THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
He does not instruct priests to become unclean by coming into contact with the dead. Furthermore, He reveals additional principles concerning what does not align with the pure and holy, setting forth guidelines regarding marriage. Following His directive regarding every priest, it is stated: ‘They shall not take for themselves a harlot or a defiled woman, nor shall they marry a wife put away by her husband, for they are holy to their God. You shall sanctify him, for he offers the bread of your God; he shall be holy to you, for I the Lord am holy, who sanctify you’ (Leviticus 21:7-8).
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A wife should not be considered a harlot, openly burdened by shameful conduct and warranting condemnation; yet she is not without fault if cast away by her husband, as her rejection marks significant suffering away from her partner’s home. Those elevated to such a noble position of service must be shielded not merely from obvious immoralities but also from any actions that may connote vice, unkind judgments, or dishonor stemming from a multitude of suspicions. These teachings may also subtly reflect the plight of the Jewish synagogue, which, as written, ‘fornicated with many lovers’ (Jer. 3:1) and thus was denied spiritual union by Christ, the impeccably pure Priest, who presented Himself to the Father as a cherished offering, united with us in human form while simultaneously sanctifying all creation, having come from God and being God Himself.