Aree se ee et it be said, then, to Paco e CU Bey ee cco coe a Piyush Me a IL To eae l n aot Ae (ein ae eas aT cmos 5:14) 8 ° , jen aT cr aT eLOye| Ra gl moe aecL Te a am ere aeForeword am very pleased to recommend this book on the Priesthood to all Orthodox Clergy and most especially jo Seminarians at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and other Seminaries in America and through- out the English-speaking world. Ihave no doubt that this feaimkes acute esas instructional text will be helpful to those preparing to 20 Silver Lane Peete! enter the holy Priesthood. The book draws from the inex- Rolnsford, NH 03869 haustible treasures of the Holy Tradition of our Church, es treasures yet to be discovered by most. As our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ says in the Gospel, “The scribe, wh has © 2003 Protopresbyter Geo ‘er George Dion. Dragas om reserved. No part of this publication } been trained for the kingdom of heaven, is like the master of @ Eouine ono household, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what I sfstem is old” (Matt. 1352). publisher Methodios of Boston ISBN 0.9745618-1.9 +Metropolitan\& a AY \ iv St. Cyril of Alexandria's Teaching o M the Priesthood fo The ey to. Cyrils exposition isthe Work of Chg who, athe tue High Priest, fulfils the Old and gran the New Priesthood. This interconnection of the Priest. el leaves tolerate an, *ospel, of Old and New Testament, of the old, Hebraic dis, the new dispensation of the Cyril calsit hood of the Law with the Priesthood of the Gosp no doubt that the Patristic approach does not Marcionite separation of Law and ( Pensation ang Church of the Nations, as St "know that thereis alot more to St. Cyril text than {have presented here. [offer it to my fellow-priests, to ieeanSs Who study for the Priesthood, and to all interested Christians, as a fo retaste of a full translation of the whole text of St. Cyril Profound writing on “Wor. Ship in Spitt and in Truth (0, 'e Adorati i - tains this teaching as well = ee GDD. Ws Ya ae y Introduction is known to most theologians ‘ei azing contribution to the Orthodox, Chris- ios bata sama, Most historians and even theologians eae ae the Church Father that confessed the unity stout Lord's person (and hypostasis) against An heresy of Nestorius (early 5% century), which ae an into two persons because of his two natures — his and his manhood. ; arenes this dogmatic contribution of St. Cyril is extremely important and goes much further, si < it dominated not only the Third (anti-Nestoria i Ecumenical Council of Ephesus (431/3), over ie St. Cyril himself presided, but also, and in a need sense, all subsequent Ecumenical Councis, ih Were summoned after his death to deal with 7 i 7 ©gy —I mean, of course, the Fourth (as, “a and Sixth (860/1) Ecumenical Councils — I bel ean his Biblical expositions are at least equally sign i and most profound. They constitute the ba dogmatic teaching.10's Teaching om the Priesthogg ee ighty, Biblical theotogian,: gmatic, before the eme, gence of the Nestor cl — . ; f the Nestorian crisis (av 428) and his decisive involvement in resolving t] sment in resolving this crisis. This is most clearty ly St. Cyril was already a indeed as much Biblical as di demonstrated in his early, exe; Sst d in his early, exegetical works, which pro. ide a most consistent and profound interpretation of the Bible a Its in this early, exe is early, exegetical context th . velops a very interes sues seopse vey nteresting account on the Cheatan priest sis ofthe Jewish priesthood and the trans. \derwent under the ct is evelation. This Biblical account cae ere likely his earlies oie lest, exegetical work, On Worship in Spat rit is the relation of the e Testament, or of the Jewish Sificance ofthis account, vison fo the well known pa- 'y the Theologian,* St. John and in Truth in wl Oi Teste tothe Chistian religion, The ae Priesthood, in comp: ie accounts of St, Gregor CEP. K. Chris i “lates Fe tury Byzantine histori cept a won,” The Interpretat Holy sae larepa), vol ie Ton ty Exe wm, MA 1979, N° “CE. Oration Ik: An tos, PG. I An Apology for His Flight to Pony + PG 35, SOs (Eckel He 'eneutics of the 408-515, vit pe and St. Gregory the Great (Dialogos), is imly Biblical basis and discusses aspects of ‘which are not presented as clearly in any count. Before I turn to it, should Chrysostom? that it has a fir the priesthood, patristic a ‘e book, in which it is found. k On Worship in Spirit and in Truth con- hhich deal with three general themes.” d restoration through Christ, which jon of the doctrine of other, early introduce thi St. Cyril's worl sists of 17 books, w 1) Man’s Fall an includes a most profound expositi justification by faith (1-8); 2) The Church and the as compared to the Old Testam« Priests (9-13); and, 3) The Christian sacraments compared and ed to the Jewish sacrifices (14-17). It is written in the form of a dialogue between St. Cyril and a certain (student) Palladius. Palladius asks the questions, and St. Cyril provides the answers. ‘The basic thrust of the entire book is well represented by its title, the Christian “worship in Spirit and in truth,” as distinguished from the Jewish “worship in tYPe and Priesthood, which is in Christ ent Tabernacle and its contrast- ~and Post Nicene For an English translation, see Library of Ni Fathers, Second Series, vol.7- SG 16” 623-682, For an English translation, see Library of Nicwne aaa Pest Nicone Fathers, Fist Series, vol 9: of St John Chgssron Hare esta, SPCK London 1964, reprinted by St: Via imir's Seminary Press, New York 1977. Senay Pres Ne on ace ibraryof Neen and Post Sovies vol. 12; or Ancient Christian Writers 1k, see the Appendix. Nicene Fathers, Second No. 11, Paulist Press 1994. 7For a table of contents of this Worvit St Cyril of Alexandria's Teaching on the Priesthont shadow.” The former is based on the Christi and the latter on the Jewish Law. In St, Cyn pees : there is no antithesis between Gospel and Law. This £ because the Gospel is the fulfillment of the Lavy, inas. much as it reveals its deeper (spiritual) meaning and intention, whereas the Law is the preparation for the Gospel and looks forward to it in the expectation that it will bring about its completion. St. Cyril's thought on this is firmly focused on the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is indeed the One, who reveals it all and brings it about. But then, it must also be said that for St. Cyril, Christ isa focus, which has an expansive and wholesome (holistic) character, inasmuch as it embraces all mankind and the entire cosmos, their life and communion with each other and with God Himself. Thus, Christ is presented as the key to life, spiritual and true life, the Christian life, which saves and restores mankind and the whole of creation. In light of this, the three most general parts, into which St. Cyril's entire work is subdivided, can also be summed up as follows: @) Christ as the Savior of fallen mankind; b) Christ's saving activity is in operation in the Church and through Christ’s agents, the Priests; and, ©) Christ’s holy sacraments are the means of salvation. The soteriological character of the entire work is characteristic of St. Cyril and can clearly be traced back to his predecessor, St. Athanasius, whom St. Cyril calls “the all-great” (rajséyac). From this angle, the three parts of the work could also be given the following titles: ‘hrist and ourselves; ion: CI ea f our salvation: the sis of O sasis 0 2 aim and ministers and the Priests; and, omy The means of our sal .craments. _- ; oy a oviesthood and priests is a major com il hhristian, Cyril on the Cl rly work of St. c on Oa et actually covers three entire ee M8) Th resent essay represents an eae rine. In all three of them, St. Cyril eeenin hat is said in the Old Testament about the starts with withe Law and then goes on to show how all jesthood of the Law and the au this is translated into the Christian priesthood, which is tle of is i Jearly revealed in the ti the Spirit. This is most cl i aoe 11, "On the Priesthood and that the ed of the Law was a type of the Priesthood, which is according to Christ.”* 1) The bi 2) The re: vation: Christ’s and his church's Bi Church's “The subject of priest pon religio (11, 12and 13). The p' ize their doc!—— a Table of Contents Foreword Preface Introduction Part I. THe Priest que PRIESTHOOD, (Dr Aporatrone XD ‘The Divine Basis of the Priesthood The Meaning of the Priestly Vestments ‘The Meaning of Priestly Ordination ‘The Meaning of the Priestly Offerings ‘The Meaning of the Priestly Blessing 6. The Constant Self-Purification of Priests Parr II. IMPEDIMENTS TO THE PRIESTHOOD AND ACCEPTABLE PRIESTLY CELEBRATIONS (De Avoranione XW) 1. Physical Blemishes as Impediments to the Priesthood 2. The Spiritual Meaning of the Old Testament Physical Blemishess 3. Priests, Who Falter after Ordination 4, The Priest's Daughter 5. The Marriage of Priests THOOD OF THE LAW AND Warcn Is “IN Crist” iit 2B 18 21 24 27 27 SeesWSYAMAT Mi St. Cyrito se gabe of COP Property 72 6 A ec arate Priestly Celebrations property of the SOM and the PPP 9 No Self-projection, but Hum Deis i 74 D) The Sacrifice of Wher prin 8 the Sern ceof the a ©) The Sacrifice of Grain Offering ® 6 6. The Mioenty jerusalem > GLoRy OF 76 @) The Sacrifice for Sin ot. Tre ecessity UNITY AN! ©) The Sacrifice of Praise i 3 Te pasesr409? Unity of the Priesthood 76 Conclusion The Necessity 4! Panr IL, Prtests ano Levires, or 5 me One Suir Greatness and Glory of ue Puirstty Orvers (De Aporanovt XII) 5 2. The Divine oe a A. Priests aNp Levies 5 the Priest 83 1. The Levites and Their Witness to oe 89 the Mystery of Christ Ea Inpex 2. The Levites and the Distinction between Anour tie AUTHOR Clergy and Laity 56 3. The Distinction of Priests and Levites and the Church's Order 8 4. The Enrollment of the Levites and the Clergy/Laity Distinction B 5. The Spiritual Meaning of the Covers of the Holy Vessels a 6. The Spiritual Meaning of the Distinctions among Levites 63 B. Prestty AutHortry AND Priviteces 6 1. The Divine Calling as the Basis of Priestly Authority and the Sin of Opposing a Divinely Appointed Leader 66 2. The Privileges and “Remuneration” of Priests and Levites 7 3. The Particular Commitments of the Levites | 4. The Secure Property of the Levites ‘and its Deeper Meaning 70ESA EE Part I The Priesthood of the Law and the Priesthood, Which Is “in Christ” (De Adoratione Book XI) Tue Divine Basis OF THE PriestHoopD, AARONIC il ize Cuistian. The opening statement of this Book oveals St, Cyril's general perspective on the subject. He ivrites: “Having previously spoken quite fully and elabo- rately about the spiritual meaning of the Tabernacle and on what God had ordered for it, it is now important to turn to the dignity of the Priesthood and especially to at- tempt to explain how the Priesthood, which was in type and according to the Law, points to the true Priesthood, which is in Christ and through Christ sanctifies the holy brightened by faith and enriched taking of people, who have been with their communion with God through pat the Holy Spirit’ ‘Two basic themes form here St. Cyril's perspective: 1) the dignity of the priesthood and 2) the transposition from the Priesthood of the Law to ‘the Priesthood in Christ. “The former is the type of the latter, and the later the truth of the former. For St. Cyril, the dignity of the Priesthood isi of Alexandria’s Teaching on the Priesthoog “ ——eethood first and foremost seen in the fact that it was raised up by is in Exodus 28:1, near fo you your brother Aaron, and his sons with Jimself. The Biblical basis for thi Israelites, to serve me as priests — Aaron and Aaron's sons, Nebad and Abid, Eleazar and Ithamar.” a) The first important point here is, to StCyril, that “it was God, who called by name (ovopaori) the first priests that were selected.” This means that all priests are, of should be, called by God. St. Cyril reinforces this point from St. Paul's statement in Hebrews 5:4: “And one does not presume to take this honor, but takes i only eon called by God, just as Aaron was.’ Putting it in other words, we may say with St. Cyril thatthe calling tothe Priesthood has a divine and not a human basis. In St. Cyril's words: “No one should be seltalled tobe priest (offer priestly services) 0 God, betshould wat forthe calling*+And St Cyril warms: t0 do cthervise and “to ater oseize the priesthood by force without having he approval from above” (it the eres _means tobe subjected tothe punish the eat (ae Numbers ch 16, copanas naw bY Thus, St. Cyril writes, none sho feet ee ing is out of play ee a place and unseemly, when § thatthe same thing applied even to Chet nex oe ties rist, Hebr. 5:5. “So according bid. 728A, — bid “tb. *lbid. vjeatnoo of te Law and Priesthood “In Christ” ify himself in becoming a High priest, he One, who said to him ... You area to the order of Melchisedek.”* In light of all this, St. Cyril goes on to conclude that s an icon of Christ's calling to the raws here various parallels, which, in distinctions. For example, God “Aaron, but he did it through Moses, but in the case me directly from God. Aaron had his calling to serve the Hebrew his disciples participate in his 1 to minister to the whole world. St, Paul acknowl- inthians 3:9. “We are God's collaborators Know that the disciples rum all over the the Gospel of Christ.” And jon, also Christ did not glor hut was appointed by th wriest forever according, ‘Aaron's calling wa Priesthood. He also di however, imply certai called of Christ, the calling ca his sons participate in nation, but Christ had callin ‘edges this in 1 Cori (ovvegyot) and we world to minister to the nations 1 adds: Christ called the apostles to this missi St. Cyril much as the Son is the but the Father did so as well, inast Father's thought and wisdom and will. Aaron, then, is a type of Christ and a sort of prefiguration of the true and spiritual priesthood emerging out of the shadows that are still obscure? 1) A second point that St. Cyril underlines here with good reason is that “Moses was ordered to call Aaron hear to him.”