On Adoration and Worship in Spirit and Truth, Book 4

The redeemed must follow God; refuse soft vice; live lawfully and young-hearted§1

Be strong in the Lord; no crown without sweat; David’s courage§2

Demons and passions assault; put on the armor; Egypt’s taskmasters§3

3yet, I think, than every number is the multitude of demons that provoke toward sin, and besides an not ignoble wildness of the innate pleasures, and love of money and boastings, and the envies neighboring murder set upon us, hate and slanders, and what not of like evils. But those easy toward leading-away, not even so much as to say touching with fingertip’s tip the need to bear such things nobly, carelessly assigning the winning to the enemies, a half-boiled beet, according to the prophet’s voice, as it were somehow thrown onto earth, and without a fight somehow brought under the feet of baseness. But those loving virtue and good, and reaching for the glory from above, and yearning to share in the life unto an age, most nobly and most boldly meet the assaults of their own passions, putting the flesh to death, and standing up against the motions in it and from it. Thus also most skillfully thrusting aside every form of baseness and sin, they succeed at the holy and blameless life, to whom also the divine Paul calls out, saying: ‘Stand therefore having girded your loin in truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod the feet in readiness of the Gospel of peace; upon all things having taken up the shield of faith, in which you will be able to quench all the evil one’s flaming (Ephesians 6:14–16) arrows.’ For the spiritual full armor is most fitting for the saints, which we must reach for, even if in another manner, yet the Savior himself also orders: ‘For let your loins,’ (Exodus 12:11) he says, ‘be girded, and the sandals on your feet, and the lamps burning’ (Luke 12:35); the being well-girt and as it were somehow drawn together signaling unto the need to endure hardship for the good, and for love toward God, of having been girded round; and the readiness and eagerness, unto the standing from the world, of having shod the feet, as about to walk at once wherever the divine law would wish us to go; and the lamps’ burning, of some not putting up with living as in darkness and ignorance, but rather making the journey unto every admired thing in the light through Christ. To Jews not putting up with doing this from mind-harm Christ was addressing: ‘While you have the light walk in the light, so that darkness may not overtake you.’ (John 12:35) Therefore readiness unto virtue and courage yoked with prudence would show the lover of piety bright and conspicuous.

Palladius: You speak well.

Cyril: For we will not find the good fame in loving to be let loose; but if someone should choose to sweat, then barely will he be bright and most approved. And indeed while the sons of Israel were still making their sojourns in Egypt, the profane Pharaoh sets over them terrible and bitter overseers of the works; and they, making the hard training unwanted by them, and as cast upon them from necessity, a practice toward endurance of hardship,

Pharaoh’s oppression multiplies Israel; midwives; drowning males§4

4have been benefited rather than wronged according to the truth. For Pharaoh was fearing seeing the Hebrews stretching unto an unmeasured multitude; and attempting most wickedly to punish the rush and increase in this, ‘He set over them,’ it says, ‘overseers of the works, that they might maltreat them in the works.’ (Exodus 1:11–22) And the plan is overturned for them toward the opposite. For the maltreatment brought upon them was a pretext for them of the increase unto multitude, God managing the matter, and as it were setting his own grace against that one’s knaveries. For ‘Inasmuch as they were humbling them,’ (Exodus 1:12) it says, ‘by so much they were becoming more and were strong.’ (Exodus 1:12) For Satan brings on the afflictions, grinding his teeth against the saints, and always somehow selectively leaping upon those whom God was claiming as his own; for ‘His foods are choice,’ it says; but those toiling in these things will be better than them when tested; and the steadfastness in contests shows them altogether more famous, so that through things by which he would be thought to pain and to do evil, through these especially and not willingly he would benefit, and through what he has supposed he will take he finishes them stronger. And when the crafty sophism ends for Pharaoh unto an unexpected end, and through what he was maltreating he was also further benefiting, late and barely he perceives, and at once changes the manner of the plot; for having sent for the Hebrews’ midwives, ‘When you midwife the Hebrew women,’ he says, ‘and they are toward bearing, if it is male, kill it, and if female, preserve it.’ And the midwives feared God, and did not do just as the king of Egypt arranged for them, and they were keeping the males alive.’ And when his unholy and murderous counsel against the race is idle—for God was not letting the midwives act impiously—he thereafter goes over unto wronging openly, and no longer thought it right to pain secretly, but already somehow chooses war nakedly, and votes a harsh death of those being born. For ‘Pharaoh arranged,’ it says, ‘for all his people saying: Every male that is born to the Hebrews, throw into the river, and every female, keep it alive.’ For he cares for the female not at all—for woman is an unwarlike thing, and not elegant unto understanding; but the male pains him in both ways, as wise and most fight-ready. Therefore most sweet and altogether according to heart for the murderous dragon—I mean Satan—is a womanish mind of soul, made soft and without strength; and toward this also being sick with the unsuitedness unto wisdom, yet hated and abominated is the eagerness unto courage, and better than softness, and superior to cowardice, and the very most thoughtful. Because of this he keeps the female alive, and somehow stands off from the murderous counsel and plan upon it. For I think it is silly to seek to fight those already laid under from themselves, and sick from home with loving to be yoked under; but he stifles as it were the male, casting him into circumstances of trials. This also the divine David seems to me

Three modes of Satan’s war; census of fighting males in Numbers§5

Males from twenty enrolled; Moses and Aaron type Christ; angels guard§6

6of Israel, oversee them in their power; you and Aaron oversee them.’ That therefore the male and most fight-ready, and having gone up unto youth—that is, unto the spiritual good condition and unto a measure of stature of Christ’s fullness—has been set in the divine enrollment, and in God’s book, would become clear also through these things very well; for the male having come to be in a twentieth and still year is numbered for no other reason, as I think, than so that we ourselves also may be able to understand that the strengthless and incomplete unto understanding is cast away and unapproved—which we say belongs to those still altogether young, and not yet come to youth’s measure, which the divine law both knows and defines, that is the twentieth year; yet honorable and in number and known beside God, according to multitude and races and heads, and by name, is what is in peaks and male. For to those thus playing the man, and having come forward unto this measure of mind, it has been said to the holy apostles through Christ, once that ‘Do not rejoice that the demons are subjected to you, but rejoice rather that your names have been written in the heavens’ (Luke 10:20); and again: ‘Are not two sparrows sold for an assarion, and one of them will not fall upon the earth without my Father in the heavens? And of you even the hairs of the head are numbered.’ (Matthew 10:29) The precision, I think somewhere, of the care upon them, of saying the hairs themselves are numbered, makes very clear. Therefore in God’s book is what is in peaks and male. And the things of the enrollment were being practiced through both Moses and Aaron, so that through both we may understand the one Christ, as in Moses lawgiver, as in Aaron high priest. For he has become upon us lawgiver together and holy and guileless high priest, and through his mediation is the enrollment of those playing the man and more distinguished unto virtue in divine books. And wise John also was addressing these saying: ‘I write to you, young men, that you are strong, and you have conquered the Evil One.’ (1 John 2:14) Therefore these would be those concerning whom we said just now: that ‘Every male from twenty years and upward, every one going out in power of Israel’ (Numbers 1:3); whom that the Creator loving virtue makes through sparing, and counts worth care, you might see, Palladius, also through what is written next. For he said again to those around Moses and Aaron—clearly God—‘And with you will be each according to tribe of each ruler; according to houses of fatherhoods they will be, and these are the names of the men who will stand by with you.’ (Numbers 1:4) For each tribe sets over the more famous and most fight-ready as leader, and shield-bearer, and beginner of counsel, and introducer of what must be done, of whom those angels standing over the chosen and laid in the book of life would be unto a type. For it is written concerning every righteous one: ‘An angel of the Lord will encamp round those who fear him, and will deliver them.’ (Psalm 34:7) And that we have been saved by angelic helps according to God’s will would become clear from everywhere, and

Daniel’s books opened; Son of Man; not only the youthful enrolled§7

Ranks in the book of life; Levites enrolled from a month old§8

Firstborn exchanged for Levites; sacred vs common enrollment§9

Faith’s enrollment differs: whole consecration vs world-divided§10

Saints share gifts; their brightness covers the weak§11

11Paul was addressing some of those who had believed: ‘For I long to see you, that I may share some spiritual gift with you.’ (Romans 1:11) Or do you not say that the blameless and unwandering knowledge concerning God, and the precise understanding upon all the excellent things, is a heavenly gift of hospitality and a spiritual charism?

Palladius: Yes—if the matter is life-making. Therefore one must see clearly who is by nature and truly the Fashioner of the wholes and God, and what life—the best path—carries off unto a long-aged and endless life.

Cyril: You have spoken rightly. Teaching us these things Christ himself also was commanding the holy apostles, saying: ‘Freely you received; freely give.’ (Matthew 10:8) And the saints’ brightness would be not unprofitable for others also otherwise; for in their good reputations our defeats somehow vanish, and our God who loves virtue, having attended to the more famous ones’ good courage, remits the charges for the weaker. And indeed those from Israel, having bent unrestrainedly unto disobedience, and leaving nothing of the base things unpracticed, necessarily provoked the lawgiver against themselves; and when he already wished to exact justice of the daring from those who had so fiercely grieved him, the prophet Jeremiah was bringing forward the petitions. And what does God say toward this? ‘Run round,’ he says, ‘in Jerusalem’s roads (Jeremiah 5:1), and see and know, and seek in her squares, if you find a man—if there is one doing judgment and seeking faith—and I will be gracious to them, says the Lord.’ And he said he would also remit for Sodom the justice through fire, if some five were in them holy and good. Therefore the saints’ brightness sometimes also procures for those very sinful the need not to be punished at once, as it were entreating the divine temper and checking the anger; and for those who have genuinely received the faith, yet are not able to go unto this in good courage, so as to be able to take by toils, they all but share the good reputations with them—that they also be filled with divine gifts—training as far as possible, and carrying them off toward every thing whatever that pleases God, and showing them partners of their own manly deeds; and what they themselves barely find through very many toils, these they put into others’ souls. For that we will share with the saints also the brightness present in them, and will be partners of the manly deeds, from gentleness and love of humans—God as it were mixing and blending our defeats with those ones’ successes, and yoking the deficient to the more perfect, so that it may be acceptable—would become clear also through this again.

Palladius: Through what sort of thing do you say?

Cyril: Moabites and Midianites were both unholy and barbarous nations, and they were pasturing upon the land of the promise

Midian’s plot; Beelphegor; Israel’s chosen thousand wage war§12

Phinehas types Christ; holy vessels angels; trumpets the Word§13

13of them in their dwellings, and their folds they burned in fire, and they took all their plunder; and all their spoils from human until beast, and they led toward Moses and toward Eleazar the priest, and toward all the sons of Israel the captivity and the spoils and the plunder into the camp into Araboth Moab, which is upon the Jordan opposite Jericho. And Moses went out and Eleazar the priest, and all the rulers of the synagogue unto a meeting with them outside the camp, and Moses was angry at the overseers of the power—chiliarchs and centurions coming from the array of the war; and Moses said to them: Why have you taken every female alive? for these were for the sons of Israel according to Balaam’s word, to apostatize and overlook the Lord’s word, because of Peor; and the blow came to be in the Lord’s synagogue; now kill every male, in every outfit, and every woman who has known a male’s bed, kill; and every outfit of the women who has not known a male’s bed, take them alive.’ These things God having oracled, chosen young men were being brought together toward the war’s need; and from every tribe was flowing together what is most enduring of hardship and most proven, so that what is approved from each might become a boast of the whole, and the part’s brightness might go unto the whole fullness, according at least to what has been said wisely by Paul: ‘For if one member suffers, all the members suffer together; if one member is glorified, all the members rejoice together.’ (1 Corinthians 12:26)

Palladius: You think rightly.

Cyril: The most strong multitude of the chosen was therefore campaigning against the Midianites, Phinehas the priest being with them, and the holy vessels, and indeed also trumpets, of the so-called signals. For Christ, our great high priest, is always fellow-armed and fellow-stander for those playing the man; and angels also contend together, being hinted as in the holy vessels. For holy and liturgical vessels are the rational spirits in heaven; for they have been ordered by God toward our help. And the trumpets of the signals are present no less—that is, the words of those who speak God—signaling very well in what manner one must play the man against the enemies, or rather the passions being in us. Therefore a sketch of Christ is the priest—that is, Phinehas; of angels, the holy vessels; and of those who have cried through to us the divine word, the trumpets of the signals. For thus without toil we will prevail over those who have stood against in Christ, saying what is sung in Psalms: ‘In you we will gore our enemies, and in your name we will set at naught those who rise up upon us.’ (Psalm 44:5) Which also those from Israel have done; for having ravaged every Midianite city and country, they were being carried toward Eleazar the priest, and toward every synagogue of sons of Israel the captivity; for as it were sacred offerings to Christ the of-all (Numbers 31:12)

Moses rebukes the victors; leaders judged more strictly§14

14high priest, and the saints’ successes are not unclear to the peoples, according at least to: ‘For there is not a hidden thing which will not be manifested, nor a concealed thing which will not be known, and come into the open.’ (Luke 8:17) The things from the captivity are therefore led in the priest’s sight, and of all the people, typically and economically. Yet Moses was rebuking the conquerors as not having composed the deed according to the precise and altogether unblamable word; for one must not, he says, take the male alive, nor again a female experienced of marriage. And the word of the history is persuasive; for one must, one must, shear off the male from the land about to be under them as soon as not yet, as about to come after a little unto youth and strength, and about to be hostile to the people; and the female also must be destroyed together, having become a cause of scandal, and if she had been saved, perhaps about to be so again; yet as far as it comes unto the spiritual contemplation, that, I think somewhere, one might see elegantly hinted for us in these things.

Palladius: What sort of thing do you say?

Cyril: The chosen of the tribes have not remained unaccused, although having taken the victory; through which it is signaled, and very clearly, that the altogether blameless would not even ever belong to those playing the man themselves. For even our seeming to have worked rightly would somehow not be without blame and charge, God examining carefully and testing. Therefore it has also been written: ‘If you watch lawlessnesses, Lord, Lord, who will stand?’ (Psalm 130:3) And again: ‘From my hidden things cleanse me, and from foreigners spare your servant; if they do not master me, then I will be blameless.’ (Psalm 19:12–13) It is possible then sometimes even in the chosen ones’ manlinesses to see a holy blame, which the lawgiver’s knowledge looks down upon, yet passes us by; for we somehow do not understand, according to: ‘Transgressions—who will understand?’ (Psalm 19:12) And Isaiah also says somewhere that all our righteousness is as a sitting woman’s rag. Because of being able never to have unto the extreme elegantly and blamelessly. And Paul the wisest, having written ‘For I am conscious of nothing for myself,’ (1 Corinthians 4:4) says: ‘But I have not been justified in this; and the one examining me is the Lord.’ (Wisdom of Solomon 6:6) And the blame from Moses was practiced not toward all simply, but toward only the overseers of the force, and toward chiliarchs and centurions; for ‘Powerful ones will be examined powerfully,’ (Wisdom 6:6) and the law’s precision especially against them; ‘For to whom they have set much,’ (Luke 12:48) he says, ‘they will seek much from him.’ Therefore the Savior’s disciple has also written: ‘Do not become many teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a greater judgment.’ (James 3:1) The accusation according to all is therefore carried upon the overseers and those set over the ranks. For somewhere the subject always is approved by the leaders’ watchfulness. Therefore it has also been written to the peoples under hand: ‘Be persuaded by your leaders and yield; for they keep wake

Purification outside camp; third and seventh day; Eleazar after Moses§15

15ful over your souls, as about to give back a word.’ And after the womenfolk’s and children’s destruction, the divine Moses does not allow the warriors unwashed to lodge in the camp, but orders that they must first be thoroughly cleansed, saying: ‘And you will camp outside the camp seven days; everyone who has killed and who touches the wounded will be purified on the third day, and on the seventh day—you and your captivity—and every wrap, and every leather vessel, and every work from goat, and every wooden vessel you will purify.’ (Numbers 31:19–24) You see that even the best and approved race of the chosen in us is not altogether blameless; for ‘No one is clean from filth,’ even if someone should be very much of those accustomed to be approved; for the perfectly holy has been kept unto the age about to be. Outside the camp therefore he seats the conquerors, and says they must be purified on the third day and the seventh. The third day either signaling for us the third time, in which the cleansing through Christ came to be after the time according to Moses, and in which the choir of the holy prophets was shown, or rather that of the resurrection, in which Christ lived again, having nailed to the precious cross the handwriting against us, and having endured the suffering that looses sin for us. And the seventh persuading us to understand the time upon the completion of the present age, in which having shaken off the burden of sin wholly, and going unto an allotment of sanctification, we will be with Christ, wearing a clean and purified life, and in blessedness according to Christ.

Palladius: It holds well, according at least to what seems to me.

Cyril: And you might still also wonder at the mystery next upon these; for Eleazar the priest at once succeeds Moses’ speech, and says toward the men of the power coming from the war’s array: ‘This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord arranged for Moses, except the gold and the silver, and bronze, and iron, and lead, and tin, every deed which will pass through in fire and will be cleansed, yet by the water of the purification it will be purified; and all things as many as will not pass through fire will pass through water; and you will wash your garments on the seventh day, and will be cleansed, and after these things you will go into the camp.’ (Numbers 31:21) Observe that Moses first was making clear to the conquerors the time of being thoroughly wiped, yet no longer also the manner. For the law fore-proclaims the time of the cleansing through Christ; and second and after Moses the priest has addressed—that is, Eleazar. For Christ arranges after Moses, and no longer makes clear to those playing the man the time of the cleansing; for he himself was the time; yet he introduces the manner, and somehow already thereafter sets in sight

Fire and water cleanse spoils; share victory with the weaker§16

16the mystery, interpreting the precise aim of the law. For he has ordered that as many things as among the vessels were able to pass the fire’s edge be brought through fire; and as many as do not have natural strength, but are somehow rotten and readier unto being able to suffer disappearance altogether—saying clothing, and what is from skins and woods—be carried through water, as enigmatically showing us in golden and silver vessels and in the others, for whom the cleansing through Christ has come to be as in fire and water. For we have been baptized in Holy Spirit and fire. Therefore the being carried through fire and water of the things gathered from the captivity newly hints our cleansing, whom Christ has made his own as some devilish wealth once, having gone into the strong one’s house, and having plundered his vessels, and having bound the strong one. And Eleazar says the conquerors will barely go into the camp then, when they wash the garments on the seventh day, and thus will be clean. For the perfect cleansing, and putting-away of every filth, will be in last times of the completion, just as I said newly, sin being removed altogether, and human nature being carried up unto the from-above and most ancient beauty. For ‘There will be then,’ (Isaiah 35:8) he says, ‘a clean road, and it will be called a holy road. And no unclean one will pass by there, but those redeemed through the Lord will walk in it.’ (Isaiah 35:8) I myself therefore think the word of clarity is not carried outside the aim. Yet if someone should choose that one must understand also otherwise, we say that: he has ordered each conqueror’s vessel, whether it happen to be golden, or silver, or also from bronze, and made from other material, to go through fire; for as blessed Paul writes, ‘The fire will test of what sort each one’s work (1 Corinthians 3:13) is.’ And he has ordered also some things to come through water; for the word of the psalmody hints to us that the saints’ souls are tested not otherwise, except according to some such manners. And indeed David was singing that ‘You tested us, O God; you fired us, as silver is fired; we passed through fire and water, and you led us out unto refreshment.’ (Isaiah 35:8)

Palladius: But, noble one, the more love-learning might perhaps say to us: The word has sufficiently shown us how the chosen once arrayed against the Midianites and have conquered, and in what manner they wiped the pollution from the war; and it is already time to give full assurance, if we will also truly be partners of those playing the man’s good daring, and will share the successes with them, although not having the altogether equal-weight in virtue, yet somehow being lesser of those ones’ good courage. For your word promises these things to us.

Cyril: And indeed near and at once neighboring is the law upon this, having the demonstration most clear very well, and the approach not uphill; ‘And the Lord spoke,’ (Numbers 31:25) he says, ‘toward Moses, saying: Take (Numbers 31:25–27)

Spoils halved; part’s brightness becomes the whole’s boast§17

Without us they are not perfected; small blessed with great§18

18is conspicuous, from the precise piety unto God—‘According to faith,’ (Hebrews 11:13) he says, ‘these all died, and they did not receive the promises, God having foreseen something better concerning us, so that they might not be perfected without us.’ (Hebrews 11:13,39–40) And he also writes to others: ‘Already you have been perfected; without us you have reigned, and would that you had reigned, so that we also might reign together with you.’ (1 Corinthians 4:8) You see how those having the deficient rank will also be perfected together with those in the end, and those not strong according to them are blessed together with the chosen? And the divine David also sings somewhere: ‘Blessed are you by the Lord, who made the heaven and the earth; the Lord has blessed Aaron’s house (Psalm 115:15); the Lord has blessed Israel’s house; the Lord has blessed those who fear him, the small with the great.’ The so-called small are blessed together with the great, not having to boast in equal strength, and being worsted in eagernesses unto the need to endure hardship, yet perhaps being equaled in zeal and faith, and delighting Christ with strengths according to power. And Moses and Eleazar would be a type of the one high priest and lawgiver Christ, distributing the spoils to the people, holy angels standing by together, of whom also the rulers of the fatherhoods of the synagogue would be a type. Or do you not say that many of the holy angels upon earth have been ordered by God, unto the need to help those who have believed, and as it were to lead peoples?

Palladius: I say so; for how not?

Cyril: Christ is expected to come from heaven with the holy angels, and will sit upon his throne of glory, and will distribute to each the prizes fitting him, and the honors proportionally to the successes; therefore also wise Isaiah says to us concerning Christ: ‘Because of this he himself will lord over many, and of the strong he will divide spoils, instead of things for which his soul was handed over unto death, and was reckoned among the lawless.’ (Isaiah 53:12) In Christ therefore is the distribution of the goods, as typed in Moses and Eleazar. For Christ is lawgiver in the same and high priest.

Palladius: You have spoken most excellently.

Cyril: And what indeed is also the manner itself of the distributing—is it not worth wondering?

Palladius: Very much so. For the quiet has been honored in equal portion with the fight-ready.

Cyril: Not equal, then—far from it—even if the fight-ready should have the half of the whole, and every synagogue the other half; for the whole number of those from Israel was unto six hundred thousands, and five hundreds fifty toward three thousands, the priestly tribe being apart and excepted from the catalogue. And a most fight-ready multitude was a thousand according to tribe. The spoils therefore having been portioned in equal, and each multitude having obtained the half of the whole, the honors are in much more for the fewer, and not for the more and overlying in (Numbers 31:27)

Half to elect, half to many called; offerings through saints§19

19number. Therefore whatever the glory to be given to every people according to times ever is, and the measure of the heavenly gift, of this the precise as-it-were half will be allotted to the chosen, and they show themselves worthy of the divine oversight; and of the other half to be given to every multitude, although taking advantage so much in number; for ‘Many are called, but few chosen’ (Matthew 22:14) … for the word is deep.

Palladius: I understand. For even if we will be partners of the saints’ glory, yet in lesser things than according to them; for your word somehow not dimly hints this to us.

Cyril: You have spoken rightly. And look besides these another thing, through which especially the freeness of speech unto God of those playing the man is easy to see.

Palladius: And what do you say?

Cyril: For he has ordered the twelve thousands of the warriors, from the half of the whole allotted to them, to bring forward to the high priest one head from five hundred, both in the humans and in the beasts; and this was for them the end to the Lord. And the other multitude the Lord judged must set down one soul from fifty for the sacred tribe. And Eleazar again typing for us upon himself the one and only truly high priest—that is Christ—exceptionally and truly and as it were somehow to him face to face privately, the gift-bearing of the chosen will be dedicated; for they bring forward to him, nothing mediating; which also the blessed disciples were doing, and those leading peoples still do even now, making the toils upon the divine proclamation a private offering to Christ; and the other multitude of those of good reputation makes the gift-bearings unto Christ’s glory, yet through a middle, saints lying, as understood in the sacred tribe; for it has been said: ‘A chosen race, a royal priesthood.’ (1 Peter 2:9) Therefore through middles of saints is their reverence unto God and the awe, bearing fruit, yet not making the gift-bearing privately belonging to Christ’s person. Some such thing those bringing together the so-called collections were eager to succeed at, and sending ministries to the saints in Jerusalem, or also reclaiming those dedicated to God through some other service whatever. A private offering to God, then, are the more distinguished ones’ gifts; and through middles as it were of saints, and as in a second rank, also that of the more deficient. And some bring forward one soul from five hundred, and others from fifty; for what is of good reputation is in lesser debts, therefore also the offering is lesser; and the deficient is in much more, therefore also the things brought forward by them are in a greater number, the things for them being offered proportionally to each one’s stumbles; for ‘To whom more will be forgiven,’ he says, ‘he will love more; and to whom the lesser is let go, he will love less.’ (Luke 7:47) Tenfold therefore they offer

Leaders’ voluntary gold beyond the law’s measure§20

20beyond the chosen, those not according to them, not as more reverent and living more decently, but as held in much more stumbles, and needing a many-times more necessary cleansing. For as the Savior has said: ‘The one washed has no need, except to wash the feet, but is clean whole.’ (John 13:10) And the saints need a most small cleansing altogether; for nature is sick with not being able to be altogether without share of sin.

Palladius: You speak well.

Cyril: The chosen of the tribes therefore, yielding to the divine laws, portioned the things from the war toward every synagogue, and have brought forward the gifts to the Lord according to the law’s arrangement; and with the more decent offerings the leaders of the chosen honor God, as also having the glory more apparent than according to them. For he writes again thus: ‘And all those set unto the chiliarchies of the power came near to Moses, chiliarchs and centurions, and said toward Moses: Your servants have taken the sum of the men of the warriors beside us, and not even one has disagreed from them, and we have brought forward the gift to the Lord, a man who found a golden vessel, and a bracelet, and a ring, and a finger-ring, and an armlet, and a plait to propitiate concerning us before the Lord. And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from them—every worked vessel; and all the gold, the taking-away which they took away for the Lord, came to be sixteen thousands and seven hundreds and fifty shekels from the chiliarchs and from the centurions, and the men the warriors plundered each for himself. And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from the chiliarchs and centurions, and brought them into the tent of the witness as a memorial of the sons of Israel, before the Lord.’ (Numbers 31:50-54) You hear how he says an precise reckoning of those who have fought came to be, so that no one remained from whom the gift has not been brought forward, according at least to what seems good to the divine nods? And they themselves say they have also wished to bring forward to the Lord even what he himself has not judged one must bring forward—bracelet and ring, and armlet, and as many things as have been made in golden adornment. For the lawgiver has ordered to make the gifts from the humans and from the beasts; and indeed it has been brought forward according to the divine and heavenly arrangement; yet they make a willing bringing-forward of the exceptional in treasures; and the leaders of the chosen conquer the law’s limit with their ambitions. And indeed Moses and Aaron having taken, have brought them into the holy tent; and making them stored as a memorial before the Lord; for those leading peoples, and set unto rulers, honor God with bright and more decent offerings, bringing forward as it were some adornment and dedicat—

Leaders exceed the measure; Paul forgoes Gospel rights; virginity beyond command§21

Half-shekel for the tent; only the twenty-year-olds give§22

Rulers bring emerald stones; oil and incense type Christ§23

23were bringing forward still greater and more noteworthy some of the exceptional beside them. For it has been written that ‘And the rulers brought the emerald stones, and the stones of the filling, unto the shoulder-piece, and the oracle, and the compositions, and the oil of the anointing, and the composition of the incense.’ (Exodus 35:27) Are these then not akin a little to what is behind? For the fight-ready multitude was bringing forward to God the things of the captivity, according to the commandment given, from human until beast; and the chiliarchs and centurions added to these adornment and bracelet, and plait, and finger-ring, and every golden vessel worked, which also Eleazar the priest was setting into the holy tent itself. And in these the whole multitude of those come to puberty was completing the didrachm, and again the rulers bring forward chosen stones, unto the shoulder-piece, and the oracle, which were completing unto adornment of the one excelling in priesthood. For those leading peoples bring themselves forward unto adornment for Christ, as some precious stones. Therefore also the prophet making clear the holy apostles for us, ‘Holy stones,’ (Zechariah 9:16) he says, ‘roll upon the earth’; of which sort was the divine Paul, running round from Jerusalem even until Illyricum through the proclamation. Precious stones therefore and unto Christ’s glory are the saints’ company. And they themselves would also be the oil of the anointing, and the composition of the incense, making fragrant the knowledge of Christ, and, as in oil, fattening with all-wise teachings and with the words through the Spirit the souls of those being initiated. And the incense is composite; for the knowledge concerning Christ has been composed from two, which is in the same God and human; yet one from both, Son and Christ, toward whom it has also been said somewhere and toward us ourselves: ‘Perfume emptied out is your name.’

Palladius: In the oversight then beside God, the fight-ready and strong, whose fruit also is constitution of Churches, and the things unto God’s glory. For the contemplations show this to us.

Cyril: You have spoken rightly. And that a bright and exceptional lot, and indeed the need to share in every good, will be allotted by God to those accustomed thus to be of good reputation—how or from where would someone doubt? Or do you not hear David singing again: ‘You will eat the toils of your fruits’ (Psalm 128:2)? and indeed wise and holy Paul writing: ‘For whatever a human sows, this also he will harvest’ (Galatians 6:7)?

Palladius: I have learned.

Cyril: For someone will play the man not without a wage, and somewhere the one saying is altogether true: ‘For God is not unjust, to forget your toil and the love which you showed unto his name.’ (Hebrews 6:10) He will forget

Inheritance by count for fighting males; Levites counted apart§24

24least of all, and that he will distribute the prizes of the toils to those above softness that constrains unto the trespass, what is written in Numbers will again give full assurance: ‘And the Lord spoke toward Moses and Eleazar the priest saying: Take the beginning of every synagogue of sons of Israel, from twenty years and upward, according to houses of their fatherhoods; every one going out to array in Israel.’ (Numbers 26:2) Then the numbering according to peoples and according to tribes having come to be, he brings on again: ‘And the Lord spoke toward Moses, saying: To these the land will be portioned to inherit from number of names; to the more you will increase the inheritance, and to the fewer you will lessen their inheritance; to each, just as they were overseen, their inheritance will be given, in the middle of many and few.’ (Numbers 26:1–4,52–65) And this is a law upon the need for those already wearing through the twentieth year to inherit. And after the reckoning of the herd multitude, the Levitical race is numbered up; ‘And the sons,’ he says, ‘of Levi according to their peoples—to Gershon, the Gershonite people; to Kohath, the Kohathite people; to Merari, the Merarite people; these are peoples of sons of Levi.’ And having genealogized in between concerning Moses and Aaron, he brings on again concerning the sons of Levi: ‘And from their oversight they came to be twenty-three thousands, every male from a month old and upward; for they were not overseen together in the sons of Israel. And this is the oversight of Moses and Eleazar the priest, who oversaw the sons of Israel in Araboth Moab upon the Jordan opposite Jericho. And in these there was not a human of those overseen by Moses and Aaron, whom they oversaw the sons of Israel in the Sinai wilderness, because the Lord said to them: By death they will die in the wilderness, and not even one was left from them, except Caleb son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the of Nun.’ And come, again running through and going through each in part, let us speak more clearly and distinctly.

Palladius: Speak then having hesitated nothing, since in these things tight-talk is sweet.

Cyril: Gathering the mind therefore in few of what lies before, we say that: God orders that what has come to puberty again, and the war-experienced stature, must be numbered up. For as we already said having arrived, in knowledge and enrollment beside God, and in a book of living, not the strengthless and inactive, nor indeed what still infants according to thinking, but every thing as much as is already well-strong and ready unto array against passions and sin, and stepped unto understanding, and already decent toward the need to act and be able to succeed at whatever God would wish; and these portioned the land very well according to tribes, and from name, and according to each; for heirs of the holy land will be, and will share the goods in hopes, those concerning whom the word is according to tribes and according to race, as in: ‘Blessed are the meek,

Blessed inherit the land; Levites’ lot is God; pure in heart see God§25

25because they themselves will inherit the land; blessed are the merciful, because they themselves will be mercied’; and as in the other beatitudes. For this is as it were some own lot of those mercied, meek and of the poor in spirit, and persecuted for the sake of righteousness. Yet also according to one and from name is the crown of good fame, God honoring each proportionally to his own successes, and measuring out the fitting grace for those playing the man, even if it happen to be understood as in a greater measure, and richer distribution; for ‘A good measure,’ (Luke 6:38) he says, ‘pressed, shaken, pouring over they will give into your bosom’ (Luke 6:38); and this very thing I think somewhere the saying of God makes clear: ‘To the more you will increase their inheritance, and to the fewer you will lessen their inheritance; to each, just as they were overseen, their inheritance will be given.’ (Numbers 26:54) For as in a greater number of the names would become a clear type of the overlying and increasing in virtue; for one is approved thus, and another thus, according to blessed Paul. And the land is allotted, according somewhere perhaps to that: ‘In your hands are my lots’; said toward God. For by a divine vote will come to be the unwandering distribution of the goods about to be, the one knowing all things according to us then defining for each what is fitting unto allotment. And again the Levites’ numbering-up is private, from a month old and upward. And a lot is not given them in the middle of the sons of Israel, nor were they overseen together with them. For somewhere the more sacred race is always more holy. Therefore also the enrollment concerning it is excepted from the others, and a lot for them is not with the others, but also a private oversight; and a portion and lot for them is the God of the wholes himself, according to: ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, because they themselves will see God.’ (Matthew 5:8) For of the so-called poor in spirit about to inherit the kingdom of the heavens, and of those choosing to mourn about to be comforted, and of the merciful about to be mercied: The pure in heart, he says, are blessed, because they themselves will see God. And these would be those more sacred and more holy beyond all the others, and a lot and portion for them is the precise God-seeing—that is, the knowledge concerning the Godhead. This indeed Christ was promising to gift the holy apostles, saying: ‘These things I have spoken to you in parables; an hour comes, when I will no longer speak to you in parables, but will report to you concerning the Father with freeness of speech.’ (John 16:25) And from a month old is the more sacred ones’ enrollment, just as I said newly. For not only the more conspicuous in spiritual strength and in wisdom of the more holy is written up, and in God’s book, but also as much as is in the simplicity according to Christ, and infanting in evil. Therefore every more sacred race is written up, both the wise and the simple. And you might see, Palladius, some such difference in the saints’ souls, judgments and manners. And he has added that there was not a human in those

Only Caleb and Joshua remain; books opened; Abraham will rescue Lot§26

26overseen by Moses and Aaron, whom they oversaw the sons of Israel in the Sinai wilderness, because the Lord said to them: By death they will die in the wilderness, and not even one was left from them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the of Nun; showing clearly that the inheritance, and the having been written in God’s book, is not for those who disobeyed; and it would rather fit those who have received the faith—clearly that in Christ; for concerning those who disobeyed: ‘Let them be wiped from a book of living, and with righteous ones let them not be written,’ (Psalm 69:28) the divine David said. And the divine oracle also hints to us in these that the grace is for those who believe; for because of this the word says mystically that the enrollment came to be toward the Jordan; for the baptized is written up; yet Israel has not wholly fallen from the hope. For the remnant has been saved, according to the prophet’s voice, of whom Caleb and Joshua left alone from all would be a type, inheriting together and being enrolled with those not held in the charges of unbelief. And observe everywhere the saints’ enrollment and lot-giving. For it is practiced through both Moses and the one excelling in priesthood, so that, just as I already said before, you may understand the one through both—Christ—as high priest and lawgiver, through whom is every grace, and the being carried in the books above, which also blessed Daniel says he has seen himself. For ‘Books were opened,’ (Daniel 7:10) he says, because somewhere of all the enrollment is much and different, because of this many, and not one the book.

Palladius: Rightly then and wisely the word of Proverbs said to us: ‘The lazy become deficient of wealth; and the manly are supported by wealth.’ (Psalm 69:28)

Cyril: They are supported then, and have God gracious and standing before, and fattening with blessings from above, and crowning with a very most apparent honor, and richly adorning with famed boasts. Or does he not speak truly, saying: ‘I live, says the Lord, that those who glorify me I will glorify’ (1 Samuel 2:30)?

Palladius: Very much so.

Cyril: And everyone young-hearted, I think, and having practiced the spiritual manliness, and having studied to stand up against visible and invisible enemies, and knowing to save himself and others, and able in God all things, finishes the things unto God’s glory.

Palladius: I agree.

Cyril: Do you wish then we contemplate this very thing very well, as sketched in a tablet, in the most beneficial narrations for us according to the divine Abraham?

Palladius: I would choose very much. For how not?

Cyril: It has been written then that Lot was dwelling and lodging in Sodom; and when a terrible and heavy war

Abraham pursues; Melchizedek brings bread and wine; promise of seed§27

27came down upon the land, of those near, and of those from the bordering country, having taken the city by force together with those allotted to lead, Lot was being carried away together with those who rose up, and together with the others was spear-taken; and someone of those saved arriving, ‘It was announced,’ (Genesis 14:13) he says, ‘to Abraham the passer, and he himself was dwelling toward the oak the of Mamre, of Amorite the brother of Eshcol, and of the brother of Aunan, who were confederates of Abram. And Abram hearing that Lot his brother’s son (Genesis 14:13–24) has been captived, numbered his own house-born, three hundreds ten and eight. And he pursued behind them until Dan; and he fell upon them the night himself, and his servants. And he struck them, and pursued them until Hobah, which is on Damascus’s left. And he turned back every horse of Sodom, and Lot his brother’s son he turned back, and all his belongings, and the women, and the people. And a king of Sodom went out unto a meeting with him, after his turning back from the cut of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings with him into the valley of Shaveh. This was the plain of the kings. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out breads and wine; and he was priest of God most high; and he blessed Abram, and said: Blessed is Abram by God the most high, who created the heaven and the earth. And blessed is God the most high, who handed over your enemies under hand to you. And he gave him a tenth portion from all. And a king of Sodom said toward Abram: Give me the men, and take the horse for yourself. And Abram said toward the king of Sodom: I will stretch out my hand toward the Lord God the most high, who created the heaven and the earth, if from a cord until a sandal-strap I will take from all your things, so that you may not say that I enriched Abram, except what the young men ate, and the portion of the men who went with me, Eshcol, Aunan, Mamre; these will take a portion. And after these words a word of the Lord came to be toward Abram in a vision of the night, saying: Do not fear, Abram; I shield over you; your wage will be much exceedingly. And Abram says, Master Lord, what will you give me? and I am released childless, and the son of Masek my house-born woman, this Damascus Eliezer; and Abram said: Since you have not given me seed, and my house-born will inherit me. And at once a voice of the Lord came to be toward him, saying: This one will not inherit you; another will go out from you, this one will inherit you. And he led him out, and said to him: Look up then unto the heaven and number the stars, if you will be able to count them out. And he said: Thus will your seed be.’ You see the saints’ readiness unto good daring, and how they have the voluntary endurance of hardship? For as soon as he learned Lot had been endangered, he at once pitied the kinsman’s disaster, and snatching the house-born, and some of the confederates,

Apostles as Abraham; take no worldly wealth; worker’s wage§28

28not being Hebrews, was going easily against those who had pained, and was mastering easily, and was releasing from the captivity both the brother’s-child Lot himself, and those fallen under hand of those who had conquered. Then thereafter, as to one who has conquered preserving the honor fitting him, both the king of Sodom and Melchizedek the priest of God the most high were meeting reasonably, just as it has been written. And he was meeting not bare, but was bringing along the symbols of the priesthood then customarily practiced—breads and wine—and was blessing Abraham, and was giving as a prize sacred voices. Abraham therefore played the man and has conquered; for such somehow always are those manly according to Christ, and having the most God-loving good daring unto mind. And I will add, as unto an example and faith of the word, the holy apostles, who, Satan plundering all things easily, and indeed of those standing against the doctrines of the truth, ravaging the simpler ones’ souls, were being carried against young-heartedly, arming together with themselves the house-born—that is, those nursed in the sacred Letters—and some of the confederates, not being Hebrews, I mean again those still minding the things in the world, yet contending together with the saints, and zealoting them, and playing the man thus they have conquered, and were snatching out those caught from that one’s greed. For some from the idolatry, and from worshiping the creation beyond the one who created, and others, drawing out from the falsely named knowledge, they save back; but of the thus bright and great-natured good courage they gain as return both the honors from those in the world; for ‘A king of Sodom went out,’ (Genesis 14:17) he says, ‘unto a meeting with Abraham, and Melchizedek, the priest of God the most high,’ (Genesis 14:17-18) the blessing through Christ, delighting with the life-making grace with bread and wine. Therefore also speaking truly upon themselves, they say very well: ‘Blessed are you by the Lord who made the heaven and the earth.’ (Genesis 14:19) And Melchizedek would be a type of the priesthood according to Christ, and I think the matter will not need many words toward demonstration, a sacred Letter sufficing unto this. And when the king of Sodom was saying toward divine Abraham, as to one who has conquered: Give me the men, and take the horses for yourself, he was at once swearing to take nothing the whole, except perhaps the foods of those who toiled together, and for the confederates a portion—Eshcol, Aunan, and Mamre. For warring and contending above nobly for the freedom of those perished the saints, and going into every toil, take nothing from a world, nor indeed gather the earthly wealth, very much declining the reproach from there; ‘So that you may not say,’ he says, ‘that I enriched Abraham’; except that they receive only foods, those from the ones benefited. For ‘Worthy is the worker of his wage’; and those announcing the Gospel he was ordering to live from the Gospel—

Confederates’ share; Isaac type of Christ; leaders after the apostles§29