Homilies on the Book of Numbers. Books I–II

“Homilies on the Book of Numbers. Books I-II" (19 homilies: in the first book - 10, in the second - 9) written by Origen in 239-242. and cover most of the book of Numbers. They deal in most detail with the story of Balaam and his prophecies, which is the subject of a cycle of several homilies (13-19). Considering the historical events and ritual instructions set forth in the Book of Numbers, Origen pays primary attention to their symbolic reading and spiritual and moral meaning. Origen understands the long journey of the Israeli people through the desert described in the book of Numbers as an allegory of the complex and long path of salvation by which the true “people of God” (i.e. Christians) follow from the earthly world to eternal glory and inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven. The struggle of the Israeli leaders with the internal disturbances of the rebellious people and with external enemies, according to Origen, indicates the struggle of Christians with the attacks of evil spirits, as well as with external temptations and internal passions. *The title of the work in Latin is In Numeros homiliae. I will address you, my brother, in the words of the blessed martyr 1: “Your invitation, dear Donatus, is very opportune, for I too remember my promise” 2 to collect everything that Adamant 3 wrote in his old age about the law of Moses, and to translate into Latin what we need to read. However, “the time for fulfilling it,” as the saint says, is not “the most favorable,” but stormy and alarming. For is there a place for the pen where enemy arrows sow terror, where devastated cities and villages appear before the eye, where people are forced to flee from the dangers of the sea, but even in exile they are not saved from fear? After all, as you can see for yourself, the barbarian 4 who set fire to the city of Rhegium is close, and we were saved from him only by the narrow strait separating Sicily from Italy. How can one find safety in such conditions to write and especially translate, when one does not need to express one’s own thoughts, but conveys those of others? However, whenever there was a calm night and the soul was less paralyzed by the fear of the attack of enemies and it was possible to devote ourselves at least for a little time to reflection, as if it were a consolation for our misfortunes and a relief from the burden of exile for us to find everything that Origen wrote in the book of Numbers, whether in the form of discourses or what is called “Scholia”; according to your instructions, we collected these writings from various sources, translated them, as best we could, into the language of the Romans and combined them into one work; and you, Ursakius, helped in our work with all possible zeal, and even to such an extent that you considered our young copyist too slow in his service. However, I want you to know, brother, that reading this opens the way to understanding, but does not analyze each verse in detail, as we see from his comments, so that the reader does not remain indifferent, but, as it is written, awakens his heart and generates meaning (cf. Sir. 2:17) and, having heard a wise word, like a wise one, adds to it (cf. Sir. 21:18). Therefore, I try, as best I can, to fulfill what you entrusted to me. For from all that I have found written about the law, in my opinion, only a small conversation on Deuteronomy is missing, and if the Lord helps and gives strength to the eyes, then we will add all this to the general body of work, although our beloved son Pinian 5, whose pious communication, based on the love of chastity, brightens up my exile, has other things to do. So pray with us that the Lord will appear and give us peace and send His grace to those who work, and make our work useful for the growth of readers. 1.1. Not everyone is worthy of Divine numbers, but only those who deserve this honor should be numbered by God. This book, signed “Numbers,” shows this clearly. It says that, by the command of God, this number does not include either women - no doubt, female weakness prevents this - nor slaves, due to their dissolute life and rude morals. None of those Egyptians who mixed with the people are counted, of course, due to the fact that they are foreigners and barbarians; Only the Israelites are subject to counting, but not all, but “from twenty years old and older” (Numbers 1:3). But not only age is taken into account: it is required to show the strength necessary in war, for the word of God established that all who “stand out in the strength of Israel” are numbered (Numbers 1:3). Thus, an Israelite is required not only to be of a certain age, but also to have strength. Youths are not counted and are not considered suitable for the Divine enumeration, unless they are the firstborn or come from a priestly or Levitical family. Only such youths are added to the number. However, women are not counted at all. 1.2. And what does this mean? That there are no secrets contained here and that we must believe that the Holy Spirit, who led the hand of the writer, communicated this, so that we might know who of the people at that time was numbered and who was left out? And how will this help those who want to be taught by the holy books? For what is the use of knowing this? Or what brings the soul of one closer to salvation who knows that one part of the people was numbered in the wilderness, while the other remained unnumbered? 1.3. But if, following Paul, we believe “that the law is spiritual” (Rom. 7:14) and perceive its content spiritually, then what is written in it will bring great benefit to the soul. For the passage read to us teaches me that if I rise above childish foolishness, if I cease to be a child in my thinking, if, having become a man, I have left childish things behind (1 Cor. 13:11), then, apparently, I will be considered worthy, as it is said, to be included in the number of those who “stand out in the strength of Israel” (Num. 1:3), and will be worthy of the Divine numbering. But as long as one of us is characterized by a changeable and infantile understanding or a woman’s careless lethargy, or leads an Egyptian and barbarian way of life, we are unworthy to be included with God in a holy and sacred number. And in the writings of Solomon it is said that the dead “were numberless” (Wis.18:12); the saved are outnumbered (cf. Luke 13:23). 1.4. Do you want me to show you that the number of saints is determined by God? Listen to how David speaks of the stars of heaven: “[The Lord] numbers the number of the stars; He calls all of them [the brokenhearted] by their names” (Ps. 147:4). The Savior not only determines the number of His chosen disciples, but states that the hairs of their heads are all numbered, for he says: “But the hairs of your heads are all numbered” (Matthew 10:30). Here He, of course, does not mean the hair that is usually cut with a razor and falls to the ground, or that falls out and is lost with age; God has numbered those hairs that were on the heads of the Nazarenes, in which the power of the Holy Spirit abided for victory over foreigners (cf. Judges 16:15–17). And just as hair grows on the head of the apostles, so the virtues of the soul and many thoughts arise from the main part of the mind. But, however, we have strayed far from the topic, and therefore let us return to the subject of our discussion. 2.1. It is said: “And the Lord said to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai” (Num. 1:1) everything that we briefly retold earlier, where it is commanded to count all “who stand in the strength of Israel from twenty years old and upward” (Num. 1:3). Thus, if someone “stands out in strength,” and not just any strength, that is, not the Egyptian, not the Assyrian, not the Greek, but the strength of Israel, then he is counted by God. For there is the power of the soul, which the Greek philosophers teach about. But such souls are not included in the number of God, because they use this power not for God, but for the sake of human glory. There is also Assyrian and Chaldean strength applied to the study of astrology. It is also not Israeli and does not relate to God. There is also the Egyptian power, in which, as they say, the secrets of wisdom are revealed, but it is not applied to the calculation of God. Only the strength of Israel is numbered with Him. This is the power that God teaches, which is learned from the Divine Scriptures, which is transmitted through the evangelical and apostolic faith. And therefore God says that only those who “stand out in the strength of Israel” will be numbered. 2.2. Let's look at why the Israelites were not numbered immediately after the exodus from Egypt. For they were still pursued by Pharaoh (cf. Ex. 14:6ff.). It is not said that they are numbered and when they cross the Red Sea and come into the desert. For they have not yet been tested, they have not yet been attacked by enemies. They fight Amalek and are victorious (cf. Ex. 17:8ff.). But even then they are not counted, because for those striving for perfection, victory alone is not enough. They eat manna and drink water from the “following stone” (cf. Ex. 17:6; 1 Cor. 10:4); but even then they are not counted. For they have not yet grown enough to be suitable for enumeration. The tabernacle of meeting was built (cf. Ex. 36:1ff), but even then the time had not yet come for numbering the people. Through Moses the law was given (cf. Lev. 1:1ff), the order of sacrifices was determined, the rites of purification were established, the laws and sacraments of consecration were described, and even then, by the command of God, the people were brought to number. 2.3. Write this, O listener, in your heart twice and thrice (cf. Prov. 22:20). Look at what you have to go through, what sufferings you have to endure, how many growths you will experience, how many temptations, how many battles you have to fight and win victories, so that you can get into the Divine number, so that you can be counted by God, so that you are worthy to be numbered among the holy tribes and you are worthy of having the priests of God Aaron and Moses come to you and include you in the list of those who are numbered. First of all, you must accept the law of God, the law of the Holy Spirit, make sacrifices, perform purifications, do everything that the law of the Spirit teaches, so that you can one day become one of the Israelites. 3.1. I see that there is a deeper mystery hidden in the book of Numbers. Thanks to the Apostle Paul, who planted for us the seeds of spiritual understanding, the distribution of tribes, the distinction of order, the connection of clans, the very organization of camps - all this points me to great mysteries. 3.2. So let's see what all this arrangement of numbers and diversity of ranks means from the point of view of spiritual understanding. The expected resurrection from the dead is beyond doubt for us, for “we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not warn those who have died” (1 Thess. 4:15), but having been united, “we will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thess. 4:17), leaving the corruption of this earthly place, the abode of death - or, as Paul proclaims, everyone will remain “in the air,” or some will be transferred to heaven or some other abode, of which there are many “in the Father’s house” (cf. John 14:2). Differences in location and glory will undoubtedly depend on the works and merits of each, and each will be in that dignity which is determined by the usefulness of his deeds, as the same Paul affirms when he says that all will be resurrected, “each in his own order” (cf. 1 Cor. 15:23). 3.3. From this it follows that in the resurrection, according to his spiritual characteristics, one will be numbered among the tribe of Reuben, on the basis of similarity and kinship with him in behavior, actions or life; another - to the tribe of Simeon, perhaps for obedience; another - to the tribe of Levi, as I think, for the fact that he headed the priesthood in a proper manner or through good service he earned “himself the highest degree” (cf. 1 Tim. 3:13); another - to the tribe of Judah, no doubt, because, possessing royal greatness, he justly ruled his people who were within him, that is, the thoughts of his mind and the movements of his heart. In addition, everyone will be connected with each tribe based on the similarity of their actions and lifestyle. So, in the resurrection of the dead, a certain similar order will be observed, which the Apostle points to (1 Cor. 15:23); and, as I see it, this book gives an image of this dispensation. 3.4. Moreover, the fact that the location and boundaries of the camps are described through a certain unity and connection of the tribes, no doubt, relates to the dispensation of the resurrection of the dead. And that three tribes are located “to the east”, three – “to the west”, three – “to the sea”, and the last three – “to the north” (cf. Num. 2:3,10,18:25), the winds of which are called “the northern storm and whirlwind” (Sir.43:18), that the tribe of Judah is also located “to the east” (cf. Num. 2:3 ff.), from which “Our Lord is made to shine” (Heb. 7:14), I think, is not said by chance, and that Issachar and Zebulun are adjacent to it, and that this is a triune number in four parts - and although they have different properties of their locations, they are all included in the number of the trinity - and that through all these four parts the same trinity is united into one number, and through this, undoubtedly, under one name the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are united, who come from the four corners of the world and call on the name of the Lord, and they will “sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 8:11). 3.5. We present all this in general terms, because we want to grasp at once the mystical content of this entire sacred book, so that everyone will have the opportunity of spiritual understanding and carefully examine other similar or even more sublime subjects, if God reveals more to him. For I truly believe that I am unable to explain the mysteries that are kept in the book of Numbers; and I am even more unable to interpret what is contained in the book of Deuteronomy. 3.6. And therefore we must hasten to Jesus, not the son of Nun, but to Jesus Christ. But first let us turn to the “schoolmaster” Moses (cf. Gal. 3:24) and then, leaving with him the “infant” (cf. 1 Cor. 13:11), let us strive towards the perfection of Christ. For Moses did not stop many wars, while Jesus curbed all wars and brought peace to everyone, and therefore it is written: “And the earth was calm from war” (Isn. 14:15). The Promised Land, the land of inheritance, “a land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 33:3), was distributed by Jesus, and “blessed are the meek, for through Jesus they will “inherit the land” (Matthew 5:5). 3.7 You will, however, find that this division was preceded by its likenesses and images; for it is no coincidence that some were given the land beyond the Jordan, others before the Jordan, some received it first, others second, others third, and thus the land is distributed as an inheritance, where “every one will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid” (Mic. 4:4). And all this, previously reflected in the great mysteries, the Lord Jesus on the day of His coming will truly fulfill for everyone, not “as through a glass darkly,” but “face to face” (1 Cor. 13:12) according to the merits of each, known to Him who penetrates the heart (cf. Jer. 17:10), and to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:11). 1.1. The first reading from the book of Numbers shows that the army of God, which came out of the land of Egypt and crossed the desert, was examined, that is, numbered, by Moses and Aaron and, divided into separate generations, was equal to a certain number (cf. Numbers 2:32). We explained this together with the whole content of this book when we said that an image was given of how the people of God, coming out of the Egypt of this world, rushed to the promised land, that is, to the abode of virtue, or to the inheritance and glory of the Kingdom of Heaven, each in the order determined by their merits. By this we have shown that the splendor of the “good things to come” (cf. Heb. 10:1) is foreordained in the form of the law. 1.2. The introductory part of today's reading teaches us how those who are devoted to God, those who “do not bind themselves to the affairs of this life” (2 Tim. 2:4), establish the order of the camps. It is said: “And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: The children of Israel must every man pitch his camp in his order, according to his signs, according to the houses of his families; before the tabernacle of the congregation they must pitch their camp round about” (Num. 2:1-2). Moses says: “Let every one enter his camp in his own order, according to his signs, according to the houses of his families,” and Paul says: “Everything must be decent and in order” (1 Cor. 4:40). Don't you think that the same Spirit of God speaks in both Moses and Paul? Moses orders everyone to enter the camp in order; Paul orders that everything in the Church be done in order. Moses, who served the law, commands that order be observed in the camps; Paul, the minister of the Gospel, wants Christian order to be observed not only in actions, but also in clothing itself, for he commands that “old women also dress decently for saints” (Titus 2:3). From this it seems to me that they want order to be maintained not only in the performance of their duties and in clothing, but also in the structure of the soul, as it is said: “Let everyone enter the camp in his own order.” 1.3. This order is expressed mainly by the fruits of deeds, but also by the height of thoughts. After all, it often happens that the one who has empty and insignificant thoughts, who thinks about earthly things, has a high spiritual rank or sits in the teaching chair, and sometimes the one who is spiritual and is so far from the cares of earthly life that “he judges everything, but no one can judge him” (1 Cor. 2:15), performs a more modest service or even remains among the common people. However, this means neglecting the institutions of both the law and the gospel and doing nothing “according to our own order.” And if one of us is busy thinking about what to eat and what to drink, and is completely absorbed in worldly affairs, but devotes an hour or two every day to God and goes to church to pray, or who casually listens to the word of God, but thinks only about worldly concerns and about his own belly (cf. Phil. 3:19), such does not fulfill the command to enter “in his order” (Num. 2:2) or to do everything “decently and according to order" (1 Cor. 14:40). For Christ established this order: to seek “first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33) and believe that God will give us everything we need secondarily. And “let each one enter the camp in his own order.” 1.4. Do you not think that those who exercise the priestly office and boast of their priesthood enter “in their order” and do everything that befits this office? Don't you also think that deacons are included in the order of their ministry? Why then do we often hear people slander, saying: “What a bishop!” or “what a priest!” or “what a deacon!”? Don’t they say this when they see that a priest or other servant of God is doing something that is not consistent with his office or is acting in something inconsistent with the priestly or Levitical dispensation? What can we say about virgins or abstinents or all those who seem to devote themselves to piety? If they commit any shameful or dishonorable or impudent act, will not Moses immediately condemn them, will he not say: “Let each one enter the camp in his own order” (Num. 2:2)? So, everyone knows the way of his own order and what is appropriate for the order that he has received; let him carefully weigh his words and actions, let him be restrained in his path and modest in appearance, so that they correspond to the meaning of his order and he does not hear the word from God: “For for your sake, as it is written, the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles” (Rom. 2:24). 