2. And so, the young woman, completely blameless, completely free from all impurity and knowing no sin, is our Lord Jesus Christ. For He boldly said: "The prince of this world is coming, and in Me he has nothing" (John 14:30). Likewise, He says to the Jews: Which of you will convict Me of unrighteousness? But if I speak the truth, why do you not believe Me? (John 8:46.) In addition, notice that in the scriptures He is called either a calf or a young woman. This, of course, is so that by means of the male sex He may be signified as a leader, and by means of the female sex as the lesser and subordinate. For, like all things, God governs all things, and together with God and the Father extends His dominion over everything. But He voluntarily became under the law, fulfilled the precepts of Moses, as if He had an advantage over Him, although this was a slave. And no wonder; for He was also called a prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15) and appeared in the form of a servant (Phil. 2:7), although He is the Lord and God of the prophets themselves. The young woman was supposed to be a redhead. For in the blood the mystery of incarnation was accomplished, if it is true that He was obedient to the Father even unto death, even the death of the cross (Phil. 2:8), and came to save the heavenly world by His Blood. A sign of blood, and a very clear one, can be the red color. But even if He was obedient to the Father, and together with us, according to the economy, He became under the law, as a man, if He was also called a slave, without dishonoring the nature of the flesh He had taken on, nevertheless He was and is at the same time free, as God by nature, by no means bound by the yoke of slavery and did not experience it at all. For He came from above and is above all things, proceeding from the freest being of God and the Father. That is why it is said that the young woman should be brought red-haired and blameless, and who has not experienced the burdens of the yoke. For if the Only-begotten humbled Himself and voluntarily condescended to the sight of a servant (Phil. 2:7), then how or why can it be doubtful that this condescension was in any case from on high, and exhaustion from fullness? From the innate and primordial freedom, it was like a descent, I say, into the shadow of a slave. Thus, He was a young woman because the rulers are, as it were, in subjection and under the law; — red, because the image of the economy consisted in blood for our sake and for us. And blameless, because of sinlessness, because He knew no sin, — who did not experience labor and yoke, because of His freedom according to Divinity and His unkinship with slavery, although He was made like us and was in the form of a servant. But let them give, it is said, a young girl, and give her to Eleazar the priest, and bring her out of the camp, and slay her before him (Num. 19:3). A priest can be an image of priests and those who are sanctified and anointed in the Holy Spirit; For in relation to us who believe it is said in one place by the mouth of the holy Apostle: "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation" (1 Pet. 2:9). And so, to us who are holy, a chosen and holy people, Christ is given from God the Father, as by righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30), the Savior and Redeemer, Who, as the God-speaking Paul writes, suffered outside the gates (Heb. 13:12). Thither also we must go, he says, bearing His reproach (v. 13), that is, each his own cross. The Saviour Himself spoke of this: "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Luke 9:23; Matt. 16:24). And that it is most appropriate and useful for the sacred and sanctified to have the dead Christ before their eyes, may be indicated by the law that the young woman should be slaughtered before the priest. When we remember Christ, Who died for us and for us, then we will be even more amazed at the words of the God-speaking Paul, who cries out to us for Him: if one died for all, then all died. And Christ died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). And again: By the law I died to the law, that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And that I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for us (Gal. 2:19-20). And so, let Him who suffered the slaughter for us stand before the eyes of our minds in a certain way; for then we will no longer live for ourselves, but rather for God, as redeemed by the blood of Christ, who gave Himself up for us, according to the Scriptures (Gal. 2:20). Further, it was commanded by the hand of the priest to sprinkle the blood of the holy tabernacle, and this seven times, and to burn the young woman, without vomiting up anything that was in her body; but together with meat, dung, skin, and other parts of the body. For Christ by His blood sanctifies the truest tabernacle, that is, the Church: and He sanctifies perfectly, that is, richly; for this, I think, means the seven times sprinkling of the tabernacle with blood: the number reaching seven is a sign of perfection. The burning of the young woman with fire after the slaughter seems to indicate a temptation (trial) even to death, to which Christ was subjected for us. For silver is tempted (tested) in the fire, according to what is sung in the Psalms: "Thou hast tried us, O God, hast refined us, as silver is refined" (Psalm 65:10). And that through obedience Christ was in some way tempted even unto death, I think the following can clearly indicate this: In one place, through the mouth of the prophet Zechariah, He said to those who were justified in the faith, or to those for whom He died: "And I will say to them, If it pleases you, give Me My wages; but if not, give not (Zech. 11:12). Then the prophet says, "And they shall weigh thirty pieces of silver in payment to me." And the Lord said to me, Cast them into the storehouse of the church, for the high price at which they have valued Me! (vv. 12-13). Thus, the temptation of Christ even to death can mean, as I said, the burning of the young woman with fire after the slaughter. But besides, nothing is expelled from it, since Christ is all holy; both meat and skin, that is, both hidden in secret and open, which is at hand. For He was by nature God, Who was made like unto us, but knew no sin. Further, cedar wood is put into the ashes (of the youth), as well as hyssop and scarlet thread (scarlet nipple). At the same time, the cedar tree excellently indicates to us incorruption, since the cedar does not rot; hyssop – for purification, since this herb has a purifying property and naturally destroys impurities in the insides; but the scarlet thread very clearly signifies the incarnation of the Word, since the Word is as if bound by flesh and blood. And He was tempted for our sake also through fire, and even unto death, as I have just said. But His suffering and the image of His incarnation were for us the guarantee of incorruptibility and purification. For in Him we are justified, having been cleansed from defilement in soul and womb, if baptism is truly salvific, and by power it is not the washing away of bodily impurity, but a promise to God of a good conscience (1 Pet. 3:21), through Whom there can be remission of sins, and the confession of faith will undoubtedly be followed by grace. And that Christ's death for us became the path to incorruption and life, this is by no means subject to doubt. But he who burned the young woman and mixed cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet thread with her ashes, as well as he who gathered up the ashes, is said to be unclean until evening (Num. 19:8-10), even though after washing his clothes, they could be clean. This law, in all likelihood, points to the weakness of human nature. And if we subtly and carefully examine our condition, then no one who is appointed to service, the Divine, of course, and the sacred, can be blameless; but even if one of men might decide to lead the best possible life, and be as pure as possible, yet he cannot have his ministry blameless, because no one is worthy to touch the mysteries of our Saviour. And no wonder. The Divine word can convince us of this, saying: "And the stars are unclean in His sight" (Job 25:5). Therefore, if anyone compares our condition with the purity of Christ, it will be found to be unclean and defiled and subject to divine condemnation. Perhaps someone will be surprised, which is very natural, at the divine Psalmist, who says: If You, O Lord, take notice of iniquity, O Lord! Who will stand? But with Thee is forgiveness (Psalm 129:3-4). Even he who seems to be pure is thus rebuked; because, as I have said, it is much higher than the nature of man, that we may be completely sinless, and that we may draw near to Christ in purity. Then the water of purification must be poured out, it is said, outside the enclosure (Num. 19:9), and no longer in the camp itself; for it was as if outside the synagogue of the Jews there was a cleansing in Christ, since He came out of it, decisively declaring: "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate" (Matt. 23:38). And at last, as it were, cleansing grace was poured out on the Gentiles, and, as Paul says, "He who was far off became near" (Ephesians 2:13); for they were called by faith, and were enriched by justification in Christ, while the Israelites would not believe. And that every kind of Uncleanness can wash away, and very easily, the water of purification, this is explained by the Scriptures, saying: If anyone touches the dead, he will be defiled; but he can be freed from this accidental defilement only if he is sprinkled with the water of purification on the third and seventh day (Num. 19:11-12). Sprinkling with water, with the addition of ashes and other substances, can be an image of holy Baptism. Thus, he who adheres to dead works and defilements that lead to corruption (and by works of deadness we call the ungodly and filthy passions of the flesh: fornication, uncleanness, lust, evil lust, Col. 3:5) can only become clean only if he is cleansed and washed away by means of holy Baptism on the third and seventh days. And the third signifies the time of the resurrection, and the seventh is the last, and as it were, constituting the final purpose, for which the Only-begotten was