Named call to priesthood; Aaron type of Christ; Moses must draw Aaron near

Cyril: …of the sons of Israel to priest for me, Aaron and Nadab and Abihu, and Eleazar, and Ithamar sons of Aaron.’ So then by name the chosen have been called toward sacred-work. ‘For no one takes the honor for himself, but the one being called by God,’ (Hebrews 5:4) according to what has been written. So then let no one go self-chosen unto priesting for God, but let him wait a call, or if attempting to snatch what he does not have by the votes from above, he will undergo the justice of Dathan and Abiram. And do not marvel if the self-chosen among us is outlandish and unbeautiful, when also concerning Christ himself Paul writes, ‘He did not glorify himself to become high priest, but the one who spoke toward him, You are a priest unto the age according to the order of Melchizedek.’ (Hebrews 5:5–6) So then of the call the one said upon Christ an image again would be the wisely said toward Moses, ‘And you bring toward yourself both Aaron your brother, and his sons.’ (Hebrews 10:4) For the, Bring toward, what else makes clear except the, Make intimate and call toward? And Christ has been called as unto high priest through counsel of the Father. And somehow with him also the all-divine disciples have been called-together and set as fellow-workers toward sacred-work. Therefore also they were saying expressly, ‘For we are fellow-workers of God’ (Hebrews 3:1); and they were going around again all the under-sun, sacred-working unto the nations the Gospel of Christ. For they have been called unto apostleship through Christ, and true is the word. But the matter was somehow altogether also willed by the Father; for one upon all the things done is the vote, because also counsel and wisdom and will of the Father is the Son. So then Aaron would be a type of Christ, and of the priesthood thought in spirit and truth, as it were a pre-showing-forth, as still in the dimmer shadows. And understand that Moses is ordered to bring toward himself Aaron; for somehow weak and incomplete is the law, even if it should be put apart from Christ. ‘For impossible for blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.’ (Hebrews 10:14) And Christ having brought forward one sacrifice for sinners has perfected unto the continual those being sanctified. So then let those still friends of shadow and letter, and deemed worthy of Mosaic commands, know that unless they should bring toward themselves the high priest and apostle of our confession Jesus the Christ, unto nothing for them will the zeal of the worship in type finish. For what boasts would there be beside the virtue-loving God of the life in law? Therefore also all-wise Paul for us, through the surpassing of the knowledge of Christ, says to think dung the things in world, and to choose instead the spiritual things; and this is intelligibly the bringing toward himself Aaron himself.

Palladius: I understand what you say; for clear is the word.

Cyril: Bring toward yourself then, he says, (1 Corinthians 3:9) (Philippians 3:8) (Hebrews 5:4–6)