THE WORK OF PRIESTHOOD AND THE PROFANE FIRE The eighth day after the consecration of Aaron and his sons, was exultant for all the people, for in it the glory of God appeared, fire came out from before the Lord to proclaim His pleasure and the acceptance of their sacrifice; and the people shouted and fell on their faces with an inner glorious joy. But two of Aaron’s sons turned that joy and gladness into grief and bitterness, when, allegedly in a condition of drunkenness, they offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them; and fire came out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord; … something that brought terror to all. 1- The profane fire 1 2- The prompt divine chastisement 2 - 3 3- The priest and the natural human sentiments 4 - 7 4- The priest and drinking wine 8 - 11 5- The priest and eating his portions of the sacrifices 12 – 20 1- THE PROFANE FIRE: By the consecration of Aaron and his sons, and offering the sacrifice, the glory of God appeared to the people after gaining the blessing; All became as though in paradise, filled with gladness and shouting, on account of that man has returned anew to a friendship with God. But, the way disobedience has once corrupted the gladness of our first parents, so it did when two of Aaron’s sons: Nadab and Elihu, brought forth grief and sadness over the whole people by offering profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them; allegedly while in a condition of drunkenness; as the divine command promptly came from the Lord to forbid the priests from drinking wine or intoxicating drink in the tabernacle (8, 9). Commenting on that event, St. Erinaos says: [Offering a profane fire on the altar of God; when they bring forth profane teachings, the heretics will certainly end up being devoured by a fire from heaven, the way it happened to Nadab and Elihu]. And according to the scholar Origen: [The way those who offered a profane fire before the Lord died. You too, when you are overcome by anger, or burned by lust, will come to be a victim of a shameful covetousness; on account of that such kinds of fire are all defilement, and whoever kindle them will most certainly have the same portion of Nadab and Elihu]. And according to St. Augustine: [The evil lust is like fire. … Will fire consume the garment, while that of adultery will not consume the soul?!]. 2- THE PROMPT DIVINE CHASTIZEMENT: So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said to Aaron: ‘This is the what the Lord spoke, saying: By those who come near Me, I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified’” (2, 3) Surely, it was not easy on Aaron to see his sons consumed with fire before all…. But God allowed that firm lesson to happen at the beginning of the priestly work to demonstrate its seriousness and responsibility.. If the priest stands as an intercessor for his own sake and that of the people, through the holy sacrifice, he should practice the holy life, befitting of him, Otherwise he would face such a firm and public chastisements, more than all the people. The Lord says: “By those who come near Me, I must be regarded as holy, and before all the people I must be glorified”. Yes it was a bitter lesson, for all to perceive that God’s love for His priests, and His listening to their voice, does not mean to be partial toward them. But the nearer they are to Him, they are rather committed to be holy, so that the Holy God would proclaim Himself in them. Meditating in his responsibility before God to give an account, not only of his own sins, but of those of the people as well, St. John Chrysostom wrote down about the bitterness of his soul, saying: [What a cruel punishment could man expect, when he has to give an account, not just of his own sins, but rather to bear a more serious danger on account of sins committed by others?! If we tremble to think about of our own judgment on the evils we have committed, being sure that we cannot escape from the fire that awaits us in the world to come; How much more pain would we go through, when we have to answer for sins committed by others?!]. 3- THE PRIEST AND THE NATURAL HUMAN SENTIMENTS: Although Aaron and his other two sons were undoubtedly affected by seeing what happened to: Nadab and Elihu, Yet the divine commandment came to lift them up above the natural sentiments, saying: “Do not uncover your heads nor tear your clothes lest you die, and wrath come upon all the people. But let your brethren, the whole house of Israel bewail the burning which the Lord has kindled. You shall not get out of the door of the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die, for the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you” (6, 7)…. Although bearing, as fathers and brothers, human sentiments, yet, being priests of the Lord, they are commanded, not to suppress or destroy those natural sentiments, but to lift them up to a higher level, to present them, not only to relatives according the blood, but to live as ministers to God to the whole congregation as brethren and children Aaron and his sons were committed to stay in the tabernacle of meeting to minister to God. As to their commitments, even to bury Nadab and Abihu, there were others to fulfill. That is what the Lord Christ said to the young man whom He called for ministry: “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God” (Luke 9: 60). Commenting on that event, St. Jerome says: [It was said to them: “Do not tear your clothes” (6), namely, do not grieve like the heathens, lest you die; For to us sin is death. And in the same book of Leviticus we find a certain text which, although may seem cruel, yet is necessary for faith; which forbids the high priest to come near the dead bodies of his father, mother, brothers, or even his children (21: 10-12); lest any grief would probably distract his soul from being preoccupied with offering the sacrifice to God, when it has to be wholly dedicated to minister to the divine sacraments. We learn the same lesson from the gospel, seeing how the Lord forbade His disciple to go bid farewell from his household, and even to bury his dead father (Luke 9: 59, 62). 4- THE PRIEST AND DRINKING WINE: To Aaron the divine command came: “Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, that you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between clean and unclean ; and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord has spoken to them by the hand of Moses” (9, 10). … According to the divine commandment, drinking wine was not forbidden as a material, being sometimes used as medicine, but it was forbidden as an intoxicating drink that might make the priest lose his reason and balance, his ability to distinguish between the clean and unclean, and to teach the people the divine statutes. And as said by St. Jerome: [So that God may keep their minds safe from the idiocy of intoxication, and make them understand how to practice their duties in ministering to God]. According to St. Jerome, this commandment is a kind of practicing fast; seeking from us to flee, even from the smell of wine; saying: [I wish you would never get to smell its odor, lest you hear the words of the philosopher, saying: [Instead of giving me a kiss, you gave me the taste of wine]. Together with the old law, the apostle Paul (1 Timothy 3: 3), condemns the priests who drink wine. The scholar Origen presents to us two interpretations of this commandment: one literal, and the other symbolic. In his literal interpretation he says: [God intends from those to whom He is their portion (Numbers 18: 20), to be well-balanced, particularly when they stand before the altar to pray to God, and are sanctified by His presence. Such commandment which preserves their strength, the apostle confirms in the law of the new covenant (1 Timothy 5: 22); saying that it is befitting of the priests “not to be given to wine; but be sober-minded and self-controlled” (Titus 1: 8, 7), If reason is the father of all virtues, intoxication with wine is the mother of all transgressions; which the apostle clearly demonstrated by saying: “Do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation” (Ephesians 5: 18); showing that dissipation is the firstfruit of wine]. In a symbolic interpretation of this commandment, addressed to Aaron and his sons, the scholar Origen says: [While Aaron refers to our Lord, being: “The High Priest of the good things to come” (Hebrew 9: 11); Aaron’s sons refer to the apostles, to whom the Lord said: “Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer” (John 13: 33). What the law commanded Aaron and his sons not to drink wine or intoxicating drink when they come close to the temple (9), may apply, as well, to the true Priest, our Lord Jesus Christ, and to His children the priests, our apostles. Let us assume that Aaron and his priests were drinking wine before they approach the altar; but once they do and enter into the tabernacle of meeting, they refrain from it…. Now, let us see how our Lord and Savior, the true High Priest, together with His disciples, the true priests drank wine (spiritually) before they approached the altar; but once they do approach it, they refrained. The Savior came to the world to deliver Himself for our sins (Galatians 1: 4). Before giving it up, He was as though drinking wine, as it is written about Him: “He is a gluttonous Man and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Matthew 11: 19). But, once the time came for the crucifixion, to approach the altar to give His body up as a ransom, He took the chalice, blessed it, and gave it to His disciples, saying: “Take and drink”; as though He says to them: ‘Drink, you who have not yet approached the altar; But, as far as I am concerned, having already approached it, “ I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until the day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26: 29). What does He mean by saying, “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until the day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom”? We may say that this promise was given to the saints to enjoy the new wine, being said: “My cup runs over” (Psalm 23: 5); and, “Behold, My servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty” (Isaiah 65: 13). Such wine, mentioned in the Holy Book, refers to the joy and exultation of the soul; By understanding the holy drunkenness through the promise to be exultant; we may perceive the significance of our Savior’s refrain from drinking wine until the day He drink it new with His saints in His Father’s kingdom (Matthew 26: 29); Meaning, that my Savior will go on crying on my sins, and will not be able to taste joy as long as I persist on my disobedience. … Why? Because He is the Intercessor (the Advocate) on my behalf before the Father; as, according to His intimate friend John the evangelist: “If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the Righteous; And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 2: 1, 2). How, being an intercessor for my sins, could He drink of the wine of joy, while I make Him sad with my sins?!... How then, could He, who approaches the temple as propitiation for me, the sinner, how could He rejoice, when the sadness of my sins unceasingly goes up to Him?! … He will continue to be sad as long as we are persistent on our sins; … If His apostle says: “I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and licentiousness, which they have practiced” (2 Corinthians 12: 21); How about Him, who, because of His love for us, “emptied Himself” (Philippians 2: 7)?!; He who, while equal to the Father “did not seek what is His own” (1 Corinthians 13: 5), but what is good for us, and emptied Himself for our sake?!. … Will He, after seeking what is good for us, cease now to search for us, and to think about what is good for us?! … Will He not grieve on our sins, and weep on our losses and wounds?! … He who lamented over Jerusalem, saying: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem; … How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing” (Matthew 23: 37)?! He who bore our wounds, and who, for our sake, suffered,; Will He, the Physician of our souls and bodies, now disregard the inflammation of our wounds, about which the prophet says: “My wounds are foul and festering, because of my foolishness” (Psalm 38: 5)?!. … That is why He, now, “appears in the presence of God for us” (Hebrew 9: 24); He stands before the temple to present to God a ransom as atonement for our sake. Approaching the temple, He says: “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26: 29). … He is waiting for us to change, to follow His lead, and to carry His features; to rejoice together with us, and to drink with us the wine (the spiritual joy) in the kingdom of the Father. … Being “Merciful and Gracious” (Psalm 103: 8); with a greater emotion than that of His apostle, He weep together with those who weep, longing to rejoice together with those who rejoice; He mourns more than His apostle over those who have sinned before and did not repent yet (2 Corinthians 12: 21). It is not befitting of us to think that Paul would be grieved and mourn over the evildoers, while our Lord ceases to weep when He approaches The Father before the altar, to present Himself a ransom as propitiation for us. … We say that, while approaching the temple, He refrains from drinking the wine of joy, grieving over our sins … His joy would be postponed by our slothfulness in our life. How long will He wait?! … Until “He finishes His work” John 17: 4)… And when will He finish His work?! … When He makes out of me, the least of all, and the most evil of sinners, perfect! His work will be counted as unfinished, as long as I am still imperfect; … as long as I am still not subject to the Father (1 Corinthians 15: 28); Because of me, He, Himself, will be counted as not subject to the Father; and His work as not yet finished]. The scholar Origen consummates his talk about the commitment of Aaron and his sons, the priests, to refrain from drinking wine when they are about to approach the altar. Having talked about the Lord Christ to whom Aaron was a symbol, he now talks about the apostles and the disciples, to whom Aaron’s sons are symbols. He says: [We should not forget that it is not only Aaron who refrains from drinking wine when he enters into the sanctuary, but his sons also do. The apostles, as well, have not yet got their joy, but they wait until we get a portion together with them in their joy. The saints will not get the reward they deserve on their departure from here, but our slothfulness will make them wait; they will not have the fullness of joy, as long as they grieve on our sins and weep for our sake…. To provide you with a good testimony of what I am saying, and not to let you doubt it; …. After numbering the saints who were counted as righteous, the apostle adds: “All those, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise; God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us” (Hebrew 11: 39, 40)…… Abraham, therefore is still waiting to enjoy the state of perfection; so are Isaac and Jacob, and all the other prophets, they are waiting to get the eternal happiness together with us;… There will be one body that resurrects on the day of judgment]. If you are a saint, although you will have joy on the day of your departure; Yet your joy will be consummated when no member lacks from the body; you will have to wait for your brethren, the way your brethren who preceded you waited for you. 5- THE PRIEST AND EATING HIS PORTION OF THE SACRIFICE: It so seems that grieve filled the hearts of Aaron and his sons on what happened to Nadab and Elihu; or they probably have been in such terror and trembling, to be able to eat their portions of the sacrifice; Hence Moses encouraged them to forsake their grief and to eat their portions of the grain and peace offerings; reminding them of the divine commandment concerning eating their portions with a specific rite. Inquiring about the goat of the sin offering, and there it was burned up against the rite, which should be eaten by the priests, as a sign of God’s acceptance of the sacrifice, Moses got angry with the sons of Aaron , but not with Aaron himself, probably on account of his position as the high priest … But, on behalf of his sons, Aaron presented the excuse that they could not bring themselves to eat on the same day that the tragedy happened; and he probably, as well, said that while their hearts were grieved for feeling that what Nadab and Abihu have done was a shame for them; How would it be befitting of them to eat with hearts so heavy with the reproach of sin?! … Hearing the excuse of Aaron, Moses “was content” (20), ======================== THE THIRD SECTION A GUIDE TO THE STATUTES OF PURIFICATION (Chapters 11 to 15) Food permitted and forbidden Chapter 11 The purification of a woman after childbirth 12 The purification of the leper 13 The statute if the purification of the leper 14 If the Holy God accepts us to Him as a holy people through the sacrifice (Chapters 1 to 70, offered by the priest (Chapters 8 to 10), this holy life in the Lord has its own statute and rite to which every member of the congregation is committed. This statute was given to the Jewish people -- primitive in their spiritual and social life -- in a material way that touches their food (Chapter 11), their bodily birth (Chapter 12), the safety and cleanness of their bodies and clothes (Chapter 13, 14, 15), … things that we have to understand on the spiritual, and not the literal level, to live it according to an evangelic concept, to have it touch our inner depths.
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