Leviticus 2:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Leaven symbolizes deception, representing not only the condemned but also, in some instances, the good and commendable, as the wisdom of the Scriptures promises to impart to the righteous (Proverbs 1:4). Cunning can be seen as something common in nature. Honey, too, serves as a metaphor for bodily pleasures, as illustrated in the proverb, “The lips of a strange wife ooze honey, and her speech is softer than oil” (Proverbs 5:3); conversely, it can also depict sweetness, as in, “Eat, my son, honey, because it is pleasant, and honeycomb, which is sweet to your throat” (Proverbs 24:13). The law prohibits the offering of leaven and honey as gifts and sacrifices; while these items may be accepted in other contexts, they do not please God as an offering “in savour that is pleasant” (Eph. 5:2).

Palladius. Could you clarify what this implies?

Cyril. It poses a challenge, Palladius, for it is not an easy task to discern why these sacrifices are regarded as rejected while still being offered. It seems to me that even the wisdom of a pious soul, when applied appropriately and rooted in reverence for God, may find acceptance before Him; however, such cunning will never be equated with the fragrance of true virtue and will not be recognized as a spiritual offering. Simplicity holds greater favor with God, as the Holy Scriptures commend Jacob, stating, “Jacob was a meek man, dwelling in tents” (Genesis 25:27); for cunning is foreign to the kind-hearted. Yet, the Saviour instructed His holy disciples, “Be wise as serpents and simple as doves” (Matthew 10:16). While guilelessness is honorable before God and preferable to its counterpart, cunning and shrewdness have a place in the apostleship, which the blessed Paul utilized at vital moments to evade untimely death at the hands of his foes. Thus, shrewdness is permissible in endeavors undertaken for God's sake, though it should not be viewed as a virtue when evaluated on its own merits. Similarly, honey, seen as a representation of earthly pleasure, reflects a life that indulges in such pleasures; marriage is honorable for procreation, and those who engage in it lawfully are innocent in Christ; yet, this does not equate to superiority of virtue or match the glory of temperance. The blessed Paul advises those in marriage, “Do not separate yourselves from one another, except by consent, for a time, for the exercise of fasting and prayer, and then be together again,” cautioning that “lest Satan tempt you by your self-control;” and he adds, “But this I have said as a permission, and not as a command” (1 Cor. 7:5-6). Thus, note that he provides counsel for those who are married. How can virtue emerge from matters addressed by counsel? He also states regarding the virgin, “it is more blessed if she remain so” (1 Cor. 7:40), meaning celibate. Therefore, honey is not rejected, as marriage is embraced, but not “in the stink of fragrance,” as is true for certain virtues. Salt must also be added to sacrifices; we ought to offer our sacrifices wisely and with understanding, and remain well-prepared for every good work. Dishonor and folly are least fitting for those who have chosen the path of godliness. Hence, the Saviour declared to His holy disciples, “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). Paul further instructs, “Let your word be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how to answer every man” (Col. 4:6 and Eph. 4:29).

Palladius. Thus, reasonableness and pleasantness are represented by salt.

However, such reasoning is flawed, as the creation of honey does demand human effort—some engage in agriculture, others in sheep herding, some in commerce, and still others in honey production. Thus, it seems to me that the term leaven denotes the corruption of deceit, while honey represents indulgence. Nonetheless, God has instructed that the firstfruits of this too be offered as a gift to the priests, for they intercede for our transgressions; it is for this reason that it is said of them through the prophet, ‘The sins of My people are consumed’ (Hosea 4:8).