The Cathodox shamelessly brag that their practices are modeled after the Jewish liturgy, not the early church (here are websites admitting incense began to be used in churches in the fifth century: one, two, three, four, five). They don’t even hide it, they’re so proud of it. They’re unable to quote a single ante-Nicene church father supporting the use of incense, knowing it’s rejected by the whole church, so their only recourse is to quote the law of Moses, given to the carnal Jews. This is incredible, when the fathers unanimously declare those things were types and have been replaced. Instead of the Passover lamb, we have the sacrifice of Jesus. Instead of circumcision, we have the purging of our sins in baptism. Instead of a tabernacle, we have our human bodies. Instead of the Sabbath day, we worship God perpetually. And instead of incense, we have… incense? According to the Cathodox, that one didn’t get fulfilled.

“There is no clear evidence of its Christian use [of incense] until about the year 500. Censers may at first have been fixed, with the introduction of portable censers originating later. The incensing of the altar, church, and congregation, is first recorded in the 9th century.” – Rev. Nicon D. Patrinacos. “Incense (Greek: θυμίαμα).” In: A Dictionary of Greek Orthodoxy – Λεξικον Ελληνικης Ορθοδοξιας. Light & Life Publishing, Minnesota, 1984. p. 205.

The earliest documented history of using incense during Catholic liturgy comes from the Eastern branch of the Church. The rituals of the Divine Liturgies of Saint James and Saint Mark, dating from the 5th century, include the use of incense. – Why Do Catholics Use Incense in Worship?

“When, exactly, incense was introduced into the religious services of the Church it is not easy to say. During the first four centuries there is no evidence for its use.” – On the History and Use of Incense, Liturgical Arts Journal (Catholic)

Is it a sin to offer incense?

But someone may ask, “Is it really such a big sin to offer incense to God just because He didn’t explicitly command it in the New Testament? Can’t we just offer any kind of sacrifice we want? God let the Jews burn incense in the Old Testament!” You fail to realize God did not accept ALL incense that was offered to Him, but struck dead Aaron’s two sons who offered incense “which He had not commanded them.”

Leviticus 10:1-2 – And Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered strange fire before the Lord—which He had not commanded them. And fire came out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.

The Cathodox justify their offering of incense on the basis that the Jews did it, but even when God allowed the Jews to offer incense, He gave very specific instructions about how it was to be mixed and offered, telling the priests exactly how to make it and forbidding anyone else to make anything similar to it.

Exodus 30:33 – “Whoever makes anything like it [the holy anointing oil], or whoever gives any of it to an outsider, shall be cut off from his people.”

Exodus 30:38 – “Whoever makes anything like it [the sacred incense] to smell it, shall be cut off from his people.”

Numbers 16:39-40 – So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned had offered, and they hammered them out as a covering for the altar— a reminder to the sons of Israel, so that no outsider, who is not of the seed of Aaron, should draw near to burn incense before the Lord, lest he become like Korah and his company, as the Lord spoke to him by the hand of Moses.

In the Old Testament, when God commanded the Israelites to offer incense to Him, He had VERY particular requirements about how the incense was to be compounded and burned, at precise times, and by certain people. God never allowed the Israelites to have a free-for-all, offering incense according to their own preferences, blending their own ingredients, or even mixing God’s ingredients in the wrong ratio. Thus, you already stand in great danger of hellfire by worshiping God in a way He never commanded, and an even worse condemnation for offering it after He actually expressly forbade it, calling it “an abomination.”

Isaiah 1:11-13 – “What is the multitude of your sacrifices to me?” says the Lord. “I am full of whole-burnt-offerings of rams; and the fat of lambs and the blood of bulls and goats I do not desire. Not even if you come to appear before me; for who has required these things at your hands? To trample my courts? Bring no more fine flour, it is vain; incense is an abomination to me. Your new moons and your sabbaths and your great day I cannot bear; your fasting and idleness.”

Tell us, you Cathodox, do you make your incense exactly like the incense God commanded the Levites to make (Exodus 30:34), so as to avoid burning strange fire before God? No. But even if you did, tell us, by what authority would you dare to recreate the incense which was only given to the Levitical priests to burn? Are you of the tribe of Levi? No? Only in a symbolic sense? Where is your high-priestly garment? Oh, that was only for the Levites? Do you have any blemishes on your body that would disqualify you from serving as priests? Oh, that’s meant to be taken spiritually? Where is the laver you’re supposed to wash in? Oh, it was a symbolic type? Where is the tabernacle? Oh, it’s passed away? Where is the veil? Oh, that was Christ’s flesh? Where is the ark of the covenant? Oh, that was a type of Mary? You say all of these things were types that were fulfilled… except incense.

Hear their absurd gymnastics (Icons and Incense: Defending Icon Veneration from the Bible).

Hear their instructions to offer incense to icons at home as well.

Scriptures:

Numbers 16:9 – Is it a small thing to you, that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do the service (liturgeo) of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister (latria) to them?

2 Chronicles 13:9-12 – “And the priests who minister (liturgeo) to the Lord are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites attend to their duties. And they offer to the Lord burnt offerings morning and evening, and fragrant incense (thysia); and the showbread is set on the pure table, and the golden lampstand with its lamps burns every evening. For we keep the charge of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken Him.”

Sirach 45:15-16 – Moses ordained him, and anointed him with holy oil; it was an everlasting covenant for him and for his descendants all the days of heaven, to minister (latria) to the Lord and serve as priest and bless his people in his name. He chose him out of all the living to offer sacrifice (karpoma) to the Lord — incense (thysia) and a pleasing odor as a memorial portion, to make atonement for the people.

• Genesis 8:20 – Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal, and of every clean bird, and offered whole fruit offerings (ολοκαρπωσεις) on the altar.
• Genesis 22:2 – He said, “Now take your son, your only son, whom you love, even Isaac, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there for a whole fruit offering (ολοκαρπωσιν) on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.”
• Leviticus 16:22 – Then he shall bathe himself in water in a holy place, and put on his garments, and come out and offer his burnt offering (ολοκαρπωσιν) and the burnt offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people.
• Numbers 15:3 – … and will make an offering by fire to the Lord, a burnt offering (ολοκαρπωμα), or a sacrifice (θυσια), to accomplish a vow, or as a freewill offering, or in your set feasts, to make a pleasant aroma (ευωδια) to the Lord, of the herd, or of the flock.
• Wisdom of Solomon 3:6 – He tested them like gold in the furnace, and he accepted them as a whole burnt offering (ολοκαρπωσιν).
• Leviticus 9:3 – … and to the council of elders of Israel, speak, saying “Take a he-goat out of the goats, one sin-offering, and a little calf and a one year old lamb for an unblemished whole-fruit offering.”

2 Chronicles 29:11 – “My sons, don’t be negligent now; for the Lord has chosen you to stand before him, to minister (liturgeo) to him, and that you should be his ministers, and burn incense (thysia).”

Baruch 1:10 – And they said, “Behold, we have sent you money to buy you burnt offerings, and sin offerings, and incense (thysia), and prepare ye manna, and offer upon the altar of the Lord our God.”

Wisdom 18:21 – A blameless man made haste to be their champion: bringing the weapon of his proper ministry (leitourgias), even prayer and the propitiation of incense (thumiamatos exilasmon).

Numbers 16:44-48 – And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “Depart out of the midst of this congregation, and I will consume them at once.” and they fell upon their faces. And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a censer, and put on it fire from the altar (θυσιαστηρίου), and put incense (θυμιαμα) on it, and carry it away quickly into the camp, and make atonement (εξιλασκομαι) for them; for wrath is gone forth from the presence of the Lord, it has begun to destroy the people.” And Aaron took as Moses spoke to him, and ran among the congregation, for already the plague had begun among the people; and he put on incense (θυμίαμα), and made an atonement (ἐξιλάσατο) for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague ceased.

2 Chronicles 26:16 – But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up, so that he did corruptly, and he trespassed against the Lord his God; for he went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.

2 Chronicles 26:18 – And they resisted Uzziah the king, and said to him, “It isn’t for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary; for you have trespassed; neither shall it be for your honor from the Lord God.”

2 Kings 18:4 – He removed the high places and smashed the memorial stones to pieces, and cut down the Asherah. He also crushed to pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel had been burning incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan.

2 Kings 22:17 – “Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and it shall not be quenched.”

Deuteronomy 4:28 – “And there you will serve (latria) other gods, the works of human hands by wood and stone which can not see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.”

Hosea 11:2 – “They were sacrificing to the Baals, and used to burn incense to the graven images.”

Ezekiel 6:13 – “Then shall you know that I am the LORD, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols.”

Matthew 4:10 – “Get behind me, Satan; for it is written, ‘You shalt worship (proskineo) the Lord your God, and Him alone shall you serve (latria).'”

Deuteronomy 5:7-9 – “You shall have no other gods besides Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol or any likeness of anything in heaven above, or on the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth. You shall not bow down (proskineo) to them nor serve (latria) them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me.”

Deuteronomy 31:20 – For when I shall have brought them into the land which I swore to their fathers, flowing with milk and honey, and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and grown fat; then will they turn to other gods, and serve them, and despise me, and break my covenant.

Ezekiel 20:32 – “And that which comes into your mind shall not be at all, in that you say, ‘We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve (latria) wood and stone.‘”

Jeremiah 44:18 – “But since we left off burning incense to the queen of heaven, and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.”

Jeremiah 44:25 – Thus says Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, saying, “You and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and with your hands have fulfilled it, saying, ‘We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings to her;’ establish then your vows, and perform your vows.'”

Daniel 3:37-40 – “For, Oh Master, we have been reduced more than any of the peoples, and we are humbled throughout the whole earth today because of our sins. Now there is not at this time a ruler, nor a prophet, nor a leader, nor a whole burnt offering, nor any offering, nor gifts, nor any incense, nor a place to give an offering before you and thus to find mercy. Yet, with a soul shattered and a spirit made low, we might be accepted, just as though we came with whole burnt offerings of rams and bulls, and just as though we came with myriads of fat lambs. So may our sacrifice be before you today, atoning as we follow you, since there is no shame for those who put confidence in you and follow you with our whole heart.”

Psalm 141:2 – Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

Revelation 5:8 – And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Hebrews 8:3-6 – For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer. For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve (latria) the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.

Hebrews 13:10-15 – We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

Romans 8:13 – In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Hebrews 9:1-15 – Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service (latria) and the earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, which had the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services (latria). But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service (latria) perfect in regard to the conscience — concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation. But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve (latria) the living God?

Psalm 51:1-17 – Have mercy on me, O Lord, according to Your great mercy; and according to the multitude of Your compassions, blot out my transgression. Wash me still more from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge mine iniquity, and my sin is ever before me. Against You only have I sinned, and done that which is evil in Your sight; that You may be justified in Your sayings, and may overcome when You are judged. For, behold, I was conceived in transgressions, and in sins did my mother conceive me. For, behold, You have loved truth; the secret and hidden things of wisdom have You shown me. You shall sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed; You shall wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. You shall make me to hear joy and gladness; my bones, which have been humbled, shall exult. Turn away Your face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and establish me by Your governing Spirit. I will teach transgressors Your ways, and the ungodly shall be converted unto You. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation: my tongue shall exult in Your righteousness. O Lord, You shall open my mouth, and my lips shall show forth Your praise. For if You had desired sacrifice, I would have given it; You will not delight in burnt-offerings. The sacrifice [acceptable] to God is a bruised spirit; a broken and a contrite heart God will not despise.

Isaiah 66:1-4 – Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or what is the place of My rest? 2or all these things My hand has made, and all these things are Mine,” says the Lord. “But to this one will I look: to him who is humble and contrite in spirit, and who trembles at My word. He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; he who offers an offering is like one who offers swine’s blood; he who burns incense is like one who blesses an idol. As they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations, so I will choose their mockings and will recompense them their sins, because I called them, and they did not answer; I spoke, and they did not hear, but did evil before Me, and chose the things in which I do not delight.”

John 4:24 – Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Romans 3:21 – But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets.

Philippians 3:3 – For we are the circumcision, who worship (latria) God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

Philippians 4:18 – Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.

2 Corinthians 2:15-16 – For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.

Romans 1:9 – For God is my witness, whom I serve (latria) with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may at last come to you.

Luke 2:37 – She had been a widow for about eighty-four years), who didn’t depart from the temple, worshipping (latria) with fastings and supplications night and day.

Romans 12:1 – I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your rational service (latria).

Hebrews 12:28-29 – Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve (latria) God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.

1 Peter 2:5 – You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:7 – For the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can it be.

Isaiah 43:18-19 – “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do new things, which shall now spring forth, and you shall know them.”

Isaiah 43:22–24: “I have not now called you, O Jacob, nor have I made you weary, O Israel. You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings, nor have you glorified me with your sacrifices or served me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with sacrifices or wearied you with frankincense. You have not bought me incense with money, nor have I desired the fat of your sacrifices. But in your sins and iniquities and wrongdoing and suchlike I have protected you.”

Church Fathers:

Didache:

But every Lord’s day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord: “In every place and time offer to me a pure sacrifice; for I am a great King, says the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the nations.” – The Didache, chapter 14

Barnabas:

For he has made it clear to us through all the prophets that he needs neither sacrifιces nor whole burnt offerings nor general offerings, saying οn one occasion: “‘What is the multitude of your sacrifιces to me?’ says the Lord. Ι am full of whole burnt offerings, and Ι do not want the fat of lambs and the blood of bulls and goats, not even if you come to appear before me. For who demanded these things from your hands? Do not continue to trample my court. If you bring fine flour, it is ίn vain; incense is detestable to me; your new moons and sabbaths Ι cannot stand.” Therefore he has abolished these things, ίn order that the new law of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is free from the yoke of compulsion, might have its offering, one not made by humans. And again he says to them: ”1 did not command your fathers, when they were coming out of the land of Egypt, to bring whole burnt offerings and sacrifιces, did Ι? Οη the contrary, this is what Ι commanded them: ‘Let none of you bear a grudge in his heart against his neighbor, and do not love a false oath.'” We ought to perceive, therefore (since we are not without understanding), the gracious intention of our Father, because he is speaking to us; he wants us to seek how we may approach him, rather than go astray as they did. Το us, therefore, he says this: ‘Ά sacrifιce to God is a broken heart; an aroma pleasing to the Lord is a heart that glorifιes its Maker.” So, brothers and sisters, we ought to give very careful attention to our salvation, lest the evil one should cause some error to slip into our midst and thereby hurl us away from our life. – Epistle of Barnabas Chapter 2

Clement of Rome:

But what shall we say concerning David, to whom such testimony was borne, and of whom God said, “I have found a man after my own heart, David the son of Jesse; and in everlasting mercy have I anointed him? Yet this very man says to God, Have mercy on me, O Lord, according to Your great mercy; and according to the multitude of Your compassions, blot out my transgression. Wash me still more from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge mine iniquity, and my sin is ever before me. Against You only have I sinned, and done that which is evil in Your sight; that You may be justified in Your sayings, and may overcome when You are judged. For, behold, I was conceived in transgressions, and in sins did my mother conceive me. For, behold, You have loved truth; the secret and hidden things of wisdom have You shown me. You shall sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed; You shall wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. You shall make me to hear joy and gladness; my bones, which have been humbled, shall exult. Turn away Your face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and establish me by Your governing Spirit. I will teach transgressors Your ways, and the ungodly shall be converted unto You. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation: my tongue shall exult in Your righteousness. O Lord, You shall open my mouth, and my lips shall show forth Your praise. For if You had desired sacrifice, I would have given it; You will not delight in burnt-offerings. The sacrifice [acceptable] to God is a bruised spirit; a broken and a contrite heart God will not despise.” – Clement of Rome, 1 Clement, chapter 18  

Let us cleave then to His blessing, and consider what are the means of possessing it. Let us think over the things which have taken place from the beginning. For what reason was our father Abraham blessed? Was it not because he wrought righteousness and truth through faith? Isaac, with perfect confidence, as if knowing what was to happen, cheerfully yielded himself as a sacrifice. Genesis 22:6-10 Jacob, through reason of his brother, went forth with humility from his own land, and came to Laban and served him; and there was given to him the sceptre of the twelve tribes of Israel. – Clement of Rome, 1 Clement, chapter 31

How blessed and wonderful, beloved, are the gifts of God! Life in immortality, splendour in righteousness, truth in perfect confidence, faith in assurance, self-control in holiness! And all these fall under the cognizance of our understandings [now]; what then shall those things be which are prepared for such as wait for Him? The Creator and Father of all worlds, the Most Holy, alone knows their amount and their beauty. Let us therefore earnestly strive to be found in the number of those that wait for Him, in order that we may share in His promised gifts. But how, beloved, shall this be done? If our understanding be fixed by faith towards God; if we earnestly seek the things which are pleasing and acceptable to Him; if we do the things which are in harmony with His blameless will; and if we follow the way of truth, casting away from us all unrighteousness and iniquity, along with all covetousness, strife, evil practices, deceit, whispering, and evil-speaking, all hatred of God, pride and haughtiness, vain glory and ambition. For they that do such things are hateful to God; and not only they that do them, but also those that take pleasure in them that do them. Romans 1:32 For the Scripture says, But to the sinner God said, Wherefore do you declare my statutes, and take my covenant into your mouth, seeing you hate instruction, and castest my words behind you? When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and made your portion with adulterers. Your mouth has abounded with wickedness, and your tongue contrived deceit. You sit, and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son. These things you have done, and I kept silence; you thought, wicked one, that I should be like to yourself. But I will reprove you, and set yourself before you. Consider now these things, you that forget God, lest He tear you in pieces, like a lion, and there be none to deliver. The sacrifice of praise will glorify me, and a way is there by which I will show him the salvation of God. – Clement of Rome, 1 Clement, chapter 35

The Lord, brethren, stands in need of nothing; and He desires nothing of any one except that confession be made to Him. For, says the elect David, I will confess unto the Lord; and that will please Him more than a young bullock that has horns and hoofs. Let the poor see it, and be glad. And again he says, Offer unto God the sacrifice of praise, and pay your vows unto the Most High. And call upon me in the day of your trouble: I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me. For the sacrifice of God is a broken spirit. – Clement of Rome, 1 Clement, chapter 52

In the fourteenth generation one of the cursed progeny first erected an altar to demons, for the purpose of magical arts, and offered there bloody sacrifices. In the fifteenth generation, for the first time, men set up an idol and worshipped it. – Recognitions of Clement, Book 1, chapter 30

When meantime Moses, that faithful and wise steward, perceived that the vice of sacrificing to idols had been deeply ingrained into the people from their association with the Egyptians, and that the root of this evil could not be extracted from them, he allowed them indeed to sacrifice, but permitted it to be done only to God, that by any means he might cut off one half of the deeply ingrained evil, leaving the other half to be corrected by another, and at a future time; by Him, namely, concerning whom he said himself, ‘A prophet shall the Lord your God raise unto you, whom you shall hear even as myself, according to all things which He shall say to you. Whosoever shall not hear that prophet, his soul shall be cut off from his people. – Recognitions of Clement, Book 1, chapter 36

In addition to these things, he also appointed a place in which alone it should be lawful to them to sacrifice to God. And all this was arranged with this view, that when the fitting time should come, and they should learn by means of the Prophet that God desires mercy and not sacrifice, they might see Him who should teach them that the place chosen of God, in which it was suitable that victims should be offered to God, is his Wisdom; and that on the other hand they might hear that this place, which seemed chosen for a time, often harassed as it had been by hostile invasions and plunderings, was at last to be wholly destroyed. And in order to impress this upon them, even before the coming of the true Prophet, who was to reject at once the sacrifices and the place, it was often plundered by enemies and burnt with fire, and the people carried into captivity among foreign nations, and then brought back when they betook themselves to the mercy of God; that by these things they might be taught that a people who offer sacrifices are driven away and delivered up into the hands of the enemy, but they who do mercy and righteousness are without sacrifices freed from captivity, and restored to their native land. But it fell out that very few understood this; for the greater number, though they could perceive and observe these things, yet were held by the irrational opinion of the vulgar: for right opinion with liberty is the prerogative of a few. – Recognitions of Clement, Book 1, chapter 37

“For as no one can see without eyes, nor hear without ears, nor smell without nostrils, nor taste without a tongue, nor handle anything without hands, so it is impossible, without the true Prophet, to know what is pleasing to God.” – Peter, Recognitions of Clement, Book 1, chapter 44

Ignatius:

It is absurd to profess Christ Jesus, and to Judaize. For Christianity did not embrace Judaism, but Judaism Christianity. – Ignatius to the Magnesian’s chapter 10

Polycarp:

When he had pronounced this amen, and so finished his prayer, those who were appointed for the purpose kindled the fire. And as the flame blazed forth in great fury,41 we, to whom it was given to witness it, beheld a great miracle, and have been preserved that we might report to others what then took place. For the fire, shaping itself into the form of an arch, like the sail of a ship when filled with the wind, encompassed as by a circle the body of the martyr. And he appeared within not like flesh which is burnt, but as bread that is baked, or as gold and silver glowing in a furnace. Moreover, we perceived such a sweet odour [coming from the pile], as if frankincense or some such precious spices had been smoking there. – Martyrdom of Polycarp, chapter 15

Mathetes (130 AD):

Most excellent Diognetus: I can see that you deeply desire to learn how Christians worship their God (θεοσέβειαν). You have so carefully and earnestly asked your questions about them: What is it about the God they believe in, and the form of religion (θρησκεύοντες) they observe, that lets them look down upon the world and despise death? Why do they reject the Greek gods and the Jewish superstitions alike? What about the affection they all have for each other? And why has this new group and their practices come to life only now, and not long ago? – Mathetes to Diognetus, chapter 1

Come, then, after you have freed yourself from all prejudices possessing your mind, and laid aside what you have been accustomed to, as something apt to deceive you, and being made, as if from the beginning, a new man, inasmuch as, according to your own confession, you are to be the hearer of a new [system of] doctrine; come and contemplate, not with your eyes only, but with your understanding, the substance and the form of those whom you declare and deem to be gods.

