Leviticus 19:24Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

However, beloved, an offering cannot be considered a true beginning if it is immature and lacking substance; rather, true firstfruits are those that are perfect and fully developed. Although the initial fruit was tainted by sin and therefore not offered, the fruit Christ produced is free from sin, making it the rightful offering, even though it emerged later: it truly represents the beginning. To illustrate that firstfruits are not defined by their mere appearance but rather by their perfection and maturity, I refer to Scripture. When Moses addressed the people, he said, “When ye shall come into the land which the Lord your God giveth thee, and shall plant every tree of food, the fruit thereof shall be unclean unto thee three years, it shall not be eaten: but in the fourth year, all the fruit thereof shall be holy unto the Lord.” This passage reveals the wisdom of the Lawgiver: He prohibited the consumption of the fruit in its initial stages, as it was neither worthy for man to partake of it before God nor suitable to be offered, being unripe. He instructed them to leave it, declaring it as firstfruits, and to refrain from presenting it, for it did not merit the honor due to the Receiver. Do you see that the true beginning lies not in the first that appears but in that which is perfected? This connects to the flesh offered by Christ, who thereby presented to the Father the firstfruits of our nature. The Father regarded this gift with deep respect, due to both the dignity of the Giver and the purity of the offering, receiving it with His own hands and placing it beside Himself, declaring, “Sit thou at My right hand” (Psalms 109:1).

This can be clearly understood through the words of Moses in the book of Leviticus: "When you come into the land which the Lord God will give you, and plant a fruit tree, you shall regard its fruit as uncircumcised; for three years you shall regard it as uncircumcised, you shall not eat it; but in the fourth year all its fruit shall be devoted to the feasts of the Lord; but in the fifth year you may eat its fruit and gather for yourselves all its produce. I am the Lord your God" (Leviticus 19:23-25).

Moses' writings resemble fruitful gardens, filled with the rich diversity of commandments and adorned with trees that symbolize the laws applicable to various circumstances. Yet, for every tree, it is instructed to "cleanse the uncleanness thereof," which means to remove the superfluous elements of the narrative, shedding the literal understanding, and focusing on the essence of the commandment—its inner fruit—which must be consumed. It is stated that "the fruit thereof," for three years, shall be regarded as uncircumcised, unfit for consumption. Here, a year denotes an extended period, as these three initial phases represented a time when the law itself was unclean, burdened by historical weight and shrouded in shadows like a burdensome crown. These phases include the eras of Moses, Joshua, and the Judges; they were followed by a fourth period marked by the emergence of the holy prophets. In this era, the fruit of the law became "holy and praiseworthy" as the prophets initiated the fulfillment of what the law encompassed, revealing shadows and proclaiming the truth while honoring the mystery of Christ's coming.

After the prophets came the Forerunner, who proclaimed, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 3:2). During this fourth phase, the purification of the law began, and the fruit was already deemed holy; however, it was not yet ready for consumption until the fifth phase—the era of Christ's arrival, as foretold by the law and the prophets. Hence, it is said that its fruit will be beneficial to you, as teaching derived from the law leads to profound spiritual contemplation, which is very useful for seekers of truth. In alignment with this, the Savior declared, "the scribe, taught of the kingdom of heaven, is like a master who brings out of his treasury new and old things" (Matthew 13:52), identifying the Gospel as new, and the contents of the law as the old that generously expands our understanding of Christ. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen.