ON WORSHIP AND SERVICE

IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH

Part 3

Contents

BOOK 13. More About the Priesthood 1

BOOK 14. That Those Who Wish to Have Access to the Church Must Be Clean and Washed from Sinful Defilement, and Only in This Way Should They Approach God 12

BOOK 15. That we must approach God clean and washed, and that our cleansing is in Christ 27

BOOK 16. That We Should Offer Spiritual Sacrifices and Gifts to God 43

BOOK 17. On the Holy Feasts 58

BOOK 13. More About the Priesthood

As for the priests and Aaron, let it be told to us for the present. But to what has been said, I think, we must add what seems to be lacking in it: the decree concerning the Levites; then reasoning will suffice.

Palladium. So go on and explain; for you reason rightly.

Cyril. In establishing the best order for the sacraments, God subordinates the Levitical institution to the high priest, as he says in the Book of Numbers: "Declare to the Levites, and say to them, When you take from the children of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for an inheritance, you shall offer out of it an offering to the Lord, a tithe of the tithe, and this offering of yours shall be imputed to you as bread from the threshing floor, and as taken from the winepress. so you also shall offer an offering to the Lord out of all your tithes which you shall take from the children of Israel, and you shall give of them an offering to the Lord to Aaron the priest. Of all that is given to you, offer an offering to the Lord, of all that is best that is sanctified. And you shall say to them, 'When you bring the best of this, it shall be imputed to the Levites, as that which is received from the threshing-floor, and as that which is received from the winepress; You may eat it in any place, you and your families, for it is your wages for your work in the Tabernacle of Meeting; and you will not bear sin for this, when you bring the best of it; and him who is consecrated by the children of Israel you shall not defile, neither shall you die" (18:26-32). Do you see the mystery of Christ, which is foreshadowed, as it were, in shadows and images? for "he who receives tithes, ... he gave tithes," according to the words of Blessed Paul (Hebrews 7:9). But then Melchizedek served in the image, and in the time of Moses Aaron, who signified the priest of priests — Christ, the Ruler and Primate of the holy tabernacle, that is, the Church — the Holy of Holies, the God of gods, to whom we owe every fruit; for it is written that "let all who are around Him bring gifts" (Psalm 75:12). But Moses was still in images; but now the true guardians of the Gospel commands rejoice their Redeemer with spiritual fruits.

P. You said it well.