THEOSISJerome of Stridon
And this will be the offering you present: one-sixth of an ephah of wheat and one-sixth of an ephah of barley. The measurement of oil shall be a bath of oil, which is one-tenth of the ephah, hence ten baths equal a kor, as ten baths compose the ephah. In the Septuagint, these beginnings are described as one-sixth of the measure taken from the homor of wheat and one-sixth from the ephah of barley, with the specified measure for oil noted as the kotila, which is a kiaph, derived from ten kotyls of oil, since ten kotyls make up the homor.
Read more (636 words)
In the LXX version, the names of the measures differ and may cause confusion, as they substitute the ephah with another term and change kor into homor, and use different terms for weight measurements. Initially, according to the literal interpretation, the tithe, which is a tenth of all produce, must be provided to the tribe of Levi by law. The Levites, in turn, were to give tithes from what they received to the priests, known as the second tithe. Furthermore, additional tithes were designated for the poor, commonly referred to in Greek as the "tithes of the poor."
In addition, the tithes received from the produce were not strictly quantified, allowing farmers freedom in how much they contributed. A tradition exists among the Jewish teachers, which, while not mandated by law, prescribed that the largest contribution should go to the priests—one-fortieth—and the smallest, one-sixtieth. This allowed individuals to give freely within that range, ensuring that gifts should not exceed one-sixtieth of their yield.
If we understand that a kor, or homer in Hebrew, consists of thirty modii, and since an ephah and a bath constitute one-tenth of a kor, it is clear that the priests are entitled to one-sixtieth of the first fruits based on these calculations. It suffices at this point to comprehend the connection to the Hebrew text and its literal sense.
Now, turning to the spiritual interpretation, the query arises regarding the exhortation to “Honor the Lord with your righteous labors, and bring Him the firstfruits from your harvest” (Proverbs 3:9-10). When bringing forth these first fruits from your labor, one should declare, “I present to You the firstfruits of the earth that You, O Lord, have granted me” (Deuteronomy 26:10). This act invites blessings as noted: “Blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the field; blessed is the fruit of your womb, and the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your cattle” (Deuteronomy 28:3-4), alongside possessing every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1). It is vital to recognize that what belongs to you is not a result of your strength alone, but a gift from the One who provides the harvest.
Possessing a deep understanding of Scriptures allows us to uncover mysteries and share wisdom with others; this represents the firstfruits of our wheat. However, if our understanding remains solely historical and serves merely to educate the simple-minded, we then offer the seeds of barley, similar to the barley Isaac sowed in a foreign land, which yielded a hundredfold (Genesis 26). A giver of barley can confidently declare, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 22:1-2).
Conversely, those who provide for intelligent beings shift their focus and proclaim, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” (Psalm 22:5). When one presents the foundational offerings of oil and wine, they might add, “You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows” (Psalm 22:5) - with that holy oil designated for the lampstand of the Lord. The one who prepares such offerings witnesses their joy because of the oil of gladness Christ has received abundantly, and becomes like an olive tree, bearing fruit in the house of God (Psalm 51:10) due to the wine that flows from the true vine, as expressed by our Lord, “I am the vine; you are the branches” (John 15:1-5).
These sharpenings are reflected in three psalms—the eighth, the eightieth, and the eighty-third—alluding to the sacraments of the Church. In the Old Testament, the beginnings were limitless because the Spirit was given without measure. However, in the prophetic vision of the second temple outlined by Ezekiel, a specific measure is established, namely the sixtieth, that manifests in the world as stated, “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:2).