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.

K. And that the Levitical generation is chosen and taken out of others, He makes manifest in a certain way in this way: He commanded that the people should be numbered and that an exact count of the whole multitude of the people should be made, not because the Creator did not know it (for with Him the "raindrops" were numbered, according to what is written, Sir. 1:2), and not because anything could be hidden from the pure mind, but that those who read the Holy Scriptures may see very clearly that those who are devoted to God and are called His people are in the records of God and in the book of life, numbered among those who know Him, and are already preserved in the memory of the Lord of all. And so, when we were enumerating the people, then, as it were, God placed the chosen and sacred generation in a special way, and did not allow them to be on a par with the others, but as if He separated the predominant part for them, saying to the all-wise Moses; "Only the tribes of Levi you shall not enter into the census, and you shall not count them together with the children of Israel" (Num. 1:49). For the lot of the saints is the chosen one, and their honor is pre-eminent. Perhaps they are written down in other books; for the Divine Daniel did not contemplate one book, but, as he himself says, "the judges sat down, and the books were opened" (Dan. 7:10). Thus, the writing corresponds to the measure of each; But he also explained the manner of the Levites' sacraments, directly saying: "Bring the tribe of Levi, and set it before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him; and they shall be on guard for him, and on guard for all the congregation at the tabernacle of meeting, to serve at the tabernacle; And they shall keep all the things of the tabernacle of meeting, and keep watch for the children of Israel, to serve at the tabernacle. Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons: they shall be given to him from among the children of Israel. And to Aaron and his sons to entrust them with the supervision of their priestly office; but if any stranger approaches, he will be put to death" (Num. 3:6-10).

Thus the Levites are appointed co-workers in a certain way, and as it were co-workers of the priests; "Let them be on guard for him," apparently Aaron, "all the things of the tabernacle of meeting, and they shall be on guard for the children of Israel." To this point comes the form of their assistance. And over the tabernacle he places Aaron and his sons with him: "And let them keep," it is said, "all the things of the tabernacle of meeting," and the innermost veil, that is, the hidden and most mysterious, and all that was customary to do for those who sat down before the Divine altar. And it is clear that this image, referring to Christ, Whom the Father has set over his house, "and His house is we" (Hebrews 3:6). The priests, together with Aaron, clearly signify the sacred and wondrous countenance of the holy Apostles, as if hastening and serving Christ; for they were "co-workers with God" (1 Corinthians 3:9), guardians and "builders of the mysteries of God" (4:1), and also "only ministers" we believed (3:5). And if anyone wanted to carefully examine the order of the Church, he would justly be surprised at the prefiguration in the law. For to the bishops who have received the lot of the rulers, and to those who have the lowest rank, I mean the presbyters, the altar and that which is beyond the veil are entrusted; It would be proper for them to say: "And let them keep their priesthood," and to the deacons: "Let them be on guard for him and on guard for the whole community" of the people. Do they not sometimes command, proclaiming in the churches, that the people should sing and stand decently, and often that they should calm down, and also encourage them to pray? And when a bloodless sacrifice is performed, do they not carry the most sacred of vessels and make an accurate observation of all that is necessary?

П. Подлинно.

К. Итак, священствуют высшие; левиты же споспешествуют; этим буква закона предвозвещает о чине церковного священства. Народу же возбраняется всякое священное дело, и высшее наказание угрожает восхищающим эту честь: ибо «умрет», сказано, всякий, кто самовольно приступил бы к ней, не имея Божественного избрания к тому.

П. Правда.

К. Итак, не помещен в списках прочих род Левитский, но записан особо, и в книге Божией. Ибо сказано: «И сказал Господь Моисею в пустыне Синайской, говоря: исчисли сынов Левииных по семействам их, по родам их; всех мужеского пола от одного месяца и выше исчисли. И исчислил их Моисей по слову Господню, как повелено. И вот сыны Левиины по именам их: Гирсон, Кааф и Мерари. И вот имена сынов Гирсоновых по родам их: Ливни и Шимей. И сыны Каафа по родам их: Амрам и Ицгар, Хеврон и Узиил. И сыны Мерари по родам их: Махли и Муши. Вот роды Левиины по семействам их» (Чис.3, 14-20). Обрати внимание, Палладий, и прежде всего другого вот на что (ибо замечание тонкое): переписываем был народ от двадцатилетнего возраста и выше, так как не удостоивает, думаю, законная точность того, чтобы вписывать в книгу Божию, бессильное и еще немощное; ибо, конечно, в исчисления святых следует вносить возмужалое и уже в духовно цветущем возрасте находящееся. Таким образом закон делает приличным отображением духовного возраста телесный и цветущее возрастом поставляет избранным родом, минуя незрелое и немощное и еще детское и не помещая его в священной книге. В отношении же к левитам перепись начиналась от месячного возраста: ибо Владыка всех приемлет, и весьма радостно, младенчество во Христе избранных, равно как, без сомнения, и разумное; потому что отменно и тем и другим отличаться, то есть разумностью и простотою во Христе. Посему и божественный Павел говорит: «Братия! не будьте дети умом: на злое будьте младенцы, а по уму будьте совершеннолетни» (1Кор. 14, 20). И Сам Христос говорит в одном месте: «будьте мудры, как змии, и просты, как голуби» (Мф.10, 16). Итак, приятна (Богу) простота святых. Затем, исчисление делается по именам и по родам (сонмам) и семействам (домов отечеств); ибо тех, кого Бог хочет почтить, Он удостоивает собственного своего надзора и по одному, и во множестве, и по роду. И тщательность в этом деле указывает Сам Спаситель, говоря святым Апостолам: «Не две ли малые птицы продаются за ассарий? И ни одна из них не упадет на землю без [воли] Отца вашего; у вас же и волосы на голове все сочтены» (Мф.10, 29-30).

П. Ты хорошо сказал.