2.1. Let us now see what “according to our signs” means. I think that these signs are the characteristics that distinguish each person; for example, all people are similar to each other, but each has its own peculiarity: either facial features, or height, or posture, or clothing, which determine that Paul is Paul, and Peter is Peter, and not Paul. Sometimes this sign is even invisible, but we recognize this or that person by his voice and manner of speaking. And everyone is recognized by the sign of his distinctive features, even if they do not see it. I think that souls also have distinctive features. One is soft, meek, calm, balanced at heart, the other is impetuous, ardent, arrogant, daring, unyielding. Some are cautious, prudent, distrustful, timid, diligent, others are lethargic, lazy, careless, careless, and one has more of these qualities, the other has less. I dare say that to the extent that people have diversity in facial features, human souls are just as diverse; Thus, I remember, the wise Solomon once said: “As faces are not like faces, so are the hearts of men” 7 (Prov. 27:19). But, as Moses says, “let each one enter according to his signs,” that is, let him whose signs are insignificant and despicable, do not enter more proudly and arrogantly than the properties of his soul require. 2.2. In order to better clarify the meaning of the variety of signs, we add the following. Everyone who can read and write certainly knows the letters of the alphabet: twenty-four in Greek and twenty-three in Latin, and they write with them everything that needs to be written. However, for example, the sign alpha (α) written by Paul is different from the sign of Peter; and so you see that all literate people write the signs of each letter differently. Thus, the handwriting of each person can be determined by characteristic signs and features. And although the alphabet is the same, in the very sameness of the letters there is a great variety of signs. And if you understand the example I gave, then let’s now move on to the movements of the mind and soul that prompt them to act. Keeping in mind the handwriting, imagine that, for example, Paul’s soul intended to be chaste and Peter’s soul rushes towards the same goal; but Peter’s chastity is unique to him, while Paul’s has his own, although they seem the same. After all, the chastity of one of them requires him to pacify and enslave his body (cf. 1 Cor. 9:27), and then Paul adds “so that”; but the chastity of others is not afraid of this “so that.” Likewise, righteousness has its own characteristics both in Paul and in Peter. The same applies to wisdom and other virtues. 2.3. If even the two people whom we cited as an example show such differences in the way they possess virtue, although it is one and acquired through the Spirit of God, then how much more special signs do all other people wear in the movements of their minds and in the virtues of their souls! That is why Moses, perceiving this in a mystical way, writes in the law: “Let everyone enter his camp according to his signs” (Num. 2:2). 2.4. It may happen that, striving to do good deeds, we move from low signs to more significant and sublime ones. After all, if we correctly understood that everything written in the law is “a shadow of the good things to come” (cf. Heb. 10:1) and of the age for which we hope in the resurrection, then, of course, there is no doubt that if in this life we strive for good and, following the example of the Apostle, “forgetting those things which are behind, we reach forward to those things which are ahead,” to the resurrection of the dead, where, as “star differs from star in glory” (1 Cor. 15:41), so the merits of each will also shine, then we will certainly be able to move from low signs to more significant and sparkling ones and become on a par with the brighter stars. And in this life, human nature is capable of rising so high that in the resurrection of the dead it will be equal not only to the glory of the stars, but also to the radiance of the sun, as it is said: “The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:43). That is why it is said further: “According to their signs, according to the houses of their families.” 2.5. The phrase “to the houses of their families” is the same Greek word that the Apostle uses when he says: “For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom is the name of the whole family in heaven and on earth” (Eph. 3:14-15). And what the Latin translator wrote in this passage in the book of Numbers as “families,” Paul here calls “fatherland,” but in the Greek text it is the same word 8 . These, then, are the families or nations which Paul says are in heaven, while Moses still describes them on earth in the figures of the law; and by them he calls us to ascend, so that we may find the heavenly fatherland. For, as Paul asserts, there are those there that should be called “families” or “fatherlands” in heaven, and there is that which the same Paul in another place calls “the church of the firstborn who are written in heaven” (Heb. 12:23), to which we will join if we enter “according to our order” (Num. 2:2) and everything will be “decent and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40). And if there is no disorder in us, nothing vain, nothing shameful, then we will “shine like the lights in the firmament” (Dan. 12:3), “like the morning star among the clouds” or even “like the sun” in the Kingdom of God through Christ our Lord, “To whom be glory and dominion forever and ever.” Amen" (1 Peter 4:11). Homilia III. About what is written: “I took the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn who open the womb” (Numbers 3:12ff.) and so on. 1.1. It is said about the manna of that time that if it was collected as God commanded, they were satisfied with it; if someone wanted to take it contrary to the command of God and contrary to the Divine institutions, then he could not enjoy this life-giving food, but worms grew in it (cf. Ex. 16:19 ff.). And thus it turned out that the same manna for some turned into rot and worms, while for others it gave healthy food necessary for life. Now our manna is the Word of God, and the word of God brings salvation to some, but brings punishment to others. And I think that for this reason our Lord and Savior Himself, Who is the “living word of God” (cf. 1 Peter 1:23), said: “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see would see, and those who see would become blind” (John 9:39). How much better it would be not to listen to the word of God at all, than to listen to it with malice, to listen to it hypocritically! We say "better" in comparison to bad; for truly it is better and more correct and more perfect for the one who listens to the word of God to listen to it with a simple and good heart, to listen to it with an honest and prepared heart, so that, like a seed that “falls on good ground,” it bears fruit (cf. Luke 8:15). 1.2. We have said all this as a preface for those who come to listen with a mind that is not simple and pious. I am talking about some of the catechumens, who may be joined by some of those who have already been baptized. “For not all those who are of Israel are Israelites” (Rom. 9:6), and not all who are washed with water are immediately washed with the Holy Spirit; and, on the contrary, not everyone who is numbered among the catechumens is alien and unparticipated in the Holy Spirit. After all, I find in the Holy Scriptures that some catechumens were worthy of having the Holy Spirit indwelling them, while others who were baptized were unworthy of the grace of the Holy Spirit. Cornelius was a catechumen and, before entering the baptismal waters, he was considered worthy to receive the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 10:47). Simon accepted baptism, but since he approached this grace hypocritically, he was deprived of the gift of the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 8:13,18:19). I don’t want you to doubt that even now among the catechumens there are Cornelius, to whom you can say: “Your prayers and your alms have come as a memorial before God” (Acts 10:4). On the other hand, among believers there are Simons, to whom we must boldly say: “O full of all deceit and all evil, son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness” (Acts 13:10). I say this as a reproach not only to those listening, but also to myself. For I too am one of those who listen to the word of God. 2.1. Let us listen, however, to what the Divine word says to Moses. It is written: “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn who open the wombs of the children of Israel; the Levites must be Mine, for all the firstborn are Mine; on the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to myself all the firstborn of Israel, from man to beast; they must be Mine. I am the Lord” (Numbers 3:11–13). The Levites were taken instead of the firstborn, although they themselves were not the firstborn. After all, Levi was the third born of Leah; the first is Reuben, Simeon is the second, and Levi is the third (cf. Gen. 9:32–33). Now those who are not the firstborn are taken as the firstborn. 2.2. Should we believe that all this is written in the law of God without a purpose? Doesn't this teach us that God's firstborn are not those who are first by carnal birth, but those whom God Himself, having examined the structure of their minds, accepts as among the firstborn? Thus, Jacob, born later, was recognized by God as the firstborn and, due to his father’s blindness, received the blessing of the firstborn by Divine will (cf. Gen. 27:1 ff.). For according to the dispensation of his heart, open to God, “when they were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad” (Rom. 9:11), the Lord says about them: “I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau” (Mal. 1:2-3). Thus, the sons of Levi are not firstborn in the flesh, but were taken instead of firstborn, and therefore to be taken instead of firstborn is a much sweeter fate than to be born first. 2.3. It is said: “Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel” (Numbers 3:12). Say simply: “I took the Levites from the children of Israel.” Why do you add “from among” the children of Israel? From what “environment”? As we said above, Levi is the third of the sons of Israel. And therefore I want to know from what “environment” the Levites were taken. In Scripture I find that the blessed Shunammite woman, who once took upon herself the care of the prophet, firmly responded to the king of Israel who wanted to do something for her, saying: “I live among my people” (2 Kings 4:8-13). And even more wonderful to me is what is written in the Gospel about our Lord and Savior, when John says: “There stands in your midst someone whom you do not know” (John 1:26). And therefore I think that we can say “stands in the midst” of the One who never turned “neither to the right nor to the left” (cf. Num. 20:17), Who “committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth” (1 Pet. 2:22). And since He always stands, it is said that He “stands in the midst”; and if someone imitates Him, like all the saints, like that blessed woman about whom we spoke above, then they do not say about him that he “stands” - after all, it cannot be that he never turns “neither to the right nor to the left,” for no one is “born clean from an unclean thing, even if the days of his life are one” ( Job 14: 4-5 ), but they say that he lives “among his people” ( 2 Kings 4:13). Therefore, the Levites were taken “from among the children of Israel” (Numbers 3:12). 2.4. The Levites are those who do not know where is right and where is left, but, following Moses, that is, following the law of God, they spare neither father nor mother. So you, when temptation comes, when the malice of sin comes upon you, if you do not deviate “neither to the right nor to the left,” but stand firmly and firmly “in the midst,” do not deviate, do not bend your knees (cf. Rom. 11:4) before sin, do not follow the head of the calf (cf. Ex. 32:4 ff.), that is, a symbol of stupidity, then you will be taken “from among the children of Israel” and placed among the firstborn. This is what is written: “Behold, I took the Levites from among the children of Israel” (Numbers 3:12). 3.1. Let us return, however, to the very order of the historical narrative of the book of Numbers and from it we will consider the mystery of the birthright, then where and how it should be explored. Let's look more closely at how the twelve tribes, divided into four groups of three tribes, are located in the cardinal directions (Num. 2:1 ff.). We see that Judah is located in the east with Issachar and Zebulun (cf. Num. 2:3–9), Reuben in the west with Simeon and Gad (cf. Num. 2:10–14); in the south - Ephraim with Benjamin and Manasseh (cf. Numbers 2:18–24); in the north - Dan with Naphtali and Asher (cf. Numbers 2:25–31). From all these tribes, located, as if in a circle, in the four cardinal directions, in their environment closest to God, around the very tabernacle of God, the Levites are chosen. In the camp of Judah, located to the east, Moses and Aaron are stationed (cf. Num. 3:38); in the camp of Reuben - Gerson (cf. Numbers 3:23); in the camp of Benjamin - Kohath (cf. Numbers 3:29); and where Dan’s camp is located, as it is written, Merari is located (cf. Numbers 3:29). Thus, the sons of Levi find themselves among the children of Israel, surrounded on all sides by them and, it seems, as if embraced and entwined by them. 3.2. This is what the letter of the law tells us, so that by collecting from what has been said the seeds of secrets, we can ascend step by step from the lowest to the highest, from the earthly to the heavenly. So arise, O listener, if you can, and rise above earthly thoughts by the contemplation of your mind and the pure perception of your heart. Forget for a while about earthly cares, ascend with your mind above the clouds, above the sky itself. Seek the tabernacle of God there, “where Jesus entered as a forerunner for us” (Heb. 6:20), “to now appear before the face of God for us” ( Heb. 9:24). There, I repeat, look for these four dispensations in the arrangement of the camps; there see the marching columns of the Israelites and the guard posts of the saints, there seek an explanation of the mystery of the firstborn, which we are now considering. 3.3. But I do not dare to ascend there alone, nor do I dare to plunge into the hidden depths of mysteries, without enlisting the help of some great teacher. I cannot climb there if Paul does not go ahead of me and show me the way in this unknown and difficult ascent. For he himself, the greatest of the apostles, knew that there are many churches, not only on earth, but also in heaven, of which John counted seven (cf. Rev. 1:4-11), but Paul himself, wanting to show that there is also a church of the firstborn, in his letter to the Hebrews writes: “You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and blazing with fire, but to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem and to ten thousand angels, to the triumphant assembly and church of the firstborn who are written in heaven” (Heb. 12:18–22–23). This is why Moses describes the people of God as divided on earth into four camps, and the Apostle shows the four dispensations of the saints in heaven and calls each of us to ascend to them. For not all come to each of these places, but some come “to Mount Zion”; those who are a little higher approach “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem”; those who surpass them also approach “the darkness of Angels”; those who are above them all come “to the church of the firstborn, who are written in heaven.” 3.4. So, if you have understood from what has been said what the dispensation of the firstborn is and what the secret of this name is, get ready and strive, as much as is in your power, to transform your actions, your life, your behavior, your undertakings, your faith, so that you can approach “the church of the firstborn, written in heaven.” But if you are not so strong, but a little weaker, approach “the darkness of angels.” If you cannot achieve this dispensation, then at least hasten “to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem.” But if you are not capable of this, at least try to come “to Mount Zion”, “flee to the mountain” (Gen. 19:17). Just don’t cling to the earth, don’t stay in the valleys, don’t go down into the lowlands. It seems to me that this is exactly how we should understand the acceptance of the firstborn of Levi, who serve God at His throne and tabernacle and perform Divine services with unceasing vigil. 4.1. I do not, however, think that the words "instead of all the firstborn who open the womb" will be easy to examine or explain. After all, not every one of “those who open lies” immediately becomes worthy of the sanctification of the birthright, for in the Psalter we read: “From birth the wicked have departed, from the womb they have gone astray, speaking lies” (Ps. 57:4). This can hardly be taken literally. For how can one be mistaken and deviate from the ways of God immediately after leaving the mother’s womb? Or how can a newborn tell a lie or utter words at all? Therefore, since it is impossible “from the womb” to either be mistaken or to tell a lie, it is necessary to examine what kind of womb it is to which what has been said can be attributed: “From birth the wicked have departed; from the womb they have gone astray, speaking lies” (Ps. 57:4); there is a womb that is opened by every firstborn sanctified by God. Once “God opened the womb of Leah” (cf. Gen. 29:31), who was imprisoned, and she gave birth to the patriarchs; in the same way Rachel gave birth, who “was beautiful in figure and beautiful in face” (cf. Gen. 29:17). And in many other places in Scripture you will find that the wombs are opened. And if you look at each of them, you will see how “the wicked from the womb go astray” (Ps. 57:4), and others, “who open the womb,” are sanctified and numbered among the firstborn. 4.2. It is said: “The Levites must be Mine, for all the firstborn are Mine; on the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified all the firstborn to myself” (Numbers 3:12-13). It is known that the historical narrative tells how the firstborn of Egypt were slain (cf. Ex. 12:29) when the people of Israel were led out of Egypt. This passage says the following: the firstborn of Israel were not sanctified until the firstborn of Egypt were slain; the destruction and death of some were, as it were, the reason for the sanctification of others. From here it should be seen that there are firstborns among the Egyptians, that is, among the opposing forces, chosen, so to speak, for their malice, the first among the demons; and until they are smitten and destroyed, the firstborn of the Israelites cannot receive sanctification. So who defeats the Egyptian firstborn, that is, the “principalities and powers” ​​(cf. Col. 2:15) of the demons? Isn’t it my Lord Jesus Christ, “the firstborn of every creation” (cf. Col. 1:15), Who, “having taken away the power of the principalities and powers, authoritatively brought them to shame, triumphing over them on the cross” (Col. 2:15)? And of course, if He had not defeated them and triumphed over them, this sanctification of the firstborn could not have come to us. But in order to give us the blessing of the firstborn, He Himself first became “the firstborn from the dead, so that He might have the preeminence in everything” (cf. Col. 1:18), and He will take us, who believe in His resurrection, instead of the firstborn and elevate us to the rank of the firstborn, if we keep to the end the grace of blessing through the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, “To whom be glory and dominion forever and ever.” Amen" (1 Peter 4:11). Homilia IV. About what is written: “All the Levites who were numbered were twenty-two thousand, and all the firstborn of the children of Israel were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three” (cf. Numbers 3:39-43). 1.1. In the book of Numbers that is read to us, there are many differences between the numbers relating to the children of Israel. But after the children of Israel the Levites are counted separately. For they are not numbered with the children of Israel, but their number stands apart and apart from the others and is reported to be “twenty-two thousand” (cf. Num. 3:39), neither more nor less. Then the Lord orders that the firstborn of the sons of Israel be counted in the same way as the Levites were numbered, that is, “from one month and upward,” and the firstborn of the sons of Israel turned out to be “twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three” (Numbers 3:43). Don't you think that by doing this Moses only wanted to tell us this historical information and did not put any secret into the difference between these numbers, as he usually does? Doesn’t it seem unnecessary to you to say that the number of the firstborn of Israel is greater by “two hundred and seventy-three,” and the number of Levites does not exceed “twenty-two thousand” or does not even reach this value? 1.2. If you carefully examine the Divine Scriptures, you will find that the number twenty-two often refers to important subjects. So, the tradition came from the Jews that the alphabet contains twenty-two letters. Again, there are twenty-two fathers from the primeval Adam to Jacob, from whose seed the twelve tribes originated. The number of twenty-two also limits the number of species of God's creatures. And if you examine the Scriptures even more carefully, you will find that many other things are sanctified by this number. And for this reason the Levites, that is, those who diligently serve God, and the firstborn of the sons of Israel are designated by this amazing and sacred number. 1.3. And the “two hundred and seventy three” added in relation to the children of Israel does not seem to me to have been said aimlessly, although I do not see an easy way to the solution here, unless the Lord deigns to reveal it to us and remove the “veil” (cf. 2 Cor. 3:16), under which Moses hid what was written. Those who are taught in matters of carnal procreation assert that the embryo remains in the womb for nine months, but, as they say, the baby is not born until three more days of the tenth month have passed; and thus it turns out that this number, namely, “two hundred and seventy-three,” indicates the number of days of the three months and the three days of the tenth month, and, added together, they give “two hundred and seventy-three” days through which a person is granted entry into this world. And so in the number twenty-two the totality of all beings is mystically reflected; and in the superior number of the firstborn of Israel the mystery of human birth is represented. 1.4. After this it is said that the sons of Levin were divided into three parts and each of them was designated by the name of one of the leaders, and these differences themselves are not without mysteries. The family of the sons of Kohath was named first (cf. Num. 4:2), and according to merit, for from it came Moses and Aaron, to whom the supremacy of the priesthood was entrusted. “Amram was born from Kohath. The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, and she bore Aaron and Moses to Amram” (cf. Num. 26:59). The second was named the clan of Gershon, which was considered first by birth, but second in order, for the Scripture says: “And these are the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, Kohath and Merari” (Num. 3:17). And from the sons of Kohath two families also originate: the one who descended from Aaron was entrusted with the priesthood (cf. Numbers 3:4); the rest is assigned to serve the priests (cf. Num. 3:6ff.). And therefore the ministry of the Levites is divided into four parts, with Aaron and his sons performing the duties of the priesthood (cf. Num. 3:3), and the rest of the family of Kohath carrying the “Holy of Holies” on their shoulders (Num. 4:4; 7:9). The sons of Gerson take care of everything that pertains to the tabernacle of meeting: its courtyard and skins and coverings and other things that are not so strong and heavy (cf. Numbers 4:24-28). The sons of Merarin bear “the boards of the tabernacle, and the poles thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof” (cf. Num. 4:29–33). That is why, among those who are to be numbered, Scripture also mentions the strength of the sons of Merari; After all, in order to carry such a burden, strength is needed. 2.1. Let us return, however, to the Apostle Paul, who sees all this with the free and unclouded gaze of his mind and, having removed the veil from the Old Testament (cf. 2 Cor. 3:16), says that the original people in this kind of construction serve “the image and shadow of the heavenly things” (cf. Heb. 8:5). And, listening to this, judge whether the location of the camps in the four cardinal directions is not an image and shadow of those four dwellings that he lists in his letter to the Hebrews (cf. Heb. 12:22). And again add to this fourfold structure of the Israeli camps the four kinds of Levites. Let's be content with pointing out and taking a quick look at all these images. We have not so much explained and revealed their essence as touched upon them, and we have done this on the assumption that those listening came here with pure thoughts, unencumbered by worldly thoughts. 2.2. It is said: “Number the sons of Kohath” (Num. 4:2). Look, another order of calculation is presented again. The sons of Levi had already been counted “from a month upward” (cf. Num. 3:15); now they are considered “from twenty-five years old 9,” but not “above,” but “up to fifty years old,” and this figure becomes special and chosen; for it was added to what was said: “All who are able to serve, to send out work in the tabernacle of meeting” (Num. 4:3). These are those who are numbered in better and more important numbers; for as it was said about the children of Israel: “All who are fit for Israel’s war” (Num. 1:3), so it is said here: “All who are able to serve, to do the work of the tabernacle of meeting” (Num. 4:30). 2.3. Then it is written what “the service of the sons of Kohath is among the sons of Levi according to their families, according to their families in the tabernacle of meeting” (Num. 4:4). It is said: “Aaron and his sons will come in when the camp is raised, and they will take away the curtain that covers it, and cover the ark of the testimony with it” (Num. 4:5). And after this, seven items are listed with which the ark must be covered. First of all, as the most valuable thing, they will place a “closing curtain” on the ark of the covenant (cf. Num. 4:5); “and they will put on it a covering of blue skins” (Num. 4:6). In the second place they cover the “table” (cf. Num. 4:7), in the third place – the “lamp” (cf. Num. 4:9), in the fourth place – the “golden altar” (cf. Num. 4:11), in the fifth place – “the vessels that are used for service” (cf. Num. 4:12), in the sixth place – the cover of the altar is covered with “purple clothing” (cf. Numbers 4:13), in the seventh place “they will cover the laver” (cf. Numbers 4:14), and none of all this remains uncovered and naked (cf. Numbers 4:15). And finally, the following command is given: “Do not destroy the tribes of the tribes of Kohath from among the Levites” (Num. 4:18); in other words, they must know that they will perish if they stretch out their hands to move any of these objects not previously covered by the priests. 3.1. Let us now turn to the tabernacle of the Church of the “living God” (cf. Heb. 12:22) and see how these customs are observed in the Church of God by the priests of Christ. If anyone truly is a priest, to whom are entrusted the sacred vessels, that is, the secrets of the mysteries of wisdom, let him learn from this how to keep them under the veil of his consciousness and not expose them to public display. However, if circumstances require that he reveal them to the lesser, that is, convey them to the inexperienced, then let him not expose them completely uncovered, do not show them clearly and obviously; otherwise he commits murder and destroys the tribe of the “tribes of Kohath” (cf. Numbers 4:18). For everyone who touches secret and inexpressible mysteries perishes, unless he passes into the priesthood through his knowledge and merits. Because only the sons of Aaron, that is, the priests, were given the opportunity to see the ark of the covenant itself and the table and the lamp and everything that we listed above, uncovered and naked. Others should see them covered, or, rather, carry them hidden under the cover “on their shoulders” (cf. Num. 7:9). 3.2. The sons of Kohath can also carry sacred objects “on their shoulders,” for although they are not priests, they are very close to them; the rest of their property and objects for worship are not carried on their shoulders, but are carried on carts (cf. Numbers 7:3). Let's jump ahead a little and say a few words about this, since a warning is given in this passage. When the carts were presented by each of the tribes, the sons of Merarin received four of them, the sons of Gershon two (cf. Num. 7:7-8), and those above them received no carts. 3.3. Pay attention to how the duties of worship are distributed and that these sacred objects are not carried by dumb animals, but by intelligent people who must carry “on their shoulders” everything necessary for serving in the “Holy of Holies.” On the other hand, more cumbersome and heavy objects are placed not so much on intelligent people as on dumb animals. Moreover, there are differences between them. After all, the one who takes care of the more bulky and heavy objects of worship has more animals; for the sons of Merari were given “four carts,” and the sons of Gershon, since they were closer to the sons of Kohath, were given “two carts” (cf. Num. 7:7–9). This shows that for hard and, so to speak, rough work, there are more of those who serve like animals. But that which intelligent beings care about can be approached by few who are less instructed or learned. For not only the “spiritual man” (cf. 1 Cor. 2:14), but even those who, although they seem to have a certain knowledge and skill, have not yet achieved the grace of the priesthood by their merits and lives, cannot approach what is secret and hidden in secrets and revealed only to priests. After all, they not only see all this “through a glass darkly” and “divulously” (cf. 1 Cor. 13:12), but they accept these objects covered and hidden and carry them “on their shoulders”; in other words, they come to know them through work rather than through revelation of knowledge. 3.4. Since this is the dispensation of the “mysteries of God” (cf. 1 Cor. 4:1; Eph. 3:9) and the dispensation of ministry associated with sacred objects, we must demonstrate ourselves in such a way as to become worthy of the priesthood, otherwise a heavy burden will be placed on us, like foolish animals. Let us therefore appear wise and holy in our priestly duties. Because we are “a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a special people” (1 Pet. 2:9), but only if by the merits of our lives we correspond to the grace we have received and are considered worthy of holy service, so that after our departure from this life we may be counted worthy to be accepted, as we said above, among the priests of God and those who serve the ark of the covenant - in other words, the secrets and hidden mysteries - and “with an open face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord” (cf. 2 Cor. 3:18), enter into the holy land, given to us as an inheritance by our Lord Jesus Christ, “To whom be glory and dominion forever and ever.” Amen" (1 Peter 4:11). Homilia V. About what is written: “Do not destroy the tribes of the tribes of the Kohathites from among the Levites” (Num. 4:18). 1.1. Answering Moses and Aaron, the Lord says: “Do not destroy the tribes of the tribes of Kohath from among the Levites, but do this to them, so that they will live and not die when they come to the Holy of Holies” (Num. 4:18–19) and so on. First of all, let us understand the literal meaning of what was said, and then, with God’s help, we will ascend from understanding the letter to understanding the spirit. First of all, understand the structure of the “tent of meeting” (cf. Ex. 26:33–34; Num. 4:20); recognize also the “Holy of Holies,” separated from sacred objects by a veil (Num. 4:5 ff.), which no one except the priests is allowed to look at. After this, understand how, when the children of Israel moved their camp, they dismantled the tabernacle, and Aaron and his sons, the priests, laid their coverings on all the objects in the Holy of Holies; and, leaving them covered in the same places (cf. Num. 4:15), they bring the sons of Kohath, who are charged with performing these duties, and force them to lift onto their shoulders everything that is covered by the hand of the priest. That is why the Lord said: “Do not destroy the tribes of the tribes of Kohath from among the Levites” (Num. 4:18), as if they would perish if they touched the Holy of Holies uncovered and naked, which is not only forbidden to touch, but which, if it is not covered, is not even allowed to look at. 1.2. And if you have understood the order of the story, now ascend to the radiance of the mystery and see the light of the spiritual law, if the eye of your mind is pure. If one of those who serve God is worthy to embrace the Divine and to look at the mysteries that others are less able to see, he is considered Aaron or his son and can begin to do what others are not allowed to approach. And if he is such, then the uncovered ark of the covenant is available to him (cf. Ex. 25:10–30 and Heb. 9:4 ff.), he sees the “golden vessel of manna,” contemplates and understands the “throne of mercy” (cf. Heb. 9:4–5). He sees two cherubim and the sacred table and the lamp and the altar of incense. Such a one sees and understands these things spiritually, that is, one who turns to the word of God and the secrets of wisdom and devotes himself to God alone in the sanctuary. Of course, the one to whom these secrets are revealed and entrusted in order to examine them with spiritual gaze must know that it is not safe for him to open and reveal them to those who are not allowed to proclaim them. Each of them should be handed over to him covered, so that those less capable of perceiving them should carry them on their shoulders and place them on their necks (cf. Num. 7:9). For when teachers, instructed and perfected through mysterious words, entrust work to ordinary people and they carry it out and do what is entrusted to them, without understanding, however, why it is needed, what else is accomplished if not that they carry the Holy of Holies on their shoulders? 1.3. And in order to better understand what we are talking about, we will give examples from Divine books. Undoubtedly, Moses understood what true circumcision is (cf. Rom. 2:26–27), what the true Passover is (1 Cor. 5:7), he knew what the essence of true new moons and Saturdays was (cf. Col. 2:16–17); and although he understood all this in spirit, he hid them under the veil of words, covering them with shadows and images of the material. And although he knew that “our Passover, Christ, was slain for us” (1 Cor. 5:7), he commanded that a material lamb be slaughtered on Passover (cf. Ex. 12:3). And although he knew that the celebration should be “with unleavened bread of purity and truth” (1 Cor. 5:8), he still gave instructions about unleavened bread (cf. Ex. 12:8). So, these and similar things were the “Holy of Holies”, which, although Moses ordered others to carry it, that is, although it was to be fulfilled in reality and in practice, he handed over covered and veiled in ordinary words. We have often pointed out that in many places in Scripture "shoulders" means work. 1.4. There are similar regulations in the church rules that everyone must follow, although not everyone understands why this is necessary. I think it is not easy for everyone to discover why, for example, during prayer we kneel or, when we offer prayers, from all directions of the world we choose the east and turn towards it. Who can explain the sacrament of the Eucharist or how we celebrate it, or what we do during baptism: words, actions, sequences, questions and answers? And yet we carry all this on our shoulders, although they are covered and hidden, when we do them and follow them as tradition tells us, as the Great High Priest and His sons commanded us. And therefore, when we perform these and similar things, without understanding their reasons, we lift them onto our shoulders and carry the Divine secrets, hidden and hidden, unless among us there is Aaron or his sons, who are granted to see them uncovered and naked. But this was given to them, for they know that these secrets must be hidden and hidden when they need to be conveyed to others for worship. 2.1. Then it is said about the Levites that “they must enter into service for work” “from twenty-five years old and upward until fifty years old” (cf. Num. 4:47; 8:24). It is said: “All who are able to serve for work and to bear in the tabernacle of meeting” (Num. 4:47). Pay attention here to the difference in the words used in the Divine Scripture. When speaking of the work performed by the children of Israel, it is not said “service for work,” but simply “work”; when it talks about the duties of the Levites, it says not only “work”, but “service for work.” For just as there is “holy” and “Holy of Holies,” so there is “work” and “service for works.” That is why, as I see it, Moses believed that there are certain visible works, but there is also another, internal, mystical and hidden meaning, which he calls not just “works,” but “service for works.” However, he simply calls the work that he understands as ordinary, necessary only for the present time, “work.” Thus, there is a certain “service for works,” which, as I think, represents everything that in today’s reading, and in the book of Exodus, and in other places of Scripture, is commanded in hidden secrets and must be fulfilled partly in the present time, partly in the future. And what is called “service for works,” as we have already said, is not commanded to be performed by everyone, but only by the Levites. 2.2. But even among the Levites themselves, no one is called to this service unless his age is “from twenty-five years and up to fifty years” (cf. Numbers 4:47). And even these numbers themselves, indicating the number of years lived - twenty-five and fifty - are not without mystery. For in the number twenty-five the perfection of the five senses is revealed, since it is five times five. This indicates that one who is perfect in all his senses, which are multiplied and purified, is called “to the service of works” that must be done in secret. And the number fifty, as is often and generously shown to us in many places in the Scriptures, contains the mystery of forgiveness and remission of sins. For in the fiftieth year, which the Jews call the jubilee year, slaves are freed, property is returned, debts are forgiven (cf. Lev. 25:10), and according to the tradition of the law, the fiftieth day after Passover is a holiday (cf. Lev. 23:15). And in the Gospel, when the Lord tells a parable about forgiveness and remission, He says about certain debtors that “one owed five hundred denarii, and another fifty” (Luke 7:41). The numbers fifty and five hundred are related to each other, since fifty taken ten times makes five hundred. This number becomes perfect in another respect: if the perfection of the number one is added to seven, multiplied by seven, you get fifty days. Likewise, adding ten to seventy, multiplied by seven, gives five hundred. 2.3. If you want to collect even more secrets contained in the numbers fifty and five hundred, then in the book of Numbers itself, which we are now considering, there is a place where a fiftieth part of the spoils from the children of Israel who did not go to war is offered to God, and a five hundredth part from others (cf. Numbers 31:28-30); and, of course, these figures, fifty and five hundred, are not given by chance. And in the book of Genesis, when God ponders whether it is possible to forgive the inhabitants of Sodom, the patriarch Abraham, who knew about this kind of secrets, begs the Lord to spare the inhabitants of this city and begins with the number fifty, saying: “Perhaps there are fifty righteous people in this city? Will You really destroy and not spare this place for the sake of fifty righteous people, if they are in it?” (Gen.18:24). 3.1. Let us return, however, to our topic. So, it is prescribed that the Levites “until fifty years old” served with sacred objects, the lesser ones performed work, and the greater ones performed “service for work” (cf. Num. 4:47; 8:24), and those above them must perform spiritual duties and enter the Holy of Holies, where they covered everything that should be covered, and hand over to the sons of Kohath what they should lift with their hands and carry on your shoulders (cf. Numbers 4:5–15). The others are arranged in a certain order, according to what we have discussed more than once above. But so that this extraordinary precaution in hiding holy objects does not cause despair and despondency in those who listen, we will try to explain something that will be safe for us to reveal and you are allowed to see, for, as we said above, we are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a special people” (1 Pet. 2:9). 