Ezekiel 44:19

Translation
King James Version
And when they go forth into the utter court, even into the utter court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered, and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments; and they shall not sanctify the people with their garments.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And when they go forth H3318 into the utter H2435 court H2691, even into the utter H2435 court H2691 to the people H5971, they shall put off H6584 their garments H899 wherein they ministered H8334, and lay H3240 them in the holy H6944 chambers H3957, and they shall put H3847 on other H312 garments H899; and they shall not sanctify H6942 the people H5971 with their garments H899.
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Complete Jewish Bible
Before going out to the people in the outer courtyard, they are to remove the clothes in which they minister, lay them in the holy rooms, and put on other clothes; so that they won't transmit holiness to the people by means of their clothing.
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Berean Standard Bible
When they go out to the outer court, to the people, they are to take off the garments in which they have ministered, leave them in the holy chambers, and dress in other clothes so that they do not transmit holiness to the people with their garments.
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American Standard Version
And when they go forth into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they minister, and lay them in the holy chambers; and they shall put on other garments, that they sanctify not the people with their garments.
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World English Bible Messianic
When they go out into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments in which they minister, and lay them in the holy rooms; and they shall put on other garments, that they not sanctify the people with their garments.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
But when they goe foorth into the vtter court, euen to the vtter court to the people, they shall put off their garments, wherein they ministred, and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments: for they shall not sanctifie the people with their garments.
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Young's Literal Translation
And in their going forth unto the outer court--unto the outer court unto the people--they strip off their garments, in which they are ministering, and have placed them in the holy chambers, and have put on other garments; and they do not sanctify the people in their own garments.
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See also
Ezekiel 46:20Leviticus 6:27Leviticus 6:10Leviticus 6:11Matthew 23:17Matthew 23:19Exodus 29:37
In the KJVVerse 21,619 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Ezekiel 44:19 provides meticulous instructions for the Zadokite priests in the visionary temple, detailing their required change of garments when transitioning from ministering within the sacred inner courts to interacting with the general populace in the outer court. This command underscores the profound distinction between the holy and the common, specifically preventing the unintentional or superstitious transfer of holiness from the consecrated priestly attire to the people, thereby preserving the sanctity of God's presence and the integrity of true worship.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse is situated within the latter chapters of Ezekiel (chapters 40-48), which describe a detailed, visionary temple. Following the prophet's profound encounter with God's glory returning to the temple in Ezekiel 43, chapter 44 specifically delineates the regulations for priestly service. The passage distinguishes between the Levites, who had strayed, and the faithful sons of Zadok, who alone are permitted to approach God directly, as detailed in Ezekiel 44:15-16. The instructions regarding priestly attire, including the command in verse 19, are part of a larger set of ordinances designed to ensure ritual purity, reverence, and the proper maintenance of the sacred space and its personnel, emphasizing the absolute holiness of God and the necessary separation for His worship.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Ezekiel prophesied during the Babylonian exile (6th century BCE), a period of profound national crisis and spiritual reflection for Israel. The detailed temple vision served as a message of hope and restoration, promising a future where God's presence would dwell among His people in purity. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, temples and their rituals were central, often involving elaborate priestly attire and strict protocols for approaching deities. However, Israel's regulations, as seen in Ezekiel, uniquely emphasized the transcendent holiness of Yahweh, distinct from the more immanent and often capricious deities of surrounding nations. The meticulous rules for the priests, including their garments, reflected a divine insistence on purity and order, correcting past failures of irreverence and syncretism that had led to the temple's defilement and destruction. The emphasis on preventing the "sanctification" of the people by garments also guards against a magical or superstitious understanding of holiness, reinforcing that true holiness originates from God alone.
  • Key Themes: The verse significantly contributes to several overarching themes within Ezekiel and the broader Old Testament. A paramount theme is Holiness and Separation, emphasizing the strict boundary between the sacred and the common, the clean and the unclean. The priestly garments, consecrated through their use in divine service, were imbued with a holiness that was not to be casually transferred or misunderstood by the populace. This directly relates to the theme of Protection of the Sacred, ensuring that God's holiness is not trivialized or defiled. The command "they shall not sanctify the people with their garments" highlights a crucial point: holiness is not a physical commodity to be transmitted by touch, but a spiritual state and attribute of God that demands reverence. To allow such contact might lead to superstition or a false sense of ritualistic purity without genuine heart transformation, thereby diminishing the awe due to God's presence. Finally, this detailed regulation underscores the theme of Divine Order and Purity, illustrating God's meticulous concern for how His people approach Him, demanding precision and reverence in all aspects of worship and service, as seen in other purity laws throughout the Pentateuch, such as those found in Leviticus 10:10.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • utter (Hebrew, chîytsôwn', H2435): Properly, "the (outer) wall side; hence, exterior; figuratively, secular (as opposed to sacred); outer, outward, utter, without." This word, combined with H2691 (châtsêr - court), precisely defines the boundary priests crossed. It signifies the transition from the consecrated inner sanctuary to the common, public space, emphasizing the strict spatial separation between divine service and public interaction.
  • put off (Hebrew, pâshaṭ', H6584): Meaning "to spread out... by analogy, to strip (i.e. unclothe, plunder, flay, etc.)." While it can mean simply "to remove," in this context, "strip off" conveys a more decisive and complete removal, highlighting the absolute necessity of divesting themselves of the holy garments before entering the common area. It's not a casual change, but a ritualistic stripping away of their sacred identity for that moment.
  • sanctify (Hebrew, qâdash', H6942): Meaning "to be (causatively, make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally); appoint, bid, consecrate, dedicate, defile, hallow, (be, keep) holy(-er, place), keep, prepare, proclaim, purify, sanctify(-ied one, self), [idiom] wholly." In this specific negative command, "they shall not sanctify the people with their garments," the meaning is nuanced. It's not about positively making the people holy, but preventing an inappropriate or misunderstood transfer of holiness. The garments, having been in God's holy presence, were so consecrated that direct contact with the common people might lead to superstition, a false sense of holiness by mere physical proximity, or even defilement of the holy by its improper use in the common realm.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And when they go forth into the utter court, even into the utter court to the people,": This clause establishes the specific context for the command: the priests' transition from the sacred inner areas of the temple, where they ministered, to the outer court, which was accessible to the general populace. The repetition of "utter court" emphasizes the clear boundary and the significance of this transition.
  • "they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered,": This is the first explicit command. The priests are required to remove the specific holy garments worn for their sacred duties within the temple. These garments were not merely clothing but were consecrated for divine service, symbolizing their office and the holiness required for approaching God.
  • "and lay them in the holy chambers,": This specifies the designated storage location for the holy garments. The "holy chambers" (from H3957, lishkâh, a room in a building) were consecrated spaces, ensuring that the garments remained in a sacred environment, protected from defilement and maintaining their ritual purity when not in use.
  • "and they shall put on other garments;": This is the counter-command. After removing their sacred attire, the priests were to don different, common garments (from H312, ʼachêr, meaning "other, next, strange"). This act visually and ritually marked their shift from their role as mediators before God to their interaction with the common people, reinforcing the distinction between the sacred and the profane.
  • "and they shall not sanctify the people with their garments.": This is the crucial prohibition and the theological core of the verse. It means the priests were not to allow the sanctity of their holy garments to be transferred to the people through physical contact. This was to prevent superstition, a magical understanding of holiness, or the idea that holiness could be acquired superficially, rather than through God's grace and covenant. It also protected the holy garments themselves from being defiled by contact with the common, or from being used inappropriately by the people.

Literary Devices

Ezekiel 44:19 employs several literary devices to convey its profound message. Repetition is evident in the phrase "utter court, even into the utter court," which serves to emphasize the specific location and the critical boundary being crossed by the priests. This highlights the precise nature of the divine command and the importance of the transition. Symbolism is central, with the "garments wherein they ministered" representing the priests' consecrated status, their role as mediators, and the inherent holiness of their divine service. The act of "putting off" these garments and "putting on other garments" is a symbolic ritual marking the transition from the sacred sphere of the temple to the common sphere of the people. This act underscores the Contrast between the holy and the common, the sacred and the profane, which is a pervasive theme throughout the Mosaic Law and the prophetic books. The "holy chambers" contrast with "the people" in the "utter court," reinforcing the strict separation God demands. Finally, the instruction concerning the garments can be seen as a form of Metonymy, where the garments themselves stand for the holiness and sacredness associated with the priestly office and the divine presence they served.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezekiel 44:19, with its meticulous instructions for priestly attire and conduct, profoundly illuminates the nature of God's holiness and the necessity of human reverence in approaching Him. It underscores the absolute distinction between the sacred and the profane, a foundational principle throughout biblical theology. The prohibition against "sanctifying the people with their garments" is not a denial of God's desire to make His people holy, but rather a safeguard against a superficial, ritualistic, or superstitious understanding of holiness. True holiness, as revealed in Scripture, is a transformative work of God's Spirit in the heart, not a transferable commodity acquired through physical contact with sacred objects. This verse teaches that God's holiness demands respect, order, and a clear understanding that His sacred presence is distinct from common human experience, thereby preventing irreverence or a false sense of spiritual attainment.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

While believers today do not serve in a physical temple with literal holy garments, the timeless principles embedded in Ezekiel 44:19 remain profoundly relevant for our spiritual walk. As members of a "royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9), we are called to live lives set apart for God's purposes, maintaining our spiritual integrity and devotion whether in formal worship or in the mundane activities of daily life. This verse challenges us to consider how we transition between our "sacred" moments of devotion and our "common" interactions with the world. It reminds us that our "holiness" is not a physical attribute or a performance to be displayed, but an internal transformation wrought by God's Spirit. We must guard against any actions or attitudes that might lead others to superstitious beliefs, to revere the messenger or external symbols more than God Himself, or to misunderstand the true nature of God's grace. Our focus should always be on pointing people to the transformative power of Christ, ensuring that true holiness—which is a gift from God and a call to Christlikeness—is never obscured by outward appearances or ritualistic practices.

Questions for Reflection

  • How do we, as believers, balance our call to be "set apart" for God with our call to engage authentically and redemptively with the world around us?
  • In what ways might we inadvertently "sanctify" or elevate external forms of piety, religious practices, or even spiritual leaders, over genuine heart transformation and God's grace?
  • What does it mean for me to "put off" my "ministering garments" when I transition from moments of intense spiritual focus (like worship or prayer) to daily life, ensuring God's holiness is properly understood and not trivialized?

FAQ

Why couldn't the priests "sanctify the people with their garments"?

Answer: The prohibition against the priests "sanctifying the people with their garments" was primarily a safeguard against misunderstanding and superstition regarding holiness. The garments, having been used in the immediate presence of God in the inner sanctuary, were considered holy by association. If the priests were to wear these garments into the common outer court and interact with the people, it could lead to several issues:

  1. Misunderstanding of Holiness: People might believe that holiness was a physical substance transferable by touch, leading to a magical or superstitious view of sacred objects rather than understanding holiness as an attribute of God and a spiritual state.
  2. Defilement of the Holy: Conversely, the holy garments could be defiled by contact with the common or unclean, diminishing the reverence due to them and to God's presence.
  3. Preventing Irreverence: It ensured that the people would not treat the holy garments (and by extension, the sacred service) casually or with less than due reverence.
  4. Maintaining Distinction: It reinforced the strict boundary between the sacred and the common, which was fundamental to Old Testament worship and God's character, as emphasized in Leviticus 10:10. True holiness comes from God's transforming work, not from external rituals or physical contact.

Is this temple vision literal or symbolic?

Answer: The nature of Ezekiel's temple vision (chapters 40-48) is a subject of ongoing theological debate. Many scholars view it as primarily symbolic and eschatological, representing an idealized, perfect worship and a renewed covenant relationship between God and Israel in the messianic age. It depicts a future of absolute purity and God's unhindered presence among His people, correcting the failures of the past. Others interpret it more literally, believing it describes a future physical temple that will be built, perhaps during the millennium. However, in light of the New Testament's revelation of Christ as the ultimate temple and high priest, and the spiritual nature of Christian worship, a symbolic interpretation is often favored. The detailed regulations, like those for the garments, emphasize divine order, holiness, and the profound sanctity of God's presence, principles that transcend any specific physical structure.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Ezekiel 44:19, with its emphasis on the separation of holy garments to prevent improper sanctification, finds its ultimate and perfect fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Unlike the Old Testament priests who had to continually change their garments to transition between sacred and common spaces, Jesus, our great High Priest, as described in Hebrews 4:14, required no such ritual. His holiness was inherent, not derived from external garments or proximity to a physical sanctuary. He is the very embodiment of holiness, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, whose presence does not merely touch holiness but imparts it.

