The full jar before the Father; Korah’s revolt and the twelve rods
Cyril: …holy temple, I mean the temple that came from the Virgin; in the same way the golden jar, bearing within it the physical manna, shows us the life-giving Word from above, plainly the Word who is from the Father, as in a holy and undefiled body. And the jar was full to the brim with manna; for ‘in him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily’ (Colossians 2:9), in the words of blessed Paul. And ‘he does not give the Spirit by measure’ (John 3:34). For Christ is perfect in every way. The jar was laid up to be kept for the generations of the sons of Israel (Exodus 16:33); for Christ is incorruptible, abides for ever, and is well known in every season and age. And he is before the Lord, that is, in the eyes of the Father. For when the Only Begotten became one of us, he then also entered into the Holy of Holies through the greater and more perfect tent (Hebrews 9:11–12), that is, into heaven, ‘now to appear in the presence of God for us’ (Hebrews 9:24), as it is written. For it is not himself he sets in the Father’s sight, but us, as in himself, though we had fallen from his presence and, as it were, out of his sight, through the transgression in Adam and the sin that ruled as a tyrant over all. So in Christ we have gained access, and boldness to enter the holy place (Ephesians 3:12; Hebrews 10:19), as wise Paul has told us. For just as we have been raised with him and seated with him in the heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 2:6), so again in him we have come into the presence of the Father. Let this be enough about the sacred jar. Now come, let us show that Aaron’s rod too signifies Christ, if you agree.
Palladius: By all means.
Cyril: Korah, then, and Abiram too, and Dathan besides, sprang from the tribe and blood of Levi. Though they had been entrusted, Scripture says, with a ministry in the holy tent appointed by decree from above, they thirsted for the glory of Moses and Aaron, seizing the honour for themselves, although God had not called them to it (Numbers 16:8–11; Hebrews 5:4). What is more, swelling with savage insolence and exceedingly proud, they poured out on them both abuse that could no longer be borne and was utterly intolerable. Like bulls that scorn the herd they broke away, and shaking off their service under God, they persuaded others to break loose with them into impiety. But they paid the penalty for what they had dared. For the earth opened its mouth and sent that arrogant people down to Hades, with their own kin, their tents and their goods (Numbers 16:31–33). Then the Lawgiver, wishing to make plain that Aaron had received the chief rank in the priesthood by decree from above and not by the wishes of Moses, said to the most excellent Moses (Numbers 17:2–3): ‘Speak to the sons of Israel, and take from them a rod for each father’s house, from all their leaders according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods; and write each man’s name on his rod. And write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi; for there is one rod. According to the tribe of their fathers’ houses they shall…
Greek
ἁγίῳ ναῷ, τῷ ἐκ Παρθένου φημί· τὸν αὐτὸν δὴ τρόπον καὶ ἡ στάμνος ἡμῖν ἡ χρυσῆ, τὸ μάννα τὸ αἰσθητὸν ὠδίνουσα, τὸν ἄνωθεν καὶ ζωοποιὸν ἐμφαίνει Λόγον, δῆλον δὲ ὅτι τὸν ἐκ Πατρὸς, ὡς ἐν ἱερῷ καὶ ἀχράντῳ σώματι. Ἐπίμεστος δὲ καὶ ἡ στάμνος τοῦ μάννα. «Ἐνῴκησε γὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα τῆς θεότητος σωματικῶς,» κατά γε τὴν τοῦ μακαρίου Παύλου φωνήν. «Καὶ οὐκ ἐκ μέτρου δίδωσι τὸ Πνεῦμα.» Παντέλειος γὰρ ὁ Χριστός. Ἀπέκειτο δὲ ἡ στάμνος, εἰς διατήρησιν εἰς τὰς γενεὰς τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ. Ἄφθαρτος γὰρ καὶ μένων ἀεὶ, καὶ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ τε καὶ χρόνῳ γνωριμώτατος ὁ Χριστός. Καὶ ἔστιν ἔναντι Κυρίου, τοῦτ' ἔστιν, ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς τοῦ Πατρός. Ὅτε γὰρ γέγονε καθ' ἡμᾶς ὁ Μονογενὴς, τότε καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὰ Ἅγια τῶν ἁγίων, διὰ τῆς μείζονος καὶ τελειοτέρας σκηνῆς, τοῦτ' ἔστιν, εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, νῦν ἐμφανισθῆναι τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, καθὰ γέγραπται. Οὐ γὰρ ἑαυτὸν ἐν ὄψει καθίστησι τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἀλλὰ ἡμᾶς ὡς ἐν ἑαυτῷ, καίτοι γεγονότας ἐκ προσώπου καὶ οἱονεί πως ἐξ ὀφθαλμῶν, διὰ τὴν ἐν Ἀδὰμ παράβασιν, καὶ τὴν κατὰ πάντων τυραννήσασαν ἁμαρτίαν. Ἐν Χριστῷ τοιγαροῦν ἐσχήκαμεν τὴν προσαγωγὴν, καὶ τὴν παῤῥησίαν εἰς τὴν εἴσοδον τῶν Ἁγίων, καθάπερ ἡμῖν ὁ σοφὸς ἔφη Παῦλος. Ὥσπερ γὰρ καὶ συνεγηγέρμεθα καὶ συνεκαθίσαμεν ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις ἐν Χριστῷ, οὕτω πάλιν ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν προσώπῳ γεγόναμεν τοῦ Πατρός. Καὶ στάμνου μὲν πέρι τῆς ἱερᾶς εἰρήσθω τάδε· σημαίνει δὲ ὅτι καὶ αὐτὴ τὸν Χριστὸν ἡ ῥάβδος Ἀαρὼν, φέρε δὴ λέγωμεν, εἰ δοκεῖ.
{ΠΑΛΛ.} Καὶ μάλα.
{ΚΥΡ.} Κορὲ τοίνυν καὶ μέντοι καὶ Ἀβειρὼν, καὶ πρός γε τούτῳ Δαθὰν, φυλῆς τε καὶ αἵματος ἐξέφυσαν τῆς Λευΐ· συντεταγμένην δὲ, φησὶ, ταῖς ἄνωθεν ψήφοις ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ σκηνῇ λειτουργίαν ἐγκεχειρισμένοι, τὴν Μωσέως τε καὶ Ἀαρὼν δεδιψήκασι δόξαν, ἑαυτοῖς ἁρπάζοντες τὴν τιμὴν, κεκλημένοι δὲ οὐχὶ πρὸς τοῦτο παρὰ Θεοῦ. Καὶ μὴν καὶ εἰς ἀπηνὲς ἀπογαυρούμενοι θράσος, ἐξοφρυώμενοί τε ἄγαν, φορητὴν μὲν οὐκέτι, δύσοιστον δὲ κομιδῇ κατ' ἀμφοῖν ἐποιοῦντο τὴν κατάῤῥησιν· ἀτιμαγέλαι δὲ ὥσπερ ἀπενοσφίζοντο ταῦροι, καὶ τὴν ὑπὸ Θεῷ δουλείαν ἀποσειόμενοι, συναποθρώσκειν αὐτοῖς ἑτέρους δυσσεβοῦντας ἀνέπειθον. Ἀλλ' οἱ μὲν τῶν σφίσι τετολμημένων εἰσεπράττοντο δίκας. Διοιγνῦσα γὰρ ἡ γῆ τὸ στόμα αὐτῆς, αὐτοῖς ὁμογενέσι, σκηναῖς καὶ περιουσίαις, εἰς ᾅδου καθίει τὸν ἀλαζόνα λαόν· ὅτι δὲ ψήφῳ τῇ ἄνωθεν, καὶ οὐχὶ θελήμασι τοῖς Μωσέως, τὴν προὔχουσαν ἐν ἱερωσύνῃ τάξιν Ἀαρὼν διεκληρώσατο, διατρανοῦν ἐθέλων ὁ νομοθέτης, εἰς τὸν πανάριστον ἔφη Μωσέα· «Λάλησον τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ λάβε παρ' αὐτῶν ῥάβδον, κατ' οἴκους πατριῶν, παρὰ πάντων τῶν ἀρχόντων αὐτῶν, κατ' οἴκους πατριῶν αὐτῶν, δώδεκα ῥάβδους, καὶ ἑκάστου τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐπίγραψον ἐπὶ τῆς ῥάβδου. Καὶ τὸ ὄνομα Ἀαρὼν ἐπίγραψον ἐπὶ τῆς ῥάβδου Λευΐ. Ἔστι γὰρ ῥάβδος μία. Κατὰ φυλὴν οἴκου πατριῶν αὐτῶν δώ