Homilies on Hebrews 15.1–15.2

“Now even the first had ordinances of worship and the earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was prepared, the first, in which were the lampstand and the table and the setting forth of the loaves, which is called the Holy Place. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, having a golden censer and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which were a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; and above it the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat; of which we cannot now [speak in detail].” He showed from the priest, from the priesthood, from the covenant, that that was to have an end; he now shows it from the form of the tabernacle itself too. How? By saying “Holy Place” and “Holy of Holies.” The Holy Place, then, is a symbol of the former time; for there everything is done through sacrifices; but the Holy of Holies, of the present time. And by Holy of Holies he means heaven, and the veil is the same as heaven, and the flesh entering into the inner side of the veil, that is, through the veil of his flesh. And it is well to take up this passage from the beginning. What then does he say? “Now even the first had.” What first? The covenant. “Ordinances of worship.” What is “ordinances”? Symbols, or rites; as if he said, It had them then, it does not have them now; he already shows by this that it had given way; for it had them then, he says. So now, even if it stands, it is not. “And the earthly sanctuary.” He calls it earthly since it was open for all to enter, and the place was plain in the same space, where the priests stood, where the Jews, the proselytes, the Greeks, the Nazirites. Since, then, it was accessible to Greeks too, he calls it earthly; for surely the Jews were not the world. “For a tabernacle was prepared,” he says, “the first, which is called the Holy Place, in which were the lampstand and the table and the setting forth of the loaves.” These are symbols of the world. “And after the second veil.” So there was not one veil, but there was an outer veil too … everywhere he calls it a tabernacle from his tabernacling there. “Having a golden censer,” he says, “and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which were a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant.” All these were venerable and splendid reminders of Jewish ingratitude. “And the tablets of the covenant”; for they broke them; and the manna, for they murmured; and for this reason, handing down the memory to their descendants, he commanded it to be laid up in the golden jar. “And Aaron’s rod that budded”; for they rose up in revolt. Since, then, the Jews were ungrateful, and, though continually receiving benefits, forgot them, for this reason by the lawgiver’s command they laid these up in the golden jar, and so handed down the memory to their descendants. “And above it the cherubim of glory overshadowing [the mercy seat].” Either the glorious ones, or those beneath God, he means. And he rightly exalts these things by his word, so as to show that what came after them is greater. “Of which we cannot now speak in detail,” he says. Here he hinted that these were not only what was seen, but were certain riddles. “Of which we cannot now speak in detail,” he says; perhaps as needing a long discourse. “These things having been so prepared, the priests go continually into the first tabernacle performing the services.” That is, these things existed, but the Jews themselves did not enjoy them, for they did not see them. So they belonged not to those men rather than to those for whom they were types beforehand. “But into the second the high priest alone, once a year, not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the errors of the people.” Do you see the types already laid down beforehand? For so that they might not say, “How is there one sacrifice? And how did the high priest offer once?”, he shows that it was so from of old, since the holier [tabernacle] was one and awesome. So they were accustomed from of old; for then too the high priest, he says, offered once. And he rightly said, “not without blood”; not without blood indeed, yet not this blood; for the matter was not so great. He shows that it will be not consumed by fire, but rather shown forth by blood. For since he called the cross a sacrifice, having neither fire nor wood, nor offered many times, but offered once in blood, he shows that the old sacrifice too was such, offered once, in blood. “Which he offers,” he says, “for himself and for the errors of the people.” See: he did not say “sins,” but “errors,” so that they might not be puffed up. For even if you did not sin willingly, he says, yet you erred unwillingly, and of this no one is clean. And everywhere he sets “for himself,” showing that Christ is much greater than the high priest among the Jews. For if he is separated from our sins, how did he offer for himself? “Why then did you say these things?” one says. For this belongs to one better. Here there is no contemplation anywhere; now he contemplates and says, “The Holy Spirit signifying this, that the way into the holy places has not yet been made manifest while the first tabernacle is still standing.” For this reason, he says, these things were so prepared, so that we might learn that the Holy of Holies, that is, heaven, is still inaccessible. Let us not, then, since we do not enter it, he says, think that it does not even exist, since [the people] did not enter the Holy of Holies either. “Which is a figure,” he says, “for the present time.”