When Christ "went forth into the utter court" of humanity, taking on flesh and dwelling among us, as recounted in John 1:14, He did not need to "put off" His divine glory to avoid defiling it, nor did His presence risk a superficial transfer of holiness. Instead, His very being sanctified and transformed. He touched the unclean and made them clean, as seen in Mark 1:41, ate with sinners and brought salvation, exemplified in the account of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:7-10, and through His perfect sacrifice, He consecrated a new and living way for us to approach God, as detailed in Hebrews 10:19-20. Through Christ, believers are no longer made holy by external rituals or the touch of sacred objects, but by the indwelling Holy Spirit and by being clothed in His righteousness, a truth beautifully expressed in Isaiah 61:10. We are now a "royal priesthood," as declared in 1 Peter 2:9, called to live holy lives in the world, not by changing our outward attire, but by the transformative power of His grace, radiating His holiness without fear of defilement or fostering superstition.

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Commentary on Ezekiel 44 verses 17–31

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points

God's priests must be regulars, not seculars; and therefore here are rules laid down for them to govern themselves by and due encouragement given them to live up to those rules. Directions are here given,

I. Concerning their clothes; they must wear linen garments when they went in to minister or do any service in the inner court, or in the sanctuary, and nothing that was woollen, because it would cause sweat, Eze 44:17, Eze 44:18. They must dress themselves cool, that they might go the more readily about their work; and they had the more need to do so because they were to attend the altars, which had constant fires upon them. And they must dress themselves clean and sweet, and avoid every thing that was sweaty and filthy, to signify the purity of mind with which the service of God is to be attended to. Sweat came in with sin and was part of the curse. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread. Clothes came in with sin, coats of skins did; and therefore the priests must use as little and as light clothing as possible, and not such as caused sweat. When they had finished their service they must change their clothes again, and lay up their linen garments in the chambers appointed for that purpose, Eze 44:19, as before, Eze 42:14. They must not go among the people with their holy garments on, lest they should imagine themselves sanctified by the touch of them; or, They shall sanctify the people, that is (as it is explained, Eze 42:14), they shall approach to those things which are for the people, in their ordinary garments.

II. Concerning their hair; in that they must avoid extremes on both hands (Eze 44:20): They must not shave their heads, in imitation of the Gentile priests, and as the priests of the Romish church do; nor, on the other hand, must they suffer their locks to grow long, as the beaux, or that they might be thought Nazarites, when really they were not; but they must be grave and modest, must poll their heads and keep their hair short. If a man, especially a minister, wear long hair, it is not becoming (Co1 11:14); it is effeminate.

III. Concerning their diet; they must be sure to drink no wine when they went in to minister, lest they should rink to excess, should drink and forget the law, Eze 44:21. It is not for kings to drink wine, more than will do them good, much less for priests. See Lev 10:9; Pro 31:4, Pro 31:5.

IV. Concerning their marriages, Eze 44:22. Here they must consult the credit of their office, and not marry one that had been divorced, that was at least under the suspicion of immodesty, nor a widow, unless she were a priest's widow, that had been accustomed to the usages of the priests' families. Others may do that which ministers may not do, but must deny themselves in, in honour of their character. Their wives as well as themselves must be of good report.

V. Concerning their preaching and church-government. 1. It was part of their business to teach the people; and herein they must approve themselves both skilful and faithful (Eze 44:23): They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the profane, between good and evil, lawful and unlawful, that they may neither scruple what is lawful nor venture upon what is unlawful, that they may not pollute what is holy nor pollute themselves with what is profane. Ministers must take pains to cause people to discern between the clean and the unclean, that they may not confound the distinctions between right and wrong, nor mistake concerning them, so as to put darkness for light and light for darkness, but may have a good judgment of discretion concerning their own actions. 2. It was part of their business to judge upon appeals made to them (Deu 17:8, Deu 17:9); and in controversy they shall stand in judgment, Eze 44:24. They shall have the honesty to stand up for what is right, and, when they have passed a right judgment, shall have the courage to stand to it and stand by it. They must judge, not according to their own fancies, or inclinations, or secular interests, but according to my judgments; that must be their rule and standard. Note, Ministers must decide controversies according to the word of God, to the law and to the testimony. Sit liber judex - Let the judge be unbiased. Their business is to keep courts in God's name, to preside in the congregations of his people. And herein they must go to the statute-book: They shall keep my statutes in all my assemblies. God calls the assemblies of his people his assemblies, because they are held in his name, to his glory. Ministers are the masters of those assemblies, are to preside in them, and in all their acts must keep close to God's laws. Another part of their work, as church governors, is to hallow God's sabbaths, to do the public work of that day with a becoming care and reverence, as the work of a holy day should be done, and to see that God's people also sanctify that day and do nothing to pollute it.

