Ezekiel 44:30Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

One may wonder why He reiterates what has been stated previously. This is so that which may have slipped from the minds of the people due to neglectful reading, inattentive listening, or forgetfulness may be refreshed by the living Word, inscribed not with pen and ink, but through the Spirit and the Word of God. Consequently, the Saviour has not produced any written manual of His teaching, contrary to the folly of many apocryphal texts; instead, He communicates daily through His Spirit and the Father to the hearts of believers. This further addresses those who criticize the prophets for recounting what has already been recorded in the Pentateuch. The priests shall partake of the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering, as it is written, “The sins of my people they shall eat” (Hos. 4:8). Our focus should not be so much on the offering of gifts, but rather a sense of caution regarding the grave responsibility associated with such honor if it is handled unworthily. The term beginnings encompasses what is firstborn among both animate and inanimate things, representing what the earth produces first. Thus, we offer the firstfruits of our food to the priests, ensuring that we do not partake of new produce until the priest has tasted it. This practice allows the priest to invoke a blessing and an offering upon our households, or that through his intercession, the Lord may bless our homes. The honor of the priesthood is significant, yet their downfall can be equally great if they transgress. We should take joy in their exaltation while remaining wary of their potential fall. The joy of achievement is overshadowed by the sorrow of decline from such heights. For we are accountable not only for our sins, but also for the gifts we may utilize while neglecting to honor them.