Homilies on Numbers — Homily 4
Latin source: Origen, In Numeros homiliae (Rufinus's Latin translation), from the public-domain critical text of W. A. Baehrens, GCS 30 = Origenes Werke VII (Leipzig, 1921). This English translation is released into the public domain.On what is written: that the Levites were found to be twenty-two thousand in number, but the firstborn of the sons of Israel twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.
[§1] It is the book of Numbers that is read to us, in which there are many differences of numbers, which are recorded concerning the sons of Israel. But after the sons of Israel, the Levites too are numbered separately. For they had not been counted along with the sons of Israel, and they have a certain number set apart and distinguished above the rest, by which they are all together reported to be found twenty-two thousand, so that neither anything more nor less than this was found in the number. After this the Lord commanded that the firstborn of the sons of Israel also be numbered in the same order in which the Levites had been numbered, that is, from one month and upward, and the firstborn of the sons of Israel are found to be twenty-two thousand and two hundred and seventy-three. Do you suppose that through these things Moses wished to teach us only the bare history of number, and enclosed no mystery, according to his customary manner, in these varieties of numbers? Will there seem to be no reason in the fact that two hundred and seventy-three are said to abound so much among the firstborn of Israel, while among the Levites it is recorded that toward the twenty-two thousand nothing abounds nor is anything lacking? The number twenty-two, indeed, in the divine Scriptures, if anyone observes, he will frequently find to be assigned to certain principal causes. For they hand down that among the Hebrews the first elements of letters are twenty-two. Again, from Adam, the first-formed, down to Jacob, from whose seed the twelve tribes take their beginning, the fathers are numbered to have been twenty-two. They hand down also that the kinds of all God's creatures are gathered within the number twenty-two. But many other things too in the Scriptures, if anyone should pursue them more diligently, he will find consecrated under this number. For this reason, therefore, both the Levites, that is, those who serve God, and the firstborn of the sons of Israel are titled with this admirable and sacred number. But that among the sons of Israel two hundred and seventy-three are added seems to me neither idle, nor do I discern an easy way of solution, unless the Lord should deign to open and take away for us that veil placed upon these letters by Moses. Therefore the generation of the human race in the flesh, as those assert who are skilled in such matters, is indeed contained in the womb for nine months, but it is not said to move toward birth before even the three days of the tenth month pass; and thus it is found that this number, that is, two hundred and seventy-three, indicates those days which are gathered from the nine months and the three days of the tenth month, and together they make these two hundred and seventy-three days, in which entrance into this world is granted to the human race. And thus in the twenty-two numbers together the sum of the mystical reasons of all creatures is gathered; but in those which are found in excess among the firstborn of Israel, the mystery also of human generation is set forth. After these things, when the sons of Levi had been divided into three orders, and each of the orders was reckoned according to the three names of the princes, certain diversities are recorded in them too, not without mysteries. For the order of the sons of Kohath is described first, and rightly; for from him descend Moses and Aaron, to whom the summit of the priesthood is committed. For from him is born Amram; and from Amram, Moses and Aaron. The second order is Gershon, who indeed is first in birth, but is held second in order; for thus the Scripture says: "And the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari." But from the sons of Kohath again two orders are directed, and those indeed who descend from Aaron are consigned to the priesthood, while the remaining part is ordained to minister to the priests; and therefore the offices of the Levites are divided into four parts, so that Aaron and his sons discharge the priesthood, but the holy of holies is carried upon their shoulders by those who remain of the people of Kohath. But the things that pertain to the tabernacle of testimony, or to its courts and skins, or even the veils, and whatever is less hard and light for a burden, the sons of Gershon are to take care of. But the columns of the tabernacle and its bases and its bars the sons of Merari are to carry. Therefore also in the enumerating of these the Scripture significantly makes mention that the strength of Merari be reckoned; for strength is needed for carrying burdens of this kind.[§2] But let us return at length to the Apostle Paul, who, beholding all these things now with a free and unveiled eye of the mind, and casting off the veil of the old testament, says that the former people, in constructions of this kind, served the exemplar and shadow of heavenly things. And hearing these things, consider whether perhaps these four orders of the camps are an example and shadow of those four orders which Paul, writing to the Hebrews, enumerated in the heavens. And again to the four Israelite orders of the camps add the fourfold orders of the Levites; which it is enough for us not so much to explain and lay open as merely to have touched upon, and to have pointed out lightly and to have grazed for the purer senses—if indeed there are any who have brought here pure senses free from worldly thoughts. "Take," he says, "the number of the sons of Kohath." Behold, again another order of numbers is introduced. Already the sons of Levi were numbered from one month and upward; now the sons of Levi are numbered from the twenty-fifth year, but not, as in the others, "and upward," but up to the fiftieth year, and this number becomes a distinguished and elect one; for there is added to these: "everyone," it says, "who goes forth to minister at the works of the tabernacle of testimony." These are they who are numbered by a certain better and distinguished number; for just as it was said among the sons of Israel, "everyone who goes forth to battle among the sons of Israel," so here too it is said, "everyone who goes forth to ministry, to do the works in the tabernacle of testimony." After this it is said what are the works of the sons of Kohath in the midst of the sons of Levi according to their peoples in the tabernacle of testimony. "Aaron," it says, "and his sons shall enter, when the camps are lifted up, and they shall take down the veil with which the holy things are covered, and they shall cover the ark of the testament with that very veil." And after this certain seven kinds are enumerated which are commanded to be covered. In the first place, that the ark of the testament itself, more precious than all, be covered with the veil by which it was formerly veiled, but also be covered over with a hyacinth-colored skin. Another covering too, hyacinth-colored, is added on top. In the second place the table is covered, in the third the candlestick, in the fourth the golden altar, in the fifth the vessels of ministry, in the sixth the covering of the altar is placed with certain veils, in the seventh place both the laver is covered, and none of all these is left naked or unveiled. Finally there is added also a precept of this kind: "Do not," it says, "exterminate the people of Kohath from their tribe"—namely, that they might know themselves to be about to be exterminated, if perchance they should put their hands to moving these things, unless each of them had first been covered over by the priests.
[§3] Now therefore let us return to that tabernacle of the church of the living God, and let us see how these several things ought to be observed in the Church of God by the priests of Christ. If anyone is truly a priest, to whom the sacred vessels, that is, the secrets of the mysteries of wisdom, are committed, let him learn from these and observe how these things ought to be kept within the veil of conscience, and not easily brought forth to the public. Or if the matter demands to bring them forth also to the inferiors, that is, to the more unskilled, and to hand them over, let him not bring them forth naked, let him not show them open and utterly exposed; otherwise he commits homicide and exterminates the people. For everyone is exterminated who touches the secret and ineffable sacraments, not yet transferred by merits and knowledge into the order and grade of the priesthood. For to the sons of Aaron alone, namely to the priests, it is granted to see the very ark of the testament and the table and the candlestick, and whatever of those things which we have comprehended above, naked and unveiled. But let others see these things covered, or rather let them carry them veiled upon their shoulders. And the sons of Kohath indeed, since they themselves, although they are not priests, are nevertheless nearest to the priests, can carry these things upon their shoulders; but others place their burdens and their ministries not on their shoulders, but on wagons. For, to say something even about these by anticipating the reading, since the passage has prompted it: when wagons were offered by each of the several tribes, four of them the sons of Merari received, but two the sons of Gershon; while those who are better than these do not receive wagons. Consider, therefore, now, what kind of division is made in the offices of the divine ministry, and how the things that are holy are not thus imposed to be carried by dumb animals, but they ought to be men endowed with reason, and to carry upon their shoulders the vessels by which the holy of holies are ministered; but those things which are harder and heavier are imposed to be carried not so much by rational as by dumb animals. But even in these there is some difference. For those who attend to the harder and heavier ministries have more animals; for four wagons are given to the sons of Merari, but for the sons of Gershon, because they were near the sons of Kohath, two wagons only suffice; from which it is shown that for the harder works and, so to say, the coarser, there are more who serve as animals; but to those things which are procured by rational beings, few of those who seem less instructed or educated approach. For to those things which are mystical and stored away in secret and lie open only to the priests, not only does no animal man approach, but not even those very ones who seem to have some measure of practice and erudition, but have not yet ascended by merits and life to the priestly grace. Not only do they see these things through a mirror and in an enigma, but they also receive them covered and veiled and carry them upon their shoulders, that is, that they may know them more by the act of works than by the revelation of knowledge. Since therefore such is the dispensation of the mysteries of God and of the ministry which is held among the holy things, we ought to show ourselves such that we may be made worthy of the order of the priesthood, lest heavy burdens be imposed upon us as upon the irrational, but that we may be assigned to the priestly offices as rational and holy. For we are a royal race, a priesthood, and a people for acquisition, provided only that, equaling the grace we have received by the merits of life, we may be held worthy of the holy ministry, so that, when we have departed from this life, we may deserve to be taken up, as we said above, among the priests of God and those who minister to the ark of the testament, that is, in the secret and hidden mysteries, and with unveiled face may behold the glory of the Lord and enter the holy land, whose inheritance our Lord Jesus Christ will grant to us, to whom is glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen.