Glaphyrs, or explanations of selected passages from the Book of Deuteronomy

The treatise “Glafira, or explanations of selected passages” contains a typological commentary on selected passages of the Pentateuch. The essay was written by St. Cyril of Alexandria in 412-418. and addressed to Palladius. The work consists of 13 books, of which seven are dedicated to the Book of Genesis, three to the Book of Exodus, and one each to the Books of Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. According to the saint himself, “Glafira” is an organic continuation of the treatise “On Worship and Service in Spirit and Truth”: if there were selected passages of the Pentateuch, the spiritual meaning of which better served the purposes of “moral instruction,” then here his task is to show how the “mystery of Christ” is manifested in the “shadows” of the Old Testament. St. Cyril finds in Old Testament events, institutions and persons prototypes of Christ, New Testament events, the Church and its Sacraments. For example, the copper serpent points to Christ (Num. 21:9), or His prototype is the Passover lamb (Ex. 12:1-13). According to the saint, the birth of Moses (Ex. 2:1-10) corresponds to the coming of Christ, who humbled Himself and took on “the form of a servant” (Phil. 2:6-7). The essay addresses various topics, for example: - knowledge of God. The incomprehensibility of the Divine essence and the impossibility of expressing it through human language: “No one can see the Divine nature as it is. For it is completely invisible, above any mind and surpasses the power of words, and it alone is cognizable only by itself”; - triadology. The doctrine of the Holy Trinity is the revelation of the incarnate Word: “The Son revealed to us the Father in Himself, and through Him we were convinced of the truth of the doctrine of the Holy and Consubstantial Trinity”; - anthropology. Man is the image of God, the crown and ultimate goal of creation. Everything was created for his sake. His exceptional dignity is indicated by the very method of creation: if God created everything else immediately by His command, then He honored only the creation of man with “preliminary advice” and “personal participation.” *The title of the work in Greek is Γλαφυρά. *The title of the work in Latin is Glaphyra in Pentateuchum. Glaphyrs of the Book of Genesis • Glaphyrs of the Book of Exodus • Glaphyrs of the Book of Leviticus • Glaphyrs of the Book of Numbers • Glaphyrs of the Book of Deuteronomy About the heifer whose veins were cut in the valley 1. “God, who at times and in various ways spoke of old to the fathers through the prophets, has spoken to us in these last days through the Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also created the worlds” (Heb. 1:1-2). But some who correctly understood that the Son, being God by nature, humbled Himself, that He “became flesh and dwelt in” us (John 1:14), received Divine and precious grace: “And to those who received Him, to those who believe in His name, He gave the power to become children of God,” says Scripture (John 1:12); others, having rejected the Divine and truly saving teaching, lost hope, the evil ones perished evilly, because they wickedly brought shame to the Savior and Redeemer of all. Such were the unfortunate Jews, whom the prophet Jeremiah himself mourns, saying: “Oh, who will give my head water and my eyes a source of tears! I would weep for the people day and night” (Jer. 9:1). For it was possible for them to become glorious and worthy of imitation; but having lost real happiness, have they not become fully worthy of finally being numbered among the dead? The prophet justly mourned them and shed tears out of love and sympathy. So, there was no Good left in them, and unbridled Israel was cast down, as if from its very foundations; for Christ moved to the pagans, and the stubborn Jews are saved with difficulty in the smallest number; This, I think, is what is announced prophetically through the mouth of Isaiah: “If the Lord of hosts had not left us a small remnant, we would have been like Sodom, we would have become like Gomorrah” (Is. 1:9). But now, it seems, from the very words of Moses we can understand the power of the sacrament. For in the book of Deuteronomy it is written like this: “If in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess, a murdered man is found lying in the field, and it is not known who killed him, then let your elders and your judges go out and measure the distance to the cities that are around the murdered man; and the elders of the city that is nearest to the one killed, let them take a heifer that was not worked on, [and] which did not bear a yoke, and let the elders of that city take that heifer into a wild valley, which is not developed or sown, and kill the heifer there in the valley; And the priests, the sons of Levi, will come... and all the elders of that city who are closest to the slain man, let them wash their hands over [the head of] the heifer that was slain in the valley, and declare and say: Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen; cleanse Your people Israel, whom You, O Lord, have liberated, and do not impute innocent blood to Your people Israel. And they will be cleansed of blood. So you must wash away the blood of the innocent if you want to do [good and] just in the eyes of the Lord” (Deut. 21: 1-9). 2. For our sake Immanuel was plagued; for he was martyred for our sins, according to the Scriptures; and this He endured in the land of Judea and outside the gates of Jerusalem. But they did not know the murderer, they did not know how and in what way it was done. Why does the law say this? And we say that what was done against Christ is the work of the wickedness of the Jews. For they brought Him to Pilate; They exposed themselves, shouting: take, take, “crucify Him” (John 19:6) and again: “if you let Him go, you are not a friend of Caesar” (John 19:12). And His inspired disciples clearly testified before God and the Heavenly Father about their cruelty, saying this: “For truly Herod and Pontius Pilate with the pagans and the people of Israel were gathered in this city against Your Holy Son Jesus, whom You anointed, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel” (Acts 4:27), while Blessed Peter very clearly and before everyone reproaches the people of Judah, in one place saying that “the Author of life killed”, in another place that you “denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked to give you a murderer” (Acts 3:14-15). Why does the law say that they did not know the murderer? These words are mysterious and not accessible to everyone, but understandable only to those who correctly understand the mystery of Christ: for the leaders of the Jews and those who participated in their wicked decision thought that they had defeated Christ contrary to His will and, attributing this matter to their perseverance, rejoiced as victors and did not know that He suffered voluntarily, and in obedience to the will of the Father, He gave Himself for us. Therefore, He clearly says to Pilate: “You would not have any power over Me if it had not been given to you from above” (John 19:11). So, the Father betrayed the Son and, so to speak, killed Immanuel Himself. Therefore, in the book of Psalms, Christ is depicted speaking to the Heavenly Father and God about the wickedness of the Jews: “those whom You have struck, they still pursue, and the sufferings of those wounded by You multiply” (Ps. 68:27). Let the murderer of the Lord not think much of himself. It was not by our own strength that we defeated Christ, who seemed to have no strength, but rather let them learn the truth from Moses; they didn't know the killer. So, look at Emmanuel, wounded in the land of Judea. This mystery was accomplished among them, but not by them; rather, it was performed sacredly in the country and land of the pagans. “If...,” says the law, “a murdered person is found..., let them take a heifer on which they did not work, [and] which did not bear a yoke, (and) ... lead this heifer into a wild valley,” let them cut off her sinews through those appointed for the sacred rite, and laying hands on her, let them “say that our hands did not shed this blood” (Deut. 21: 1-7). This young woman serves as the image of Christ, as we have already said; the young woman serves as the image of Christ, because she does not know the yoke. For although He, as a man, was under the yoke, but as God by nature He is free from the yoke and is not subject to anything created, on the contrary, He rules over all and holds every creature in His power. yoke. Therefore, together with us, He called God Father. For we are subject to the power of the Divine. So He is called a youth, because He bowed under the yoke of human nature; but He is not under the yoke because of the glory of the Godhead, which is completely free. For after the venerable cross, when Christ was wounded, He left the land of the Jews and moved to the land of the pagans, which was neither cultivated nor sown. Before Christ shone forth to the pagans themselves, they were constantly in the world as if it were some kind of dry and uncultivated land and desert that did not bear fruit to God. About this very desert the prophet Isaiah says: “Rejoice, thirsty desert” and its villages, “and the uninhabited country will rejoice and blossom like a daffodil” (Is. 35:1). Therefore, the country or people of the pagans is very well compared to a dry and uncultivated and completely barren land. There, the law says, the “veins of the young woman” must be cut by priests appointed by God (Deut. 21:4). For, as I said, the mystery of Christ is performed among us who were converted from the pagans, and those who confess His passion and resurrection from the dead became participants in the mysterious blessings. I think the cutting of the young woman’s veins indicates this; because, as I said, by preaching His death, as well as His Resurrection, we perform the Holy Sacrament. But those who distance themselves from the wickedness of the Jews, leaving far away the city in which He was wounded and suffered, retiring into the dry and uncultivated desert, there they will wash their hands over Christ Himself, for they will be washed by being baptized into His death. In my opinion, this is indicated by the fact that their hands were washed. By confessing that they became participants in the wickedness of the Jews, they will receive forgiveness. For the Jews, who outraged Christ, themselves pronounce the death sentence on themselves for godlessness, saying: “His blood be on us and on our children” (Matthew 27:25); but those who try to receive grace from Him and seek purification through the Holy Spirit, through which they pay homage to Him, seem to exclaim, saying: “Our hands did not shed this blood” (Deut. 21:7). So, in Christ there is purification, if only one of the Jews decided to have the right to philosophize. This is what the divinely inspired disciples (of Christ) and those who believed through them did before others; they can rightly represent the face of the elders. They became respected and chosen, having rejected the wickedness of Israel through faith in Christ. Through Him and with Him, glory to God and the Father with the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen. About a captive woman whose hair was cut and her nails trimmed 1. God snatched up all the descendants of Israel from the house of slavery and, as it were, from an iron furnace, not only waging war against the Egyptians “with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm” (Ps. 135:12), as it is written, but also countering the tricks of the oppressors with miracles. For He performed signs and wondrous deeds, walked through the middle of the sea as if on dry land, and, as the divine David says, fed them in the wilderness, “and gave them the bread of heaven. Man ate the angel's bread; ...and the streams flowed” (Ps. 77:24–25, 20). And didn’t He do many more extraordinarily miraculous things! Therefore, the divine Moses writes: “as an eagle calls its nest..., it takes them and carries them on its feathers” (Deut. 32:11). But they reached such recklessness and wickedness of thoughts and such unbridled deeds that they turned out to be disobedient to the Redeemer who dwelt with them in the flesh. And why am I talking about this, keeping silent about the worst? They reached the highest degree of wickedness and killed Him with furious and cruel insolence. Therefore, Jerusalem, which killed the Lord, was rightly rejected and, deprived of communion with God, reached the point of all evil, accepting, as it were, the righteous punishment brought upon its own head. Emmanuel himself cried out to him like this: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to you! how many times have I wanted to gather your children together, as a bird gathers its chicks under its wings, and you did not want to! Behold, your house is left to you empty” (Matthew 23:37–38). And that the Jewish synagogue had to undergo terrible and unbearable punishment for Christ, the law itself secretly pointed out to us; for here it is said thus: “When you go out to war against your enemies, and the Lord your God delivers them into your hands, and you take them captive, and you see among the captives a woman of beautiful appearance, and you love her, and you want to take her to your wife, then bring her to your house, and let her shave her head and trim her nails, and take off her captive clothing, and live in your house, and mourn for her father. his and his mother for the duration of the month; and after that you can go in to her and become her husband, and she will be your wife; If you don’t like her afterwards, then let her go wherever she wants, but don’t sell her for silver and don’t turn her into slavery, because you humbled her” (Deut. 21:10-14). It is useless, I think, to work too hard on this narrative and try to explain what is contained in the shadows; for there is nothing incomprehensible here. The meaning of what is prescribed is very clear and understandable without effort. Let us therefore begin to examine the spiritual signification of this establishment. 2. So, what kind of war is this and against whom, of course? and who is this beautiful-looking and very pleasant-looking wife? and why is it commanded to shave the hair on her head, cut her nails and remove the clothes of captivity from her? The Jewish synagogue, as I said before, served the Egyptians as a captive. For once the ancestors of the Israelites, due to famine, migrated to Egypt. When, after a long time, they became strong, very brave and numerous, the Egyptians began to fear that the Israelites, emboldened by their numbers, would rebel against themselves and subjugate those who had once ruled over them. Therefore, the Israelites were burdened with exhausting labor making bricks. But God had mercy on them. For, as I said, He declared war on the Egyptians, defeated them and delivered the Israelites from the intolerable oppression of Egypt. He saw in this oppression the captive Jerusalem or the people of Judah, shining with the beauty of hereditary nobility; for he is beautiful and worthy of admiration for the sake of the fathers. When God looked at him and desired him, that is, found him worthy of love; then, wanting not only to live with him, but also to make him the author (doer) of good deeds, He brought him into His house. What does it mean? He set up a holy tabernacle in the desert, so that those brought up through sacrifices performed according to the law and through transformative worship would gradually learn to understand the mystery of Christ. For the law is a nurturer in Christ, as blessed Paul says. Having brought him into his house, he shaved his head and cut his nails and took off the clothes of captivity. By “head” the Holy Scripture usually teaches to mean “mind”, and compares the “thoughts of the mind” with “hair” on it. So, shaving one’s hair perfectly signifies the putting aside of thoughts, which was commanded to the redeemed ancient Israel by God, who clearly spoke through the wise Moses: “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:3). And again: “You shall not do this to the Lord your God” (Ex. 20:4). For the abominations that the Lord hated they committed to their gods. While in Egypt, they had other thoughts, thought that there were many gods, and showed respect to the creature instead of the Creator and gave divine glory to trees and stones. When, through Moses, they were called to the knowledge of the true and one God, how can one doubt that time will produce in them other thoughts, completely new ones. The inspired Paul diligently commanded us to do the same, saying: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may know what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:2). This is precisely what the command to shave your head indicated; and cutting long nails hints at an attitude of impurity and depravity. For those who grow their nails longer than necessary cannot possibly keep them clean. And that Israel, having been awarded close communion with God, had to avoid uncleanness, no one will doubt this, hearing the clear commands of the law: “Thou shalt not kill. Don't commit adultery. Don't steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Ex. 20:13–16) and other similar things. I would call the clothes of captivity an outward sign of slavery; they serve as images of vicious behavior. For, subjugated to the will of the devil and bending her neck under his dominion, like a torn garment, she wore carnal desires. When she was redeemed by the law and taught to be wise and to do the best, she removed the accusations of her former depravity and finally appeared clothed in learning through the law, as if in some light clothing. I think the inspired Paul urges us to do the same thing, saying this: “putting off the old man with his deeds and putting on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of Him who created him” (Col. 3:9-10). For we put on new clothes in holy Baptism, throwing off the clothes of captivity to Satan; Having finally put on Emmanuel himself, we offer thanks to God and the Father, saying: “I will rejoice in the Lord with joy, my soul will rejoice in my God; for He has clothed me with the robe of salvation, He has clothed me with the robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10). And Paul, fully versed in the law, says in another place: “Put on our Lord Jesus Christ, and do not turn the cares of the flesh into lusts” (Rom. 13:14). You see how we, having stripped ourselves of the flesh, as if the garments of captivity, put on the bright and Divine cover - Christ; for He is the garment of gladness and the robe of salvation. After her hair is shaved, says the law, her dirty and long nails are cut, and her clothes of captivity are taken off, only then will she live in your house and settle here as a lawful wife. But she will cry for her father and mother for a month, that is, she will remember her family. And after that you will go in to her and she will be your wife. For I think that those who are called to close fellowship with God should remove their minds from foolish notions and vain thoughts that can lead astray, and from all uncleanness, and, as the inspired Paul writes, “put off the old man, which is corrupted by the deceitful lusts,” (Eph. 4:22) and cleave with all your Soul to God, who cared for us and accepted us into fatherly communion. For I think that the words: “And he will sit in your house” (Deut. 21:13) indicate that one must cleave completely to God. Therefore, blessed David, knowing this wonderful and truly useful deed, says: “I asked one thing of the Lord, this only I seek, that I might abide in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, contemplate the beauty of the Lord and visit His church” (Ps. 26:4). A very clear sign that he had a firm soul filled with love for God is, one must think, that he dwells in the courts of the Lord all his days. But the Creator knew the extent of man's intelligence. For how and why he would not know this, if the one who says is true: “He knows our composition” (Ps. 102:14). But those who migrate from life in the world and remove their minds from carnal passions have not completely learned to do this perfectly. For we are weak from the beginning and our mind is carried away by unclean pleasures; he easily submits to the memory of entertainment, and almost always becomes strongly attached to it, although the Law forbids this and God, as it were, draws us back, disposing us to an excellent and incomparably better life. For if the path to virtue is difficult, then the path that leads us to vice is very convenient; To acquire the former we must use effort; to acquire the latter we go very easily. What does the law say? “Let her father and her mother mourn for a month of days” (Deut. 21:13), that is, she will not immediately enjoy living in your house, but for some time she will remember her family. It happens that although those captured are given honors and given the opportunity to live in complete luxury; but they still strive to see their home, their parents and their city; and they cannot help but remember their own, and sometimes shed tears, because both longing and sorrow fill their soul at the thought that they have lost their native country. Crowds of Jews had to experience the same thing. For freed from Egypt and delivered from bitter slavery, they were called by God to a higher and former freedom, and yet they remembered what happened in Egypt, saying: “Oh, that they might die..., struck down by the Lord; to the land of Egypt... . And a murmur against Moses,” saying: “Why did you bring us into this desert?” (Num. 14, 3, 2, 16, 13.) And that those who move away from the shameful carnality and life in the world, at first have difficulty parting with this, and sometimes strive for what is in the world, the coder partly hints at this to us, saying: “Let him mourn his father and his mother for a month of days” (Deut. 21, 13). However, we do not say that he commands them to cry, but rather condescends to this and allows it to the weak, saying that one must be lenient towards those suffering from this kind of shortcomings, because they have not yet acquired patience in suffering. Therefore, he showed leniency towards the passions of the Jewish synagogue in the desert and did not completely destroy those who sinned, although he was angry at this, meaning their benefit. And that he does not always condescend to our weaknesses and to our previous addiction, that is, in attachment to the world, he clearly showed this by assigning a short time for crying - “a month of days” (Deut. 21:13), that is, some insignificant and shortened period of time. The divine Psalmist inspires us with the same thought, speaking to the church of the pagans: “Hear, daughter, and see, and incline your ear, and forget your people and your father’s house. And the King will desire your beauty” (Ps. 44:11–12). Yes, “he mourns,” he says, “for his father and mother for a month; and she will be your wife” (Deut. 21:13). For having freed ourselves, as I said, from worldly life, we gradually cleave to God, precisely through spiritual unity; because “he who is united with the Lord is one spirit with the Lord” (1 Cor. 6:17). But “if you don’t like her afterwards, then let her go wherever she wants, but don’t sell her for silver” (Deut. 21:14). When the Jewish synagogue acted wickedly and, laying hands on Christ Himself, tortured His Lord, then it became hated and unwanted and was expelled from the Divine and holy house. However, she was not sold into slavery and was not completely betrayed to Satan and was not completely subordinate to his will. For Israel did not serve idols, although it lost close fellowship with Christ, but continues to confess and worship the One True God and retained its love for Moses and the law. God did not completely reject him for the sake of the fact that he was once honored with closeness to Him. The law teaches us this, saying: “Do not reject her, for you have humbled her” (Deut. 21:14). For here “humility” means the deprivation of virginity or the image of the Spiritual union, namely the union in Christ. Through Him and with Him, glory to God and the Father with the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen. About the one who wages war against enemies “Prepare... weapons and shields,” the prophet Isaiah once said (Isaiah 21:5). And the wise Paul also says: “Put on the whole armor of God” (Eph. 6:11). For the friends of God and practitioners of virtue and accustomed to fine deeds very courageously wage the struggle against all unclean and carnal pleasure. For the strength of faith is opposed to the stubbornness of the devil, invincible determination, patience in troubles, zeal for hard work, of course, worthy of praise. But I do not think that anyone could ever achieve this measure of spiritual courage, so as to thus receive glory worthy of wonder, if he did not have Christ helping him, for He is ready in every possible way to help and assist those who strive to philosophize the same as He himself philosophized and who have received purification through Him and consider reproach as an honor. for Him. Therefore, the divinely inspired Psalmist says: “He who dwells under the shelter of the Most High, in the shadow of the Almighty, says to the Lord: “My refuge and my defense, my God, in whom I trust!” He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, from the destructive plague" (Ps. 90, 1–3). And that we will emerge victorious over our enemies, with the help of God, is assured by the one who says: “Because he loved Me, I will deliver him; ...He will call to Me, and I will hear him; I am with him in sorrow; I will deliver him and glorify him” (Ps. 90:14–15). But look, the same thing was written by the wise Moses himself, for he says: “When you go on a campaign against your enemies, beware of all evil. If anyone among you is unclean because of what happened to [him] at night, then he must go out of the camp and not enter the camp, and when evening comes he must wash [his body] with water, and after setting the sun he can enter the camp. You must have a place outside the camp where you can go out; besides your weapon you must have a spatula; and when you sit outside the camp, dig [a hole] with it and again cover [it] with your excrement; for the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp to deliver you and deliver your enemies [into your hands], and [therefore] your camp must be holy, so that He does not see anything shameful in you and depart from you" (Deut. 23:9-14). Do you hear that those who want to defeat their enemies and receive glory must shun all filth: “for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12); they carefully observe human life and monitor everyone's actions. Therefore, we need to lead an impeccable and impeccable lifestyle so as not to be subject to accusations from them. For the father of sin is our enemy and persecutor. Those who in this world, according to the law of war and battle, enter into battle with enemies, either receive bodily wounds themselves, or inflict them on others. This is not the case with us: “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal” (2 Cor. 10:4), according to the word of Scripture. That is why we do not receive wounds on the body, but take lust into our soul and heart and fall into the passions of carnality; Therefore, we need to put on spiritual armor, protect ourselves with heavenly grace and, as much as possible, keep our souls away from any spiritual arrow. In this way we will gain victory over our opponents and, having conquered every passion, we will preserve for God the beauty of the soul undisfigured. Therefore, the law says: “When you go on a campaign against your enemies, beware of everything bad” (Deut. 23:9), that is, put yourself as far as possible from any crime and let there be no just accusation against you in a shameful and hateful matter and avoid accusations of anything, and let no evil word against you be possible. And that we must avoid the vices of bodily uncleanness, the law secretly indicated this by the fact that the one defiled by the outpouring of semen commands him to leave the camp and in the evening wash himself with water and then return to the house and, if he wants, to the camp itself. Now I will try to reveal what this means and what is the meaning behind it. If human defilement occurred due to the fact that the soul became prone to licentiousness and accessible to unclean desires, then the Lord condemns the one who fell into this to be excommunicated from the society of saints, and does not allow the pure to be in communion with the unclean; for He never leaves destructive sin in us unpunished. But we can find cleansing in Christ, washed by water, in accordance with what is said: “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean” (Isa. 1:16). Those who do this do it in the evening, that is, in the last times of the age; Some will see complete purification in the company of saints. For those defiled by unnatural passions, who were once outside the society and camp of saints, who were far from the flock of saints, having received cleansing through holy Baptism, from those who were far away became close, fellow citizens of the saints, fellow citizens and partners in hope, at the time of the coming of Christ, which was as if in the evening, before the very end of the present age. So the law says that those who seek purification in Christ must renounce the love of carnal vices. But the law says: “You must have a place outside the camp where you can go out; besides your weapon you must have a spatula; and when you sit outside the camp, dig [a hole] with it and again cover [it] with your excrement; For the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp to deliver you and deliver your enemies [into your hands], and therefore your camp must be holy, lest He see anything shameful in you and turn away from you” (Deut. 23:12-14). For those who wish to gain victory over spiritual enemies, as I said, must in every possible way avoid every form of uncleanness; because we all sin in many ways and human nature is sick with a tendency towards evil, but, in the words of the Psalmist, “Who can consider his own mistakes?” (Ps. 18:13.) If someone happens to be overcome by some natural uncleanness and to be carried away by what is contrary to the law and holy life (for the law of sin lives in the members of the flesh), then although the errors arising from weakness are not committed at first openly, but covertly and not in the sight of many, but secretly, as if outside and at a distance from the camp; therefore they must be hidden by correcting them: for “the wise will hide their shameful deeds,” as it is written (2 Cor. 4:2). When we stop sinning and, with the help of an inclination for the better, we seem to lead the soul to choosing what is useful, then we remove from ourselves the ugliness of previous falls and, having destroyed the stench of sin with the fragrance of subsequent good deeds, we will again enter the camp of the saints, that is, the Church of the firstborn. And this is accomplished in Christ. How? – If, according to His word, we take up our cross with cheerfulness and readiness. This is secretly indicated to us by the fact that we must have a shovel or a tree under our belt. The law is spiritual and usually uses visible objects to depict spiritual objects. For we are not unclean in the sight of God who created us when we go to latrines and free ourselves from the excesses of the womb. But as I said recently, what is subject to external senses can be prototypes and signs of spiritual things. Therefore, we must cover up the uncleanness with earth, because the Lord your God walks in your camp. And Christ lives and abides in us. And when he sees something shameful and ugly in us, he immediately turns away from us: “the Holy Spirit of wisdom..., as it is said, will shun wickedness and turn away from foolish speculations” (Wisdom 1:5). If he finds us clean and tidy, and free from passions and defilements, he will willingly dwell in us and deliver us from the hands of our enemies. Therefore, he says: “Be holy, for holy am I the Lord your God” (Lev. 19:2). And again: “Get out from here, and do not touch uncleanness,” and I will accept you, says the Lord (Is. 52:11). For those who are thus purified will be received with joy by our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him and with Him, glory to God and the Father with the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen. About stones anointed with lime 1. The inspired Paul very wisely said that the ancients were led through the writings of Moses to the knowledge of the mystery of Christ. So in reality it was and this word is true; for if we turn what Moses commanded into truth, we will find the most beautiful spiritual meaning contained in it. Strictly adhering to the letter and not abandoning what is contained in the images, let us listen to what the prophet says: go deeper into the foundation. For we will not find anything truly perfect and useful in the shadows, and we will make the commandment completely useless. Therefore, the inspired Moses put a veil over his face, indicating to those, I think, the most sensible people that the law has a double meaning, and that the truth lies in its inner content; the shadow is imposed on the face like a mask, and the external is, as it were, an excessive cover for what is hidden. So, Moses in Deuteronomy teaches us that the teachers of the New Testament in Christ will express teaching through Him at times, will lead to the truth and will offer a clearer interpretation of the letter of Scripture, explaining it in a more spiritual way. For it is thus written: “And Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Do all the commandments that I command you this day. And when you cross over the Jordan into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, then set up for yourself large stones and cover them with lime; And thou shalt write on these [stones] all the words of this law, when thou hast crossed over [the Jordan] to enter into the land which the Lord thy God is giving thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord God of thy fathers spake unto thee. When you cross the Jordan, set up those stones, as I command you today, on Mount Ebal, and coat them with lime; And you shall build there an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones, without lifting up iron on them; You shall build an altar of the Lord your God with whole stones, and you shall offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God, and you shall offer peace offerings, and you shall eat there and rejoice before the Lord your God. and write on the stones all the words of this law very clearly” (Deut. 27:1-8). Pay attention to the fact that he commanded not to treat the words spoken by him with disdain, but to use as much care as possible about them. And these were the words spoken by the holy Apostles. But now I will try to understand each saying separately as best as possible. 2. When you, he says, cross the Jordan and enter the longed-for land of promise, then set up large stones on high, coat them with lime and write on them this whole law very clearly. So, great stones placed in an elevated place point us to the face of the holy Apostles, who are truly great, exalted and wondrous. As for virtue and glorious life in Christ, nothing can compare with them. For we find that they are higher in merit and incomparably superior to us. Tell me who, having intelligence, will strive for equality with these holy and glorious men whom Christ called his friends: “I no longer call...,” he says, “you slaves...; You are My friends” (John 15, 14, 15); calls them the light of the world and the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13–14); He appointed them as benefactors, appointed them as doctors of the universe, saying: “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons; Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8). So, these are great stones and seem to lie on a mountain. For the brilliance of their glory and their great fame makes them very high and as if placed on a mountain. But who are those who placed these stones? Those who crossed the Jordan believed in the Holy Christ and received the grace of holy Baptism; they appoint the disciples of our Savior - these truly holy and chosen stones - as teachers and mentors; The prophetic word tells us about them: “like stones in a crown, they will shine on His earth” (Zech. 9:16). For the Divine disciples, going around the universe, seemed to be scattered throughout the entire earth and everywhere showed the beauty of their inherent piety and preached about the true pearl, the one and most valuable stone, that is, Christ. The stones anointed with lime have a very clear mark of the law on them. For we can find the truths contained in the law clearly and clearly revealed by the holy Apostles, no longer hidden by the letter of the law and not having a dark veil of shadow, but clear and pure. For the teaching of the saints is spiritual: they clearly reveal the law; This, in my opinion, is indicated by the fact that the stones anointed with lime had a clear mark of the law, as it is written. After the stones on which the law was consecrated, he commands that the altar be built from other solid stones, that is, unhewn and not pierced by iron. What could be the meaning of this? Christ is “the corner stone, chosen” (1 Pet. 2:6); He was laid as the foundation of Zion; for we are established in Him and have in Him, as it were, some safe and unshakable foundation; and we, like living stones, a spiritual house, are being built into a holy church, into the dwelling of God in the spirit. And at the same time, we are like some kind of altar; united together by spiritual unity and fragrant by faith in Christ and through Him we bring to God and the Father the fragrance of virtues, like the most fragrant incense. Therefore, the inspired Paul commands us: “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1). So, the stones are ourselves, but whole and undamaged; for, as I have said, those who give off the fragrance of Christ Himself consecrate their souls entirely to Him; they are not carried away by attachment to the worldly, and no longer bear the ulcers caused by unclean and disgusting sin. But just as Christ is not divided, so they are of the same wisdom and true. They are devoted to the one God, and are careful not to take part in the carnal and worldly. Thus, having dedicated himself to God, Saint Paul writes: “for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). It is necessary to remember how God pronounced the same law to us in another place, saying: “If you make an altar for Me of stones, then do not build it with hewn stones, for as soon as you lay your adze on them, you will defile them” (Ex. 20:25). So, as I already said, the stones must be solid and unhewn. But, it is said, “Eat there and rejoice before the Lord your God” (Deut. 27:7). For those who have achieved such glory that they are able to smell the fragrance of Christ are quite rightly satisfied with holy Divine food and spiritually rejoice in the eyes of God. But this will be given to those who have received spiritual blessings and have believed in our Lord Jesus Christ in the churches. Through Him and with Him, glory to God and the Father with the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. 1. Having understood very correctly both the mystery of Christ and the measure of Moses’ ministry, the wise John declared: “the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). But the law was ready for anger and immediately and without regret imposed heavy punishments on those who transgressed it; he always accused evil and imputed sin: for, it is said, “sin, not imputed, is not under the law” (Rom. 5:13). And again: “sin is not imputed when there is no law” (Rom. 5:13). Christ frees us from sins; for He justifies by grace and sanctifies those who believe and brings into reality what was promised of old to the fathers. And that both are true, this is explained again by Paul, who wrote this: “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Cor. 3:6). He calls the letter the shadow of the law, and the spirit the ministry in spirit and truth, that is, the gospel, which Christ spread throughout the entire universe; for if the first service was not irreproachable, then it was necessary to give place to the second; and God himself declared it old, promising something new. So, as if Moses had been removed and removed from the environment, our leader Christ came into being and became glorified in a certain way. Through Him and in Him, introduced into the Heavenly Kingdom, we will receive happiness that lasts forever, leading a pure, holy life and free from all vice. The institutions given to the ancients through Moses lead us to the same thoughts and feelings. For it is written thus: “And Moses called Jesus, and in the sight of all Israel said unto him, Be strong and courageous, for thou shalt enter with this people into the land which the Lord swore to his fathers to give him, and thou shalt divide it into inheritances unto him; The Lord Himself will go before you, He will be with you, He will not depart from you and will not leave you, do not be afraid and do not be dismayed” (Deut. 31:7-8). When the valiant Moses was close to retiring from business and moving to the highest abodes, then in some way the divinely inspired Jesus opposed him and took over the leadership. For when the old and ancient letter ceased and the ministry according to the law, as I have already said, was in decline, then the Only Begotten came down to us from heaven and appeared in our image. Being the God who rules over the universe and possessing the oldest and most undoubted dignity in this regard, He, through likening us, humbles himself so much that it is as if for the first time he is called to Royal power. That is why He said: “I am appointed King by Him” (obviously from God and the Father) “over Zion, His holy mountain, they proclaimed the commandment of the Lord” (Ps. 2:6). So, let no one bring into the middle Moses, who is inferior in glory to Christ: let not the images rule, and let no one exalt the shadow: “The first things have passed away..., behold, I am making all things new” (Apoc. 21:4-5). And if someone decided to do this; he would begin to dishonor the Divine economy and would appear to resist God and destroyer of the holy and great sacrament. For he who is attached to images after the appearance of Jesus will be very far from the assembly of the saints and will appear completely deprived of the inheritance and participation in the gifts given through Christ. The divine Paul clearly denounces some of the inhabitants of Galatia who suffered from this, saying: “O foolish Galatians! Who deceived you not to submit to the truth, you, who had before your eyes Jesus Christ as if he were crucified? I just want to know this from you: did you receive the Spirit through the works of the law, or through instruction in faith? Are you so foolish that, having begun in the spirit, you are now ending in the flesh?” (Gal. 3, 1-3.) Then he adds to this: “You, who justify yourselves by the law, are left without Christ, have fallen from grace, but we in spirit expect and hope for righteousness from faith” (Gal. 5, 4-5). For the great Moses was truly faithful and the most excellent of men; but he was a slave, and his dignity was that he was a mediator and minister of the law, pronouncing judgment. But his Lord came and brought us justifying grace. So, let the law depart, the accuser of sin, the minister of condemnation, through which God has concluded everything under sin, in order to have mercy on all, according to the Scriptures. 2. But what does the great Moses say to Jesus: “Take courage and be strong: for thou shalt go down before the face of this people into the land which the Lord swore by our Father, to give unto them, and thou shalt divide it unto them as an inheritance” (Deut. 31:7). Pay attention to the prediction of the law. Moses was not unaware of the glory of the Savior, the incomparable superiority of the saint above all, and better than any rational creature, he knew the invincible right hand, this almighty and irresistible power; he was almost not surprised, seeing the fall of his enemies, the powerlessness of death, the flight of Satan; seeing the ancient invincible and invincible dragon timid and defeated, the mouth of sin blocked, lepers cleansed, demons trembling with horror, the stormy sea pacified with one word. He did not know that the law itself did not justify anyone, for the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sin. But our Lord Jesus Christ freed the universe from ancient crimes; if He Himself is the truth and is holy by nature; then He sanctifies with His own blood those who believe in Him, making them conquerors of death and corruption; introduces them into the Heavenly Kingdom itself, the truly desired and holy land of the highest monastery, the beautiful city in heaven, into the Church of the Firstborn, whose artist and organizer is God. And that God the Father will help and assist in everything the Son who has become like us, Moses clearly states, adding: “and the Lord who goes with you will not depart from you, he will leave you lower” (Deut. 31:8). So, the Son is omnipotent and has invincible power; for He is God by nature; if it is said that the Father helps Him, then this is said about His humanity; in a similar sense, it speaks of His appearance in the form of a servant and of the very image of His incarnation. So, in order to arouse faith in us, the Son became a man like us, accepted the weakness inherent in man, saying to the Heavenly Father and God: “For You will not leave my soul in hell, and You will not allow Your holy one to see corruption” (Ps. 15, 10). And that the teaching of the law, understood spiritually, was known to almost no one before the coming of the Lord and finally aroused surprise after Christ shone, and was placed, as it were, before the eyes of small and great after the Holy Spirit descended on us, through whom we understand the depths of God, this is again clear from further words; for thus it is said: “And Moses wrote this law, and gave it to the priests, to the sons of Levi, who bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of the [sons of] Israel. And Moses commanded them and said: After seven years, in the year of absolution, in the Feast of Tabernacles, when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God in the place that [the Lord] will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in his hearing; Gather together the people, husbands and wives, and children, and thy strangers, who are in thy gates, that they may hear and learn, and that they may fear the Lord your God, and strive to do all the words of this law” (Deut. 31:9-12). You hear what the law required. He commands the chosen priests, as well as the elders, after the seventh year, in the year of absolution, on the Feast of Tabernacles, to gather all the youths and elders, women and youths, and those gathered in this way to read it. And that many and not a few years had to pass before Christ shone and the time of His incarnation opened, this can be seen from the fact that the reading of the law had to be done after seven years. For the number seven in Divine Scripture signifies multitude; That’s why I think it is said: “She who gave birth to seven lies exhausted” (Jer. 15:9). And again: “Do not believe him, because there are seven abominations in his heart” (Proverbs 26:25). And the same Tributary also said: “A righteous man will fall seven times and rise again” (Proverbs 24:16). Pay attention to the fact that during the seven years before the time of absolution, that is, during the time before the coming of Christ, the law was not read. For not understanding anything in it, even if someone happens to read it, is the same as not reading it at all. But then, as I said, he became understandable to both small and large when the time for release came. For the law commanded the ancients, saying: “In the seventh year make forgiveness. Forgiveness consists in this for every creditor who has lent to his neighbor” (Deut. 15:1-2). And again: “If your brother, a Jew or a Jewish woman, sells himself to you, then he must be your slave for six years, and in the seventh year let him go free from you” (Deut. 15:12). Our Lord Jesus Christ, at the end of the ages, as if after seven years, remitted debts, and had mercy on those who had sinned, and, according to the Gospel parable, granted forgiveness to debtors, and made us slaves of sin and enslaved to Satan glorious and shining with the spirit of freedom. The time has come for absolution on the Feast of Tabernacles, which marks the mystery of the Resurrection, when the church or body of each of the dying is laid in the ground. For when Christ rose from the dead, having corrected death and deprived hell of its spoils and “saying to the prisoners, Come out, and to those in darkness, Show yourselves” (Isa. 49:9), then, adorning the nature of man with the Holy Spirit, as at the beginning of the generation, and the nature of those who were restored to sanctification, He breathed on the holy Apostles, saying: “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22). Then the eyes of our minds were opened; Then we were enlightened and understood the law, hidden in ancient times and incomprehensible to almost none of the ancients. Then we are gathered from the ends of the earth to the place that He Himself chose, that is, the Church, where the chosen and holy mentors and teachers explain the law to us, who were among the shadows and images. Therefore, the divine Paul, very well translating images into spiritual contemplation, writes: “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, through sprinkling, sanctifies the defiled, so that the body may be clean, how much more is the Blood of Christ” (Heb. 9:13-14). While the Israelites slaughtered the lamb and were tied to the shadows, he, referring the image of the sacrament to Christ, again says: “Our Passover, Christ, was slain for us” (1 Cor. 5:7). And in another place he writes: “Tell me, you who want to be under the law: do you not listen to the law? For it is written: Abraham had two sons, one by a bondwoman, and the other by a freewoman. But he who is of a slave is born according to the flesh; and the one who is free, the one according to the promise. There is an allegory in this. These are two covenants: one from Mount Sinai, begetting into slavery, which is Hagar, for Hagar means Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, because he and his children are in slavery; and the Jerusalem above is free: she is the mother of us all” (Gal. 4:21-26). So, being spiritually instructed, we perceive into ourselves the law - Divine fear. And that at a certain time the power of ministry in the types and the shadow was to be abolished, Moses again secretly pointed out this. For it is written: that when Moses had written the words of this law in the book to the end, he handed it to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying: “Take this book, lay it on the edge of the ark of the covenant of the Lord God” (Deut. 31:26). Understand why Moses ordered the law to be placed on one part of the ark, and not in the very middle of it, although the new commandments given by Christ had not yet been given, to which the oldest commandment had to give way and, as it were, give place or move away from the middle, so that what had happened would be clear. For the law is not completely removed from the holy ark, because the law of Moses is accepted in the churches; however, it is not supposed to be in the first place, but, as it were, pushed aside and remained on the edge, giving way, as I said, to that which is incomparably superior to it, that is, the Divine and Gospel commandments, through which Christ instructed us and led us to the knowledge of God and all knowledge of virtue. Through Him and with Him, glory to God and the Father with the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen. You might be interested in: