Numbers 4

But let us return at length to the Apostle Paul, who, beholding all these things now with a free and unveiled eye of the mind, and casting off the veil of the old testament, says that the former people, in constructions of this kind, served the exemplar and shadow of heavenly things. And hearing these things, consider whether perhaps these four orders of the camps are an example and shadow of those four orders which Paul, writing to the Hebrews, enumerated in the heavens. And again to the four Israelite orders of the camps add the fourfold orders of the Levites; which it is enough for us not so much to explain and lay open as merely to have touched upon, and to have pointed out lightly and to have grazed for the purer senses—if indeed there are any who have brought here pure senses free from worldly thoughts. "Take," he says, "the number of the sons of Kohath." Behold, again another order of numbers is introduced. Already the sons of Levi were numbered from one month and upward; now the sons of Levi are numbered from the twenty-fifth year, but not, as in the others, "and upward," but up to the fiftieth year, and this number becomes a distinguished and elect one; for there is added to these: "everyone," it says, "who goes forth to minister at the works of the tabernacle of testimony." These are they who are numbered by a certain better and distinguished number; for just as it was said among the sons of Israel, "everyone who goes forth to battle among the sons of Israel," so here too it is said, "everyone who goes forth to ministry, to do the works in the tabernacle of testimony."

After this it is said what are the works of the sons of Kohath in the midst of the sons of Levi according to their peoples in the tabernacle of testimony. "Aaron," it says, "and his sons shall enter, when the camps are lifted up, and they shall take down the veil with which the holy things are covered, and they shall cover the ark of the testament with that very veil." And after this certain seven kinds are enumerated which are commanded to be covered. In the first place, that the ark of the testament itself, more precious than all, be covered with the veil by which it was formerly veiled, but also be covered over with a hyacinth-colored skin. Another covering too, hyacinth-colored, is added on top. In the second place the table is covered, in the third the candlestick, in the fourth the golden altar, in the fifth the vessels of ministry, in the sixth the covering of the altar is placed with certain veils, in the seventh place both the laver is covered, and none of all these is left naked or unveiled. Finally there is added also a precept of this kind: "Do not," it says, "exterminate the people of Kohath from their tribe"—namely, that they might know themselves to be about to be exterminated, if perchance they should put their hands to moving these things, unless each of them had first been covered over by the priests.

Why did God command that some of the sacred vessels should be covered with blue veils and others with purple veils?Only the veils of the more precious vessels were blue. The color suggests the sky. For this reason God commanded the objects behind the veil to be covered with blue tapestry but the objects outside it with purple and colors like it. For the sky is not subject to punishment, but the earth is punished for transgressions of the law. The color purple signifies a kingdom. The kingdom of God is divine, without beginning and indestructible. Hence the objects outside the tent were covered with veils both purple and blue. When the household of Kohath exercised their office, the law commanded that the priests should first enter the sanctuary and cover the ark and the other vessels with the veils already mentioned. Only then would the household of Kohath transport these objects, lest they lay eyes on things that are sacred and secret and that would destroy those who see them accidentally.

The Lord, giving answers to Moses and Aaron, says: "Do not destroy the people of Kohath from their tribe out of the midst of the sons of Levi; but do this to them, and they shall live and not die, when they draw near to the holy of holies," and the rest. First let us understand those things which are related according to the letter, and thus, with the Lord granting it, we shall ascend from the understanding of the letter to the understanding of the spirit. Understand, then, first the very arrangement of the tabernacle of testimony; understand also the holy of holies, which are set apart by a veil interposed from the holy places, which it is not permitted for any of men to look upon, except the priests alone. After this understand how, when it has come to the point that the sons of Israel move the camp, the tabernacle is taken down, and Aaron and his sons the priests within the holy of holies cover each single thing with its own coverings and veils, and, leaving these covered in the same place where they had been, they bring in the sons of Kohath, who are appointed to that duty, and cause them to lift upon their shoulders all those things which the priestly hand had covered. And on account of this it is said by the Lord: "Do not destroy the people of Kohath from their tribe," as though they would in this be destroyed if they had touched the holy of holies bare and open, which it was not lawful not only to touch, but not even to look upon when unveiled. If you have understood what the order of the history contains, ascend now to the splendor of the mystery, and behold the light of the spiritual law, if the eye of your mind is pure. If anyone among those who minister to God is worthy to grasp and to see the divine mysteries, for the beholding of which the rest are less capable, let this one be understood to be Aaron or the sons of Aaron, who is able to enter to those things which it is not lawful for others to approach. If, then, anyone is such, to him alone the ark of the covenant lies open, revealed; he sees the urn holding the manna; he considers and understands the mercy-seat. He beholds both cherubim, and the holy table, and the candlestick of light, and the altar of incense. This man considers and understands these things spiritually, that is, he who gives his labor to the word of God and to the mysteries of wisdom and is free for God alone in the holy places. Let him indeed know, to whom these things are revealed and entrusted to be examined spiritually, that it is not safe for him to open them and to disclose them to those to whom it is not permitted that they be disclosed; but he ought to cover each single thing and, once covered, to hand them over to the rest, the less capable, to be carried on their shoulders and to be laid upon their necks. For when the teachers, each of them learned and perfect from the mystical words, enjoin works upon the peoples, and the people indeed do and fulfill what is commanded, yet do not understand the reason of the things that are done—what else is being done except that the holy of holies, covered and veiled, are carried upon the shoulders? And that you may perceive still more clearly what is being said, we shall instruct you by examples drawn from the divine volumes. Moses without doubt understood what the true circumcision was; he understood what the true Passover was; he knew what the true new moons were and what the true sabbaths; and although he had understood all these things in the spirit, yet in his words he veiled them through the forms and foreshadowings of bodily things; and although he knew that the true Passover to be sacrificed was Christ, he commands a bodily sheep to be sacrificed at the Passover. And although he knew that the feast day ought to be kept in the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, yet he gave precept concerning the unleavened bread of flour. These, then, and things of this kind were the holy of holies, which, when Moses handed them over to the rest to be carried—that is, to be fulfilled in things and works—yet he handed them over covered and veiled in the common utterance of words. That the shoulders hold the token of works we have often shown in many places of Scripture. But in ecclesiastical observances too there are some things of this kind, which indeed it is necessary for all to do, and yet the reason of them does not lie open to all. For that, for example, we bend our knees when praying, and that out of all the regions of heaven we pour out our prayer turned toward the region of the east alone, I think has not easily been ascertained by reason by anyone. But of the Eucharist too—whether of its receiving or of the rite by which it is performed—or of the things that are done in baptism, of the words and gestures and orders and questions and answers, who could easily explain the reason? And yet all these things, though covered and veiled, we carry upon our shoulders, since we so fulfill and carry them out as we have received them handed down and commended by the great high priest and his sons. When, therefore, we perform all these things and things like them, and yet do not attain their reason, we lift upon our shoulders and carry the divine mysteries covered and hidden—unless there be among us some Aaron or sons of Aaron, to whom it is granted to behold these things bare and revealed. Yet it is granted in such a way that they know that these things must be veiled and covered by them, wherever reason shall demand that they be given to the rest and brought forth into work.

Now therefore let us return to that tabernacle of the church of the living God, and let us see how these several things ought to be observed in the Church of God by the priests of Christ. If anyone is truly a priest, to whom the sacred vessels, that is, the secrets of the mysteries of wisdom, are committed, let him learn from these and observe how these things ought to be kept within the veil of conscience, and not easily brought forth to the public. Or if the matter demands to bring them forth also to the inferiors, that is, to the more unskilled, and to hand them over, let him not bring them forth naked, let him not show them open and utterly exposed; otherwise he commits homicide and exterminates the people. For everyone is exterminated who touches the secret and ineffable sacraments, not yet transferred by merits and knowledge into the order and grade of the priesthood. For to the sons of Aaron alone, namely to the priests, it is granted to see the very ark of the testament and the table and the candlestick, and whatever of those things which we have comprehended above, naked and unveiled. But let others see these things covered, or rather let them carry them veiled upon their shoulders. And the sons of Kohath indeed, since they themselves, although they are not priests, are nevertheless nearest to the priests, can carry these things upon their shoulders; but others place their burdens and their ministries not on their shoulders, but on wagons. For, to say something even about these by anticipating the reading, since the passage has prompted it: when wagons were offered by each of the several tribes, four of them the sons of Merari received, but two the sons of Gershon; while those who are better than these do not receive wagons. Consider, therefore, now, what kind of division is made in the offices of the divine ministry, and how the things that are holy are not thus imposed to be carried by dumb animals, but they ought to be men endowed with reason, and to carry upon their shoulders the vessels by which the holy of holies are ministered; but those things which are harder and heavier are imposed to be carried not so much by rational as by dumb animals. But even in these there is some difference. For those who attend to the harder and heavier ministries have more animals; for four wagons are given to the sons of Merari, but for the sons of Gershon, because they were near the sons of Kohath, two wagons only suffice; from which it is shown that for the harder works and, so to say, the coarser, there are more who serve as animals; but to those things which are procured by rational beings, few of those who seem less instructed or educated approach. For to those things which are mystical and stored away in secret and lie open only to the priests, not only does no animal man approach, but not even those very ones who seem to have some measure of practice and erudition, but have not yet ascended by merits and life to the priestly grace. Not only do they see these things through a mirror and in an enigma, but they also receive them covered and veiled and carry them upon their shoulders, that is, that they may know them more by the act of works than by the revelation of knowledge. Since therefore such is the dispensation of the mysteries of God and of the ministry which is held among the holy things, we ought to show ourselves such that we may be made worthy of the order of the priesthood, lest heavy burdens be imposed upon us as upon the irrational, but that we may be assigned to the priestly offices as rational and holy. For we are a royal race, a priesthood, and a people for acquisition, provided only that, equaling the grace we have received by the merits of life, we may be held worthy of the holy ministry, so that, when we have departed from this life, we may deserve to be taken up, as we said above, among the priests of God and those who minister to the ark of the testament, that is, in the secret and hidden mysteries, and with unveiled face may behold the glory of the Lord and enter the holy land, whose inheritance our Lord Jesus Christ will grant to us, to whom is glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen.

After this it is said concerning the Levites that they should work from the twenty-fifth year and upward, up to the fiftieth year. "Everyone," it says, "who goes forth to the work of works and to the works that are carried, of the tabernacle of testimony." Observe in these things the distinction of the words of divine Scripture. Where it speaks of the works of the sons of Israel, it does not say "works of works," but "works" alone; but where it speaks of the duties of the Levites, it did not say "works" alone, but "works of works." For just as there are certain holy things, but there are also other holy of holies, so there are certain works and other works of works. Whence it seems to me that Moses, when he perceived that there were certain works indeed visible, but in which there was present another inner, mystical, and hidden understanding, called these not only "works" but "works of works"; but those which he understood to be common and works of the present time alone, these he named "works" alone. There are, then, certain works of works, which I think to be all these things concerning which, whether in the present reading or in Exodus and other places, precept is given under hidden mysteries, and in part to be fulfilled in the present, but in part to be fulfilled in the future. Which works of works, however, as we have said, are commanded to be handed over not to just anyone, but to the Levites alone. And among the Levites themselves no one is called to these works before, but only from the twenty-fifth year of his life at last, up to the fiftieth. But not even the number itself of twenty-five and fifty years is without a mystery. For in the number twenty-five the perfection of the five senses is declared, in such a way that five times five are counted. Which indeed indicates that he is called to accomplish the works of works in mystery who is found to be perfect on every side, with his senses multiplied and purified. But that the fiftieth number holds the mystery of remission and indulgence we have often and abundantly shown in many places of the scriptures. For the fiftieth year is that which is called the jubilee among the Hebrews, in which remission is made both of possessions and of servitude and of debt; and the fiftieth day after the Passover is handed down as a festival in the law. But the Lord too in the Gospel, when he was teaching the parable of remission and indulgence, says that the debtors whom he brings in were liable, one for fifty and the other for five hundred denarii. Now fifty and five hundred are a kindred number; for fifty decades make five hundred. But from another side too this number is made sacred; for if to seven weeks the perfection of one number is added, they make fifty days. Similarly too, if to seventy weeks the completion of one decade is added, they make five hundred. And if it pleases to gather still more abundantly the mysteries of the number fifty and of five hundred, we have it also in this very book of Numbers which is in hand, where, concerning the spoils of the enemies, some indeed offer as gifts to God a fiftieth portion—those who did not go forth to war—but others a five-hundredth; and surely not in vain is the fiftieth and five-hundredth number held here too. But in Genesis also, where God was treating of the indulgence of the Sodomites, whether perhaps they might be able to attain to pardon, the patriarch Abraham, conscious of mysteries of this kind, begins from the number fifty to supplicate the Lord for the indulgence of the Sodomites, and says: "If fifty be found in the city, will you not save the city on account of the fifty?"

But let us return to the matter proposed. The Levites, then, must work in the holy things up to fifty years—the lower ones indeed the works, but the better ones the works of works; and the higher of these must serve in spiritual duties and enter into the holy of holies, and there cover the things that must be covered, and hand them over to the sons of Kohath to be carried on their shoulders and conveyed by their hands. But the rest too, each one, are ordered according to those things which have already often been discussed above. But lest this excessive caution of coverings and veils beget a certain despair and sadness in the hearers, we shall attempt to open up some few things, which it may be both safe for us to disclose and lawful for you to look upon—since indeed, as we said before, we are called a royal race and priesthood, a holy nation and a people for possession. Let us understand, then, by the tabernacle of testimony all the saints who are reckoned under the covenant of God, and that in this tabernacle there are certain ones loftier in merits and higher in grace, and that some of these are indeed called the candlestick—perhaps the Apostles themselves, who enlighten those approaching God. But if there are also any others who in this tabernacle of God show the light of knowledge and doctrine to all who enter, let all these be named the mystical candlestick. Let others be the sacred table—whoever have the loaves of God and refresh and feed the souls that hunger for righteousness. Let others be the altar of incense—whoever are free for prayers and fastings day and night in the temple of God, praying not only for themselves, but also for the whole people. But those to whom God has entrusted the secret mysteries and to whom he has committed the secrets of the hidden judgments of his providence, let them be called the ark of the covenant of God. Furthermore, those who with all confidence, through the sacrifices of prayers and the victims of supplications, reconcile God to men and intervene for the sins of the people, let them be named the mercy-seat. But those who have merited a multitude of knowledge and abundant riches in the recognition of God can be understood as the cherubim; for "cherubim" in our language is interpreted as "multitude of knowledge." But all these, who are designated by these several things which have been enumerated above, must be carried, and carried upon shoulders. Whence perhaps, as I think, the angels who are appointed on account of those who receive the inheritance of salvation are themselves those who carry each of those whom we have mentioned above. For when this tabernacle has been taken down and we have begun to enter to those holy places and to proceed to the place of promise, those who are truly holy and are held among the holy of holies advance, without doubt, with the angels bearing them up, and, until the tabernacle of God comes to rest, they are carried upon shoulders and lifted up in hands. Foreseeing which in the spirit, the prophet said: "For he has commanded his angels concerning you, that they lift you up in their hands, lest perhaps you dash your foot against a stone." Which saying the devil indeed thought must be taken concerning the Savior, but, blinded by malice, he did not understand the mystical words; for my Savior did not need angels, that he might not dash his foot against a stone. The devil slanders the divine Scripture in having brought forth these words as said concerning the Savior; not concerning him, but concerning all the saints is this said, that God commanded his angels for his people, that they might not dash their foot against a stone. But all the things too that are written in this psalm suit any of the righteous rather than the Savior. For the Lord delivers from ruin and from the noonday demon—not the Savior (far be it from us so to understand it), but every righteous person. For it is the righteous who need the help of the angels of God, so that they may not be overthrown by the demons and so that their hearts may not be pierced by the arrow that flies in the darkness. By these same angels, under the same mystery, Paul affirms that certain ones are to be carried in the clouds, when he says: "But we too who are living, who remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet Christ in the air." They, then, are caught up by the angels who have been thoroughly purged and made light from sins; but those are carried who are still weighed down by some remnants. So the pillars of the tabernacle too are carried by certain ones, and the courts and the rest of the things which are related by Scripture; but they are carried not by the Israelites, but by the Levites according to this sense which we seem to have briefly touched upon in passing, leaving it to the understanding of the hearers, so that, if anyone burns with greater desire concerning these things, he may kindle for himself the light of knowledge and may descry greater things than these with a more penetrating eye. But may the Lord grant to us that, carried and lifted up by such laborers, we may be freed and defended from the arrow that flies in the darkness and from ruin and from the noonday demon, lest perhaps we dash our foot against a stone, until we come to the place of the promise of the saints, through Christ our Lord, to whom is honor and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen.