Leviticus 27:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

I also find it important to remind those who delve into the Scriptures that Christ once addressed the Pharisees, clearly referring to this very commandment. They, in their pursuit of empty traditions and disapproved practices mentioned in the writing, came to Him asking, “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” But the Saviour responded immediately, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and mother’; and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him die the death.’ And you say, ‘If anyone says to his father or mother, “A gift to God that you would use from me,” he may not honor his father or mother; thus you have invalidated the commandment of God by your tradition.”

The Pharisees, being extremely greedy and self-serving, sought to have as many individuals as possible come to them for the census according to the law, and to fill their own pockets, they eagerly collected money from everyone. Naturally, some individuals avoided the census because of their poverty or their obligation to care for their elderly parents, of which they had only managed to acquire with great labor. Yet, these unscrupulous Pharisees, upon learning of this, urged them to hasten to dedicate their gifts to God, abandoning fairness and disregarding the commandment that they should honor their parents with due diligence. Instead, they pushed people away from honoring their parents, fulfilling their obligations according to the law regarding offerings.

According to the law, it was a transgression to appropriate anything intended for divine glory, and thus, these offenders were taught to tell their parents, “a gift… that which you would use from me,” suggesting that what I could give you is already dedicated to God, and thus, you are violating the law by taking what was intended for divine offerings. These fabricators absurdly claimed that such neglect of parental duty was permissible for those who wished to dedicate their resources to God according to the law.

This, I believe, explains the phrase: “And ye say, If any man shall say to his father or mother, ‘A gift of that which thou wouldst use of me,’ he may not honor his father or mother." This implies that it is acceptable for individuals to say, “A gift to God of that which thou wouldst use from me,” meaning what I could provide for you has been set apart for God, and hence you should not claim sacred offerings.

Believing this to be rightly stated, let us transition from the literal understanding to the spiritual, exploring the contemplation of higher truths. Each person, justified by faith and sanctified by the Spirit, becomes a holy offering to God. We each owe our existence to Christ, for as Paul declared, we were purchased at a ‘price’ and do not belong to ourselves. “For one died for all, that those who live should not live for themselves but for Him who died and rose again.” He redeemed us with His own blood, leading us to Christ, the Saviour of all, through faith and sanctification, as we offer Him the gift of a godly life.

However, the manner of this offering varies: some pursue it with fervency, while others, with more readiness and spirited enthusiasm, undertake what is pleasing to Him. These individuals symbolize those who are between twenty and sixty years of age, when physical strength and mental acuity are at their peak, allowing them to comprehend and achieve more.

Understanding our creation, as it is written, reveals the age of our souls paralleling our physical development. Therefore, whether male or female, those in spiritual maturity should present offerings as dictated by the law—fifty didrachms for males, representing the fullness of spiritual service, and thirty for females, who although less esteemed, also yield significant fruits of labor, represented by three tens.

From the ages of five to twenty, males owe twenty didrachms while females owe ten, as at five years, reasoning begins to develop albeit weakly, progressing towards greater maturity. Those from one month to five years owe five didrachms for males and three for females, acknowledging that infants yield minimal fruit. God's Word alludes to the newborn believer in Christ, who, as Paul indicated, should require the nourishment of milk.

To new converts still in spiritual infancy, the early disciples advised abstaining from certain practices, while Jesus imparted weightier commandments, recognizing that tender minds should not be burdened unduly. According to the law, those aged sixty and above owe fifteen didrachms for males and ten for females, reflecting a natural decline in vitality and productivity akin to how aging plants struggle to yield fruit.

Thus, the just and merciful God accepts offerings according to each person's capacity and mindset, never rejecting the aged and weak, nor overlooking the vigorous. He provides a broader pathway for anyone seeking to gain honor in accordance with their ability. Accordingly, He cares for those feeble in spirit alongside the less discerning, assigning fruit reflecting their strength. This, I believe, intimates that “he may stand before the offering, and the priest may appraise it as the hand of the one who promised.”

How profound is this explanation!