Leviticus 25:30Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Additionally, we shall examine how the Levites were granted a special inheritance, as further clarified in the text: ‘If a man sell a dwelling house in a walled city… the houses in the villages… are to be treated like a field of land’ (Lev. 25:29-34).

Palladius expresses confusion about the law. Cyril explains that if someone in the city sells a house, they may redeem it within a year; otherwise, it permanently belongs to the buyer. However, land and fields may always be reclaimed once the seller returns the purchase price. If they fail to do so, the land returns in the fiftieth year without compensation. This principle was instituted for the common people, but the Levites' possessions are regarded differently, maintaining their perpetual claim. Palladius then asks if the law's intent is limited to these matters, to which Cyril responds by emphasizing the spiritual nature of the law (Rom. 7:14) and the redemption principles tied to it. He illustrates that property in cities is not redeemable after a year, while that in the fields can always be reclaimed. This highlights that the wise God places greater importance on the spiritual implications rather than mere literal interpretations.

Cyril acknowledges that the concepts behind these transactions can be perplexing. He asks Palladius whether it would be easier for aggressors to capture individuals from well-fortified cities or unprotected fields. Palladius affirms it is simpler in the fields. Cyril seeks to underscore the disparity between those who are educated in the law and those without such knowledge, implying that those in cities possess stronger defenses. Conversely, the inhabitants of fields are more vulnerable, and one would expect a greater proportion of blame if they found themselves captured.

He contrasts this with the Jews who reside in the holy city, a place guarded by divine protection, stating: ‘I will be for it, saith the Lord, a wall of fire round about it’ (Zech. 2:5). If these individuals, learned in God's ways, were to neglect their divine inheritance and fall into ignorance, they would remain in bondage to sin. This is echoed in scripture: ‘Behold, saith the Lord, by your iniquities ye are sold for your sins’ (Isaiah 50:1). Meanwhile, the Gentiles, lacking knowledge of the law, may rely on God's mercy to reclaim their inheritance, receiving freedom through Christ, who overcame sin and Satan's dominion, thereby nullifying what once held them captive (Col. 2:14).

The Levitical inheritance is secure and unyielding, while the righteous have a steadfast hope, affirmed when Christ told Mary she had ‘chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her’ (Luke 10:42). Consequently, Israel might forsake their rightful inheritance through ignorance, while the Gentiles find hope for restoration through Christ.

Cyril concludes by imparting that the Lord’s pronouncement on inheritance ensures each individual receives according to their deeds. The law forbids the elder from stripping the inheritance from the people to ensure that every individual retains what is properly theirs. He implies that those dedicated to God should not covet earthly inheritances but seek spiritual blessings instead, as articulated in the Lord's prayer: ‘Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven’ (Matthew 6:10). When entreating gifts from the Lord that are not aligned with His purpose, they will find their requests unmet (James 4:3).

Additionally, this legitimacy in inheritance pertains solely to those who are free—from whom the Son offers true freedom (John 8:36)—contrasting with those under the bondage of sin. The law denotes that consecrated individuals are expected to aspire not to temporal gains but to the spiritual riches of the kingdom of God, reiterating that it is indeed unbecoming for the holy to seek after what belongs to the worldly.