THEOSISJerome of Stridon
They are forbidden to take a widow or a divorced (or rejected) woman as their spouse, instead opting for a virgin of the lineage of Israel, as well as a widow whose husband was a priest. They are tasked with guiding My people to discern between the holy and the profane and to clarify the distinctions between the clean and the unclean. In matters of dispute (as noted in the LXX: blood), they shall adhere to My commandments and judge based on them. They are to uphold My statutes and regulations pertaining to all My appointed feasts. This segment provides directives for the priests, emphasizing that they are not to marry a widow or a divorced (or rejected) woman.
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The widow represents the assembly of Jews who have not accepted Christ, while the rejected refers to those heretics who have separated from the truth, as they were not truly one of us. Instead, he states that they should marry a maiden from the lineage of David, nurtured in the ways of God, in accordance with the law and the prophets. The apostle conveys this when he expresses: I wish to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ (2 Cor. 11:12). This virgin is further described in the Scriptures, which counsel: cherish her, and she will elevate you; embrace her, that she may bring you in (Proverbs 4:8). The attributes of the virgin—worthy of love and diligent in her watch over her beloved—will be revealed to those who contemplate the words that follow: I have loved this one and sought her from my youth; I desired a bride to bring me, and I have been drawn to her beauty (Song of Solomon 8:2), and: the Lord of all will cherish her (Song of Solomon 8:8). Priests are not only permitted to choose a maiden for a spouse but may also take a widow, provided she was the widow of a priest—one whose wisdom comes from the respect given to another servant of God. We must not solely focus on new teachings but also engage with the ancient truths, provided they align with the essence of our faith. The priest is entrusted with the responsibility to help the people differentiate between the sacred and unsacred, the pure and impure. The former pertains to doctrine, while the latter relates to deeds performed in the flesh. Who, moreover, truly comprehends the descent into sin (Psalm 18:13)? When there are disputes—specifically those that could lead to death, as the LXX translates—a priest must uphold My commandments, showing no favoritism in judgment, whether for the poor or the wealthy, but faithfully adhering to the decrees of God. As stated in the following Psalm: God stands in the assembly of the mighty, among the gods, He will render judgment (Psalm 81:1). The "gods" here signify those endowed with the authority to adjudicate among men, and by the judgment they impose, they too shall be judged (Matthew 7). Hence, it is imperative to observe My statutes and regulations concerning all My feasts, that they may truly comprehend how Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. They should celebrate periods of joy and reverence, humbling themselves through fasting, and recognize the significance of the trumpet’s sound and the spiritual tent as reflected in the acknowledgment: I am a wanderer and a sojourner, just as were my ancestors (Psalm 88:18). These represent the authentic feasts of God, open to interpretation by those who elucidate the Pentateuch. A priest's foremost duty is not only to impart knowledge but also to participate in all of God’s feasts, teaching others to observe what he cherishes. The need for priests to be intimately acquainted with the law is further emphasized through Malachi’s assertion: ‘The lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and the law must be sought from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts’ (Malachi 2:7).