Priests and Levites foreshadow bishops, presbyters and deacons
Cyril: …Levites have been assigned as fellow workers, in a way, and helpers, as it were, to those who perform the sacred rites. For ‘they shall keep his charges’ (meaning, clearly, Aaron’s) ‘and all the furnishings of the tent of witness, and the charges of the sons of Israel’ (Numbers 3:7–8). Their share in the work goes this far. But he sets over the tent both Aaron and his sons with him; for ‘they shall keep,’ he says, ‘their own priesthood and all that concerns the altar, and the things within the veil’ (Numbers 3:10), that is, the secret and more mystical things, and all that those who wait on the divine altar are accustomed to do. And the type, in its pure sense, points to Christ, whom the Father appointed over his house, whose house we are (Hebrews 3:6). And those who share the priesthood with Aaron would signify, clearly enough, the sacred and admirable company of the holy apostles, who work and minister, as it were, together with Christ. For they have become God’s fellow workers (1 Corinthians 3:9), treasurers and stewards of the mysteries of God (1 Corinthians 4:1), and also ministers through whom we have believed (1 Corinthians 3:5). And if anyone should choose to look closely at the order of the Church as well, he would rightly marvel at the way the law sketched it in advance. For to the bishops, since it has fallen to them to preside, and also to those who hold the lesser rank (I mean the presbyters), the altar and the things within the veil have been entrusted; and these words would fit them: ‘And they shall keep their priesthood’ (Numbers 3:10). To the deacons belongs: ‘They shall keep the charges of the tent, and all its furnishings, and the charges of the people’ (Numbers 3:7–8). Or is it not they who call out in the churches and direct the people, now to sing hymns as is fitting, now to stand in good order, often to keep silence? Do they not rouse them to prayer, and, when the bloodless sacrifice is being offered, themselves bring forward the more sacred vessels and keep careful watch over everything needed?
Palladius: Certainly.
Cyril: So those of the first rank serve as priests, while the Levites help in the order of the Church’s priesthood, as the letter of the law proclaimed in advance. The common people are shut out from every sacred task, and the sentence of the extreme penalty hangs over those who seize the honor. For if anyone comes to it of his own accord, it says, without having God’s vote in his favor, he shall die (Numbers 3:10).
Palladius: True.
Cyril: So the Levitical tribe is not counted in with the enrollments of the others; yet it is registered separately, and in God’s book too. For ‘the Lord spoke,’ it says, ‘to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying: Number the sons of Levi by their fathers’ houses, by their clans, by their families; every male from a month old and upward, number them. And Moses and Aaron numbered them at the word of the Lord, as the Lord had commanded them. And these were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. These are the names of the… (Numbers 3:14–18)
Greek
Λευῗται, συνεργάται τρόπον τινὰ καὶ οἱονεὶ συλλήπτορες τοῖς ἱερουργοῖς ἐκνενέμηνται, φυλάξουσι γὰρ τὰς φυλακὰς αὐτοῦ, δῆλον δὲ ὅτι τοῦ Ἀαρὼν, καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου, καὶ τὰ φυλάγματα τῶν υἱῶν. Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ μέχρι τούτων αὐτοῖς τῆς συνεργείας ὁ τρόπος. Ἐφίστησι δὲ τῇ σκηνῇ τόν τε Ἀαρὼν, καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ, καὶ «Φυλάξουσι» γὰρ, φησὶ, «τὴν ἱερατείαν ἑαυτῶν καὶ πάντα κατὰ τὸν βωμὸν, καὶ τὰ ἐσώτερα τοῦ καταπετάσματος,» τοῦτ' ἔστι τὰ ἀπόῤῥητά τε καὶ μυστικώτερα, καὶ ὅσα δρᾷν ἔθος τοὺς τῷ θείῳ προσεδρεύοντας θυσιαστηρίῳ· καὶ ἔστι μὲν ἀκραιφνῶς ὡς εἰς Χριστὸν ὁ τύπος, ὃν κατέστησεν ὁ Πατὴρ ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ, οὗ οἶκός ἐσμεν ἡμεῖς. Κατασημήνειαν δ' οὐκ ἀσυμφανῶς οἱ τῷ Ἀαρὼν συνιερατεύοντες, τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων τὸν ἐναγῆ τε καὶ ἀξιάγαστον χορὸν, συνεργαζομένων ὥσπερ καὶ συλλειτουργούντων τῷ Χριστῷ. Θεοῦ γὰρ γεγόνασι συνεργοὶ, ταμίαι τε καὶ οἰκονόμοι μυστηρίων Θεοῦ, καὶ μὴν καὶ διάκονοι, δι' ὧν πεπιστεύκαμεν. Εἰ δέ τις ἕλοιτο καὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τὴν τάξιν πολυπραγμονεῖν, τὴν ἐν νόμῳ προανατύπωσιν, καταθαυμάσειεν ἂν εἰκότως. Ἐπισκόποις μὲν γὰρ, ἅτε δὴ τότε καθηγεῖσθαι λαχοῦσιν, καὶ μὴν τοῖς ἐπὶ τὴν μείω διέπουσι τάξιν, πρεσβυτέροις δέ φημι, πεπίστευται τὸ θυσιαστήριον, καὶ τὰ ἔσω τοῦ καταπετάσματος, οἷς ἂν πρέποι καὶ λέγεσθαι· «Καὶ φυλάξουσι τὴν ἱερατείαν αὐτῶν·» διακόνοις γε μὴν, τὸ, «Φυλάξουσι τὰς φυλακὰς τῆς σκηνῆς, καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰ φυλάγματα τοῦ λαοῦ.» Ἢ οὐκ αὐτοὶ προστάττουσι διακεκραγότες ἐν ἐκκλησίαις, ποτὲ μὲν ὑμνολογεῖν ὅτι προσήκει λαοῖς, καὶ ἐν κόσμῳ μὲν ἑστάναι, κατηρεμεῖν δὲ πολλάκις, καὶ διανιστᾶσιν εἰς προσευχὰς, καὶ τῆς ἀναιμάκτου θυσίας ἐπιτελουμένης, αὐτοὶ προσκομίζουσι τὰ τῶν σκευῶν ἱερώτερα, καὶ λεπτὴν ἐφ' ἅπασι τοῖς ἀναγκαίοις ποιοῦνται τὴν ἐπιτήρησιν;
{ΠΑΛΛ.} Καὶ μάλα.
{ΚΥΡ.} Οὐκοῦν ἱερατεύουσι μὲν οἱ προὔχοντες, συλλαμβάνονται δὲ οἱ Λευῗται τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς ἱερατείας τὴν τάξιν, τοῦ νομικοῦ προαναφωνοῦντος γράμματος. Ἐξείργεται δὲ τὸ δημοτικὸν παντὸς ἱεροῦ πράγματος, καὶ ὁ περὶ τῶν ἐσχάτων ἐπήρτηται λόγος τοῖς ἁρπάζουσι τὴν τιμήν. Τεθνήξεται γὰρ, φησὶν, ἢν αὐτόμολός τις ἐπ' αὐτὴν ἔλθῃ, τὴν θείαν ἐφ' ἑαυτῷ ψῆφον οὐκ ἔχων.
{ΠΑΛΛ.} Ἀληθές.
{ΚΥΡ.} Οὐκοῦν ἀσύντακτον μὲν ταῖς τῶν ἄλλων ἀπογραφαῖς τὸ Λευϊτικόν, πλὴν ἀνάγραπτον ἰδικῶς καὶ ἐν βίβλῳ Θεοῦ· «Καὶ ἐλάλησεν» γὰρ, φησὶ, «Κύριος πρὸς Μωσῆν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ Σινᾶ λέγων· Ἐπίσκεψαι τοὺς υἱοὺς Λευῒ κατ' οἴκους πατριῶν αὐτῶν, κατὰ δήμους αὐτῶν, κατὰ συγγενείας αὐτῶν. Πᾶν ἀρσενικὸν ἀπὸ μηνιαίου καὶ ἐπάνω, ἐπίσκεψαι αὐτούς· καὶ ἐπεσκέψαντο αὐτοὺς Μωσῆς καὶ Ἀαρὼν διὰ φωνῆς Κυρίου, ὃν τρόπον συνέταξεν αὐτοῖς Κύριος. Καὶ ἦσαν οὗτοι οἱ υἱοὶ Λευῒ ἐξ ὀνομάτων αὐτῶν, Γεδσὼν, Καὰθ, καὶ Μεραρί· ταῦτα τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν