Fire and water cleanse spoils; share victory with the weaker

the 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,’ 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.’ 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 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.’

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,’ he says, ‘toward Moses, saying: Take