* For St. Cytil, this detail contains another, important, spiritual meaning. Its the fact that the Law (represented by Moses) is weak and imperfect ane cannot bid “Ibid. 728C. Ibid. 729A.ied a: \ ees p \\se of Alexandria’ Teaching on the Priesthogg a fulfill its mission by itself except with the hel (represented by Aaron). In other words, the Ta ies draw near to Christin order to fulfill its mission, St. Cyril explains this point further by recalling som, details from the book of Exodus. Moses “had never been eloquent in the past, not now ... He wns slow of speech and slow of tongue” (Ex. 4:10)? God, however, told him not to worry but to go, keeping in mind that He would be with him, and that He would be his mouth and teach him what Yet, Moses still begged for someone else! he was to s ‘And, so, God appointed Aaron to undertake this task, as a type of the Lord (of Christ), who can easily accomplish all things. In other words, as St. Cyril writes, Israel could not have been redeemed from Egypt if Moses, who was slow of speech and weak overall, had not been given Christ as his assistant through the icon of Aaron. God's granting of Aaron to Moses is for St. Cyril a type of the truth that “the eee of the Law is perfected through Christ!” The Z re cones does not have the power to redeem nor a fy completly those, who are redeemed from sin. es iS i = om says, who is naturally our Sra ene sanctification with the synergy of the oe ie ail nis natly Prefigured by Aaron and his in Baap ney hi side and collaborated with Moses Point of fact, Aaron’s sons pre-figured the disciples of Christ, who collaborated with him, High hrist, who collaborate disc at im, the Hig! Ibid. - Ibid. 7298, hod ofthe Law and Priesthood “In Christ” 5 priesthood 9 ical basis for the above point is nipossible for the blood of bulls vats to take away sins.” On the contrary, how- crrendered perfect those, who are sanctified ing one sacrifice for the sake of sae rally, therefore, those, who continue fo love ee hadiow an ter and to have an attachment should know that unless h Priest and Apostle of fence in st. Cyril's exeget Hebrews 10:4. “It is in and 8 ever, Chri through him, by offer! the shadow and the Te fo the Mosaic regulations, ey bring near them the Hig! th, Jesus Christ, the Lord, their persist ont geal for the worship of types would lead them re. What boast could the life, which is in accor- dance with the Law, project before God, who honors tues? This is why the wise Paul, who knew the Christ, says that he re- t our Fai nowhet the vi superiority of the knowledge o gards as refuse all the things of the world and prefers to gain Christ (Phil. 3:8).7 ‘There is yet another point, at! to the order God gave to Moses to “call near him Aaron his brother” (Ex. 28:1). God gave this order, St. Cyril writes, when Moses complained to God that he was not able to lead the Israelites out of their sufferings in Egypt, be- cause, as he said, he could not achieve all things by him- self. Christ's disciples, however, run along with him not because of his weakness, but because they had been se- ready to gain from him the power by the most ex- hird spiritual meaning, lected as excellent and to do all things. This is clearly confessed “bid. "Ibid. 727C.aha 4 eae MW he he k il of Alexandria's Teaching on the Priesthoog caalaeee " i the Priesthood ceptional Paul, who said, “I can do all things through Christ empowering me" (Phil. 4:13).!3 On the above basis, itis clear that St. Cyril thinks of the Christian priesthood in terms not so much of Aaron and his sonsas of Christ and his holy disciples. Inasmuch as he does this, he thinks in a brighter and superior way, because the context is no longer the type and shadow of the Old Testament but the light of the truth of the Gos- pel. The priesthood of the New Testament is based on ‘Christ and his disciples and, as such, has a basis in the truth of the Gospel that has already been accomplished and is in force. The Chri High Priest is the Bishop, who is “a type and sits in the place” of Christ, while his col- laborators, the Priests (presbyters) are his collaborators as the holy disciples were Christ Thus, what was said about Christ's and his disciples’ calling is also applicable to the Bishop’s and his Priests’ calling. Christ calls the Bishop, but Christ and the Bishop call the priests. The Bishop derives his power directly from Christ, while the Priests derive it from Christ twp we ban ae mpi ft. ya actually the true basis of Chris- tian Priesthood as found in the Chu rch Holy Orthodox Church, ere ty VESTMENTS. After Dist Messe or me Pais Ming as the basis of speaking about the divine cal "Ibid. 729ABC. Mtb, priesthood of the Law and Priesthood “In Christ” riesthood and its divine power to redeem and Pivify, St. Cyril turns to the priestly vestments as to sary dered in the case of Aaron and attempts to ey we their spiritual (Christian) meaning, Cleary, his Pion is to provide a Christian, Biblical basis for what : plies to Christian priests in this case. Exodus 28:2ff serves as his starting point, but as be- he quotes several, relevant texts from the the fore, so here, ret New Testament that help bring out the spiritual meaning he is searching for. Exodus stipulates this: “You shall make sacred vestments for the glorious adornment of your brother ‘Aaron, and you shall speak to all, who have ability, whom 1 have endowed with skill, that they make Aaron's vestments to consecrate him for my priesthood." ; Straight away, St. Cyril turns to the most wise Paul's advice that those, who were saved by faith, should be expected to put on the truly holy and heav- “Put on as your vestment our Lord Jesus serves that enly vestments: n Christ” (Rom, 13:14) Actually St Cyril observes that this apostolic expectation also has prophetic founda, tion, Isaiah had spoken about it as well: “My sow ifor he has vested me with the robe of rejoices in the Lord, Seni i" soy” (I salvation and the garment of joy” ( } ostolic and prophetic basis, then, St. Cyril states that the truly honorable and glorious an eS = ely i is to us the robe of : Ie is Christ himself, who is : tion andthe garment of oy. He is indeed a brilliant and surpassing ornament for the souls of the Saints. As itis; aa St. Cyril of Alexandria's Teaching on the Priestogg written, “Those, who are Christ” (Gal. 3:27).16 It is important to note hi iah is what Orthodox ee Soe first vestment, the sticharion, because it offers a ——— its original tradition and Se , liturgical traditions go back to th h and have been shaped by the old, Heb i s they were ‘ ar os they ae fulfilled and reshaped in Christ. ree ae he priestly vestments of the Law, and how Soule relate to Christ and to Christian, priestly ents? It is to this that St. Cyril turns next and thus eee further, important elucidation concert ; hristian Priesthood me a Cori el ae perception is that the Law adorned Azo wih pele that refer to and depict Christ's Glo- ae aoe a mystical, but exact, logic (A6yos) eee eee eee which denotes in a mys~ fevous way the glory of the Savior.!” These vestments, oe aa oe 283, are the following: the aes vi tov), the shoulder-piece (éropuc), ae ngs (xeteov Kooup Borde), the tire be purple sat and ena Tessa the ie rth he Christ” (x0 a (0 KAAAOS tod XeLatOo sipa.782———— rob). The gold revealed his "ibid p To0), The gold revealed his baptized into Christ, have p , "ut on office; the linen his being, al sear nd the blue his scarlet his flesh; a! heaven). the fabric of the Tabernacle, cerning the identity Person and Work. jeclare their assimi- repre- e purple hi Word; the ove (from then, like 5 truths con! his blessed on, they d Godhead: th the podiless coming from al vestments, The evariou! symbolize the orine Lord Jesus Christ e them When the priests put U < qriron to Christ, the fact that they are tied to him, ent him, depict him as icons that imitate him.”* Gt. Cyril goes through the various vestments, one, specifying their particular meaning. : 4) He first writes about the Ephod (the shoulder piece) on the basis of Exodus 28:6~8. The materials point to the dignity and sancti sthood. The two onyx Stones of emerald (the Urim and Thumim) inscribed with the names of the tribes of Israel signify heaven, the diwelling place of the Glory of God that fills . This is es- tablished on the basis of Exodus 24:9-10, which, in tury is based on a Theophany. The fact that they are worn on the priests’ shoulders typifies the truth that Christ cor ries the Christians in a similar way. The same notion is also linked with the imagery of the eagle that spreads its wings and takes up its young (Deut. 32:11)” Further more, it is reminiscent of Psalm 11:3 and Hosea 11:3, as well as of the statement of Christ to his disciples that “their names have been written in the heavens” (Luke one by ty of the pries ibid, 732. Ibid. 736AB. Ibid. 7368.eee, Y\ 0 Cyril of Alexandria's Teaching OM the Presthong 20). Fir hese stones remind us of our. 10:20). Finally, these Us of our ace; lance by God in Christ. b) The next item of the ves o vestments is the B; (axequot0t0v) with the twelve stones that hee names of the twelve tribes inscribed on them aeoe® ing to Exodus 28:13-21. The description of this en Exodus is not very clear, and St. Cyril admits it bat in spite ofthat, he tries to explain it. He concludes that on Son signifies the fact that in the person of the na riest, the Lord sees all the Israelites as if he carries the Iso explains that it is called “oracle of judg- ry ss a Kegiaewv), because it was placed over where the rational power resi ; sia resides, and whe ght judgment is worked out St. Cyril establishes these ns ings on the basis of the Psalms 105:3, 98:4, 44:14." be rv applies to the names inscribed on the stones, amily the Saints, and to the chains, which conr2e mumerous virtues of the Saints and the rory of Christ accordin, i Chis hms, who sou pate that wanes ha one accor, a : wo ne according to Ephesians 2:14.25 “ines the twain the St. Cyril finds in Ezekiel other Precious stones, but he alway Provides the ultimate focus, hood and the people. This is n Ibid. 736¢. ibid bi. 7378, bid 74088, bid, 7000-7414, Particular meanings of ys ends with Christ, who for he upholds the priest- most el ea ost eloquently brought out \ A \\\ie Law and Priesthood “D il in Christ” jestirood of HE P odus 28:26, which stipulates: aterpretation of EX : pon invould wave this ‘oracle of judgment’ with the vpavon SIO prast when he goes into the Holy Place aes on 2 These, says St. Cyril were symbols of before Christ and the hold Lam with yo the manifestation an God. In his person, Saints according to Matthew 28:20 ("Be- 1a to the end of this age”).” Christ is ‘d truth of Aaron’s appearance before we come to know the Father, and he Father's good and perfect will, which sing to him” (Rom. 12:2 and Jn. Christ as Emmanuel, because ‘od of God, the only holy One, ws reas we become what he is only by participation and vertation (weber wai kart piurow). “We” here sig. sven the Saints, and the Breastplate symbolizes Christ's mediatorial work for us before God the Father together with the Saints. c) St. Cyril describes next tl which corresponds to the Chi basis of Exodus 28:31-35. Its bl corruptibility, i.e. Christ, and this is in accordanc Psalm 131:16 (“I will put on salvation”) and Romans 13:12-14 ("Put on our Lord Jesus Christ”). Inasmuch as blue also symbolizes heaven, as we have noted, the blue color of the tunic indicates heavenly incorrupt: ibility. Here, Aaron symbolizes Christ, who put on the a wwe also learn t! is perfect and well plea 16:15). This also refers to he is the Son by nature, G the Hebrew Tunic (xiv), ristian Sticharion, on the jue color symbolizes in- re with: ibid. 741 AB. "Ibid. 741C. Ibid, 741D.NR, NY AN ee a. tel Si. Cyril of Alexandria’s Teaching on the P, of Alexandria's Teaching on the Py iesthoog body and rendered it incorruptible ace ee) es ¢ ; : a has life in himself mda leon apa for the bells under the frinse c, these symbolize the salvation and brillant nt pomegranates refer to the cities ae ee we cities, in which the Gospel is oe e rosette with the engraving “Hol ee 28:32-34) symbolizes the mystery - his according to John 1034-26, ie. the fact that nina nt 7 for us by the Father. It also refers to pete pee both natural and by participation es Pes), or to the heavenly kingdom, Exodus 28:34 indi aoe icates the High Priestly function economy, which is preached the sins of fen cies a ins the people every time he of- through whom vedhave ance en Bains to Christ eerie etree to God and forgiveness: of cates that Christ's ing 7 an Seer : lom will hav 2 d) The Tire and the Girdle ee They refer t y to Christ’s righ ah ight arm and to his b: res, Aaron's. oe i oe res Sons are to have it also, = ; a =e =a irhad in the same mission, St. oye cpt ee na ety Ta sap OMA Con oS : ee 7440-7458, - - "ibid. 7468C. i hav have a military meaning. Kes thood “In Christ” B the Law and Pri hood of ries ic understanding of the Hebrew ‘the Christocentti in Priesthood is ‘is the basis for the Christia tained in St. Cyril's typological exposition priesthood ¢ of ordination and consecration of further eXP! of the Hebrew rit the Priests. ic OF Priestly CONSECRATION OR Cyril's discussion on the Old ment priesthood turns next from the vestments riestly consecration. The vestments, he ‘d to beautify the holy people, but their another way. of course, the world Tie MEANIN Oxpination. St. Test of priests to p says, were USE consecration was effected i This matter, says St. Cyril, is, of the shadows, but we come to it with Christ I is in the light of Christ that we are able to understand the sncient, Hebrew rite of consecration as a sort of "prepa" ratory consecration” (mQ0ayW7H9s), OF a8 3 IYPE of the trae conseeration” of the Christian rite, although it is arly perceived when one brew) types to the new different in manner. This is cles actually compares the old (Hel (Christian) prototypes. The Old Testament priests were firs then vested, Then, after vesting, they receives of the Spirit through Chrismation on only then that they could proceed to # propriate sacrifices. t washed and .d the grace their head. It was he offering of ap- “Ibid. 74908. Ibid. 7528. “Ibid.14 Sh. Cyril of Alexandria's Teaching on the Priest — me Something, similar, says St. Cyril, occurs in New Testament, The Christian priests are first a through Baptism and then, having been delivered f mn mpurity, put on the bright vestments, ie. the Lord Jeous Christ according to Romans 13:14 ("Put on our Lord Jesus aan This is followed by the joyful visitation from a a the grace of the Holy Spirit, who anoints their " Sou anointed the heads of the Old Testament priests. Only then, do they , do they appear bef the spiritual sacrifices paristore We ford x Both cases, say: Pee ays St. Cyril, are reminiscent of Psalm eae speaks of “innocent hands and a pure heart” as eases for “standing at the Lord’s holy place.”3? oe Beale to which the Hebrew priests came nos a and chrismated in Old Testament , were offered for the 5 i description of these sari Serer are es, which St. Cyril cites, and then proce relate to tl is- en proceeds to show fen nes w how they all relate to the Chri St. Cyril rificial regulations seem to be coy ause, as he notes, it is through 10 God, bec h him d, because of his death and hie ioe Bain access id ac. 7 e > bid. 7520759) - ied :ABCD. = od of the Law and Priesthood “In Christ” ic jestho0 Indeed, St. Cyril says that it is not just Christ's death igh which our corruption and sin have been Body and his very Blood, which lead stitute real clues for understand- he pro- and life, throug healed, but his very us to perfection and cons! Old ‘Testament sacrifices. On this basis, several, typological meanings.” “The young bull of the Old Testamentisa type of Christ. Like the bull, Christ i also “fee from the yoke and under the tke” — "free from the yoke” as God by nature and “under the .e Law, because of the human nature, yoko as being under the vhich he assumed. Indeed, a young bull is not unfamiliar swith the yoke, but it is unnatural for it to be yoked.* St. Cyril explains that Christ can be likened to “# young, sacrificial bull by economy.” This re ids us of his naturally unyoked Godhead and his naturally yoked manhood. Being such, Christ is sacrificed in the Holy Tabernacle for those, who, like the Old Testament Lev- ites, place their hands on him, ic. the Church, who take hold of him by faith and are thereby sanctified. Emmanuel’s death is most holy, and the manner of his sacrifice is most acceptable to God, says St. Cyril. His Passion is parallel to the shedding of the bull's blood on the altar and toall the rest of the details that apply to this sacrifice, including the detail that this sacrifice took place outside the gate, as St, Paul points out in Hebrews 15:12.° ing the ceeds to point out Ibid. “Ibid. 7568. Ibid, 756C. Ibid. 7560.6 SL Cyril of Alexandria's Teaching on the p a riesthoog 1e fire that consumes the bi s the body has to do wi Glory f Christ, which was revealed at his glorie urrection following his dee fa following his death. The burning of the ne signifies the burning of human sin and the purify of man.* * ce St. Cyril goes on to show | Suunto show that he 0 rams that assis on his ozasion of Ol Testament ies consecration O y Christ rh , cost ao pty Christ The ram without bier, ish is the type of Christ as one, wh ly as one, who led a completel eB The offering, then, of this rams blood a rife a oferig of Chit hoy eto the Father srnesite nt tl ta his am ras offered whole but also ae its member, typifies the Christians, who are of ist, each of them si ; it sora caien hem separately but constitut- The was hing of the intestines typifies holiness and y..The he me the feet typify the offering of the ai life of God-pleasing work after- ! says St. Cyril, everything is pure, both thought ights and acts, 'd acts, because he committed no sin. This is why his offer y ing is typi ing of holocaust ified by the complete, burnt offer- ——- Law and Priesthood “In Christ” 7 priesthood of the wed to him but were unable to offer This meant St, Paul expressed it most aptly: 1e man the fall passed on ill shall be reckoned 2, aS the disobedience of om shedience of the one al complet qs through so through the ol r (Rom. 5:18-19)-7 to Palladius that at this point, we can f Christ with complete transparency the eighth day that Moses ceased r 0 act then. Yet, all justife st. Cyril says see the mystery of (ouepavéc)-* It was on to be a priest, because Aaron started t Moses did not remain silent but continued to teach. This clearly typifies Christ, wl after the Law, i.e. on the Eighth Day, wl and with it the beginning of declared by the Apostle, who says, creation” (2 Cor. 5:17)-? For St. Cyril, Christ’s appearance on the Eighth Day ¢ the works of Moses to an end. In other words, the ind shadows is no longer permis- f the Law has not passed away, who are spiritual and ynose priesthood is hhen the Resurrection occurred f the new age. This is clearly “in Christ there isa new brought worship of God in types a sible, Yet, the pedagogy ©! because the Law is spiritual to those, 's declares the mystery of Christ + that the Eighth Day was that the people would see a sort of pre-announce- rth. always St. Cyril focuses on the fac connected with Moses’ promise # the Lord's Glory. This, he says, of the time of the coming of the Lord on the ea ment 757D- 760A, “Ibid. 765D. Ibid. 768, "Ibid.ny MQ Sy nee teereereerrereerretectcee 18 St. Cyril of Alexandri Teaching on th 5 te Priesthy ood He also focuses on Moses’ comm. shoul sae fi for himself ond then for ea ommand, says St. Cyril, is very fnapareaiess ies itshows that thse, who wer called o be priest and had oe C psicaton by th, wer expected tobe a s was a necessary presupposition to ofering priestly services." Tue Meanine or Pxiestty Orrerines. St. Cyril turns a eens of priestly offerings on the basis wee —— a (9:8ff). He briefly mentions the serio series “ \ey are presented in Leviticus and Stren lessing of the people and the appear- oe ry of the Lord to the people on the Eighth se eu s the main focus of his teaching.*? oon oe tthe appearance of the Divine Glory on ee in fact a manifestation of the Son of eee eee the Father. All this was in m wet wna on of God would do for us in jow that everything has ¢ nein Gal Sateen whom speed : fas wt he young bull had been in Old pete = capes through forgiving our wanaprssions icine Ad the stain of our condemn ae * who Was sacrificed like th eae le ram to shed a Sid 768 = Ibid. 7688 : Tbid. 7680, ~~ sot of te Leno ancl Priesthood “In Christ” 19 riestlo who became “sacrifice for fied us with his own in offering” mixed to God the ygrance;” the one, ‘asmuch as he sancti ho became the “grai fn as he presented himself rent, holy lifes* spiritual fray salvation” in blood; the one, wi with oil, inasmucl Father for us through a ferv The two sets of sacrifices of Leviticus, those for Aaron 1s St. Cyril, were offered for and those for the people, 52Y' aiming access to the Lord. Now, however since Emman- or has appeared, and we have been called to sanctifica- tion, we have access through Him to the Father and are like “sweet fragrance to him. In the days of old, Chi aa offered himself in vari- 7s through the various sacrifices. Now that the come, however, and the Glory of Christ ittes more brilliantly, and death and corruption have sun abolished, priests and people offer gifts to the Cod, honoring, him not externally or outwardly as the Teracl of the flesh did, but by making themselves fra- grant sacrifices.* The ancient sacrifices were types of the tions of souls that Christians offer to God. Th death to the world and to the mind of the flesh, morti- ‘crucifixion, as it were, with Christ, nd blameless life, or to the | what St. Paul ous wa Eighth Day has fication of passions, transposition to the holy a thatis in accordance with God's will. This is means, when he refers to the manifestation in the Chris- ae S Ibid, 769A. “Ibid. 7698,PONS ee carr 20 St. Cyril of Alexandria’s Teaching on th Sh he Pri . a tians’ body of the life of the Risen Lord (2 Cor. 4 S ir patience, w hich leads to their rei ning w aa ag he future (2 Tim. 2:12), or their becom sae oming conformed to his passion in order that they at they may also become Partakers of his resurrection and glory.” If Christ died outside th cae Jied outside the gate for us, as the blessed Pal sa Ob, 18:2, then we Christians too, s S.Cyr- oughta goo bearing Christ’s reproach being sacrificed like a bull, becomin, ee : | becoming a full-bu i ram shedding Christ’ fragrance." ade 3. Cyril believes f i. ya believes that these sacrifices are most a promi fo pists, tease they are given fst place i fering pureations and sanctification. On theater aan = is quick to pot out that the magnitude of the Play scries a ompared to those offered fo the People inthe Ol Testaent show the superonity of arate tof pists a such tis this eae uality that demands greater sacri nro leaders ofthe peopl, say St aa le sacri Sea coe a on the other hand, indicate sactifice wit dies : Fea engin as well as meckness. The grain Seen the olindiate the bright hope of fein a ce pitt of Ch fe neither sorrow! Eat ist sre nih sorrowful nor teal, ut pai a in lowing Chest. When this ha Midian ; 1e mystery of the Eighth Dey {hen people ar- oe the Fighth Day, when the Lord's ibid. 769. Ibid. 7 Christ” 21 preston of the Law and Priesthood “In ke a fire and completes the sacrifice. 1, is a mystical one! Indeed, since fakes place inthe altar of the mind and does the Glory of the Lord is not actually re- tas the Holy Spirit, who vivifies those, comes down Iil Glory : says St. Cyril This fire, this sacrifice not entail t¥PeS vealed as fire, but who partake of him oF PriestLy BLESSING. Aaron's bless- more generally, the blessing fact Christ's blessing, says alm 113:20-21 and ‘Tae MeaNING 1g of the people (and, of the people by priests) is in Cyril. This is in accordance with Ps sives the descent of the Holy Spirit Tis important to observe, says St- Cyril, that before ‘Aaron's consecration, there was no laying on of hands, sano blessing. The Holy Spirit had not yet been given, because Christ had not yet been glorified (Jn 7:39)! Now, however, that Christ's Glory shines forth in heaven, the gift of the Holy Spirit is readily available. ‘Another important matter that St. Cyril raises here has to do with the manner of blessings, which priests aoe bound to follow. This manner is specified in Num bers 6:22-27, which St. Cyril fully cites. Its clear 19 him that, on this basis, it is not a human hand that blesses, but God's, as it were. Priestly blessing is a demonstra- tion of James 1:17, namely, that every perfect gift is from inv Sid. 790-772, iid 728. ii Sibi. 72H5 Cyril of Alexandria's Teaching on the Priest tod above and comes down from th i ee e Father of lights, As Christ is the way of blessing. He is also the disper to us of all heavenly goods, and all that comes from the Father is through him. This is why St. Paul says: Gra and peace to you from God out Father and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 1:7). The blessing that priests offer to . ple is in God's name. The best way to convey this a is given, acording to St. Cyril, in Numbers 623-25. - Ee Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and his ae ‘sy et shall bless the Israelites: You shall say pn eee and keep you, the Lord may make ioe sien oa and be gracious to you, the Lord may 1h 4 ounteane pony and give you pence. So they ee eae ee Israelites, and I will bless them.”88 pena lessing actually do? St. Cyril explains ins, destroys the curse, transforms th ea makes him boast in Chis. St, Pau isthe withese to hs, when he writs tothe Ephesane (3-3), “bine God ad Father of our Lord J ae es intend ttl essing ashe ease us in Him be of the world to be holy and blameless before Him, having destined His love to divine adoption ing destined us throu, co rough His love to divine And St. Cys pelled because: and peace t il goes on to comment: of his transgression, but b Sibi. 77D. ~ lbid. 773A. “Ibid “Man was ex- but became accepted sethoo ofthe Law and Priesthood “In Christ” 23 adoption, when he was blessed through ook of the Holy Spirit. Actually, Christ ‘ed out, the Spirit on all Christians, not the saints with partiality but placing again through Christ and part has richly pour’ ‘The manifestation the manifestation of his mercy, sre knowledge of God is granted together with participa: tron in eternal life. The Savior himself says this (Jn. 17:3): is is eternal life, Hhat they may know You, the only true God, and whom You sent, Jesus Christ.”* St. Cyril goes on to explain that the face of God the rather is undoubtedly the Son, who appeared to us. The Gon is his character, likeness and icon, through whom ee know the Father, and so, we learn together with this knowledge that we need to be merciful. This is the meaning of our justification by faith and not by works of righteousness that we have done. It is God's great Mercy, says St. Cyril, that made it possible for us to shake off cor: ruption and to receive a new form that is appropriate for the new life in Christ. St. Cyril stresses here that the Jews were the first to receive this great and true Mercy, when the Only Begot- ten shown upon them, They were under a heavy burden, because the Law, which convicted and punished the sinner without mercy, had condemned them. But they ce it is true that cause STbid. 7738. “Ibid. bid. 773BC.SN aly, ‘Alexandria’s Teachin; P; 18 0M the Priesthogg received Merey with the saving Grace given throy hrist, whose coming had been prayed for + a Cl hs ccording to It was the entire mankind, however, St. Cyril n to stress, that received God's Mercy through the manifestation of Christ. Peace was granted by the ap. penance of God's face in Christ to everyone, who Be aes ae declared peace to all, as John 14:27 states, i ie ascended into heaven and received the Name = isaboveevery name and sat at the right hand of the ‘ather, Christ abolis! e i oo ished the enmity that divided man- The peace grante is cha Pees ranted by Chis is appropriated through a aS His commandments and walking with the Sir, ho makes us partakers of the divine natu ist unites us in this unity. He rayed ee prayed to the Father that ee Scripture says that we all are that whosoever is united with the Lord, becomes one : le spirit with Him; tl is alted, He attracts all to himself ieiiiiainl Ibid. 73. "bid. 7730, "Ibid. 7730-768, «ofthe Law and Priesthood “In Christ” 25 priesttoo sanctify themselves in order to fulfill their liturgy.” sa ctually turns to Numbers 86-15, which refers to tha purification ofthe Levites and opens up its deeper meaning, for Christians. jere again, St. Cyril is totally Christ-centered. The whole text, he says; refers to Christ. He is our purifca: vom, our cleansing, the giver of our sanctification” Christ's Blood cleanses more effectively than that of bulls sind rams, ete, as the all-wise Paul declares in the Epistle in the Hebrews (9:13). If the types have saving power, how much more does Christ true Blood, he remarks! “The water and the ashes, St. Cyril explains, refer to tion in Christ, which takes place through This is what the divine Paul explains “We have been buried with the mottifical faith at Baptism. in Romans 6:4, when he says, Christ, and as God raised him, so we may live a new life.” Else- where, the same Apostle puts it like this: “We participate in his death by suffering in the body. So thatthe life of the Risen Jesus may appear in our mortal body” (2 Cor. 41011) What is this mortification in Christ? To be dead to the world, to sin, says St. Cyril: to live a holy and pure life. To live as Paul says in Galatians 2:19-20:“...being dend to the world and living to God in Christ.” St. Cyril goes on to explain various details of the Ola Testament regulations. The shaving of the Levites _ Ibid. 7768. "Ibid. 776D. 2Sbid, 776D-777A. | 777A., 5) Cyril of Alexandria's Teaching on the Priestagg eth >recisely aenotes this mortification?” Tt has to do with the deliverance of the mind from the uncleanness of the flesh, from the law of sin with the power and energy of the Holy Spirit, Hair represents desire that is not rooted out except when itis shaved off at the moment it beging to grow. The washing of the clothes denotes external cleanli- ness, which is explained with reference to the manner of life indicated in Romans 12:17 and Matthew 5:1678 ‘The two young bulls to be sacrificed at these purifi- cations typify Christ and the life in Christ? The on offered as a whole-burnt offering and the other as an of- fering for sin ‘The placing of the hands of the Israelites on the heads of the Levites has to do with ordination.®” It corresponds to what is done today at the ordination of priests, when the people say Axios, An important detail that St. Cyril stresses here is the requirement that the ordination of Levites should take Place at the Church and in the presence of the people. Others, itis against God's will and outside the holy 'ws. It is on completion of their purification and ordi- nation that Levites assume aol assume full and effective responsi- ibid. 78C, Ibid. 770. Ibid. 780A, tid. 780CD. "Ibid. 7800. ail Impediments to the Priesthood and ‘Acceptable Priestly Celebrations (De Adoratione Book XII) Puysica, Buenustes as IMPEDIMENTS TO THE PrrestHoop. In Book 12 of his great treatise [e Worship in Spirit and in Truth, St. Cyril turns to Bo Testament stipulations conceming the persons, chould not become priests and to the reasons that pertain to these decisions.” His intention is to elucidate La be in which these stipulations are applicable to the Christ a priesthood, which, ashe has stated, is theultimate reality that the former typifies. ; In the Old Testament, it was the tribe of and no other that was chosen for providing priests ‘The stipulations pertaining to this provision SPST fied certain, detailed examinations that were req for Levites, for not all of them could becom, PIT These examinations mainly focused on c aig Bens ishes. The key text on this, which St. Cyril cites, yh Moses viticus 21:6~23. Here, the Lord speaks though Moves to Aaron, saying that any man of his tribe 10 Aaron, ughout f the Levites ‘®]bid. 781BF.pi of Alexandria's Teaching onthe Priestegg 1 generations, who would have a blemish on him should not draw nigh to serve as priest and to offer sacrifices fo the Lord. Indeed, it is explained that ¢ man with a blemish is “a man that és lame, blind, with his nose disfigured, or his ears cut, a man, who has a broken hand or a broken foot, or hump-backed, or blear-eyed, or one ‘hat has lost his eye-lashes, or a man, zoho has a malignang ulcer, or tetter, or one that las lst a testicle. ... The gift of God are most holy, and he shall ent of the holy things. Only he shall not approach the veil, and he shall not draw nigh to the altar, because he has a blemish, and he shall not profane the sanctuary of his God, for I am the Lord that sanctifies them” (Lev. 21:18~20). Palladius, St. Cyril's interlocutor, asks the obvious. Is ita crime, then, if one has a physical (inherited) blemish? St. Cyril finds this question understandable and congrat- ulates Palladius. His answer, however, is a negative one. He is certain, he says, that God would not accuse anyone for physical blemishes. Thus, he points out that the basis for prohibiting Levites with physical blemishes from be- coming priests must be sought elsewhere, mince acm sehen a emanet ich the Old Testament, bodily concerns are used as types that lead people's mn to more refined thoughls, thoughts thar eng, ens soul God's concem then, he BS rae ° Hie ifferent kinds of psychological passione o4° With the diferent kinds of psychological passions, which hereally Ibid. 781C-784A, a “Ibid. 7848, oN AN NYY adie y ents to Priesthood and Acceptable Celebrations 29 intents Impedit to speak, because they deprive human beings reir real possibilities. That this is the case, says Fro ee learn from the divine Paul, who tells us that St CIF We selected to be priests, ought to stand out those, Wil red for their works. Thus, in Timothy 3:24, and oe anne ’a Bishop should be without blemish... and - oer eproech” and that exactitude (dxgiBeia) on this bey ected. rt peel and introductory clarifications, St. eal turns to the various cases of physical eae Leviticus that prohibit one from becoming a priest. His in ation, of course, is to find the real logic that lies be- sey or points beyond, such prohibitions. He is certain, fs he says, that these severe stipulations ultimately have to do with spiritual blemishes, which are unaceptabe to God, because they inhibit man’s communion with him and, therefore, man’s capability to serve im, Putting this more positively, St. Cyril states that what God expects of persons that would be priests is perfect vite and unwavering sanctity Le. patient cultivation of character leading to thriving virtues and undiminished conssten cy of prudence. Ths, then i ultimately the purpose of the bodily stipulations, the promotion of genuine riestly race. . eral Testament prety race ss St.Cye, ime Aaron’s descendants and the Levites. cluded at that time onelhee e Today, however, it includes those, hates, 8 Ibid. 784 “Ibid. 785A.MNS ni. 51. Cyr of Alexandria's Teaching on the Priesthong ee elt lied in Christ, the great and true High Priest, through sion and communion with him or participation in hig divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4), These are the people, who have boon justified by faith and are recognized as children born of God (Is. 8:18). ‘Tue SriniTuat MEANING OF THE OLD Testament Puysicat Buemisnes. 1) The first case of bodily blemishes, which excludes one from entering the ranks of priests, is that of being blind or lame." St. Cyril tells, Palladius that he should look at these cases spiritually, i.e. bypassing the “material or corporeal aspects of the sacred history,” so that he may discover their “spiri- tual meaning.” On this basis, St. Cyril finds that a “blind person” corresponds toa “mindless person,” since the “mind” is often said to be the “eye of the soul.” A mindless person is one, whose mind is not enlightened by the divine light and, therefore, cannot see the “immortal beauty,” says St. Cyril. Such a spiritually blind person cannot “engage in flexible thought movements,” i.e. is not capable to think, so as to attain exact knowledge and, therefore, cannot avoid making mistakes concerning the right (ot thodox) dogma Clearly, St. Cyril thinks here of a person that has not experienced deification, or has not seen God’s glory and, ibid. Ibid. 7856, Ibid. 785C. woo timents (0 Priesthood and Acceptable Celebrations 31 Impediments (0 Pries ie ee jus, cannot grasp revealed truth, Ibis to such a person, ce Cyril, that Proverbs 4:25 refers, when it says: arr your eyes look directly forward and your gaze be straight yi * Similarly, it is such a person that Jeremiah worry describes: "But your eyes and Keart are only on your Jrchonest gan, for shedding innocent blood and for practc- si oppresion ved violence.” This last verse suggests that ipinitual blindness incurs dishonesty, murderous at tude, oppression and violence towards others. In this light, we can understand why a spiritually blind person is unworthy of the priesthood.” / 2) The case of a “lame person” is similar. Looking at this spiritually, St. Cyril finds that such a person indi- cates “one that cannot walk straight” or “one that lacks the power to lead a perfect life.” Lameness, he says, is actually a sign of idleness, laziness, lack of readiness to respond to what needs to be done. It is to such a person, says St. Cyril, that Isaiah 35:3 refers: "..confirm the feeble knees”; and also Psalm 17:45: “The strange children ... fell coay from their paths through lameness.” The first verse speaks of “feebleness” or “lack of firmness,” and the second, of “falling away from the right path.” It is such spiritual conditions that inhibit a person from becoming, a worthy priest In light of the above, St. Cyril concludes that blind- ness of mind and lameness or feebleness of life are par- allel passions, the one being more inward and the other before you. ‘eTbid. 785CD. Ibid. 788A. met32. St. Cyril of Alexandria's Teaching om the Priest aaa 004 more outward, and that, understandably, both of the make a person unworthy of the priesthood.% i 5) A person with a "mutilated nose or ears” imple Sa ;person, who cannot use his senses correctly” and, there. fore, deprives the mind from making right decisions and taking right actions. The mutilated ear also implies a “person, who is not ready to listen” and is, therefore, “ij. able to fall into deceit and error." 4) A person with a “broken hand or leg” is not a per- son that is sick in everything, but “one that cannot work or walk blamelessly.” A person with a broken leg is also one that cannot act.* 5) A “hunchback or cripple” person, and persons with “eye-blemishes,” denote “useless persons.” The cripple is “one, who turns downward towards fleshly concems, a person that loves matter, who does not lead a clean life."*S The person with an eye-blemish is “one, who does not choose rightly but chooses what is unac- ceptable; such a person lacks dogmatic correctness and has a propensity towards heresy."% 6) A “person with an itching disease” denotes “one that has a bodily passion that cannot be Gd This disease begi oie ‘gins with pleasure and ends with bitter- ness. It can be both limited id i i and unlimited, like every ibid. "Ibid. 7888CD, bid. 7880-7894, Ibid. 7898C, Ibid. 7890-7922, "Ibid. 7928C, Ampediments to Priesthood and Acceptable Celebrations 33 session of the flesh that can be balanced or unbalanced. pevwing scabs,” then, means “having a passion that can- hot be controlled but spreads its energy gradually and without stopping.” 7) Finally, a “person with a crushed testicle” is “one, who is half a man, a person with sexual problems, either 3 fornicator or a male prostitute.” Such a person basi- folly lacks in firmness, oF in ability to respond decisively to challenges. ‘The main point made in all these cases is that a person that yields to passions and fails to acquire the virtues is not acceptable to become a priest. Such a person may re- ceive communion, as a sick person that repents and needs to receive medicine in order to fight the disease, but not as a person that can serve others with communion.!” Christ, says St. Cyril, is the new creation according to the Scriptures, and we can properly approach him only when we deny the old man in us, who is corruptible with the desires of deceit. No one that has remained indeci- sive in embracing the new life in Christ in all its integrity ty is worthy of the Lord and, therefore, 101 worthy to serve him. Priests, Wxo Fater ArreR OxpINation. St. Cyril {turns next to the case of those ordained priests, who Ibid, 7920. Ibid. 798A. spbid, 7988. ver pbid. 798C.pWO yy Lan Ne 34 Si. Cyril of Alexandria's Teaching on the Priestiogg — — ted fall into the passions that constitute impediments to the priesthood.!® He examines this case on the basis of Leviticus 22:1-9, which deals with liturgical uncleanness, which profanes the name of God. His point is that those, who offer to God the sacred oblations that are brought to them by the people, should take care to be themselves cleansed before they engage in this service. “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to Aaron and fo his sons, and let them take heed concerning the holy things of the children of Israel, so that they shall not profane my holy name in any of the things, which they consecrate to me: I am the Lord. Say to them, Every man throughout your genera- tions tohoever ofall your seed shall approach to the holy things, whatsoever the children of Israel shall consecrate to the Lord, while his uncleanness is upon him, that soul shall be cut off {from me: Lam the Lord your God. And the man of the seed of ‘Aaron the priest, fhe should have leprosy or issue of the reins, shall not eat of the holy things, until he be cleansed; and he that touches any uncleanness of a dead body, or the man, whose seed of copulation shall have gone out of him, or whosoever shall touch any unclean reptile, which will defile him, or who shall touch a man, whereby he shall defile him: according to all hhis uncleanness, whatsoever soul shall touch them shall be un- clean until evening; he shall not eat of the holy things, unless hhe bathe his body in water, and the sun go down, and then he shall be clean; and then shall he eat of all the holy things, for they are his breed. He shall not eat of that which dies of itself, cor is taken of beasts, so that he should be polluted by thent. I amt i [bid 793D-796ABC. a — inpatients to Priesthood and Acceptable Celbrations 35 impediments 0 erations 35 tne Lord, And they shall keep my ordinances, tat they donot hear iniquity because of them, and die because of then, if they shit profane them. Tam the Lord that sanctifes them.” ‘At the heart of this Leviticus text, which St. Cyril «ites in full, we have a warning about the severity of the punishment that such a person may suffer from the Lord himself: “Every man throughout your generations whoever fall your seed shall approach to the holy things, whatsoever the children of Israel shall consecrate to the Lord, while his tuncleaness is upon him, that soul shall be cutoff from me.” But we also have a solution. “Whosoever among the sons of Aaron (the priests) touches anything tat makes im un clean he shall not eat from the sacred oblations} has washed his body in water.” The Law providl remedies to bodily passions, says St. Cyril. In the Gospel, however, alll this is transferred to the soul and especially to the mind, If the mind turns to spiritual corruption, it yields no fruit and does not understand what is neces- sary for salvation. It resembles the mind of Hymenaeos and Alexander, who swerved away from the truth by claiming (falsely) that the final resurrection had already taken place (2 Tim, 2:18). It also resembles, says St. Cyril, the mind of those, who run in an unbridled way to all directions, mindlessly, proving that they have no sense of direction whatsoever. St. Cyril is clear about the right remedy for this case. Such a person should be kept apart from serving until ‘Ibid. 4Ibid. 796D~797A. aREL REE St. Cyril of Alexandria’s Teachin, il of Alexandria’ Ng On the Priesth oe od he has been cleansed. He needs to deliver himself thal, which led him to deadly deeds. Once reston could resume his place in the Lord's service. In line from ds he this, St Cyril cites the words of St. Paul in 1 Corinthna® ans 28: "But let a man examine himself, and so that bread, and drink of that cup. eae dane shily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discern, ing the Lord’s body." ; Itis interesting to note that St. Cyril identifies here those, who do not discern the Body of Christ, not only with those, who fall into unclean deeds, i.e. contract leprosy or gonorrhea, but also with those, who associ- ate, or are in touch with such?®* He cites the following as evidence: 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Do not be deceived, evil contacts corrupt good manners;" 2 Corinthians 6: “What accord has Christ with Belial? And what part has the believer with the unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols” Psalm 17:25-26, “With the holy you will be holy, and with the innocent man you will be innocent, and with the excellent man you will be excellent, but with the perverse you will change your behavior;” 1 Corinthians |, which warns us not to eat with unclean people, “But rather I wrote to you with anyone, who bears the name of brother, if he is guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber — not even to eat with such one,” etc.” iWbid. 797A. bid. 7978. bid. 797CD-800A.p , tr, t priesthood and Acceptable Celebrations 37 nents to Priesth ; J tuens to Christ asthe ultimate and true reme- Ee fans the light of day that delivers us from the dy. Christ Pr Christ has come, ands therefore, there is darko ses us, restores us to Por darkness. Baptism clean: 19 plac liye Holy Bucharist sustains us. It is by our re- Fi ari, then, and by abiding in him, that we get rid Sa Or am yd the darkness of sin and enter into the i point, St. Cyril turns to Exodus jay, To stress this fers to the Passover lamb that should be of uncle light of d 1241-6, which nin the evening.'® ‘The whole issue, of being clean or unclean and par- taking of or abstaining from the oblations raises the issue at who is worthy to celebrate oF to receive communion. Leviticus 22:10K provides the basis for St. Cyril's answer. No foreigner (d-\Aoyevtjs) and no hireling (ju0@«t6s) are allowed to partake. These two characters represent the unbelievers; those, who have not found and have not joined Christ. These are not allowed to eat from his Table.” St. Cyril recalls here the Lord’s very words, “Do not give what is holy to the dogs,” or “do not throw your pearls before swine” (Matt. 7:6). To the foreigners and the hirelings, he also adds the alien residents (nAQoUKou), who represent those worldly people, who believe in Christ but have not come to love him."”° rue nae to partake of communion or as communicants)? The answer "id 9000-a0TA ‘Ibid, 801BCD, “bid 6048,Sete ASA h Curil of Alexandria's Teachi Hg On the Pri TE Pt se that belong to or dwell in the re the genuine Christians, who a a th Christ and abide with him in his houses 4 ie 's Daucnrer, Leviticus 22:12 and 13 proys, ;wo additional, interesting cases, which St. Cyril 9, up and elaborates. Both of these cases have to eae “priests daughter The first case states, “Ifa priest's daugh, ter marries a foreigner, she shall not eat from the sacred oblations* According, to St. Cyril, the priest's daughter represents a person, who was reborn in Christ through holy Baptism, but subsequently became an unbeliever! Indeed, St. Cyril describes this person as having departed from the orthodox faith, having run after the flesh, having followed deceitful spirits and having acquired an unclean conscience." The second case, Leviticus 22:13, indicates that a priest's daughter, who became widowed or divorced and, then, being childless, returned to her father's house, she may partake of the holy gifts. The inner or hidden meaning of these two cases, says St. Cyril, is that people, who have gone astray through wrong relations, should be accepted when they return to their original home. In other words, true repentance should not be despised, be- cause it truly leads to restoration. Particularly interesting here is St. Cyril's identifica tion of the priest’s daughter with the Jewish people, oF ae ibid. 1 Phd. BOABC. aid. BO5AB. —— the priest being Moses’ instruct ns; worse still, traditio ther ‘owed ) himself and foll io not partake of after ot a "Nevertheless, St. Cyril ol Be etait Wie lene erate 4 then, they will serve him as priests, id feed others with them." further about purity as the nd communicating in the Crist hims basis of Hosea Iast days, an dat rom the oblations an st Cyril goes on to sped Suc ae cebating and com nt rr pst who ignore this resupPesion and allows unworthy participation, is severely punished jecording to Leviticus 22:14-16. The case of the sons of Eli(1 Kings/1 Sam. 2:15) is recalled here as an illustration if the severity of the punishment. This case shows that neither ignorance nor arrogance and high-handed action are excused. That purity and sanctity are necessary is further illustrated on the basis of Leviticus 21:1-4, which stipulates that priests should not contaminate them- selves by touching dead people, except their own dead relatives: father, mother, sons and daughters, brothers iced sisters. This regulation, says St. Cyril, (0 the inner condition of the soul, because the inthe Ee "ibid, 8B, “Ibid c8CD-g0A,N 40 St. Cyril of Alexandria's Teaching on the Pristhog mortality of the body is a type of the i nner mo; the soul.” ity the soul po people represent dead deed, wy 7 priests should not touch lest a they are = contami by association throu y igh will or act, TI pe relatives, on the other hand, is connect] tt he suffering and typifies the suffer wnat sulin ing and death of Che of those, who are sanctified in him. This ct the Old Law has a different stipulation about th of the relatives. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 ex ra New Testament perspective of this point: “Buf ween” nol have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those, a asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who a hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose opt even so through Jesus, Got will ring hin thse, who he fallen asleep.” is why 5m Maxrrace oF Prresrs. Yet, another case stressing the same point of priestly purity is that of the regula- tions for the marriage of priests (Lev. 21:14-14). A priest “shall not marry a widow, or a woman that is put atony, or profaned, or a harlot, because he is sanctified (dedicated) to his Lord and God, and he will sanctify him. A priest offers the gifts to the Lord and God of tke people, and, therefore, he has tobe holy, because God is Holy.” Here, too, uncleanness, oF impurity, appears to be transmitted through association ‘irybid. 8O9CD- us]bid. 812A ve bid. 8128. vejbid. 8120. 5h «and Acceptable Celebrations 41 jesthio0 asto do with the condemna- such associations. AN it cyt i the Synagogue of the oF with other shepherds (Scribes and jos, wo OF erefore, Christ did ot accept her as his parses) ane eyed in the stipulation relating 1s daughter that fornicates ‘words of Isaiah 1:21 (Zion ah 11:16F (the olive tree jains, ith Cyril exPh and 856 that result from and il repute tion @ nie of this, 5 example fornicate ries This €282 i ve punishment of @ Priest want te prophetic teat) and Jem was cutoff and burned)" ; ; ches the summit, as it were, of his exposi- rn details concerning “the Priest that is chief among iespthren,” the Hierarch, on the basis of Leviticus y1t0-15." Thus, he explains the followin} pret is not supposed to take off his miter indicates his connection with Christ's priesthood," which is com- pletely perfect (naveéActov) and Melchisedekian (eter- nal) and cannot be removed." That a High Priest will not mourn at the death of others is a sign of his belief in Christ as the common life of all and of the fact that believers fall “asleep and do not die.” That the High Priest should not touch any dead persons, even relatives, indicates that there is total absence of impurity by con- "ibid 813A, = "Ubi. B13BC, "Ibid. 813D-815A, bid. 8158, "Ibid. 8154, “bi, thal42 St. Cyrilof Alexandria's Teaching on the Priesth —— '00d tamination or association in Christ, for Christ defers fro all other human beings in that he was totally. tuncontamn nated and sinless.” Finally that the High Priest was to marty a virgin signifies Christ's union with the Church of the Nationg (cxxAnoiay Tv EOVav), as a pure virgin, blameless and without wrinkle, or holy and immaculate” (2 Cor, 11:2), as opposed to the Synagogue of the Jews. Indeed, says St. Cyril, going spiritually deeper into the meaning of the type, the marriage of the High Priest to a pure rgin signifies the union of Christ to human souls that are pure and immaculate, which he renders fruitful and calls them his own generation: “Whosoever does the will of sen, he is my brother and sister and mother" my Father in heav (Matt. 1 How Priests SHouLD Cetesrate tN OnveR 10 Be |Accerrabte. Having, discussed a) those, who do, or rather those, who do not become priests, and b) what priests should not do, and how they should remedy themselves when they ert, St. Cyril now turns to how priests should celebrate and who the communicants should be so that their services may be acceptable." He recalls the stipulations given in the book of Leviticus for the various kinds of sacrifices and draws out their spit tual meaning and application in the Christian economy. Ibid. Ibid. BI7AB. Ibid. B17CH ee ee to Priesthood and Acceptable Celebrations 43 0 pei Geur-PROJeCTION, BUT Hummury. First of ils Exodus 20:26, which provides St. Cyril may be called the first general, principle for th t celebration: “You shall not go up by steps so pala, so Hat your nakedness may not be exposed on ve hig means, as St. Cyril explains, that priests 44 not imitate the pagans, who built high altars only about their appearance or self-projec- an they should rather approach their service with eility” and avoid “self-projection,” thinking that the altar belongs to the Lord and not to the priests This, St. Cyril says, is also spelled out in Ecclesiastes 4220, which states: “The greater you are, the more you Fuld humble yourself and you will find grace before the Lori.” St. Cyril also recalls James 1:10, which, in the some spirit, stipulates that “the humble brother must boast in his height and the rich in his lowliness.” The liturgist, he says, should be rid of all “self-boasting” (aAAacoveiaw), “pomposity” (ykos) and “superior- ity complex” (bnegotpia)."3! 5) Te Sacririce or Waoe-BurNtT OFFERING. St. Cyril turns next to the stipulations for the sacrifice of the whole-burnt offering given in Leviticus 68-13, which provide him with a second, general principle that should guide a priest’s service: the realization “that the fire on the altar is unceasing” or “that the Lord's glory (presence) is always there”: a) No all, he rece with what correc it shoul and cared Ibid. 817D__ OO Ibid, AB,44 St. Cyril of Alexandria's Teaching. On the i re Priest 100d a “And the Lord spoke to Moses sayi and his sons, saying, This i the ieee arse Acro ee This is the whole burnt pao fer. burnin hei all the night fl the morning: andy altar shall burn om it, it shall not be put Sar ehe | And the priest shall put or e ic mi a pet on the linen tunic, and he shall put the ji ae body: and shall ake away tha, which net rg burt which the fre shall have consumed, ent whole-burnt offering from the liput ine ing from the altar and he shall put it new ie e altar, And he shall put off his Z put off his vestments and put on another, I take forth the offer al te x fering that has been burnt outside the Plece: And the freon th altar shal be kept rng {shall not be extinguished." oe explains that the fire of the altar is unceasing, 2 ees but internal, to it’; “itis fire , from heaven.” This “fire” n Sn This “fire” is nothing else but fie glory of a hich fills the altar. The figure of the tire bul theresa depen move tea urning on it this. "The divine altar it ', More mystical meaning to all fragrance of our virtues tionally as a sacrifice the This is why the Apostie saya o)cecation of our lite why "Lappe te ercies of God, fo present gone ee 12 BO, therefore by ee sent your Dodie as et iach eee r lose sight of the the 2bid. 8208C. Ibid. 8200. priesthood and Acceptable Celebrations 45 rents 10 he altar from heaven and re comes down on tl tt and goes up constantly. ut remains on it 5 Emmanuel, this fire, St. Cyril cording to the “1 sau the Spirit ing on hmm. I that the altar i rected with the Holy Spirit, hat St. John the Baptist gave: nt heaven and remainit but he was the one, who sent me ie cyater and tld me Hat on tohom the Spirit de- rhe will baptize with the Holy Spirit” On. he same John associates the Spirit at Christ will baptize with both, Spirit and fire (1:26f). This, St Cyril says, was also fore- told by Malachi, who prophesied that “he (the Lord) will se the workd as the fire ofa furnace and as the herb of rs; he shall sit to melt and purify as it were silver, and as it were gold” (3:2f).1 Thus, St. Cyril concludes: the unceasing is the Holy Spirit that has come down and remains on Christ (who is the reality that the altar typi- fies) although he was always in him by nature, since he is understood to be and is God. This means that whoever believes in Christ and becomes Christ's is also a recipient of the Holy Spirit and becomes himself a divine altar! This is why those, who have dedicated their lives to Christ, should never lose the fire of the Holy Spirit, but says, is conn’ explanation t vseneding Hike a dove from did not know who he was, to baptize scends and remains, 1:32-33).° Indeed, th with fire and foretells th fire at the altar that is bid. Ibid, 821, bid, 8218,46 St. Cyril of Alexandric $ Tenching on the Priesthagg preserve this fire inside them uncea ngly. They shoutg ites to exti it. Rather, they should rekindle this gift constant ly in their mind seth metfeation, {hough love for God and ner of spiritual wor. s expected of all Christians and especially of tests cannot function properly unless they are mystical altars in themselves where Christ and the Spirit dwell unceasingly.” Another detail from the Leviticus stipulations on Whole-burnt offerings, which St. Cyril also notes and elaborates, has to do with the ashes of the altar. The stipulations of the Law required that the priests should throw these ashes outside the Tabernacle, and to do this, they should change their clothes. St. Cyril recalls Ezekiel 40:45ff, which refers to the same point and concludes that this stipulation shows the sanctity of the altar and of the priests, who serve there. Sanctity is the third principle (prerequisite) for acceptable priestly service. Thus, no unsanctified (&varyvos) person should enter the holy of holies for service to God, This is why even the clothes (vestments) used by the priests at the service of the altar should be used exclusively there and should not even be not allow the coldness of secular desi desire for touched by anybody else. Finally, St. Cyril adds that the whole-burnt offer- ing has to burn on the altar night and day, because it signifies Chris’s fragrance that never ends. This fra- Br ybid B2ICD. Debi. 824AB, eto Priesthood and Acceptable Celebrations 47 nts to Pries peti is also connected with the lives of the like whole-burnt offerings that shed as they offer the trophies of thei f life as a sacrifice to God. So, the grance of Christ i: saints, which are Christ’ fragrance vangelical manner exante ofthe whole-burnt offering, says St. Cyell, also sactce total dedication of “the exceptional saints” i ), which should be the model of all wi ceaupirers AYO! VoF (ne The fact is, however, that only a few fall in line priests ‘wth this model.) ty Tue Sacrteice OF GRAIN OFFERING. Thus, St. Cyril tums next to the sacrifice of the “grain offering” (Lev. ‘c1t_18), which denotes a partial life of dedication, based nthe commandments of God. This partial dedication, which characterizes most of the Christians, should also be fragrant and should be fed with rich and good hopes about what lies beyond, namely, full commitment to ho- liness or full commitment to the life in Christ. But what exaclly is “partial dedication,” Palladius asks? “Partial dedication,” St. Cyril explains, is the life that never reaches the heights of the life of the saints, because it fails to follow the way uphill, which John or the Apostles indicated, but is always defeated by the life that lies lower. It is a “life divided between God and the world,” a life in between, a life, however, that retains the “memory of being with God.” The parti signified by the “unleavened bread,” which is used Bain sacrifice. The leaven in this case is the desire to be bid. 824CD, "bid 8254,48 St. Cyril of Alexandria's Teaching On the Pristhogg liked by our fellow-human beings (v0, , which leads one to compromise his dedication St. Cyril notes that this is more unavoidable fe A people, who, as St. Paul the Apostle rie aed dress the concerns of their partners and ane to 7:33). Basically, however, it is the concerns for i ioe that divide people's allegiance and make them mrt dedicated to God. Yet, even the pa dedication ha a place and its fragrance and its benefits, Those, who are) it, areallowed to partake of a part of it (ofthe unle: anal bread), because the rest of it is given to the cae a thus, the greater mystery of the sacrifice is pecans If the grain offering is generally for the people, there E > ee grain offering (actually a “tithe of grain”), sea coed) for the priests. This is described in as 6:19-23, and the distinctive feature that dis- inguishes it from the previous one is that it should be es burnt offering, i.e. entirely consumed by fire. Cy ril explains that the reason why the people's grain otering isnot enely consumed by fire is that those, for ee do Pe live a totally sanctified life. re *! i we clave been chosen to serve paraeael oblige (expected) to be totally dedicated Pa Ea sacrifice should be totally es t. Cyril recalls here the verse Ga- leans 219-20 in order to illustrate what this means for 7 erve as priests in Christ. “I have been crucified "Ibid. 825BCD. — 16 [bid, 828A. dand Acceptable Celebrations 49 nents to Priesthood ini sat and [no Tonge Hie to myself ut Christ Hes 2 cor te fried pan, on which this offering is made, bea vghe life of the saints,” which is “full of trials seni the grain and the oil, on the other hand, snd sufferings”? the "brokenness and tenderness of the heart of d of «This sacrifice specifies exactly the im pie of dedication that priests should pursue, But 1 can this be achieved? St, Cyril says that for some, the ey way t avoid contamination and escape from sin through Christ” because “itis in him and through him that the perfect purification has been accomplished by ans of his crucifixion for our sake.” They have to cling ., whereby they can be signify the saints.” me to him and to his offering for si constantly forgiven and restored.'® ») Tue Sacetrice FOR SiN. The “sacrifice for sin,” which is described in Leviticus 6:25~30, serves as the ba~ sis (or developing this point." The sacred victim offered forsin, St. Cyril says, is none other than Emmanuel, who is, according to the Gospel (Jn. 1:29), the true lamb that lakes away the sins of the world. He is sacrificed in the place of the whole-burnt offering, because Christ is not partially holy like us — since he committed no sin (1 Pet. 2:22) but he is totally fragrant and sacred and sancti- fies all the others. Although “he was included among the lawless and was counted with those convicted,” “the Father knew that the death of the Son was perfectly holy and sacred.” This is why, St. Cyril says, it is said in the "Ibid, 828CD 829A. "ibid 8298, eeon the Priesthogg "In the place where they slay the whole-burnt of there they will also slay Iso slay the sin of are the holy of holies” (Lev. cone ins rete The Son, who is God of gods, the Holy One of the saints, ngs, Lord; they WS St Cyril says, is als of creation with his Spirit, a ide! Father and is truly God. The Law stipulates tha ae is offered in the “sacrifice for sin” will be eate aire priest. This is a priest’s primary prerogative, as e i first to share in the fruit of his labor. Then, the rest of the sacrifice is eaten in holy places and in the court of the sacred Tabernacle. The holy mysteries (sacraments) are offered in the churches and to the holy people from the Holy Table of Christ. Wherever a lawful priest serves, there the place is sanctified. The sacrifice he serves sanc- tifies him, who touches it, and those, who are sprinkled with the blood. We come to the saints not for anything else, St. Cyril says, but in order that we too may become partakers of Christ through the ineffable and mystical sacrifice of the sacred Eucharist." The vessels too that are used for the sacrifice are cleansed and protected lest they fall into someone else's hands, or be used for other purposes beyond the lawful ones. The law that pertains to all these things, St. Cyril notes, has been preser tn the Churches. As for the stipulation that “Every male ” (Lev. 6:29), this refers: who are brave or manly ong the priests shall eat it il explains, to those, am as St. C} ie tbid. 829C. Me tbid. 8290-8324. 1s to Priesthood and ‘Acceptable Celebrations 51 conévous) against sin and, therefore, includes copévovs) ind women.” roves next t0 the stipulations for this most sin,” especially those for the “sacrifice (Quota rAnpHeA€ia), and into what rive ad what is totally consumed a fragrance." mi the ram are whole-burnt offering to the ‘tue (ager), which is manifold, but fo Christ, “who offered himself up + fragrant offering to God the Father” Eph. 5:2) tr peaby, secured our salvation. The priest takes the any te animal that was sacrificed. Indeed, he takes sa hing from every sacrifice he offers, and so do the vther press for their offerings. This provision of com pensating the priests for their services, St Cyril says, is presorved in the churches according to the apostolic commandment (cf. 1 Cor. 9:13 and 10:18)."” +) Tite SACRIFICE OF Praise. The “sacrifice of praise” (ova aivece«s) is cited next (Lev. 7:1-5) and com- mented on in some detail.!® St. Cyril says that David calls this “cup of salvation” (Ps. 115:4) and notes that Chiistins offer such sacrifices daily, both in church and inother places in the presence of baptized Christians and catechumens. The “bread offered” in this case is both leavened” (in spite of Ley. 2:11) and “unleavened.” (avto! poth men a st. Cyril holy “sacrifice for for transgression the intestines o Lord. They typify ¥ uikimately they point t for us as ‘ih, SDA Swi $328 bik 8320-833 the oei, :| 52 St. Cyril of Atexandria’s Teaching on the the Pri hood The “leavened bread” is a not yet been cee ae i have not been perfectly delivered from se anor bread” denotes the life that hae bo already ansed for Christ through faith, ie. the ee” ‘Perfect believers (1 Cor. 5:8 and 5:7)."5| The “goed, grain” refer individually to those, who offe ee of praise.!® The “oil” denotes the joy of the oft ings of God's mercy. The “eating of the lamb,” whose gan tines are used for the sacrifice on the same day, dens Who Y baptism any ‘cular impu that in the world to come another way of praising God will be applied. This is obvious in the way praise of God changed from the Old to the New Testament. In the for- mer, the praise was based on the delivery of Israel in the Red Sea. In the latter, the praise is based on the delivery of humanity from Hades. In the future age, when proph- ecy and knowledge will cease (1 Cor, 13:9-10), Christ will speak clearly about the Father (Jn. 16:25), and this will be the basis for a higher praise."* Finally, St. Cyril cites the general stipulations that make the priests sharers in the first-fruit of any kind that are offered on the altar (Num. 18:1, 8-19) and specify that only those, who are worthy of the altar ie. those, who are sanctified, who believe, who respect and love God, may also partake of the remainders of these gifts iBifbid, 833-8364. 12 }bid. 836B. ssIbid, 1st bid, 837A. ss]bid, 837BCD-841A, so priesthood and Acceptable Celebrations 53 rl concludes this homily with the admonitions: Priests, who have best of callings in life, ought to “oimtercourse and worldly cares, lest they get 'd rush to unlawful pleasures." tin Leviticus 10:9-11: “You shall rink, you and your sons with you, ernacle of Witness, or when you wu may not die; This is a perpetual to distinguish between sacred and rr ejetveen clean and unclean, and to teach the chi jerael all the statutes, which the Lord spoke to them by teing alert, then, he adds, is absolutely necessary st their mind and heart become darkened by drunkenness, and death strikes them who get wt. Cy! onc ustor allowing, general essed with the heir mind an‘ spelled ou rv wine or stron en ore enue ito the Ta ¥ altar, so that yor agpronel the re for your generations, stati pf Mose to priests, les cares and worldly town. Indeed, there are priests, St. Cyril notes, drunk not with alcohol, but with lack of decency, or with falling away from the right path through indolence.'” That priests need to be in a state of alertness, shaking oif all drunkenness of worldly cares, St. Cyril adds, is also stipulated by the Lord himself: “But take heed to your- lst your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and inkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you ea snare” (Lk. 21 }). The way that we can do ths St Cyril explains, is specified in the book of Leviti- ‘es, namely by “distinguishing between sacred and profane, tn between clean andl unclean, and by teaching the children of “ibid. SAB, Ibid. S1BC:54 r St. Cyril of Alexandria's Teaching on th P te Priesthog —- —_——__ id ot the Lord spoke t This clearly means that priests should te people, who are unholy, impious and imy piety and purity and associate with th same. They should also be wise advising. Above all, they should teach othe stand that the Law isa preparation and decla: mystery of Christ.!5* Israel all the statutes, whi Mm by Moses.» Rot associate with Pure, but pursue tose, who do the and edifying, sober ang TS to under. ration of the Ibid. 841CD. ant a Priests and Levites, or Priestly Orders (De Adoratione Book XIII) Priests AND LEVITES que Levires ano THerr Witness To THE MysTERY OF Cunssr In Book 13 of his great treatise On Worship in j in Truth, St. Cyril turns to an examination of the Old Testament stipulations for the Levites, which he hau left out in his earlier examination of Aaron, the High Priest and his sons, the priests. He cites the relevant text from Numbers (18:25-32) and embarks on his profound, spiritual exposition.' Briefly stated, this text stipulates that the Levites are to take a tithe (40) from the people for their services at the Tabernacle, and they, in turn, should offera tithe of their portion to the Lord. Itis further stipu- lated that this tithe, comprising wheat and wine, was to te offered to God through Aaron the High Priest, and that it would be taken from the first-fruits, i.e. from the best portion. bid, 8448, bid 8448,St. Cyril statement referred to of Moses, it ret Melchisedek, ferred to Aat : iron. Bott i are types, accordi 18 to St. Cyril, of Priests, the Leader of the Tal mera a bernacle, whi Church, the Holy One of the Saints, the God eee i" whom we owe al fruit-bearing, It is to Him that all ois sits - offered (Ps. 75:11). The stipulations of Moses reveal this truth through the types, but now the types no longer apply, because the true guardians of the evangelical in- stitutions (the Christian priests) please their Savior with spiritual fruit bearing.