3.2. Let us understand by the tabernacle the assembly of all the saints, united in the covenant of God, and in this tabernacle there are those who are superior to others in merit and grace, and some of them are called "lamp" (cf. Num. 4:9; Heb. 9:2) - perhaps the apostles themselves, who give light to those who draw near to God. And if in this tabernacle of God there are those who open the light of knowledge and teaching to all who enter, they can all be called a mystical “lamp.” Others are the “sacred table,” those who have the bread of God, who feed and nourish souls that “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (cf. Matt. 5:6). Others are the “altar of incense,” those who do not depart “from the church, serving God day and night with fasting and prayer” (Luke 2:37), who pray not only for themselves, but also for the whole people. Designated as the “ark of the testimony” (cf. Num. 4:5) are those to whom God has entrusted the hidden mysteries and entrusted the secrets of the hidden judgments of His Providence. Those who, by offering prayers and offering petitions, boldly intercede before God for the sins of people are called the “throne of mercy” (cf. Num. 4:5; Heb. 9:5). And those who have been rewarded with the fullness of knowledge and the countless riches of the knowledge of God can be considered “cherubim” (Ex. 25:18; Heb. 9:5); for "cherub" translated into our language means "fullness of knowledge." 3.3. However, all those whom we have listed above must be carried, and carried “on the shoulders.” I think that perhaps this is why the angels, who “are ministering spirits sent out to minister for those who will inherit salvation” (Heb. 1:14), carry each of those we mentioned above. For when the tabernacle is established and we begin to enter into this sanctuary and go to the place of promise, those who are truly holy and are found in the Most Holy Place are undoubtedly carried by angels to the place where the tabernacle of God rests; they lift you up and carry you on their shoulders. The Prophet foresaw this in spirit when he said: “He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways: they will bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone” (Ps. 90:11-12). 3.4. And although the devil thought that this was said about the Savior, blinded by malice, he did not understand the mystical meaning of this saying. For my Savior does not need angels, lest He dash His foot against a stone. The devil distorts Divine Scripture when he refers this statement to the Savior, for it is not said about Him, but about all the saints, that God commanded His angels to guard His people, so that “they would not stumble their foot against a stone.” And everything that is written in this psalm befits rather the righteous than the Savior. It is not the Savior who the Lord delivers “from the clogs and the midday demon” - God forbid we should think such a thing! - but every righteous person. For the righteous need the help of God’s angels to protect themselves from demonic attacks, so that their hearts are not pierced by “an arrow flying in the darkness 10” (cf. Ps. 91:5). By these same angels some will be taken up into the clouds, as Paul affirms, referring to the same mystery when he says: “Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thess. 4:17). And so those who are completely cleansed of sins and made light are “caught up” by the angels; those who remain burdened with sins, they carry. So, both the “pillars of the tabernacle” and all other objects related to the court of the tabernacle (cf. Num. 4:31ff.) spoken of in Scripture are carried by certain people; but not by the Israelites, but by the Levites - in accordance with the understanding which we have briefly touched upon, leaving the listeners to interpret it, so that anyone burning with a stronger desire may kindle the light of knowledge in himself and see with his more penetrating gaze even more. But perhaps the Lord will grant us that servants like these will take us and carry us and deliver and protect us from “the arrow that flies in the darkness” and “from the destruction and the demon of the noonday”, so that we will not “stumble our foot against a stone” (cf. Ps. 91:5,6:12), but will finally reach the place of promise of the saints through Christ Jesus our Lord, “To whom be glory and dominion.” forever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:11). Homilia VI. About what is written: “Moses went out and spoke to the people” (Num. 11:24), and about seventy men (cf. Num. 11:16 ff.), and about the Ethiopian woman whom Moses took as his wife (cf. Num. 12:1 ff.). 1.1. We were read about a lot at once, but neither the limited time nor the greatness of the secrets allows us to talk about all of this. However, in these vast expanses we can pick a few flowers - not all that bloom luxuriantly in these fields, but enough to catch their scent. Just as when a thirsty person approaches a source, you should not drink all the water that flows out of it in abundance, but you must take as much as is necessary to quench your thirst, otherwise an excess of healing moisture can lead to death. 1.2. It is said: “Moses went out and spoke the words of the Lord to the people” (Num. 11:24). While Moses listens to the “words of the Lord” and is instructed by Him, he is inside, in the inner and secret; but when he speaks to “the people” (cf. Matt. 12:46; 13:36) and ministers to people with whom he cannot be inside, then, as it is said, he “comes out” outside. So what is contained in these words? That every mentor and teacher of the Church, if he extracts something from the depths of the hidden mysteries, if he reveals “among the perfect” (cf. 1 Cor. 2:6-7) something hidden and hidden from the wisdom of God, while he is involved in deep understanding, he must say that he is within and abides in the interior. But when he “speaks to the people” and reveals that which has a beneficial effect on those who are outside, and that the common people can listen to, they say that he “went out and spoke the words of the Lord to the people” (Num. 11:24). 1.3. I see Paul doing the same. He was inside when he said: “But we preach wisdom among those who are perfect, but not the wisdom of this world, nor the passing powers of this world; but we preach the wisdom of God in a secret, hidden thing, which none of the powers of this world has known” (1 Cor. 2:6-8). You see that Paul, when he says this, is within and penetrates into the secret and hidden wisdom of God. But listen to what he says when he “goes out to the people”: “Let no corrupt word come out of your mouth” (Eph. 4:29), and: “If anyone has stolen, let him not steal first” (Eph. 4:28), and: “Each one have his own wife,” and: “Each one have his own husband” (1 Cor. 7:2). Paul says this and similar things, going out to the people following the example of Moses. 2.1. But let's look at the other part of what was read to us, which tells how “Moses gathered seventy men from the elders of the people and placed them near the tabernacle” (Num. 11:24), and: “God took from the Spirit that was on Moses and gave it to the seventy elders” (Num. 11:25), and: “When the Spirit rested on them, they began to prophesy” (Num. 11:25) Should not be understood said: “God took from the Spirit that was on Moses and gave it to the seventy elders,” as if God removes some material, material substance from Moses, divides it into seventy parts and gives one piece to each elder. It is impious to understand the nature of the Holy Spirit in this way. Understand the meaning of these mystical words as follows: imagine that Moses and the Spirit who is on him are a lamp emitting the brightest light, from which God lights seventy other lamps, and the radiance of this light passes on to others in such a way that the source of this light itself does not suffer damage from sharing its light. Here is a pious interpretation of what is written: “God took from the Spirit that was on Moses and gave it to the seventy elders” (Num. 11:25). 3.1. Let's see, however, what is said next. It is said: “When the Spirit rested on them, they began to prophesy” (Num. 11:25). The Spirit, as we read, does not rest on everyone, but only on the saints and blessed. For the Holy Spirit rests on those who are pure in heart (cf. Matt. 5:8) and on those who cleanse their souls from sin. Just as, on the contrary, He does not dwell in the body of one subject to sin, even if He once was in it; for the Holy Spirit cannot allow community and communication with the evil spirit. Of course, an evil spirit resides in everyone's heart when he commits a sin and does his job. After all, when we give place to the evil spirit and accept it through evil thoughts and the filth of lust, the Holy Spirit is crushed and, so to speak, is crowded out and leaves us. That is why the Apostle, who knew that this was happening, warns us, saying: “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30). Thus, by our sins we offend the Holy Spirit, and by acting holy and pious, we prepare a place within ourselves for His rest. Therefore, in the fact that we are now talking about the seventy elders, that “the Spirit rested on them,” praise is expressed for their life and virtues. Finally, since the Holy Spirit rests on them due to the purity of their hearts, the integrity of their minds and their ability to understand, He, without wasting time, immediately begins to work in them, since there is plenty of worthy material for His actions. For the Scripture says: “When the Spirit rested on them, they began to prophesy” (Num. 11:25). 3.2. So, the Holy Spirit rests on all who prophesy, but on no one as He rested on the Savior. That is why it is written about Him: “And a branch shall come forth from the root of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his root; and the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and piety; and he will be filled with the fear of the Lord” (Is. 11:1-3). But perhaps someone will say: “You have not shown anything written about Christ more than about other people; for just as it is said about any of the others: “When the Spirit rested on them,” so it is said about Christ: “The Spirit of the Lord rested on him” (Is. 11:2).” But notice that of no one else is it said that the Spirit rests upon him with this sevenfold virtue. And since, without a doubt, the very essence of the Spirit of God, which “rests on the branch from the root of Jesse,” and about which the prophecy speaks, cannot be signified by one name, it is expressed in various words. 3.3. There is another evidence by which I can show that the Holy Spirit rests on my Lord and Savior in a superlative degree and in a completely different manner from others. For John the Baptist says about Him: “He who sent me to baptize in water said to me: On whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit” (John 1:33). If he had said: “You will see the Spirit descending” and had not added: “and abiding on Him,” the Savior, it seems, would not have had any advantage over others. But he adds: “and abiding on Him,” and this is a sign of the Savior, which could not be characteristic of anyone else, for it is not said of anyone else that the Holy Spirit abided on him. 3.4. And lest anyone think that by asserting this, I belittle the prophets, let us say that the prophets themselves know that I do not belittle them at all when I put my Lord Jesus Christ above them. For each of them remembers his own sayings and knows that it is not said about anyone else: “He committed no sin, and no flattery was in His mouth” (1 Pet. 2:22). And since He is the only one who “committed no sin,” the Holy Spirit abides and remains on Him alone. For if He is the only one about whom something special and exceptional is said, namely, what we cited above, that “He committed no sin,” then this affirms that all others are under the power of sin. And if everyone, then, of course, the prophets. How then can we say that when they sinned, the Holy Spirit was upon them? 3.5. If it seems incredible to you that the prophets, after receiving the Holy Spirit, were capable of sin, let us return to Moses, whom we are now considering and who, of course, is the greatest and most glorious prophet. He writes about himself and testifies that he sinned when he says: “Listen, you disobedient ones, should we bring water out of this rock for you?” (Numbers 20:10). For in these statements he does not sanctify the Lord “by the waters of controversy” (cf. Num. 20:13), in other words, he did not believe in the power of God; he did not say that God could “bring water for you out of this rock” (cf. Num. 20:10), but out of weakness and uncertainty he responded by saying: “Shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” (Numbers 20:10). And since the Lord counted what he said to him as sin, there is no doubt that when he uttered these words, it was not the Holy Spirit who spoke in him, but the spirit of sin. And if Scripture testifies that even such a great prophet as Moses sometimes carries the Holy Spirit within himself, and sometimes he doesn’t - of course, when he commits a sin - then, of course, this is also true of the rest of the prophets. 3.6. What then can be said about David? He prays that the Holy Spirit will not be taken away from him, as if this were possible, and says: “Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me” (Ps. 50:13). But then he demands the return of the gift that was taken from him, as if through his own fault, and says: “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with the sovereign Spirit” (Ps. 50:14). What can I remember about Solomon? After all, no one will say that without the participation of the Holy Spirit he resolved disputes (cf. 1 Kings 3:16 ff.) or built the church of the Lord (cf. 1 Kings 16:15 ff.), or, on the contrary, in the Holy Spirit he made churches for demons (cf. 1 Kings 11: 7) or turned his heart to wicked women (cf. 1 Kings 11: 1 ff.). Likewise, the prophet sent by the Lord “to Bethel,” which is described in the Third Book of Kings, undoubtedly spoke the words of God in the Holy Spirit (cf. 1 Kings 13:11 ff.), however, one should not believe that he violated the command of the Lord in the Holy Spirit, for he was commanded not to eat bread in Bethel; for this the lion killed him. But it would take a very long time to talk about this. 3.7. I think, although I do not say for sure, that among human actions there may be those that, although they do not carry sin, still do not deserve to be considered that the Holy Spirit is present in them. I will say, for example, that there is nothing sinful in a legal marriage; when copulation occurs, the presence of the Holy Spirit is not given, even if the one who fulfills his duties to prolong the family turns out to be a prophet. However, there are many other things where none of this is required and human power alone is enough and it is not appropriate for the Holy Spirit to be present. However, here we deviate from the topic, wanting to show that the Spirit of God always dwells only on my Lord and Savior Jesus, and on all the other saints, as well as on the seventy elders with whom this apostasy began, the Spirit of God only “rests.” He acted in them when it was for the good of those through whom He acted, and beneficial to those whom He ministered. 4.1. Further, in the passage read to us today, it is said: “And Miriam and Aaron reproached Moses because of the Ethiopian wife whom he had taken—for he had taken the Ethiopian woman for himself—and they said, “Did the Lord speak to Moses alone?” didn't He tell us too? And the Lord heard it” (Num. 12:1–2). And then the Lord commanded them to go out “to the tabernacle of meeting,” and there, after holding a kind of trial, Miriam was covered with leprosy for a while, and then returned to the camp (cf. Num. 12:4-16). To explain this briefly, let us say that Miriam is a type of the original people; Moses, that is, the law of the Lord, marries an Ethiopian woman taken from the pagans. Thus, Moses, that is, the spiritual law, takes a wife; and this act causes the indignation of Miriam, who is now a synagogue, and she speaks disdainfully, along with Aaron, in other words, with the priests and Pharisees. And to this day these people attack Moses, who is with us; It seems shameful to them that he does not teach us either circumcision of the flesh (cf. Eph. 2:11), or the observance of Sabbaths and new moons (cf. Col. 2:16), or blood sacrifices, but teaches us circumcision of the heart (cf. Rom. 2:29), abstinence from sin, the celebration “with unleavened bread of purity and truth” (cf. 1 Cor. 5:8), sacrifices of praise (cf. Ps. 49:14) and offerings not of slaughtered animals, but of mortified vices. 4.2. So, God makes His judgment about this and approves the marriage with the Ethiopian woman and allows Moses to live and lie with her, and sends Miriam to prison “outside the camp” (cf. Num. 12:14) and expels her away from the tabernacle of meeting and casts out Aaron with her. In addition, Miriam becomes covered with leprosy (cf. Num. 12:10). Now look at these people and see to what abomination their desire for the exact fulfillment of instructions reaches, to what disgrace they bring their appearance. Despite this, leprosy will not remain forever, but when the week of this world begins to be fulfilled, they will return to the camp. For at the end of this world “the full number of the Gentiles will come in; and so all Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:25–26); then the leprosy from Miriam’s appearance will disappear, and she will receive the glory of faith and the greatness of the knowledge of Christ, her face will again regain its former beauty, “and there will be one flock and one shepherd” (cf. John 10:16). We must say to this: “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God” (Rom. 11:33), “for God has shut all in disobedience, that He might have mercy on all” (Rom. 11:32) in Christ Jesus our Lord, “To whom be glory and dominion forever and ever.” Amen" (1 Peter 4:11). Homily VII. Again about what remains to be said about the Ethiopian woman and about Miriam’s leprosy. 1.1. As the Apostle says: “All these things happened to them as examples; but it is written for our instruction” (1 Cor. 10:11), and I want to know what what we read teaches us that “Miriam and Aaron reproached Moses” (cf. Num. 12:1) and were punished for this, and “Miriam was covered with leprosy” (cf. Num. 12:10). And this punishment caused such concern that while the leper Miriam was outside the camp for a week, the people of God did not go to the promised land, and the tabernacle of meeting did not move from its place. This, first of all, teaches me, and teaches me profitably and immutably, not to reproach my brother (cf. Ps. 49:20), not to slander my neighbor, not to open my mouth, so as not to condemn not only the saints, but also none of my neighbors, for I see the extent of God’s indignation caused by this and the measure of punishment. After all, in the Psalter we see how God rebels against this sin, which causes Him the same indignation when He says: “You sit and speak against your brother, you slander your mother’s son” (Ps. 49:20). And in another psalm, on behalf of a righteous man, who knows how unpleasant this is for God, it is said: “He who secretly slanderes his neighbor I will drive out” (Ps. 100:5). So, based on all these words of Divine Scripture, which are like “a sword sharp on both sides” (cf. Rev. 1:16), we must cut off from ourselves the vice of slandering our brothers and condemning the saints; for leprosy covers those who slander and slander. 1.2. Now let's move from moral questions to mystical understanding. And although a little has already been said about this in the previous discussion, let's add what seems to be missing. Let's see who is the one who reproaches Moses (cf. Num. 12:1), who speaks evil of him. Not only Jews, but also heretics who do not recognize the law and the prophets also condemn Moses. They even accuse Moses of a crime when they say that he is a murderer, for “he killed the Egyptian” (cf. Ex. 2:12), and they level many other blasphemies against Moses and the other prophets. And because they reproach Moses (cf. Num. 12:1), their soul is leprous and their inner man is leprous, and therefore they are “outside the camp” (cf. Num. 12:14) of the Church of God. And so, everyone in whom there is this vice, be it heretics who reproach Moses, or those belonging to the Church who condemn their brothers, or those who slander their neighbors, they are all, without a doubt, lepers in their souls. 1.3. So, Miriam, through the intercession of the high priest Aaron, is healed (cf. Numbers 12:15). If the vice of condemnation has infected the soul with leprosy, it will be leprous and unclean until the end of the week of this world, that is, until the resurrection; if not, then while there is time to repent, turning in prayer to the Lord Jesus, we will be cleansed of leprosy and filth through repentance. But it seems to me that it is not only these original people who reproach Moses, not only the heretics whom we mentioned above; but everyone who understands what Moses wrote incorrectly and who accepts the spiritual law in a carnal way condemns him, for they teach about the words of the Spirit in a carnal way. You have heard the condemnation to which slanderers and slanderers are subjected. Now listen to how they benefit those they denigrate. Nowhere else will you find God praising His servant Moses so much as here when he is reproached. 2.1. So listen to what is said next and what praises the Holy Spirit gives to him. It is written: “And the Lord came down in the pillar of cloud, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came out. And he said: listen to my words: if a prophet of the Lord happens to you, then I reveal myself to him in a vision, I speak to him in a dream; but not so with My servant Moses - he is faithful in all My house: I speak to him mouth to mouth, and openly, and not in riddles 11, and he saw the glory 12 of the Lord 13; Why were you not afraid to rebuke My servant Moses? And the wrath of the Lord was kindled against them, and He departed. And the cloud departed from the tabernacle, and behold, Miriam was covered with leprosy like snow” (Num. 12:5–10). See what punishment slanderers incur and what praise the one they slander receives from it. They bring shame to themselves, honor to him, mischief to themselves, glory to him, dishonor to themselves, greatness to him. 2.2. So, before Moses took the Ethiopian woman as his wife, it is not said that God spoke “to him openly, and not in riddles,” but when he takes her, then God speaks of him: “Mouth to mouth, and openly, and not in riddles” (Num. 12:8). Indeed, quite recently, when Moses came to us and united with this Ethiopian woman of ours, the law of God became known not in images and allegories, as before, but clearly, in the truth itself. And what was previously indicated in riddles was now fulfilled clearly and in truth. And the one who explained these riddles, images and allegories says: “I do not want to leave you, brethren, in ignorance that 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). You see how Paul solves this riddle of the law, teaches the images of this riddle, and says that the “stone” was a riddle to Moses before he united with this Ethiopian woman of ours. Now, “clearly,” this “stone” is Christ, for now God speaks “mouth to mouth” through the law. Previously, baptism was “in mystery,” “in the cloud and in the sea,” but now, “explicitly,” it is “the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). At that time, manna was food “in mystery,” but now it is “clearly” “true food” - the flesh of the Word of God, as He Himself says: “My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink” (John 6:55). Thus, even now Moses is among us in unity in this Ethiopian, whether he speaks to us himself or God speaks to him “openly, and not in riddles.” 2.3. To this is added: “And he saw the glory of the Lord” (Num. 12:8). When did Moses see the glory of the Lord? I would say, then, when the Lord was “transformed” on the mountain “and Moses and Elijah appeared talking with Him” (cf. Matt. 17:1 ff.; Mark 9:2 ff.). And therefore it is rightly added: “How come you were not afraid to rebuke My servant Moses?” (Numbers 12:8). It is clear that this saying is directed against those who seem to accept the Gospel, but reproach Moses and are deservedly condemned, for, although they learned from the Gospel that Moses, together with Elijah, saw the glory of the Lord (cf. Matt. 17:5), they dare to condemn the law and the prophets. Therefore, let us not reproach Moses, let us not condemn the law, but let us become its doers, and not just hearers (cf. James 1:22), so that we may be worthy to “glorify” (cf. Rom. 8:17) with Moses himself. 2.4. But I think that those who, when, for example, reading the book of Leviticus or reading from the book of Numbers, do not show how what is written “in riddles” should be understood “openly” (cf. Num. 12:8), that is, do not spiritually explain what is said in the law, also provide a reason for defaming Moses. For those who hear people reading in church about the rites of sacrifice or about keeping the Sabbath, or about anything else like that, inevitably become irritated and say: “Why read this in church? What good is it to us from Jewish instructions and observance of the instructions of a rejected people? All this applies to the Jews, and let them follow them!” And so that such obstacles do not occur to the listeners, they must work hard and try to acquire knowledge of the law in order to understand and explain what is read according to the fact that “the law is spiritual” (cf. Rom. 7:14), so as not to give the inexperienced and inexperienced a reason through their learning, or rather, idleness and negligence, to reproach Moses; but let us turn to the Lord so that He will remove the “veil” for us (cf. 2 Cor. 3:16) letters, so that Moses would appear before us not in a distorted guise, but in a glorious and worthy one, and then we will not only not reproach Moses, but will praise and glorify him for the greatness of his judgments. 2.5. “And the wrath of the Lord was kindled against them, and He departed. And the cloud departed from the tabernacle, and behold, Miriam was covered with leprosy like snow” (Num. 12:9-10). The wrath of the Lord is kindled against those who slander and slander. However, in what was said, “And the cloud departed from the tabernacle, and, behold, Miriam was covered with leprosy like snow,” one should pay attention to the fact that first “the cloud departed,” and then “Mariam was covered with leprosy” (cf. Num. 12:10). This shows that if someone has the grace of the Holy Spirit and he slanderes and reproaches, then after this condemnation it leaves him, and his soul becomes covered with leprosy. After all, these original people also had the grace of God within themselves, but when they opened their slandering lips against the true Moses, our Lord Jesus Christ, “the cloud departed” from them and came to us, “upon a high mountain,” where our Savior was “transformed,” and “a bright cloud overshadowed” His disciples, “and behold a voice from the cloud saying: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am favor" (Matthew 17:5). So, after this, “Mariam was covered with leprosy.” Miriam became a leper not while the cloud was present, but when it “went away” (cf. Num. 12:10). For while God was with these people, they were not lepers; but when it departed, dishonor covered their faces. So let us be afraid, lest this cloud leave us because of our slander, villainy and evil-mindedness; for when the grace of God departs from us, the leprosy of sin will appear in us. 3.1. “Aaron looked at Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. And Aaron said to Moses: My lord! do not put it upon us that we acted foolishly and sinned; do not let her be like a stillborn baby, whose half of its body has already decayed when it comes out of its mother’s womb” (Num. 12:10-12). By this he wants to show that the former people were formed in the womb of their mother, the synagogue, and cannot achieve a perfect and complete birth. For just as a stillborn baby is the result of an incomplete and imperfect birth, so this people was once in the womb, that is, subject to the regulations of the synagogue; but as a result of sin, he could not be fully formed and born alive and therefore was thrown out, like a “stillborn baby,” imperfect and undeveloped, whose sin, as it is said, “has already decayed half of his body.” But sometimes a miscarriage can be a good thing. A miscarriage is considered good when it is compared with something else, as Ecclesiastes says: “I would say: a miscarriage is happier than it” (Eccl. 6:3). Whom? It is said: “He came in vain and went away into darkness” (Eccl. 6:4). He does not call a miscarriage happy in the literal sense, but in comparison with a life lived in vain, in the darkness of ignorance. And makes a comparison between them. 3.2. Elsewhere Ecclesiastes says: “The dead are better than the living 14” (Eccl. 7:1). And again, if you compare miscarriage with them, you will say that it is better than both. So, if you consider those who are alive and those who are dead, then the miscarriage is better than them, because it has not tasted the beginning of life in this world, and in comparison you will find differences. Pay attention also to the fact that he does not call others living, except those about whom the Psalter says: “Indeed, every man who lives is complete vanity” (Ps. 39:6). And therefore a miscarriage is better than any person who lives in vain; for not all life is in vain, but only that which is according to the flesh and for the sake of worldly errors and pleasures; this is a life of vanity, and above it are all those who are dead to such a life, who say: “To me the world is crucified, and I to the world” (Gal.6:14), and about whom it is said: “For you died with Christ” (Col.3:3). And they are better than the living. It is said, however, that a miscarriage is superior to them, for although one might think that it ends up in the flesh, nevertheless, it does not receive any germ of the futility of this life. And yet Ecclesiastes introduces another one, which, apparently, is even better, for it is said about him: “More blessed than both of them is he who did not yet exist” (Eccl. 4:3), that is, he who was not even contained in the carnal womb and did not experience the pains of bodily birth. 3.3. Ecclesiastes says: “And I have blessed the dead, who died long ago, more than the living, who live to this day” (Eccl. 4:2). Does he not clearly show by this that he considers those who died for the world superior, and does not assert that those who live for the world are inferior? For if you want to take this literally, how then do the dead deserve more praise than the living? After all, people are usually praised for their desire for good and good intentions. However, ordinary death does not come from aspirations or intentions. How, then, does anyone receive praise for enduring the opposite of his intentions? After all, then Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, who drowned in the sea, will be exalted above Moses, who emerged from the sea waves alive. And the Egyptians who perished in the waters of the sea will be praised more than the people of God who “walked on dry land in the midst of the sea” (cf. Ex. 14:29). And therefore you should not understand it in this way, but know that you will be praised as dead when you can say: “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal. 2:19-20). And if you have renounced the world, rejected vices, if you are no longer attracted to sin, if you are dead to sin, then you are higher than the one who lives for it, and this death worthy of praise will be in you. For no one is praised for ordinary death, which comes to everyone according to the law of nature. 3.4. Although we have deviated somewhat from the topic, it was necessary to discuss the passage where the word of God tells how Miriam was punished for the sin of condemnation by becoming “like a stillborn child” (cf. Num. 12:12), and to show that miscarriage can be both praiseworthy and blameworthy. And the Apostle, knowing that in the dispensation about which we spoke above there are also commendable miscarriages, says about himself: “And after all he appeared to me also, as to a certain miscarriage 15” (1 Cor. 15:8). He defines his place as being above the living and above the dead, but behind those who have not yet been born. Therefore, Mariam becomes “like a stillborn baby”; for these people could not be formed “to perfection” in the law, as Paul affirms when he says: “For the law made nothing perfect” (Heb. 7:19). Finally, the same Apostle speaks of some who have fallen from the faith and become, as it were, miscarriages, in his desire to return them to the dispensation of perfect birth: “My little children, for whom I am again in the pangs of birth, until Christ is formed in you” (Gal. 4:19). 4.1. “And Moses cried to the Lord, saying: God, heal her!” (Numbers 12:13). Who should ask the Lord to heal these people if not Moses? Moses prays for them. And perhaps he spoke about this in his conversation with the Lord Jesus Christ, when He was “transformed” on the mountain (cf. Matt. 17:2), and asked Him that “all Israel” would be saved when “the full number of the Gentiles came in” (cf. Rom. 11:25–26). 4.2. “And the Lord said to Moses, If her father had spat in her face, should she not have been ashamed for seven days? So let her be imprisoned outside the camp for seven days, and then return again” (Num. 12:14). What does it mean: “If her father had spat in her face, should she not have been ashamed for seven days?”? We put Mariam in the place of the synagogue, and “her father spat in her face.” Spitting in the face is a sign of rejection. The law commands that a woman who remains a widow must be married by a close relative, and it is written that if he wants to refuse to take her as a wife, she will undress him “and spit in his face” (cf. Deut. 25:5ff), and this will be a sign of rejection. That is why it is said that Miriam, that is, this people, when they are rejected by God, are spat in the face. 4.3. And elsewhere in Scripture we find the meaning of spit when Isaiah says: “Behold, the nations are weighed like a drop from a bucket, and are counted as spit 16” (Is. 40:15). This shows that these people are rejected, like other peoples who are “considered like spit.” And indeed, if you take into account their former honor, when among them flourished the high priesthood, the dignity of the priesthood, the Levitical service, the majesty of the church, the radiance of prophecy, when, while on earth, they had communion with the heavenly, what an honor it was, what a glory! And again, if you look at them now, what terrible dishonor befell them: they were left without a church, without an altar, without sacrifices, without prophets, without a priesthood, without communication with heaven; they are scattered throughout the earth and live as exiles. How can anyone not see that “her father spat in her face” and shame covered their face? 4.4. So, “she is imprisoned seven days outside the camp” (cf. Num. 12:15). We have already said above that these seven days represent the week of this world; for in seven days the essence of all visible creation was created; then something that did not exist began to exist. And in this week of the whole world, the meaning of everything created then will be explained by a hidden plan known only to God. Meanwhile, during these seven days, while Miriam remains “in prison,” the camps of the children of Israel do not move, but remain in the same place, and no one sets off until Miriam is cleansed of leprosy (cf. Num. 12:15). 5.1. It is said: “After this the people moved from Ashiroth and stopped in the wilderness of Paran” (cf. Num. 13:1). "Asiroth" is translated as "perfect houses." Therefore, after Miriam has purified herself, the people leave their perfect homes and come to Paran, which translates as “the visible mouth.” It seems to me that the visible mouth perhaps refers to the fact that "the Word became flesh" (John 1:14) and "the invisible was made visible" and that after the end comes and everything that should have been done for this people is done, it passes on (cf. Heb. 11:29) and comes to Him in whom they did not believe before, to the Word made flesh. 5.2. “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Send men from you, that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel” (Num. 13:2-3), and everything else, where it is narrated how the spies sent to spy out the land returned and announced that the land was “good” and “fat,” but that living there were “great people, from a gigantic race,” and “in their eyes” the people of God seen “like locusts” (cf. Num. 14:7; 13:28–33–34). And the majority despaired of being saved from the sons of the giants, but Jesus did not despair, but strengthened the faith of the people with “Caleb of the tribe of Judah,” and they said: “If the Lord is merciful to us, he will bring us into this land” (Num. 14:8). 5.3. So what kind of land are we talking about here according to spiritual understanding? What kind of good and holy land is this, inhabited by atheists? Who are these enemies who dwell in the land of the saints? And how can they be driven out so that the saints can take their place? Let's go back to the Gospels, let's go back to the apostles. The Gospels promise the saints the Kingdom of Heaven. The Apostle says: “Our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20). Thus, "in heaven" is the place of the inheritance promised to the saints. Why do we think that in the places promised to you there are now no inhabitants whom you must expel from there by war? And why then does the Lord say: “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and those who use force take it by force” (Matthew 11:12)? After all, if there were not those to whom force had to be used, who had to be expelled and forced out, He would never have said: “The Kingdom of Heaven is taken by force” (cf. Matt. 11:12). And if there were not those with whom we fight and wage battle, the apostle would never have said: “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). And, apparently, it should be understood that this is the same phrase spoken by God through the prophet, where He says: “My sword is drunk in heaven” (Is. 34:5). So, it is necessary that you overcome, as it is said, “spirits of wickedness in high places,” the true Canaanites, and drive them out of heaven, so that you can dwell there in their place. 5.4. Find out that they are “giants”, or giants. Anyone who resists God is called a “giant.” He who opposes God and opposes the truth, which is his main occupation, is rightly called a giant. And so, you have been granted to drive out the giants and enter their kingdom. Or is it not written about one of them: “Can booty be taken from a giant 17?” (Isa.49:24)? And the Lord speaks about him in the Gospel: “Or how can anyone enter the house of a strong man and plunder his things, unless he first binds the strong man?” (Matthew 12:29). So now, when a comparison is made between human and demonic nature, we are “locusts”, they are “giants”; especially when our faith is unsteady and if unbelief fetters us, then they are truly “giants”, and we are “locusts”. If we follow Jesus, believe His words, are filled with trust in Him, they will be like nothing in our eyes. See how Jesus gives us confidence by saying: “If the Lord is merciful to us, he will bring us into this land” (Num. 14:8), for it is “very good” (cf. Num. 14:7) and its fruits are wonderful. 5.5. Thus, the images and allegories previously revealed by the fathers were fulfilled in us. They drove out the nations and found their inheritance; for they received the whole land of Judah, the city of Jerusalem and Mount Zion. All this was fulfilled in them, but what was said to you? It is not said: “You have come to what is visible,” but “to what is unseen” (cf. Col. 1:16). For it is said: “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem and to thousands of angels” (Heb. 12:22). And the Apostle says in another place: “Jerusalem which is above is free: she is the mother of us all” (Gal. 4:26). If someone does not add to faith what the Apostle said that Jerusalem is the city of heaven, then he can reject these words of ours. If we apply the words of Paul to faith, which, undoubtedly, we should do, and if we believe that Jerusalem is the heavenly city, the image of which is the earthly city, then what is written, as it seems, about the earthly Jerusalem with spiritual understanding we will, which is more correct, be transferred to the heavenly one. Therefore, if, in the words of Paul, we have “come to the heavenly Jerusalem,” then we, without a doubt, have come to the heavenly Judea; and just as they drove out the Canaanites, Perizzites and Hivites and other peoples from earthly Judah (cf. Is. 9:1 ff.), so we, who “have come to Mount Zion” and to the kingdoms of heaven, must drive out from them the opposing forces and “spirits of wickedness in high places” (cf. Eph. 6:12); and just as they expelled the Jebusites from Jerusalem (cf. 2 Samuel 5:6) and the city formerly called Jebus began to be called Jerusalem (cf. Joshua 18:28), so we must first expel the Jebusites from Jerusalem and thus gain it as an inheritance. But if they achieved this with visible weapons, then we achieved this with invisible weapons. They were victorious in carnal battles, but we are victorious in spiritual warfare. 6.1. If you want to know how Paul, who is not only a “teacher of the Gentiles”, but also of his soldiers, fought, listen to what he writes about himself, which we already mentioned above: “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). That is why he prepares spiritual weapons and invisible arrows for the soldiers waging invisible spiritual warfare, and says: “Stand, having your loins girded with truth and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, take the helmet of salvation and the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (cf. Eph. 6:14, 16:17), “and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” ( Eph.6:17). 6.2. So, when you arm yourself with these weapons and follow the commander Jesus, you will not be afraid of these “giants”; for you will see Jesus bring them into subjection to you; and just as the fathers stepped on the necks of the nations, so you will tread on the necks of demons. For He Himself says to those who believe Him and follow Him: “Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:19). After all, Jesus always wants to work miracles, wants the “locusts” to overthrow the “giants” and overcome the “wickedness in high places” by earthly means. And perhaps this is exactly what He meant when He said in the Gospels that whoever believes in Him will not only do the works that He does, but “will do greater works than these” (John 14:12). For truly it seems greater to me when a person, being in the flesh, weak and prone to fall, armed only with faith in Christ and His word, overcomes giants and a legion (cf. Mark 5:9) of demons. And although Christ triumphs in us, nevertheless, He considers it “greater” when He conquers through us than when He conquers Himself. 6.3. It is enough for us that we always have this weapon and that “our residence” is always “in heaven” (cf. Phil. 3:20). So let our every aspiration, every deed, every thought, every word be heavenly. And the more stubbornly we ascend to heaven, the faster the demons will fall from there; and the more diligent we are, the lower they will be cast down. If our life is holy, if it agrees with the commands of God, He will bring death upon them; if our life is spent in idleness and in the pursuit of pleasures, He will make them strong and gigantic against us. Thus, as much as we become stronger, they diminish and weaken, and, on the contrary, if we become weak and seek only earthly things, they become stronger. And the more we spread across the earth, the more space we leave for them in heaven. That is why we must act in such a way that they diminish and we strengthen, so that they are driven out, we enter, we ascend, they fall; how the one about whom the Lord speaks in the Gospel fell: “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning” (Luke 10:18). And let him be cast out from there, so that the Lord Jesus will lead us there and allow us to possess His kingdom of heaven. “To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 5:11). Homily VIII. About what the spies announced, and about the wrath of the Lord and about the prayer service of Moses and Aaron. 1.1. Twelve spies were sent from the children of Israel to “spy out the land” (Num. 13:3ff.), which was promised to them. And “they returned after forty days” and announced various things. For ten of them plunge the people into despair, and even to the point that they murmur against Moses and want to elect another leader and return to Egypt (cf. Numbers 14:1-4). The other two, however, give good news (cf. Num. 14:6 ff.) and convince the people to continue in faith: “If the Lord is merciful to us, he will bring us into this land” (Num. 14:8). However, the people are in complete despair and rush to stone the good news, “but the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud” (cf. Num. 14:10). “And the Lord said to Moses: I will smite them [the people] with a plague and destroy them, and I will make of you a nation greater in number and stronger than they are” (Num. 14:11). 1.2. Such a threat comes from the Lord not in order to show that the Divine nature is subject to suffering and the vice of anger, but to show Moses God's love for the people and His goodness, which surpasses all understanding. For it is written that God is angry and threatens the people with destruction, so that man understands what position he occupies with God and what hope He gives him that even if something arouses God’s anger, man can calm it down through prayer and by petition ensure that God will change His decision. For goodness replacing anger shows both Moses’ trust in God and the fact that the vice of anger is alien to the Divine nature. 1.3. At the same time, these words contain a mystery that will be fulfilled in future centuries according to God’s promise to produce another people after this one is rejected. For He says: “I will smite it with plague and destroy it, and I will make of you a nation greater in number and stronger than it is” (Num. 14:12). This threat is not anger, but prophecy. For another People will have to be accepted, that is, people from the nations, but not through Moses, because Moses withdrew, because he knew that this promised great people would be called not through him, but through Jesus Christ, and they would be called a people not Moses, but Christian. And so Moses repeatedly asks for this people. And the Lord defines the measure of punishment moderately (cf. Num. 14:13 ff.) and says that all who came out of Egypt “and tempted Me” and persisted in unbelief, “in this wilderness they will fall” (cf. Num. 14:29; 1 Cor. 10:5) and, as it is said, “they will not see the land that I promised to their fathers with an oath, only to their children who are here with Me” (cf. Numbers 14:23), “and now they know neither good nor evil” (cf. Deut. 1:39), “to them I will give land” (cf. Numbers 14:23). Perhaps an even deeper secret is hidden in the words of the Lord when He says: “Only to their children who are here with Me.” Where is "here"? In what sense are “they are with Me”? 1.4. Meanwhile, we say that our fathers are those former people, and we are “their children.” And because they sinned, they were rejected and fell; but instead of them, we, their children, rose up, “who now know neither good nor evil.” For we are “of the Gentiles” (cf. Rom. 9:24) and know neither the good that comes from God nor the evil that comes from sin. But if we succeed in the place of those rejected, then we will be afraid to commit such a great fall, we will listen to the warning of Paul, who said: “You see the goodness and severity of God: severity towards those who have fallen away, but kindness towards you, if you continue in the goodness of God; otherwise you too will be cut off. But even those, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in” (Rom. 11:22-23). 1.5. Further, the Lord adds to what has been said: “And your sons will wander in the wilderness for forty years” (Num. 14:33). And he reveals the secret of this number, saying: “According to the number of forty days in which you searched the earth, you will bear the punishment for your sins forty years, a year for a day” (Num. 14:34). I am afraid to discuss what is contained in this secret, because I see that it contains the proportionality of sin and punishment. For if every sinner is given a punishment "a year for a day" and if he must serve this punishment for a corresponding number of years, then I am afraid that perhaps for those who sin every day, and for those who do not spend a single day of their lives without sinning, all centuries or even centuries of centuries may not be enough to atone for their sin. For the fact that this people suffered forty years of hardship in the desert for forty days of sins and they were not allowed to enter the holy land shows some semblance of a future judgment when they will have to answer for their sins. But perhaps there will be some reward for good deeds or for the “evil” that “you received in your life,” as Abraham teaches us through the example of Lazarus (cf. Luke 16:19ff). However, no one can have complete knowledge of this except Him to whom “the Father gave all judgment” (cf. John 5:22). And the fact that a year of punishment is assigned for a day of sin is said not only in this book, in which nothing can cause doubt, but something similar is written in the book “The Shepherd”, if someone believes that what is said in it deserves the same attention. 1.6. But perhaps someone will say that repaying a year of punishment for a day of sin is not consistent with the goodness of God. Or someone may say: “Even if He determined day by day, He would be just, but would not at all seem kind and merciful.” So think about whether we can explain these difficulties using obvious examples. If a bodily wound is inflicted or a bone is broken or a nerve is torn, the body usually receives such wounds within an hour and then it is very difficult and long to heal with pain and suffering. For what kind of abscess occurs in a damaged area, how much pain does it cause? And if someone is wounded many times in the same place or a bone is broken repeatedly, then what kind of agony and terrible pain will accompany the treatment and healing? How long will it take to recover, if at all possible? And it is unlikely that he will be cured, avoiding bodily weakness or an ugly scar. 1.7. Let us now move from physical examples to mental wounds. The number of times a soul sins, the number of times it receives a wound. And so that you have no doubt that she is wounded by sin, as if by an arrow or a sword, listen to the Apostle when he calls us to take “the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Eph. 6:16). So, you see that sins are “arrows of the evil one” shot into the soul. However, the soul suffers not only from wounds inflicted by arrows, but also from broken legs when they prepare a “net for its feet” (cf. Ps. 56:7) and when “its feet are shaken” (cf. Ps. 36:31). How long do you think it will take to heal these and similar wounds? Oh, if we could see how every sin we commit hurts our inner man, what a wound every bad word we say inflicts! Haven’t you read that “many have fallen by the edge of the sword, but not as many as have fallen by the tongue” (Sir.28:21)? As you see, the soul is wounded both by the tongue and by bad thoughts and desires, but sinful deeds corrupt and destroy it. If we could see all this and feel the scars that the wounds inflicted on the soul leave, we would resist sin to the death. Nowadays, just as those possessed by demons or those sick in soul do not feel when they are hurt, because they are deprived of natural feelings, so we, maddened by worldly aspirations, cannot feel the extent of the damage and destruction that we cause to the soul through our sins. And therefore it is extremely true that punishment, that is, treatment and healing, lasts a long time and that for each wound the period of healing is extended according to the nature of the wound. 1.8. Thus, in these punishments of the soul, the justice and goodness of God become apparent. So let him, having heard this, come to his senses and sin no more. For conversion in this life and the fruits of repentance will quickly heal such wounds, since repentance not only heals previous wounds, but also no longer allows the soul to be damaged by sin. And I’ll add to this: suppose that I am a sinner; Will I be subject to the same punishment if I have sinned in something once and if I sin a second, third time or even more often? No, rather, the degree of punishment should be determined by the nature, quantity and extent of the sin. For God will feed us with “tearful bread” and give us “tears” to drink, but “in measure” (cf. Ps. 79:6). And everyone determines this measure for themselves through their lives, sinning more or less. For, as it is said, “the cup is in the hand of the Lord, the wine is boiling in it, full of confusion” (Ps. 74:9). Without a doubt, everyone mixes it up, and it becomes his condemnation, which is determined not only by the evil he has created, but also by the good. And when they are mixed, “its sediment 18,” which, as I think, refers to the evil committed, will not be completely “squeezed out” (cf. Ps. 75:9). 1.9. But, as we said, all this is “in the hand of the Lord,” and we must hasten to correction, turn to repentance without pretense, grieve for the past, be vigilant in the future, call on God’s help; for as soon as you turn and grieve, you will immediately be saved, for you will find “Jesus Christ who advocates with the Father” (cf. 1 John 2:1; Rom. 8:34), and He is much higher than Moses, who, however, prayed for this people (cf. Num. 21:7) and was heard. And perhaps this is why it is written that Moses asks for the sins of the former people and begs for forgiveness, so that we have much more confidence, since our intercessor Jesus, without a doubt, will beg us for forgiveness from the Father; if only we turn to Him, if “our heart does not turn back” (cf. Ps. 44:19), just as John says in his letter: “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). “To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 5:11). Homily IX. About the censers of Korah, about how the people rebelled against Moses, and about the rods, among which Aaron’s rod blossomed. 1.1. With God, as it is given to understand, there is nothing useless, nothing superfluous, but even what people seem to need to remove and reject turns out to be necessary. This allows us to understand today's reading, which talks about the censers of Korah and the rest who sinned with him. And even these censers God commands not to throw away, but to break “them into sheets to cover the altar” (Num. 16:38 (17:3)). And the Scripture narrates how “Eleazar the priest took the copper censers that had been burnt, and broke them into plates to cover the altar, for a memorial to the children of Israel, so that no stranger who was not of the seed of Aaron should come to offer incense before the Lord, and it should not happen to him that it was with Korah and his companions, as the Lord spoke to him through Moses” ( Numbers 16:39–40 (17:4–5)). 1.2. In one place of Scripture, the Lord clearly says through the prophet: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways” (Is. 55:8). If this question were decided by people today and by the heads of churches in relation to those who, for example, suffered the punishment of Divine vengeance for spreading theories contrary to the teachings of the Church, would it not be decided that everything they said, everything they taught, everything they left in their writings should disappear along with their ashes? But God's judgments are not our judgments. For listen to how He commands that those who rebelled against the prophet of God be smashed into sheets and that the altar of the censer be surrounded with them. The image of those who rebelled against the faith of the Church and the teaching of truth is Korah. Thus, it is written about Korah and his accomplices that they brought incense of a foreign fire in copper censers (cf. Num. 26:61). God commands the “strange fire” to be scattered and thrown away, but the “brass censers,” as it is said, “for they were sanctified by the death of sinners, let them be beaten into sheets to cover the altar, for they offered them before the Lord, and they became sanctified” (cf. Num. 16:37-38 (17:1-3)). I think this shows that the censers, which are called “copper” in Scripture, are an image of Divine Scripture. Heretics add “strange fire” to this Scripture, that is, they introduce an understanding and interpretation that is alien to God and contrary to the truth; they bring incense not as a pleasing aroma to God, but as an abomination. This image was given to the priests of the Church so that if anything similar arises, something alien to the truth should be thrown out of the Church of God; if in the words of heretics something from the correct understanding of Divine Scripture is revealed, then let it not be rejected along with that which contradicts faith and truth; for that which is taken from the Divine Scripture is sanctified and offered to God. 1.3. However, the command to connect and combine with the altar, which refers to the censers of sinners, can be understood in a different way. And, first of all, the fact that they are called copper (cf. Num. 16:37 (17:4)) seems by no means accidental. For when faith is true, and the proclamation of the word of God is complete, the purity of faith is reflected in the radiance of gold, and “silver purified from the earth in the furnace” is “the words of the Lord - pure words” (cf. Ps. 11:7). However, what is called “brass” does not consist in the power of the Spirit of God, but only in the sound of His voice, and it, according to the Apostle, is like “ringing brass and a sounding cymbal” (1 Cor. 13:1). Therefore, if we apply these “brass censers,” that is, the words of the heretics, to the altar of God, where the Divine fire burns, where the true proclamation takes place, the truth itself will shine much brighter in comparison with the deceptive one. After all, if I take, for example, the sayings of Marcion, Basilides or any other heretic and refute them with the words of truth and the testimony of the Divine Scriptures, as if by the fire of the altar of God, then will not their wickedness be revealed even more clearly by this very comparison? After all, if the teaching of the Church were simple and it were not surrounded on all sides by the assertions of heretical theories, our faith could not seem so pure and so impeccable. But because Catholic doctrine is attacked by those who oppose it, our faith is not weakened by inaction, but is polished by constant exercise. 1.4. That is why the Apostle said: “There must also be heresies 19 among you, so that those who are skilled may be revealed among you” (1 Cor. 11:19). This means that the altar must be surrounded with the censers of heretics (cf. Num. 16:38 (17:3)) so that the difference between the faithful and the unfaithful becomes undeniable and obvious to all. For when the faith of the Church shines like gold, and its proclamation in the eyes of those turned to it sparkles like silver refined by fire, then the voices of heretics, muffled by wickedness and dishonor, will seem despicable due to the low value of copper. 1.5. Do you want to see that the good is better recognized in comparison with the worst? Who would know that the light is good if we had not experienced the darkness of the night? Who would know the sweetness of honey if he had not tasted the bitter? Finally, if you do not drive out the devil himself and the opposing forces that fight us, then without this battle the virtues of the soul will not be able to shine, unless it is supported by the condemnation and punishment of the infidels. 1.6. From what we have read, it is clear that every righteous person is seen more clearly in the eyes of God in comparison with others. Thus, it is said about Noah that he “was a righteous man and blameless in his generation” (Gen. 6:9). This shows that he was not completely blameless, but “in his generation,” and was called righteous in comparison with others. I think that what was said about Lot should be understood in a similar way. As the inhabitants of Sodom became worse every day, Lot was seen as more and more righteous (cf. Gen. 13:13). So in this book, which we hold in our hands, it is narrated that when those who examined the land returned and ten of them plunged the people into despair with their terrible stories (cf. Num. 13:31-33), and the other two, namely Caleb and Jesus (cf. Num. 14:6-9), reported good news and called on the people to be firm in their intentions, the Lord granted them eternal reward not so much for their own confession, as much as a result of the fear that their fellow tribesmen experienced. For the virtue of the soul would not have shone so brightly in them if shameful fear and cowardice had not been revealed in the other ten. 1.7. So, we have spoken about the censers of the condemned, which are commanded to be attached to the altar, since against the background of those who are lower, the righteous stand out more clearly, and at the same time an example was given to posterity, so that they do not accept the spirit of arrogance and do not arrogate to themselves the dignity of a priest, which is bestowed by God, but submit to the one who acquired this title not by human ambition, not by vicious favor, not by a reprehensible offering, but awareness of merit and God's will. 2.1. It goes on to say: “The whole assembly of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.” And when the congregation was assembled against Moses and Aaron, they turned to the tabernacle of meeting, and behold, a cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. And Moses and Aaron came to the tabernacle of meeting” (Num. 16:41–43 (17:6–8)). 2.2. Previously, we did not read that a cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting and the glory of the Lord appeared and received Moses and Aaron into this cloud - only now, when the people rebelled against them and wanted to stone them (cf. Num. 14:10). Let us learn from this what benefit Christians receive in times of persecution, what grace descends on them, what kind of protector God becomes for them, how abundantly the Spirit is poured out on them. For it is precisely in such times, when human cruelty rages, that the grace of God appears; when we endure war from people for the sake of righteousness, then we are reconciled with God. “When sin abounded, grace abounded all the more” (Rom. 5:20). 2.3. And so, “when the congregation gathered against Moses and Aaron,” a cloud covered the tabernacle, “and the glory of the Lord appeared” (cf. Num. 16:42 (17:7). No matter how great Moses and Aaron were in their worthy life (cf. Ex. 11:3) and no matter how strong they were in the virtues of the soul, the glory of God could not appear to them until they became persecuted, until they found themselves in danger and cramped conditions, on the very edge of destruction. So don’t you think that the glory of the Lord can appear to you when you are idle and careless. Is it not through sorrow that the Apostle Paul was awarded the glory of God? Doesn’t he consider himself to have endured more than others who were “in labor, in wounds, in prisons”? Doesn’t he write about himself: “They beat me with sticks three times, once they stoned me three times?” I suffered shipwreck, many times I was in dangers at sea, in dangers on rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers among false brethren” (cf. 2 Cor. 11:23-26)? The more sorrows multiply, the more they bring the glory of God to those who courageously endure them. 3.1. “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Turn ye away from this congregation, and I will destroy them in a moment. But they fell on their faces” (Num. 16:44–45 (17:9–10)). Once upon a time, it was necessary to find at least ten righteous people in Sodom in order to barely save the inhabitants of the five cities of Sodom (cf. Gen. 18:32); now, to save the entire Israeli people, only two are enough, but such as Moses and Aaron. So what can we say? How were these two husbands superior to others? What virtue is so great, what merit, that can save six hundred thousand people from death? I think that Moses personifies the law, which teaches people the knowledge and love of God, and Aaron contains the image of kneeling prayers addressed to God. Therefore, if one day God becomes angry with us or with all of God’s people, and if the Lord has already passed judgment and intends to punish the guilty, but the law of God speaks again in our hearts, warning and calling us to repent, make amends for our sins, offer prayers for our offenses, the anger will immediately disappear, the indignation will subside, the Lord will become favorable to us, as if Moses and Aaron had interceded for us and prayed for the whole people. 3.2. If someday we provoke the indignation of God and severe punishment befalls us for our sins and our heart hardens and we do not turn “to the Lord” (cf. 2 Cor. 3:16) and do not humble ourselves “before the Lord” (cf. James 4:10) in order to moderate His indignation and rage with recognition and prayer, but, on the contrary, we will say: “God is not interested in the life of mortals, and all this has no meaning for Of no importance, He left us long ago, and all this does not reach His consciousness”; if we think this way in our hearts and if such reasonings come from our mouths, then certainly there is not among us Moses and Aaron, that is, the knowledge of the law and the fruits of repentance, through which we could avoid inevitable destruction (cf. Matt. 3:7 ff.). I think this also happened to people who lived before us, when they “all went astray and became equally obscene; and there was no one doing good” (Ps. 13:3). For if there were such, God would never have abandoned them. So let us be afraid, lest something similar be revealed in us; I am afraid of the phrase in which our Lord and Savior, who foresees everything, says as if in doubt: “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8). 3.3. So, Moses and Aaron are commanded: “Get away from this congregation, and I will destroy them in a moment” (Num. 16:45 (17:10)). Let's see what they do; they are holy, they are perfect, and, more importantly, they are taught more by the Gospel than by the law, and therefore they love their enemies and pray for “those who oppress and persecute” (cf. Matt. 5:44). For these two men, when they came to kill them, “fell on their faces” to the ground (Num. 16:45 (17:10)). 4.1. “And Moses said to Aaron: Take the censer and put in it fire from the altar and some incense, and bring it quickly to the congregation and protect them, for wrath has gone out from the Lord, and the defeat has begun” (Num. 16:47 (17:11)). Since we have come to this passage, I would like to remind the disciples of Christ about the goodness of God, so that some of you will not be confused by heretics if a dispute ever arises and they begin to assure you that the God of the law is not good, but just, and that in the law of Moses there is not goodness, but justice. Let those who denigrate both God and the law see how Moses and Aaron themselves did what the Gospel subsequently teaches. Look: Moses loves his enemies and prays for those who persecute him (cf. Matt. 5:44), that is, he acts as Christ teaches us in the Gospel. For look how they fell to the ground “on their faces” and pray for those who rose up against them to kill them. Thus, the power of the gospel is found in the law, and it must be understood that the Gospels are based on the foundation of the law; and if I understand the law spiritually, then I do not call it the Old Testament. 4.2. The Law becomes the "Old Testament" for those who want to understand it carnally; and for them it inevitably becomes old and decrepit, because it cannot maintain its strength. But for us, who understand and explain it spiritually and in the Gospel sense, it is always new. Truly, both Testaments are New for us, not because of the recency of time, but because of the newness of understanding. Isn’t this what the Apostle John had in mind when he wrote in his letter: “I write to you a new commandment: love one another” (cf. 1 John 2:8; 3:23)? After all, of course, he knew that the commandment to love had long been given in the law (cf. Lev. 19:18). But since love never ceases (1 Cor. 13:18) and the commandment of love never becomes obsolete, the apostle asserts: what does not wear out is always new; for the commandment of love is constantly renewed in spirit by those who keep and fulfill it. For the sinner and the one who does not keep the commandment of love, the Gospel becomes obsolete. The Covenant cannot be New for one who does not want to “put off the old man’s former way of life and put on the new man, created according to God” (Eph. 4:22–24). 4.3. So, Moses says to the high priest: “Take the censer and put in it fire from the altar and some incense, and bring it quickly to the congregation and intercede for them” (Num. 16:46 (17:11)), for “the defeat of the people has already begun” (Num. 16:47 (17:12)). Moses saw what was happening in the spirit. He saw that the power had come to the camp and began to smite the sinners, and therefore he said to the high priest: “Take the censer and put in it some fire from the altar and some incense, and bring it quickly to the congregation” (Num. 16:46 (17:11)) and stand “between the dead and the living” so that the “defeat” does not continue, but, as Scripture more accurately says, “ceases” (cf. Numbers 16:48 (17:13)). 5.1. But first of all, if it is appropriate, let us give an image of the historical narrative itself, for only when the external form of the events that occurred is clearly presented, should one examine whether this passage also contains something mystical. Therefore, consider that the people of Israel are distributed among camps, tribes and families (cf. Num. 1:2), but pay attention that the power sent by God does not act randomly, but first strikes with death a certain part of the people and successively brings devastation through death; notice how after this the high priest appears in priestly robes and carries a censer and fire with incense, heading to the place where the destroying angel sowing death came (cf. Ex. 12:23), and stands at the place where death put a limit to the first, and next to those who should follow them. Look: the priest stands, separating the living from the dead, and the power of his intercession puts to shame the destroying angel (cf. Ex. 12:23); at the same time, death ceases, and life is reborn. 5.2. If you have understood the structure of the historical narrative and, so to speak, have seen with your own eye the high priest standing “between the dead and the living,” then ascend now to the greater heights of these words. See how the true High Priest Jesus Christ took the “censer” of human flesh and applied to it the fire of the altar - no doubt that exalted soul with which He was born in the flesh - and added to it “incense,” that is, the immaculate Spirit, “and stood between the dead and the living” and stopped the outrage of death, so that, as the Apostle says, “He would take away the power of him who had the power of death, that is, the devil” ( Heb.2:14), “so that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:15). 5.3. Here is a secret that came later, but already then terrified the destroyer of people. For he recognized the image of the censer, and the fire, and the incense; and He who “stood between the dead and the living” foresaw what kind of sacrifice should be offered to God. And then this predestined image saved them, but the truth of salvation itself came to us. For this destroying angel was not ashamed of the purple robes of the High Priest of wool and fine linen, but recognized the vestments of the coming High Priest and submitted to Him who is above all creation. 5.4. I, however, think that this image was not only fulfilled in the first coming of our Lord and Savior, but will also be fulfilled in the second. For the Son of Man will come again, and when He appears, He will certainly find some dead and others alive. We can understand this in such a way that some will find themselves in the state of life in which we are now, and others who lived before us will be dead. But this can be interpreted in another way: the “dead” are understood as bodies, the “living” - as souls. I remember that those who interpreted this passage before us said that the “dead” are those who died in their sins due to the excess of their atrocities, while the living are those who do not cease to do the works of life. But under both interpretations, our High Priest and Savior stands “between the dead and the living” in the future. And it must be said that He will stand “between the dead and the living” even when “he places the sheep on His right side and the goats on His left and says to those on His right side: Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world” (Matthew 25:33-34) and so on; He will also say to those on the left side: “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire, prepared by My Father for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41); “I do not know you” (Luke 13:27). And, of course, those who are sent into eternal fire are “dead,” and those who are sent into the Kingdom are “alive.” 6.1. It is said: “And the defeat ceased” (Num. 16:48 (17:15)), or, as we read in another list, “contrition,” which is more true; for “breaking” is what usually happens to “earthenware.” Thus, sinners become this “earthenware,” as the prophet Jeremiah points out in Lamentations when he says: “The precious sons of Zion, equal to the purest gold, how are they compared to earthenware, the work of a potter’s hands?” ( Lamentations 4:2 ). And the Apostle says: “In a large house there are vessels not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; and some in honorable use, and others in base use” (2 Tim. 2:20). So there are “clay vessels of low use” that can be broken. 6.2. But let’s take a closer look at what the Apostle says about these “clay vessels” further: “If anyone is clean from this, he will be a vessel of honor, sanctified and useful to the Master, fit for every good work” (2 Tim. 2:21). This, apparently, shows that one and the same person is both the vessel itself, and what he becomes, and what this vessel is made of. From this understand that the main thing here is the intention of a person, and the remaining part of it is a vessel made for either honorable or base use. Thus, when our mind chooses good and encourages us to lead a righteous life, we become a useful vessel. When it is neglected and we deliberately fall away from goodness, we become a vessel for low use. Therefore, if our understanding is covered with clay and we always think about clay, that is, about earthly things, then we become a “clay vessel,” “the product of the potter’s hands.” And perhaps for this reason the Apostle reproaches the one who, although he has an earthly and clay mind, raises questions about lofty matters that he cannot understand, and asks: “What else is he blaming for? For who can resist His will? (Rom.9:19). And the Apostle answers him, like a piece of clay: “Who are you, man, that you argue with God? Shall the clay say to the potter 20, “Why have you done this to me?”” (Rom. 9:20). 6.3. It is said that our body is a “clay vessel,” but also the letter of the law, when the Apostle says: “But we have this treasure in clay vessels” (2 Cor. 4:7); for here both meanings can be taken: both that while we are placed in the body, the Lord gives us the treasure of His grace through the Holy Spirit, and that in the words of the law, which seem miserable and contemptible, because they lack the splendor of verbal art, “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden” (Col. 2:3), so that it can justly be said that in them “all the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God are hidden.” 6.4. This is what was meant to be said about the “contrition” which, as it is written, “has ceased” (cf. Num. 16:48 (17:15)); Now let's look at the sequence of the historical narrative that talks about the rods. 7.1. “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, and take from them a rod from each tribe, from all their rulers by tribe, twelve rods, and write each man’s name on his rod; write the name of Aaron on the rod of Levi, for they shall give one rod from the ruler of their tribe; And you shall put them in the tent of meeting, before the ark of the testimony, where I appear to you; and whomever I choose, the rod will blossom; and so I will calm the murmuring of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you” (Num. 17:1–5 (17:16–20). 7.2. Every leader of a tribe and clan has a staff; for no one can rule a people unless he has a rod. That is why the Apostle Paul, who was the leader of the people, said: “What do you want? shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of meekness?” (1 Cor. 4:21). Therefore, it is necessary that each ruler of the tribe have his own rod, but, as Scripture reports, only one, the high priest Aaron, will have a rod that will blossom. And since the true High Priest is Christ, as we have shown more than once, He is the only one whose tree of the cross not only blossomed, but also bore fruit - for all believers. 7.3. However, what fruit did Aaron's rod bear? “Almonds,” as it is said, are a fruit whose first shell is bitter, which itself is covered and protected by a hard second layer, and the third – the nut itself – nourishes those who eat it. In the school of Christ, the same is the teaching of the law and the prophets: the first layer - the letter - is quite bitter; he prescribes circumcision of the flesh, commands sacrifices, and so on, which expresses the “letter” that “kills” (cf. 2 Cor. 3:6). Throw it all away like the bitter shell of an almond; secondly, you will reach the protective shell that marks moral teaching and the skill of abstinence. They are, of course, necessary to protect what is inside, but, of course, they must also be split open and removed. For example, we say that it is certainly necessary to abstain from food and curb the flesh while we are in a body subject to corruption and passions; but when it is broken and destroyed and during the resurrection turns from the corruptible to the incorruptible, from the spiritual to the spiritual, it will no longer be subject to the action of passions, not to mortification by abstinence and not to material corruption, but to its own nature. This is why abstinence, which now seems necessary, later turns out to be unnecessary. And thirdly, you will find hidden and hidden in the law and the prophets an understanding of the mysteries of “the wisdom and knowledge of God” (Col. 2:3), with which the souls of the saints are satisfied and nourished not only in this life, but also in the future. This is the priestly fruit, which is promised to satisfy “those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” (cf. Matt. 5:6). 7.4. It is in this way that the understanding of this tripartite mystery runs throughout Scripture. So wisdom calls us to write “three times” in our hearts the words of truth given to us (cf. Prov. 22:18, 20:21). So the patriarch Isaac dug three wells, and only the third of them was called “breadth” and “extent” (cf. Gen. 26:15,18.22). The almond tree rod is a priestly secret; therefore, as I think, Jeremiah, one of the priests in Anathoth, saw the “rod of the almond tree” and prophesied about it what is written, both about the rod of the almond tree and about the boiling pot; this seems to show that in an almond rod there is life, and in a boiling pot there is death (Jer. 1: 1, 11: 13); for “life and death” are presented “before your face” (cf. Deut. 30:15), and Christ in the mystery of the almond tree is life, and the devil in the form of a boiling cauldron is death. Therefore, if you sin, then your fate is a “boiling cauldron”; and if you live in truth, then your inheritance is the “rod of the almond tree” with the Great High Priest. So the Song of Songs tells how the bride “went down into the walnut orchard” (cf. Song.6:11), where, in addition to nuts, I found many priestly pomegranate apples (cf. Song.6:11). 7.5. And since we are talking about rods, God only made one promise about the rod, but fulfilled several. Consider more carefully to see if we can see from this that the bounty of God exceeds the promises themselves; perhaps even in this we can grasp and trace how the inexpressible goodness of God appears, about which we constantly read in Scripture, since we see that He is more generous in His gifts than in His promises. 8.1. So, in the words of Scripture that we are now discussing, it is said: “Whomever I choose, the rod will blossom” (Num. 17:5 (17:20)). God promised only that the rod of His chosen one would sprout. When the fulfillment of this promise is shown, it is said that not only what was promised was done, but look how much more was added. For it is said: “The rod of Aaron, from the house of Levi, blossomed” (Num. 17:8 (17:23)); undoubtedly, this is what was promised, but something else was added, and it was said: “He sprouted buds, gave flowers and brought almonds” (Num. 17:8 (17:23)). And although it was promised that the rod would only sprout, pay attention to how much more God grants: it not only “bloomed,” but also “sprouted buds,” and not only “sprouted buds,” but also “gave color,” and not only “gave color,” but also “brought almonds.” What should we conclude from this and what should we see in it? First of all, the mystery of the resurrection from the dead; for the dried “rod” sprouts when the dead body begins to come to life. But what are these four properties that are given to the body at resurrection? What is “sown in corruption is raised in incorruption; sown in humiliation, raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in strength; the natural body is sown, the spiritual body is raised” (1 Cor. 15:42–44). These are the four properties that will sprout from the dried rod of our dead body in the resurrection. 8.2. And in the second place we will say that if here God gives four times what he promised and gives much more priceless treasures than he promised, then how much more true is this in relation to all those places of Scripture where something is said about God promised, and in the future many times more is prepared, but only for those who are worthy to achieve what was promised. And so what the Apostle said will be fulfilled: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9). So look how great this is, that not only no one saw or heard, but also “it did not enter the heart of man,” that is, he could not even think about it. Thus, whether you speak of the earth or the sky or the bright visible light, all this is seen by the eye and heard by the ear, and therefore it cannot be that which “no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor entered into the heart of man.” So rise above all this, go beyond what you see, what you hear, what you can think, and find out that God has prepared for “those who love Him” what “has not entered into” the thoughts of the heart. I think that this is precisely why promises of this kind should not mean anything material. For rational understanding of material matter does not entirely elude the comprehension of human thinking, but no one can comprehend with the mind, no one can come to the heart of what only the wisdom of God contains. 8.3. And just as much more than the promised good is given, punishments are also added, threatening sinners whose torment will increase, as we said earlier that for a day of sins a year of punishment is given (cf. Numbers 14:34); unless someone thinks about a third possibility and finds consolation in what is contained in the threat to David: when it was appointed that death would strike the people for three days, but this period was apparently reduced to six hours (cf. 2 Samuel 24:13). But this example can be used only when time for repentance and the opportunity for correction are given. However, it is written that God punishes evil “to the third and fourth generation” (cf. Ex. 20:5), and rewards good with His mercy not “to the third and fourth generation,” but, as the Scripture says, “to a thousand generations” (cf. Ex. 20:6; Deut. 7:9). 9.1. Let us return, however, to what we started talking about wands. We can also understand the differences between what grows from the rod this way: all who believe in Christ first die and then are born again; and the fact that the withered rod sprouts is an image of this. So, the confession of Christ is the first shoot. It then buds as it is regenerated and receives the gift of grace through sanctification by the Holy Spirit. After this, he gives color when he begins to improve, is adorned with attractive behavior and exudes the fragrance of kindness and mercy. And finally, he bears the fruit of righteousness, by which he not only lives himself, but also gives life to others. For when he reaches perfection, he will begin to radiate from himself the word of faith, the word of knowledge of God and bring benefit to others, that is, he will give fruit so that others can feed on it. 9.2. Therefore, everyone who believes grows from the rod of Aaron, which is Christ; and in the four kinds of sprouts elsewhere in Scripture are expressed the four periods of life, which the Apostle John shows in his epistle with mysterious distinctions; for he says: “I am writing to you, children,” and: “I am writing to you, young men,” and: “I am writing to you, young men,” and: “I am writing to you, fathers” (1 John 2:12–13). Of course, this does not refer to bodily age, but reflects the different levels of growth of the soul, which is also shown in the flowering of the priestly rod. Thus, what was said refers not so much to the rod of Aaron as to that “staff 21”, which “will come from the root of Jesse, and a branch will grow from his root; and the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him” (cf. Is. 11:1-2). It does not seem superfluous to say here that the staff “will come into being” and the branch “will grow.” For although Christ is one in His essence, He becomes different for everyone according to the needs of the one in whom He acts. Thus, for one who weakens and becomes careless in teaching, Christ is made a “rod,” and the rod is said to not “grow,” but “comes into being.” For he who is weak and careless must come out of the unfaithful state in which he is, and pass into another, as if forced to this by a staff, that is, warned by a stricter teaching; but Christ, as it is said, “grows” in him who is righteous, for “the righteous blossoms like a palm tree” (Ps. 91:13). So, the rod “occurs” for the one who needs suggestion with the staff; but it “grows” and blossoms in him who grows in righteousness. And it grows until it bears “the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering” (cf. Gal.5:22) and other virtues of our Lord Jesus Christ, “To whom be glory and dominion forever and ever.” Amen" (1 Peter 4:11). Homilia X. About what is written: “And the Lord said to Aaron: You and your sons and your father’s house with you will bear the sin of the saints 22” (Num. 18:1). 1.1. Those who are higher always take upon themselves the sins and mistakes of those who are lower. For the Apostle also says: “You who are strong must bear the weaknesses of those who are powerless” (Rom. 15:1). If an Israelite, that is, a layman, sins, then he himself cannot remove the sin from himself - he needs a Levite, he needs a priest, or rather, he seeks something higher - in order to receive the forgiveness of sins, he needs a high priest. If a priest or high priest commits an offense, he himself can cleanse his sin, but only if he has not sinned against God; for forgiveness of this kind of sins, as we read in the letter of the law, is not so easy to achieve. 1.2. We said all this in relation to what was read to us today: “And the Lord said to Aaron: You and your sons and your father’s house with you will bear the sin of the saints” (Num. 18:1). This passage can be interpreted as follows: “you and your sons and your father’s house with you shall bear the sin of the saints” indicates that the high priest offers for the sin of everyone and makes atonement for the one for whom he offered the sacrifice. At the same time, it does not seem to me redundant to mention the sins of the saints, for this word is repeated in many places in Scripture. And therefore we must ask how it is that those whose sins are written down are called saints. 1.3. Some people think that once someone becomes a saint, they can no longer sin and are considered sinless. This is not so, for if the saints had not sinned, then it would not have been written: “You will bear the sin of the saints.” If the saints were without sin, the Lord would not have said through the prophet Ezekiel to the angels sent to punish sinners: “Begin with my saints 23.” If saints are sinless, how then are they the first to suffer punishment for sins? If the saints were without sin, Scripture would not say: “The righteous at the beginning of his words becomes his accuser” (Prov. 18:17). If the saints had been without sin, the Apostle Paul would not have said when he wrote to the Romans: “For the sake of food, do not destroy the work of God” (Rom. 14:20), to those people to whom at the beginning of the letter he wrote: “To all those who are in Rome beloved of God, called saints” (Rom. 1:7). And again, the Apostle, turning to the Corinthians, says: “Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1:1), and a little lower: “To the church of God which is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints” (1 Cor. 1:2). 1.4. Listen now to how many sins Paul accuses those whom he calls “saints” and “sanctified.” For further he says: “Because you are still carnal. For if there is envy, strife, and disagreement among you, are you not carnal? and are you not acting according to human custom?” (1 Cor. 3:3); and again: “You are already full, you are already rich, you have begun to reign without us” (1 Cor. 4:8); and again: “Because I do not come to you, some among you have become proud” (1 Cor. 4:18); and further: “There is a true rumor that fornication has appeared among you, and, moreover, such fornication as is not heard even among the pagans” (1 Cor. 5:1). And then he says: “And you became proud, instead of weeping” (1 Cor. 5:2)! And, of course, here he makes no exceptions, condemning some for fornication, others for pride and arrogance. Further, he accuses them of litigation, saying: “And this is already very humiliating for you, that you have litigation among yourself” (1 Cor. 6:7). 1.5. Paul accuses those whom he called “saints” of eating things sacrificed to idols (cf. 1 Cor. 8:7), and, as if announcing a sentence to them, he says: “And by sinning in this way against the brethren and wounding their weak conscience, you sin against Christ” (1 Cor. 8:12). He condemns them for not only eating things sacrificed to idols, but also, as he believes, drinking “the cup of demons,” and says: “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; You cannot be partakers in the table of the Lord and in the table of demons” (1 Cor. 10:21). And he also says to them: “I hear that when you gather for church, there are divisions among you” (1 Cor. 11:18); and again: “For everyone hastens to eat his food before others, so that some are hungry, and others are drunk” (1 Cor. 11:21). And about their sins he says: “Because of this many of you are weak and sick, and many die” (1 Cor. 11:30). 1.6. After this, Paul no longer accuses the Corinthians of moral transgressions, but of crimes against the faith. For he says: “How do some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?” (1 Cor. 15:12); and again: “And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is vain: you are still in your sins” (1 Cor. 15:17). However, it would be too long and inappropriate to list all the evidence proving that those called saints should not be considered sinless; only those who carelessly and inattentively read the Divine Scriptures, which show the multiple differences between the saints, think so, as we have already discussed in great detail in other conversations; Now let’s say as much as this passage requires. 1.7. Saints are those people who, although they are sinners, have dedicated themselves to God and separated their lives from the customs of the crowd in order to serve the Lord. Such a person is called a saint because he cut off other concerns and gave himself up to the Lord; however, it may happen that he does not do everything he should, but commits offenses and sins. For just as someone who separates and withdraws from any other kind of activity in order to comprehend, say, medicine or philosophy, devoting himself to the study of these subjects, will not immediately become so perfect that he will not stumble in anything, but rather, on the contrary, will make many mistakes and will hardly ever achieve perfection, and, despite this, as soon as he devotes himself to this science, is ranked among the doctors or philosophers, the same should be understood in relation to saints: as soon as someone has such an intention, he is called a “saint.” But since he inevitably sins in many ways, he will be called a sinner until, through instruction, diligence and diligence, he cuts off sinful habits from himself. 1.8. I would add something else, namely, that if someone does not have the intention of becoming a saint and he is not zealous for holiness, then when he sins, he does not know, does not know where to look for healing. And those who are not holy die in their sins; saints bring repentance for their sins, they feel their wounds, they understand their mistakes, they look for a priest, they ask to heal them, they want the high priest to cleanse them. And therefore, in the words of the law it is clearly and prudently expressed that the high priests and priests bear the sins not only of the righteous, but also of the saints (cf. Num. 18:1); for he who heals his sin through the high priest is a saint. 2.1. But let us remember our High Priest, “the great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus” (cf. Heb. 4:14), our Lord, and let us see how He Himself with His sons, that is, the apostles and martyrs, “bears the sin of the saints.” All believers in Christ know that our Lord Jesus Christ came to “take upon Himself the sin of the world” (cf. John 1:29) and by His death to blot out our sins. Now we will try, if we can, using the example of Divine Scripture to show that His sons, that is, the apostles and martyrs, take upon themselves the sins of the saints. First of all, listen to what Paul says: “I will willingly spend my time and spend myself for your souls” (2 Cor. 12:15), and in another place: “For I am already becoming a sacrifice, and the time of my departure has come” (2 Tim. 4:6). So, the Apostle says that he exhausts himself and becomes a sacrifice for the sake of those to whom he writes. When a sacrifice is made, it is done in order to cleanse the sins of those for whom this sacrifice is sacrificed. And the Apostle John writes in the book of Revelation about the martyrs that “the souls of those killed for” the name of the Lord Jesus “stand at the altar 24” (cf. Rev. 6:9). But, as is shown, those who stand at the altar perform the office of the priest; but it is the priest's duty to intercede for the sins of the people (cf. Heb. 5:1ff.). That is why I am afraid that since since then no one has become martyrs and no one makes priestly sacrifices for our sins, we will not receive forgiveness of sins. And I am afraid that our sins will remain in us and the same thing will happen to us that, according to the Jews, happened to them: since they no longer have an altar, no church, no priesthood and no one to make sacrifices, they say: “Our sins remain in us, and we will not receive forgiveness.” We, in turn, must say that the sacrifices of martyrs are not offered for us, and therefore our sins remain in us; for we were not worthy to suffer persecution for Christ, nor to die for the name of the Son of God. 2.2. That is why the devil, knowing that forgiveness of sins is achieved through the suffering of martyrs, does not want to bring persecution against us from the pagans; for he knows that if we are brought “before kings and rulers for the name” of Christ “as a witness” to Jews and Gentiles (cf. Luke 12:21), we will rejoice and be glad, “for [our] reward is great in heaven” (Matthew 5:12). The enemy does not do this either out of jealousy for our glory, or perhaps because He who foresees and knows everything in advance knows that we will not endure martyrdom. However, “the Lord knows those who are His” (cf. 2 Tim. 2:19) and keeps His treasures in those in whom we do not expect, for “God does not see as man sees” (1 Sam. 16:7). I have no doubt that in our congregation there are those whom only He knows, who in His eyes are already martyrs, ready to testify and, if necessary, shed their blood for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am convinced that there are those here who have taken up their cross and are following Him (cf. Matt. 16:24). And although in saying this we have deviated from the topic, what has been said is necessary for us to understand how through the high priest and the sons of the high priest the saints receive forgiveness of sins. 3.1. After this it is said: “And you and your sons with you will bear the sin of your priesthood. Take also your brothers, the tribe of Levi, the descendants of your father: let them be with you and serve you, and you and your sons will be with you at the tabernacle of testimony; let them serve you and serve at the altar and in all the tabernacle” (Num. 18:1-3). Those who are honored to belong to the priesthood should be especially careful to observe what is written, so that they may know what the law of God commands them. It is said: “You and your sons will be with you at the tabernacle of testimony; let them serve you and serve at the altar and in all the tabernacle” (Num. 18:2-3). It is expressly and definitely commanded that we should have charge of the altar, the whole tabernacle, and the priesthood; Of course, the one who does what is commanded to the priests, who bears the dignity and dignity of the priesthood, but does not perform the work and does not fulfill the duties of the priesthood, can only be recognized by the One who tests the “hearts and bellies” (cf. Ps. 7:10; Rev. 2:23). Thus, the priest is commanded to observe not only the external regulations, but, as it is said, “and what is within behind the veil” (cf. Num. 18:7), as if he were told: “Let the priest’s care be to fulfill the clear and obvious regulations of the law of God and to comprehend its hidden and concealed mysteries with all the insight of his mind.” 3.2. If you want to attribute the tabernacle of testimony to man, for Paul calls the human body a tabernacle when he says: “We, being in this tabernacle 25, groan under a burden, because we do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed” (2 Cor. 5:4), if we attribute the tabernacle to man, then we will call what is hidden inside the veil the main part of the heart, which alone can perceive the mysteries of truth and comprehend hidden by God. 3.3. As for the two altars, since the altar is a symbol of prayer, I think that they mean what the Apostle said: “I will pray with the spirit, I will also pray with the mind” (1 Cor. 14:15). For when I pray in my heart, I enter the inner altar, and, as I believe, the Lord speaks about this in the Gospel: “But when you pray, go into your room and, having shut your door, pray to your Father in secret” (Matthew 6:6). Whoever prays like this, as I said, approaches the altar of incense, which is inside (cf. Ex. 27:1; Heb. 9:3). When someone offers vocal prayers, pronouncing words in a loud voice, as if addressing those listening, he prays in the spirit (cf. 1 Cor. 14:15) and, as it were, makes a sacrifice on the altar, which is built outside, so that the people bring burnt offerings on it (cf. Ex. 20:24). Therefore, priests should especially take care of what is hidden within, behind the veil, so that nothing is defiled, so that nothing is unclean; in other words, they must take care of the inner man and guard what is hidden in the heart, so that only the pure remains in it. 3.4. By cherubim and the throne of mercy (cf. Ex. 25:17–18; Heb. 9:5) should be understood the knowledge of the Trinity; for “cherub” means “many,” that is, it indicates the perfection of knowledge. And what else is the perfection of knowledge if not to know the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit? And therefore, the concern of the priests should be to preserve all this pure and undefiled. 3.5. And the “golden vessel with heavenly manna” (cf. Heb. 9:4) is, without a doubt, the treasury of the word of God. The golden ark, which contains the “tablets of the covenant” (cf. Heb. 9:4), I think, points to nothing more than our mind, in which we must write the law of God. And this mind must be golden, that is, pure and precious, in which the law of God must always be written, just as the Apostle says: “What is written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of flesh of the heart” (2 Cor. 3:3). For it is said about some: “They show that the work of the law is written in their hearts” (Rom. 2:15). Who, if not God, wrote it “in the hearts” with the “finger of God” (cf. Ex. 31:18)? Of course, the natural law that God gave to the human race He also wrote in the minds of everyone; it is from here that we take our beginning and from it we receive the seeds for comprehending the truth; and if we diligently cultivate these seeds, they will bear in us the fruit of life in Christ Jesus our Lord, “To whom be glory forever and ever.” Amen" (Gal.1:5). Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, beheaded by the sword in 258. From a letter to Donatus about the grace of God. Eusebius of Caesarea writes that this was the nickname of Origen (“Ecclesiastical History” 6.14.10). This refers to Alaric, king of the Visigoths. Pinian was the husband of Melania the Younger. In the Synodal translation: “and decorously.” Translated from the Septuagint text. In the Synodal translation: “As in water face to face, so the heart of a man comes to man.” In the Synodal translation: “from thirty years old.” In the Synodal translation: “in the afternoon.” In the Synodal translation: “in fortune-telling.” In the Synodal translation: “image.” In the Synodal translation: “sees.” In the Synodal translation: “The day of death is [better] than the day of birth.” In the Synodal translation: “a monster.” In the Synodal translation: “like a speck of dust that floats on the scales.” In the Synodal translation: “from the strong one.” In the Synodal translation: “its yeast.” In the Synodal translation: “differences of opinion.” In the Synodal translation: “The product will tell the one who made it.” In the Synodal translation: “branch”. In the Synodal translation: “sin for negligence in the sanctuary.” In the Synodal translation: “Begin at My sanctuary.” In the Synodal translation: “under the altar.” In the Synodal translation: “hut.”