ and Belial? (2 Cor. 6:14–15). And if we choose life, we will live forever, and death will no longer have power over us (cf. Rom. 6:9), and the word of the Lord will be fulfilled in us, who said: “He who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live” (John 11:25). So let us choose life, let us choose light and, “as in the day, let us conduct ourselves decently” (cf. Rom. 13:13), so that we too can follow Jesus behind the veil into the inner sanctuary, and we will no longer be mortal men, but will become immortal angels when we destroy the last enemy - death (cf. 1 Cor. 15:26) Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Who is “the way and the truth and the life” (cf. John 14:6), and to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:11; Rev. 1:6). About the fast performed on the day of propitiation, and about the goat sent “into the wilderness” (cf. Lev. 16:10) 1. Truly, we who belong to the Church rightly receive Moses and read his writings, believing that he is a prophet who wrote down the future mysteries revealed to him by God in symbols, images and allegories, which, as we teach, will be fulfilled in due time. Anyone who does not recognize such an understanding in him, be it a Jew or even one of us, cannot teach that Moses is a prophet. For how can he recognize Moses as a prophet if he considers his writings to be the most ordinary, containing neither knowledge of the future nor anything about hidden secrets? And therefore, whoever thinks so, Divine Scripture condemns such a reader and says: “Do you understand what you are reading?” (Acts 8:30). So, the law and all the regulations written in it, according to the Apostle, “were established only until the time of correction” (cf. Heb. 9:10); and how those whose craft is to make figurines from copper and cast statues, before creating a real work of art from copper, silver or gold, mold a figure from clay in the shape of the future image - of course, a model is necessary, but only until the main work is completed; but as soon as the work for which this clay figure was created is completed, it is no longer needed - understand something similar in what is written or done in the law and the prophets in images (cf. 1 Cor. 10:11) and symbols of the future. For the Creator Himself and the Maker of everything came and transformed “the law, which has a shadow of good things to come,” into “the very image of things” (cf. Heb. 10:1). But so that what we are talking about does not seem difficult to prove to you, let us consider what has been said in order. First there was Jerusalem, the great royal city in which the most famous church was built for God. But then He who is the true Church of God came and said about the Church of His body, “destroy this church” (John 2:19) and began to reveal the secrets of heavenly Jerusalem (cf. Heb. 12:22); this earthly church was destroyed, and the heavenly one became visible, and from that church there remained “one stone upon another” (cf. Matt. 24:2) from the time when the flesh of Christ became the true Church of God. First there was the high priest, who cleansed the people “with the blood of bulls and goats” (cf. Heb. 10:4); but when the true High Priest came, who “sanctified” the believers “by His Blood” (cf. Heb. 13:12), this former High Priest was no more, and there was no place left for him. First there was an altar on which sacrifices were made; but when the true Lamb came and “gave Himself up for us as an offering and sacrifice to God” (cf. Eph. 5:2), everything else, as if temporary, ceased to exist. Don't you think that, in accordance with the image we talked about above, the models previously made as if from clay have acquired their true form? And, finally, according to the providence of God, the city, and the church, and everything else like that was destroyed, so that those who are still “babies fed on the milk” of faith (cf. Heb. 5:13; Rom. 14:1) would not be delighted at the very sight of the many different images when they saw them, and would not freeze in mute amazement and admiration at the very arrangement of the divine service during the performance of the rite of sacrifice. But God, descending to our weakness and wanting to multiply His Church, made it so that all this was destroyed and completely abolished, so that with the cessation of all this we would not hesitate to believe that these types preceded the true images. 2. Therefore we must say a few more words to those who, being under the authority of the law, must observe the Jewish fast; and first of all, let us quote the words of Paul, who said that if anyone wants to fulfill one command, “he must fulfill the whole law” (cf. Gal. 5:3). And the one who observes this fast “three times a year” must ascend to Jerusalem and “appear before the Master, the Lord” (cf. Ex. 23:17) to appear before the priest; he needs an altar lying in the dust of destruction to offer sacrifices in the absence of the high priest. For it is written that the fasting people will sacrifice “two goats” (cf. Lev. 16:5), over which they must cast lots, so that the one on whom “the lot fell for the Lord” (cf. Lev. 16:9) should be sacrificed to the Lord, and the other “sent alive into the wilderness,” “so that he may bear the iniquities” of the people (cf. Lev. 16:10). You need to do all this properly if you want to observe the fast according to the law; We explained all this as thoroughly as we could above. But since the word of God is exceedingly abundant and, according to Solomon, not once, but twice and “three times you will keep it in your heart” (cf. Prov. 22:20,18), we will try to add something to what has already been said in our power to show how in the images of the future (cf. 1 Cor. 10:11; Heb. 10:1) one goat is sacrificed to the Lord, and the other is sent alive “to the desert.” Listen to what Pilate says in the Gospel, addressing the priests and the Jewish people: “Whom do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus, who is called Christ?” (Matthew 27:17). Then everyone cried out for Barabbas to be released to them, and for Jesus to be put to death (cf. Matt. 27:21ff.). This is the goat, which is released alive into the desert so that it bears the iniquities of those who shouted: “Crucify, crucify Him!” (Luke 23:21). Thus, the first is the goat that is released alive into the desert, and the second is the one that is sacrificed to God as an atonement for sins, and He truly atones for the sins of those who believe in Him. And if you ask who is the one who takes this goat “into the wilderness” in order to make sure that he too has washed and become clean, then you can take Pilate himself for this “prepared man” (cf. Lev. 16:21). After all, he was the judge of the people who sent him, according to his own verdict, “into the wilderness.” But listen to how he was washed and became clean (cf. Lev. 16:24). When he said to the people: “Do you want me to release to you Jesus, who is called Christ?” (cf. Mark 15:9; Matt. 27:17) and all the people shouted: “If you let Him go, you are not a friend of Caesar” (John 19:12), then, as it is written, “Pilate took water and washed his hands before the people, and said: I am innocent of the blood of this righteous One; look you” (Matthew 27:24). Thus, having washed his hands, he apparently became clean. Therefore, for us, that is, those who serve not “an image and a shadow” (cf. Heb. 8:5), but the truth, the day of propitiation, on which we are granted forgiveness of sins, came when “our Passover, Christ, [was] sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:7). And, “having received knowledge from God, why do you return again to the weak and poor material principles and want to enslave yourself to them again? You observe days, months, times and years” (Gal.4:9-10). Listen also to how the prophet rejects such a fast, saying: “Is this the fast that I have chosen, the day on which a man humbles his soul” (Is. 58:5). If you want to fast as Christ teaches us and humble your soul, you have the whole time of the whole year at your disposal; Moreover, use every day of your life to humble your soul, if you have learned from our Lord and Savior to be meek and humble in heart (cf. Matt. 11:29). So when is there no day of humility for you, following Christ, Who is “humble in heart” and Himself is the teacher of humility? So, if you want to fast as prescribed in the Gospel, observe the Gospel laws on fasting, in which the Savior commands: “When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face” (Matthew 6:17). If you ask how to wash your face, the Apostle Paul will teach that “with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, we are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18). “Anoint your head,” but not with the oil of sin, for “let not the oil of a sinner anoint my head” (Ps. 140:5). But “anoint your head” with the oil of rejoicing, “the oil of joy” (cf. Ps. 45:8), with the oil of mercy, and, according to the command of Wisdom, “let not mercy and truth forsake you” (Prov. 3:3). That is why the Apostle Paul, wanting to turn us away from earthly and visible things and to raise our mind and soul to heavenly things, exclaims: “If you have been raised with Christ, then seek the things above; Set your mind on things above, and not on earthly things” ( Col. 3:1–2 ). Doesn’t he tell you quite clearly: “Seek not the earthly Jerusalem, not the observance of the law, not the fast of the Jews, but the fast of Christ”? For when you fast, you must come to Christ, your High Priest, Whom, of course, you should seek not on earth, but in heaven, and through Him offer sacrifices to God. Do you want me to show you how to fast? Abstain from all sin, do not partake of the food of malice, do not be tempted by feasts of pleasure, do not be inflamed by the wine of luxury. Refrain from bad deeds, stay away from bad words, avoid bad thoughts. Do not touch the hidden bread of perverted teachings. Do not covet the false food of philosophy, which turns you away from the truth. Such fasting pleases God. But it is inappropriate to abstain from “eating food that God created so that those who are faithful and know the truth may eat with thanksgiving” (1 Tim. 4:3) and do this with those who crucified Christ; God cannot accept this. One day the Pharisees were indignant at the Lord because His disciples did not fast. To this He answered them: “Can the 63 sons of the bridal chamber fast while the bridegroom is with them” (Matthew 9:15). That is why those who lose their fiancé fast; We cannot fast, for our Bridegroom is with us. We do not say this, however, in order to loosen the reins on the Christian's abstinence; for we have a sanctified fast of forty days, and the fourth and sixth days of the week, when we fast according to the ordinance. And, of course, a Christian can fast at any time, not for the sake of observing established rules, but for the sake of the virtue of abstinence. After all, how can one preserve impeccable integrity if one does not support it with the rigid pillars of abstinence? How to devote yourself to the Scriptures, how to gain knowledge and wisdom? Isn't this a restriction to the stomach and throat? How can one become like those “who made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 19:12), if one does not avoid the abundance of food, if one does not resort to the help of abstinence? For this is the structure of Christian fasting. But there is another pious way of fasting, which is praised in the apostolic writings; Thus, it is said: “Blessed is he who fasts in order to feed the hungry.” Such a fast is very pleasing to God and truly worthy. For such an one imitates those who “lay down their lives for the brothers” (1 John 3:16). Why attach patches from new fabrics to old clothes? Why pour new wine into old wineskins (cf. Matt. 9:16–17)? “The old things have passed away, and now all things are new” (2 Cor. 5:17) through Christ our Lord, “To whom be glory and dominion forever and ever.” Amen" (1 Peter 4:11; Rev. 1:6). About what is written: “Be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” (Lev.20:7) 1. Now in the church the words spoken by God were read publicly: “Be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” (Lev.20:7). We must, however, consider more carefully what the word “holy” means or what it expresses in the Divine Scriptures, so that when we know the power of this word, we can fulfill its work. If we collect all the examples from the Divine Scriptures where the word “holy” is used, we will find that not only people, but also dumb animals are called “saints” (cf. Ex. 13:2); We will find that vessels for worship (cf. Exod. 40:9), and “clothes” (cf. Exod. 28:2), and even places in cities and suburbs intended for priests (cf. Num. 35:1 ff.) are called “holy.” And indeed, the law commands that the “firstborn” of bulls and small livestock be sacrificed to the Lord from dumb animals, and it is said: “Do not do any work on them, for they are sanctified to the Lord.” Some of the vessels located in the tabernacle of meeting - “censers, bowls” and other similar things - are called sacred (cf. Ex. 25:29; 40:9). Also, vestments - “linen tunic”, “kidar” and other vestments - are “holy garments” (cf. Lev. 16:4,32). Thus, if we look at the sense in which all this is called “sacred,” we will see how we must act in order to become saints. The first-born calf was born for me, and I am not allowed to work on it, for it is sanctified to the Lord and therefore is called sacred. And so, thanks to this dumb animal, we understand that the law prescribes that the sacred should be dedicated to no one else, but to God alone. And again, the law calls sacred those “censers” and “cups” that are forbidden to be taken out of the church and used for everyday use, but are ordered to always be kept in the sanctuary. In the same way, the “garments” called “sacred” are not allowed to be worn by the high priest at home, but only in the church and never taken out of it, but they must be consecrated only so that the high priest puts them on during worship, and always kept in the church, and for daily use put on ordinary clothes. Also, sacred vessels and bowls cannot be used for everyday needs, but only during worship. If you have understood how an animal or a vessel or a garment is called sacred, then understand also that a person is called holy by observing the same institutions. For if someone devotes himself to God, if he is not drawn into worldly affairs, for “no warrior binds himself to the affairs of this life in order to please the commander of the army” (cf. 2 Tim. 2:4), if he separates and moves away from other people who live carnally and are mired in earthly concerns, if he seeks “the things above” and not the things of the earth (cf. Col. 3:1-2), then such a one is rightly called a saint. For as long as he mixes with the crowd (cf. Matt. 13:34) and throws him on the waves of many different worries and he does not devote himself to God alone and does not separate himself from the crowd, he cannot be a saint. For what shall we say about those who, carried away by a crowd of pagans, rush to the spectacle and defile their sight and hearing with shameful words and deeds? It is not for us to judge them. For they themselves can think and decide what fate to choose. But you, to whom the law of God has been read, who hears everything with which the very word of God agrees, calling: “Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy” (Lev. 20:7), understand wisely that this is said so that you can become blessed by doing what is prescribed. For you are commanded to “move away” not only from any person, but also “from every brother who acts disorderly, and not according to the tradition that was received from” the apostles (cf. 2 Thess. 