™# whereas at the time h of these references Tite Levires AND THE Distinction petween Cuercy AND Lary. St. Cyril turns next to the fact that the Le vitical generation (tribe) is selected (amoAeKtov evo) and separated (¢Engnpévov) from all others.! This be- comes obvious in the stipulations concerning the census (aroyeadn) of the tribes of Israel, which, incidentally, was indicative of God’s care for every particular human being and symbolized their being recorded in the Book of Life. According to these stipulations, a distinction was to be made between the ordinary lay people (to dnpowxov ieiTbid. 845A. 1 bid. 8450. 57 sevites, or Priestly Orders ils, i sawov yévos), the latter be- yan ree 7 be a Numbers 1:49 is the ied and et tion, which St. Cys cites. st Cyril Ll ee ee the above distinction was ae sods 0 PIA“ rjgas) of the saints is excePHON au ce hon {hat belongs to them exceeds all we er ites were recorded inaseparale Book. is Tse il continues, Daniel speaks of ‘Books Ts i ¢ (Dan. 7:10) .e last judgment Cyril, the ad laity (the ordinary people) was wction with th incoaection distinction between recording to St ray tthe Levites) rary p 5 : aha because it had to do with the ‘sacred ser- tino elas iegoveyiac), which made the former ) and “superior” (avaKeiHevov) fender But what exactly were these sacred services, phic the Levites were set apart from the rest of the people? To answer this, St. Cyril digs further into the rich and involved text of the book of Numbers and especially to the passage 3:6-10, which he cites and expounds." ‘These sacred services, he says, were assisting services to Aaron the High Priest and his sons, the priests. They were also services of guardianship and care of the Tab- emacle of Witness, since this Tabernacle was under the iurisdiction (responsibility) of Aaron and his sons.'*” a distinct” (ExveHNOEY) id = oe “ibid 845 “bid tbl 85D, oid. S488 aine altar." All this Services of is, St. Cyril 7 the to Ch ‘yril notes, primari pe hist, Because he is the One that God meee the whole House; but it Placed over also refers to us are God's household. It is not difficult to see, St Priests, who escorted Aaron in tl sacred and marvelous chorus who coll: because we too Cyril notes, that the the liturgy, denote the of the Holy Apostles orate: vith rele laborated and concelebrated, as it were, with rist! The Apostles were indeed God : (cov ovvegyoi, 1 Cor. 3:9), “stewards” (5 “collaborators” L “treasurers” (raytiat) and (0ixcov6y101) of the mysteries of God (1 Cor 4:1) and, certainly, “ministers” (S1ixovo1) of the Word, through whom we have believed." It is clear, St. Cyril contends, that a detailed examination of “church order” (rig éxrAnoias thy téktv) would easily discover its ex: '@ bid. 844811. bid, 848A10-1. "UIbid. 84812, 59 To the pmcgus) in the Lave” TOUT goavasMyeaders, and, of COTS igh Priests tne apyters (priests) God en- jesser order Re Pre of the veil (our Pres” ee riestly liturgy iS ‘here the sacred, P where Mrowever, God granted the po the deacons, ; ereavels ‘and all “Tabernacle of all its oF Ae etat to supply: The deacons are ople ough ons are Fer rein the Church, concerning the Should offer, or silence in prayer, oF the peor which they bring forth the pros- | the necessary vessels." ; Jeaders of the ancient lit- their assistants according, tein letter of the Law. The laity, however, was strictly pried from engaging in anything that is priestly or telongs to the honor of the priests. Indeed, it is stipulated thatif anyone comes forth on his own (abt6p0A0c) to the ine election (ov), he ected: quardianshiP thse that the those, who Biv hymns people bloodless sacri piora and supply all ‘The priests were the true urgy, and the Levites were priestly service without the should be put to death.!7* Tite ENROLLMENT OF THE LevITES AND THE CLERGY! Larry Disrincrion. There are other, important de- tails concerning the enrollment of the Levites, which Si Cyril finds in the Book of Numbers and which are i BBS, bid. 848B8-1, Ibid. 888B19Cs, bid. 8887-14,° St. Cyril of Alexa 7 eee a mi ; E'S Teaching on indicative of truths that are importa frst one is the method of enrollment so archal families and other tribal a The long text of Numbers 3:14~: gives details about this es 20, which st. Cy ten attracts St. Cyril attenti mie dat ea frais ion is the differentiation 5 age of enrollment for ordinary lay people and for Lane” es ary people were enrolled at the age of Dana i evites, howe re eI ; Levies however, were enrolled at the age of one moa The first case, St. Cyril notes, indicates that the se- verity of the Law did not deem worthy of enrollment in God's Book of Life of any immature person, ie. of any person that lacked in physical strength, According to St. Cyril, this physical provision points typologically to a spiritual one: the saints, who were worthy to have themselves enrolled in God's service, had to be spiritu- ally mature.!77 The case of the Levites points to something else: that the Lord equally accepts those, who are babes in Christ (mv Ev Xetor@ vty ra), and those, who are mind- ful (To eucoov). Levites had to have both “prudence” (ovveow) and “generosity” (¢nAdtyta). This two-fold standard, St. Cyril says, is exactly what the divine Apos- tle expects of the Christians.” “Brethren, do not be like Ibid, 848-899, Ibid. 84948, i "Ibid. 849A.p 4 —_ 61 es in evil, but in thinking be Christ himself said, “Be ¥” (Matt. 10:16). The sim- Je believer, is acceptable thinking; be bal 44:20). Similarly, and meek as doves then, or the simp! yuildren in your sept” (IOOE Peas serpents of faith, a and subdivisions of the en- ‘and gender, Y onding to each person, BTOUP , according ar and exact is God's care for his like that saying of the Sav- re of more value than many the divisions indicates how Pa ple Tiss, St Cyril SAYS, Poti holy Apostles, “you @ varrnos” (Matt. 10:31). - Pe er important detail, underlined by St. Cyril in whic context, isthe second enrollment, which the Law inered forthe Levites. This enrollment had to do with the liturgical function that was specified for each Lev- ‘ie Tho relevant and highly elaborate text, cited here, is Numbers 4:2 In contrast to the first enrollment, which was at the age of one month, this one was at the ageof twenty five and over, up to fifty. The first, St. Cyril says, points fo the “innocence” (Axarxia) of the saints, which is both most pleasing (&vdavouca) and most ac- eplable (cinagdd_xtos) to God. The latter points to the maturity of mindfulness (to EUgov) and strength (to aes w as is required for the best (é£aigetot) Stns " less (ad laBArjteos Exovcay), liturgical service © one, St. Cyril notes, who is unwise (Gaocpos) id " "hid 895¢ _ "i 8890-9576,62 _ St Cyril of Alexandria's Teaching on the p and powerless (ivAKic), can offer Ii paras : liturgical i coat blameless, because itis proves, that evements presuppose works of strength oe ‘ Petfec. sve ‘SririTuaL MEANING OF THE Covi ie ; js alling the secondary aes ecneen that of the priests and the a aa by God, St. Cyril further disctson te meaning ofthe covers, which the Law specifies fo ibs holy wesc, which ore entrusted to the care of : 5, sons of Caath.!8? ofthe The azure, blue ekere blue color oF hyacinth (GaxivOqvos) of Wecovers ofthe Arc ofthe Covenant and ofthe Golden {tuUble 2s well asthe Seven-branched Lamp and of Peres liturgical vessels, denotes what is above ae the blue sky that lies above us and ain oe span of the heavens. The ae rist, who came from above, as The other color, (inom SS ete fs the ed or royal purple holocaust and the Fowutate igen the Altar of the \ovttig). The Table, St. Cyril , with which we ebid, 852C — "Ibid, 8520-853, ==. ibid. “ i 63 pris aed Levit: OF Priestly Orders ists ig, the heavenly Bread, that is Christ, es up ove form, but was ais, even in this form, from above from the Father and above all rd of the universe. The spreading of the royal 1 the Table of Oblations is a concealed 85 ayo blessed by eatin wh God coming king and Lor purple color ove! petery of the kingdom of Christ rhe purple, red cover of the Altar is clearly a tYPE of the Blood of Christ, since itis Christ, who was sacrificed for our sake and ascended to the altar like a Lamb aceeva fragrant offering and sacrifice to God the Father (Eph. 5:2). Finally, the purple, red cover of the Fountain ics prefiguration of the holy Baptism, which washes us wh sanctified waters for our putting off of sin and our transposition into the kingdom of heaven.” owe Levires. Another detail that St. Cyril notices ips of the Levites has to do with the way the different grout carried out their specific duties in connection the ieee ech fab of te Peta eck rear ‘The Caathites carried the vessels and their covers on foot, rarites carried the covers whereas the Gedsonites and M Uf the Tabernacle and the pillars and other structural items of the Tabernacle on carriages, 25" Numbers 7:2-9. 6a Spinrruat MEANING OF THE DISTINCTIONS itis explained in TIbid. S55AB. ‘wetbid, 853B. Ibid. 853BC. ls]pid. 853CD- 8564.| G4 Sh Cyril of Alexandria's Teach, x 18 OM the Pring hoo Clearly, the Caathites had a much more di laborious task. But this, says St. Cyril, wee reason, Itis always the case th ficult ang NOt With, Nout. 8° ahead ang have to she 'ore than the al with the others, inasmuch ge they have to be more holy and to stand closer to God, St. Cyril believes that this provision a mystery. This mystery has to do wi and the Christians. The Caathites, sential vessels, si at those, who Perform the primary and more sacred task, more sweat, to labor and even to suffer m others. These are not equi IS type of ith the Israelites Who cartied the es. nify those, who have been by faith confirmed in the faith of Christ. The others, Gedsonite and Merarites, who had to carry the additional (second, ary) items of the Tabernacle, signify the People of the Law, the Israelites."8° Indeed, the Caathites carried those primary vessels, which denoted Christ in different ways (the Ark, the Altar, the Golden Lamp and the Golden Thurible), since, although he is simple in his nature as God, he performs different functions that are made known in various ways. The “living and active Word Of the Father” (Heb, 4:12) is indeed life and light and aroma of spiritual fragrance, Thus, according to St. Cyril, those, who are near God, through Moses’ commandmer ‘nts, are in possession of the external or secondary (t& mequoot) items of the Taber. nacle, and, as such, they bear witness to the fact that the Law is of no use if it is not understood in a spiritual way. On the other hand, those, who undertook with com bid. 8568p inane 65 iestly Orders or Priestly i Le — lolies (vax Byte TOV the Holies of the Hi ist and f ce of Christ an = service Of ly by the gra nist age the TY emselves holy Yor secondary, since in a 10) ng that exter OFS alll 60 thi them F ess Manner ey caFty on THO Ted the holes of vertain me tes had no carriages, 190 a their shoulders.’ | further observes aathil The C -_ hat the externals of the the holies oF a use they were St ON ransported on carriages, because SY TN caw were anspor general WAS ean, esa Fe acts 15:10, which presents the position in Acts 15:10, of the Law for e status t w as a heavy yoke, which ians, si n thristians, since ever ad .d impossible thrist himself 7 dit ine Apostles ont yy saw the La on the m had found it heavy an ist’s yoke, as e : is burden lig) . ‘ Hi "that draws St. Cyril's between the first enroll- f the Levites.'” In the (four fatherhoods), dle of the The Christians. yuld not be loaded the ws: jhe Fathers of the Je u ta bear, On the contrary, Chri ‘ated (Matt. 11:30), is easy and Another, interesting. detail attention here is the eee : ; \d enrollment of ment and the secon: first one, the order was Gedsonites doe nest Caathites (two fatherhoods) and Merarites UNO Me he cds), In the second enrollment, howe i cat 25 years of age, the Caathites van pl ae ont laces, says St. Cyril i a ofthe change eye between Israelites and the a a the Nations, which curred inthe Chistian 1e Nations, wwibid. & ibid. 857A. bid. 8578,66 When the first came last and the last the word of the Savior. Indeed, even the Dumbe reversed, and this occurred a . A rs ‘ccording to the pred of Exodus 32:10, which foretells th Prediction, syna; © destruction of Bogue and the rise of a new Israel, greater any J a than the first.% = ‘eee B. Priestiy AUTHORITY AND PRIVILEGES eee Divine CALLING as Tite Basis oF OF THE PRIESTHOOD AND THE SiN Divinety Arromntep Leaver. Returnin, Numbers, St. Cyril observes that the entire tribe of the Levites was called to the sacred ministry, but the ordes Of this ministry (6 gos tis iegoveyias), ie. how each Levite family was to serve, was strictly specified by God, and no one was allowed to disregard it without suffering Severe consequences. This is clearly demonstrated in the case of Kora which is described in Numbers 16. t. Cyril cites and expounds the first ten verses, which describe the distress of Moses over the claims of Korah.!™ Korah had claimed that the whole synagogue of the People was holy and that the Lord dwelt in all of them, and, consequently, all should have the right to become Priests. These claims, St. Cyril notes, brought dishonor to the measure (to éxveynBev jtétQov) that had been ordered by the Lord and stood in direct contradiction Ibid. 857C. * Sic "Ibid. 8570-8608, THE AutuoRmy OF Orrosine 8 to the Book of St. Cyril of Alexandria’ Teaching on the p a eth 004 67 or Priestly Orders ut eves o7 Pty it joses’ divine legislator. In spite of M 7 section tre oth and his sons by indicating , i rah y ae emp pac Be rvileges (Nur. 169), they isis entrees ered a terrible their Goer and consequently su 7 u Led ee “Il alive” as Psalm 54(55):1 ed on went down to Hel tes, is pail der, who gai the leader, an slo 880 passing of the measure tat hh es Sextremely dangerous, because it ae ee vonlshnent of death. Thus, a ae ee Pie should not strive to gain wha ae ae thinking that what is determined ony peor given t0 US, ais eerie from above and by divine fiat is IoallThere isan order (tA) fi riains to the sacred ministry, says pertains not be ignored.!% free from confusion that z St. Cyril, which can- Tue Priviteces AND “REMUNERATION” OF THE Ri TION” Paesrs ano THe Levires. The divinely ins ie ® ny the sacred ministry distinguishes the roles of order of the s —we might rest of the people—We priests and Levites from the vest or =P ney Ape tithes) and the corre re ordered differently. 93 and Deuteronomy fy the tithes ordered say, clergy from laity. ie their offerings to eee i i i sponding services and priviles¢ ae Cyril cites Numbers 18: a 181-5, which respectively 5P* =1bid, OCD. ‘elbid, 860-861.yril of Al 0's Teaching on the Pri andria’s Teaching on the py. — rte for Levites here, says St. Cy; Separated from the r and for the Lord.” The Til, is that the sacred race rest of the ‘d not only to the service future they hope for. A: do with the holy relate Ss St. Cyril i and blamelevs hie ene which entails: a) observance of c (“Do not kill.” “Do not commit adultery.” 7 ctc,); b) distribution of one's possessions to the order to follow the Lord (Matt. 19:19-21), and’ tare <) total disengagement from earthly things and total 2 tachment to the Lord as Psalm 36:4—5 specifies (“Make ty Lord your delight, put all your hope on him and he will satisfy your needs”).18 oF the “eternal life" 0d’S commandments It is because of this kind of separation, or dedication, or labor of service, says St. Cyril, that Levites receive tithes. Indeed, the labor of the saints, he says, is not without reward. They enjoy both exceptional honor and bright trophies. This is why the Savior said, “Do not care {for your life, zohat you shall eat, or for your body, what you shiall put on ... but seek first the kingdom of God and his teousness, and all these things will be added to you (Matt. . ees the Levites are to eat a ees (sacri, whieh enc for vs ane mond types of Christ, ibid. B6IBC. wa bid. 861D-864A. bid. 864B, —, mi Hen sf. 69 Id. Indeed, only the sepa- ao em partake of the holy Body of reonaing,t St. Cyril, the statement of cori "you are an elect race, a royal TE eo be cared for."#® The Law specified paso, 47 eat the front leg, the jaws and the st Leitso St. Cyril explains, they symbolize 2030 acy toact, to speak out and to bear fruit. pact piles, he asks, the true characteristics of spe ot these ihosetruly known to God??"" apolsh the $ ure pe fo them, accor 29 primarily applies, ‘sda tue Paavicutak COMMITMENTS OF THE LEVITES. 3a Cyril observes that, in general, the Levites were separated from the rest of the people in two ways: a) as Javing no earthly lot (possessions) and b) as having the Lord himself as their lot (possession)! Nevertheless, the Levites were not completel pletely deprived of earthly possessions. The Lord gave them ‘nough for their needs. Sufficiency (éndgKeta) was to be ‘sic earthly lot. St. Cyril explained this on the basis of Numbers 35:1-6, which specifies land and six cities for ‘heLevites a2 a saints, says St. Cyril, need to have sufficient re- Ane | their lives in this world and for the needs of i jade Tinathy 68 expresses the same point: “Hav- $ (raiment), let us be content with them.” = ew_ $a "i Boke, 7 “I 8 865,70 SCY yril of Alexandria's Teaching on the Py tg Indeed, to go beyond this is not wi “ ith observes. Indeed, to acquire more thin se St Or han you need easily lead to comfort a i ai hae omfort and avarice (rou), j _ ‘Udy, just as have less than you need easily leads to discomfort a poe the Levites, the Lord, ee ee iency (abvtagKeta) commensurate serif re cia The reason for this is that Levites ee be a measure ‘ype and a living example to the others who ar ia 'o or driven by bodily passions. Indeed, eared oe for the others as “prisoners” according '3—“Rememiber those that are prisoners, af Yyou were prisoners with them, whi hem, who su too are in the body."204 te cee since you qe Secure Prorenry or THe Levites AND ri eEreR Means Leviticus R MEANING. St. Cyril cites next Leviticus 25:8— 9 ‘8-13 and 25:29-34, which deal with “sabbatical rest” fs the land (capfatiopés), the “Day of Atonement” {ise Aaoy00) and the “5 year of emancipation and Leviton 25 Levey anda Aoding 1 , Levite city and country proy enioy full protection. It could not be a acetic + properties, but reverted to their owner on the 50* year of emancipation. Such a provision, St Cral vote denotes the arsine othe hope of essa en Perseverance of what has been alloted to them BBTbid, BOSAB, 20 bid, 8650, = Ibid, 865CD-868A, 2s, or Priestly Orders goes even deeper into the f the Law for buying and selling tus, he says, that the distinction between PoP nd city property implies two tYPes of people: those, who are weak in defending themselves from the se eof theirenemy, and those, who are able fo fight rnd valiantly for theit salvation. The former can vey forgiven for their mistakes, but the later not so, J iney sold their property unwisely and carelessly2™ st, Cyril sees those with country property as a type of ihe nations and those with city property asa type of the people of God, because according to Zachariah 29, the Lord is like a city toall around the holy city and besides, se people ofthe city have a God-given law for their protection snd knoco zohat is pleasing to God” (Baruch 4:4) 2° On this basis, St. Cyril says that the Nations can be forgiven by God’s mercy for their weakness, but the in’ who sold the gift allotted to them, will not f Atonement, when the Savior fates the case of the wisely elect dolent Jews, be restored on the Day of brings deliverance. Isaiah 50:1 explicitly st of the Jews: "Behold, for your iniquities you have sold your: selves, and for your transgressions your mother (Zion) is Put away.” Colossians 2:13—14 states the case of the Nations, Who were delivered on the Day of Deliverance, when ind granted to all believers the great trespasses and the un- Christ appeared at mercy. “And you, who were dead in circumcision of your flesh, God made alive with him, having 6Tbid. 868) Ibid. 868D-B69ABC.St. Cyril of Alexandria's Teaching on th i the Pri thong ss forgiven us all our tre passes, having cancel stood against us with its leg a ma nit its legal demands; this he seta ‘he Levites then, bei inthe sense that they had thei proper the type of the saints, who di ie va the Lord and did not sell their rights ee “~ cramp of this is Mary of whom Christ aaa An tes pe, hic shall not be taken aay from her fae ros cee people, priestly or lay, ie a eae oe through Christ. Putin the Day of Redemption and Sarees 1 whereas, 1¢ Nations retained their hope and regained the natur -gained the natural the Jey 5m ae oye Sons AND THE Prorenty oF elaborate further he or Sate oe interpretation This text refers to the in ttn prtesto he son one and hier Suche ee rope wil ten vy from eon bl eriker ee the servants will return it to the (0 the property of the servants, that of the sons’ will be retained ned and even a ing later on the Master's renee by inherit ibd B72AB, — — 2 Ibid. 8728. — eid 8720, 73 1 Priestly Orders the Master's son here is for St. Cyril the High Priest, wis of the Master's son are he priests. The point ° that property that belongs to priests W i pat what was given to their servants will he Day of Atonement. It is also said, hhat the Master will not take noty any of the property of the people, but he will keep yay forever. The point here is that what is given permanent, but what is given t0 fe and the : de, then, is 1 be lost, revert to them on tl rwever, St Cyril adds, # what is hi tom father to children is crotants is not SO, for iti ultimately Tos itil of us Christians, says St. Cyril, who have been saved by faith, have Christ as our Master, He is the Son, see sae the inheritance of God his Father, but we too retead of servants through him. Thus, he said: ‘and what are yours are mine, and /" (Jn. 17:10). The Psalmist put high and captured captivity and ‘The Apostle added: “He gave Some to the Church to be first as Apostles, then as Prophets, sit hind as Teachers” (1 Cor. 12:28); and elsewhere, “T? ane he gives a charisma to speak with wisdom, 19 another to spenk with divine knowledge” (1 Cor. 128). Christ then, trie the souls of those, who love him, with goods that are theirs forever? Thus, St. Cyril concludes, all that has been given to priests and freemen js secure. To those, however, that have a servile spirit and are descendants, as it were, of pid, 7 — ibid. 873CD. are sons i “All that are mine are yours, Ihave been glorified in them’ it like this: “He ascended on {gave gifts to men” (Ps. 67:19). th.74 E Ire, who did not accept th us, but remained yoked to abominay eh that de grace that was given to them throushng ee a ct e exact knowledge of the Lam a oy rns w, whi 7 ely, allotment withthe saints wil be wea Ot partake of Christ. As Matthew 1342 puns " Fras, more wil bi ee ins mori began thin on pane is i hes sl baker ony”, he ie confir ta confirmed tha ral ost her inheritance, ae not bse and dd not regain her freedom: “Ament fed ie he, who commits sin, is a pee = erent dos no remtin inte hws forever. He, oe Cn the we rece ithe on. then, the Son deli, er be truly free” (Jn. 8: 34-36). The inhe eee its those, who are free, and : Soe :, and not those, who carry the yoke of slavery. The sons, and not the servants, remain in "The sons, and ni the house.2*> 3 Will th “Tohim, wi, - sesame. mn yu Tas Seer Sats: Tae Heaventy Dtausates, St Cyl also explains another deta Beneteau he Master wll not take from then heroes fs pepe sit as an inertness” Seren re oe refers to Christ, our Master, eee fis Saints what is not theirs. Ie ir life completely to God, will not inherit a different not ies lot than the fullness of the glory 20 Tbid. 8730-876. — Ibid. 876A6.p re ee 75 is that the saints would -the point herer says St. Cyril, i nero expect 10 receive from Christ what befits pot ask oF XPT orld and those, who do not PASE he gave to his sople 0 n pee ‘The Lord's Prayer, which » ells us what the saints ‘would ask for. To those, yond these, itcan only be said, “You ask and do Fonmuse you ask in a evil way” Jam 43). The Fealmist too is absolutely right in saying, “You will sive (Ps. 61:13). We cannot pe vact one according t0 is works” hat we deserve in return for our WOFKS: it makes no sense if those, who hnat belongs to those in the porary and of the flesh apostles: uh ask Be! not receiver receive beyond yy case, says St. Cyril, fied, desire wl that are tem like shadows." tes is the special gift that Inan} have been sancti world, namely, things things that pass away ‘The inheritance of the Levit God bestows on his servants, which is commen to them stipulation, that without Levites no offerings ‘indicates, according to St. Cyril, the need approach to God, and this, in turn, see to Christ, of whom the Levites were imitators. stipulation, that only in the one Tabemacle iferings of the Levites could be made, points tothe ‘of Christ and the Church, which is indeed Ore. tn the words of St. Cyril, “The Church is One, and \hemystery of Christ is One, and there is no sacrifice that cel worthy not to be rejected and well-plessing (0 offered in the One Tabernacle, which is citi the first sti could be made, ofa mediator in man’s poit The secon the other mystery isk God, unless the Church.’ ‘The importance ofthese points is seen in another Pro- vision, which Deuteronomy 14:22~27 made and which SL Cyril cites and expounds. Those in far away cities, veho had to travel Tong distances to come to Jerusalem to offer their tithes, were allowed to sell their tithes for money, and they would purchase new ones in Jerusalem which would serve their desires and needs. tis lear then that the Law would not allow any offering to be made in any other way except in the way already specified. The ey Fok the services of Levites was absolutely universal (BoA nccotéem) 2 says St. Cyril in answering Palladius, his interlocutor. Bi [pid B80AB. 2» Tid. 8808. 2o[bid, 880CD-881A.. IQS ee 78 St. Cyril of Alexandria's Teachin 1808 the Prieto The necessity of the Law at this point, 5 on to explain, rests on the fact that “a priece (w0moc) and impr Chi Cyt goes Zz h was a ssion (éxptayeiov) of Christ," ture, St, Cyril continues, has clearly snow than th ‘manuel is the mediator between God and hum: in the Apostle and High Priest of our confession ame im, and Heb. 3:1), who entered i i not wth the lod of ams an bulls bution many times, but once for all, accomplishing rea redemption ee it was with the one sacrifice that he eee eondne ss the Scriptures (Heb. 9:12-13), he madeteraly ese those, a he sanctified. That ‘rowned priestly cel i sons cyt aes opr cto judges no one, but has given all judgment to the 7 tha may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father” On 5 2S The following holy utterance confirms the eoereee lowsiver and judge” (Jam. 4:12), and sings, “And God is the judge” (Ps. Tre Divi om pine Aurnority, Greatness AND GLORY OF — oe St. Cyril also cites here Deuter- ae fea « re ae how the priests in Israel ges, whose judgm« vere punishment. The reason for this priestly authority, Biibid, 881, 881C. priests and Levites, OF Priestly Orders 9 st. Cyril ested not on the priests themselves, but pe lawgiver. Indeed, a8 Malachl put it “tq priests lips * Fao incaedge and people shu sok the Lat fom pao because he isthe messenger ofthe Lord Almighty” rr). A priest does not produce his own law but he (ar by duty to lead other tothe right application of the law that is God’s2* 2. cyt stresses here the greatness of the priest sod, which consists of the priests’ standing before God voy etac) and offering service to him (Aecrovgyia)- cae he finds the opportunity also to emphasize the duty of the people to listen to and obey the priests In- ‘lend, the Lord himself asked for this in speaking about the Scribes and the Pharisees in spite of the unworthi- ness of their works. “The Scribes and the Pharisees sat on Hoses’ sent so practice and observe tohatever they tll you hat aot aokat they do; for they preach but do not practice” (Matt. 23:2-3). No one then, says St. Cyril, should judge a priest, even if the latter seems to be careless and indo- lent in his life concerning the law. One, however should obey a priest, when he interprets the law. In other words, the divine institutions are one thing and human inad- equacies another? Finally, St. Cyril emphasize hood.” The priesthood, he say had t 15 the glory of the priest- jis like a lamp that has 2ijpid. 8S1D-B84A. Ibid, 8848, ReIpid. 884C. = Ibid, 8840. Th