THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
If any individuals devoid of vice and unblemished in their priestly duties should fall ill with common and persistent ailments, He commands that such instances should not go unaddressed. He states: “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and his sons, that they be careful how they deal with the holy things of the children of Israel, and not dishonour My holy name in that which they dedicate unto Me. I am the Lord. Say unto them, If any of all your offspring in your generations, having uncleanness upon him, shall come upon the shrines which the children of Israel dedicate to the Lord, that soul shall be destroyed from my presence. I am the Lord….
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Whosoever of the seed of Aaron is leprous, or has an effusion, he shall not eat of the holy things until he is cleansed; And whosoever toucheth any unclean thing of the dead, or hath an effusion of seed, or toucheth any creeping thing, which shall make him unclean, or any man, which shall make him unclean by any uncleanness whatsoever, he that toucheth these things shall be unclean until evening, and shall not eat of the holy things, before he washes his body with water; But when the sun is set, and he is clean, then he may eat of the holy things, for it is his food. Dead meat and beast meat he shall not eat, lest he defile himself with it. I am the Lord. Let them keep my commands, lest they bear sin and die in it when they transgress these things. I am the Lord...who sanctifies them” (Lev. 22:1-9).
Those who present offerings, it is instructed, or that which is sanctified from the children of Israel, which they provide as a sacrifice to God, should not profane His name by presenting what is unclean, and while still bearing uncleanness that has not been washed away. They are cautioned that failure to comply may lead to severe penalties: “I am the Lord,” signifying that I am not a false deity, against whom sinning incurs no consequence; for what accountability do we have to stone or wood? Thus, by strong warnings, He directs us to exercise vigilance and carefully outlines the various forms of uncleanness that may befall us, ensuring that the ministers understand the path of true integrity, and how they may remain pleasing to God while living in accordance with the Lawgiver’s will.