THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
Cyril. This outlines the regulations for the offerings made by any member of the Israelite community; similarly, he established the offering of the consecrated lineage, declaring, ‘This is the offering of Aaron and his sons, which they shall present to the Lord on the day of his anointing: A tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a continual offering, divided into half for the morning and half for the evening; it shall be prepared in a pan with oil; once infused with oil, it should be brought in pieces, resembling how a grain offering is broken; let it ascend as a pleasing aroma to the Lord; and the priest, anointed in his place or of his sons, shall execute these commands: this is a perpetual ordinance from the Lord.
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All of it shall be burnt; every grain offering of the priest shall be entirely burnt and not consumed’ (Leviticus 6:20-23). Consider, Palladius, the precision of this law and the profound significance in its sacred consistency: He did not stipulate that the offerings made by the congregation should be entirely consumed on their behalf, as the life of the congregation is not completely sanctified but is, in a sense, shared between God and the world. Instead, having justly set apart those who are called to serve in the priesthood as the foremost, he ordained that the offering intended for them should be completely burnt and that the flour offered as a continual sacrifice be presented to God both morning and evening, signifying that it should be constant and at all times: The one who is holy consistently offers spiritual incense, undivided between God and worldly matters, unlike others, but wholly and unwaveringly devoted to the Master, proclaiming: ‘I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me’ (Galatians 2:19-20). The tenth part of an ephah of fine flour represents a life that is always pleasing to God. When mentioned ‘in a pan’ and ‘bringing it in pieces, soaked in oil;’ it may suggest that the pan symbolizes affliction, the infusion of oil signifies joy's abundance, and being offered ‘in pieces’ represents the compassion and comfort inherent in the hearts of the faithful. A saint’s life is marked by perseverance, overflowing hope in God, and complete comfort in trials. The least of these offerings is its eternal nature, as it is said: ‘A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise’ (Psalm 50:19). Conversely, ‘you are as hard as a stone … and like an anvil you will not move,’ as stated in Holy Scripture (Job 41:15). This law is everlasting, perpetuated through the priesthood: we are to emulate the virtuous deeds of our forebears, following in the footsteps of their faithful service, and offering to God the most pleasing aroma, not individually, but in entirety. This is what is meant by the saying, ‘Every grain offering of the priest shall be wholly burnt.’ Palladius. Therefore, we should dedicate ourselves and consecrate ourselves to God with a fragrant offering, following the examples of the saints and imitating their spiritual priestly actions. Cyril. Precisely so, Palladius.