Why Moses, not Joshua, set up the tent
Palladius: Very clear indeed, but far from enough.
Cyril: Then would you like us to go back with all eagerness to the point that seems to have been left out of what we said about it? For you think, I suppose, and naturally so, that we must add an account that makes clear how it was set up for us, and when and how the ordinances and laws connected with it were established, together with its dedication, its sanctification and its judgment.
Palladius: Then explain each of these in turn, for you are thinking rightly.
Cyril: I will speak, then. But you in turn must be indulgent, bearing in mind how altogether difficult these contemplations are. If at any point I happen to say something that misses precision and strays from what ought to be said, reshape it and set it right; for I will make you a partner and helper in my words.
Palladius: Go on, trusting in God.
Cyril: When the work on the holy tent had been fully completed, and each of the things in it had been made with wisdom and skill after the beauty shown on the mountain (Exodus 25:40), the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ‘On one day of the first month, at the new moon, you shall set up the tent of witness’ (Exodus 40:2). And again, further on: ‘And it came to pass,’ it says, ‘in the first month, in the second year after they went out of Egypt, at the new moon, that the tent was set up, and Moses set up the tent’ (Exodus 40:17–18). So the ancient tent was set up as God willed. It was the tent of the Church that is understood in Christ, and it showed beforehand in itself, very clearly, the types of that Church. Let us inquire closely, if you agree, why it was set up by Moses rather than by another, while Joshua the son of Nun is passed over in silence for the present. Yet Joshua always stood beside the most excellent Moses (Exodus 24:13); he went up with him onto Mount Sinai, and he made war and marched out against Amalek at Moses’ word. For Moses said to him: ‘Choose for yourself mighty men, and go out and draw up for battle against Amalek tomorrow’ (Exodus 17:9). And he drew up for battle, and he won (Exodus 17:10–13). What, then, is the reason for this? Is it not worth examining?
Palladius: Certainly it is.
Cyril: If anyone chooses to work out, as exactly as he can, the meaning of the mystery in each of these events, he will say in amazement: ‘O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!’ (Romans 11:33). See how subtle and how necessary the sense of each detail is. When the inspired Moses goes up the mountain, Joshua goes up with him; for the Father cannot be approached in any other way than through the Son. Indeed, the saying is true: ‘No one comes to the Father except through me’ (John 14:6). So even for the saints themselves the approach is in Christ. No one could spring up, as onto a mountain, to some lofty and surpassing contemplation; nor, I think, could anyone come near to God — by way of
Greek
{ΠΑΛΛ.} Σαφὴς μὲν εὖ μάλα, πλὴν ἀποχρῶν ἥκιστά γε.
{ΚΥΡ.} Βούλει δὴ οὖν ἐπ' ἐκεῖνο πάλιν προθυμότατα διαστείχωμεν, ὃ τοῖς ἐπ' αὐτῇ διηγήμασιν ἐλλελοιπέναι δοκεῖ; οἴει γάρ που, κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς, προσεπάγεσθαι δεῖν τὸν σαφηνιοῦντα λόγον, τίνα μὲν ἡμῖν ἐγήγερται τρόπον, πηνίκα δὲ καὶ ὅπως τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ συντέθειται δικαιώματά τε καὶ νόμοι, καὶ ἐγκαινισμὸς καὶ ἁγιασμὸς καὶ κρίσις.
{ΠΑΛΛ.} Φράζε δὴ οὖν τὰ ἐφ' ἑκάστῳ πάλιν· διανοῇ γὰρ ὀρθῶς.
{ΚΥΡ.} Οὐκοῦν ἐρῶ μὲν ἐγώ. Σὺ δὲ αὖ συγγνώμων ἔσο, τὴν εἰσάπαν δυσχέρειαν τῶν θεωρημάτων ἐννενοηκὼς, κἂν εἴπου τι λέγοιμι τυχὸν τῶν ἀκριβείας ἡμαρτηκότων, καὶ λόγου τοῦ δέοντος ἐκπεφοιτηκότων, μετάπλαττε καὶ μεθάρμοζε. Συλλήπτορα γάρ σε καὶ ἀρωγὸν τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ ποιήσομαι λόγων.
{ΠΑΛΛ.} Ἴθι Θεῷ πίσυνος.
{ΚΥΡ.} Συμπεπερασμένων δὴ οὖν εὖ μάλα τῶν ἔργων τῆς ἁγίας σκηνῆς, καὶ μὴν καὶ ἑκάστου τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ σοφῶς καὶ εὐτέχνως ἐκπεποιημένων πρός γε τὸ παραδειχθὲν ἐν τῷ ὄρει κάλλος, ἐλάλησε Κύριος πρὸς Μωσῆν, λέγων, «Ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ μηνὸς τοῦ πρώτου, νεομηνίᾳ, στήσεις τὴν σκηνὴν τοῦ μαρτυρίου.» Καὶ μεθ' ἕτερα πάλιν· «Καὶ ἐγένετο, φησὶν, ἐν τῷ μηνὶ τῷ πρώτῳ, τῷ δευτέρῳ ἔτει ἐκπορευομένων αὐτῶν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου νεομηνίας, ἐστάθη ἡ σκηνὴ, καὶ ἔστησε Μωσῆς τὴν σκηνήν.» Ἐγήγερται μὲν οὖν, κατὰ τὸ Θεῷ δοκοῦν, ἡ ἀρχαία σκηνὴ τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ νοουμένης Ἐκκλησίας, ἐφ' ἑαυτῇ τοὺς τύπους εὖ μάλα προσαναφαίνουσα. Πολυπραγμονῶμεν δὲ, εἰ δοκεῖ, τὰς αἰτίας τοῦ διὰ Μωσέως ἐγηγέρθαι μᾶλλον αὐτὴν, σεσιγημένου πρὸς τὸ παρὸν Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Ναυῆ, καίτοι παρεστηκότος ἀεὶ τῷ παναρίστῳ Μωσῇ, καὶ συναναθρώσκοντος μὲν ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος τὸ Σινᾶ, πολεμοῦντος δὲ καὶ ἀντεξάγοντος τῷ Ἀμαλὴκ διὰ φωνῆς Μωσέως. Ἔφη γάρ που πρὸς αὐτὸν, «Ἐπίλεξαι σεαυτῷ ἄνδρας δυνατοὺς, καὶ ἐξελθὼν παράταξαι τῷ Ἀμαλὴκ αὔριον.» Καὶ παρετάξατο, καὶ νενίκηκε. Τίς οὖν ἄρα ἐστὶν ὁ τοῦδε λόγος, οὐ δοκιμάζειν ἄξιον;
{ΠΑΛΛ.} Πάνυ μὲν οὖν.
{ΚΥΡ.} Οὐκοῦν ἐφ' ἑκάστῳ τῶν δρωμένων τὸν τοῦ μυστηρίου λόγον εἴπερ ἕλοιτό τις ἐξακριβοῦν ὡς ἔνι, κατατεθηπὼς ἐρεῖ τὸ, «Ὦ βάθος πλούτου καὶ σοφίας καὶ γνώσεως Θεοῦ!» Ἄθρει γὰρ ὅπως λεπτός τε καὶ ἀναγκαῖος ὁ ἐφ' ἑκάστῳ νοῦς· ἀναθέοντι μὲν γὰρ εἰς τὸ ὄρος τῷ θεσπεσίῳ Μωσῇ, συνάνεισιν Ἰησοῦς· οὐ γὰρ προσιτὸς ἑτέρως ὁ Πατὴρ, εἰ μὴ δι' Υἱοῦ. Καὶ γάρ ἐστιν ἀληθὲς, εἰ λέγοιτο· «Οὐδεὶς ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα, εἰ μὴ δι' ἐμοῦ.» Ἐν Χριστῷ τοιγαροῦν καὶ αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἁγίοις ἡ πρόσοδος· καὶ οὐκ ἄν τις δύναιτο, καθάπερ εἰς ὄρος, ἀναπηδᾷν εἰς ὑψηλήν τινα καὶ ὑπερφερῆ θεωρίαν, ἀλλ' οὐδ' ἂν, οἶμαι, τὶς ἀγχοῦ γένοιτο Θεοῦ, κατὰ τρόπον δὲ δηλονότι συν