THOSE MINISTERING IN THE TEMPLE After proclaiming the return of God’s glory to His temple, He first talked about the gate through which the Lord entered; then about those who minister in the new temple; introducing a special law for them, that fits their work and their priestly mission. 1- The shut eastern gate 1-3. 2- Keeping charge of the temple 4-14. 3- The statute of the priests 15-31. 1- THE SHUT EASTERN GATE For the third time, the Spirit of the Lord brings him to the eastern gate; but it was shut; and the Lord confirms to him: “This gate shall be shut; It shall not be opened, and no man shall enter by it, because the Lord God of Israel has entered by it; therefore it shall be shut. As for the prince, because He is the prince, he may sit in it to eat bread before the Lord; he shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gateway, and go out the same way”(Ez 44:2-3). Talking about those ministering in the temple, he starts by mentioning the Lord Christ, being the first and last Minister in the temple; in whom all His priests and ministers hide. He called Him “the Prince... the Prince;” as though to say that He is the top Minister in the temple, or the great High Priest. Repeating the word “Prince” twice; is because He is the Minister in the Old Testament, being the unseen Word of God; and He is the Minister in the New Testament, being the incarnate Word of God. That is why He entered through the eastern gate, to ascend the 7 steps to the outer court (Ez 40:22); then the 8 steps to the inner court (Ez 40:27); as though He shone on us with His light in the Old Testament (7 steps), through the symbols and shadows; then came to shine on us with His light in the New Testament (8 steps), by His divine incarnation. He opened to us the secrets of the Old and the New Testaments; through the Law and the prophets; then through the gospel. What is the shut gate, through which the Lord entered, and goes out, and will stay shut, but the undefiled virginal womb of St. Mary; in which the Lord came to incarnate from her by the Holy Spirit? She gave birth to Him, and her virginity remained sealed. Concerning this St. Jerome says: [St. Mary is the eastern gate, of whom Ezekiel spoke; always shut, always shining, and always sealed. At the same time it is the Holy of the Holies; through which the “Sun of Righteousness” (Mal 4:2) enters and goes out; He who is “called the High Priest, according to the order of Melchizedek” (Heb 5:10). Let him who doubts my words, explains to me how Jesus entered through the closed doors; and how he allowed his disciples to touch His hands and His side, to prove to them that He has a true body of flesh and bones, and not an imaginary one (Luke 24:39). Then, I shall clarify, how St. Mary could be a mother and a virgin at the same time1.] We have already discussed this issue of permanent virginity of St. Mary in our book: “St. Mary according to the Orthodox concept.” As to saying, “In it He sits to eat bread before the Lord,’ this is a reference to the divine incarnation; by which the Son of God became man. 2- KEEPING CHARGE OF THE TEMPLE 1 Epist. 48:21. 5 The Lord entered with His glory into His house through the eastern gate, that He kept shut; by it no other man except Him shall enter. But He left the other gates open for everyone who wishes to unite with Him. Yet He did not leave these gates, spacious before all, and open by His divine love, without watching, but appointed the Levites to guard them. In firm admonition, the Lord revealed to the Levites their previous trespasses; not only to avoid repeating them in the future; but much more to make up for the evil past years, by positive strife, on the account of the kingdom of God. It is as though their repentance, does not stop at forsaking evil, but rather extends to committing themselves to use their energies, talents, and time, that have worked on the account of evil, be used on the account of the Kingdom of God. He concentrates their faults in two categories: 1- Their negligence in guarding the house of the Lord, and setting others to keep charge of the sanctuaries on their behalf (Ez 44:8); that caused foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and flesh to defile His house! There is nothing more that causes bitterness to God’s heart, than to see His house where the mysteries of His holiness are, neglected by priests and ministers; to turn, into a place for evil! God in the Old and New Testaments has often warned that, whoever corrupts the temple of the Lord, will be corrupted by God. I say this with bitterness, as we often take the sanctuaries of God lightly, and mix love and compassion for the sinners, with negligence of God’s sanctuaries. Negligence in guarding the house of the Lord, commits the Levites to repent before resuming their responsibilities! 