THEOSISTheodoret of Cyrus
The Lord revealed to me, says the Prophet, concerning the gates that face east, which were closed and were commanded to remain perpetually sealed and reserved for Him, the Sovereign of all. This is not because He requires doors; after all, as the omnipresent and eternal God, how could He enter through locked gates if it was customary for Him to pass through doors? Instead, accommodating our limited understanding, He employs this imagery, likely alluding to the virgin womb, through which none has entered or exited apart from the Lord Himself. At this gate, He instructed the elder, namely, the high priest, to partake in the offerings, but in his comings and goings, to navigate through the vestibule, referred to as Elam.
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After these revelations, the Prophet again glimpses the splendor of God at the northern gate and is commanded to convey to the people, who may be angry, curious, or obstinate, the message of forgiveness for their previous transgressions—transgressions that had been repeatedly committed by introducing outsiders and the uncircumcised into God's sanctuary. Their chief transgression was not merely the flesh being uncircumcised; rather, more significantly, their hearts remained untouched. Therefore, it becomes clear that the true significance of circumcision lies in the transformation of the heart, while the circumcision of the flesh serves merely as a symbol and confirmation of that inner change. The Almighty commands that those who are spiritually uncircumcised, who are foreign in spirit and body, must keep away from His holy boundaries. The Levites, who engaged in the people’s iniquity and delighted in idol worship, are to be removed from their positions and barred from the temple gates. They did not offer the burnt or sin offerings, nor did they approach the sacrifice, and thus they earned disgrace due to the fruits of their wicked acts. However, upholding the legacy of piety, one generation of the Sadokites served faithfully, tended to the temple, and fulfilled all their duties. It is written by the Prophet that they should not wear woolen garments at all; instead, they are to don linen attire exclusively when performing their priestly duties. Each priest shall wear a turban and fasten a girdle around their waist. However, the people should go out among the populace, remove their priestly vestments, and after donning different attire, they may exit through the gates; for it is unlawful for a stranger to approach the sacred priestly garments.