What “present time” does he mean? That before the coming of Christ; for after the coming of Christ it is no longer a present time; for how could it be, when it has come upon us and has an end? And showing something else too, he says this: “Which is a figure for the present time, [according to which] gifts and sacrifices are offered, which cannot make [the worshiper] perfect in conscience.” Have you seen how clearly he showed from here what is meant by “the law made nothing perfect,” and “if the first had been faultless”? How? “In conscience.” For the sacrifices did not remit the filth of the soul, but were still concerned with the body; “according to the law of a fleshly commandment,” he says. For they could not remit adultery, nor murder, nor sacrilege. Do you see? “Eat this, do not eat that,” … which are indifferent things. “Only in foods and drinks and various washings.” “Drink this,” he says; and yet nothing had been ordained about drink; but disparaging them he spoke so: “and [various] washings, and ordinances of the flesh, imposed until a time of reformation.” For this is the righteousness of the flesh. Here he casts down the sacrifices, showing that they had no strength, and that they were until a time of reformation; that is, they waited for the time that would set all things right. “But Christ, having come as high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands.” Here he means the flesh. And he rightly called it greater and more perfect, since God the Word and all the working of the Spirit dwells in it (“for God does not give the Spirit by measure”); or he says “more perfect” as being also without reproach, and achieving greater things. “That is, not of this creation.” See how it is greater; for it would not be from the Spirit if a man had built it. “Not of this creation,” he says, that is, not of these created things, but spiritual; for it was fashioned from the Holy Spirit. Do you see how he calls the body both tabernacle and veil and heaven? “Through the greater and more perfect tabernacle,” he says; then, “through the veil, that is, his flesh”; and again, “into the inner side of the veil”; and again, “entering into the Holy of Holies, to appear before the face of God.” Why then does he do this? Wishing to teach us that it is the same thing according to one meaning and another. I mean, for example: heaven is a veil, for just as a veil walls off the holy places, so does the flesh, hiding the Godhead; and the flesh likewise is a tabernacle, holding the Godhead; and heaven again is a tabernacle, for the priest is within there. “But Christ,” he says, “having come as high priest.” He did not say “having become,” but “having come,” that is, having come for this very purpose, not having succeeded another; he did not first come and then become, but came and was at once. And he did not say, “having come as high priest of what is sacrificed,” but “of the good things,” as though speech could not set forth the whole. “Not through the blood of goats and calves,” he says. All is changed. “But through his own blood he entered once for all into the holy places.” See, he called heaven this. “He entered once for all into the holy places,” he says, “having obtained eternal redemption.” And “having obtained” belonged to the very hard and unexpected things, how by a single entrance he obtained eternal redemption. Then the persuasive argument: “For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the purity of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the Holy Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” For if the blood of bulls, he says, can cleanse flesh, much more will the blood of Christ wipe away the filth of the soul. For so that you might not, on hearing “sanctifies,” think it something great, he marks and shows the difference between the two purifications, and how the one is lofty and the other lowly; and he says that it is fitting, since that was the blood of bulls, but this of Christ. And he was not content with the name, but sets down the manner of the offering too: “Who through the Holy Spirit,” he says, “offered himself without blemish to God”; that is, the victim was without blemish, clean of sins. And “through the Holy Spirit” shows that it was offered not through fire nor through any other things. “Will cleanse your conscience,” he says, “from dead works.” And he rightly said “from dead works”; for if anyone then touched a dead body, he was defiled; and here, if anyone touches a dead work, he is defiled through the conscience. “To serve the living God,” he says, “and true.” Here he shows that one who has dead works cannot serve the living God. And he rightly said “true and living God,” showing from this that what is offered to him must be such. So these things of ours are both living and true; but those among the Jews both dead and false; and rightly.

3. Let no one, then, having dead works, come in here. For if one who touched a dead body was not to come in, much more one who has dead works; for it is a most grievous defilement. And dead works are all that have no life, that breathe out a stench. For just as a dead body is of no use for any sensation, but even pains those who come near, so too sin at once strikes the reasoning faculty, and does not let the mind itself be at rest, but troubles and disturbs it. And a pestilence, they say, when it arises, destroys bodies. Such too is sin; it differs nothing from a pestilence, not destroying the air first and then bodies, but at once [entering] into the soul … Do you not see those stricken with pestilence, how they are inflamed, how they toss about, how they are filled with stench, how ugly their faces are, how wholly unclean? Such too are those who sin, even if they do not see it. For tell me, is not the man seized with desire for money or for bodies worse than anyone in a fever? Is he not more unclean than all these, doing and suffering every shameless thing? For what is more shameful than a man in love with money? All that courtesans and women of the stage do not refuse to do, this man does not refuse either; or rather, it is more likely that they would refuse than he. Why do I say “does not refuse”? He even submits to slavish things, flattering those he should not, and again being insolent where he should not, inconsistent everywhere; flattering wicked men and sorcerers, often corrupt, … and insulting and being insolent toward others who are good and virtuous in every way. Have you seen the unseemliness on both sides, the shamelessness? He is both lowly beyond measure and arrogant. But harlots stand at the brothel, and this is the charge, that they sell the body for money; yet they have some excuse, poverty and the hunger that compels them; though not even this is enough for an excuse, for they could [support themselves] by working. But here the covetous man stands, not at a brothel but in the middle of the city, betraying not his body but his soul to the devil, so that he consorts and goes in to him as truly to a harlot, and goes out having fulfilled all his desire; and the whole city sees it, not two or three men. And this too is proper to harlots, that they belong to whoever gives the gold; for whether he is a slave or free, or a gladiator, or anyone at all, if he holds out the fee, they receive him; but those who hold out nothing, even if they are the noblest of all, they do not admit without the silver. This these men too do here: right thoughts [they turn away, when they bring nothing] …, they consort with men truly fighters with beasts for the gold, and consort shamefully, and destroy the beauty of the soul. For just as those women are by nature ugly and misshapen and shameful on every side, so too the souls of these become, not [able to hide it] even by outward [paint]. For when the ugliness is extreme, whatever they contrive, they cannot even pretend. For that shamelessness makes harlots, hear the prophet saying, “You became shameless toward all; you had a harlot’s face.” This one may say to the covetous too: you became shameless toward all, not toward these and those, but toward all. How? Such a man respects no father, no son, no wife, no friend, no brother, no benefactor, no one at all. And why do I speak of friend and brother and father? He does not respect God himself, but everything seems a fable to him, and he laughs, drunk with great desire, and does not even admit to his hearing anything that could profit him. But oh, the absurdity, and what things they utter! “Woe to you, mammon, and to the one who does not have you!” Here I am sawn asunder with anger; for woe to those who say these things, even if they say them in jest. For tell me, did not God threaten such a threat, saying, “You cannot serve two masters”? And do you undo the threat, daring to utter such things to your own harm? Does not Paul say that it is idolatry, and call the covetous man an idolater? And you stand laughing like women of the world, making jokes like those on the stage.