made man. If also a house is defiled, it is said, because of the presence of any dead person in it, then all who enter it are unclean. Any utensils and uncovered vessels also become unclean. But by the water of purification this also is cleansed in the same way on the third and seventh days (Num. 19:14-15). In this case, the legislator seems to point out to us the defiled house, the vessel in it, and the vessel uncovered, to the assembly of the Jews who killed the Lord, which is understood collectively under everything that is in the house, and separately under each of the vessels; for man is like a vessel on earth. And that their minds are not firm, very capable of defilement and of all that usually admits of injury, this is secretly indicated by uncovered vessels, into which something unclean can easily fall: a lizard, or any other animal that has taken up residence in the house. But the mind of those who are justified in faith is not like this: it is firm and hidden, and is inaccessible to being carried away by that which usually damages it. Then, if any man also touch, it is said, an ulcer, or the bone of a dead man, or a sepulchre, he shall be defiled, v. 16. By ulcerative we do not mean a sound heart, as if wounded either by worldly lusts or by worldly or carnal desires. We will take the bone of a dead man in the meaning of a remnant of impurity. The coffin is also a reminder of the impurity that has already died. For Satan sometimes strikes the heart with wounds. Overcome in part by carnal passions, we ourselves become sick, not falling into every sin, but as if still among its remnants we spend our life in the world, as, for example, when someone strives to conquer anger or love of money, but does not completely avoid arrogance. This, I think, means that some are not free from the remnants of impurity, a sign of which can be the bone of a dead man. But even when we admit into our minds the remembrance of a passion that has already been conquered, and come close to the pleasure that has already been buried, we sometimes sin not a little. We are delivered from the guilt of these sins when Christ washes us and cleanses us with His passion; for He died for us, and by His wound we were healed (Isaiah 53:5). And He bears our sins (v. 4) and is an Advocate before the Father for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the whole world, as the God-speaking John wrote to some (1 John 2:2). Thus, in Him is all purification, all justification, sanctification, deliverance. With Him and through Him to God and the Father be glory with the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

About the copper serpent

God did not create death, and does not rejoice in the destruction of the living, according to what is written (Wis. 1:13). For He created all things to come into being, and all things in the world are salvific (v. 14). But when the firstfruits of the race, that is, Adam, became ill with disobedience and, neglecting the Divine commandment, offended the Creator of God, and therefore fell into corruption, then human nature was cursed and our race was subjected to condemnation. But we, the wretched ones, though created in incorruption, at last, like shadows or the grass of the field, for a short time and as soon as we come out into the light, suddenly fall, as it were, on our mother, on the earth. From here the saints cried out excellently, lamenting our condition. Thus, for example, one can clearly hear Blessed David, crying out: "Man is likened to vanity" (Psalm 143:4); and on the other side Isaiah: "All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field" (Isaiah 40:6). For we have reached, as I have said, such a calamity and misfortune that even the wisest Spirit-bearers could not say with what our condition could justly be compared. However, the Creator did not despise those who fell into such a state; on the contrary, He vouchsafed them both His care and attention, and showed them in Christ free from death and corruption. How, or in what way? Everyone knows beforehand, even though no one has spoken of it. And, besides, in the Old Testament Scriptures themselves, everyone can see the power of this sacrament. And it is written thus in the book of Numbers: From Mount Hur they set out by the way of the Red Sea, to pass by the land of Edom. And the people became faint-hearted on the way, and the people spoke against God and against Moses, Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness, for there is neither bread nor water, and our soul is disgusted with this worthless food? And the Lord sent poisonous serpents against the people, which bitten the people, and a multitude of the people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, that we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He will remove the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said to Moses, "Make thee a serpent and set it on a banner, and he who is bitten will look at it and live." And Moses made a brazen serpent and set it on a banner, and when the serpent bit a man, he looked at the brazen serpent and remained alive (Num. 21:4-9). The Israelites were enslaved in Egypt and, weighed down by the unbearable yoke of slavery, they were delivered by God, who did many wonderful signs there: water was turned into blood; frogs and flies, flies, and hail, as it were, waged war against the land of Egypt. The Egyptians were also punished with darkness, and the death of the firstborn severely struck those who wished to continue violence against the Israelites, whom God miraculously saved. Then, walking in the middle of the sea, as if on dry land, they saw the Egyptians unhappily lost. They received bread from heaven, because God sent them manna. Then, as if predestined in stone, Christ had mercy on them, unexpectedly giving them to drink with streams of water; for the Divinity is all-powerful and unenvious in bestowing that which is necessary for life to those who are devoted to Him. But those who have tasted such abundant blessings dishonor themselves in small sufferings, because they do not remember what God has done to them, and turn out to be not firm in faith in Him, impudent, easily indignant and ready for faint-heartedness, they unwisely neglect the knowledge of what they are honored by God. For they called the bread sent down from heaven worthless, and complained about the lack of water, although they knew that there was nothing undoable for the Divine and ineffable nature, Which even the rocky stone made for them the source of the streams of the river. Producing a causeless murmur against God, they were punished by the bites of a snake. Then, having come to the remembrance of their sin, they finally began to shed tears, confess their guilt, and besought their mediator, I mean Moses, that he would make God merciful and forgiving to them. Moses, falling down before God, besought Him for this, and, obeying the gestures from above, made a bronze serpent, placed it on high and commanded those struck by the bites of the serpents to look at it intently. By doing this, they were healed.

2. But what is the meaning, what great and all-wise mystery is contained in this? "This needs to be carefully investigated. For for people who have a deeper mind, one letter is not enough; for them, the mysteries are hidden in the types, as it were. And so, let us now speak of this; as if again transferring the narrative from the prototype to the universal and most important, to that which is true. By showing dissatisfaction with the blessings bestowed by God and from above, by unwisely striving for what is pleasant rather than useful, and by rejecting the exercise of virtue, and by indulging in the most shameful, we grieve the Benefactor and do not offend the Creator in any way. For this reason we are subjected to the bites of serpents: serpents, I mean, mental serpents, which, striking us with every sin, subject us to the bonds of death. As if over the multitude of these poisonous animals, the apostate serpent, that is, Satan, from whose bite the first man, that is, Adam, perished in ancient times, is in charge. But this evil, as if from the root, extends to us, who have come from it. But we're saved in some way. For we look to the serpent, that is, to Christ. In what way is He a serpent, Who by nature is a good God, moreover, even goodness itself? This is because He was made like us, who are evil by will, He was in the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3) and was numbered among the evildoers (Isaiah 53:12). And that we are evil, not being created as such by God, but having descended to such a bad state because of the sin that has prevailed over us, can be explained by Christ Himself, who says: "If, therefore, being evil, ye know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father in heaven give good things to them that ask Him" (Matt. 7:11). the serpent is Christ, Who was in the likeness of evil (sin), because He was made man. But whoever looks at Him mentally will be above corruption, will avoid death, can neglect bites and not care about a multitude of poisonous animals. We will look to Christ, if we correctly understand the mystery about Him and firmly believe that, being God by nature, He was made man. But even if He was in the likeness of evil (sin), He nevertheless remained good; for He was made like us, not in order to be evil with us, but in order to make us good, leading us with the help of the Holy Spirit to every kind of virtue. The serpent was hung on a banner. For Christ was to be lifted up on the Honorable Cross, and He Himself proclaimed this to the Jews, saying: "When ye shall lift up the Son of Man, then ye shall know that it is I" (John 8:28). And what the (Old Testament) type referred to this mystery of Him, you can learn from Him Himself, who clearly says: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up" (John 3:14). And the serpent of brass was because of the sonority and goodwill of the Divine and Gospel preaching. For there is no one who has not heard the inspired words of Christ; but in all the heavens the mystery which He performed is proclaimed, and to Him every knee in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confessed that the Lord Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:10-11). Amen.