2- As the Levites have ministered to the people, who went astray after their idols (Ez 44:10); so they are committed to repent, by slaying burnt offerings and sacrifices for the people’s sake, to restore them to the Lord. In our repentance, it is fitting for us, not only to rise from our falls, but also to bring back those who stumbled because of us; that would be through our holy ministry to them in the Lord. 3- STATUTES CONCERNING PRIESTS God chose the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of His sanctuaries, when the children of Israel went astray, to have alone the right of standing before His holy altar, and to minister to him. God cared to set for them some special statutes to deal with their life, of which are: a- Their garments: “Whenever they enter the gates of the inner court, they shall put on linen garments, no wool shall come upon them while they minister” (Ez 44:17). Wearing linen garments while ministering is a sign of purity; banning wool is for fear that it might be the product of a dead animal; God does not want His ministers to enter His sanctuaries bearing any trace of dead thing; they should also avoid to clothe themselves with anything that causes them to perspire (Ez 44:18). The minister of the altar should be always active and fresh. He also commanded them to take off their garments in which they have ministered, and leave them in the holy chambers; as it is unfitting for them to carry out any human activity, while still wearing the holy garments. Wearing linen garments while ministering in the sanctuaries, refers to our wearing of the Lord Christ Himself; as He alone is the Good Shepherd, the High Priest, by, and in whom, we perform the priestly work. b- Their hair: He requested from them not to be extremists. They should not shave it altogether like the priests of the Gentiles; nor to let it grow long, the way the 6 Nazirites do. They shall keep their hair well trimmed. If the priest of the New Testament dedicates his heart and life completely for ministry; yet, in his appearance, he should act rationally; by being a role model for the people, he would be able to gain many, by his behavior that reflects his fellowship with the Lord. c- Food and drink: They shall not drink wine when they enter the inner court (Ez 44:21). In the New Testament the apostle Paul says: “he (the bishop) must be not given to wine” (1 Tim 3:1, 3). St. Jerome comments, saying: [Being given up to wine is one of the faults of the greedy and the loose. When the body becomes hot by wine, lust will be inflamed in him. Drinking wine implies letting the soul have its own ways in the enjoyment of pleasures, that could lead to breaking chastity; “He who lives in pleasure, is dead while he lives” (1 Tim 5:6); while he who drinks wine, is not only dead but buried. One hour of looseness made Noah, the dignified 60 years old, uncovered in his tent (Gen 9:20, 21)1.] God commanded the priest to refrain from eating a dead animal or bird, nor a prey (Ez 44:31). He wants the priest to have a chaste soul. Eating a dead animal or a prey is a sign of a low soul. He probably also means that the priest should subsist on the word of God, that revives and sanctifies his body and spirit; and should reject the preaching of heretics, that would make his body (symbolized by the animal), and his soul (symbolized by the bird), dead or prey to the devil. Let the priest drink from the living spiritual fountains, to keep the germs from penetrating into his life, and then into those of his people. d- Marriage: The priest should care for the dignity of his priestly work; by not marrying a widow or a divorcee, so that nobody can doubt his integrity. Yet he was allowed to marry the widow of a priest (Ez 44:22). In the Orthodox Church, a priest is strictly not allowed to marry after getting the sacrament of priesthood. As he became a father, he should consider all girls and women as his daughters; and a father should never marry his own daughter. e- Preaching: A priest should be capable of “teaching his people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean” (Ez 44:23). He should be just, and should, in controversy, “judge according to my judgments. They shall keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed meetings; and they shall hallow My Sabbaths” (Ez 44:24). Concerning teaching St. John Chrysostom says: [The apostle Paul instructed that a Bishop should be “able to teach” (1 Tim 3:2). This is an important requirement for him, who takes the responsibility of shepherding2.] f- Grieving for the dead: God requested from the priest not to defile himself by touching a dead person, unless it is his father, mother, son, daughter, brother, or unmarried sister; then he should complete 7 days cleansing himself, offer a sin offering before going to minister in the sanctuary (Ez 44:25-27). He wants the priest to raise himself above everything temporal, to attach his heart to the heavenliness, and to refrain from grieving for a departed. Yet He allowed it for the close relatives mentioned, for the sake of human feelings, that could not be disregarded in the life of a priest. g- Their subsistence: God did not allow His priests to accept a portion of . 1 للمؤلف: الحب الرعوي، 1965 ، ص 668 . 2 للمؤلف: الحب الرعوي، 1965 ، ص 686 7 inheritance with their brothers, in the Promised Land; He presented Himself to them as their inheritance. And He is committed to fulfill all their spiritual and physical needs. He commanded the rest of the tribes to give them the tithes and first fruits; as though given to God Himself. Origen comments on God’s words that He is their inheritance (Ez 44:28), saying: [Their portion is not on earth, but the Lord Himself is their portion and their inheritance. They represent those who do not fail because of some physical limitation, but go beyond the glory of things seen; and put in the Lord all their life with all its requirements; Those who do not seek carnal things, but seek the wisdom and the knowledge of God’s secrets; “For where their treasure is, there their heart will also be” (Mat 6:21). Therefore they have no inheritance on earth, but are lifted up to what is above heaven. There, they would be together with the Lord forever, in His word, wisdom, and the pleasure of His knowledge; fulfilled with His sweetness; He would be their food, dwelling place, wealth, and kingdom. That is the destiny; and these are the possessions acquired by those who have God as their only inheritance1.] That is concerning God as their inheritance; but as far as first fruits are concerned, all would be theirs (Ez 44:30). Origen comments on this, saying: [According to the Law, the first fruits of plants and animals should be given to the priests. Anyone who possesses a field, a vineyard, or an olive garden; works the land, or raises beasts, should present all the first fruits to God through the priests; as according to the holy Scripture, whatever presented to the priests is as though presented to God Himself. Therefore we are instructed by the Law, that it is not lawful to benefit from the fruits of the land nor of the beasts, even the little domestic ones, unless we present all their first fruits to God through the priests. I believe that we are committed to obey this statute, like many others, even according to its strict literal sense2.] Origen lifts up our spiritual mind to see the Lord Christ Himself as the greatest High priest, to whom spiritual first fruits should be offered; like “the first fruits of Achaia” (Rom 16:5), and like that offered by Cornelius, not only to the Church of Caesarea, but also to that of all the Gentiles. The virgins, and the men who were not defiled with women (Rev 14:4), are counted as first fruits offered to the Greatest High Priest our Lord Jesus Christ; Not only the virgins in the body, but also those virgins in the spirit, like the wise virgins who were waiting for the Bridegroom in the middle of the night. And as Origen says: [As we said, let each of us yearn to grow to become elected from among the first fruits, to be offered to God, and to be the portion of the Lord3.] The source of our first-rate status is our union with the Lord Christ - the true “First fruit; In Him we become first fruits, and counted for God the Father, as a portion of His Greatest High Priest Jesus Christ. That is why the Lord Christ offers Himself on our behalf as a First fruit to God. Origen says: [He is called the “First fruit” (1 Cor 15:23); the “First fruit among those who have fallen asleep;” the “King of Kings;” the “Lord of Lords;” the “Chief Shepherd” (1 Peter 5:4); and the “High Priest.” We can also call Him “The First fruit of the first fruits.” He is the First fruit, offered not to the High Priest, but to God Himself; “He has loved us and given Himself to us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma” (Eph 5:2); and after His resurrection from the dead, He 1 On Num., hom., 21:1. 2 On Num., hom., 11:1. 3 On Num., hom., 11:5. 8 sat at the right hand of God (Col 3:1)1. In the Old Testament, man was committed to offer the first fruits to God through the priests, in order to get the pleasure of God. The priests used to eat the first fruits, or consume them. But in the New Testament, God presents the First fruit “Jesus Christ” to His people, to eat His body, drink His precious blood, and receive His life in them; not to consume Him, but to enjoy the power of His resurrection, that grants us life. That is why Origen says: [The first fruit that was offered in the Law, was consumed as food... But we, the more we eat of this food, the more it will be2.] 1 On Num., hom., 11:4. 2 On Num., hom., 11:6. 9 AN INSPIRATION FROM THE BOOK OF E ZEKIEL 44 THE PRINCE WORKING IN THE TEMPLE You are the Prince who enters the temple, while the gate is shut! You enter and sit in it, and the gate remains shut! You are the Virgin, born by the virgin; whose virginity stays intact! Enter into my depths, O the One who works in me; Enter and sit, You who possess the key of the heart! Enter into it; and shut my gate before all evil! Who works in the temple of my heart and can sanctify it but You? Who are the Levites who keep charge in me, But those talents You granted me?! You sanctify them and let them grow! Grant them to be honest in their charge. You are the great High Priest; You made us kings and priests for Your Holy Father. Grant us the white linen garments; that will not be defiled! Keep us in our spiritual food and drink! Let us not plunge in the iniquities of this world! Allow us to unite with You, as a holy bride with no wrinkle! Indeed what portion should I have but You?! You are my life, resurrection, and treasure! To whom shall I offer myself as a portion, but to You, the Infinite Love?
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