4. This has overturned everything, this has cast everything down; our affairs have become laughter, and wit and urbanity; nothing is steady, nothing firm. I do not say these things to men of the world only, but I know those at whom I hint; for the church is filled with laughter. If someone says something witty, at once laughter arises among those seated; and the wonderful thing is that many do not stop laughing even at the very time of prayer. Everywhere the devil dances, he has entered into all, he rules over all; Christ is dishonored, thrust aside; the church is of no account. Do you not hear Paul saying, “Let shamefulness and foolish talk and jesting be taken away from you”? He sets jesting with shamefulness; and do you laugh? What is foolish talk? Things that have nothing useful. And do you, a monk, laugh at all and break your face into laughter? You who are crucified, you who mourn, do you laugh, tell me? Where did you hear of Christ doing this? Nowhere; but often of his being downcast. For when he saw Jerusalem, he wept; and when he thought of the betrayer, he was troubled; and when he was about to raise Lazarus, he wept; and do you laugh? If one who does not grieve at others’ sins deserves accusation, one who is unpained … and laughs at his own, of what pardon will he be worthy? The present time is one of mourning and affliction, of buffeting and subjection, of contests and sweats; and do you laugh? Do you not see how Sarah was rebuked? Do you not hear Christ saying, “Woe to those who laugh, for they shall weep”? These things you sing every day. For what do you say, tell me? “I laughed”? Not at all; but what? “I am weary with my groaning.” But perhaps some are so loose and slack as to laugh even at this rebuke, because we are discoursing about laughter. For such is the frenzy, such the madness: it does not even perceive the rebuke. The priest of God stands offering up the prayer of all, and do you laugh, fearing nothing? And he, trembling, offers up the prayers for you, and do you despise it? Do you not hear Scripture saying, “Woe to the despisers”? Do you not shudder? Do you not humble yourself? And when you go into a palace, you adorn yourself in dress and look and gait and all the rest; but here, where the palace truly is, and such as the heavenly things, do you even laugh? I know that you do not see; but hear that angels are present everywhere, and above all in the house of God they stand by the King, and all is filled with those bodiless powers. This word of mine is to women too, who before their husbands do not readily dare to do this, and if they do, not always, but at the time of relaxation; but here always. Do you veil your head, tell me, and laugh, woman, sitting in church? You came in to confess your sins, to fall down before God, to entreat and supplicate for your wrongdoings, and do you do this with laughter? How then will you be able to appease him? “And what evil is laughter?” one says. Laughter is not evil, but what is beyond measure, what is out of season, is evil. Laughter is set in us so that, when we see friends after a long time, we may do this; when we see people dismayed and afraid, we may relax them with a smile; not so that we may guffaw and laugh always. Laughter is set in our soul so that the soul may sometimes be relaxed, not so that it may be dissipated. For desire for bodies too is set in us, and it is not at all necessary, because it is set in us, to use it, or to use it without measure; but we master it, and do not say, “Since it is set in us, let us use it.” Serve God with tears, so that you may be able to wash away your sins. I know that many mock us, saying, “At once tears!” For this reason it is a time for tears. … [I know too] that those take it as an ill omen who say, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” But consider that “vanity of vanities, all is vanity”; it is not I who say it, but he who had experience of all things says it: “I built myself houses, I planted myself vineyards, I made myself …” And what does he say after all this? “Vanity of [vanities] …” … so that we may truly rejoice in the time of pure joy; for this joy is in every case mixed with grief, and one can never find it pure; but that is unmixed and without guile, having nothing treacherous nor mixed in; let us rejoice in that joy, let us pursue that. But it is not possible to obtain it otherwise than by choosing here not pleasant things but profitable ones, and being afflicted a little willingly, and bearing all that befalls with thanksgiving. For so we shall be able to obtain the kingdom of heaven too, by grace and loving-kindness, and the rest.