The Garments of the High Priest and the Ways of God

Regarding Christ, it is written: «He bore our sins in his own body on the wood, so that being removed from sins we might live by his righteousness» (1 Pet 2:24).

In concord with this and regarding «the vessel of election», Paul writes thus: «having removed the principalities and powerstriumphed with boldness on the wood, blotting out the handwriting of our debt, having abolished it and taken it out of the way» (Col 2:15), so that having triumphed in boldness, he might strip off the principalities and powers which he previously surrounded himself with. For how can he who acts not be clothed by those who subject him to evil inclinations and bad dispositions? The contrary view must be constructed.

He who practices and thinks what the Savior teaches, being Christ, puts on Him, according to: «Put on the Lord Jesus» (Rom 13:14), and: «As many as were clothed with Christ» (Gal 3:27). He who practices and reasons according to the principalities and powers of the evil ones, toward which those striving for salvation have the struggle, is clothed by them, receiving the qualities according to them. These the Lord and our Savior stripped himself of, taking upon himself our sins; for it is said of him: «He bears our sins and suffers on our behalf» (Isa 53:12), and with other things in the prophecy of Isaiah it is said: «And he shall open the sins of many» (Isa 53:12).

Even so, if Jesus is seen clothed in filthy garments, these do not belong to him, nor are they fabrics, nor did he manufacture them. Rather, for the sake of those who made them and previously wore them, by the grace of the good God, he put them on, «so that having tasted death for all» (Heb 2:9), he might make dead those for whom he tasted, only by touching and approaching them. Immediately also, having clothed himself in the filthy garments, he stood before the face of the angel, in no way being separated from them.

What then does the angel say to those standing before the face of Jesus? «Take the filthy garments from him»; for they are not his, but yours; since, because you are practicing the forbidden things, he is clothed in the garment that becomes filthy; having recognized that which you were sinning in, make him free from the filth of sins.

It must also be said in another way: «Jesus, not knowing sin, sin became on our behalf by God» (2 Cor 5:21), having accepted the cross, «so that we might become the righteousness of God in him» (2 Cor 5:21).

When this happens, one infers from it that sin has occurred, so that he no longer has the filthy garments of others.

Likewise, a filthy garment is wrapped around him when a curse becomes for all of us so that we may receive a blessing, which is given out when we receive the blessing, which he received as a curse in order that we might become according to God, having despised shame. After the removal of the filthy garments, being a great and true high priest, he puts on the priestly tunic called the long-reaching one, and he places upon himself a clean ephod, and he is clothed by us in the garment of the human body. For we have become the cause of him using such a garment, we clothe him.

However, even if the said garment has been clothed upon God, saying, 'But I will prepare a body for me,' yet the great priest remains, surrounded by the priestly tunic, that long-reaching one, of which the weavers, filled with the spirit of wisdom, prepared it for the sensible. For the whole tent and its vessels and the world which the high priest surrounds were constructed according to the pattern shown on the holy mountain.

But consider the head, that is, the mind, the clean ephod of the great priest; and perhaps the head of the theology concerning Christ is the ephod, having nothing material or defiling, and the long-reaching one is the contemplation concerning his incarnation.

And the angel of the Lord stood. And the angel of the Lord testified to Jesus, saying: 'Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you walk in my ways and keep my statutes, and you will distinguish my house. And if you guard my court, I will give you those returning in the midst of these standing ones.' (Zach. 3:7)

The angel of the Lord, standing firmly and immovably, testified to Jesus, saying: 'Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you walk in my ways and keep my statutes.' The ways of the Lord are the virtues, being fulfilled according to the keeping of his statutes, concerning which the holy one says to God: 'Make known to me your ways, O Lord, and teach me your paths.' (Ps 25:4) He who walks them and continually treads the paths will attain divine rewards, receiving from...