On Adoration and Worship in Spirit and Truth, Book 4

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

1ON ADORATION AND WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH — BOOK FOUR. That the one called unto justification from God and redeemed must follow along after him, and must decline the softening unto baseness, and rather hasten to live lawfully and young-heartedly. Slippery therefore, as it seems, Palladius, and I would say even most abominable, and having stepped inside every absurdity, is not loving to play the man against baseness and sin; but being melted as it were unto outlandish pleasures, and letting soft womanish habits down into the

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

2mind, departing from boldness unto virtue, although it is very possible through Christ to spring up toward every praised thing whatever, and toward this also the most holy Paul spurs us, saying: ‘For the rest be empowered in the Lord, and in the might of his strength.’

Palladius: You speak well.

Cyril: For we will make power in Christ; yet I do not think anyone would succeed without sweat at playing the youth against passions, and at being able to set his own mind upright unto this.

Palladius: I agree.

Cyril: Therefore a thing clear and worth taking, and not capturable for those who fall back, yet easy to obtain for those who have honored toiling. And it is written that ‘A man toils in toils for himself, and constrains his own destruction.’ And to be able to succeed at the exceptional of deeds with small sweats is, I think, ignorant even only to think. Or would not the most precious of all other things for us be saving the soul, and contending for one’s own life?

Palladius: Very much so.

Cyril: And what is already conspicuous in glory—to which of the athletes do you think it most belongs: to those competing rightly and trained, and for whom winning is in account, or to those most sweetly dissolving into luxuries, and having chosen the life in ease instead of the best?

Palladius: And how, or from where, is it disputed that winning would least belong to those sick with laziness, yet being able to master to the more decent?

Cyril: Will we then say that the matter also belongs to them unto power of good fame, who will say one must be strong to toil, yet have chosen to be let loose and to live luxuriously?

Palladius: Not at all.

Cyril: Therefore approving will follow those most loving of toil, and no one would succeed at being conspicuous even without contests.

Palladius: Fixed.

Cyril: One must go then, Palladius, straight toward the praised things, and must take care of manliness unto virtue, and of the very courage also wondered at both beside God-breathed Scripture and familiar and dear to saints’ souls. Therefore also the divine David was addressing those having nodded very well unto this, saying: ‘Play the man, and let your heart be strengthened, all who hope upon the Lord.’ And as having himself succeeded at this very thing even before the others, he is solemn for himself, and says: ‘The Lord is my illumination and my Savior; whom will I fear? The Lord is protector of my life; from whom will I cower?’ For scandals around us are as many as ten thousand, stronger

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 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,’ he says, ‘be girded, and the sandals on your feet, and the lamps burning’; 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.’ 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.’ 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,’ it says, ‘by so much they were becoming more and were strong.’ 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

5to chant again and say: ‘If the Lord had not been in us when humans rose up upon us, then living they would have swallowed us; when their anger was wroth upon us, then the water would have drowned us; a torrent our soul passed through.’

Palladius: Thus it holds.

Cyril: Observe then the manner of the plot. First he was maltreating them with wild toils, most wickedly devising that they not go unto a great multitude, through what he thought right to do evil; and the injustice was still secret, and the tyrant’s aim not very apparent, yet the grace of the one pitying was being set against it, just as I said just now. And being humbled, they were rather rushing unto increase, of strength and of number. Then through the middle he was wishing to arm the midwives against the Hebrews’ women. But God was not letting even this prevail. And of a plot thereafter, as in a third and last manner, he has ordered all his own people to stifle the male, no longer declining to take advantage secretly. Therefore against those playing the man Satan wars invisibly, and puts together the things of the plot as in a triple manner; and he begins the battle through wicked plans, blocking the mind’s advance unto virtue; for he prepares them to be worn out by unexpected toils and to keep company with hard contests. And having been able to wrong nothing through these, God defending, he often stirs those same-nation and our own according to faith, and attempts to sharpen them toward hatred and battle. And Paul will testify saying: ‘In dangers among false brothers, in dangers from race.’ And if he should also miss this, the one standing before the saints putting the divine fear into them, just as also of old into the midwives; thereafter he openly raises his own shield-bearers unto wildness and murderousness. And even so we will hold to the love of good daring, and the eagerness unto courage, not having been ignorant that what is hated beside that one is honorable to God. For it has been set in account and he counts worth sparing what is above softness.

Palladius: I am persuaded. And I think this again is also present, and to be contemplated for us from the holy Scripture itself. For a lack of thoughts is not somewhere.

Cyril: Therefore God giving we say, as in the so-called Numbers—and this is a Mosaic book: ‘And the Lord spoke,’ it says, ‘toward Moses, in the Sinai wilderness, in the tent of the witness, on day one of the second month of the year, when they had gone out from Egypt’s land, saying: Take a beginning of every kinship of sons of Israel, and according to their kinships, and according to houses of their fatherhoods, according to number from their name, according to their head; every male from twenty years and upward, every one going out in power

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’; 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.’ 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.’ 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’; 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.’ 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.’ 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

7I think it superfluous for the present to gather the proofs; yet for those wishing it is possible even very easily if they should choose to do this.

Palladius: Therefore as in a type according to Moses and Aaron through Christ would come to be the enrollment of those playing the man.

Cyril: Thus I say; for what is beside blessed Daniel carries us unto the word upon this, not having an unpersuasive suspicion.

Palladius: What sort of thing do you say?

Cyril: For he has seen the Father as in elderly stature, crowned with white gray hair, and distinguished in garments in a form of snow, and said that ‘And books were opened, and a court sat, and I saw. And behold with the clouds of the heaven one as a Son of man coming, and he arrived until the Ancient of days, and was brought before him; and to him was given the rule, and the honor and the kingdom.’ For when the Only-begotten has come to be in the form according to us, then also the Father opened books, and let go from judging

Palladius: Only therefore the youthful and manly, and somehow already thoughtful, is in God’s enrollment, and in a book of living, and everything not such unapproved—or how?

Cyril: Casting a precise and woken mind into what is Written, you will know the true. For not only what is in youth, and having come to be in the twentieth year, is enrolled, but it has been ordered that every male. Or do you not understand what I say?

Palladius: I understand.

Cyril: Therefore, if one should also carefully work out the manner of those suited unto being able to succeed at virtue very well of the manliness understood in Christ, those who have driven unto this glory will have their own enrollment, as already manly and most fight-ready, and

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

8having stepped beyond boyish thinking, would not some own and fitting place of enrollment and glory, measured together with the brightness of what is done, belong to each of those according to us, friend?

Palladius: I say so.

Cyril: For among the holy apostles the one not according to them will not somehow be; far from it.

Palladius: True.

Cyril: Nor again do we say that with those made very bright from many-formed virtue, and having practiced the most lawful success of life, the one not such will be ranked together, but will inherit that, according to his own measure, not unclear.

Palladius: You have spoken rightly.

Cyril: Therefore, inasmuch as we have believed unto the Savior and Redeemer of the whole, and through baptism have been enriched with the strength from heaven and from above—for we have put on the power from on high, sealed with the holy Spirit—we ourselves also have been set as in a rank and account of males, and have been counted in God’s book. Yet there is some difference even here. For first as in enrollment, and nearer God rather, are the more priestly and more holy. One is the faith unto Christ; yet not all who have believed are in like and equal

Palladius: And how would this also become clear?

Cyril: From what is Written. For the word is not premature for us; for after the counting-up which he made upon the males and most peak-ready, the God of the whole was again forming for us another manner of enrollment. And it holds thus: ‘The Lord spoke toward Moses in the Sinai wilderness saying: Oversee the sons of Levi according to houses of their fatherhoods, according to their kinships, according to peoples. Every male from a month old and upward you will oversee them. And Moses and Aaron oversaw them through the Lord’s voice, in the manner the Lord arranged for them.’

Firstborn exchanged for Levites; sacred vs common enrollment§9

9‘Oversee every firstborn male of the sons of Israel from a month old and upward, and take their number from name, and you will take the Levites for me—I the Lord—instead of all the firstborn of the sons of Israel, and the Levites’ cattle instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel’s cattle. And Moses oversaw, in the manner the Lord commanded him, and all the firstborn males according to number from name from a month old and upward, from their oversight, came to be twenty-two thousand, seventy-three and…’

Palladius: You speak well; yet let the mind down unto a test, trusting Christ the giver of every good.

Cyril: Understand then that in the first enrollment, every male was sought, and twenty-year-old—that is, the thoughtful and manly, and in peaks of being able to succeed at whatever God would wish. And let the word concerning this be enough for us. For it has been made, as I think, holding very sufficiently. And in these two enrollments, every male from Levi’s tribe is set into the divine and holy votes. And from the other multitude, no longer every male simply, but the firstborn, and from a month old altogether and upward is what is numbered.

Palladius: I say so.

Cyril: Therefore I will say that; and again the word will walk for me not off the mark, according at least to what is likely and not unpersuasive; for there was a reminder of manliness together and of the prudence understood in Christ, and as in a type a seeking, the male was being enrolled, not

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

10having unclear the body’s stature. And since besides these the enrollment come to be as in faith and love unto Christ also had to be very well signaled, a difference being woven in, which one may see as among those who believe. For some, together with receiving the faith, also practice the sacred in works, and the service under God; and others do not make the consecration whole, divided toward the things in the world; thus justly the lawgiver orders the sacred to be preferred to the other, as understood in a type

Palladius: Will we then think that we will share with the saints what they themselves would succeed at with their own heads, playing the man and having been most eager to be approved?

Cyril: Very much so, if they themselves are truly filled with divine gifts, having taken the gift with toils and sweats, and having driven through countless contests; and from love of God they also fill us with what has been gifted them. And indeed the divine

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.’ 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.’ 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, 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

12which the sons of Israel were about to inherit. And when the war was already somehow near and neighboring, as about to perish at once, and not able to march out against Israel’s powers, they were attempting with magicians’ art, and with the unholy practices beside them, to shake the enemies off. And when doing all things they were wronging nothing, God shielding in front, and turning the false-seer Balaam unto blessing, although he had been hired unto the need to curse—as already come to be in the last perplexities—they were reckoning among themselves that they would not otherwise be strong to wrong Israel, unless they struck against God who stood before them, and stripped of the help from above they might, if they chose, join battle toward them. And knowing that the male is hot and easy toward the female, and that youth is not secure with the most foul pleasures unto this, they were letting down women adorned, unto conversation not decent for those from Israel, by whose beauties everything as much as was easy toward being sick with the things of flesh was most ready snatched together, and was being carried aside little by little from the worship unto God, following those women’s judgments. And they were strengthening apostasy together with the fornication. For it has been written: ‘And the people was initiated to Beelphegor.’ And this very thing God also said through prophets’ voice: ‘And the understanding people was entwined with a prostitute.’ The lawgiver therefore was indignant upon these things also most reasonably, and the matter was not without penalty for those from Israel. For they were at once in unbearable disasters through this, the fornicators being consumed by brother’s and neighbor’s hand. And God was at once outlining that war must be chosen toward Midianites, saying toward the sacred-revealer Moses: ‘Avenge the vengeance of the sons of Israel from the Midianites, and last you will be added toward your people. And Moses spoke toward the people, saying: Arm the men from you, and array opposite the Lord upon Midian, to give back vengeance to the Lord to Midian, a thousand from a tribe, and a thousand from a tribe, from all tribes of sons of Israel, send to array. And they numbered from the thousands of Israel a thousand from a tribe—twelve thousands armed unto array—and Moses sent them a thousand from a tribe, and a thousand from a tribe, with their power; and Phinehas son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, and the holy vessels, and the trumpets of the signals in their hands, and they arrayed upon Midian, just as the Lord commanded Moses, and they killed every male, and the kings of Midian they killed together with their wounded; and Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian, and Balaam son of Beor, they killed with a sword with their wounded; and they plundered Midian’s women, and their baggage, and their cattle, and all their acquisitions, and their power they plundered, and all the cities

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.’

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.’ 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

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.’ 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?’ 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.’ 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?’ 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,’ says: ‘But I have not been justified in this; and the one examining me is the Lord.’ 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,’ and the law’s precision especially against them; ‘For to whom they have set much,’ 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.’ 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.’ 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.’ 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,’ 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

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

17the sum of the spoils of the captivity from human until beast, you and Eleazar the priest, and the rulers of the fatherhoods of the synagogue, and divide the spoils in the middle of the warriors who have gone out unto array, and in the middle of every synagogue, and take away the end for the Lord, from the humans of the warriors going out unto the array, one soul from five hundred. From the humans and from the beasts, and from the oxen and from the sheep, and from the donkeys and from the half of them you will take; and you will give to Eleazar the priest the firstfruits of the Lord, and from the half of that of the sons of Israel you will take one from the fifty, from the humans, and from the oxen, and from the sheep, and from the donkeys, and from all the beasts, and you will give them to the Levites who keep the watches in the Lord’s tent. And Moses and Eleazar the priest did, just as the Lord arranged for Moses.’ For the divine oracle was at once being finished, a fine and precise numbering of the spoils having come to be, and the distribution in half, and the takings-away—or rather the firstfruits—having been given back to the Lord, to the priest Eleazar, I mean, and to those from Levi’s tribe; is your mind better than forgetfulness, and strong to run up unto what we said at the beginnings?

Palladius: What sort?

Cyril: For has not the sacred word said that the thousand from each tribe have been brought together unto the war’s need?

Palladius: It has said so.

Cyril: And we were saying clearly and evidently that the part’s brightness and good reputation will come unto the whole fullness, this also being managed for us very well of God’s gentleness and love of humans, so that as of one and most fragrant incense, made from different forms, some one fragrance of all thereafter may be carried up to God, and what is not thus approved may somehow be made bright together with the very most approved.

Palladius: Truly. For the word wished to test these things out for us.

Cyril: Observe then these things unveiled, God legislating them for those from Israel; for the chosen thousand according to tribe were campaigning against the Midianites; and winning, I think somewhere, gaining by toil and sweat, they distributed the things gathered from the war toward every synagogue at once, and the other multitude was being solemnized by the successes of those playing the man; for ‘Divide,’ he says, ‘the spoils, you and Eleazar the priest, and the rulers of the fatherhoods of the synagogue; and divide the spoils in the middle of the warriors going out unto the array, and in the middle of the synagogue.’ For that what is a little deficient, and going behind those ones’ greatness of nature, will be approved together with the greatly chosen and more conspicuous, the divine Paul was also somehow signaling. For having numbered up of the more ancient saints those approved through faith and for whom the glory

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

18is conspicuous, from the precise piety unto God—‘According to faith,’ 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.’ 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.’ 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; 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.’ 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

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’ … 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.’ 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.’ 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.’ 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.’ 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

21—ing to God the many-formed in virtue, and as it were also themselves running beyond the law’s measure, are approved more brightly.

Palladius: What sort of thing do you say?

Cyril: Christ arranged for those announcing the Gospel to live from the Gospel, which also Paul was eager to confirm from a legal commandment, writing, once that ‘Those eating the sacrifices are partners of the altars’; and again otherwise, as from necessary examples he was showing it altogether unaccused, saying: ‘Who plants a vineyard, and does not eat from its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock, and does not eat from the flock’s milk? Do I speak these things according to a human? Or does not the law say these things? For in Moses’ law it has been written, You will not muzzle an ox threshing. Does God care for the oxen? or does he altogether say it through us? For through us it was written, that the one plowing ought to plow upon hope, and the one threshing upon hope of partaking.’ Then upon these he brought at once: ‘If we sowed the spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we will harvest your fleshly things? If others share your authority, not rather we? But we have not used this authority, but we bear all things, so that we may not give some cutting-in to Christ’s Gospel.’ Then again he confirms: ‘What then is my wage? That announcing I may set the Gospel without expense.’ You see how beyond what seems good to Christ and to the ancient law, having authority to live from the Gospel, he was setting the Gospel without expense, dedicating the matter to him as it were a willing gift? And that one must not marry, neither the ancient law nor the new proclamation has legislated for us. And indeed Paul says: ‘And concerning the virgins I do not have a Lord’s command.’ But those very young-hearted toward piety, putting the flesh to death, bring forward a bright offering to God—the self-control beyond law—and as it were some adornment well-worked the best life composed from deed and word. And Moses and Aaron brought the things brought forward into the holy tent; for acceptable to Christ, and wealth and a bright boast, are the saints’ manly deeds, through which they also gain a long—or rather endless—memory, and show themselves worthy of the divine oversight; for saying the offerings have been set opposite the Lord makes clear some such thing. And great and exceptional is lying as in God’s sight; for he honors beyond nature those whom he also counts worthy to look upon.

Palladius: From many things, as it seems, he signals to us saying that being persuaded and thinking that the need to bear fruit would belong not to others rather than to those very much playing the man and accustomed to be of good reputation.

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

22Cyril: Well done, Palladius, for you think rightly. And the matter holds thus by nature, and the sacred letter will testify. For when God wished those still lodging according to the wilderness to raise the holy tent for the sons of Israel, unto an image and type of the Church from the nations, he was again outlining that the things useful unto this must be gathered. And he said thus toward the sacred-revealer Moses: ‘If you take the reckoning of the sons of Israel in their oversight, and each will give ransoms of his soul to the Lord, and there will not be a fall in them in their oversight; and this is what they will give, as many as pass the oversight, the half of the didrachm, which is according to the holy didrachm—twenty obols the didrachm—the half of the didrachm a contribution to the Lord. Everyone passing unto the oversight, from twenty years and upward, will give the contribution to the Lord. The rich will not add, and the poor will not lessen from the half of the didrachm, upon giving the contribution to the Lord; to propitiate concerning your souls; and you will take the silver of the contribution from the sons of Israel, and will give them unto a work of the tent of the witness, and it will be for the sons of Israel a memorial opposite the Lord to propitiate concerning your souls.’ Behold again the lawgiver says the precise reckoning must be finished; and he has ordered to bring together the gifts to the Lord, the half of the didrachm. And whom those owing to bring forward would be, he defines clearly; for God has not allowed womenfolk to do this, nor indeed those still infants; rejecting, I think somewhere, the strengthless and soft, and the incomplete unto understanding; and as it were enrolling among those owing to bear fruit the youth already come to puberty and swelling, and passing unto the oversight, for whom he also defines the twentieth year. For only those springing up from boyish thinking and womanish mind, and already completing unto a man’s measure, having fullness of stature of the understood in Christ and spiritual, are worthy of the need to bring forward the gifts to the Lord, according to the law. These pass unto the oversight—that is, show themselves worthy also of coming to be in God’s sight, according to what is hymned in Psalms: ‘The Lord’s eyes are upon righteous ones.’ And for salvation of those bringing forward the ransoms, and unto the works of the holy tent, and unto a memorial opposite the Lord; for the saints’ manly deeds constitute churches, and are useful unto adornment of the holy tent, together with also succeeding very well at the soul’s salvation, and crowning those playing the man with unfinished glory. Or does the word not seem to you to be true?

Palladius: Very much so.

Cyril: The ransom, then—or rather the didrachm—God has oracled must be taxed, and the ends of those playing the man were in this. And the leaders of the tribes, adding to what has been ordered from law,

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.’ 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,’ 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’? and indeed wise and holy Paul writing: ‘For whatever a human sows, this also he will harvest’?

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.’ 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.’ 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.’ 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,’ he says, ‘pressed, shaken, pouring over they will give into your bosom’; 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.’ 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.’ 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.’ 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,’ 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,’ 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.’

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’?

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,’ 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 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,’ he says, ‘unto a meeting with Abraham, and Melchizedek, the priest of God the most high,’ 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.’ 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

29Christ. And the confederates receive portions, God somehow blessing, I think, and in the affairs according to this life the co-zealots of the saints; for the things being increase for them measuredly from a just road; for to those not yet altogether departing from the earthly things, yet somehow portioned to God and world, God also distributes the blessings upon earth. Thus he was blessing Jacob, leading the nurslings unto multitude.

Palladius: You speak well.

Cyril: And thus being of good reputation, and made bright, as already genuine, the one who knows to save says that one must neither grow numb, and indeed that they will also bring a wide wage, he usefully promises; together setting the strengthless and most daring passion as far as possible from the flock of those who fear him, and sharpening unto eagernesses with hope of what has been promised, and setting them stronger. Therefore also divine Paul, disposing thus, was saying once: ‘I am strong all things in Christ who empowers me’; and again otherwise: ‘I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; for the rest the crown of righteousness is laid away for me.’ And divine Abraham is very vexed, and having a house-born son, is not without share of despondency. For what will you give me, he says, if I am released childless? and he makes equal to childlessness having a bastard fruit. Then God promises the son from a free woman—that is Isaac—and says he will be in that one a father of many nations, and will have the seed just as the stars of the heaven; for it was paining the holy apostles very much to have as from some slave woman—the worship according to law—a bastard fruit. And they were seeking rather the one from the freedom—that is, the one from the New Covenant. And this was Christ, of whom also Isaac according to promise is understood unto a type, and through faith. And indeed blessed Paul, concerning the boasts of law in himself, says: ‘Which things were gains for me, these I have thought a loss through Christ; but rather I also think all things to be a loss through the overlying of the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom I have been penalized all things, and I think them dung, that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, that through law, but that through faith of Jesus Christ.’ For in Christ they have become fathers of many nations and of unnumbered seed, just as indeed also Abraham in Isaac. And we will dedicate the word upon this not only to the ancient and holy apostles, but also to those after them allotted to be made sacred, and leading Churches, or also thereafter to every holy and good one. ON THE WORSHIP AND SERVICE IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH