Exodus 19:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

It is necessary for a period to refrain from marital relations so that one who has purified himself from all desires and bodily inclinations may ascend the sacred mountain, free from passion. This mountain was known as Sinai. At that time, it was accessible only to a singular being of discourse, specifically one male, and only after being thoroughly cleansed from all impurity.

After distancing themselves from their usual associations with their concubine, which symbolizes sensuality—essentially the spouse and concubine of our nature—when an individual has been purified from all these attachments, he will be ready to ascend the mountain.

Or charge me with presumption for adding my own thoughts: “what value does a deed hold if it prevents the reception of the body of Christ?” To this, I shall respond succinctly. What holds greater significance: to pray or to receive the body of Christ? Clearly, receiving the body of Christ is paramount. And if a message obstructs the less crucial, how much more does it impede the more essential? In the same work, we noted that David and his companions could not lawfully eat the showbread unless it was confirmed that they had been free from contact with their wives for three days (1 Sam. 21), and certainly not from harlots, which the law had already condemned, but rather from wives to whom they were rightfully united.

Abstain from approaching your wives, as engaging with them would lead to a necessary discharge that renders both partners ceremonially unclean until evening, even if they have undergone purification with water (Lev. XV:18). Levites in this state of ritual impurity were prohibited from consuming the showbread when it was replaced on the Sabbath (1 Sam. XXI:4). The admonition given to the children of Israel regarding physical impurity before the manifestation at Sinai was designed to instill within them a fervent desire to purify their hearts from all sinful inclinations, a prerequisite for adequately preparing for this significant moment, for it is solely the pure in heart who shall behold God.

Marriage is a divine sacrament established by God, yet it is essential to differentiate between the common characteristics shared by humans and animals and the profound spiritual union that exists between two people. In Part 1 of the St. Chronicles (Ch. 8, pp. 119-120), we noted that the essence of marriage is not merely a physical bond but is rooted in love. While married life allows for the fulfillment of physical desires, these impulses must be restrained when one enters into the realm of spiritual existence. This understanding has been acknowledged across cultures, where the physical aspects of male and female life are often seen as incongruous with the preparation for prayer or spiritual growth. In the pursuit of prayer and spiritual reflection, individuals find themselves feeling a sense of shame regarding their animalistic nature.