THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
Cyril. God chose to withhold a territorial inheritance from the Levitical lineage, granting them instead the unique inheritance of Himself. Wisely, He ensured they did not appear entirely separated from the others, having received nothing at all; He established a certain balance by providing them with essentials for their daily needs.
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Scripture states: “And the Lord spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan against Jericho, saying, Command the children of Israel, that out of the inheritance of their possessions they shall give the Levites cities to dwell in, and the fields by the cities on every side shall be given to the Levites: The cities shall be for their habitation, and the fields shall be for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their necessities of life: and the fields of the cities, which ye shall give to the Levites, shall extend two thousand cubits from the wall of the city, in every direction: and ye shall measure out beyond the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits, and in the midst of the city: such shall be their fields of the cities. Of the cities which ye shall give to the Levites, there shall be six cities for refuge, into which ye shall let the murderer flee” (Num. 35:1-6).
The faithful are allowed to possess that which is adequate for sustaining their lives and meeting the essential demands of the body, for “Having sustenance,” it is said, “and clothing, let us be satisfied with those things” (1 Tim. 6:8). Excess can prove detrimental (1 Tim. 6:8). Hence, the cities, dwellings, and the adjacent fields were designated for the holy servants, measured with care: God intended not to weaken them through indulgence by providing more than necessary nor to inflict excessive hardship through undue deprivation, but instead to alleviate extreme scarcity and to remove burdens. He calibrated satisfaction to correspond with need. Furthermore, He instructed that cities of refuge be allocated to the Levites, entrusting them with the welfare of the most distressed and needy among the people. This serves as an illustration for the churches to extend compassion toward those imprisoned, for “Remember,” it is said, “the prisoners, as though ye were in bonds with them, and them that are afflicted, as though ye yourselves were in the body” (Hebrews 13:3).