THEOSISTheodoret of Cyrus
The Lord revealed to me, as stated by the Prophet, that the eastern gates were closed and ordered to remain so, accessible only to Him, the Lord of all creation. This command was not because He requires physical entrances, for the divine, who exists everywhere and eternally, does not need doors to pass through. Indeed, how could He have entered those locked gates if He were accustomed to using entrances? Rather, in His compassion for our frail understanding, He gives us this symbol, which likely serves as a representation of the virgin womb, a sacred passage through which none have entered or exited except the Lord Himself. At this gate, He instructed the elder, the high priest, to partake, but insisted that he must enter and exit through the vestibule, referred to as Elam.
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Following these declarations to the Prophet, he once again witnessed the glory of God at the northern gate, where he was directed to address the people—those filled with anger, curiosity, or obstinacy. He was to inform them that they could be forgiven for their previous transgressions, a repeated theme linked to their actions of bringing foreigners and the uncircumcised into the temple of God. Their primary sin was not only the physical uncircumcision but, more crucially, the uncircumcision of the heart. This illustrates that the true essence of purity lies in the circumcision of the heart, while the circumcision of the flesh serves merely as an outward sign of a transformed mind.
Thus, the God of all humanity instructs that those who are uncircumcised in spirit and alien in body must keep their distance from the sacred boundaries. The Levites, who have engaged in the people’s transgressions and have delighted in idol worship, are to be removed from their positions and prohibited from standing at the temple gates. They did not offer up burnt or sin sacrifices, nor did they even approach the altar; instead, they brought dishonor upon themselves through their sinful actions. In contrast, a lineage of the Sadducees continued in ancestral devotion, diligently ministering and safeguarding the temple. The Prophet has declared that they shall not don woolen garments but shall wear only linen during their priestly duties; each one must cover their head and wear a girdle around their waist. However, the people must step away from the sacred assembly, remove their priestly attire, and don different clothing as it is unlawful for someone outside the priesthood to approach the garments meant for the priests.