VI. Concerning their mourning for dead relations; the rule here agrees with the law of Moses, Lev 21:1, Lev 21:11. A priest shall not come near any dead body (for they must be purified from dead works) except of his next relations, Eze 44:25. Decent expressions of a pious sorrow for dear relations, when they are removed by death, are not disagreeable to the character of a minister. Yet by this approach to the dead body of a relation they contracted a ceremonial pollution, from which they must be cleansed by a sin-offering before they went in again to minister, Eze 44:26, Eze 44:27. Note, Though sorrow for the dead is very allowable and commendable, yet there is danger of sinning in it, either by excess or dissimulation; and those tears have too often need to be wept over again.

VII. Concerning their maintenance; they must live upon the altar at which they served, and live comfortably (Eze 44:28): "You shall give them no possession in Israel, no lands or tenements, lest they should be entangled with the affairs of this life;" for God has said, I am their inheritance, and they need no other in reserve; I am their possession, and they need no other in hand. Some land was allowed them (Eze 48:10), but their principal subsistence was by their office. What God appropriated to himself they were the receivers of, for their own proper use and behoof; they lived upon the holy things, and so God himself was the portion both of their inheritance and of their cup. Note, Those who have God for their inheritance and their possession may be content with a little, and ought not to covet a great deal of the possessions and inheritances of this earth. If we have God, we have all; and therefore may well reckon that we have enough. Observe,

1.What the priests were to have from the people, for their maintenance and encouragement. (1.) They must have the flesh of many of the offerings, the sin-offering and trespass-offering, which would supply them and their families with flesh-meat, and the meat-offerings, which would supply them with bread. What we offer to God will redound to our own advantage. (2.) They must have every dedicated devoted thing in Israel, which was in many cases to be turned into money and given to the priest. This is explained, Eze 44:20. Every oblation or free-will offering (which in times of reformation and devotion would be many and considerable) of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall be the priest's. We have the law concerning them Lev. 27. (3.) They were to have the first of the dough when it was going to the oven, as well as the first of their fruits when they were going to the barn. God, who is the first, must have the first; and, if it belong to him, his priests must have it. We may then comfortably enjoy what we have, when a share of it has been first set apart for works of piety and charity. To this the apostle's rule bears some analogy, to begin the week with laying by for pious uses, Co1 16:2. The priests being so well provided for, it would be inexcusable in them if they (contrary to the law which every Israelite is bound by) should eat that which is torn or which died of itself, Eze 44:31. Those that were in want of necessary food might perhaps expect to be dispensed with in such a case. Poverty has its temptations, but the priests were so well provided for that they could have no pretence for it.

2.What the people might expect from the priest for their recompence. Those that are kind to a prophet, to a priest, shall have a prophet's, a priest's reward: That he may cause the blessing to rest in thy house (Eze 44:30), that God may cause it by commanding it, that the priest may cause it by praying for it; and it was part of the priest's work to bless the people in the name of the Lord, not only their congregations, but their families. Note, It is all in all to the comfort of any house to have the blessing of God upon it and to have the blessing to rest in it, to dwell where we dwell and to attend the entail of it upon those that shall come after us. And the way to have the blessing of God abide upon our estates is to honour God with them, and to give him and his ministers, him and his poor, their share out of them. God blesses, he surely blesses, the habitation of those who are thus just, Pro 3:33. And ministers, by instructing and praying for the families that are kind to them, should do their part towards causing the blessing to rest there. Peace be to this house.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 17–31. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Verses 17 onwards) And when they enter the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments (or robes); they shall not wear anything made of wool (or they shall not wear garments made of wool) when they minister at the gates of the inner court and inside. Linen turbans shall be on their heads (or they shall have linen turbans on their heads) and linen undergarments shall be around their waists, and they shall not be bound in sweat (or forced). And when they go out to the outer courtyard to the people, they shall take off their garments (or stoles) in which they ministered, and they shall put them in the treasury (or colonnades) of the sanctuary (or the holy place), and they shall put on other garments (or stoles), and they shall not sanctify the people with their garments (or stoles). But they shall not shave their heads, nor let their hair grow long, but they shall trim their hair (or shave their heads) without shaving the hair too close: they shall cover their heads. And not every priest shall drink wine when he is about to enter the inner court. First, the words of the story must be interpreted. Among other things that the sermon of the Lord commands to the priests, he also orders that they should be clothed in linen garments at the very gates of the inner court, that is, with linen stoles: and they should not use garments woven with gold either at the gates of the inner court or inside, that is, in the holy of holies; and linen turbans or headbands should be on their heads, and linen undergarments around their loins. And what follows according to the Septuagint: 'And they shall not gird themselves violently,' which Aquila and Symmachus translated as 'in sweat.' Theodotion, expressing the Hebrew word itself, rendered it as, 'in Jeze,' meaning that they should not be girded violently, tightly, like prisoners, so as not to become unfit for the priestly and Levitical duties, and be unable to hold and slaughter the victims, nor to draw and run around. And because he had previously commanded the priests what garments they should wear when they were inside the sanctuary, he now orders that when they go out into the treasuries or the holy places, they should take off their former garments and put on others. For if they had the holy garments, they would sanctify the people who were standing outside and had not yet been sanctified, nor had prepared themselves for the sanctification of the temple, so that they may be of Nazarene for the Lord. From this we learn that we should not enter into the holy of holies with everyday and any garments that are polluted for common use, but with a clean conscience and clean garments, keep the sacraments of the Lord. And what follows: 'But they shall not shave their heads, nor let their hair grow long, but they shall trim their heads,' clearly demonstrates that we should not be priests and worshippers of Isis and Serapis with shaved heads, but neither should we let our hair grow long, which is properly luxurious and belongs to barbarians and warriors; but that the honorable appearance of the priests be shown on their faces. For this reason, the LXX said, 'They shall not shave their heads, nor let their hair grow long, but they shall cover their heads,' from which we learn that we should not make baldness with a razor or cut our hair so close that we appear like shaven ones, but that our hair should be left long enough to cover the skin. Or certainly, the priests should always cover their heads, according to what Virgil said (Aeneid, Book III):

To veil his hair with a purple covering. But this is a violent interpretation. However, not only will priests and Levites not drink wine in their ministry, but they will not even enter the Holy of Holies, so that their mind may not be overwhelmed, and their senses may not become duller. Hence the Apostle says: It is good, he says, not to drink wine and not to eat meat (Rom. XIV, 21). And in another place: And do not get drunk with wine, in which there is debauchery (Ephes. V, 18). For the people ate and drank, and then got up to play. And he clearly showed (as Alexander shows) why he granted Timothy to drink a little wine: for his stomach, he says, and frequent illnesses (1 Timothy 5). The Egyptian priests use linen garments not only internally but also externally. Furthermore, the divine religion has one dress for the ministry and another for common use in life. The undergarments are properly worn to preserve modesty and decorum: so that, when ascending the steps of the altar and moving about in the ministry, they do not reveal indecency. The superstition of the pagans has many heads. But as far as my knowledge is concerned, I do not believe that any of the pagans abstain from wine. These words will show what all things in accordance with sense indicate as spiritual. The Apostle also teaches that there are sacred and spiritual garments, saying: Put on the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. XIII, 14). And in another place: Put on the bowels of mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience (Coloss. III, 12). And again: Stripped off the old man with his works, and put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge, according to the image of the Creator (1 Cor. 15:54); which I think also signifies this: For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, and so on. About the priestly garments in Exodus, it is written more fully (Exodus 28); and we have previously published a book (Epistle 64, to Fabiola), to the interpretation of which a diligent reader must be sent. For we cannot comprehend a broad subject in a concise discourse. These clothes we make with our own labor, which are woven from above, such as the Lord had a tunic that could not be torn (John 18); in which we are clothed when we know the secret and hidden things of the Lord, and we have the spirit that searches even the high and deep things of God, which are not to be shown to the common people, nor to be spoken to the un-sanctified, nor to those not prepared for the sanctity of the Lord: so that if they hear greater things, they may not be able to bear the majesty of knowledge, and be choked like solid food, who are still nourished by the milk of infancy. But on the contrary, Scripture teaches that the worst clothing, as is sung in the Psalms about the traitor Judas, is to be clothed with curses (Ps. CVIII, 29). And a little later: Let it become for him like the clothing with which he is surrounded, and like the belt with which he is always girded. Therefore, the Lord, who suffered for us and carried our sins, is said to have dirty clothes in Zechariah, of which it is written: And Jesus was clothed in dirty clothes (Zach. III, 4): which he later takes off, as the Scripture says: Take away the dirty clothes from him and dress him in clean clothes, and so on. But what follows: "Vittae, sive cidares lineae erunt in capitibus eorum, puto coronam ostendere gratiarum, de qua scriptum est: Coronam enim gratiarum suscipiet tuus vertex (Prov. IV, 9). Nec illud nobis de operto et nudo capite faciet quaestionem, quod Apostolusloquitur: Mulier debet velamen habere super caput, propter angelos. Si enim non velatur mulier, attondeatur. Sin autem, turpe est mulieri tonderi aut radi, operiatur. For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man (2 Cor. XI, 10). For if it is the custom for men not to cover the head, it seems to be the opposite, so why do priests now command them to cover their heads or cut their hair? But if we read diligently, the present matters will be resolved from the previous ones. For it is said above: When they serve at the doors of the inner court and within. For if we enter into the holy and stand in the presence of the Lord, we ought to cover our heads: Because not every living thing will be justified in the sight of the Lord (Ps. CXLII, 2). And: From infancy the heart of man is inclined to evil. Finally, we also use our female bodies inwardly so that no defilement of conscience and impurity of matrimonial work appears in the sight of God. The Savior wants his apostles to be girded with these female items, saying: Let your loins be girded, and your lamps burning in your hands (Luke 12:35). And the Apostle speaks to believers: Therefore, gird up your loins in truth (Ephesians 6:14). And the imitators of Christ hear that which is written about him: He shall be girded with justice and clothed with truth (Isaiah 11:5). And this very belt, which is holy and has ascended to the pinnacle of virtues, is not bound forcibly: lest he appear unwilling to observe the good of continence and to eat the bread of his face in sweat, but to do the commandment of the Lord willingly. Finally, when he goes out and mingles with the people, he puts off his priestly garments in the treasury, where the riches of the Lord are preserved; and the priests use other garments and another teaching for the common people, so that the people may not be sanctified in their garments. It is a burden for the multitude to undertake beyond their strength, as Solomon says: 'The snare of a man is to consecrate quickly what is his own; for when he has made a vow, repentance steals upon him.' (Prov. XX, 25, LXX) . Finally, the Nazarenes offer themselves willingly, and whoever vows something and does not fulfill it is guilty of the vow. Hence it is said about widows: 'When they have given themselves to wantonness, they want to marry in Christ, having condemnation because they have cast off the first faith.' (I Tim. V, 11, 12) . For it is better not to promise than to promise and not do. Anna offered Samuel, who remained in eternal sanctity (1 Samuel 1). And Manoah offered Samson his son, but the lust of Delilah defiled the sanctification of his hair (Judges 13). Finally, the Lord withdrew from him and he was condemned to blindness, except that later, as his hair grew, he regained his former strength and in the image of Christ, he killed many more of the enemies of Israel in death than he did in life. But the Lord wants his priests to have perpetual holy hair and to cover their heads, not with any external veil, but with their own natural hair, not for adornment and luxury, but for decency. Therefore, the apostles' hair is counted, as the Savior says: But the very hairs of your head are all numbered (Matt. 10:30). That head, about which it is written in Ecclesiastes: The wise man's eyes are in his head (Eccl. 2:14). But the head of the man is Christ, whom the sinner tramples upon and despises, and, so to speak, shaves with a razor, and takes away his beauty. Which the sons of Ammon also did to those whom David had sent as ambassadors (2 Samuel 10). But, on the other hand, transgressing the law dishonors God, and therefore, whoever keeps the precepts of the law, honors him, so that what is written may be fulfilled: That all may honor the Son as they honor the Father (John 5:23). Furthermore, what follows is clear: That every priest, when about to enter the inner courtyard, should not drink wine, it is evident that the state of mind is overturned in drunkenness and debauchery, and we do not fully understand when the mind is occupied with the satisfaction of wine. But drunkenness is not only shown in the drinking of wine, but in all things, in which the mind is intoxicated and fluctuates with love and hatred, in contracts and business of the world, and cannot maintain its state. And because we are surrounded by fragile flesh, and we are compelled to do certain things that pertain to the body, such as providing for food and clothing and necessities, which we should not do, at least it is required of us that when we return to ourselves and understand why we were born, and enter the innermost sanctuary of the temple, we withdraw from the vices of the world and do not even commit the slightest sins. Through this, it is shown that we commit minor sins out of necessity of the flesh, and again, there is a time when, entering the inner courtyard, we must be free from all worldliness and external distractions.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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