3:6). It is said: “Do not touch unclean things; come out from among him, purify yourselves, you who bear the vessels of the Lord!” (cf. Isa.52:11; Rev.18:14). Remove yourself from earthly cares; move away from worldly aspirations, “for everything that is in the world,” according to the Apostle, “is not from the Father, but from this world” (cf. 1 John 2:16). Therefore, when you remove yourself from all this, devote yourself to God, like a firstborn calf; and let not sin work through you, and let not iniquity put its yoke on you. But separate and move away and, like the firstborn calf, be used only for priestly use. But distance yourself and separate yourself and, like the sacred “censers” and “cups,” use them only in the church and during divine services. Shut off and cut yourself off from all filthiness of sin and enclose yourself, as in the sacred vestments of a high priest, in the church of God. For the one who “meditates on the law of the Lord day and night” (cf. Ps. 1:2) and “deeply loves His commandments” (cf. Ps. 112:1) is shut up and isolated in the church of God. So be “holy, for I the Lord am holy” (cf. Lev. 20:7). But what does “for I am holy” mean? It is said that just as I withdraw and withdraw from everything that is revered and worshiped, whether on earth or in heaven; just as I am superior to every creature and separate myself from everything that I have created, so do you distance yourself from everyone who is not holy and has not dedicated themselves to God. Moreover, we say to withdraw not from places, but from affairs, not from areas, but from the way of life. And finally, the Greek word άγιος means something extraterrestrial. For the one who devotes himself to God is rightly considered to be outside the earth and outside the world, and therefore can say: we walk on earth, but “our citizenship is in heaven” (cf. Phil. 3:20). And Solomon in Proverbs says: “It is a snare for a man to hastily sanctify anything of his own, for after a vow comes repentance” (Prov. 20:25). And so it is, because it is not by chance that it is written: if, “when you have taken away from your threshing floor and from your winepress” (cf. Deut. 16:13), you say: “I only want to make an offering to the Church or only to satisfy the needs of the poor or foreigners, then if then from what you have donated, you take a portion for yourself, then you are not gathering from your threshing floor, but you are desecrating what has been sanctified by God. That is why “it is a snare for a person to hastily sanctify something,” that is, to dedicate it to God, and then, experiencing repentance, return to himself what was dedicated to God. And if we ourselves are sanctified and dedicate ourselves to God, or if we dedicate others to Him, then we will beware of falling into this “net”, so that after we have dedicated ourselves to God, we do not find ourselves enslaved by human needs or aspirations. But everyone makes a vow to God, just as, for example, the Nazarenes did, devoting themselves to the church of God for three or four years or however many years they wanted, exactly fulfilling everything that was prescribed to the Nazarenes: during the entire time of dedication, “a razor shall not touch the head” of the one who made the vow, he is not allowed to drink wine or “anything made from grapes,” and must observe all other commands (cf. Num. 6:5,4). But another can also dedicate someone to God, as Anna dedicated Samuel; Before giving birth to him, she offered him to God, saying: “I will give him to the Lord as a gift for all the days of his life” (1 Samuel 1:11). All these examples clearly show that each of us who wants to be a saint must devote himself to God and no longer engage in activities or do actions that have nothing to do with God. 2. Then it is said: “Keep My statutes and do them, for I am the Lord who sanctifies you” (Lev. 20:8) and it is added: “Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death” (Lev. 20:9), and after many other instructions, to which penalties are given for breaking them, it is concluded in conclusion: “Keep all My statutes and all My judgments 64 and do them” ( Lev.20:22). So it seems logical to me to explore what each of them points to. As far as I can tell, the “rule” is a command given, for example, in the Ten Commandments: “Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Deut. 5:17–18); but this is only commanded - no punishment is prescribed for committing these sins. Here the same commands are repeated, but punishments are also defined. For it is said: “If anyone commits adultery with his married wife, if anyone commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death. Whoever lies with his father’s wife has revealed his father’s nakedness: they both shall be put to death, their blood be on them” (Lev. 20:10-11). Previously, commands had already been given, but nothing was said about the punishment provided for failure to comply. Now the same commands are repeated, but for each sin a punishment is also determined; and for this reason they are rightly called “courts,” by which the sinner is judged and through which he receives his deserved punishment. Look, however, at the order of Divine wisdom: it does not establish punishments immediately after the first commands given. For she wants you to fulfill these regulations not out of fear of punishment, but out of love for the mercy of the Father; but if you neglect them, then punishment will follow - not so much for the person himself, but for the one who neglects them. And therefore, by mercy, you were first called sons: “I said: you are gods, and all of you are sons of the Most High” (Ps. 82:6). If you do not want to be an obedient son, you are punished as an unfaithful slave. It further says: “If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, they shall both be put to death: they have committed an abomination; their blood shall be upon them” (Lev. 20:12). These laws or commands are given above without punishment; for it is said: “You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law: she is your son’s wife; you shall not uncover her nakedness” (Lev.18:15) and so on. In that passage, similarly, all regulations are given without punishment, but here they are listed with different types of retribution. Here the words spoken by the Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews come to my mind: “If he who rejects the law of Moses, in the presence of two or three witnesses, is punished without mercy with death, then how much more severe punishment do you think he will be subject to who tramples on the Son of God and does not consider as holy the Blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and insults the Spirit of grace?” ( Heb. 10:28–29 ). But listen carefully to why I brought this part of Scripture. According to the law, “both the adulterer and the adulteress are put to death” (cf. Lev. 20:10), and they cannot say: “We seek repentance and pray for mercy.” There is no room for tears, and no opportunity for correction is given, but those who break the law must be punished by all means. However, this arrangement was observed in relation to certain crimes for which the death penalty was provided. Among Christians, if adultery is committed, it is prescribed not to punish “the adulterer and the adulteress” by destroying the body; and the bishop of the Church is not given the power to condemn "the adulterer and the adulteress" to immediate death, as the elders of the people did by law in ancient times. So what? Shall we say that the law of Moses, which commands the punishment of “the adulterer and the adulteress,” is merciless, and that the Gospel of Christ, through its leniency, serves to their detriment? This is wrong. That is why we quoted above the words of Paul: “How much more severe punishment will he be subject to who tramples on the Son of God” (Heb. 10:29), and so on. Listen, then, that neither the law is cruel, nor the gospel too gentle in its apparent excessive indulgence, but in both cases the mercy of God is manifested in different ways. For example, according to the law, “the adulterer and the adulteress” were punished by inevitable death: and since they have suffered due punishment and are paying for the evil committed, what will happen after that, what threatens their souls with vengeance, if they have not committed other offenses, if they have no other sins worthy of condemnation besides this, and they have suffered the punishment prescribed by the law for it? The Lord does not punish twice for the same sin (cf. Nahum.1:9); having suffered punishment for their crime, they blotted out their sin. And therefore this institution is not unmerciful, as the heretics claim, blaming the law of God and denying that there is anything human in it. But he is full of mercy, because through him more people are cleansed of sins than are condemned. Now it is not the body that is punished, and cleansing from sin is accomplished not by the suffering of the flesh, but by repentance. See by what worthy atonement the forgiveness of sin can be earned. For there are many who are not inclined to this and who do not seek the refuge of repentance. When they fall, they no longer want to get up, because they like to wallow in the mud. And yet we do not forget the commandment, which says: “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:2). After all, we also say to God: “You have fed them with the bread of tears, and you have given them tears to drink in great measure” (Ps. 79:6). For there is “sin,” which is called “death” (cf. 1 John 3:16); hence it follows that the number of times someone commits such a sin, the number of times he dies. The Apostle Paul notes that there are many deaths from sin when he says: “He has delivered us from such a near death, and is delivering us, and in whom we trust that he will also deliver us again” (2 Cor. 1:10). What then are the many deaths which he mentions here, if not the deaths of sinners? For if Paul were not speaking here about the death of sinners, it would seem that, according to his understanding, he is immortal and that he is not subject to natural death when he said: “He delivered us from such a near death, and is delivering, and in whom we hope that he will also deliver.” After all, if He “delivered” and “will deliver,” then the time will never come to die for the one whom the Lord always “deliveres.” Therefore, based on what we are discussing, we must consider whether the punishment of this universal death for sin will not be worse for us than for those whom the law punishes with bodily death, for punishment awaits us in the future, but their punishment completely absolves them from the committed offense. If someone finds himself caught in such a sin, now warned by the word of God, he will resort to the help of repentance, he will not do such a thing a second time, or, if he commits such a sin a second or even a third time, then it will not happen again. For a just judge can mitigate the punishment - not only its extent, but also its nature. 3. The law also includes among other sins punishable by death when “whoever curses his father or his mother” (Lev. 20:9). The word “father” contains a great secret, and “mother” - sacred reverence. According to you, your father is God, and your mother is the “heavenly Jerusalem” 65 (cf. Gal. 4:26). Learn about this from the testimony of the prophets and apostles. Moses himself wrote about this in a song: “Isn’t this your Father, who adopted you, created you and formed you?” (Deut.32:6). The Apostle speaks of the heavenly Jerusalem this way: “She is the mother of us all” (Gal.4:26). Thus, firstly, your Father is God, who begat your spirit and who says: “I have brought up and raised up sons” (Is. 1:2). And the Apostle Paul says: “We must submit to the Father of spirits in order to live” (Heb. 12:9). Your other father is the father according to the flesh, by whose ministry you were born in the flesh and came into this world, who bore you “in his loins”, as it is said of Levi: “He was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him” (cf. Heb. 7:10), “when he was returning,” “and blessed him,” and received from him “a tenth of all” (cf. Gen. 14:17 ff.). And since the title of father is so sacred and so revered, “whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death” (Lev. 20:9). The same dignity is defined for the mother who, with her work, care and service, gave birth to and nurtured you. And you should, as the Apostle states, be equally grateful to your parents (cf. Rom. 1:3). For if you dishonor your father according to the flesh, his humiliation will ascend to the “Father of spirits” (cf. Heb. 12:9); and if you insult your mother according to the flesh, then this insult will fall on your mother - the “heavenly Jerusalem” (cf. Gal. 4:26). Likewise, a slave, if he is disrespectful to his master, then he insults the God of glory (cf. Ps. 28:3) through his earthly master, for He gave His name to the carnal master. Therefore, a person cannot contradict his parents or contradict them. He is the father, she is the mother. And as they see fit, let them decide, so they do, so they say; they themselves know. And no matter how obedient we are, we will never be able to fully thank them for giving birth to us, carrying us, shedding light on us, feeding us, and, perhaps, giving us an education and teaching us a worthy craft. Perhaps, through those responsible for our birth, we learned about God and came to the Church of God and heard the words of the law of God. Therefore, “whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death” (Lev.20:9). But if such punishment is established in relation to earthly parents, what then should those who irritate God the Father do with their slanderous tongue? Who denies that He is the Creator of the world or that “the heavenly Jerusalem is the mother of us all” (cf. Gal. 4:26), and claims that these prophetic words refer to an earthly city? Therefore, it is good to beware lest you show your earthly or heavenly Father less than the reverence due to them - the same in relation to your mother - and equally to fulfill all the regulations that command us purity and chastity, so that in this life, according to the law, we are not subject to death, and according to the spiritual law, the future punishment of eternal fire does not befall us; and may our Lord Jesus Christ allow us all to escape it. To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:11; Rev. 1:6). 1. Anyone who is a priest among men is small and insignificant in comparison with the One about whom God said: “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek” (Ps. 109:4). For He is the “great Priest” (cf. Lev. 21:10), Who is above every creation and can ascend “to the heavens” (cf. Heb. 4:14) and ascend to Him “who abides in impenetrable light” (1 Tim. 6:16), to God and the Father of all. The one who is called by the Jews “the great priest” entered the sanctuary, but it was man-made, built of stones. He did not ascend to heaven and could not stand before the “Father of light” (cf. Ps. 106:7). But since he embodied the shadow and image of this (cf. Col. 2:17; Heb. 10:1), he also bore the title “great priest” through the shadow and image. Therefore, the Jews - although they should have been closest to the faith, since a certain outline arose among them and an image of the truth shone - having accepted these types as the truth, they rejected the truth itself as a lie. But we who have received the “great Priest” must understand why He is the “great Priest.” Truly He is the “great Priest” who broke the bonds of sin “not with the blood of goats and bulls, but with His own blood” (cf. Heb. 9:12; 10:4). And since we know who the “great Priest” is, and we affirm that what is written in the law is said about this “great Priest,” that is, about the Savior, Who in the previous discussions is shown as the “great Priest,” let us now look at what the law in the prophetic spirit writes about Him. 2. It is said: “But the great priest of his brethren, on whose head the anointing oil has been poured, and whose hands are perfect 66 to put on the sacred garments, let him not remove the turban from his head 67 or tear off his clothes; and does not approach any dead soul 68; he will not be defiled in his father or his mother 69 . And let him not depart from the sanctuary, nor dishonor the sanctuary of his God, for the sanctification of the anointing oil of his God is upon him. I am the Lord. Let him take as his wife a maiden from his kindred 70: let him not take a widow, or an outcast, or a defamed one, or a harlot, but take a maiden from his kindred as his wife; Let him not disgrace his seed among his people, for I am the Lord who sanctifies him” (Lev. 21:10–15). Of course, the model of this observance also existed among the Jews and, established by law, was carried out by the Jewish high priests. And although all this was strictly observed and everything that the law teaches was accomplished in its entirety, the priest could not become great. For how can a priest who is capable of sin be called great? And we see that everyone was under the power of sin, even the great priests, from the fact that the law commands the high priest to “offer sacrifices first for his own sins, then for the sins of the people” (cf. Heb. 7:27). So how “great” is he if he is subject to sin? That is why my great Priest Jesus is “great” because he “committed no sin, neither was there any lying in His mouth” (Is. 53:9); and the “prince of this world,” having come to Him, found “nothing” in Him (cf. John 14:30; 16:11). That is why the Archangel Gabriel, announcing His birth, said: “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:32). Sin makes a person small and insignificant, but virtue makes a person sublime and great. And just as a person’s body becomes weak and sluggish from a physical illness, but good health makes him strong and joyful, understand that so from the illness of sin the soul becomes petty and low, and the good health of the inner man and deeds of righteousness make it great and sublime. And as she grows in virtues, she acquires greater and greater greatness. This is how I understand what is written: “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52). But since every person in childhood “prospers in age,” what is specially written about Jesus here? I say this to you, the one who heard that Jesus physically “grew in age.” Understand that He “advanced in age” of the soul and it became great as a result of the great and glorious deeds He performed. Finally, the Apostle, knowing that the present age must be perceived by the inner man, writes: “Until we all come to a perfect man, to the measure of the full stature of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). Bodily growth and increase in size are not in our power, for the body takes from the source that generates it enough material to become either large or small; Our soul has freedom and the opportunity to choose - to become great or small. Therefore, if the soul is “small” and weak, it can easily be “seduced”; for it is said in the Gospel: “It would have been better for him if they had thrown him into the sea, than for him to cause one of these little ones to stumble” (Luke 17:2). It is not the great who is tempted, but the “small.” He who is great does not turn away from the faith, no matter what he sees, no matter how much he suffers. Whoever has a small and low soul seeks an opportunity to be tempted and suffers a collapse in faith. Therefore, we must pay special attention to the “little ones” in the faith, and we should not care about the great and powerful as much as about “babies” and beginners. For the strong “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (cf. 1 Cor. 13:7). But we must look after infants and those who are weak in the faith (cf. Heb.5:13; Rom.14:1), lest we inadvertently harm them through our negligence and they departed from the faith and fell away from salvation. Or can you show me where in Scripture a sinner or one of the little ones is worthy to be called “great”? I don't think you'll find anything like this anywhere. But listen, who are those who are called “great”. It is said of Isaac that he “exalted himself more and more until he became very great” (cf. Gen. 26:13). Moses “was very great” (cf. Ex. 11:3), “great” was John the Baptist (cf. Luke 1:15), and now Jesus is also called “great” (cf. Luke 1:32), and after that no one is called “great.” For before He who was truly “great” came, the saints whom we mentioned earlier were called “great” in comparison with other people. But when the One who is truly great came, not in comparison with others, but in His own dignity, and about Whom it is written: “He rejoices like a giant to run a race” (Ps. 18:6), then no one is called “great.” Thus, He is the One about whom it is written: “A great priest among his brothers” (Lev.21:10). Which brothers? Those about whom He said when He rose from the dead: “Go to My brothers and say to them: I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God” (John 20:17). But if you want to learn about Jesus’ brothers from the ancient scriptures, then read the twenty-first Psalm, which says about the person of Christ: “I will proclaim Your name to my brothers, in the midst of the congregation I will praise You” (Ps. 21:23). So, Jesus is great among His brothers, among those who were formerly called “great”; He is the “Chief Shepherd” (cf. 1 Pet. 5:4) and the “Great High Priest” (cf. Heb. 4:14) and “King of kings and Lord of lords” (cf. 1 Tim. 6:15). Therefore, He is the greatest of the great; That’s why it was added: “The greatest of his brothers.” 3. Then it says: “On whose head the anointing oil was poured” (Lev. 21:10). Do not look on earth for the oil that will be poured on the head of the great Priest so that he may become Christ; but if you want, find out from the prophet David what kind of oil this is: “You loved righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore, O God, your God has anointed you with the oil of joy more than your companions” (Ps. 45:8). Thus, the “oil of joy” is poured on the head of the Priest and he becomes Christ. However, to His praise is added: “Whose hands are perfect.” What kind of person, I ask, can this be said? Which mortal can you find “perfect hands”? And although it seems that we are talking about Aaron, how can one consider that his hands are perfect - the hands with which he made the “molten calf” (cf. Ex. 32:4) with which he cut the idol? And even if we take Moses, how can one have “perfect hands” who did not glorify the Lord “at the waters of strife”? Because of this offense it was ordered that his life be taken from him (cf. Num. 20:24; 27:13ff.). If you want to remember other saints, then the word of Scripture will answer you, saying: “There is no righteous man on earth who does good and does not sin” (Eccl. 7:20). Therefore, in justice, only Jesus has “perfect hands,” who alone “committed no sin” (cf. 1 Peter 2:22), in other words, the works of whose hands are perfect and blameless. And therefore it is rightly said about Him: “Whose hands are perfect, that they may clothe themselves in holy garments” (cf. Lev. 21:10). For He is truly the One who puts on “holy garments” - not those that are “like images” (cf. 1 Cor. 10:11), but truly “holy.” If you want to hear about His more exalted garments, listen to the prophetic word: “You are clothed with light as with a robe, with the deep as with a garment” (Ps. 103:2,6). This is the appearance of my great High Priest, Who, as it is said, is clothed with the depths of knowledge and the light of wisdom, which are truly “sacred garments.” It is said: “You must not remove the turban from your head” (Lev.21:10). Previously, we said that the “kidar” is a type of headdress for the high priest and is considered an ornament. My great High Priest never removes this ornament from His sacred head. And what is the “head of Christ” - find out from the Apostle, who says: “The head of Christ is God” (1 Cor. 11:3). That is why He does not remove the decoration from His head, which is God, for the Father is always in the Son, and the Son in the Father (cf. John 14:10). “And he will not tear his clothes” (Lev.21:10). Truly He is the One who “will not tear his clothes,” but they will always be clean, always spotless, always spotless. “And he does not approach any dead soul” (Lev.21:10). What is a “dead soul”? The prophet says about a dead soul: “The soul that sins will die” (Ezek. 18:4). Therefore, Christ does not enter into a dead soul, for He is “wisdom” (cf. 1 Cor. 1:24), and wisdom does not enter into an evil soul. Such a soul is dead, because sin has taken root in it, malice abides in it. It is said: “When sin is committed, it gives birth to death” (James 1:15). And therefore Jesus “does not approach any dead soul.” But if the soul is alive, in other words, there is no mortal sin in it, then Christ, who is “life” (cf. John 11:25), enters into this living soul, “for what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?” (2 Cor. 6:14) – so life cannot coexist with death. And if someone knows that he carries mortal sin within himself and does not reject it with the most sincere repentance, then he cannot hope that Christ will enter his soul, for He is the “great Priest” who “does not approach any dead soul” (cf. Lev. 21:10). 4. “He shall not be defiled by his father or his mother” (Lev.21:11). This passage of Scripture is especially difficult to explain, but if you ask God, the Father of the Word, in your prayers to enlighten us, then when we are given the opportunity, we may succeed. Everyone who enters this world is created, as it is said, with a certain measure of defilement. That is why the Scripture says: “No one will be born clean from an unclean person, even if he lives for one day” (Job 14:4-5). And since he is placed in his mother's womb (cf. Job 3:11) and takes the material for the formation of his body from the source of his father's seed, he can be said to be defiled "in his father and in his mother" (cf. Lev. 21:11). Or do you not know that when a male child is forty days old, he is brought to the altar to be cleansed there (cf. Lev. 12:2 ff.), as if he were defiled at conception both by the seed of the father and by the womb? Therefore, every person is defiled “in his father or in his mother,” and only Jesus my Lord came into this world pure at His birth and was not defiled “in His mother.” He entered into an undefiled body, for long ago he said through Solomon: “Being good, I entered into a clean body” (Wis.8:20). He was not defiled either “in His mother” or “in His father.” For Joseph had nothing to do with His birth, except that he showed care and love; and for his devoted service Scripture calls him father. And Mary herself says in the Gospel: “Behold, your father and I sought you with great sorrow” (Luke 2:48). So, only He is the “great Priest” who was not defiled “in his father or in his mother.” Let us now see if we can find something more sublime and consistent with the dignity of so great a high priest. God is called the true father of all. And the mother, according to the Apostle, is the “heavenly Jerusalem” (cf. Gal.4:26; Heb.12:22). Therefore, all who sin are defiled in the Father by whom they were begotten. For if we have done anything wicked, said or thought anything against God, when we do not believe God, we are defiled “in the father.” But will what we did before out of mere unbelief automatically disappear now that we have believed? We are also defiled “in our mother” if, believing God, we insult the Church or dishonor the freedom of the “heavenly mother” with a shameful tendency to slavery to sin. And only our Lord Jesus Christ, “who knew no sin” (cf. 2 Cor. 5:21), was not defiled either in his father or in his mother and did not leave the sanctuary (cf. Lev. 21:10). Previously, the Jews had already been asked several questions that they could not answer; but we will not, however, in our conversation touch upon what both they themselves and those who wish to understand the law according to their ideas say; if they do not refer these words to our High Priest and Savior, then how, according to the letter, do they admit that “the high priest does not depart from the sanctuary” (cf. Lev. 21:12) and at the same time, as stated below, he certainly takes as a wife “a maiden from his family” (cf. Lev. 21:14)? If he “does not depart from the sanctuary” and does not go anywhere, then how and why is he commanded to take a wife? After all, it is impossible to imagine that he would remain with his wife in the sanctuary. Let those who like to listen to “Jewish fables” believe this (cf. Tit. 1:14). But, on the other hand, we have a great Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek” (cf. Ps. 109:4), Jesus Christ, Who never leaves the sanctuary; He is always in the sanctuary and always remains holy in His words, holy in His works, holy in all His desires, and He is the only One who is always in the sanctuary. For he who sins “comes out of the sanctuary,” and as often as he sins, so many times does he leave the sanctuary. And Christ, Who “committed no sin” (cf. 1 Peter 2:22), “never leaves the sanctuary.” But you, who follow Christ and imitate him, if you remain in the word of God, if you meditate “on His law” day and night (cf. Ps. 1:2), if you fulfill His commands, always remain in the sanctuary and never leave it. For we should not seek refuge in a holy place, but in deeds, in life and in morals. And if they correlate with God, with His commands, then even if you are at home, even if you are in the market place - and what am I saying, in the market place - even if you are sitting in the theater and diligently serving the word of God, do not doubt that you are in the sanctuary. Or do you not believe that Paul, when he entered the theater or “the Areopagus” (cf. Acts 17:19) and publicly preached Christ to the Athenians, was in the sanctuary? And when he passed by the temples and idols of Athens, where he found the inscription “to the unknown God,” with which he began his sermon about Christ, “passing and examining the shrines” of the pagans (cf. Acts 17:23), he was in the sanctuary, for he had sacred thoughts. Likewise, everyone who, after having acquired the grace of God, watches himself so as not to commit “murder, adultery, theft, false witness” (cf. Matthew 15:19) and other similar things, but remain clean from every infection of sin, do not leave the sanctuary and do not “dishonor the sanctuary of his God,” for on it is the sacred “anointing oil” of his God (cf. Ex. 29:7 ff.). How can the “oil” described in the book of Exodus, according to the literal understanding, be called the oil of God if it was prepared by an apothecary? If you want to see the oil of God, listen to who, according to the prophet, is anointed with the oil of God; without a doubt, the one about whom he says: “Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore, O God, Thy God has anointed Thee with the oil of gladness more than Thy companions” (Ps. 44:8). Therefore, only the “great Priest” can be anointed with the oil of God, and He will always have the sacred “oil” of God’s “anointing.” 5. But what's added next? “Let him take a maiden from his family as his wife; let him not take a widow, or an outcast, or a defamed woman, or a harlot, but take a maiden from his family as his wife; Let him not disgrace his seed among his people, for I am the Lord who sanctifies him” (Lev. 21:13–15). And since we have applied the order of the entire exposition to Christ, the true “great Priest,” let us now see how His marriage should be understood. The Apostle Paul says: “I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you to Christ as a pure virgin. But I am afraid, lest, just as the serpent deceived Eve with his cunning, so your minds too may be corrupted, straying from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2-3). As we see, Paul wants all the Corinthians to preserve themselves as “pure virgins” for Christ; Of course, he would not want this if it seemed impossible. That is why it seems miraculous that those corrupted by manifold sins came to the faith of Christ, and everyone immediately began to be called a “pure virgin,” a virgin so holy and so pure that she was worthy to unite with Christ in marriage. However, since we cannot apply what has been said to the chastity of the flesh, it undoubtedly refers to the chastity of the soul, whose simplicity of faith in Christ, according to the understanding of Paul himself, is called its virginity; and through this, which is overlooked by the sophisms of philosophers and the superstitions of Jews, in the simplicity of faith Christ took the Church for Himself, as it were, “as a wife, a maiden of His kind” (cf. Lev. 21:13). For neither philosophical perception nor the search for circumcision exhausts faith in Him, but in the simplicity of confession it remains pure, like an innocent virgin. After all, even before, He promised through the prophet: “I will betroth you to Me in faith 71” (Hos. 2:20). So, according to the Apostle, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). And as the same Apostle says, “that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that she might be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27). And how can a wicked thing become “without blemish,” unless He renews it, as it is written: “Even if our outward man decays, yet his inward man is renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4:16)? Christ, of course, does not take “the widow, or the outcast, or the defamed, or the harlot” (cf. Lev. 21:14), and such a soul does not enter the bridal chamber of the Bridegroom. For whoever “came in here not wearing a wedding garment” will experience what, as you know, is written in the Gospel (cf. Matt. 22:12–13). Therefore He will take the “virgin” and not the “widow, or the outcast, or the defamed, or the harlot.” And indeed, it is not difficult to explain why Christ does not take “the outcast, or the defamed, or the harlot”; but why He does not take the “widow” needs to be examined more carefully. The Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Romans writes: “The law is the husband of the soul. If the husband dies, the wife is released from the law of marriage, and will not be an adulteress, having married Christ 72” (Rom. 7:1-3). But if it so happens that the law of the soul is dead, that is, the soul is separated from the law and does not restrain itself by the purer structure of marriage, then, having moved away from the law of the Gospel teaching, it may not find a rein. Such a woman cannot marry Christ, because she does not seek virgin faith and simplicity, but the licentiousness of freedom. That is why “the great Priest” “takes to wife a maiden from His family” (cf. Lev. 21:13). From the statement “of His kind,” one might suppose that the soul of Christ is of the same kind and of the same substance as all human souls, but since He calls those who believe in Him brothers, we can say that “of His kind” is that soul which is united with Him in faith, as in marriage. And yet I do not want it to be hidden from us, as the Jews deny that they wrote the words that we find in the Septuagint - “from their generation.” And it’s fair that they didn’t write it. For kinship with God was taken away from them, adoption was taken away from them and transferred to the Church of Christ. That is why the Jews did not write that they are “from the lineage” of Christ, since they are unworthy of this. But we, who have these words written and we read them, will rejoice in this dignity given to us by God; Let us, however, be attentive and circumspect, lest our life, our actions, our habits ultimately change us for the worse, lest this kinship be a condemnation for us and “we, being the race of God” (cf. Acts 17:29), were not enslaved by shameful, vile and devilish deeds. Thus, “he who has a bride is a bridegroom” (John 3:29). You have heard that Christ is called the bridegroom, and the soul is His bride, a virgin of immaculate simplicity of faith and purity of deeds. For the Lord also speaks through the prophet Jeremiah: “Did you not call me Lord, father and guide of your maidenhood?” 73 (Jer.3:4). 6. “He shall not take a widow, or an outcast, or a defamed woman, or a harlot” (Lev. 21:14). If anyone sins against us, he will become an “outcast”; even if he is not rejected by the bishop, or if his sin was secret, or if sometimes he is forgiven by mercy, he is still rejected by the very knowledge of his sin. And human forgiveness is useless when Christ does not take such a soul, as if “rejected,” “as a wife.” And He also does not take a “widow,” as we said above, just as He does not take a “rejected or defamed” one. “Depraved” is the one who, even if she is not completely filled with sin, thinks about it, wants it, chooses it herself, strives for it herself, even if she does not commit it; she is “outcast”, and the “great Priest” does not choose her. Therefore, He seeks the purest, most innocent and chaste soul and unites with it, and “he who is united to the Lord is one spirit with the Lord” (1 Cor. 6:17). This also shows that there is a difference between sinners: those who sin “a sin that leads to death” are rejected, and those who sin “a sin that does not lead to death” (cf. 1 John 5:16), who commit lesser sins, are defamed. Thus, the bride of Christ cannot be either rejected or defamed, but she must be a pure, innocent, immaculate virgin. Therefore, do not forget the words of the Apostle, which we cited a little earlier: “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she might be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27). 7. Nor does He take a “harlot” (cf. Lev. 21:14). And what kind of soul is a harlot? Who has lovers; the prophet speaks of them like this: “You have committed fornication with your lovers” (cf. Ezek. 16:28,33). Who are these “lovers” that enter the harlot soul, if not the authorities and demons who want to admire her beauty? For the soul created by God is beautiful and gracefully adorned. Listen to what God Himself says: “Let Us make man in Our image [and] after Our likeness” (Gen. 1:26). Look how beautiful and glorious the soul is; it contains the “image and likeness” of God. And when the opposing forces, that is, “the devil and his angels” (cf. Rev. 12:9), look with admiration at her beauty, they passionately desire her charms; and since they cannot become her suitors, they strive to commit fornication with her. Therefore, if - oh man! - if you allow an adulterer-devil into the marriage bed of your soul, then it will indulge in fornication with the devil. If she receives his angels, the many different spirits that incline you to sin, your soul will give in to debauchery with them. If the spirit of anger, the spirit of envy, the spirit of pride, the spirit of fornication enters your soul and you accept it, agree with it when it speaks in your heart, and delight in what it inspires in you according to your desires, then you are committing fornication with it. That is why the “great priest” does not “take” the “harlot”; and “he does not disgrace his seed among his people” (cf. Lev. 21:14). What is this seed that he does not want to discredit? The Gospel says: “The sower sows the word” (Mark 4:14). That is why he does not want to desecrate the word of God of those who “sow.” And who sows? Those who preach the word of God in the Church. May they hear the teachers, so that the soul does not become defamed, so that it does not commit fornication, does not lose fidelity to the word of God, so that they do not give “holy things to dogs” and do not cast “pearls before swine” (cf. Matt. 7:6), but choose pure souls, virgin in the simplicity of faith in Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 11:3), convey to them hidden secrets, reveal the word to them God and the secrets of faith, so that Christ may be portrayed in them through faith. Or do you not know that from the seed of the word of God that is sown, Christ is born in the hearts of those who listen? So the Apostle says: “Until Christ is formed in you” (Gal.4:19). Consequently, from this seed of the word the soul conceives, and the fetus depicts the Word in itself until it gives birth to the spirit of the fear of God. Therefore, the souls of the saints speak through the prophet like this: “For the sake of Thy fear, Lord, we received in the womb and suffered in childbirth and gave birth; We have filled the Spirit of Your salvation on earth” (Is. 26:18). Thus are holy souls born, such is their conception, and such are the sacred marriages that are concluded with the great High Priest Christ Jesus our Lord, “To whom be glory and dominion forever and ever.” Amen" (1 Peter 4:11; Rev. 1:6). About the festivals and the lampstand and the candlestick and the oil for light and about the table and about the showbread 1. He who is perfect (cf. Matt. 19:21) is taught about the meaning of the festivals by God Himself and is not inclined to learn this from a human teacher, but learns about it from God if he can hear the voice of God. And whoever cannot, because he is not so high, learns from the one who learned from God. So there are two ways to learn about the meaning of holidays. The first is when the prophetic mind, illuminated by the Spirit, learns more, so to speak, by the intuition of the mind than by the sound of the voice, and comprehends the truth itself, and not its shadows (cf. Heb. 10:1) and images. But those who can neither perceive the very glory of God, nor behold with a discerning mind all the splendor of the truth, let them hear of the festivals from those who first heard of them; and when the faculty of the inner eye gives the truth to the first, they transmit to those who listen only its shadow. Knowing about this secret, the Apostle said that the Jews “serve the image and shadow of the heavenly things” (Heb. 8:5). After all, it is written that Moses saw the “heavenly” itself, but conveyed to the people ideas and images of what he saw. Divine prophecy tells him: “See that you make them according to the image shown to you on the mountain” (Ex. 25:40; Heb. 8:5). Thus, this is what we read about in this passage, for the Lord spoke to Moses about the feasts (cf. Lev. 23:1ff). And after these words about the festivals, let's see what Moses is instructed on next. Firstly, about the lamp and the candlestick and the oil that is poured into it; secondly, about the table and the showbread, and also about how many there should be and how they should be used. So let us turn to what is written, consider it more carefully and pray that the Lord will grant us grace and we will recognize the will of the Holy Spirit in the letters we read. It is said: “Command the children of Israel to bring you pure oil, beaten from olives, for illumination, so that the lamp may continually burn; outside the veil of the ark of the testimony in the tabernacle of meeting, Aaron and his sons shall set it up before the Lord from evening to morning always: this is an everlasting statute throughout your generations; They must always set up their lamps before the Lord on a clean candlestick” (Lev. 24:2-4). A clean candlestick is required; The high priest is commanded to light the lamp, and it is prescribed to maintain the fire in it by pouring in the oil brought by the people. And if the people had not brought oil, then, without a doubt, the lamp would have gone out, and there would have been no light in the sanctuary. Thus, according to the literal meaning, there was a strict sequence of actions: the people brought “pure oil beaten from olives” so that the “lamp” would not go out; and “Aaron and his sons must set it before the Lord from evening until morning” (cf. Lev. 24:3), keeping the fire burning in it with the oil that the people brought. 2. But since “the law is spiritual” (cf. Rom. 7:14), let us ask the Lord - if we are still turned to the Lord - to remove the “veil”, which “until now remains untaken in the reading of the Old Testament” (cf. 2 Cor. 3:14,16), so that we can comprehend what the candlestick and the lamp stand mean according to spiritual understanding. Until the coming of my Lord Jesus Christ, the sun did not rise on the people of Israel, and they used the light of the “lamp.” For the word of the law served as their “lamp,” and the prophetic word was enclosed within close walls that did not allow the light to pour into the earth. For they knew about God only in Judea, just as the prophet says: “God is known in Judea” (Ps. 75:2). When the “Sun of Righteousness” arose (cf. Mal. 4:2) – our Lord and Savior was born as a man about whom it is written: “Here is a man. His name is "sunrise" (cf. Zech. 6:12), - the light of the knowledge of God shone over the whole world. Thus, the word of the law and the prophetic word were a “burning lamp,” but it burned only in the church and could not shed light beyond its boundaries. And the Lord Himself taught us that the word of the law and the prophets is called a “lamp” when He said: “He was a lamp, burning and shining; but you wanted to rejoice in its light for a little while” (John 5:35). And in another place He says: “The Law and the Prophets until John” (Luke 16:16). Therefore, the “burning lamp” is John, in whom were contained “the law and the prophets.” And while the people had “oil,” which they brought “for illumination,” the “lamp” did not go out. But when the oil of mercy, the oil of good deeds, dried up in people and there was no longer purity in them - for pure oil was needed for illumination - the “lamp” inevitably went out. And why do we say that all this happened to them, but does not apply to us? On the contrary, Christians should seek the oil with even greater zeal. Look how the Lord in the Gospel parable calls “foolish virgins” those who “took no oil with them 74,” and they were so foolish that they had no oil to light their lamps, and they were not allowed into the wedding feast; and when those who had not taken care to stock up on oil began to knock on the door, the bridegroom ordered them not to be allowed in (cf. Matt. 25:1ff). But I remember that when we explained the verse from the one hundred and eighteenth psalm, which says: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105), we showed, to the best of our ability, the difference between “lamp” and “light.” We said that the “lamp” is for the feet, that is, for the lower part of the body, and the “light” is given for the “path,” which is elsewhere called the “eternal path.” For according to the mystical interpretation, this world is understood as the lower regions of creation, and therefore the “lamp” of the law mentioned here is lit for those who are found in this world as the feet of all creation. And the eternal “light” will shine for those “paths” along which everyone, according to their merits, will enter the next century. But enough was said about this in due time. And since now is evening and night “until the end of the age” (cf. Matt. 28:20) and until a new day of the coming age has come and a new light has dawned, this “lamp” burns for each of us, and its brightness depends on how much oil we have poured into it with our deeds. Finally, Job, describing his good deeds, adds: “When His lamp shone over my head” (Job 29:3). So, this “lamp,” fueled by the oil of good deeds, shines on each of us. But if we do evil and our evil deeds, then not only do we not kindle it, but, on the contrary, we extinguish the lamp that burns for us, and then what is said in Scripture is fulfilled in us: “Whoever hates his brother is in darkness, and whoever does evil walks in darkness” (1 John 2:11). For he has extinguished the “lamp” of love and therefore walks in darkness. Or does the “light” of love that has been extinguished not seem to you to have extinguished the “lamp”? But “he who loves his brother” (cf. 1 John 4:21) abides in the light of love and can say with confidence: “But I am like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God” (Ps. 51:10), and “your sons are like olive branches around your table” (Ps. 127:3). So, it is commanded that the people bring “oil”, and not just “oil”, but “pure” (cf. Lev. 24:2) and prepared not from various fruits, according to the customs accepted in one area or another, but squeezed “from olives,” which testifies to peace. For God cannot accept your works if they are not done in the world; so the Apostle James says: “The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace” (James 3:18). Therefore, as I believe, the Lord conveyed a faithful guarantee to His disciples, saying: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you” (John 14:27). It is from the fruits of this olive that the oil of our works is squeezed, with which we can light the lamp of God, so as not to walk “in darkness” (cf. 1 John 2:11). This is what we are told about the lampstand, the candlestick, and the oil. 3. Now let's see what is written next about the showbread. It is said: “And take fine wheat flour and bake twelve loaves of it; from two tenths make one bread; and place them in two rows, six in a row, on a clean table before the Lord; And put pure incense on each row, 76 and it will be with the bread as a sacrifice to the Lord, in remembrance of Him; on every Sabbath day the children of Israel must continually set them before the Lord: this is an everlasting covenant; They will belong to Aaron and his sons, who will eat them in the holy place, for this is the most holy of holies 77 for them from the sacrifices of the Lord: it is an everlasting statute” (Lev. 24:5-9). According to what is written, the twelve tribes of Israel are seen in the twelve loaves, “in remembrance” they are laid before the Lord and these loaves are sacrificed in order to “continually lay them before the Lord”; so that the memory of the twelve tribes would always be before Him, like some kind of petition or prayer. But such a petition is quite small and insignificant. What is the use of such propitiation, when the fruits of each tribe are judged by the bread, and the works by the fruits? But if you relate this to the greatness of the mystery, you will find that this memory has an enormous conciliatory effect. And if you turn to that bread “which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (cf. John 6:33), that showbread that “God offered as a sacrifice of propitiation in His blood through faith,” and if you look at that “remembrance” about which the Lord says: “Do this in remembrance of Me” (cf. 1 Cor. 11:25), then you will see that this is the only “remembrance” that makes God favorable to people. And if you remember the church sacraments, then in what is written in the law you will find an image of the future truth (cf. Heb. 10:1). But there is nothing special to discuss here, since one memory is enough. We can give another explanation. Every word of God is bread, but there is a difference between these breads. One word spoken to a simple listener can teach people acts of mercy and kindness; and it will seem like ordinary bread. The other word contains secrets, and it speaks of the faith of God or the knowledge of things. This bread is pure and baked with "fine wheat flour". It “must always be set before the Lord on a clean table” (cf. Lev. 24:8,6). It is intended only for priests and given to the sons of Aaron as an everlasting gift. And lest you think that we are based not on Divine books, but on the fabrications of our minds, I will show you, using the example of Scripture, how different people are given different bread according to their merits. The book of Genesis tells how the patriarch Abraham showed hospitality to the angels, and Lot did the same (cf. Gen. 18:1ff; 19:1ff). But Abraham, who surpassed Lot in merit, offered, as it is said, bread “of fine wheat flour” (cf. Gen. 18:6), which he called έγκρυφίας, that is, “hidden” and “hidden.” And Lot, who did not have fine wheat flour, made bread for his guests from ordinary flour (cf. Gen. 19:3); this does not mean that he was so poor that he did not have fine wheat flour, because it is written that he was not inferior in wealth to his uncle (cf. Gen. 13:5 ff.), but this indicates the difference between each of them in merit. Truly, the one to whom the secrets were to be revealed by God and to whom it was said: “Shall I hide from Abraham my servant what I want to do” (Gen. 18:17), the one who was to be filled with God’s mysteries and secrets and learn them, is described as having bread made from “fine wheat flour.” The one to whom not the mysteries were communicated, but the understanding of real salvation and life, is described as having bread made only from ordinary flour (cf. Gen. 18:6; 19:3). So you, if you know these secrets, if you can reason wisely and prudently about the faith of God, about the mystery of Christ, about the unity of the Holy Spirit, then you bring to the Lord bread made from fine wheat flour; If you use an ordinary sermon for the people and only know how to deal with moral issues that apply to everyone, know that you are bringing ordinary bread. 4. Let us now see what the preparation of this showbread consists of, which “must continually be laid before the Lord.” It is written: “Out of two tenths, make one loaf” (Lev.24:8,5). It is definitely said: “out of two tenths,” but it is not specified from what measure these “tenths” are taken. After all, it is quite logical that if it were necessary to know the exact amount of “fine wheat flour”, then a measure would be named from which these “two tenths” were ordered to be taken. So what is it, whose measure and magnitude can neither be named nor defined? Ten is found everywhere as the number of perfection; for from it all other numbers count their magnitude and beginning. Accordingly, this number apparently means the Creator and the Beginning of everything - God. But if in Church I speak only about the Father and praise Him alone, then I will bring one tenth of the bread. Or if I preach a sermon only about Christ, list His Passion and proclaim His Resurrection, then I will offer one tenth of the bread. If I say that the Father is always with the Son and “does His works,” or if I also say that the Father is in the Son and the Son in the Father (cf. John 14:10) or whoever saw the Son “saw the Father” (cf. John 14:9) and that the Son and the Father are one, then “out of two tenths” of fine pure wheat flour I will bring “one bread,” the true bread, the one “that gives life to the world” (cf. John 6:33). Heretics do not make “out of two tenths one bread,” for they deny that God the Creator is the Father of Christ and that the Old and New Testaments are one bread and one Spirit, and they both talk about the same thing. We say that in the law and the Gospel there is one and the same Holy Spirit, and by this we bring “out of two tenths one bread” of the offering. Thus, heretics who separate Christ from God the Creator, His Father, and Jews who accept only the Father and do not accept Christ, His Word and Wisdom, do not make “two tenths one bread.” But we cannot understand or find the measure itself, that is, the substance, its name or definition; and yet, confessing the Father and the Son, we make “out of two tenths one bread”; It is not that one loaf is made from one tenth, and another from another, so that these “two tenths” are separated, but they are one and are “one loaf.” Why do I call these “two tenths” united? Because I do not separate either the Son from the Father, or the Father from the Son, who says: “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). So, the loaves are made “from two tenths” and placed “in two rows,” that is, in two orders. For if there were one dispensation - the word spoken about the Father and the Son - it would be confused and incomprehensible. But now there is definitely “one bread” - for there is one will and one essence - but two dispensations, that is, the properties of two persons. For we call Him Son who is not the Father, and Father Who is not the Son. Thus we retain “two tenths” in “one bread” and confess “before the Lord” two dispensations, that is, the properties of two persons. And it takes, so to speak, great and skillful skill of the baker to carefully observe these measures and thus arrange the word about the Father and the Son: when necessary, to unite Them, and, on the contrary, to separate them, when it is required that “two measures” are never absent, and “one bread” is always present. So, it is prescribed to make “twelve loaves” of “fine wheat flour” according to the number of tribes at the time when Israel was in the flesh. This, as I see it, is the image of all rational nature; for it is believed that there are twelve principal kinds of intelligent creatures, the image of which is contained in these twelve tribes. One is a royal race, called the tribe of Judah, the other is a priestly race, called the tribe of Levi. There was another clan neighboring Judah, called the tribe of Benjamin, on whose land the church of God and the altar were located. Another generation is the tribes of Issachar and Zebulun and Ephraim, whom Divine Scripture calls by name (cf. Gen. 35:23 ff.), but now is not the time to explain their structure. Each tribe or clan is “bread before the Lord.” Although there was another race, descended not from a free woman, but from a concubine of Israel, and in part it was free, in part it was slave (cf. Gen. 30:5 ff.), from each one bread is brought “before the Lord” from “two tenths,” and in total there are “twelve loaves” from “fine wheat flour.” So, it is commanded to place the loaves “on a clean table” (cf. Lev. 24:6). How many of us have a clean table to lay bread on before the Lord? Solomon said: “When you sit down to eat at the ruler’s table, be careful what is before you” (Prov. 23:1). What kind of “table of the ruler” is this, if not the mind 78 of the one who said: “I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13) and “My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:10)? On this clean table of the ruler, that is, in this heart, in this mind, bread is laid before the Lord. “When you sit down to eat food at” this apostolic “table of the ruler, then carefully observe what is before you” (Prov. 23:1), that is, spiritually turn to what was said, so that you can do what is added: “Knowing that you must prepare for such things” (Prov. 23:2). 5. But let's see how these twelve loaves are offered. It is said: “Place them in two rows, six in a row” (cf. Lev. 24:6). Don't you think that what has been said about this arrangement is unnecessary? What is the number twelve divided by six? It is akin to the number six, for in six days this visible world was created. Consequently, in this world there are two dispensations, that is, two peoples who have preserved faith in the Father and the Son in one Church, as if at one “clean table.” It is said: “And put pure incense on each row” (Lev.24:7). This type of incense symbolizes prayer. Thus, it is necessary to add fervent and pure prayer to the bread of faith. And pure prayer, as the Apostle says, is said by “raising up clean hands without anger or doubt” (1 Tim. 2:8). At the same time, what is written is filled with a sweet smell: “Let my prayer be like incense 79 before Thy face” (Ps. 141:2). And if someone brings prayers to God, but his conscience is unclean from evil deeds, then “incense” seems to be placed on the loaves, but it is not impeccably “clean”. For if all incense were “pure,” Scripture would not have added that “pure incense” is placed on the showbread “before the Lord.” Do not think that Almighty God gave such a command and sanctified it in the law that incense should be brought from Arabia. This incense is the one that God wants to accept from people; from it comes a “pleasant aroma” (cf. Ex. 29:41), it is prayers from a pure heart and a good conscience, in which God truly perceives a pleasant aroma. It is said: “And it shall be with the bread as a memorial to the Lord; Every Sabbath day we must continually present them before the Lord” (Lev. 24:7–8). If it is not yet clear to you that these “breads” are the word of God, now the above saying confirms this. For what is the “remembrance” of God for us? What awakens in us pious memories of all good things if not the word of God? That is why it is said: “And it shall be with the bread as a memorial to the Lord” (Lev.24:7). And it is added: “Every day of the Sabbath” (Lev.24:8), in other words, in the peace of the soul. And what could be better peace for the soul than the “remembrance” of God, than to live “before the Lord,” than to abide in the faith of the Father and the Son, than to offer prayers to the Lord “for a sweet aroma”? It is said: “This is an everlasting covenant; they will belong to Aaron and his sons, who will eat them in the holy place” (Lev. 24:8-9). Aaron and his sons are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood” (cf. 1 Peter 2:9), to whom this share of the sanctified was given by God, but it is also given to those who believe in Christ. And I find this “holy place” not on earth, but in the heart. For it is said that the “holy place” is the rational soul, just as the Apostle says: “Give no place to the devil” (Eph.4:27; James 4:7). Therefore, if I do evil, then my soul is the place of the devil, if good - of God. And finally, it is said: “When the unclean spirit leaves a person, it walks through dry places, looking for rest, and does not find it; then he says, “I will return to my house from whence I came” (Matthew 12:43–44). So, the “holy place” is a pure soul. It is in this holy place that we are commanded to eat the food of the word of God. A soul that is not holy cannot receive the holy word, but when it is cleansed of all filthiness of the flesh and deeds, then this “holy place” will become capable of receiving “the bread that came down from heaven” for food (cf. John 6:41). Isn't it better to understand "holy place" in this way than if we thought that "holy place" meant a pile of insensitive stones? So the law itself has commanded you that when you receive this heavenly bread, eat it “in a holy place,” in other words, not in a soul corrupted and defiled by sin, but take into yourself the pledge of the Lord’s body: “Whoever eats this bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord” (1 Cor. 11:27). 6. "This is the holy of holies." Pay attention: it is said not just “holy,” but “the holy of holies,” as if it were saying: “This food is not ordinary, and it is not assigned to everyone and everyone unworthy, but to the saints.” But we will say even more accurately about the word of God: “It is not for everyone”; this mysterious word can not be heard by everyone, but only by saints, whose minds are purified, who are “pure in heart” (cf. Matt. 5:8) and “single in soul” (cf. Gen. 20:6), whose life is impeccable and conscience is impeccable; they hear it and themselves can explain its secret. It is said: “It has been given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it has not been given” (Matthew 13:11), that is, to those who are unworthy, who have not deserved, they cannot understand these mysteries, “they themselves cannot be given” the priestly bread, which are the hidden mysteries of the word. That is why it is spoken to them in “parables” intended for the crowd. “This is an everlasting decree” (Lev.24:9). Every mysterious “decree” is truly “eternal.” After all, what is visible and temporary will soon pass away, “for the image of this world is passing away” (1 Cor. 7:31). But if this world “passes”, then, without a doubt, the image of the letter also passes, and eternal images remain, those that contain spiritual understanding. Therefore, if we learned, firstly, what God said to Moses, and Moses to the “children of Israel” (cf. Lev. 24:1), secondly, what is the image of the “clean candlestick” and the “lampstand”, as well as its oil (cf. Lev. 24:4), thirdly, what is the showbread, made each “from two tenths” of “fine wheat flour” (cf. Lev. 24:5 ), if we have understood all this in a spiritual understanding, then let us also try to be worthy of this knowledge, so great and so sublime, and first make our soul a holy place, and then accept the holy mysteries in it by the grace of the Holy Spirit, by which all that is holy is sanctified. “To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:11; Rev. 1:6). About the son of an Israeli woman and an Egyptian who “mentioned 80 the name of the Lord and cursed” (cf. Lev. 24:11), and about the condemnation imposed on him by God 1. We were read a story that at first glance seems clear. However, if we do not carefully examine its content according to the literal understanding, then it is unlikely that its inner meaning will be easily revealed to us. Here are the words of Scripture that we are about to examine: “And the son of an Israelite woman, born of an Egyptian, went out to the children of Israel, and the son of the Israelite woman quarreled in the camp with a man of Israel; the son of the Israelite mentioned the name of the Lord and cursed. And they brought him to Moses; his mother's name was Salomith, daughter of Davriin, from the tribe of Dan; and they put him in custody until the will of the Lord was declared to them. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Bring him out of the camp, and let all who hear him put their hands on his head, and the whole congregation stone him” (Lev. 24:10-14). Let us first consider the literal meaning of what is presented to us; and although it seems clear, we will try to present it more clearly to your eyes. Let us take one who proudly bears the name of an Israelite, which he received from his father and mother, and another, an Israelite only by his mother, but not by his father, and, so to speak, only partly noble, and this part is not from his father, which would be better, but from his mother, which is somewhat less. After all, if his father had been an Israelite and his mother an Egyptian, he would have been a little larger, for such were Manasseh and Ephraim (cf. Gen. 41:50). But it says here that his mother is an Israelite, and his father is an Egyptian. And if you have carefully examined these two husbands, one fully born, and the other only partially, look now at how they quarreled. When they quarreled, the son of an Israelite and an Egyptian “mentioned the name of the Lord and cursed,” and therefore they brought him to Moses. Moses did not dare to either justify or condemn him without God and put him “in custody until the will of the Lord was declared to him” (cf. Lev. 24:10 ff.). Here is the content of this story; Let us now see how it can be interpreted spiritually for the teaching of the Church. 2. First of all, it is said that “the son of an Israelite woman came out” and an Egyptian man (cf. Lev. 24:10); and it does not matter where he was going or from where, since they were both in the camp, as indicated by the words of the Lord: “Bring out the evildoer from the camp” (Lev.24:14). Thus, if he was to be brought out of the camp, he was undoubtedly there. Why then, if he had not yet left the camp, does the Divine Scripture say about him: “And the son of an Israelite woman went out”? I think the Divine word wants to teach us that he who sins comes out twice. For first he departs from good intention and right judgment, he departs from the path of righteousness, he departs from the law of God. And then, when he is condemned for his sin, he comes out of the assembly and society of the saints. For example, if one of the faithful sinned, then he is cast out not by the condemnation of the bishop, but by the sin itself. And although he enters into the Church, he is thrown out and separated from the community and consent of the saints. Therefore, the son of an Egyptian and an Israeli woman “came out.” He who has no faith at all is a true Egyptian. But the one who is among us and sins, half of the one with whom he believes God is of Israeli origin, and the other half with whom he sins is of Egyptian origin. So, the Scripture speaks of two quarreling people - one purebred Israelite who quarrels, but does not sin; the one who discovers sin is shown to be of mixed origin, mainly Egyptian, and with him the Israelite quarrels and, perhaps, argues judiciously and reasonably. For even in the book of Exodus it is told how an Israelite and an Egyptian quarreled, and the first gained the upper hand, and the second fell (cf. Ex. 2:11). So today, if I defend the truth, if I fight for the faith of the Church against someone who believes in Christ and accepts the Scriptures only in part, but does not accept his teaching correctly and completely, then I quarrel with him - an Israeli by mother and an Egyptian by father. If someone is a Christian and a true believer by firm faith and confession of the name, he is an Israeli both by father and mother. But the one who is a Christian by his confession, but a heretic and an apostate by his understanding of the faith, has an Israeli mother, but his father is certainly an Egyptian. How does this happen? When someone reads the Scripture and follows the literal meaning, but rejects the spiritual understanding, his mother, that is, the letter, of course, is Israelite; and since he follows not a spiritual, but a carnal understanding, his father is an Egyptian. That is why he quarrels with a representative of the Church, with a true believer, with an Israeli by mother and father, by letter and by spirit; for he is an Israelite in letter, but an Egyptian in spirit. What happens to both quarreling people? The one who follows the carnal understanding, the descendant of the Egyptian, calls the name of the Lord and curses. He calls the name of God and curses, because he denies that God is the Creator of the world, denies that God is the Father of Christ. But we - true Israelites - defend both the letter and the spirit of the Holy Scriptures and quarrel with those who are, apparently, half-Israelites, and affirm that we should neither slander the letter nor blaspheme the spirit. For he who curses not only God, but also his neighbor, is cut off from the kingdom of God by the condemnation of the Apostle Paul. For listen to what the Apostle says: “Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wicked people, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10). Look, among what crimes - among the "fornicators", among the "sodomy", among the "predators", who are elsewhere called "idolaters" (cf. Eph. 5:5), - he also places the "revilers" and casts them out of the Kingdom of God along with others. Therefore, let them know, if anyone has accustomed their mouth to this vice and turned slander almost into a daily habit, what danger threatens them. For they consider this vice small and insignificant, but we should not forget how the Apostle rejects those who slander from the Kingdom of God and how God, through Moses, commands to punish the slanderer. Therefore, I was quite surprised that this passage does not directly say that this descendant of the Egyptian cursed God, but only says that he “mentioned the name of the Lord and cursed,” and one can only guess whether this refers to God or man. It seems to me that it is not directly said about God here, so that it would not seem that this gives the right to slander a person; and therefore it is silent about whether God or man is meant here, in order to beware of committing this sin against both. 3. Since we have cited the judgment of the Apostle, where he says that those who slander will not inherit the Kingdom of God, we need to say a word of consolation so as not to lead into complete despair those who almost every day are caught in the habit of slander and do not care to put guards on their lips or fence them with doors (cf. Ps. 141:3). Future promises do not have any one, specific form, but, as the Lord Himself teaches in the Gospel, “blessed are the poor in spirit,” and adds: “Theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (cf. Matt. 5:3). And he also says: “Blessed are the meek,” but he promises them not the Kingdom of Heaven, but that “they will inherit the earth” (cf. Matt. 5:5). He teaches that “blessed” are also “peacemakers,” but does not give them the Kingdom of Heaven, but calls them “sons of God” (cf. Matt. 5:9). And when He gives many different promises to different people, He calls everyone who receives them “blessed,” but He does not grant the Kingdom of Heaven to everyone. Thus, it may happen that it will still be taken away from someone by the vice of his lips and the malice of his words, even if in all other deeds and actions he is impeccable and perfect; such a person, by the judgment of the Apostle, is also rejected from the Kingdom of Heaven, but he is not deprived of the opportunity to find another bliss. But if someone was perfect in everything else, then he must make more efforts and overcome his slander, so that the vice of this destructive habit does not snatch away from him the Kingdom of Heaven (cf. Matt. 5:3), the highest of all blessings, although the Lord says: “In My Father’s house are many mansions” (John 14:2). It can also be added that the nature of sin is material devoured by fire, and the sinner “builds on the foundation” - Christ - with wood, hay, and straw (cf. 1 Cor. 3:12). This clearly shows that some sins are so light that they are compared to “straw” on which fire cannot remain for long. But there are others, like “hay,” which is also easily consumed by the flame, but not as quickly as straw. There are other sins that are compared to “wood,” which, by the nature of the sins, gives a lot of food to the fire, and it can burn for a long time. Thus, for every sin, according to its nature and magnitude, punishment is provided. Why, however, should the faithful - those who know God - reflect on the nature of the punishment? What need is there to build anything out of “wood,” “hay,” or even “straw” “on the foundation” of Christ? Why don't we build "on this" precious "foundation" of "gold, silver, precious stones" (cf. 1 Cor. 3:12) so that when the fire approaches, it will not find anything to consume? After all, if he approaches the straw, he will turn it into ash and ashes. But if he gets close to gold, he will turn it into even purer gold. We say all this for those who do not bother to give up the habit of spewing slander from their lips; those who, although they slander not from the heart and utter blasphemy unintentionally and without evil intent, have, according to Isaiah, unclean lips (cf. Is. 6:5), and a poisonous tongue. However, the one whose mother was an Israelite and whose father was an Egyptian “went out” and “mentioned the name of the Lord and cursed” (cf. Lev. 24:10–11). I think that if he had not come out, he would not have quarreled with a true Israelite and, calling the name of God, would not have slandered. For he departed from the truth; he departed from the fear of God, from faith, from love, for, as we said above, you can leave the camp of the Church without even being expelled from it by the command of the bishop. As, however, and, on the contrary, sometimes it happens that someone is expelled for unrighteously condemning the authorities of the Church. But if he himself did not “come out,” in other words, did not do anything for which he deserved exclusion, then it will not harm him that people cast him out with unjust condemnation. And therefore it happens that the one who is cast out remains in the bosom of the Church, and the one who seems to be in it turns out to be outside it. Do you want me to show you another, whom no one expelled, but who, as it is said, “came out”? It is written about Cain that he “went from the presence of the Lord” (cf. Gen. 4:16). And where did he “go from the presence of the Lord”? Where is it - where the face of the Lord is not? It is said that he “went” because he departed from the law of nature and was the first to stain the land with the blood of his brother, which had never known such an atrocity before. However, there are those who come out for good. I will show you this again with examples from Scripture. The book of Exodus says: “Everyone who sought the Lord went out to Moses outside the camp” (Exodus 33:7). They “went out of the camp” for good, because they followed Moses, that is, the law of God. And about others it is said: “Go, go, get out of there; do not touch anything unclean; come out from among him, purify yourselves, you who bear the vessels of the Lord!” (Isa.52:11). That is why it is said: “And the son of an Israelite woman, born of an Egyptian, went out to the children of Israel, and the son of an Israelite woman quarreled in the camp with a man of Israel; the son of the Israelite mentioned the name of the Lord and cursed” (Lev.24:10). And if you are an attentive reader, then, having carefully examined the Divine Scripture, you will see its greatest foresight: it does not call the son of an Israeli woman and an Egyptian “man,” but calls him a man whose father and mother are both Israelites. Do we think that this was written by accident? Do we not think that one is called "man" and the other is not named without any reason? No, this is not accidental, there are reasons for it. For not a single word of God is written without a higher reason. Anyone who is half Israeli and half Egyptian does not deserve to be called a “man.” But a purebred Israelite, that is, one who contemplated God with his mind, is called “man” - that inner man who was created “in the image of God” (cf. Gen. 1:27) and can see God (cf. Matt. 5:8). 4. What follows raises a question that many try and fail to answer. And if you will help me with your prayers, we will also try to focus on what the Lord has communicated to us. It is said: “A man who curses his God will bear his sin; he who mentions the name of the Lord shall die” (Lev.24:15). What is this? Why is it not the one who curses God who is punished with death, but the one who mentions “the name of the Lord”? Isn’t it a much more serious crime to curse God than to “mention the name” of God, even in vain? And how is it that the one who speaks evil only “bears sin,” while the one who mentions the name is punished with death? This is what raises questions, because what has been said seems illogical and inconsistent to those who do not understand the meaning of the Scriptures. They believe that whoever curses the name of God should be punished immediately; and for the one who “mentions the name of the Lord,” that is, pronounces His name in vain and without any need, it is enough if he “bears sin.” Let us, however, try to examine this passage and reveal its meaning. We cannot doubt that to slander God is a greater sin than to mention His name. It remains to be shown that accepting sin and “suffering” it is a more serious punishment than death. Death as a punishment for sin cleanses from the very sin for which it is prescribed. Thus, the punishment of death frees from sin, and there is nothing left that can be found on the Day of Judgment and punished with eternal fire. But if someone accepts and carries sin within himself, then the guilt for it, not washed away by punishment, remains with him even after death; and since here he does not pay for the sin he has committed with temporary punishment, then there he suffers eternal punishment. You see how much more serious it is to “bear sin” than to be punished by death. For here death is given for offense, but “the Lord, the righteous Judge” (cf. 2 Tim. 4:8), as the prophet says, does not punish twice for the same sin (cf. Nahum. 1:9); but, where there is no liberation by punishment, it remains to atone for sin only with eternal, unquenchable fire. And to show you that this is so, we can cite evidence from the Divine books about how the patriarchs Reuben and Judah spoke with their father Jacob when they wanted to take Benjamin with them and lead him to Egypt, fulfilling the promise they made to their brother Joseph (cf. Gen. 42:20). Reuben tells his father this: “Kill my two sons if I do not bring him [Benjamin] to you” (Gen. 42:37). Judas says: “If I do not set him before you, then I will remain guilty before you all the days of my life” (Gen. 43:9). Their father Jacob, knowing that what Judah promised, who said: “I will remain guilty before you,” is much more serious than what Reuben said: “Kill my two sons,” did not believe his son Reuben (cf. Gen. 42:38), because he chose a lighter punishment for himself. He believed Judas (cf. Gen. 43:13), knowing that he had chosen a more severe punishment for himself (cf. Lev. 24:15 ff.). Do you want to learn from the Gospel that whoever “bears his sin” in this life no longer bears punishment for it; and, conversely, for the one who did not “carry” it here, does it remain there? It teaches us through the example of the beggar “named Lazarus” and the rich man to whom the patriarch Abraham said “in hell”: “Child! remember that you have already received your good in your life, and Lazarus received your evil; now he is comforted here, but you suffer” (Luke 16:20–25). People who do not know the judgments of God, which are “the great deep” (cf. Ps. 35:7), are inclined to murmur against God, saying: “Why do unrighteous, unjust, predatory, wicked, dishonest people become prosperous and prosperous in this life and honor, wealth, power, health and even their very physical appearance are at their service; and the innocent and pious and those who worship God experience countless sorrows, are in a humiliated, despised and pitiful condition, live under the blows of the whip and, moreover, endure serious bodily illnesses? But, as I already said, those who do not know the very structure of God’s justice grumble. However, the more severe the punishment they want for those whose power and injustice make them groan, the more necessary it is to postpone punishments, which, if not postponed, would be temporary and light, since death would put an end to them; but since they are delayed, they will last forever. So, on the contrary, if the righteous and innocent wanted to be rewarded for their good in the present age, then the reward itself would be temporary and limited and doomed to a quick end; on the other hand, the more it is postponed for the future, the more eternal and endless it will be. That, in a few words, is what this little passage of Scripture teaches us, so that we may know that it is much more serious to accept, “bear sin,” and take it with us to hell, than to accept the punishment for committing sin here. And therefore, the Apostle Paul, knowing that this is preferable for the faithful, says that it is better to “hand over the sinner to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,” that is, to suffer death. What is the fruit of this death he shows in the following statement: “That the spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 5:5). You see how clearly the Apostle shows the benefit of such a death. For he says: “To give over the flesh to destruction,” that is, the sorrow of the flesh that penitents usually experience, he calls it destruction; however, this destruction of the flesh gives life to the spirit. And now, if one of us has awakened to the awareness of some sin, if he considers himself worthy of punishment for this offense, then he turns to saving repentance and intends to accept the destruction of the flesh, so that, having been cleansed in this life, our pure and chaste spirit would approach Christ our Lord, “To whom be glory and dominion forever and ever.” Amen" (1 Peter 4:11; Rev. 1:6). 1. In the book of Leviticus we find three different regulations given by Moses regarding the sale and redemption of houses; We will first consider their literal meaning, in order to then ascend to their spiritual understanding. Some houses were “in a walled city,” others “in villages without a wall around them” (cf. Lev. 25:29,31). Therefore it is said: “If someone sells a residential house in a walled city, then it can be redeemed before the expiration of a year from its sale; within a year it can be redeemed; But if it is not redeemed before the end of a whole year, then the house that is in the walled city will remain forever with the one who bought it throughout his generations, and at the jubilee it will not depart from him” (Lev. 25:29-30). The second law says: “But houses in villages around which there is no wall should be considered equal to a field of land: they can always be redeemed, and they go away on the jubilee” (Lev. 25:31). The third law says: “But the houses of the priests or Levites, whether they are in cities or villages, can always be redeemed” (Lev. 25:32). And God's laws do not allow the property of the Levites or priests to pass to people outside their lineage. These were the laws that the former people used, and even their literal meaning made them pious for the line of priests or Levites. 2. But let us hasten to apply to ourselves the fact that the law of Christ, if we observe it, does not allow us to have either property on earth or houses in cities. And what am I talking about houses? We are not allowed to have “two coats” (cf. Mark 6:9), nor a lot of money, for it is said: “Having food and clothing, we will be content with that” (1 Tim. 6:8). How then can we keep the law regarding houses, whether “in a walled city” or “in villages without a wall around”? In other places of Scripture we find that in Divine sayings the word “house” is used in a more sublime and sacred sense: when it is told about Jacob, it is said about him as if in praise: “And Jacob was a man unfeigned, living in a house 82” (Gen. 25:27). And I also find what was said about the Jewish midwives: “And because the midwives feared God, they built themselves houses 83” (Ex. 1:21). We see that the reason why midwives made houses for themselves was definitely the fear of God, and for Jacob the reason he lived in a house was because of its simplicity and meekness. it is not said about Esau that he lived in a house, for he was evil; Nor is it written about others who did not have the fear of God that they built houses for themselves. The Apostle Paul clearly explains what this “house” means and what kind of structure it is when he says: “We have a building from God in heaven, a house not made with hands, eternal” (2 Cor. 5:1). So, no one can build this “house” without the fear of God. Only those who are simple in mind and pure in heart can build this “house” and live in it. And since it usually happens that even a good builder, building for himself a heavenly house by good works, righteous life and pious faith, finds himself mired in the debts of sin and his most merciless lender forces him to sell this “house” and transfer his work to another, by the generosity and mercy of the Lawgiver, within a certain period of time it can be redeemed. It is said: “However, if your hand finds, how much is needed for the ransom” (cf. Lev. 25:26). How should one pay for the “ransom”? Without a doubt, with tears of repentance and with what “thy hand finds,” that is, with the good deeds of your hands. In addition, this “year” can be understood as what the Lord called the time of favor (cf. Is. 49:8; 2 Cor. 6:2) - when He forgives and sets free those who are contrite and grants salvation to those who confess their sins. And in the phrase “a house in a walled city” (cf. Lev. 25:29), by a house located “in a walled city,” it seems correct, as I see it, to understand the “house” located, as it is said, “in heaven” (cf. 2 Cor. 5:1). For the firmament itself is a wall for this kind of house. However, few can have such houses - only those who walk on earth, but their “dwelling is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20), about whom the Apostle says: “You are God’s building” (1 Cor. 3:9). And others have “houses in villages around which there is no wall,” but adjacent to them are fertile fields; they may be those who are preparing for themselves a small dwelling “in the land of the living” (cf. Ps. 26:13) and in the land that the Lord promises to the meek, saying: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5). And therefore “always” (cf. Lev. 25:31) we have the opportunity to redeem our houses, for if, for example, we commit some kind of offense, which is not a capital crime and not blasphemy of the faith, surrounded by the wall of church and apostolic teaching, but consists of misconduct in words or behavior, this means selling a house standing in a field or in a village around which there is no wall. Therefore, a sold house can always be bought back; You can always atone for such a fault, because you are not forbidden to repent for such sins. For for more serious sins the opportunity for repentance is given only once; and for these minor offenses, which we often commit, repentance is always accepted, and they are expiated without delay. 3. It is said: “But the houses of the priests or Levites, whether they are in cities or villages, can always be redeemed” (Lev.25:32). In this passage I explore the perceptions of the priests and the understanding of the Levites. For this purpose, the listener should, if possible, be no less than those who wrote and decreed it. So why can the priest and the Levite “always” and everywhere “redeem” their house? It is said that, according to spiritual understanding, a priest is one whose mind is sanctified by God, and a Levite is one who constantly stands before God and serves His will. Therefore, the priest and the Levite demonstrate perfection in judgment and action, in faith and deeds. And if this perfect mind happens to sell and transfer into the hands of another the house that he owns, “a house in heaven, not made with hands, eternal” (2 Cor. 5:1), as happened once with the great patriarch David when he “saw from the housetop” the wife of Uriah the Hittite (cf. 2 Sam. 11:2), then he immediately redeems it, immediately returns it to himself, because he immediately says: “I have sinned.” I" (2 Samuel 12:13). However, here we must consider something even more sublime - like the houses of the priests and Levites, that is, the misdeeds of those who are perfect in mind are always expiated and cleansed. When, reading the Divine Scripture, we see that the holy fathers also made mistakes, and if, in accordance with the opinion of the Apostle Paul, we say: “All this happened to them as images; but is written for our instruction" (1 Cor. 10:11), then one can always "ransom houses," because teachers always use cleansing of sins and sanctification as types and shadows of "good things to come" (cf. Heb. 10:1), taken from Divine Scripture, not in order to condemn saints who have committed an offense, but to show that ungodly and sinners are received into fellowship with the saints and have with them part. Therefore, the priest’s property is never taken away from him, and even if it is taken away for a while, even if it is destroyed, it is always redeemed, always restored, just as it is said that perfect love (cf. 1 John 2:5) “covers all things, believes all things, endures all things. (1 Cor. 13:7-8). Thus the property and house of the saints “never fail,” are never separated from their rights. For how can one take away from the priests a house built “on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone” (Eph. 2:20)? But the fact that this house can sometimes be sold, that is, that this building can sin the Apostle Paul: “I, like a wise builder, laid a foundation, and another builds on it; but each one watch how he builds. For no one can lay any other foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Will anyone build on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw” (1 Cor. 3:10-12). So, you see that on the foundation - Christ, you can build “from wood, hay, straw,” that is, from sinful deeds. But whoever builds from this, without a doubt, sells his house to the worst of buyers - the devil, from whom every sinner receives the price of sin, the satisfaction of his desires. And if we do something unrighteous, then we will quickly hasten to redeem, to quickly regain what we have lost, while there is time, while there is an opportunity to repent, in order to be deceived into losing our residence in the eternal home, but to become worthy of being “received into eternal habitations” (cf. Luke 16:9) through Christ our Lord, “To whom be glory and dominion forever and ever.” Amen" (1 Peter 4:11; Rev. 1:6). About the blessings of the book of Leviticus 1. In athletic competitions, there are usually some degrees and differences between individual categories, so that everyone receives a prize for winning a certain type of competition. For example, if one competes among boys, among youths, or among men, it is prescribed what regulations must be followed for each age group, what is allowed and what is not allowed, and what rules of wrestling must be followed. And what reward the winner’s hand deserves after the end of the competition is also established by the competition rules themselves. So Almighty God, who in this world arranges for mortals to compete in keeping His law, subsequently tells how many things are to be observed, what should be done and what should not be done, and accordingly prescribes at the end of the book of Leviticus, where every single statute is given, what is the reward for those who do them, and what is the punishment for those who do not keep them. But if the law, according to the understanding of the Jews and those who see Scripture as they do, is not spiritual, but carnal, there is no doubt that it bestows carnal blessings. If, as the Apostle Paul believes, “the law is spiritual” (cf. Rom. 7:14), then, undoubtedly, it must be fulfilled spiritually, and those who keep it hope for the spiritual reward of these blessings. For it is truly most logical that the spiritual law confers spiritual blessings, and it is no less logical that the condemnations and censures of the spiritual law are also not material. But in order for what we have said to be clear, let us listen to the voice of the Apostle Paul himself, with which, addressing the Ephesians, he speaks about spiritual blessings: “Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Eph. 1:3). For he knew that one, having read of these blessings, might gradually come to an earthly and carnal understanding of them, and he wished to show more clearly what the nature of the Divine blessings was, and where they were to be sought, and therefore he said, “He who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” However, the phrase “with every spiritual blessing” is not superfluous, but is full of apostolic power. For since he knew that many things prescribed in the law had to be fulfilled, and that each command was given for a specific competition, in which the winner would receive a corresponding blessing, therefore he said: “He who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing,” to show that these blessings are numerous and spiritual. Moreover, the phrase he uttered “with every spiritual blessing” can be understood to mean that, for example, he who is righteous and perfect will receive the blessing of the Levites that we are talking about, and those blessings that are spoken of in the book of Numbers (cf. Num. 24:1ff), as well as the blessing of Noah to Shem and Japheth described in the book of Genesis (cf. Gen. 9:26) and the blessing of Isaac to Jacob (cf. Gen. 28:1), Jacob's blessing to Joseph and Ephraim and Manasseh (cf. Gen. 48:15–20) and then to the twelve patriarchs (cf. Gen. 49:28). And since there are many blessings in the Divine Scriptures, which seem to be addressed to every saint, for example, Shem or Japheth or Joseph, they, however, are not given only to them, as some think, believing that others cannot share in these blessings; The Apostle calls them spiritual (cf. Eph. 1:3), since one who can be strengthened in virtues and spirit, such as Shem, Japheth, Joseph, Isaac, Jacob or John, who was “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (cf. Luke 1:17), can also become a participant in these blessings, the power and spirit of which he will carry within himself. 2. Let us now see with what words the blessing begins in the book of Leviticus: “If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments and do them” (Lev.26:3). Three instructions are given: act according to the statutes, keep the commandments and fulfill them. Therefore, as I see it, there are instructions commanding, for example, that if someone does not keep the Sabbath, “the whole congregation will stone him” (cf. Num. 15:35), “and whoever curses God, the whole congregation will stone him” (cf. Lev. 24:15-16), and everything that is similarly prescribed. But there are also regulations according to which one must, for example, give tithes to the Levites (cf. Num. 18:21) or “appear before the Lord three times a year” (cf. Exod. 23:17) or not appear before the Lord “empty-handed” (cf. Exod. 23:15). Therefore, “keeping the commandments” means understanding and realizing what is commanded, and “doing them” means doing what is commanded. Therefore, I think that this is how we should understand what was said: “If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments and do them.” But let's see what the first blessing is for those who fulfill what is commanded. It is said: “I will give you rain in due season” (Lev.26:4). Let us ask first of all the Jews and those who believe that all this can be understood simply and in a carnal way: if this rain is given as a reward for the labors of those who keep the commandments, then how is this same rain given in due time to those who do not keep the commandments, and why does the whole world enjoy the rain sent by God? For He “sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). But if rain is sent “on the just and the unjust,” then there will be no special reward for those who fulfill the commandments. So, see that although the Jews do not recognize the words of Jesus our Lord, you, who honor His name and are called a Christian, must believe Him when He says that His Heavenly Father “sends this ordinary rain on the just and the unjust,” and you should not consider that He will separate from the righteous that part that He made common even with the unrighteous. Let's see in Scripture what kind of rain this is, which is sent only to the saints and about which it is said: “I will command the clouds not to rain” on the unrighteous (cf. Is. 5:6). What does Moses, our Lawgiver, teach? This is what he himself says in Deuteronomy: “Listen, O heavens, I will speak; and listen, O earth, to the words of my mouth. My teaching will fall like rain, my speech like dew” (Deut. 32:1-2). Is it possible that this rain could be my words? Or are we grossly distorting the meaning of God's law with rhetorical arguments? Doesn't Moses say that what was spoken is rain? It is said: “My teaching will fall like rain, my speech like dew, like rain on grass, like snow on hay” (Deut. 32:2). Listen diligently, listener, so that you do not consider that we are distorting Divine Scripture when, teaching the Church, we say that rain or downpour or anything else that seems material to us should be perceived spiritually. Listen to how Moses calls the word of the law now rain, now dew, now shower, now snow. And just as Moses uses various expressions to describe the grace of the manifold wisdom of God, so Isaiah says: “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord speaks” ( Isa. 1:2 ). And every prophet, when he opens his mouth, sends “rain” down to the earth (cf. Ezek. 34:26), that is, into the ears and hearts of those who listen. And, knowing this, the Apostle Paul says: “The land that has drunk the rain that falls on it many times and produces grain useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God; But the thorns and thistles that produce are worthless and are close to a curse, the end of which is burning” (Heb. 6:7-8). Is it possible that the Apostle said this about the earth? The land that “drinks the rain and produces” fruit does not receive blessings from God; and does not receive a curse from God if after the rain it produces “thorns and thistles.” But our land, that is, our heart, if it receives the “rain that often falls upon it” of the teaching of the law and bears the fruits of works, then it receives a blessing. If his deeds are not spiritual, but are “thorns and thistles,” that is, the cares of this age or the desire for pleasure and the thirst for riches, then it is “worthless and close to a curse, the end of which is burning.” Therefore, everyone who hears, when he unites with those who listen, receives the “rain” of the word of God; if it brings the fruits of good deeds, a “blessing” follows; if he accepts the word of God indifferently, often neglects what he has heard and remains captive to worldly aspirations and desires, then “thorns” choke the word, and instead of blessing he receives a “curse”, and instead of bliss he suffers punishment, “the end of which is burning.” Therefore it is said: “I will give you rain in due season” (Lev.26:4). It was necessary to add “in due time.” For just as the rain of the earth, if it comes at the wrong time, that is, when the harvest is being harvested, when grain is being threshed on the threshing floors, brings harm rather than benefit, so those who bring the rain of the word of God must observe what is said in Scripture and pronounce it “in its own time,” that is, not present the word of God to the intoxicated or the drunken, or to anyone else who is busy with something else and cannot concentrate, or to someone suffering from vice, who turns the inner ear to your illness, and not to the one who teaches. Therefore let them wisely choose a moment when the mind of the listener is unoccupied, when he is sober and awake, when the listener is attentive - then the rain comes “in its own time”; Likewise, the Gospel says that a “prudent steward” is appointed to “distribute to the servants in due season a measure of bread” (cf. Luke 12:42). But we can also understand differently that “the rains come in due time.” Anyone “weak in faith” is a child (cf. Rom. 14:1): he has no rainwater, but he is fed by “milk” (cf. 1 Cor. 3:2); This is what the one who knew how to give “rains in due season” said: “I fed you with milk and not with solid food, for you were not yet able to” (1 Cor. 3:2). Then the child is strengthened in faith, growing “in wisdom and stature” (cf. Luke 2:52), and, without a doubt, becomes one who “has the taste for solid food” (cf. Heb. 5:14). This is not explained by age, but due to his weakness he cannot take solid food; for example, he is not able to fully comprehend the word about chastity: one must be lenient and measure the teaching according to its strengths and allow such marriages. This means that “the weak eat vegetables” (cf. Rom. 14:2), and thus you relate the abilities of the soul to the “dew” of speech and the “rain” of teaching. But there is another land that can receive a strong “rainfall”, give birth to “rivers” (cf. John 7:38) of the word of God and bring rushing streams. The prophet also speaks about this in the Psalter: “You will give them drink from the flow of Your sweets” (Ps. 35:9). 3. So, it is said: “I will give you rain in due season, and the earth will produce its growth” (Lev.26:4). After the first blessing, the second is poured out, which says that the earth that receives the rain “will give forth its growth.” Let's see how Isaac blesses Jacob: “May God give you from the dew of heaven and from the fatness of the earth, and plenty of bread and wine” (Gen. 27:28). Do you not think that the bread that Isaac gave to his son Jacob in this blessing is the same bread that sinners have and that the wicked Pharaoh had in abundance? Was not this bread the blessing of the patriarch? Do you want me to show you that other wicked people also have a lot of bread? Look carefully at the “rich man” from the Gospel parable, who “had a good harvest in the field; and said: This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and I will gather there all my bread and all my goods, and I will say to my soul: soul! You have a lot of goods laid up for many years: rest, eat, drink, be merry” (Luke 12:16,18-19). So don’t we think that this is the same blessing of God that was given to all the saints and the faithful? I, however, see other “growths” of the earth and perceive many fruits differently. For if my “land” bears fruit, if, with the blessing of the Lord, “it gives its growth,” I will understand with my mind and be able to explain what this land is and what kind of land it is, which, having received rain from heaven, gives the fruits of reasonable “growth.” Listen to the testimony of the Gospel, which says how “a sower went out to sow; and some [seed] fell by the wayside, some fell on rocky places, some fell among thorns, and some fell on good ground.” And that which “fell on the good ground brought forth fruit: some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold” (Matthew 13:3 ff.). 4. It is said: “And the trees of the field will yield their fruit” (Lev.26:4). We ourselves have “trees of the field” that yield “their fruit.” What are these “trees of the field” that give “their fruit”? Perhaps the listener will exclaim: “What else did this writer come up with? Why does he collect words from everywhere, just so as not to explain what he read? How does he teach that we have “trees” and plants inside us?” If you do not mindlessly object, you will hear: “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit” (Matthew 7:18). Thus, either good trees grow in us or bad ones, and the good ones cannot “bear bad fruit,” and the bad ones cannot “bear good fruit.” Would you like me to give you the names of the trees that grow inside us? It is not a fig tree, nor an apple tree, nor a vine, but one tree is called righteousness, another prudence, another steadfastness, and another self-control. And if you want, learn about an even greater variety of trees, with which even the paradise of God is supposed to have been planted. For there grew a tree of mercy, and another, a tree of wisdom, and another, a tree of teaching, and another, “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” And above all of them is the “tree of life” (cf. Gen. 2:9). But doesn’t it seem even greater to you that the “Father,” the heavenly “farmer of the soil 85” (cf. John 15:1), plants such trees in your soul and grows similar plants in your mind? That is why the Lord says: “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit” (Matthew 7:18). This is what He teaches: the tree of chastity is good and cannot bear the fruit of debauchery; the tree of righteousness is good and cannot bear the fruit of unrighteousness. And vice versa - if a “bad tree” has taken root in your mind, it cannot “bear good fruit.” For if evil has taken root in you, it will not produce good fruit; if foolishness has sprouted in your heart, the flower of wisdom will never bloom on it; if a tree of injustice or lawlessness grows in it, such trees will never please us with good fruits. Thus, if we fulfill the commandments of God, in which the rain of the word of God, as we spoke about above, the trees planted in the field of our soul and in the expanse of our heart will bear the good sweet fruit of joy. Would you like me to show you, using the example of the Gospel, that trees are given the names of the individual virtues that we talked about above? I call as a witness the wisest Solomon, who said about wisdom: “It is a tree of life to those who acquire it” (Prov. 3:18). Thus, if wisdom is the “tree of life,” then, undoubtedly, there is another – the tree of prudence, another – knowledge, another – righteousness. For it is not said here that of all the virtues, wisdom alone is worthy of being called the “tree of life,” and that the other virtues have not received similar names. And “the trees of the field will yield their fruit” (Lev.26:4). It seems to me that the blessed David also applied this to himself when he said: “But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God” (Ps. 51:10). By this he clearly shows that the olive tree symbolizes the righteous and the holy. 5. “And the threshing of grain will reach your harvesting of grapes” (Lev.26:5). If a good seed is sown in my soul, which, having received the blessed moisture of rain from God, grows and develops, forming an ear, then the harvest will certainly come, and the harvest will certainly be followed by threshing, when the grains are cleaned. And since the soul that grows from the word of God, watered by heavenly rain, produces a sprout before the harvest, it is necessary that the harvest consisting of these sprouts be cleansed at the current; in other words, so that the thought originating from the soul is revealed and comes into conformity with the Divine books, either through mentors or through these books themselves; so that if there is something empty and superfluous in them, something like chaff or the remains of ears of grain, then the soul could blow it away with a breath of the spirit of discernment (cf. Heb. 5:14) and leave only clean grain, with which only a “prudent steward” can feed his master’s servants, distributing “to them in due season a measure of bread” (cf. Luke 12:42). It is said: “And the threshing of grain will reach your harvesting of grapes” (Lev.26:5). And since the Scripture says: “Wine makes glad the heart of a man, and bread strengthens the heart of a man” (Ps. 103:15), everything that is said about abstinence and keeping and fulfilling the commandments can be considered as the grain from which “bread” is baked, strengthening the hearts of those who listen. And wine and grapes apparently signify that which relates to knowledge and the explanation of the hidden “amuses” the minds of those listening. For when the hidden and secret is explained, joy is given to the heart. “The harvesting of the grapes will reach the sowing” (Lev.26:5). Here we seem to be saying that first I sowed what was said in the law and after sowing I prayed that the Lord would give “rain in its season” (cf. Lev. 26:4), and then the harvest came. But even after it I do not sit with folded hands, but I sow again; I take the prophetic Scripture and from it I sow the arable land and fields of those who listen. After this, I sow other lands with the words of the Gospel. Diversely seeded; We can sow all year round, because we can scatter many seeds from the Apostolic Epistles. There is always something to sow, and in all our lives there is no time for rest. And while we breathe, we sow; and even so much so that “he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (cf. Gal.6:8). “And you will eat your bread to the full” (Lev.26:5). But I do not receive this material benefit, as if one who keeps the law receives ordinary bread in abundance. Do not the wicked and the wicked eat bread, and not only in abundance, but also feasting in luxury? Therefore, it is better to turn to the One who said: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever” (John 6:51), and we note that he who said this “the Word was” (cf. John 1:1), by which souls are fed, and we will understand what kind of bread is said in God’s blessing: “And you will eat your bread to the full” (Lev.26:5). Solomon says approximately the same thing about the righteous in Proverbs: “The righteous eats until he is full, but the belly of the wicked suffers deprivation.” ( Proverbs 13:25 ). And if we take the statement “the righteous eats to satiety, but the belly of the wicked suffers deprivation” literally, then it will seem false. Rather, the souls of the wicked greedily consume food, seeking “fullness”; the righteous sometimes go hungry. And Paul was righteous and said: “Even to this day we suffer hunger and thirst, nakedness and stripes” (1 Cor. 4:11). And he also said: “In hunger and thirst, and in fasting often” (2 Cor. 11:27). How does Solomon say that “the righteous eat until he is full”? But if you look carefully at how the righteous man continually and unceasingly eats the “bread of life” and satisfies his soul, nourishes it with heavenly food, which is the Word of God and His Wisdom, then you will see how, with the blessing of God, the righteous man eats “his bread until he is full.” “And you will dwell safely in your land” (Lev.26:5). The unrighteous are never protected from danger, but are constantly uneasy, wavering and carried away “by every wind of doctrine, by the craftiness of men, by the cunning craft of deceit” (cf. Eph. 4:14). But a righteous man who keeps God’s law lives “safely” in his land. For in his appeal to God his understanding is strong: “Strengthen me according to Your word” (Ps. 119:28). Therefore, he lives on his land safely, firmly and unshakably rooted in faith (cf. Eph. 3:17; Col. 1:23), for he “built his house” not “on sand” (cf. Matt. 7:26, 24 ff.), and his roots are not “in rocky places,” but his house is built on the earth, and his “growth” is strengthened in the earth, that is, in the depths of his soul (cf. Matthew 13:5, 21). Thus, it is truly said about such a soul in the blessing: “And you will live safely in your land; I will send peace upon your land” (Lev.26:5–6). What kind of “peace” does God give? The one in the world? Christ denies that it is this world that we are talking about. For He says: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; Not as the world gives, I give to you” (John 14:27). As we see, He denies that He gives His disciples the same peace that “peace gives,” for in another place He says: “Do not think that I came to bring peace to earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34; cf. Luke 12:51). So do you want to know what kind of peace God is sending to our land? If the land is “good”, which bears fruit “a hundredfold” and “sixty” and “thirty” (cf. Matt. 13:8), then it will receive from God that “peace” about which the Apostle says: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds” (Phil. 4:7). This is the kind of peace God sends to our land. 6. “When you go to bed, you will not be afraid of anyone; and when you fall asleep, your sleep will be pleasant. You will not be afraid of sudden fear or destruction from the wicked when it comes” (Prov. 3:24-25). Solomon said this about a righteous and wise man, and the blessing says: “When you go to sleep, you will not be afraid of anyone.” For if I have become righteous, no one will fear me; nothing will frighten me if I have the fear of God; for it is said: “The righteous is bold as a lion” (Prov. 28:1), and therefore he is not afraid of the lion – the devil, nor the “dragon” – Satan, nor “his angels” (cf. Rev. 12:7), but he says in the words of David: “I will not fear the fear of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the thing that comes in darkness, nor the devil of the midday” (cf. Ps.91:5-6). And he adds: “The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior, whom will I fear? Lord, Protector of my life, whom will I fear? (Ps. 26:1). And again: “If an army gathers against me, my heart will not fear” (Ps. 27:3). Do you see the courage and steadfastness of the soul that fulfills the commandments of God and has the conviction of innate fearlessness? It further says: “I will drive out the fierce beasts from your land” (Lev.26:6). Beasts of the flesh are neither good nor evil, but something in between; for they are dumb animals. And other evil beasts are spiritual, which the Apostle calls “spirits of wickedness in high places” (cf. Eph. 6:12). And such is the evil beast, about which the Scripture says: “The serpent was smarter than all the beasts on earth” (Gen. 3:1). As we see, he is a “fierce beast,” one of those whom God promised to drive out of our land if we fulfill His commandments. Do you want to see another fierce beast? It is said: “Your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Resist him with firm faith" (1 Peter 5:8-9). But if you want to know more about the beasts, you will be instructed by the prophet Isaiah, who, in a vision of four-legged animals in the desert, speaks of the beasts with a prophetic spirit: “Heaviness is upon the animals that go south, through the land of oppression and distress, from where come the descendants of asps and flying snakes; they carry their riches on the backs of donkeys and their treasures on the humps of camels to a people who will not profit them” (Isa. 30:6). Can anyone, even the most literalists, think that what is being said in any way applies to the beasts of the flesh? For how can “a lion and a lion’s cub” or “flying serpents” carry their wealth on donkeys and camels? On the contrary, it is clear that the prophet, filled with the Holy Spirit, lists the powers of the worst demons and shows how they place the “riches” of their lies on weak and evil souls, which he figuratively compares to donkeys and camels. And so that the soul is not given to these beasts, the one who fears God prays: “Do not give the soul of Your turtledove to the beasts” (Ps. 73:19). It is said: “I will drive out the fierce beasts from your land, and war 86 will not pass through your land” (Lev.26:6). Many wars take place across our land if we do not keep the law of God and fulfill its regulations. And let everyone turn to his soul and examine himself with inner recollection and see how our earth, that is, our flesh, is now oppressed by the spirit of fornication, now by the spirit of anger and rage, now it is struck by the serpentine stings of greed, now it is kindled by the arrows of envy, now it is pierced by the thorns of passions, “for the flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit, and the spirit what is contrary to the flesh” (Gal. 5:17), and is always torn apart by internal battles. But what can I say about the battle of thoughts that the enemy kindles in our hearts in order to tear us away from faith in Christ and hope in our calling? For when he raises the tightness of the temptations and misfortunes of this age, then he instills in us the thoughts that it is pointless and absurd to resist them for the sake of Christ and that it is much better to lead a serene life, without being persecuted. Knowing this, the Apostle Paul said: “We cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:4-5). Therefore, the one who walks “according to the statutes” of God and His commandments keeps and fulfills them (cf. Lev. 26:3) is not subject to battles and wars, but God removes them “from the earth” of him and does not allow them to pass through the soul of the righteous. “And you will drive out your enemies” (Lev.26:7). What “enemies” if not the devil himself and “his angels” (cf. Rev. 12:7) and evil, unclean and demonic spirits (cf. Luke 4:33)? Let us pursue them in order to drive them out not only from ourselves, but also from those whom they attack, if only we observe the Divine instructions. It is said: “And you will drive out your enemies, and they will die before you 87” (Lev.26:7). If “the God of peace crushes Satan under our feet” (cf. Rom. 16:20), then “they will fall before [us] to death” (Lev. 26:7). What kind of “death”? I think it’s ours; for if we put to death “our earthly members: fornication, uncleanness” (cf. Col. 3:5), if we bring this death into our members, “then they will fall before us.” How will they “fall before us”? If you are righteous, unrighteousness will fall before you; if chaste, then voluptuousness will fall; if you are pious, then wickedness will be crushed before you. 7. “Five of you will drive out a hundred, and a hundred of you will drive out many thousands” (Lev.26:8). Who are these “five” who can drive away “a hundred”? The number five is used in relation to both the glorious and the unrighteous. “There were five wise and five foolish” virgins (cf. Matt. 25:2). Likewise, the number one hundred can be understood in both meanings. If we are one of the five glorious ones, that is, one of the five wise ones, then we will drive out a hundred foolish ones. And if we fight wisely and judiciously for the word of God, if we interpret wisely, we will put to shame and put to flight many infidels. Thus, just as the number five denotes both the wise and the foolish, so the number one hundred denotes the faithful and the unfaithful. Thus, at the age of one hundred years, Abraham, as it is written, entrusted himself to God and was justified (cf. Gen. 21:5; 22:12), and at the same time “the sinner who is a hundred years old will be cursed” (Is.65:20). And “five” wise men will drive away a hundred infidels, and a hundred faithful ones, designated not so much by the number one hundred as by perfection, “will drive out many thousands” of infidels. That is why faithful teachers will cast out a countless number of demons, so that these demons do not deceive the souls entrusted to the teachers with their ancient cunning. “And your enemies will fall before you by the sword” (Lev.26:8). We talked about enemies above; now consider the sword by which they will fall. The Apostle Paul teaches us what kind of sword this is when he says: “For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). This is the sword from which our enemies will “fall.” For this sword is the word of God, which overthrows “all enemies” and casts them “under His feet” (cf. 1 Cor. 15:25), “and the whole world becomes guilty before God” (cf. Rom. 3:19). Do you want to see that in another letter Paul claims that this sword is the word of God? Listen to what he says about how Christ’s soldiers should gather for battle: “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray with every prayer and request” (Eph. 6:17–18); It is obvious that with these words he again declares that it is the “word of God” that is that “two-edged sword” (cf. Heb. 4:12), from which our enemies will fall before us (cf. Lev. 26:8). “And I will look upon you and multiply you” (Lev.26:9). The very fact that God looks upon is the highest bliss. Do you want to see what a blessing it is when God looks upon a person? Once Peter almost died and lost his apostolic dignity, at the instigation of the devil through the mouth of the high priest’s maid (cf. Luke 22:56; Mark 14:66); but as soon as Jesus “looked at Peter,” when he turned His bright face to him, he immediately came to his senses and, remembering his fall, walked away from the abyss and, as it is said, “wept bitterly” (cf. Luke 22:62). As we see, as soon as the Lord looked at Peter, with his crying he restored his apostolic dignity, which he had lost through his renunciation. That is why it is said: “I will look upon you and multiply you” (Lev.26:9). And just as the sun looks at a field of grain that bears fruit - and, on the contrary, if it does not look, it does not bear fruit - so the Lord looks at the field of our heart, enlightening us with the rays of His word, multiplying and growing us, so that we are no longer “babes” (cf. Heb. 5:13), but so that we become as great as Isaac (cf. Gen. 26:13), great like Moses (cf. Ex. 11:3), and great like John (cf. Luke 1:15). “And I will be steadfast in My covenant with you” (Lev.26:9). Look how many blessings are promised if we fulfill the commandments. It is said: “And I will be steadfast in My covenant with you; and you will eat old and very old 88 and throw away the old from the presence of the new” (Lev. 26:9-10). How do we throw out “the old from the face of the new”? We had the law and the prophets (cf. Luke 16:29), but very old things were before the law from the very beginning, when the world was created. New Gospels came, and the apostles came. And we threw away the “old things” from their face. How do we throw away the old? We reject the law in its literal sense and establish the law in the spirit. This can be explained this way: before man came “from heaven” and the “heavenly” man was born, we were all “earthly” and “bear the image of the earthy one (cf. 1 Cor. 15:47 ff.). But when the new man arose, created “according to God” (cf. Eph. 4:24), we cast off the old from his presence, put off the former “old man” and put on “the new” (cf. Eph. 4:22 ff.). “And I will make My habitation among you” (Lev.26:11). If we have in us what we talked about above, if, having put off the “old man,” our heart is renewed, God comes to us, and the One who said: “And I will make My dwelling place among you, and My soul will not abhor you” (Lev. 26:11). The soul of God “does not abhor” us if we fulfill what is written. But let me ask what the “soul of God” is. After all, we will not think that God has the same soul as a person. It would be ridiculous to think so. And therefore I dare to say that the soul of God is Christ. For just as Christ is the Word of God (cf. John 1:1), God's power and God's wisdom (cf. 1 Cor. 1:24), He is also the soul of God. And in this sense it is said: “My soul,” that is, My Son, “does not abhor you” (Lev.26:11); but I “will walk among you” (Lev.26:12). It seems to me that God here promises not that He will walk in the land of the Jews, but if anyone is worthy to be so pure in heart that he can accept God, God says that He will “walk” in him. “And you will be my people, and I will be your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, so that you were not slaves there, and broke the bands of your yoke” (Lev. 26:12-13). Truly He “brought us out of the house of slavery” (cf. Ex. 13:14), for we were slaves of sin, since “everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin” (cf. John 8:34). And He “broke the bonds of [our] yoke,” that yoke that the one who took us captive (cf. 2 Cor. 10:5) placed on our necks and bound us with the bonds of sin. And our Lord Jesus Christ “broke the bonds of sin,” destroyed the yoke of our slavery and laid on us His good “burden” (cf. Matt. 11:30) of faith and love and hope and all holiness. “To him be glory forever. Amen" (Rom. 11:36). Per. Alexandra Sperl made from: Patrologia Graeca / [Originally compiled by Rod Letchford]. – PG 1–161. – J. – P. Migne, 1857–1866. / PG 12: Origen: “Conversations on books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, The Book of Judges of Israel, Job,” “Interpretation of the Psalms.” 400–573 p. In the Synodal translation: “from ears of corn dried over a fire, crushed grains.” In the Synodal translation: “peaceful.” In the Synodal translation: “If any of you.” In the Synodal translation: “one of the people.” In the Synodal translation: “peaceful.” In the Synodal translation: “He will do something against the commandments of the Lord, which he should not have done.” In the Synodal translation: “sweet.” In the Synodal translation: “God’s army.” In the Synodal translation: “like a firebrand.” According to the Synodal Translation: “If anyone sins by hearing the voice of the curse and being a witness, or seeing, or knowing, but not declaring it, he will bear the sin. Or if he touches something unclean, or the corpse of an unclean beast.” In the Synodal translation: “one or two.” Translated from the Septuagint text. In the Synodal translation: “With his wealth a man redeems his life.” In the Synodal Translation: “If anyone sins and commits a crime before the Lord and forbids himself from his neighbor in what he has been entrusted with or is required to do.” In the Synodal translation: “You have become a horror.” In the Synodal translation: “according to your assessment.” In the Synodal translation: “Lebanon”. In the Synodal translation: “great shrine.” In the Synodal translation: “Everything that touches them will be sanctified.” In the Synodal translation: “Everything that touches her flesh.” According to the Synodal Translation: “Let everything offered by the priest be burned and not eaten.” Burnt offering (approx. Trans.). In the Synodal translation: “Like alkali, I will cleanse the impurities from you.” In the Synodal translation: “Death will shepherd them.” In the Synodal translation: “This is the law of the guilt offering.” In the Synodal translation: “If anyone offers it in gratitude, then it is with a sacrifice of gratitude.” In the Synodal translation: “according to a vow.” In the Synodal translation: “unclean.” In the Synodal translation: “last year.” In the Synodal translation: “with his hands he must offer a sacrifice to the Lord.” In the Synodal translation: “with breasts.” In the Synodal translation: “exaltation.” “Sinister” in Latin means both “left” and “malign, sinister” (approx. Transl.). Here and further in the Latin text there is the word “communis”, meaning both “unclean” and “common”. In the Synodal translation: “upper”. In the Synodal translation: “Urim and Thummim.” In the Synodal translation: “from my eyes.” The Latin word "rationale" means "confidant." Origen uses a play on words here. Rational is based on message and truth. According to the Synodal Version: “They were not permitted by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.” In the Synodal translation: “by devouring.” In the Synodal translation: “lest that day come upon you suddenly.” In the Synodal translation: “My cup is overflowing.” In the Synodal translation: “From the fruit of this vine.” In the Synodal Translation: “And My people shall be satisfied with My good things.” In the Synodal translation: “humiliated.” In the Synodal translation: “jerboa.” In Latin, “ungula” means both “hoof” and “nail.” In the Synodal translation: “feathers.” In the Synodal translation: “will conceive.” In the Synodal Translation: “Let those who curse the day, who are able to awaken Leviathan, curse her!” In the Synodal translation: “white tumor.” In the Synodal translation: “peace and truth.” In the Synodal translation: “living meat.” In the Synodal translation: “bird”. In the Synodal translation: “You are dust and to dust you will return.” In the Synodal translation: “for those we take more care.” In the Synodal translation: “by special order.” The Latin verb “traduco” has the meaning “to put to shame” and “to bring” (approx.). In the Synodal translation: “I offered you.” In the Synodal translation: “languishes.” In the Synodal translation: “to grieve.” In the Synodal translation: “laws.” In the Synodal translation: “Jerusalem above.” In the Synodal translation: “which is sanctified.” In the Synodal translation: “he must not bare his head.” In the Synodal translation: “to no one who died.” In the Synodal Translation: “let him not defile himself even by touching his dead father or mother.” In the Synodal translation: “from his people.” In the Synodal translation: “in fidelity.” In the Synodal translation: “for another husband.” In the Synodal Translation: “Will you not cry to Me from now on: “My Father! You were the guide of my youth! In the Synodal translation: “oils.” In the Synodal translation: “greening.” In the Synodal translation: “Lebanon” In Latin, “table” is “mensa”, “mind” is “mens” (approx.). In the Synodal translation: “like incense.” In the Synodal translation: “blasphemed.” In the Synodal translation: “to exhaustion.” According to the Synodal Version: “Jacob [was] a meek man, living in tents.” In the Synodal translation: “He built their houses.” In the Synodal translation: “Like fine rain on greenery.” In the Synodal translation: “vinedresser.” In the Synodal translation: “sword.” In the Synodal translation: “from the sword.”