Is not one of them a stone similar to that on which we tread? Is not a second brass, in no way superior to those vessels which are constructed for our ordinary use? Is not a third wood, and that already rotten? Is not a fourth silver, which needs a man to watch it, lest it be stolen? Is not a fifth iron, consumed by rust? Is not a sixth earthenware, in no degree more valuable than that which is formed for the humblest purposes?

Are not all these of corruptible matter? Are they not fabricated by means of iron and fire? Did not the sculptor fashion one of them, the brazier a second, the silversmith a third, and the potter a fourth? Was not every one of them, before they were formed by the arts of these [workmen] into the shape of these, each in its own way subject to change? Would not those things which are now vessels, formed of the same materials, become like to such, if they met with the same artificers? Might not these, which are now worshipped (προσκυνούμενα ) by you, again be made by men vessels similar to others? Are they not all deaf? Are they not blind? Are they not without life? Are they not destitute of feeling? Are they not incapable of motion? Are they not all prone to decay? Are they not all corruptible?

These things you call gods; these you serve (δουλεύετε); these you worship (προσκυνεῖτε); and you become altogether like them. For this reason you hate the Christians, because they do not deem these to be gods. But do not you yourselves, who now think and suppose [such to be gods], much more cast contempt upon them than they [the Christians do]? Do you not much more mock and insult them, when you worship those that are made of stone and earthenware, without appointing any persons to guard them; but those made of silver and gold you shut up by night, and appoint watchers to look after them by day, lest they be stolen? And by those gifts which you mean to present to them, do you not, if they are possessed of sense, rather punish [than honour] them? But if, on the other hand, they are destitute of sense, you convict them of this fact, while you worship (thrēskeuete) them with blood and the smoke of sacrifices. Let any one of you suffer such indignities! Let any one of you endure to have such things done to himself! But not a single human being will, unless compelled to it, endure such treatment, since he is endowed with sense and reason. A stone, however, readily bears it, seeing it is insensible. Certainly you do not show [by your conduct] that he [your God] is possessed of sense. – The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus, Chapter 2

[Now, if the ONLY criticism that Christians had of pagans was that they bowed and offered incense to images that depicted the WRONG GOD, they would not go into such great detail about the very SUBSTANCE of the images being a problem, that Christians should not bow to a lifeless object! They would not say, over and over again, that the very METHOD of worship was wrong, but rather, would emphasize that prostrations and incense should be offered to a DIFFERENT picture.]

And next, I imagine that you are most desirous of hearing something on this point, that the Christians do not observe the same forms of divine worship as do the Jews. The Jews, then, if they abstain from the kind of service above described, and deem it proper to worship one God as being Lord of all, [are right]; but if they offer Him worship in the way which we have described, they greatly err. For while the Gentiles, by offering such things to those that are destitute of sense and hearing, furnish an example of madness; they, on the other hand by thinking to offer these things to God as if He needed them, might justly reckon it rather an act of folly than of divine worship. For He that made heaven and earth, and all that is therein, and gives to us all the things of which we stand in need, certainly requires none of those things which He Himself bestows on such as think of furnishing them to Him. But those who imagine that, by means of blood, and incense and burnt-offerings, they offer sacrifices [acceptable] to Him, and that by such honours they show Him respect, — these, by supposing that they can give anything to Him who needs nothing, appear to me in no respect to differ from those who studiously confer the same honour on things destitute of sense, and which therefore are unable to enjoy such honours. – Mathetes to Diognetus, chapter 3

But as to their scrupulosity concerning food, and their superstition as respects the Sabbaths, and their boasting about circumcision, and their fancies about fasting and the new moons, which are utterly ridiculous and unworthy of notice — I do not think that you require to learn anything from me. For, to accept some of those things which have been formed by God for the use of men as properly formed, and to reject others as useless and redundant — how can this be lawful? And to speak falsely of God, as if He forbade us to do what is good on the Sabbath-days — how is not this impious? And to glory in the circumcision of the flesh as a proof of election, and as if, on account of it, they were specially beloved by God — how is it not a subject of ridicule? And as to their observing months and days (Galatians 4:10), as if waiting upon the stars and the moon, and their distributing, according to their own tendencies, the appointments of God, and the vicissitudes of the seasons, some for festivities, and others for mourning — who would deem this a part of divine worship, and not much rather a manifestation of folly? I suppose, then, you are sufficiently convinced that the Christians properly abstain from the vanity and error common [to both Jews and Gentiles], and from the busybody spirit and vain boasting of the Jews; but you must not hope to learn the mystery of their peculiar mode of divine worship (θεοσεβείας) from any mortal. – The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus, Chapter 4

[And yet the Cathodox say, “Of COURSE God wants to be worshiped through lifeless images! Don’t lots of people around the world give honor to their family members by kissing lifeless images? Therefore, God wants to be worshiped in the same way. God’s doctrines are so obvious from observing human custom all around the world!”]

To sum up all in one word — what the soul is in the body, Christians are in the world. The soul is dispersed through all the members of the body, and Christians are scattered through all the cities of the world. The soul dwells in the body, yet is not of the body; and Christians dwell in the world, yet are not of the world. The invisible soul is guarded by the visible body, and Christians are known indeed to be in the world, but their worship of God (θεοσέβεια) remains invisible. The flesh hates the soul, and wars against it, though itself suffering no injury, because it is prevented from enjoying pleasures; the world also hates the Christians, though in nowise injured, because they abjure pleasures. The soul loves the flesh that hates it, and [loves also] the members; Christians likewise love those that hate them. The soul is imprisoned in the body, yet keeps together that very body; and Christians are confined in the world as in a prison, and yet they keep together the world. The immortal soul dwells in a mortal tabernacle; and Christians dwell as sojourners in corruptible [bodies], looking for an incorruptible dwelling in the heavens. The soul, when but ill-provided with food and drink, becomes better; in like manner, the Christians, though subjected day by day to punishment, increase the more in number. God has assigned them this illustrious position, which it were unlawful for them to forsake. – The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus, Chapter 6

No man has either seen Him, or made Him known, but He has revealed Himself. And He has manifested Himself through faith, to which alone it is given to behold God. – The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus, Chapter 8

I do not speak of things strange to me, nor do I aim at anything inconsistent with right reason; but having been a disciple of the Apostles, I have become a teacher of the Gentiles. I minister the things delivered to me to those that are disciples worthy of the truth. For who that is rightly taught and begotten by the loving Word, would not seek to learn accurately the things which have been clearly shown by the Word to His disciples, to whom the Word being manifested has revealed them, speaking plainly [to them], not understood indeed by the unbelieving, but conversing with the disciples, who, being esteemed faithful by Him, acquired a knowledge of the mysteries of the Father? For which reason He sent the Word, that He might be manifested to the world; and He, being despised by the people [of the Jews], was, when preached by the Apostles, believed on by the Gentiles. This is He who was from the beginning, who appeared as if new, and was found old, and yet who is ever born afresh in the hearts of the saints. This is He who, being from everlasting, is today called the Son; through whom the Church is enriched, and grace, widely spread, increases in the saints, furnishing understanding, revealing mysteries, announcing times, rejoicing over the faithful, giving to those that seek, by whom the limits of faith are not broken through, nor the boundaries set by the fathers passed over. Then the fear of the law is chanted, and the grace of the prophets is known, and the faith of the gospels is established, and the tradition of the Apostles is preserved, and the grace of the Church exults; which grace if you grieve not, you shall know those things which the Word teaches, by whom He wills, and when He pleases. For whatever things we are moved to utter by the will of the Word commanding us, we communicate to you with pains, and from a love of the things that have been revealed to us. – The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus, Chapter 11

Justin Martyr (160)

But we have received by tradition that God does not need the material offerings which men can give, seeing, indeed, that He Himself is the provider of all things. And we have been taught, and are convinced, and do believe, that He accepts those only who imitate the excellences which reside in Him, temperance, and justice, and philanthropy, and as many virtues as are peculiar to a God who is called by no proper name. –  Justin Martyr, First Apology, chapter 10

What sober-minded man, then, will not acknowledge that we are not atheists, worshipping as we do the Maker of this universe, and declaring, as we have been taught, that He has no need of streams of blood and libations and incense; whom we praise to the utmost of our power by the exercise of prayer and thanksgiving for all things wherewith we are supplied, as we have been taught that the only honour that is worthy of Him is not to consume by fire what He has brought into being for our sustenance, but to use it for ourselves and those who need, and with gratitude to Him to offer thanks by invocations and hymns for our creation, and for all the means of health, and for the various qualities of the different kinds of things, and for the changes of the seasons; and to present before Him petitions for our existing again in incorruption through faith in Him. Our teacher of these things is Jesus Christ…. –  Justin Martyr, First Apology, chapter 13

And that this too may be clear to you, there were spoken from the person of the Father through Isaiah the Prophet, the following words: The ox knows his owner, and the ass his master’s crib; but Israel does not know, and My people has not understood. Woe, sinful nation, a people full of sins, a wicked seed, children that are transgressors, you have forsaken the Lord. And again elsewhere, when the same prophet speaks in like manner from the person of the Father, What is the house that you will build for Me? Says the Lord. The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Isaiah 66:1 And again, in another place, Your new moons and your sabbaths My soul hates; and the great day of the fast and of ceasing from labour I cannot away with; nor, if you come to be seen of Me, will I hear you: your hands are full of blood; and if you bring fine flour, it is vain. Incense is an abomination unto Me: the fat of lambs and the blood of bulls I do not desire. For who has required this at your hands? But loose every bond of wickedness, tear asunder the tight knots of violent contracts, cover the houseless and naked, deal your bread to the hungry. Isaiah 1:14, Isaiah 58:6 What kind of things are taught through the prophets from [the person of] God, you can now perceive. – Justin Martyr, First Apology, chapter 37

“And the offering of fine flour, sirs,” I said, “which was prescribed to be presented on behalf of those purified from leprosy, was a type of the bread of the Eucharist, the celebration of which our Lord Jesus Christ prescribed, in remembrance of the suffering which He endured on behalf of those who are purified in soul from all iniquity, in order that we may at the same time thank God for having created the world, with all things therein, for the sake of man, and for delivering us from the evil in which we were, and for utterly overthrowing principalities and powers by Him who suffered according to His will. Hence God speaks by the mouth of Malachi, one of the twelve as I said before, about the sacrifices at that time presented by you: I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord; and I will not accept your sacrifices at your hands: for, from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, My name has been glorified among the Gentiles, and in every place incense is offered to My name, and a pure offering: for My name is great among the Gentiles, saith the Lord: but ye profane it.’ [So] He then speaks of those Gentiles, namely us, who in every place offer sacrifices to Him, i.e., the bread of the Eucharist, and also the cup of the Eucharist, affirming both that we glorify His name, and that you profane [it]. – Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, chapter 41

[Anyone who would suggest that God simply disapproved of the people offering the sacrifice and not the sacrifice itself is ignoring the plain fact that the sacrifice has changed. Otherwise, you should be offering animal sacrifices.]

But if this idea take possession of some one, that if we acknowledge God as our helper, we should not, as we say, be oppressed and persecuted by the wicked; this, too, I will solve. God, when He had made the whole world, and subjected things earthly to man, and arranged the heavenly elements for the increase of fruits and rotation of the seasons, and appointed this divine law — for these things also He evidently made for man — committed the care of men and of all things under heaven to angels whom He appointed over them. But the angels transgressed this appointment, and were captivated by love of women, and begot children who are those that are called demons; and besides, they afterwards subdued the human race to themselves, partly by magical writings, and partly by fears and the punishments they occasioned, and partly by teaching them to offer sacrifices, and incense, and libations, of which things they stood in need after they were enslaved by lustful passions; and among men they sowed murders, wars, adulteries, intemperate deeds, and all wickedness. – Justin Martyr, Second Apology, chapter 5

Athenagoras (175)

But, as most of those who charge us with atheism, and that because they have not even the dreamiest conception of what God is, and are doltish and utterly unacquainted with natural and divine things, and such as measure piety by the rule of sacrifices, charges us with not acknowledging the same gods as the cities, be pleased to attend to the following considerations, O emperors, on both points. And first, as to our not sacrificing: the Framer and Father of this universe does not need blood, nor the odour of burnt-offerings, nor the fragrance of flowers and incense, forasmuch as He is Himself perfect fragrance, needing nothing either within or without; but the noblest sacrifice to Him is for us to know who stretched out and vaulted the heavens, and fixed the earth in its place like a centre, who gathered the water into seas and divided the light from the darkness, who adorned the sky with stars and made the earth to bring forth seed of every kind, who made animals and fashioned man. When, holding God to be this Framer of all things, who preserves them in being and superintends them all by knowledge and administrative skill, we lift up holy hands to Him, what need has He further of a hecatomb? – Athenagoras, A Plea for the Christians, chapter 13

Tatian the Syrian (160 AD):

For what reason, men of Greece, do you wish to bring the civil powers, as in a pugilistic encounter, into collision with us? And, if I am not disposed to comply with the usages of some of them, why am I to be abhorred as a vile miscreant? Does the sovereign order the payment of tribute, I am ready to render it. Does my master command me to act as a bondsman and to serve, I acknowledge the serfdom. Man is to be honoured as a fellow-man; God alone is to be feared,—He who is not visible to human eyes, nor comes within the compass of human art. Only when I am commanded to deny Him, will I not obey, but will rather die than show myself false and ungrateful. Our God did not begin to be in time: He alone is without beginning, and He Himself is the beginning of all things. God is a Spirit, not pervading matter, but the Maker of material spirits, and of the forms that are in matter; He is invisible, impalpable, being Himself the Father of both sensible and invisible things. Him we know from His creation, and apprehend His invisible power by His works. I refuse to adore that workmanship which He has made for our sakes. The sun and moon were made for us: how, then, can I adore my own servants? How can I speak of stocks and stones as gods? For the Spirit that pervades matter is inferior to the more divine spirit; and this, even when assimilated to the soul, is not to be honoured equally with the perfect God. Nor even ought the ineffable God to be presented with gifts; for He who is in want of nothing is not to be misrepresented by us as though He were indigent. But I will set forth our views more distinctly. – Tatian Address to the Greeks Chapter 4

Irenaeus (180):

Thus, too, He imposed upon the [Jewish] people the construction of the tabernacle, the building of the temple, the election of the Levites, sacrifices also, and oblations, legal monitions, and all the other service of the law. He does Himself truly want none of these things, for He is always full of all good, and had in Himself all the odour of kindness, and every perfume of sweet-smelling savours, even before Moses existed. Moreover, He instructed the people, who were prone to turn to idols, instructing them by repeated appeals to persevere and to serve God, calling them to the things of primary importance by means of those which were secondary; that is, to things that are real, by means of those that are typical; and by things temporal, to eternal; and by the carnal to the spiritual; and by the earthly to the heavenly; as was also said to Moses, You shall make all things after the pattern of those things which you saw in the mount (Exodus 25:40). For during forty days He was learning to keep [in his memory] the words of God, and the celestial patterns, and the spiritual images, and the types of things to come; as also Paul says: For they drank of the rock which followed them: and the rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:11). And again, having first mentioned what are contained in the law, he goes on to say: Now all these things happened to them in a figure; but they were written for our admonition, upon whom the end of the ages has come. For by means of types they learned to fear God, and to continue devoted to His service. – Irenaeus, Against Heresies, book 4, chapter 14.3 – Irenaeus, Against Heresies, book 4, chapter 14.3

For it was not because He was angry, like a man, as many venture to say, that He rejected their sacrifices; but out of compassion to their blindness, and with the view of suggesting to them the true sacrifice, by offering which they shall appease God, that they may receive life from Him. As He elsewhere declares: “The sacrifice to God is an afflicted heart: a sweet savour to God is a heart glorifying Him who formed it.” For if, when angry, He had repudiated these sacrifices of theirs, as if they were persons unworthy to obtain His compassion, He would not certainly have urged these same things upon them as those by which they might be saved. But inasmuch as God is merciful, He did not cut them off from good counsel. For after He had said by Jeremiah, “To what purpose bring ye Me incense from Saba, and cinnamon from a far country? Your whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices are not acceptable to Me;” He proceeds: “Hear the word of the Lord, all Judah. These things saith the Lord, the God of Israel, Make straight your ways and your doings, and I will establish you in this place. Put not your trust in lying words, for they will not at all profit you, saying, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, it is [here].” – Irenaeus, Against Heresies, book 4, chapter 17.2

He declares by this same Jeremiah: “Thus saith the Lord; Collect together your burnt-offerings with your sacrifices and eat flesh. For I spake not unto your fathers nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices: but this word I commanded them, saying, Hear My voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be My people; and walk in all My ways whatsoever I have commanded you, that it may be well with you. But they obeyed not, nor hearkened; but walked in the imaginations of their own evil heart, and went backwards, and not forwards.” And again, when He declares by the same man, “But let him that glorieth, glory in this, to understand and know that I am the Lord, who doth exercise loving-kindness, and righteousness, and judgment in the earth;” He adds, “For in these things I delight, says the Lord,” but not in sacrifices, nor in holocausts, nor in oblations. For the people did not receive these precepts as of primary importance (principaliter), but as secondary, and for the reason already alleged, as Isaiah again says: “Thou hast not [brought to] Me the sheep of thy holocaust, nor in thy sacrifices hast thou glorified Me: thou hast not served Me in sacrifices, nor in [the matter of] frankincense hast thou done anything laboriously; neither hast thou bought for Me incense with money, nor have I desired the fat of thy sacrifices; but thou hast stood before Me in thy sins and in thine iniquities.” He says, therefore, “Upon this man will I look, even upon him that is humble, and meek, and who trembles at My words.” “For the fat and the fat flesh shall not take away from thee thine unrighteousness.” “This is the fast which I have chosen, saith the Lord. Loose every band of wickedness, dissolve the connections of violent agreements, give rest to those that are shaken, and cancel every unjust document. Deal thy bread to the hungry willingly, and lead into thy house the roofless stranger. If thou hast seen the naked, cover him, and thou shalt not despise those of thine own flesh and blood (domesticos seminis tui). Then shall thy morning light break forth, and thy health shall spring forth more speedily; and righteousness shall go before thee, and the glory of the Lord shall surround thee: and whilst thou art yet speaking, I will say, Behold, here I am.” And Zechariah also, among the twelve prophets, pointing out to the people the will of God, says: “These things does the Lord Omnipotent declare: Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassion each one to his brother. And oppress not the widow, and the orphan, and the proselyte, and the poor; and let none imagine evil against your brother in his heart.” And again, he says: “These are the words which ye shall utter. Speak ye the truth every man to his neighbour, and execute peaceful judgment in your gates, and let none of you imagine evil in his heart against his brother, and ye shall not love false swearing: for all these things I hate, saith the Lord Almighty.” Moreover, David also says in like manner: “What man is there who desireth life, and would fain see good days? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile. Shun evil, and do good: seek peace, and pursue it.” – Irenaeus, Against Heresies, book 4, chapter 17.3

Again, giving directions to His disciples to offer to God the first-fruits of His own, created things—not as if He stood in need of them, but that they might be themselves neither unfruitful nor ungrateful—He took that created thing, bread, and gave thanks, and said, “This is My body.” And the cup likewise, which is part of that creation to which we belong, He confessed to be His blood, and taught the new oblation of the new covenant; which the Church receiving from the apostles, offers to God throughout all the world, to Him who gives us as the means of subsistence the first-fruits of His own gifts in the New Testament, concerning which Malachi, among the twelve prophets, thus spoke beforehand: “I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord Omnipotent, and I will not accept sacrifice at your hands. For from the rising of the sun, unto the going down [of the same], My name is glorified among the Gentiles, and in every place incense is offered to My name, and a pure sacrifice; for great is My name among the Gentiles, saith the Lord Omnipotent;” —indicating in the plainest manner, by these words, that the former people [the Jews] shall indeed cease to make offerings to God, but that in every place sacrifice shall be offered to Him, and that a pure one; and His name is glorified among the Gentiles. – Irenaeus, Against Heresies, book 4, chapter 17

But what other name is there which is glorified among the Gentiles than that of our Lord, by whom the Father is glorified, and man also? And because it is [the name] of His own Son, who was made man by Him, He calls it His own. Just as a king, if he himself paints a likeness of his son, is right in calling this likeness his own, for both these reasons, because it is [the likeness] of his son, and because it is his own production; so also does the Father confess the name of Jesus Christ, which is throughout all the world glorified in the Church, to be His own, both because it is that of His Son, and because He who thus describes it gave Him for the salvation of men. Since, therefore, the name of the Son belongs to the Father, and since in the omnipotent God the Church makes offerings through Jesus Christ, He says well on both these grounds, “And in every place incense is offered to My name, and a pure sacrifice.” Now John, in the Apocalypse, declares that the “incense” is “the prayers of the saints.” – Irenaeus, Against Heresies, book 4, chapter 17

The oblation of the Church, therefore, which the Lord gave instructions to be offered throughout all the world, is accounted with God a pure sacrifice, and is acceptable to Him; not that He stands in need of a sacrifice from us, but that he who offers is himself glorified in what he does offer, if his gift be accepted. For by the gift both honour and affection are shown forth towards the King; and the Lord, wishing us to offer it in all simplicity and innocence, did express Himself thus: Therefore, when you offer your gift upon the altar, and shall remember that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then return and offer your gift (Matthew 5:23-24). We are bound, therefore, to offer to God the first-fruits of His creation, as Moses also says, You shall not appear in the presence of the Lord your God empty (Deuteronomy 16:16), so that man, being accounted as grateful, by those things in which he has shown his gratitude, may receive that honour which flows from Him. – Irenaeus, Against Heresies, book 4, chapter 18.1

And the class of oblations in general has not been set aside; for there were both oblations there [among the Jews], and there are oblations here [among the Christians]. Sacrifices there were among the people; sacrifices there are, too, in the Church: but the species alone has been changed, inasmuch as the offering is now made, not by slaves, but by freemen. For the Lord is [ever] one and the same; but the character of a servile oblation is peculiar [to itself], as is also that of freemen, in order that, by the very oblations, the indication of liberty may be set forth. For with Him there is nothing purposeless, nor without signification, nor without design. And for this reason they (the Jews) had indeed the tithes of their goods consecrated to Him, but those who have received liberty set aside all their possessions for the Lord’s purposes, bestowing joyfully and freely not the less valuable portions of their property, since they have the hope of better things [hereafter]; as that poor widow acted who cast all her living into the treasury of God. – Irenaeus, Against Heresies, book 4, chapter 18.2

[The species of sacrifice has been changed. No longer are animals offered, but our bodies and Christ’s body. No longer is incensed offered, but pure prayers.]

Inasmuch, then, as the Church offers with single-mindedness, her gift is justly reckoned a pure sacrifice with God. As Paul also says to the Philippians, “I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things that were sent from you, the odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, pleasing to God (Philippians 4:18).” For it behooves us to make an oblation to God, and in all things to be found grateful to God our Maker, in a pure mind, and in faith without hypocrisy, in well-grounded hope, in fervent love, offering the first-fruits of His own created things. And the Church alone offers this pure oblation to the Creator, offering to Him, with giving of thanks, [the things taken] from His creation. But the Jews do not offer thus: for their hands are full of blood; for they have not received the Word, Who is offered to God. – Irenaeus, Against Heresies, book 4, chapter 18.4

Then, again, how can they say that the flesh, which is nourished with the body of the Lord and with His blood, goes to corruption, and does not partake of life? Let them, therefore, either alter their opinion, or cease from offering the things just mentioned. But our opinion is in accordance with the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn establishes our opinion. For we offer to Him His own, announcing consistently the fellowship and union of the flesh and Spirit. For as the bread, which is produced from the earth, when it receives the invocation of God, is no longer common bread, but the Eucharist, consisting of two realities, earthly and heavenly; so also our bodies, when they receive the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, having the hope of the resurrection to eternity. – Irenaeus, Against Heresies, book 4, chapter 18.5

Now we make offering to Him, not as though He stood in need of it, but rendering thanks for His gift, and thus sanctifying what has been created…. As, therefore, He does not stand in need of these [services], yet does desire that we should render them for our own benefit, lest we be unfruitful; so did the Word give to the people that very precept as to the making of oblations, although He stood in no need of them, that they might learn to serve God: thus is it, therefore, also His will that we, too, should offer a gift at the altar, frequently and without intermission. The altar, then, is in heaven (for towards that place are our prayers and oblations directed); the temple likewise [is there], as John says in the Apocalypse, And the temple of God was opened (Revelation 11:19): the tabernacle also: For, behold, He says, the tabernacle of God, in which He will dwell with men. – Irenaeus, Against Heresies, book 4, chapter 18.6

Those who have become acquainted with the secondary (i.e., under Christ) constitutions of the apostles, are aware that the Lord instituted a new oblation in the new covenant, according to [the declaration of] Malachi the prophet. “For, from the rising of the sun even to the setting my name has been glorified among the Gentiles, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure sacrifice;” (Malachi 1:11) as John also declares in the Apocalypse: The incense is the prayers of the saints. Then again, Paul exhorts us to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1 And again, Let us offer the sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of the lips. Hebrews 13:15 Now those oblations are not according to the law, the handwriting of which the Lord took away from the midst by cancelling it; Colossians 2:14 but they are according to the Spirit, for we must worship God in spirit and in truth. John 4:24 And therefore the oblation of the Eucharist is not a carnal one, but a spiritual; and in this respect it is pure. For we make an oblation to God of the bread and the cup of blessing, giving Him thanks in that He has commanded the earth to bring forth these fruits for our nourishment. And then, when we have perfected the oblation, we invoke the Holy Spirit, that He may exhibit this sacrifice, both the bread the body of Christ, and the cup the blood of Christ, in order that the receivers of these antitypes may obtain remission of sins and life eternal. Those persons, then, who perform these oblations in remembrance of the Lord, do not fall in with Jewish views, but, performing the service after a spiritual manner, they shall be called sons of wisdom. – Irenaeus, Fragments from the Lost Writings of Irenaeus, chapter 37

Clement of Alexandria (195)

Again, Moses, not allowing altars and temples to be constructed in many places, but raising one temple of God, announced that the world was only-begotten, as Basilides says, and that God is one, as does not as yet appear to Basilides. And since the gnostic Moses does not circumscribe within space Him that cannot be circumscribed, he set up no image in the temple to be worshipped; showing that God was invisible, and incapable of being circumscribed; and somehow leading the Hebrews to the conception of God by the honour for His name in the temple. Further, the Word, prohibiting the constructing of temples and all sacrifices, intimates that the Almighty is not contained in anything, by what He says: What house will you build to Me? Says the Lord . Heaven is my throne” (Isaiah 66:1), and so on. Similarly respecting sacrifices: I do not desire the blood of bulls and the fat of lambs, and what the Holy Spirit by the prophet in the sequel forbids.

Most excellently, therefore, Euripides accords with these, when he writes:—

What house constructed by the workmen’s hands,
With folds of walls, can clothe the shape divine?

And of sacrifices he thus speaks:—

For God needs nought, if He is truly God.
These of the minstrels are the wretched myths.

For it was not from need that God made the world; that He might reap honours from men and the other gods and demons, winning a kind of revenue from creation, and from us, fumes, and from the gods and demons, their proper ministries, says Plato. Most instructively, therefore, says Paul in the Acts of the Apostles: The God that made the world, and all things in it, being the Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands; neither is worshipped by men’s hands, as if He needed anything; seeing that it is He Himself that gives to all breath, and life, and all things. Acts 17:24-25 And Zeno, the founder of the Stoic sect, says in this book of the Republic, that we ought to make neither temples nor images; for that no work is worthy of the gods. And he was not afraid to write in these very words: There will be no need to build temples. For a temple is not worth much, and ought not to be regarded as holy. For nothing is worth much, and holy, which is the work of builders and mechanics. Rightly, therefore, Plato too, recognising the world as God’s temple, pointed out to the citizens a spot in the city where their idols were to be laid up. Let not, then, any one again, he says, consecrate temples to the gods. For gold and silver in other states, in the case of private individuals and in the temples, is an invidious possession; and ivory, a body which has abandoned the life, is not a sacred votive offering; and steel and brass are the instruments of wars.” – Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, book 5, chapter 11

What means a fast, then? Lo, this is the fast which I have chosen, says the Lord. Loose every band of wickedness. Dissolve the knots of oppressive contracts. Let the oppressed go free, and tear every unjust bond. Break your bread to the hungry; and lead the houseless poor into your house. If you see the naked cover him. Isaiah 57:6-7 About sacrifices too: To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me? Says the Lord. I am full of burnt-offerings and of rams; and the fat of lambs, and the blood of bulls and kids I do not wish; nor that you should come to appear before me. Who has required this at your hands? You shall no more tread my court. If you bring fine flour, the vain oblation is an abomination to me. Your new moons and your sabbaths I cannot away with. Isaiah 1:11-14 How, then, shall I sacrifice to the Lord? The sacrifice of the Lord is, He says, a broken heart. How, then, shall I crown myself, or anoint with ointment, or offer incense to the Lord? An odour of a sweet fragrance, it is said, is the heart that glorifies Him who made it. These are the crowns and sacrifices, aromatic odours, and flowers of God. – The Instructor, book 3, chapter 12

Ointment being smooth oil, do you not think that it is calculated to render noble manners effeminate? Certainly. And as we have abandoned luxury in taste, so certainly do we renounce voluptuousness in sights and odours; lest through the senses, as through unwatched doors, we unconsciously give access into the soul to that excess which we have driven away. If, then, we say that the Lord, the great High Priest, offers to God the incense of sweet fragrance, let us not imagine that this is a sacrifice and sweet fragrance of incense; but let us understand it to mean, that the Lord lays the acceptable offering of love, the spiritual fragrance, on the altar. – The Instructor, book 2, chapter 8

Such is the vision attainable by “the pure in heart.” This is the function of the Gnostic, who has been perfected, to have converse with God through the great High Priest, being made like the Lord, up to the measure of his capacity, in the whole service (latria) of God, which tends to the salvation of men, through care of the beneficence which has us for its object; and on the other side through worship, through teaching and through beneficence in deeds. The Gnostic even forms and creates himself; and besides also, he, like to God, adorns those who hear him; assimilating as far as possible the moderation which, arising from practice, tends to impassibility, to Him who by nature possesses impassibility; and especially having uninterrupted converse and fellowship with the Lord. Mildness, I think, and philanthropy, and eminent piety, are the rules of gnostic assimilation. I affirm that these virtues “are a sacrifice acceptable in the sight of God” (Philippians 4:18); Scripture alleging that “the humble heart with right knowledge is the holocaust of God;” each man who is admitted to holiness being illuminated in order to indissoluble union. – Stromata, book 7, Chapter 3

For the sacrifice of the Church is the word breathing as incense from holy souls, the sacrifice and the whole mind being at the same time unveiled to God. Now the very ancient altar in Delos they celebrated as holy; which alone, being undefiled by slaughter and death, they say Pythagoras approached. And will they not believe us when we say that the righteous soul is the truly sacred altar, and that incense arising from it is holy prayer? But I believe sacrifices were invented by men to be a pretext for eating flesh. But without such idolatry he who wished might have partaken of flesh. For the sacrifices of the Law express figuratively the piety which we practice, as the turtle-dove and the pigeon offered for sins point out that the cleansing of the irrational part of the soul is acceptable to God…. Wherefore we ought to offer to God sacrifices not costly, but such as He loves. And that compounded incense which is mentioned in the Law, is that which consists of many tongues and voices in prayer, or rather of different nations and natures, prepared by the gift vouchsafed in the dispensation for the unity of the faith, and brought together in praises, with a pure mind, and just and right conduct, from holy works and righteous prayer. – Stromata, book 7, Chapter 6

Now the excellence of knowledge is evidently presented by the prophet when he says, Benignity, and instruction, and knowledge teach me, magnifying the supremacy of perfection by a climax. He is, then, the truly kingly man; he is the sacred high priest of God. And this is even now observed among the most sagacious of the Barbarians, in advancing the sacerdotal caste to the royal power. He, therefore, never surrenders himself to the rabble that rules supreme over the theatres, and gives no admittance even in a dream to the things which are spoken, done, and seen for the sake of alluring pleasures; neither, therefore, to the pleasures of sight, nor the various pleasures which are found in other enjoyments, as costly incense and odours, which bewitch the nostrils, or preparations of meats, and indulgences in different wines, which ensnare the palate, or fragrant bouquets of many flowers, which through the senses effeminate the soul. But always tracing up to God the grave enjoyment of all things, he offers the first-fruits of food, and drink, and ointments to the Giver of all, acknowledging his thanks in the gift and in the use of them by the Word given to him. – Stromata, book 7, Chapter 7

Tertullian (197-211)

But let the universal names of crimes withdraw to the specialities of their own works; let idolatry remain in that which it is itself. Sufficient to itself is a name so inimical to God, a substance of crime so copious, which reaches forth so many branches, diffuses so many veins, that from this name, for the greatest part, is drawn the material of all the modes in which the expansiveness of idolatry has to be foreguarded against by us, since in manifold wise it subverts the servants of God; and this not only when unperceived, but also when cloaked over. Most men simply regard idolatry as to be interpreted in these senses alone: if one burn incense, or immolate a victim, or give a sacrificial banquet, or be bound to some sacred functions or priesthoods; just as if one were to regard adultery as to be accounted in kisses, and in embraces, and in actual fleshly contact; or murder as to be reckoned only in the shedding forth of blood, and in the actual taking away of life. – Tertullian, On Idolatry, Chapter 2

I am His servant, and serve Him only, and for whose service I am killed all the day long, and to whom I offer that noble and greatest of sacrifices which He has commanded, a prayer which comes from a chaste body, an innocent soul, and a sanctified spirit; not a farthing’s worth of frankincense, not the tears of an Arabian tree, or two drops of wine; not the blood of a discarded bull worn out with age. – Tertullian, The Apology, chapter 30

But if I do not frequent your religious ceremonies, I am still on the sacred day a man. I do not at the Saturnalia bathe myself at dawn, that I may not lose both day and night; yet I bathe at a decent and healthful hour, which preserves me both in heat and blood. I can be rigid and pallid like you after ablution when I am dead. I do not recline in public at the feast of Bacchus, after the manner of the beast-fighters at their final banquet. Yet of your resources I partake, wherever I may chance to eat. I do not buy a crown for my head. What matters it to you how I use them, if nevertheless the flowers are purchased? I think it more agreeable to have them free and loose, waving all about. Even if they are woven into a crown, we smell the crown with our nostrils: let those look to it who scent the perfume with their hair. We do not go to your spectacles; yet the articles that are sold there, if I need them, I will obtain more readily at their proper places. We certainly buy no frankincense. If the Arabias complain of this, let the Sabæans be well assured that their more precious and costly merchandise is expended as largely in the burying of Christians as in the fumigating of the gods. At any rate, you say, the temple revenues are every day falling off: how few now throw in a contribution! In truth, we are not able to give alms both to your human and your heavenly mendicants; nor do we think that we are required to give any but to those who ask for it. – Tertullian, The Apology, chapter 42

They [the theater and arena] resemble each other also in their pomp, having the same procession to the scene of their display from temples and altars, and that mournful profusion of incense and blood…. – Tertullian, The Shows, chapter 10

The substances are themselves as creatures of God without impurity, and in this their native state are free to the use of all; but the ministries to which in their use they are devoted, makes all the difference; for I, too, kill a cock for myself, just as Socrates did for Æsculapius; and if the smell of some place or other offends me, I burn the Arabian product myself, but not with the same ceremony, nor in the same dress, nor with the same pomp, with which it is done to idols. If the creature is defiled by a mere word, as the apostle teaches, But if any one say, “This is offered in sacrifice to idols,” you must not touch it (1 Corinthians 10:28), much more when it is polluted by the dress, and rites, and pomp of what is offered to the gods. – Tertullian, On The Crown, chapter 10

No wonder, therefore, if you slay the same victims and burn the same odours for your dead as you do for your gods. What excuse can be found for that insolence which classes the dead of whatever sort as equal with the gods? – Tertullian, To the Nations, chapter 10

If no law of God had prohibited idols to be made by us; if no voice of the Holy Spirit uttered general menace no less against the makers than the worshippers of idols; from our sacrament itself we would draw our interpretation that arts of that kind are opposed to the faith. For how have we renounced the devil and his angels, if we make them? What divorce have we declared from them, I say not with whom, but dependent on whom, we live? What discord have we entered into with those to whom we are under obligation for the sake of our maintenance? Can you have denied with the tongue what with the hand you confess? Unmake by word what by deed you make? Preach one God, you who make so many? Preach the true God, you who make false ones? “I make,” says one, “but I worship not;” as if there were some cause for which he dare not worship, besides that for which he ought not also to make,—the offence done to God, namely, in either case. Nay, you who make, that they may be able to be worshipped, do worship; and you worship, not with the spirit of some worthless perfume, but with your own; nor at the expense of a beast’s soul, but of your own. To them you immolate your ingenuity; to them you make your sweat a libation; to them you kindle the torch of your forethought. More are you to them than a priest, since it is by your means they have a priest; your diligence is their divinity. Do you affirm that you worship not what you make? Ah! But they affirm not so, to whom you slay this fatter, more precious and greater victim, your salvation. – Tertullian, On Idolatry, chapter 6

But, however, that science has been allowed until the Gospel, in order that after Christ’s birth no one should thence forward interpret any one’s nativity by the heaven. For they therefore offered to the then-infant Lord that frankincense and myrrh and gold, to be, as it were, the close of worldly sacrifice and glory, which Christ was about to do away. What, then? The dream — sent, doubtless, of the will of God— suggested to the same Magi, namely, that they should go home, but by another way, not that by which they came. It means this: that they should not walk in their ancient path. Not that Herod should not pursue them, who in fact did not pursue them; unwitting even that they had departed by another way, since he was withal unwitting by what way they came. Just so we ought to understand by it the right Way and Discipline. And so the precept was rather, that thence forward they should walk otherwise. – Tertullian, On Idolatry, Chapter 9

We therefore sacrifice for the emperor’s safety, but to our God and his, and after the manner God has enjoined, in simple prayer. For God, Creator of the universe, has no need of odours or of blood. These things are the food of devils. – Tertullian, To Scapula, chapter 2

For this is the spiritual victim (1 Peter 2:5) which has abolished the pristine sacrifices. “To what purpose,” says He, “(do you bring) me the multitude of your sacrifices? I am full of holocausts of rams, and I desire not the fat of rams, and the blood of bulls and of goats. For who has required these from your hands?” What, then, God has required the Gospel teaches. “An hour will come,” says He, “when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and truth. For God is a Spirit, and accordingly requires His adorers to be such” (John 4:23-24). We are the true adorers and the true priests, who, praying in spirit, sacrifice; in spirit, prayer — a victim proper and acceptable to God, which assuredly He has required, which He has looked forward to for Himself! This victim, devoted from the whole heart, fed on faith, tended by truth, entire in innocence, pure in chastity, garlanded with love, we ought to escort with the pomp of good works, amid psalms and hymns, unto God’s altar, to obtain for us all things from God. – Tertullian, On Prayer, chapter 28

Whatever had been in bygone days, has either been quite changed (demutatum), as circumcision; or else completed (suppletum), as the rest of the Law; or else fulfilled, as Prophecy; or else perfected, as faith itself. For the new grace of God has renewed all things from carnal unto spiritual, by superinducing the Gospel, the obliterator of the whole ancient bygone system. – Tertullian, On Prayer, chapter 1

As for the burdensome sacrifices also, and the troublesome scrupulousness of their ceremonies and oblations, no one should blame them, as if God specially required them for Himself: for He plainly asks, “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me?” and, “Who has required them at your hand?” Isaiah 1:11-12 But he should see herein a careful provision on God’s part, which showed His wish to bind to His own religion a people who were prone to idolatry and transgression by that kind of services wherein consisted the superstition of that period; that He might call them away therefrom, while requesting it to be performed to Himself, as if He desired that no sin should be committed in making idols. – Tertullian, Against Marcion, book 2, chapter 18

Behold, here is a more kindred fore-judgment: if a purveyor of the public victims come over to the faith, will you permit him to remain permanently in that trade? Or if one who is already a believer shall have undertaken that business, will you think that he is to be retained in the Church? No, I take it; unless any one will dissemble in the case of a frankincense-seller too. In truth, the agency of blood pertains to some, that of odours to others. If, before idols were in the world, idolatry, hitherto shapeless, used to be transacted by these wares; if, even now, the work of idolatry is perpetrated, for the most part, without the idol, by burnings of odours; the frankincense-seller is a something even more serviceable even toward demons, for idolatry is more easily carried on without the idol, than without the ware of the frankincense-seller. Let us interrogate thoroughly the conscience of the faith itself. With what mouth will a Christian frankincense-seller, if he shall pass through temples, with what mouth will he spit down upon and blow out the smoking altars, for which himself has made provision? With what consistency will he exorcise his own foster-children, to whom he affords his own house as store-room? Indeed, if he shall have ejected a demon, let him not congratulate himself on his faith, for he has not ejected an enemy; he ought to have had his prayer easily granted by one whom he is daily feeding. No art, then, no profession, no trade, which administers either to equipping or forming idols, can be free from the title of idolatry; unless we interpret idolatry to be altogether something else than the service of idol-tendence. – Tertullian, On Idolatry, Chapter 10

The handmaid of God dwells amid alien labours [if she is married to an unbelieving husband]; and among these (labours), on all the memorial days of demons, at all solemnities of kings, at the beginning of the year, at the beginning of the month, she will be agitated by the odour of incense. And she will have to go forth (from her house) by a gate wreathed with laurel, and hung with lanterns, as from some new consistory of public lusts. – Tertullian, To His Wife, book 2, chapter 6

But since we have touched on one special point of empty observance, it will not be irksome to set our brand likewise on the other points against which the reproach of vanity may deservedly be laid; if, that is, they are observed without the authority of any precept either of the Lord, or else of the apostles. For matters of this kind belong not to religion, but to superstition, being studied, and forced, and of curious rather than rational ceremony; deserving of restraint, at all events, even on this ground, that they put us on a level with Gentiles. As, e.g., it is the custom of some to make prayer with cloaks doffed, for so do the nations approach their idols; which practice, of course, were its observance becoming, the apostles, who teach concerning the garb of prayer, would have comprehended in their instructions, unless any think that is was in prayer that Paul had left his cloak with Carpus! God, forsooth, would not hear cloaked suppliants, who plainly heard the three saints in the Babylonian king’s furnace praying in their trousers and turbans. – Tertullian, On Prayer, Chapter 15

Mark Minucius Felix (210 AD):

“I purposely pass over many things, for those that I have mentioned are already too many; and that all these, or the greater part of them, are true, the obscurity of their vile religion declares. For why do they endeavour with such pains to conceal and to cloak whatever they worship, since honourable things always rejoice in publicity, while crimes are kept secret? Why have they no altars, no temples, no acknowledged images? Why do they never speak openly, never congregate freely, unless for the reason that what they adore and conceal is either worthy of punishment, or something to be ashamed of?” – Mark Minucius Felix (210 AD) The Octavius Chapter 10

“These impure spirits, therefore—the demons—as is shown by the Magi, by the philosophers, and by Plato, consecrated under statues and images, lurk there, and by their afflatus attain the authority as of a present deity; while in the meantime they are breathed into the prophets, while they dwell in the shrines, while sometimes they animate the fibres of the entrails, control the flights of birds, direct the lots, are the cause of oracles involved in many falsehoods. For they are both deceived, and they deceive; inasmuch as they are both ignorant of the simple truth, and for their own ruin they confess not that which they know. Thus they weigh men downwards from heaven, and call them away from the true God to material things: they disturb the life, render all men unquiet; creeping also secretly into human bodies, with subtlety, as being spirits, they feign diseases, alarm the minds, wrench about the limbs; that they may constrain men to worship them, being gorged with the fumes of altars or the sacrifices of cattle, that, by remitting what they had bound, they may seem to have cured it.” – Mark Minucius Felix (210 AD) The Octavius Chapter 27

But do you think that we conceal what we worship, if we have not temples and altars? And yet what image of God shall I make, since, if you think rightly, man himself is the image of God? What temple shall I build to Him, when this whole world fashioned by His work cannot receive Him? And when I, a man, dwell far and wide, shall I shut up the might of so great majesty within one little building? Were it not better that He should be dedicated in our mind, consecrated in our inmost heart? Shall I offer victims and sacrifices to the Lord, such as He has produced for my use, that I should throw back to Him His own gift? It is ungrateful when the victim fit for sacrifice is a good disposition, and a pure mind, and a sincere judgment. Therefore he who cultivates innocence supplicates God; he who cultivates justice makes offerings to God; he who abstains from fraudulent practices propitiates God; he who snatches man from danger slaughters the most acceptable victim. These are our sacrifices, these are our rites of God’s worship; thus, among us, he who is most just is he who is most religious. – Minucius Felix (210 AD) The Octavius Chapter 32

Origen of Alexandria (235 AD):

Celsus then proceeds to say that we shrink from raising altars, statues, and temples; and this, he thinks, has been agreed upon among us as the badge or distinctive mark of a secret and forbidden society. He does not perceive that we regard the spirit of every good man as an altar from which arises an incense which is truly and spiritually sweet-smelling, namely, the prayers ascending from a pure conscience. Therefore it is said by John in the Revelation, “The odours are the prayers of saints;” and by the Psalmist, “Let my prayer come up before You as incense.” And the statues and gifts which are fit offerings to God are the work of no common mechanics, but are wrought and fashioned in us by the Word of God, to wit, the virtues in which we imitate the First-born of all creation, who has set us an example of justice, of temperance, of courage, of wisdom, of piety, and of the other virtues. In all those, then, who plant and cultivate within their souls, according to the divine word, temperance, justice, wisdom, piety, and other virtues, these excellences are their statues they raise, in which we are persuaded that it is becoming for us to honour the model and prototype of all statues: the image of the invisible God, God the Only-begotten. And again, they who put off the old man with his deeds, and put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that has created him, in taking upon them the image of Him who has created them, do raise within themselves a statue like to what the Most High God Himself desires. And as among statuaries there are some who are marvellously perfect in their art, as for example Pheidias and Polycleitus, and among painters, Zeuxis and Apelles, while others make inferior statues, and others, again, are inferior to the second-rate artists — so that, taking all together, there is a wide difference in the execution of statues and pictures — in the same way there are some who form images of the Most High in a better manner and with a more perfect skill; so that there is no comparison even between the Olympian Jupiter of Pheidias and the man who has been fashioned according to the image of God the Creator. But by far the most excellent of all these throughout the whole creation is that image in our Saviour who said, My Father is in Me. – Origen (248 AD) Against Celsus Book 8, Chapter 17

For as if in some cities a dispute should arise as to which had the finest temples, those who thought their own were the best would do their utmost to show the excellence of their own temples and the inferiority of the others,–in like manner, when they reproach us for not deeming it necessary to worship the Divine Being by raising lifeless temples, we set before them our temples, and show to such at least as are not blind and senseless, like their senseless gods, that there is no comparison between our statues and the statues of the heathen, nor between our altars, with what we may call the incense ascending from them, and the heathen altars, with the fat and blood of the victims; nor, finally, between the temples of senseless gods, admired by senseless men, who have no divine faculty for perceiving God, and the temples, statues, and altars which are worthy of God. It is not therefore true that we object to building altars, statues, and temples, because we have agreed to make this the badge of a secret and forbidden society; but we do so, because we have learnt from Jesus Christ the true way of serving God, and we shrink from whatever, under a pretence of piety, leads to utter impiety those who abandon the way marked out for us by Jesus Christ. – Origen, Against Celsus,, Book 8, Chapter 20

If there is, then, such a dangerous tendency in this direction, as even the enemy of the truth of God confesses, how much better is it to avoid all danger of giving ourselves too much up to the power of such demons, and of becoming turned aside from higher things, and suffering them to pass into oblivion through an excessive attention to the body; by entrusting ourselves to the Supreme God through Jesus Christ, who has given us such instruction, and asking of Him all help, and the guardianship of holy and good angels, to defend us from the earth-spirits intent on lust, and blood, and sacrificial odours, and strange sounds, and other sensual things! – Origen, Against Celsus,, Book 8, Chapter 60

For it is the custom of Scripture to give to “intelligent beings” the names of “spirits” and “spiritual things,” by way of distinction from those which are the objects of “sense;” as when Paul says, “But our sufficiency is of God; who hath also made us able ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life,” where by the “letter” he means that “exposition of Scripture which is apparent to the senses,” while by the “spirit” that which is the object of the “understanding.” It is the same, too, with the expression, “God is a Spirit.” And because the prescriptions of the law were obeyed both by Samaritans and Jews in a corporeal and literal manner, our Saviour said to the Samaritan woman, “The hour is coming, when neither in Jerusalem, nor in this mountain, shall ye worship the Father. God is a Spirit; and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” And by these words He taught men that God must be worshipped not in the flesh, and with fleshly sacrifices, but in the spirit. And He will be understood to be a Spirit in proportion as the worship rendered to Him is rendered in spirit, and with understanding. It is not, however, with images that we are to worship the Father, but “in truth,” which “came by Jesus Christ,” after the giving of the law by Moses. For when we turn to the Lord (and the Lord is a Spirit), He takes away the veil which lies upon the heart when Moses is read. – Origen, Against Celsus, book 6, chapter 70

It says, “And pure incense will be placed upon the setting.” The type of incense symbolizes prayer. Therefore, it is necessary to join to the loaves of faith the vigilance and purity of prayers. Pure prayer is, as the Apostle says, “Lifting up pure hands without wrath or dispute” At the same time, the sweetness of the odor makes complete that which is written, “Let my prayer be directed as incense in your sight.” If therefore anyone indeed offers prayers to God but does not have a clean conscience from evil works, this “incense” certainly appears “to be placed upon” the loaves but not completely “pure” incense. For if all incense were “pure,” the Scripture would surely not have added “pure incense placed before the Lord” over the shew bread. For do not think that the omnipotent God commanded this and consecrated this in the Law that incense be brought to him from Arabia. But this is the incense that God seeks to be offered by human beings to him, from which he receives “a pleasing odor,” prayers from a pure heart and good conscience in which God truly receives a pleasing warmth. – Origen, Homily 13 on Leviticus, chapter 5

“And he will take up a censor filled with coals of fire from the altar that is before the Lord and he will fill his hands with finely composed incense.” Indeed, our Lord did that more fully. For “he filled his hands with fine incense” about which it was written, “Let my prayer be directed as incense in your sight.” Therefore, “he filled his hands” with holy works which were done for the human race.

But why does it say “finely composed incense”? Because it is not one kind of work, but rather what is pleasing to God is made up of justice and piety, of chastity, of prudence and of all virtues of this sort. But also we do not think it useless that it added “fine.” For it does not want him who strives toward perfection to understand the word of God crassly or carnally but to examine the fine and subtle sense in these, so that if perchance he hears it is written, “You will not muzzle the mouth of the threshing ox,” he does not understand these words to be spoken about oxen – “for God is not concerned about oxen” – but about the apostles. But even if anyone can explain the reason of the providence of God which is most fine and most subtle, this one is said “to fill his hand with fine incense.” Thus, who of us is so prompt and “prepared” that he may offer “by the entrance of the high priest into the Holy of Holies finely composed incense”? For it is necessary for each of us to offer something in the tabernacle of God, something even with priestly clothing, but something also that ascends by the hand of the high priest to God himself as “a pleasing odor.”

Therefore, our high priest, the Lord and Savior, opens his hands and wants to receive from each one of us “a finely composed incense.” We must inquire into the kinds of incense.

We must seek “frankincense”  and not just any kind of frankincense but [that kind which is] clear. The high priest does not want to take something dark and sordid; he seeks something clear. But he also demands from you “galbanum” whose nature is to chase away harmful serpents by the strength of its odor. He also seeks “myrrh”; for he wants both our words and our deeds to be purified and cleansed. He also seeks “onyx”, with which a certain animal is covered as by some shield and remains unharmed. So also he wants you to be protected “with the shield of faith with which you may extinguish all the fiery darts of the evil one.” Therefore, he wants all these to be set in order by you, nothing disordered, nothing restless, nothing indecent, but he desires that “all our deeds be done orderly and honestly.”

Therefore, now our true “high priest,” Christ, also wants “his hands” to be filled “with finely composed incense.” He examines what is offered by each Church which is under heaven, how it arranges its “incense” purely and diligently; how it makes it “fine,” that is, how each of us orders his works and how each one explains the sense and the words of Scriptures by a spiritual interpretation. Nor are the ministries of angels absent from these kinds of services, “for the angels of God ascend and descend to the Son of man.” They examine and search inquisitively for what in each of us they may find to offer to God. They see and scrutinize the mind of each of us if it has something of such a nature, if it thinks something so holy that is worthy to be offered to God. They observe and consider if anyone of us “feels remorse in the heart” and turns his soul to repentance because of the things which are said in the Church, if after hearing these things he thinks “to correct his ways” and “to forget the past and to prepare himself for the future,” at least according to that most impious Ahab, about whom the Lord says, “Did you see how the heart of Ahab was touched with remorse.”  – Origen, Homily 9 on Leviticus, chapters 8-9

It follows: “And you set before their face my oil and my incense” [Ezek 16:18]. When Scripture teaches, we learn that incense stands for the prayer of the saints. For it says: “Now the incense is the prayers of the saints” [Rev 5:8]. If, then, we who have been appointed for prayer, though we ought to offer it to God-that is, to the God of the law and the prophets, “to the God of Abraham, to the God of Isaac, to the God of Jacob” [cf. Matt 22:32], and to the Father of Jesus Christ-we offer to those things that we ourselves have fabricated, to the point that we set God’s incense before idols, we are doing what is said in the present passage: “And you set before their face my oil and my incense.”8 Now let this be the interpretation of the incense. What account shall we give of the oil? Oil is that by which a holy man is anointed, the oil of Christ, the oil of holy doctrine. So then, when someone receives this oil that the saint makes use of, that is, the Scripture that lays down how he ought to be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit [cf. Matt 28: 19], and by making a few changes he anoints someone and says some such thing as: You are no longer a catechumen, you have attained to “the washing of the second birth” [Titus 3:5], such a man takes the oil and incense of God and puts it before the face of idols. – Origen, Homily 7 on Ezekiel, chapter 4

And observe how logically He has joined together the spirit and the truth: He called God a Spirit, that He might distinguish Him from bodies; and He named Him the truth, to distinguish Him from a shadow or an image. For they who worshipped in Jerusalem worshipped God neither in truth nor in spirit, being in subjection to the shadow or image of heavenly things; and such also was the case with those who worshipped on Mount Gerizim. – Origen, On First Principles, book 1, chapter 4

He connects ‘the incense’ with “the Lord did not remember.” Jeremiah 51:21 It is clear then that it is concerning the burning of incense to idols that he speaks. For when they confessed this, the preceding is put forth. However, let us also examine whether anyone who burns incense to God, since it is not necessary, becomes a cause for the land becoming desolate. Jeremiah 51:22 Even if indeed you offer the sensuous incense approved by the Jews, but you possess virtue, you offer in a good way, since you possess what is harmonious with the inner fragrance. But if you offer with evil, in the sense that you taint in some way the fragrance which is outside, you transform it into something foul-smelling. This is when it cannot be said, The Lord smelled a smell of fragrance, Genesis 8.21. but the opposite. Yet a smell of fragrance before God is not of the creatures caught by Noah, who are called clean, but of his righteousness and maturity, which he was in his generation. Genesis 7:10 For God does not enjoy blood and sacrificial odors, as the demons do. Only let us who are raised with Christ seek the things above, by taking into mind the text: “Let my prayer come as incense before you.” (Psalm 140:2) For according to John in the Apocalypse, he says, “The prayers of the holy are incense.” Revelation 5:8 But if we defile them with bad thoughts, then it corresponds with: Let their prayer arise for sin, or the reverse if we pray from righteousness.

Indeed Ketura, whom Abraham, now an old man, obtains in marriage, means thymiama which is incense or a good odor. He also, in fact, was saying, just as Paul said, “We are the good odor of Christ.” But let us see how someone becomes “the good odor of Christ.” Sin is a foul affair. In fact, sinners are compared to pigs who wallow in sins as in foul dung. And David, as a repentant sinner, says: “My sores have putrified and are abscessed.” If there is, therefore, anyone of you in whom there is now no odor of sin, but an odor of justice, the sweetness of mercy, if anyone, by praying “without ceasing” always offers incense to the Lord and says, “Let my prayer be directed as incense in your sight, the lifting up of my hands as evening sacrifice,” this man has married Ketura. – Origen, Commentary on Genesis, Homily 11

Since he is among those who say on account of sin, “My bruises have come to stink and rot from the presence of my foolishness” (Psalm 37:6), the incense becomes foul-smelling. Therefore Isaiah said: If you bring fine flour, it is in vain; incense, it is an abomination to me. (Isaiah 1:13) But how one has to pray, the Apostle taught when he said, I desire that men pray in every place by raising holy hands without anger and quarreling. 1 Timothy 2:8 When the hands of Moses were raised, Israel prevailed, but when they were lowered Amalek prevailed. Exodus 17:11 He who prays in this way does not fail, since the word bears the truth: While you are speaking, he will say: “Behold I am near.” Isaiah 58:9 Therefore the incense of the wicked, he says, the Lord can no longer bear, Jeremiah 51:22 just as we, even if we can endure some foul odor, avoid an odor which is excessive. God also then, who has a limit of forbearance, does not pursue those who do not repent. – Origen, Homilies on Jeremiah, Fragment 68 from Catena

“And that same providence which of old gave the law, and has now given the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not wishing the Jewish state to continue longer, has destroyed their city and their temple: it has abolished the worship which was offered to God in that temple by the sacrifice of victims, and other ceremonies which He had prescribed. And as it has destroyed these things, not wishing that they should longer continue” – Origen Against Celsus, Book 7, Ch.26

Gregory Thaumaturgus:

The Holy Virgin is herself both an honourable temple of God and a shrine made pure, and a golden altar of whole burnt offerings. By reason of her surpassing purity [she is] the Divine incense of oblation (προθέσεως), and oil of the holy grace, and a precious vase bearing in itself the true nard; [yea and] the priestly diadem revealing the good pleasure of God, whom she alone approacheth holy in body and soul. [She is] the door which looks eastward, and by the comings in and goings forth the whole earth is illuminated. The fertile olive from which the Holy Spirit took the fleshly slip (or twig) of the Lord, and saved the suffering race of men. She is the boast of virgins, and the joy of mothers; the declaration of archangels, even as it was spoken: “Be thou glad and rejoice, the Lord with thee”; and again, “from thee”; in order that He may make new once more the dead through sin. – Homily Concerning the Holy Mother of God, chapter 13

Cyprian:

But there cannot be felt any loss of either religion or faith, most beloved brethren, in the fact that now there is given no opportunity there to God’s priests for offering and celebrating the divine sacrifices; yea, you celebrate and offer a sacrifice to God equally precious and glorious, and that will greatly profit you for the retribution of heavenly rewards, since the sacred Scripture speaks, saying, “The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit; a contrite and humbled heart God does not despise.” You offer this sacrifice to God; you celebrate this sacrifice without intermission day and night, being made victims to God, and exhibiting yourselves as holy and unspotted offerings, as the apostle exhorts and says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God. And be not conformed to this world; but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2). – Cyprian, Letter 76, chapter 3

He, among the rest of His salutary admonitions and divine precepts wherewith He counsels His people for their salvation, Himself also gave a form of praying— Himself advised and instructed us what we should pray for. He who made us to live, taught us also to pray, with that same benignity, to wit, wherewith He has condescended to give and confer all things else; in order that while we speak to the Father in that prayer and supplication which the Son has taught us, we may be the more easily heard. Already He had foretold that the hour was coming when the true worshippers should worship the Father in spirit and in truth; and He thus fulfilled what He before promised, so that we who by His sanctification have received the Spirit and truth, may also by His teaching worship truly and spiritually. For what can be a more spiritual prayer than that which was given to us by Christ, by whom also the Holy Spirit was given to us? What praying to the Father can be more truthful than that which was delivered to us by the Son who is the Truth, out of His own mouth? So that to pray otherwise than He taught is not ignorance alone, but also sin; since He Himself has established, and said, You reject the commandments of God, that you may keep your own traditions. – Cyprian, Treatise 4 (On The Lord’s Prayer), chapter 2

The blessed Apostle Paul, when aided in the necessity of affliction by his brethren, said that good works which are performed are sacrifices to God. “I am full,” says he. “having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God” (Philippians 4:18). For when one has pity on the poor, he lends to God; and he who gives to the least gives to God — sacrifices spiritually to God an odour of a sweet smell. – Cyprian, Treatise 4, chapter 33

In Solomon: “The furnace proveth the vessels of the potter, and the trial of tribulation righteous men.” Also in the fiftieth Psalm: “The sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit; a contrite and humbled heart God will not despise.” Also in the thirty-third Psalm: “God is nearest to them that are contrite in heart, and He will save the lowly in spirit.” – Cyprian, Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews, Book 3, Chapter 6

Also in Daniel: “There was a man dwelling in Babylon whose name was Joachim; and he took a wife by name Susanna, the daughter of Helchias, a very beautiful woman, and one that feared the Lord. And her parents were righteous, and taught their daughter according to the law of Moses.” Moreover, in Daniel: “And we are lowly this day in all the earth because of our sins, and there is not at this time any prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt-offering, or oblation, or sacrifice, or incense, or place to sacrifice before Thee, and to find mercy from Thee. And yet in the soul and spirit of lowliness let us be accepted as the burnt-offerings of rams and bulls, and as it were many thousands of lambs which are fattest. If our offering may be made in Thy presence this day, their power shall be consumed, for they shall not be ashamed who put their trust in Thee. And now we follow with our whole heart, and we fear and seek Thy face. Give us not over unto reproach, but do with us according to Thy tranquillity, and according to the multitude of Thy mercy deliver us.” Cyprian, Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews, Book 3, Chapter 20

In the second book of Kings: And the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, Go and tell my servant David, Thus says the Lord, You shall not build me a house to dwell in; but it shall be, when your days shall be fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will raise up your seed after you, which shall come from your bowels, and I will make ready his kingdom. He shall build me a house in my name, and I will raise up his throne for ever; and I will be to him for a father, and he shall be to me for a son: and his house shall obtain confidence, and his kingdom for evermore in my sight. Also in the Gospel the Lord says: There shall not be left in the temple one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down. Matthew 24:2 And After three days another shall be raised up without hands.

In Isaiah: For what purpose to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? Says the Lord: I am full; I will not have the burnt sacrifices of rams, and fat of lambs, and blood of bulls and goats. For who has required these things from your hands? Isaiah 1:11-12 Also in the forty-ninth Psalm: I will not eat the flesh of bulls, nor drink the blood of goats. Offer to God the sacrifice of praise, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver you: and you shall glorify me. In the same Psalm, moreover: The sacrifice of praise shall glorify me: therein is the way in which I will show him the salvation of God. In the fourth Psalm too: Sacrifice the sacrifice of righteousness, and hope in the Lord. Likewise in Malachi: I have no pleasure concerning you, says the Lord, and I will not have an accepted offering from your hands. Because from the rising of the sun, even unto the going down of the same, my name is glorified among the Gentiles; and in every place odours of incense are offered to my name, and a pure sacrifice, because great is my name among the nations, says the Lord. – Cyprian, Treatise 12, chapters 15-16

Novation:

And although the heavenly Scripture often turns the divine appearance into a human form—as when it says, “The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous” (Psalm 34:15); or when it says, “The Lord God smelled the smell of a good savour” (Genesis 8:21); or when there are given to Moses the tables “written with the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18); or when the people of the children of Israel are set free from the land of Egypt “with a mighty hand and with a stretched out arm” (Deuteronomy 5:15); or when it says, “The mouth of the Lord has spoken these things” (Isaiah 1:20); or when the earth is set forth as God’s “footstool” (Isaiah 66:1); or when it says, “Incline your ear, and hear” (2 Chronicles 6:40)—we who say that the law is spiritual do not include within these lineaments of our bodily nature any mode or figure of the divine majesty, but diffuse that character of unbounded magnitude (so to speak) over its plains without any limit. For it is written, “If I shall ascend into heaven, You are there; if I shall descend into hell, You are there also; and if I shall take my wings, and go away across the sea, there Your hand shall lay hold of me, and Your right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:8–10). For we recognise the plan of the divine Scripture according to the proportion of its arrangement. For the prophet then was still speaking about God in parables according to the period of the faith, not as God was, but as the people were able to receive Him. And thus, that such things as these should be said about God, must be imputed not to God, but rather to the people.

Thus the people are permitted to erect a tabernacle, and yet God is not contained within the enclosure of a tabernacle. Thus a temple is reared, and yet God is not at all bounded within the restraints of a temple. It is not therefore God who is limited, but the perception of the people is limited; nor is God straitened, but the understanding of the reason of the people is held to be straitened. Finally, in the Gospel the Lord said, “The hour shall come when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem shall you worship the Father” (John 4:21); and gave the reasons, saying, “God is a Spirit; and those therefore who worship, must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). Thus the divine agencies are there exhibited by means of members; it is not the appearance of God nor the bodily lineaments that are described. For when the eyes are spoken of, it is implied that He sees all things; and when the ear, it is set forth that He hears all things; and when the finger, a certain energy of His will is opened up; and when the nostrils [are mentioned], His recognition of prayers is shown forth as of odours; and when the hand, it is proved that He is the author of every creature; and when the arm, it is announced that no nature can withstand the power of His arm; and when the feet, it is unfolded that He fills all things, and that there is not any place where God is not. – Novation, On The Trinity, Chapter 6

Victorinus of Pettau (250-302)

And when He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who were slain. He describes seeing under the altar of God—that is, beneath the earth—the souls of those who were slain. For both heaven and earth are called God’s altar, as the law says, commanding, in symbolic representation of truth, that two altars be made: a golden one within and a bronze one without. But we understand the golden altar to signify heaven, as our Lord attests to this; for He says, “When you present your gift at the altar (certainly our gifts are the prayers we offer), and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar.” Prayers undoubtedly ascend to heaven. Therefore, heaven is interpreted as the golden altar within, just as priests—those who were anointed—would enter once a year to the golden altar, the Holy Spirit signifying that Christ would do this once for all. If the golden altar is recognized as heaven, then the bronze altar represents the earth, beneath which lies Hades: a place set apart from punishments and fires, a resting place for the saints. There, the righteous can indeed be seen and heard by the wicked, but the wicked cannot cross over to them. – Victorinus, Commentary on Revelation, chapter 6.9 

Lactantius (304–313)

I have spoken of justice, what was its nature. It follows that I show what is true sacrifice to God, what is the most just manner of worshipping Him, lest any one should think that victims, or odours, or precious gifts, are desired by God, who, if He is not subject to hunger, and thirst, and cold, and desire of all earthly things, does not therefore make use of all these things which are presented in temples and to gods of earth; but as corporeal offerings are necessary for corporeal beings, so manifestly an incorporeal sacrifice is necessary for an incorporeal being. But God has no need of those things which He has given to man for his use, since all the earth is under His power: He needs not a temple, since the world is His dwelling; He needs not an image, since He is incomprehensible both to the eyes and to the mind; He needs not earthly lights, for He was able to kindle the light of the sun, with the other stars, for the use of man. What then does God require from man but worship of the mind, which is pure and holy? For those things which are made by the hands, or are outside of man, are senseless, frail, and displeasing. This is true sacrifice, which is brought forth not from the chest but from the heart; not that which is offered by the hand, but by the mind. This is the acceptable victim, which the mind sacrifices of itself. For what do victims bestow? What does incense? What do garments? What does silver? What gold? What precious stones — if there is not a pure mind on the part of the worshipper? Therefore it is justice only which God requires. In this is sacrifice; in this the worship of God, respecting which I must now speak, and show in what works justice must necessarily be contained. – Epitome of the Divine Institutes, chapter 58

But because I had said that the anger of God is not for a time only, as is the case with man, who becomes inflamed with an immediate excitement, and on account of his frailty is unable easily to govern himself, we ought to understand that because God is eternal, His anger also remains to eternity; but, on the other hand, that because He is endued with the greatest excellence, He controls His anger, and is not ruled by it, but that He regulates it according to His will. And it is plain that this is not opposed to that which has just been said. For if His anger had been altogether immortal, there would be no place after a fault for satisfaction or kind feeling, though He Himself commands men to be reconciled before the setting of the sun. But the divine anger remains for ever against those who ever sin. Therefore God is appeased not by incense or a victim, not by costly offerings, which things are all corruptible, but by a reformation of the morals: and he who ceases to sin renders the anger of God mortal. For this reason He does not immediately punish every one who is guilty, that man may have the opportunity of coming to a right mind, and correcting himself. – Lactantius, On the Anger of God chapter 21

But our religion is on this account firm, and solid, and unchangeable, because it teaches justice, because it is always with us, because it has its existence altogether in the soul of the worshipper, because it has the mind itself for a sacrifice. In that [other] religion nothing else is required but the blood of animals, and the smoke of incense, and the senseless pouring out of libations; but in this of ours, a good mind, a pure breast, an innocent life: those rites are frequented by unchaste adulteresses without any discrimination, by impudent procuresses, by filthy harlots; they are frequented by gladiators, robbers, thieves, and sorcerers, who pray for nothing else but that they may commit crimes with impunity. – Divine Institutes, Book 5, chapter 20

We ought therefore to hold forth and offer to God that alone for the receiving of which He Himself produced us. But how true this twofold kind of sacrifice is, Trismegistus Hermes is a befitting witness, who agrees with us, that is, with the prophets, whom we follow, as much in fact as in words. He thus spoke concerning justice: “Adore and worship this word, O son. But the worship of God consists of one thing, not to be wicked. Also in that perfect discourse, when he heard Asclepius inquiring from his son whether it pleased him that incense and other odours for divine sacrifice were offered to his father, exclaimed: Speak words of good omen, O Asclepius. For it is the greatest impiety to entertain any such thought concerning that being of pre-eminent goodness. For these things, and things resembling these, are not adapted to Him. For He is full of all things, as many as exist, and He has need of nothing at all. But let us give Him thanks, and adore Him. For His sacrifice consists only of blessing.” And he spoke rightly. – Divine Institutes, Book 6, chapter 25

For they worship with incense and the tips of their fingers those things which they ought to have shrunk from with their inmost feelings; and this error is altogether derived from their ignorance of the principal and chief good. – Lactantius (304–313 AD) The Divine Institutes Book 1 Chapter 20

Arnobius (305):

For you are here in the habit of fastening upon us a very serious charge of impiety because we do not rear temples for the ceremonies of worship, do not set up statues and images of any god, do not build altars, do not offer the blood of creatures slain in sacrifices, incense, nor sacrificial meal, and finally, do not bring wine flowing in libations from sacred bowls; which, indeed, we neglect to build and do, not as though we cherish impious and wicked dispositions, or have conceived any madly desperate feeling of contempt for the gods, but because we think and believe that they — if only they are true gods, and are called by this exalted name — either scorn such honours, if they give way to scorn, or endure them with anger, if they are roused by feelings of rage. – Arnobius, Against the Heathen, book 6, chapter 1

But this is what we proposed to ourselves, that as you call us impious and irreligious, and, on the other hand, maintain that you are pious and serve the gods, we should prove and make manifest that by no men are they treated with less respect than by you. But if it is proved by the very insults that it is so, it must, as a consequence, be understood that it is you who rouse the gods to fierce and terrible rage, because you either listen to or believe, or yourselves invent about them, stories so degrading. For it is not he who is anxiously thinking of religious rites, and slays spotless victims, who gives piles of incense to be burned with fire, not he must be thought to worship the deities, or alone discharge the duties of religion. True worship is in the heart, and a belief worthy of the gods; nor does it at all avail to bring blood and gore, if you believe about them things which are not only far remote from and unlike their nature, but even to some extent stain and disgrace both their dignity and virtue. – Arnobius, Against the Heathen, book 4, chapter 30

Again, it is impossible to suppose that any one believes this, because we see that of these things which are brought to their altars, nothing is added to and reaches the substance of the deities; for either incense is given, and is lost melting on the coals, or the life only of the victim is offered to the gods, and its blood is licked up by dogs; or if any flesh is placed upon the altars, it is set on fire in like manner, and is destroyed, and falls into ashes — unless perchance the god seizes upon the souls of the victims, or snuffs up eagerly the fumes and smoke which rise from the blazing altars, and feeds upon the odours which the burning flesh gives forth, still wet with blood, and damp with its former juices. – Arnobius, Against the Heathen, book 7, chapter 3

And, first, with respect to that very incense which you use, we ask this of you particularly, whence or at what you you have been able to become acquainted with it, and to know it, so that you have just reason to think that it is either worthy to be given to the gods, or most agreeable to their desires…. Whence, therefore, did its use begin to be adopted? Or what desire of novelty assailed the old and ancient custom, so that that which was not needed for so many ages took the first place in the ceremonies? For if without incense the performance of a religious service is imperfect, and if a quantity of it is necessary to make the celestials gentle and propitious to men, the ancients fell into sin, nay rather, their whole life was full of guilt, for they carelessly neglected to offer that which was most fitted to give pleasure to the gods. But if in ancient times neither men nor gods sought for this incense, it is proved that today also that is offered uselessly and in vain which antiquity did not believe necessary, but modern times desired without any reason. – Arnobius, Against the Heathen, book 7, chapter 26

Finally, that we may always abide by the rule and definition by which it has been shown and determined that whatever is done by man must have its causes, we will hold it fast here also, so as to demand of you what is the cause, what the reason, that incense is put on the altars before the very images of the deities, and that, from its being burned, they are supposed to become friendly and gentle. What do they acquire from this being done, or what reaches their minds, so that we should be fight in judging that these things are well expended, and are not consumed uselessly and in vain? For as you should show why you give incense to the gods, so, too, it follows that you should manifest that the gods have some reason for not rejecting it with disdain, nay more, for desiring it so fondly. “We honour the gods with this,” some one will perhaps say. But we are not inquiring what your feeling is, but the gods’; nor do we ask what is done by you, but how much they value what is done to purchase their favour. But yet, O piety, what or how great is this honour which is caused by the odour of a fire, and produced from the gum of a tree? For, lest you should happen not to know what this incense is, or what is its origin, it is a gum flowing from the bark of trees, just as from the almond-tree, the cherry-tree, solidifying as it exudes in drops. Does this, then, honour and magnify the celestial dignities? Or, if their displeasure has been at any you excited, is it melted away before the smoke of incense, and lulled to sleep, their anger being moderated? Why, then, do you not burn indiscriminately the juice of any tree whatever, without making any distinction? For if the deities are honoured by this, and are not displeased that Panchaean gums are burned to them, what does it matter from what the smoke proceeds on your sacred altars, or from what kind of gum the clouds of fumigation arise? – Arnobius, Against the Heathen, book 7, paragraph 27

Will any one say that incense is given to the celestials, for this reason, that it has a sweet smell, and imparts a pleasant sensation to the nose, while the rest are disagreeable, and have been set aside because of their offensiveness? Do the gods, then, have nostrils with which to breathe? Do they inhale and respire currents of air so that the qualities of different smells can penetrate them? But if we allow that this is the case, we make them subject to the conditions of humanity, and shut them out from the limits of deity; for whatever breathes and draws in draughts of air, to be sent back in the same way, must be mortal, because it is sustained by feeding on the atmosphere. But whatever is sustained by feeding on the atmosphere, if you take away the means by which communication is kept up, its life must be crushed out, and its vital principle must be destroyed and lost…. For if it is true, as is believed by the wise, that they are incorporeal, and not supported by any excellence of bodily strength, an odour is of no effect upon them, nor can reeking fumes move them by their senses, not even if you were to set on fire a thousand pounds of the finest incense, and the whole sky were clouded with the darkness of the abundant vapours. For that which does not have bodily strength and corporeal substance, cannot be touched by corporeal substance; but an odour is corporeal, as is shown by the nose when touched by one: therefore it cannot, according to reason, be felt by a deity, who has no body, and is without any feeling and thought. – Arnobius, Against the Heathen, book 7, paragraph 28

Wine is used along with incense; and of this, in like manner, we ask an explanation why it is poured upon it when burning. For if a reason is not shown for doing this, and its cause is not set forth, this action of yours must not now be attributed to a ridiculous error, but, to speak more plainly, to madness, foolishness, blindness. For, as has been already said pretty frequently, everything which is done should have its cause manifest, and not involved in any dark obscurity. – Arnobius, Against the Heathen, book 7, paragraph 29

But we rear no temples to them, and do not worship their images; we do not slay victims in sacrifice, we do not offer incense and libations of wine…. – Arnobius, The Seven BooksAgainst the Heathen, Book 6, Chapter 3

Methodius:

Now the Jews prophesied our state, but we foretell the heavenly; since the Tabernacle was a symbol of the Church, and the Church of heaven. Therefore, these things being so, and the Tabernacle being taken for a type of the Church, as I said, it is fitting that the altars should signify some of the things in the Church. And we have already compared the brazen altar to the company and circuit of widows; for they are a living altar of God, to which they bring calves and tithes, and free-will offerings, as a sacrifice to the Lord; but the golden altar within the Holy of holies, before the presence of the testimony, on which it is forbidden to offer sacrifice and libation, has reference to those in a state of virginity, as those who have their bodies preserved pure, like unalloyed gold, from carnal intercourse. Now gold is commended for two reasons: the first, that it does not rust, and the second, that in its color it seems in a measure to resemble the rays of the sun; and thus it is suitably a symbol of virginity, which does not admit any stain or spot, but ever shines forth with the light of the Word. Therefore, also, it stands nearer to God within the Holy of holies, and before the veil, with undefiled hands, like incense, offering up prayers to the Lord, acceptable as a sweet savour; as also John indicated, saying that the incense in the vials of the four-and-twenty elders were the prayers of the saints. – Banquet of the Ten Virgins (Discourse 5), chapter 8

Apostolic Constitutions:

Let the widows and orphans be esteemed as representing the altar of burnt-offering; and let the virgins be honoured as representing the altar of incense, and the incense itself. – Apostolic Constitutions, book 2, chapter 26

You therefore are blessed who are delivered from the curse, For Christ, the Son of God, by His coming has confirmed and completed the law, but has taken away the additional precepts, although not all of them, yet at least the more grievous ones; having confirmed the former, and abolished the latter, and has again set the free-will of man at liberty, not subjecting him to the penalty of a temporal death, but giving laws to him according to another constitution. Wherefore He says: If any man will come after me, let him come. Matthew 16:24 And again: Will you also go away? John 6:67 And besides, before His coming He refused the sacrifices of the people, while they frequently offered them, when they sinned against Him, and thought He was to be appeased by sacrifices, but not by repentance. For thus He speaks: Why do you bring to me frankincense from Saba, and cinnamon from a remote land? Your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices are not sweet to me. And afterwards: Gather your burnt-offerings, together with your sacrifices, and eat flesh. For I did not command you, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings and sacrifices. Jeremiah 7:21-22 And He says by Isaiah: To what purpose do you bring me a multitude of sacrifices? Says the Lord. I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, and I will not accept the fat of lambs, and the blood of bulls and of goats. Nor do you come and appear before me; for who has required these things at your hands? Do not go on to tread my courts any more. If you bring me fine flour, it is vain: incense is an abomination unto me: your new moons, and your Sabbaths, and your great day, I cannot bear them: your fasts, and your rests, and your feasts, my soul hates them; I am over-full of them. And He says by another: Depart from me; the sound of your hymns, and the psalms of your musical instruments, I will not hear. And Samuel says to Saul, when he thought to sacrifice: Obedience is better than sacrifice, and hearkening than the fat of rams. For, behold, the Lord does not so much delight in sacrifice, as in obeying Him. And He says by David: I will take no calves out of your house, nor he-goats out of your flock. If I should be hungry, I would not tell you; for the whole world is mine, and the fullness thereof. Shall I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Sacrifice to God the sacrifice of praise, and pay your vows to the Most High. And in all the Scriptures in like manner He refuses their sacrifices on account of their sinning against Him. For the sacrifices of the impious are an abomination with the Lord, since they offer them in an unlawful manner. And again: Their sacrifices are to them as bread of lamentation; all that eat of them shall be defiled. If, therefore, before His coming He sought for a clean heart and a contrite spirit more than sacrifices, much rather would He abrogate those sacrifices, I mean those by blood, when He came. Yet He so abrogated them as that He first fulfilled them. For He was both circumcised, and sprinkled, and offered sacrifices and whole burnt-offerings, and made use of the rest of their customs. And He that was the Lawgiver became Himself the fulfilling of the law; not taking away the law of nature, but abrogating those additional laws that were afterwards introduced, although not all of them neither. For He did not take away the law of nature, but confirmed it. – Apostolic Constitutions, book 6, chapter 22-23

[Question: Do you Cathodox still offer God whole burnt offerings? Why not? What about the fat of lambs and the blood of bulls and goats? What about fine flour? What about sabbaths and new moon festivals? If you’ve ceased from these things, and they’re all lumped together with incense, why are you still offering incense?]

On the day of the resurrection of the Lord, that is, the Lord’s day, assemble yourselves together, without fail, giving thanks to God, and praising Him for those mercies God has bestowed upon you through Christ, and has delivered you from ignorance, error, and bondage, that your sacrifice may be unspotted, and acceptable to God, who has said concerning His universal Church: In every place shall incense and a pure sacrifice be offered unto me; for I am a great King, says the Lord Almighty, and my name is wonderful among the heathen. – Apostolic Constitutions, book 7, chapter 30

Our eternal Saviour, the King of gods, who alone art almighty, and the Lord, the God of all beings, and the God of our holy and blameless fathers, and of those before us; the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob; who art merciful and compassionate, long-suffering, and abundant in mercy; to whom every heart is naked, and by whom every heart is seen, and to whom every secret thought is revealed: to You do the souls of the righteous cry aloud, upon You do the hopes of the godly trust, You Father of the blameless, You hearer of the supplication of those that call upon You with uprightness, and who know the supplications that are not uttered: for Your providence reaches as far as the inmost parts of mankind; and by Your knowledge You search the thoughts of every one, and in every region of the whole earth the incense of prayer and supplication is sent up to You. – Apostolic Constitutions, book 7, chapter 33

[It’s clear in this last quotation that the incense being offered up to God all around the world by the gentiles is a sacrifice of prayer, not literal incense. We reject canon 3/4 as being a later addition to the canons from sometime in the 400s.]

Eusebius:

Malachi as well contends against those of the circumcision, and speaks on behalf of the Gentiles, when he says: “I have no pleasure (in you), saith the Lord Almighty, and I will not accept a sacrifice at your hands. For from the rising of the sun even to the setting my name has been glorified among the Gentiles; and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering.” By “the incense and offering to be offered to God in every place,” what else can he mean, but that no longer in Jerusalem nor exclusively in that (sacred) place, but in every land and among all nations they will offer to the Supreme God the incense of prayer and the sacrifice called “pure,” because it is not a sacrifice of blood but of good works?

If you regard this as a mean between the other two, you will no longer suppose that perverts from Judaism necessarily fall into Hellenism, nor that those that forsake Hellenism are, therefore, Jews. Recognizing the third division in the middle, you will see it standing up on high, as if it were set on a very lofty mountain ridge, with the others left below on each side of the height. For as it [Christianity] has escaped Greek godlessness, error, superstition, unbridled lust and disorder, so it has left behind Jewish unprofitable observances, designed by Moses to meet the needs of those who were like infants and invalids. And as it stands on high, hear what it says as it proclaims the law, which suits not Jews alone, but Greeks and barbarians, and all nations under the sun:

“O man! and all the human race! the Law of Moses, beginning from one race of men, first called the whole race of the Jews, because of the promise given to their holy forefathers, to the knowledge of the one God, and released its servants from bitter slavery to the daemons. But I am the herald to all men and to the nations of the whole world of a loftier knowledge of God and holiness; I call them to live according to the ideals of those of Abraham’s day, and men still more ancient of pre-Mosaic date, with whom many of all races are recorded to have shone in holiness as lights in the world.

And again:

The Law of Moses required all who desired to be holy to speed from all directions to one definite place; but I, giving freedom to all, teach men not to look for God in a corner of the earth, nor in mountains, nor in temples made with hands, but that each should worship and adore Him at home.

And again:

The old law commanded that God should be worshipped by the sacrifice of slain beasts, of incense and fire and divers other similar external purifications. But I, introducing the rites of the soul, command that God should be glorified with a clean heart and a pure mind, in purity and a life of virtue, and by true and holy teaching.

And again:

Moses forbade the men of his time who were defiled with blood to kill; but I lay down a more perfect law for those who have him for a schoolmaster and have kept the earlier commandment—when I ordain that men must not be slaves to anger.

And once more:

The Law of Moses enacted to adulterers and the impure that they must not commit adultery, or indulge in vice, or pursue unnatural pleasures, and made death the penalty of transgression; but I do not wish my disciples even to look upon a woman with lustful desire.

And again, it said:

Thou shall not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths; but I say unto you, Swear not at all, but let your communication be Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

And again, it commanded resistance against the unjust, and reprisal, when it said:

An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth; but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thec on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And he who will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.

And again, it exhorts to love your friend, and to hate your enemies; but I in my excess of goodwill and forbearance lay down the law:

Pray for persecutors, that you may be children of your Father in heaven, who letteth his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.

And, moreover, the Mosaic Law was suited to the hardness of heart of the vulgar, gave ordinances corresponding to those under the rule of sense, and provided a form of religion, reduced and inferior to the old. But I summon all to the holy and godly life of the holy men of the earlier days. And in fine, it promises, as to children, a land flowing with milk and honey, while I make citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven those who are worthy to enter therein.

Such was the message to all nations given by the word of the new covenant by the teaching of Christ. And the Christ of God bade His disciples teach them to all nations, saying: “Go ye into all the world, and make disciples of all the nations . . . teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you.” – Eusebius, Proof of the Gospel, Book 1, chapter 6

Since then it was not possible for the nations living outside Judaea to keep these things even if they wished, our Lord and Saviour could hardly be said to have rescinded them, but was the fulfilment of the Law, and gave a proof to those who could see, that He was indeed the Christ of God foretold by the old Jewish prophets. This He did, when He gave to all nations through His own disciples enactments that suited them. And, therefore, we reject Jewish customs, on the ground that they were not laid down for us, and that it is impossible to accommodate them to the needs of the Gentiles, while we gladly accept the Jewish prophecies as containing predictions about ourselves. Thus the Saviour on the one side is our teacher, and on the other the fulfilment of the Law of Moses, and of the prophets who followed him….

He fulfilled what remained to be fulfilled in this prophecy, appearing as the second Lawgiver after Moses, giving to men the Law of the Supreme God’s true holiness. For Moses does not say simply “a prophet,” but adds “like unto me”: (“For a prophet,” he says, “shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, like unto me. Him shall ye hear”), and this can only menu that He who was foretold would be equal to Moses. And Moses was the giver of the Law of holiness of the Supreme God. So He that was foretold, to be like Moses, would probably be like him in being a Lawgiver. And though there were many prophets in later days, none of them is recorded to have been “like Moses.” For they all referred their hearers to him. Even Scripture bears witness that “a prophet has not arisen like Moses”: neither Jeremiah, nor Isaiah, nor any other of the prophets was like him, because not one of them was a Lawgiver. When the expectation was that a prophet who was also a Lawgiver like Moses should arise, Jesus Christ came giving a Law to all nations, and accomplishing what the Law could not. As He said: “it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, Thou shalt not desire to.” And, “It was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill, but I say unto you, Thou shalt not be angry.” And, “No more in Jerusalem, but in every place must you worship.” And, “Worship not with incense and sacrifices, but in spirit and in truth.” And all such things that are recorded of His teaching are surely the laws of a Lawgiver very wise and very perfect. – Eusebius, Proof of the Gospel, Book 1, chapter 7

And these unembodied and spiritual sacrifices the oracle of the prophet also proclaims, in a certain place: “Offer to God the sacrifice of praise, and give the Highest thy vows: And call upon me in the clay of thy affliction, and I will deliver thee, and thou shall glorify me.” And again:  “The lifting up of my hands is an evening sacrifice. “And once more: “The sacrifice of God is a contrite spirit.” And so all these predictions of immemorial prophecy are being fulfilled at this present time through the teaching of our Saviour among all nations. Truth bears witness with the prophetic voice with which God, rejecting the Mosaic sacrifices, foretells that the future lies with us: “Wherefore from the rising of the sun unto the setting my name shall be glorified among the nations. And in every place incense shall be offered to my name, and a pure offering.”

We sacrifice, therefore, to Almighty God a sacrifice of praise. We sacrifice the divine and holy and sacred offering. We sacrifice anew according to the new covenant the pure sacrifice. But the sacrifice to God is called “a contrite heart.”” A humble and a contrite heart thou wilt not despise.” Yes, and we offer the incense of the prophet, in every place bringing to Him the sweet-smelling fruit of the sincere Word of God, offering it in our prayers to Him. This yet another prophet teaches, who says: “Let my prayer be as incense in thy sight.”

So, then, we sacrifice and offer incense: On the one hand when we celebrate the Memorial of His great Sacrifice according to the Mysteries He delivered to us, and bring to God the Eucharist for our salvation with holy hymns and prayers; while on the other we consecrate ourselves to Him alone and to the Word His High Priest, devoted to Him in body and soul. Therefore we are careful to keep our bodies pure and undefiled from all evil, and we bring our hearts purified from every passion and stain of sin, and worship Him with sincere thoughts, real intention, and true beliefs. For these are more acceptable to Him, so we are taught, than a multitude of sacrifices offered with blood and smoke and fat. – Eusebius, Proof of the Gospel, Book 1, chapter 10

But let me now examine the third point—-whether this is the reason why they call Him a deceiver, viz. that He has not ordained that God should be honoured with sacrifices of bulls or the slaughter of unreasoning beasts, or by blood, or fire, or by incense made of earthly things. That He thought these things low and earthly and quite unworthy of the immortal nature, and judged the most acceptable and sweetest sacrifice to God to be the keeping of His own commandments. That He taught that men purified by them in body and soul, and adorned with a pure mind and holy doctrines would best reproduce the likeness of God, saying expressly: “Be ye perfect, as your Father is perfect.”

Now if any Greek is the accuser, let him realize that his accusations would not please his own teachers, who, it may be, assisted by us, for they have come after us in time, I mean after the gifts to us of our Saviour’s teaching, have expressed such sentiments as these in their writings– listen.

From Porphyry On Vegetarianism:

“To the supreme God, as a certain wise man has said, we must neither offer by fire, nor dedicate any of the things known by sense. For everything material is necessarily impure to the immaterial. Wherefore not even speech is native to Him, whether of the speaking voice, or of the voice within when defiled by the passion of the soul. By pure silence and pure thoughts of Him we will worship Him. United therefore with Him and made like Him, we must offer our own “self-discipline” as a holy sacrifice to God. That worship is at once a hymn of praise and our salvation in the passionless state of the virtue of the soul. And in the contemplation of God this sacrifice is perfected.”

From the Theology of Apollonius of Tyana:

“In this way then, I think, one would best show the proper regard for the deity, and thereby beyond all other men secure His favour and good will, if to Him, Whom we called the First God, and Who is One and separate from all others, and to Whom the rest must be acknowledged inferior, he should sacrifice nothing at all, neither kindle fire nor dedicate anything whatever that is an object of sense—-for He needs nothing even from beings that are greater than we are; nor is there any plant at all, which the earth sends up, nor animal which it, or the air, sustains, to which there is not some defilement attached—-but should ever employ towards Him only that better speech: I mean the speech which passes not through the lips, and should ask good things from the noblest of beings by what is noblest in ourselves, and this is the mind, which needs no instrument. According to this, therefore, we ought not to offer sacrifice to the great God, that is over all.” – Eusebius, Proof of the Gospel, Book 3, chapter 3

But now come, let us compare with this the same person’s (Porphyry) contrary utterances, set down by him in the book which he entitled “On Abstinence from Animal Food.” Here indeed, moved by right reasoning, he first of all confesses that we ought not to offer anything at all, either incense or sacrifice, to the God who is over all, nor yet to the divine and heavenly powers who come next to Him. – Eusebius of Caesarea, Preparation of the Gospel

“For the end, with hymns, for understanding by David,” Psalm 53:1, while according to Aquila, “For the victory-giver in psalms, with David understanding,” and according to Symmachus, “A victory-chant through psalteries concerning understanding of David.” When he flees and pursues the wilderness, he took up the instrument of the psaltery instead of a body-guard, using it indeed for the hymns he ascribed to God and using odes and spiritual psalms instead of sacrifice, while performing the spiritual liturgy through prayers instead of sweet-smelling incense. – Eusebius, Commentary on Psalms 53

And when the wild beasts and the sirens and the sparrows, having drunk of my water, change into a tame and rational nature, they will learn, since they have become my people and my chosen race, to recount my virtues, or my hymn according to Symmachus. But when these things have been so wondrously accomplished, know you, O Jacob, that you will not be worthy of my calling then, or according to Symmachus: neither did you call me, Jacob, but according to Aquila and Theodotion: and you did not call me, Jacob. For the wild beasts and the sirens and the daughters of the sparrows will bless me; but you, O Jacob, did no such thing, but you did not even deign to call upon me, but you were wearied of me according to Symmachus, but according to Aquila and Theodotion: for you have grown weary in me, although I did not make you grow weary. For whatever things indeed were thought to cause you labors, these I have already rejected, having said before: “What is the multitude of your sacrifices to me? says the Lord. I am full of the whole burnt offerings of rams and the fat of lambs and I do not desire the blood of bulls and goats.” But neither incense nor frankincense nor sacrifices nor any more of such things did I ask from you in the laws of the new covenant, which I ordained “through my servant,” “whom I have chosen,” but neither did you offer these things to me. – Eusebius of Caesarea, Commentary on Isaiah

We have understood that Simon was the author of all heresy. From his time down to the present those who have followed his heresy have feigned the sober philosophy of the Christians, which is celebrated among all on account of its purity of life. But they nevertheless have embraced again the superstitions of idols, which they seemed to have renounced; and they fall down before pictures and images of Simon himself and of the above-mentioned Helena who was with him; and they venture to worship them with incense and sacrifices and libations. – Church History, book 2, chapter 13, paragraph 6

[Question: Was anyone worshiping an image of Simon Magus in ancient times? No? Then how are these heretics “embracing again the superstition of idols?” There was never an idol of Simon Magus in ancient times, so it was impossible for anyone to offer incense to his image in ancient times. Thus, the “superstition of idols” is not the practice of bowing to an image of Simon Magus only, but the practice of bowing to ANY kind of image and offering incense to it.]

Athanasius:

Even the heathen fancy they keep festival, and the Jews hypocritically feign to do so. But the feast of the heathen He reproves, as the bread Hosea 9:4 of mourners, and He turns His face from that of the Jews, as being outcasts, saying, ‘Your new moons and your sabbaths My soul hates Isaiah 1:14.’ For actions not done lawfully and piously, are not of advantage, though they may be reputed to be so, but they rather argue hypocrisy in those who venture upon them. Therefore, although such persons feign to offer sacrifices, yet they hear from the Father, ‘Your whole burnt-offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices do not please Me; and although you bring fine flour, it is vanity, incense also is an abomination unto Me.’ For God does not need anything; and, since nothing is unclean to Him, He is full in regard to them, as He testifies, by Isaiah, saying, ‘I am full Isaiah 1:11.’ Now there was a law given about these things, for the instruction of the people, and to prefigure things to come, for Paul says to the Galatians; ‘Before faith came, we were kept guarded under the law, being shut up in the faith which should afterwards be revealed unto us; wherefore the law was our instructor in Christ, that we might be justified by faith.’ But the Jews knew not, neither did they understand, therefore they walked in the daytime as in darkness, feeling for, but not touching, the truth we possess, which [was contained] in the law; conforming to the letter, but not submitting to the spirit. And when Moses was veiled, they looked on him, but turned away their faces from him when he was uncovered. For they knew not what they read, but erroneously substituted one thing for another.

The prophet, therefore, cried against them, saying, ‘Falsehood and faithlessness have prevailed among them.’ The Lord also therefore said concerning them, ‘The strange children have dealt falsely with Me; the strange children have waxen old.’ But how gently does He reprove them, saying, ‘Had you believed Moses, you would have believed Me, for he wrote of Me John 5:46.’ But being faithless, they went on to deal falsely with the law, affirming things after their own pleasure, but not understanding the Scripture; and, further, as they had hypocritically made a pretence of the plain text of Scripture, and had confidence in this, He is angry with them, saying by Isaiah, ‘Who has required these of your hands Isaiah 1:12?’ And by Jeremiah, since they were very bold, he threatens, ‘Gather together your whole burnt-offerings with your sacrifices, and eat flesh, for I spoke not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices Jeremiah 7:21-22.’

For they did not act as was right, neither was their zeal according to law, but they rather sought their own pleasure in such days, as the prophet accuses them, beating down their bondsmen, and gathering themselves together for strifes and quarrels, and they smote the lowly with the fist, and did all things that tended to their own gratification. For this cause, they continue without a feast until the end, although they make a display now of eating flesh, out of place and out of season. For, instead of the legally-appointed lamb, they have learned to sacrifice to Baal; instead of the true unleavened bread, ‘they collect the wood, and their fathers kindle the fire, and their wives prepare the dough, that they may make cakes to the host of heaven, and pour out libations to strange gods, that they may provoke Me to anger, says the Lord.’ They have the just reward of such devices, since, although they pretend to keep the Passover, yet joy and gladness is taken from their mouth, as says Jeremiah, ‘There has been taken away from the cities of Judah, and the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of those who are glad, and the voice of those who rejoice; the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride.’ Therefore now, ‘he who among them sacrifices an ox, is as he who smites a man, and he who sacrifices a lamb is as he who kills a dog, he that offers fine flour, is as [if he offered] swine’s blood, he that gives frankincense for a memorial, is as a blasphemer.’ Isaiah 66:3 Now these things will never please God, neither thus has the word required of them. But He says, ‘These have chosen their own ways; and their abominations are what their soul delights in.’ – Athanasius, Letter 19, chapter 1-2

Therefore, the whole law did not treat of sacrifices, though there was in the law a commandment concerning sacrifices, that by means of them it might begin to instruct men and might withdraw them from idols, and bring them near to God, teaching them for that present time. Therefore neither at the beginning, when God brought the people out of Egypt, did He command them concerning sacrifices or whole burnt-offerings, nor even when they came to mount Sinai. For God is not as man, that He should be careful about these things beforehand; but His commandment was given, that they might know Him Who is truly God, and His Word, and might despise those which are falsely called gods, which are not, but appear in outward show. So He made Himself known to them in that He brought them out of Egypt, and caused them to pass through the Red Sea. But when they chose to serve Baal, and dared to offer sacrifices to those that have no existence, and forgot the miracles which were wrought in their behalf in Egypt, and thought of returning there again; then indeed, after the law, that commandment concerning sacrifices was ordained as law; so that with their mind, which at one time had meditated on those which are not, they might turn to Him Who is truly God, and learn not, in the first place, to sacrifice, but to turn away their faces from idols, and conform to what God commanded. For when He says, ‘I have not spoken concerning sacrifices, neither given commandment concerning whole burnt-offerings,’ He immediately adds, ‘But this is the thing which I commanded them, saying, Obey My voice, and I will be to you a God, and you shall be to Me a people, and you shall walk in all the ways that I command you Jeremiah 7:22-23.’ Thus then, being before instructed and taught, they learned not to do service to any one but the Lord. They attained to know what time the shadow should last, and not to forget the time that was at hand, in which no longer should the bullock of the herd be a sacrifice to God, nor the ram of the flock, nor the he-goat Exodus 12:5, but all these things should be fulfilled in a purely spiritual manner, and by constant prayer, and upright conversation, with godly words; as David sings, ‘May my meditation be pleasing to Him. Let my prayer be set forth before You as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.’ The Spirit also, who is in him, commands, saying, ‘Offer unto God the sacrifice of praise, and pay to the Lord your vows. Offer the sacrifice of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.’ – Athanasius, Letter 19, chapter 4

Zeno of Verona:

So that you, my newly baptized Christian, may not be led astray by an erroneous understanding, first and foremost, make it your own conviction that there are three kinds of sacrifices. One is abominable, the second is rejected, and the third is pure. The abominable sacrifice is that of the pagans, the rejected one is that of the Jews, and the pure one is that of the people of the Christians. But just as the sacrifice of the pagans is abominable, so too is it futile. Worthless people worship worthless figures, which, through the waste of gold and silver, have been shaped into whatever form, expression, or age by the guidance of a file’s tooth. What foolishness it is to offer sacrifice to them who know nothing of it; to light candles before them who cannot see; to burn incense for them who cannot inhale it; to direct prayers to them who cannot hear; to seek protection from them while an unrestrained thief steals without concern. – Zeno of Verona, Treatise 15, chapter 2

This shall prove that the sacrifice of the Jews is detested by God, while that of the Christians is pleasing to Him. The prophet Malachi writes: “I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord, and I do not accept the offering from your hand. For from the rising of the sun to its setting, my name is glorified among the Gentiles, and in every place, incense is offered to my name and a pure offering. For great is my name among the Gentiles, says the Lord.” – Zeno of Verona, Treatise 15, chapter 4

This can easily be inferred from its opposite: If a physical sacrifice is suitable for physical gods, then a spiritual sacrifice is certainly necessary for the spiritual God. It is a sacrifice that does not come from the purse but from the heart; a sacrifice that does not consist of foul-smelling animals but of righteous conduct; a sacrifice that is not offered with bloodstained hands but with pure minds; a sacrifice that is not slain to die, but, like Isaac, is sacrificed so that it may live. Thus, the Apostle Paul exhorts us in his words: “Offer your bodies as a living, holy, and pleasing sacrifice to God!” For only this is a sacrifice acceptable to God—when a pure soul offers itself to the Lord. And all other sacrifices are worthless if the spirit of the one offering is not pure, as Solomon says in Ecclesiasticus: “The Most High does not accept the gifts of the unrighteous.” – Zeno of Verona, Treatise 15, chapter 5

Finally, the actual events that brought salvation confirm this comparison, as they continue among us to this day. For, brothers, just as the destruction of Nineveh was announced to its inhabitants, they believed and feared. And the more certain they were that the Lord would not lie, the more willingly they relied on His mercy. Immediately, they condemned the ways of their former life; for the sake of salvation, they no longer hurried, as they once did, to their mute idols. They no longer kindled unholy fires on foul-smelling altars, no longer burned incense, no longer poured out wine as libations, no longer sought omens in the still-warm, smoking entrails of animals taken from them after their unforeseen deaths. – Zeno of Verona, Treatise 17, chapter 2

Ambrose:

Happy is she who out of her treasure brings forth the perfect image of the King. Your treasure is wisdom, your treasure is chastity and righteousness, your treasure is a good understanding, such as was that treasure from which the Magi, when they worshipped the Lord, brought forth gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11); setting forth by gold the power of a king, venerating God by the frankincense, and by myrrh acknowledging the resurrection of the body. You too have this treasure if you look into yourself: For we have this treasure in earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7). You have gold which you can give, for God does not exact of you the precious gift of shining metal, but that gold which at the day of judgment the fire shall be unable to consume. Nor does He require precious gifts, but the good odour of faith, which the altars of your heart send forth and the disposition of a religious mind exhales. – Ambrose, Concerning Widows, chapter 5

If you have confessed at the call of Christ the bars will be broken, and every chain loosed, even the stench of the bodily corruption be grievous. For he had been dead four days and his flesh stank in the tomb; but He Whose flesh saw no corruption was three days in the sepulchre, for He knew no evils of the flesh, which consists of the substances of the four elements. However great, then, the stench of the dead body may be, it is all done away so soon as the sacred ointment has shed its odour; and the dead rises again, and the command is given to loose his hands who till now was in sin; the covering is taken from his face which veiled the truth of the grace which he had received. But since he has received forgiveness, the command is given to uncover his face, to lay bare his features. For he whose sin is forgiven has nothing whereof to be ashamed…. What, then, we read concerning Lazarus we ought to believe of every sinner who is converted, who, though he may have been stinking, nevertheless is cleansed by the precious ointment of faith. For faith has such grace that there where the dead stank the day before, now the whole house is filled with good odour. The house of Corinth stank, when it was written concerning it: It is reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles (1 Corinthians 5:1). There was a stench, for a little leaven had corrupted the whole lump. A good odour began when it was said: If you forgive anything to any one I forgive also. For what I also have forgiven, for your sakes have I done it in the person of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:10). And so, the sinner being set free, there was great joy in that place, and the whole house was filled with the odour of the sweetness of grace. Wherefore the Apostle, knowing well that he had shed upon all the ointment of apostolic forgiveness, says: We are a sweet savour of Christ unto God in them that are saved (2 Corinthians 2:15). – Ambrose, Concerning Repentance, book 2, chapter 7

Nor is it wonderful if He have the oil of gladness, Who made those about to die rejoice, put off sadness from the world, destroyed the odour of sorrowful death. And so the Apostle says: “For we are the good odour of Christ to God” (2 Corinthians 2:15); certainly showing that he is speaking of spiritual things. But when the Son of God Himself says: The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me, Luke 4:18 He points out the ointment of the Spirit. Therefore the Spirit is the ointment of Christ. – Ambrose, On the Holy Spirit, book 1, chapter 9

Let us come now to the turtle dove, chosen as a chaste victim by the Law of God. Hence, when the Lord was circumcised, the dove was offered, because it is written in the Law that there should be a presentation of “a pair of turtles or two young pigeons.” For this is the true sacrifice of Christ: chastity of body and grace of the spirit. Chastity belongs to the turtle dove; grace, to the pigeon. – Ambrose, Hexameron, book 5, homily 7, chapter 19

And David said: ‘A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit.’ Again: ‘A contrite and humble heart God does not despise.’ Jeremias also says: ‘The soul in anguish and the troubled spirit cries to thee.’ The Assyrian, like Pharao, said: ‘Who are they among the gods of the nations that have delivered the country out of my hand, that your God will deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’ They were cast down from their exaltation. The just man, like Jacob, acknowledges that all good things of whatever sort which he has obtained come from God the Creator, saying that all he saw was for his benefit: ‘The Lord thy God has given these into my hands.’ This is an example of how one should accept the fulfillment of a prayer. David says: ‘Offer to God the sacrifice of praise and pay thy vows to the most high.’ To praise God is to offer Him a prayer and to give thanks for its fulfillment. – Ambrose, Cain and Abel, book 1, chapter 9

Having thus disposed of that charge against Cain, let as now discuss another fault in the performance of his sacrifice. He made ‘an offering of the fruit of the ground,’ whereas he owed to God the first fruit of his crop. In this way he claimed the first fruit for himself and the remainder he left to God. Hence, inasmuch as the soul should be preferred to the body, just as the master should be placed over the servant, the soul’s first fruits should take precedence over what the body offers. The first fruit of the soul are the primary emotions which are associated with all good thoughts and acts. Although these emotions come later in time than the first fruits of the body, which include nutrition, growth, sight, hearing, touch, smell, voice-both soul and body have a share in mind and sense-still, as senses, they exist prior to man’s acts. To make an offering of thanksgiving to God with pure heart and tongue is in itself an expression of a primary act. These were the gifts made by Abel. God had regard for his offerings because they came from the first fruits and, moreover, from the firstlings of the sheep, those which were fat and sleek. Note the fact that the offering was composed of living beings, not inanimate things. What is living, since it is very closely related to what has a spirit, is more important than what is earthly. – Ambrose, Cain and Abel, book 1, chapter 10

Now let us reflect on the meaning of the Lord’s words, ‘If you offer rightly and you do not divine rightly, thou hast sinned. Hold thy peace.’ This signifies that God is not appeased by the gifts that are offered, but by the disposition of the giver. Hence Cain, who offered a gift which was denounced, was conscious of the fact that his offering was fraudulent, that his sacrifice was not acceptable to God, and he was downcast…. That, in fact, is the real sacrifice of first-fruits when a person offers himself as a victim and begins of himself to act so as to ensure in the future an offering of a gift that is his very own. The new faith of those who have been made new is strong and vigorous, seeking for itself an increase of virtue. The faith which is weak and slack-the faith which has the sluggish and slothful character of old age–is not one that is fit for sacrifice. We need a faith which blossoms with the lush growth of wisdom and with the youthful vigor of divine knowledge, a faith, moreover, which has the sap of ancient doctrine. There ought to be a concurrence of the old and the new, as in the case of the Old and the New Testament. It is written: ‘Eat the oldest of the old store and, new coming on, cast away the old.’ – Ambrose, Cain and Abel, book 2, chapter 6

We then must strive for that wherein is perfection and wherein is truth. Here is the shadow, here the image (Hebrews 10:1); there the truth. The shadow is in the law, the image in the Gospel, the truth in heaven. In old times a lamb, a Calf was offered; now Christ is offered. But He is offered as man and as enduring suffering. And He offers Himself as a priest to take away our sins, here in an image, there in truth, where with the Father He intercedes for us as our Advocate. Here, then, we walk in an image, we see in an image; there face to face where is full perfection. For all perfection rests in the truth. – Ambrose, On The Priesthood, book 1, chapter 48

Then the man, instructed and foreknowing what was to be, observes the heavenly mysteries, and therefore, according to the warning, slew the bullock destined by his father to idols, and himself offered to God another bullock seven years old (Judges 6:26). By doing which he most plainly showed that after the coming of the Lord all Gentile sacrifices should be done away, and that only the sacrifice of the Lord’s passion should be offered for the redemption of the people.  – Ambrose, On the Holy Spirit, book 1, paragraph 4

“For I shall enter into the place of the wonderful tabernacle, even to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, the sound of one feasting.” He wept with good reason, because he was dwelling on earth, while heavenly tabernacles were his due and entry into a mighty court awaited him. In truth, he preferred that court alone to all the wealth of his own kingdom, even as he bore witness, saying in another passage, “One thing I have asked of the Lord, this I will seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life and that I may see the delight of the Lord.” The delight of the Lord is in the Church. The Church is the image of things heavenly; and indeed, after the shadow passed by, the image took its place. The shadow is the synagogue; in the shadow there is law, but in the Gospel, truth. And thus, the image of truth shines forth in the light of the Gospel. Therefore, the psalmist wept at the postponement of good things that were filled to the full with grace and joy. – Ambrose, Seven Exegetical Works (The Prayer of Job and David), chapter 2.9

They surely wonder how a soul which before was abandoned in hell clings to the Word of God and ascends like the shoot of the vine that rises to the upper regions, or like smoke produced from fire that seeks the heights, and then, moreover, is fragrant with pleasant odors. Now there is emitted the sweet scent of pious prayer, which is directed like incense in the sight of God. And in the Apocalypse we read that “with the prayers of the saints there went up the smoke of the incense.” The incense-that is, the prayers of the saints-is offered through the angel “upon the golden altar which is before the throne” and is, as it were, fragrant with the sweet ointment of pious prayer, because it had been prepared from prayer for things eternal and invisible, and not for bodily things. And above all, the soul is fragrant with frankincense and myrrh, because she is dead to sin and alive to God. – Ambrose, Seven Exegetical Works (Isaac, or the Soul), chapter 5.44

There is also the more excellent man, of whom it is said, “But the spiritual man judges all things, and he himself is judged by no man.” Such a one is more excellent than others. On this account David also says, “What is man, that you are mindful of him or the son of man that you visit him? Man is become like to vanity.” Man according to the image of God is not like to vanity, but he who has lost it and has fallen into sin and has tumbled into material things – such a man is like to vanity. The soul therefore is excellent according to its nature, but it generally becomes subject to corruption through its irrationality, so that it inclines to bodily pleasures and to willfulness, while it does not keep to moderation; or else it is deceived by the imagination, turns to matter, and is glued to the body. Thus its visibility is hindered, and it is filled with evil, for while it is intent on evil, it fills itself with vices and grows more unrestrained from the want of goodness. Moreover the perfect soul turns away from matter, shuns and rejects everything that is excessive or inconstant or wicked, and neither sees nor approaches this earthly defilement and corruption. It is attentive to things divine but shuns earthly matter. – Ambrose, Seven Exegetical Works (Isaac, or the Soul), chapters 2.4-2.5

Let us then take up these wings, since like flames they aim for the higher regions. Let each man divest his soul of her baser coverings and approve her when she is cleansed of the mire just as he would approve gold cleansed by fire. For the soul is cleansed just like the finest gold. Moreover the beauty of the soul, her pure virtue and attractiveness, is her truer knowledge of the things that are above, so that she sees the good on which all things depend, but which itself depends on none. There she lives and receives her understanding. For that supreme good is the fountain of life; love and longing for it are enkindled in us, and it is our desire to approach and be joined to it, for it is desirable to him who does not see it and is present to him who sees it, and therefore he disregards all other things and takes pleasure and delight in this one only. This it is that supplies to all things their being; itself remaining in itself, it gives to others but receives nothing into itself from others. Of this the psalmist says, “I have said to my Lord, you are my God, because you have no need of my goods.” This only did he desire to see, just as he says in another passage, “One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life and see the delight of the Lord and contemplate his temple.” 

If anyone then has deserved to see that pure and incorporeal supreme good, what else would he have to desire? Indeed Peter saw the glory of Christ’s resurrection and did not wish to go down, for he said, “Lord, it is good for us to be here.” And how much more beyond compare is the glory of divinity and the inaccessible light than anything else one may see and desire? Kingdoms are not comparable, nor riches nor honors nor glory nor powers; for in the use of them there is no blessedness, but the employment of this supreme good is blessed, that a man may look down on such things, turn to this good, and remain in it. And so, seeing this fair image, let him enter within but leave the likeness of the body outside. For a man who looks to bodily things ought not to look inward; else he may be caught up like one who is sinking in a whirlpool and be swallowed and appear nowhere in sight, like a man plunged into the depths. – Ambrose, Seven Exegetical Works (Isaac, or the Soul), chapter 8.78

In one God did the Magi believe, and they brought, in adoration, gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Christ’s cradle, confessing, by the gift of gold, His Royalty, and with the incense worshipping Him as God. For gold is the sign of kingdom, incense of God, myrrh of burial. – Ambrose, Exposition of the Christian Faith, Book I, chapter 4

Hilary of Poitiers:

Let us call to mind how the Magi of the East worshipped and paid tribute to the Lord; let us estimate the weariness of that long pilgrimage to Bethlehem of Judah. In the toilsome journey of the Magian princes we see the labours of Egypt to which the prophet alludes. For when the Magi executed, in their spurious, material way, the duty ordained for them by the power of God, the whole heathen world was offering in their person the deepest reverence of which its worship was capable. And these same Magi presented gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh from the merchandise of the Ethiopians and Sabeans; a thing foretold by another prophet, who has said, The Ethiopians shall fall down before His face, and His enemies shall lick the dust. The Kings of Tharsis shall offer presents, the Kings of the Arabians and Sabeans shall bring gifts, and there shall be given to Him of the gold of Arabia. The Magi and their offerings stand for the labour of Egypt and for the merchandise of Ethiopians and Sabeans; the adoring Magi represent the heathen world, and offer the choicest gifts of the Gentiles to the Lord Whom they adore. – Hilary of Poitiers, On the Trinity, Book 4, chapter 38

[Do you see how Hilary calls material offerings of frankincense “spurious?” Do you see how he says an offering of frankincense is the best kind of offering a heathen is capable of making? See how he draws a distinction between heathen offerings of spurious, material things, in contrast to Christian’s spiritual sacrifices.]

We see that the woman, her mind full of inherited tradition, thought that God must be worshipped either on a mountain, as at Samaria, or in a temple, as at Jerusalem; for Samaria in disobedience to the Law had chosen a site upon the mountain for worship, while the Jews regarded the temple founded by Solomon as the home of their religion, and the prejudices of both confined the all-embracing and illimitable God to the crest of a hill or the vault of a building. God is invisible, incomprehensible, immeasurable; the Lord said that the time had come when God should be worshipped neither on mountain nor in temple. For Spirit cannot be cabined or confined; it is omnipresent in space and time, and under all conditions present in its fulness. Therefore, He said, they are the true worshippers who shall worship in the Spirit and in truth. And these who are to worship God the Spirit in the Spirit shall have the One for the means, the Other for the object, of their reverence: for Each of the Two stands in a different relation to the worshipper. The words, God is Spirit, do not alter the fact that the Holy Spirit has a Name of His own, and that He is the Gift to us. The woman who confined God to hill or temple was told that God contains all things and is self-contained: that He, the Invisible and Incomprehensible must be worshipped by invisible and incomprehensible means. The imparted gift and the object of reverence were clearly shewn when Christ taught that God, being Spirit, must be worshipped in the Spirit, and revealed what freedom and knowledge, what boundless scope for adoration, lay in this worship of God, the Spirit, in the Spirit. – Hilary of Poitiers, On the Trinity, Book 2, chapter 31

Cyril of Jerusalem (313–386 AD):

(8) After this you say, “and all your service.” The service of the Devil is prayer in the temples of idols, the honoring of lifeless images, the lighting of lamps or the burning of incense by springs or streams; there have been cases of persons who, deceived by dreams or by evil spirits, have gone to this length in the hope of being rewarded by the cure of even bodily ailments. Have nothing to do with these practices. The observation of birds, divination, omens, charms and amulets, magic and similar chicanery-all such practices are the cult of the Devil. Shun them. For if you should succumb to such practices after renouncing Satan and transferring your allegiance to Christ, you will find the usurper more cruel than ever. For if formerly, treating you as a familiar, he abated the rigors of your slavery, now he will be furiously exasperated against you. So you will lose Christ and taste Satan’s tyranny.

Have you not heard the old story which recounts the fate of Lot and his daughters? Was not Lot himself saved together with his daughters after gaining the mountain, while his wife was turned into a pillar of salt, a monumental warning and a memorial of her wicked choice (her looking back)? So be on your guard: do not turn back to “what is behind,” first “putting your hand to the plow” and then “turning back” to the bitter savor of the things of this world. No; flee to the mountain, to Jesus Christ, the “stone hewn without hands”18 that has filled the world. – Cyril of Jerusalem, Mystagogical Lecture 1, chapters 4-8

You are anointed first upon the forehead to rid you of the shame which the first human transgressor bore about with him everywhere; so you may “reflect as in a glass the splendor of the Lord.” Then upon the ears, to receive ears quick to hear the divine mysteries, the ears of which Isaia said: “The Lord gave me also an ear to hear,” and the Lord Jesus in the Gospels: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Then upon the nostrils, that, scenting the divine oil, you may say: “We are the incense offered by Christ to God, in the case of those who are on the way to salvation.” Then on the breast, that “putting on the breastplate of justice you may be able to withstand the wiles of the Devil.” For as Christ after His Baptism and the visitation of the Holy Spirit went forth and overthrew the adversary, so must you after holy Baptism and the mystical Chrism, clad in the armor of the Holy Spirit, stand firm against the forces of the Enemy and overthrow them, saying: “I can do all things in the Christ who strengthens me.” – Cyril of Jerusalem, Mystagogical Lecture 3, chapters 4

This Holy Spirit, who in union with Father and Son established the New Testament in the Catholic Church, freed us from the grievous burdens of the Law; I mean those concerning things common and unclean, and meats, Sabbaths, new moons, circumcision, sprinklings and sacrifices. These regulations had been given for a time and had “a shadow of the good things to come”; but with the coming of truth they were justly withdrawn. – Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 17, chapter 29

John Chrysostom:

“But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father.” We, O woman, He says, excel you in the manner of our worship, but even this shall henceforth have an end. Not the places only, but even the manner of serving God shall be changed. And this change is at your very doors. “For the hour comes, and now is.” For since what the Prophets said they said long before the event, to show that here it is not so, He says, And now is. Think not, He says, that this is a prophecy of such a kind as shall be accomplished after a long time, the fulfillment is already at hand and at your very doors, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth. In saying true, He excludes Jews as well as Samaritans; for although the Jews be better than the Samaritans, yet are they far inferior to those that shall come, as inferior as is the type to the reality. But He speaks of the Church, that she is the true worship, and such as is meet for God.

“For the Father seeks such to worship Him.” If then He in times past sought such as these, He allowed to those others their way of worship, not willingly, but from condescension, and for this reason, that He might bring them in also. Who then are the true worshipers? Those who confine not their service by place, and who serve God in spirit; as Paul says, “Whom I serve in my spirit in the Gospel of His Son” (Romans 1:9), and again, “I beseech you that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, acceptable unto God, your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).

“God is a Spirit.” But when He says this, He declares nothing else than His incorporeal Nature. Now the service of that which is incorporeal must needs be of the same character, and must be offered by that in us which is incorporeal, to wit, the soul, and purity of mind. Wherefore He says, “they that worship Him, must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” For because both Samaritans and Jews were careless about the soul, but took great pains about the body, cleansing it in various ways, it is not, He says, by purity of body, but by that which is incorporeal in us, namely the mind, that the incorporeal One is served. Sacrifice then not sheep and calves, but dedicate yourself to the Lord; make yourself a holocaust, this is to offer a living sacrifice. You must worship in truth; as former things were types, such as circumcision, and whole burnt offerings, and victims, and incense; they now no longer exist, but all is truth. For a man must now circumcise not his flesh, but his evil thoughts, and crucify himself, and remove and slay his unreasonable desires. The woman was made dizzy by His discourse, and fainted in at the sublimity of what He said…. – John Chrysostom, Homily 33 on John, commentary on John 4:23-24

Those then, whose High Priest He is, ought to be greatly superior. And as great as the difference is between Aaron and Christ, so great should it be between us and the Jews. For see, we have our victim on high, our priest on high, our sacrifice on high: let us bring such sacrifices as can be offered on that altar, no longer sheep and oxen, no longer blood and fat. All these things have been done away; and there has been brought in their stead “the reasonable service.” (Rom. 12:1) But what is “the reasonable service”? The [offerings made] through the soul; those made through the spirit. “God,” it is said, “is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth;” things which have no need of a body, no need of instruments, nor of special places, whereof each one is himself the Priest, such as, moderation, temperance, mercifulness, enduring ill-treatment, long-suffering, humbleness of mind.

These sacrifices one may see in the Old [Testament] also, shadowed out beforehand. Offer to God, it is said, a sacrifice of righteousness (Psalm 4:5); Offer a sacrifice of praise (Psalm 50:14); and, a sacrifice of praise shall glorify Me (Psalm 50:23), and, the sacrifice of God is a broken spirit Psalm 51:17; and what does the Lord require of you but to hearken to Him? (Micah 6:8) Burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin You have had no pleasure in: then I said, Lo I come to do Your will, O God! (Psalm 40:6-7), and again, To what purpose do ye bring the incense from Sheba? (Jeremiah 6:20) Take away from Me the noise of your songs, for I will not hear the melody of your viols. (Amos 5:23) But instead of these I will have mercy and not sacrifice. (Hosea 6:6) You see with what kind of sacrifices God is well pleased. (Hebrews 13:16) You see also that already from the first the one class have given place, and these have come in their stead. These therefore let us bring, for the other indeed are [the offerings] of wealth and of persons who have [possessions], but these of virtue: those from without, these from within: those any chance person even might perform; these only a few. And as much as a man is superior to a sheep, so much is this sacrifice superior to that; for here you offer your soul as a victim. And other sacrifices also there are, which are indeed whole burnt-offerings, the bodies of the martyrs: there both soul and body [are offered]. These have a great savor of a sweet smell. Thou also art able, if you will, to bring such a sacrifice. – John Chrysostom, Homily 11 on Hebrews, Commentary on Hebrews 6:13–16

“Above when He said, Sacrifice and offering, and burnt-offerings, and [offering] for sin, You would not, neither had pleasure [therein], which are offered by the Law, then said He, Lo! I come to do Your will, O God. He takes away the first, that He may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified, by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all. And every Priest stands daily ministering, and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this [man] after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God, from henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool.”

In what has gone before he had shown that the sacrifices were unavailing for perfect purification, and were a type, and greatly defective. Since then there was this objection to his argument, “If they are types, how is it that, after the truth has come, they have not ceased, nor given place, but are still performed?” He here accordingly labors at this very point, showing that they are no longer performed, even as a figure, for God does not accept them. And this again he shows not from the New [Testament], but from the prophets, bringing forward from times of old the strongest testimony, that it [the old system] comes to an end, and ceases, and that they do all in vain, always resisting the Holy Ghost (Acts 7:51).

And he shows over and above that they cease not now [only], but at the very coming of the Messiah, nay rather, even before His coming: and how it was that Christ did not abolish them at the last, but they were abolished first, and then He came; first they were made to cease, and then He appeared. That they might not say, “Even without this sacrifice, and by means of those, we could have been well pleasing unto God,” He waited for these sacrifices to be convicted [of weakness], and then He appeared; for (He says) sacrifice and offering “You would not.” Hereby He took all away; and having spoken generally, He says also particularly, “In burnt-offerings and [sacrifice] for sin You had no pleasure.” But the offering was everything except the sacrifice. “Then said I, Lo! I come.” Of whom was this spoken? Of none other than the Christ.

Here he does not blame those who offer, showing that it is not because of their wickednesses that He does not accept them, as He says elsewhere, but because the thing itself has been convicted for the future and shown to have no strength, nor any suitableness to the times. What then has this to do with the sacrifices being offered oftentimes? Not only from their being oftentimes [offered] (he means) is it manifest that they are weak, and that they effected nothing; but also from God’s not accepting them, as being unprofitable and useless. And in another place it is said, “If You had desired sacrifice I would have given it” (Psalm 51:16). Therefore by this also he makes it plain that He does not desire it. Therefore sacrifices are not God’s will, but the abolition of sacrifices. Wherefore they sacrifice contrary to His will.

2. And why do you wonder that it is not the will of God now, when it was not His will even from the beginning? For who, says He, has required this at your hands? (Isaiah 1:12)

For as Paul says, “I would that all men were even as I myself” (1 Corinthians 7:7), in respect of continence, and again says, “I will that the younger women marry, bear children” (1 Timothy 5:14); and lays down two wills, yet the two are not his own, although he commands; but the one indeed is his own, and therefore he lays it down without reasons; while the other is not his own, though he wishes it, and therefore it is added with a reason. For having previously accused them, because “they had waxed wanton against Christ” (1 Timothy 5:11), he then says, “I will that the younger women marry, bear children” (1 Timothy 5:14). So in this place also it was not His leading will that the sacrifices should be offered. For, as He says, “I wish not the death of the sinner, as that he should turn unto [Me] and live” (Ezekiel 33:11): and in another place He says that He not only wished, but even desired this: and yet these are contrary to each other: for intense wishing is desire. How then dost Thou not wish? How dost Thou in another place desire, which is a sign of vehement wishing? So is it in this case also. – John Chrysostom, Homily 18 on Hebrews, Commentary on Hebrews 10:8-13

“If you bring me fine flour, it is vain” (Isaiah 1:13). For among the commandments, some were enjoined for their own sake, others for the sake of something else: for example, to know God, not to murder, not to commit adultery, and such things as these were legislated for the benefit that comes from them; but to sacrifice, and to offer incense, and to keep the Sabbath, and again such things as these, were not commanded simply for their own sake, but so that through the observance of these they might be led away from the service of demons. Therefore, since they performed these actions, yet did not gain the profit from them, but were still attached to the demons, it is reasonable that these too should be cast out. For just as one may reasonably cut down a tree that has leaves and branches but is barren of fruit, so too the gardener’s entire care for the plant is not for the bark and trunk, but in order that he may enjoy the fruit. “Incense is an abomination to me” (Isaiah 1:13). Do you see that he did not take pleasure in the nature of the offerings themselves, but examined the intention of those bringing them? For this reason, he called the smoke and savor from Noah’s sacrifice “a pleasing odor” (Genesis 8:21), but incense an abomination. For, as I said, he does not seek the substance of the gifts, but the disposition of the offerers.

“Your new moons and your Sabbaths” (Isaiah 1:13). It should be observed that he casts out none of the necessary things, but only those which even Christ, when he came, abolished.“ (Romans 2:25). – John Chrysostom, Commentary on Isaiah, chapter 1.5

What then was to be done? They set up an altar and wrote, To an Unknown God, saying this through the inscription: “And if there is any other god not yet known to us, let us worship him too.” See the excess of superstition. For this reason Paul began by saying, In all things I perceive that you are very superstitious; for you worship not only the demons known to you, but also those not yet known to you. They indeed inscribed it for this reason, To an Unknown God, but Paul interpreted it. For they were saying this about others, but he himself transferred it to Christ, taking the thought captive, and setting it with himself in his own battle line; For what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim, he says; for there is no other unknown God than Christ. And behold spiritual understanding. After this they were going to accuse him, that You bring strange doctrines to our ears, that you are innovating, that you are introducing a god whom we do not know. Wishing, therefore, to be free from the suspicion of innovation, and to show that he was not proclaiming a foreign god, but one whom they had already honored through their worship, he added and said: that Whom you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. You have anticipated me, he says; your worship has preceded my preaching. Do not, therefore, accuse me of introducing a foreign god; for I proclaim this one, whom you worship in ignorance, not in a manner worthy of him, but you worship him nonetheless. For such an altar is not raised to Christ, but a living and spiritual altar; but from this I can lead you up to that one. So also the Jews worshiped in olden times; but they departed from bodily worship, and all who believed came to spiritual worship. Did you see the wisdom of Paul? Did you see his understanding? Did you see how he overcame them, not from the Gospels, not from the prophets, but from an inscription? Do not, therefore, run past, beloved, the inscription of the divine oracles; if you are sober and watchful, you will find something useful even in the things of others; but if you are lazy and listless, you will gain nothing even from the divine Scriptures. For just as he who knows how to profit, profits from everything; so also he who does not know, even if he finds a treasure, will go away empty. – John Chrysostom, On the Beginning of Acts 

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” And what do you beseech? Let me hear. “That ye would present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” For when he had said sacrifice, to prevent any from thinking he bade them kill themselves, he immediately added (Greek order) living. Then to distinguish it from the Jewish, he calls it holy, acceptable to God, your reasonable service. For theirs was a material one, and not very acceptable either. Since He says, Who has required this at your hands? Isaiah 1:12 And in sundry other passages He clearly throws them aside. For it was not this, but this with the other, that He looked to have presented. Wherefore he says, The sacrifice of praise shall glorify Me. And again, I will praise the name of my God with a song, and this shall please him better than a bullock that puts forth horns and hoofs. Psalm 50:23; 69:30, 31 And so in another place He rejects it, and says, Shall I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink goat’s blood? Psalm 50:13 and proceeds with, Offer unto God a sacrifice of praise, and pay your vows unto the Most High. Psalm 49:14 So Paul also here bids us present our bodies a living sacrifice. And how is the body, it may be said, to become a sacrifice? Let the eye look upon no evil thing, and it has become a sacrifice; let your tongue speak nothing filthy, and it has become an offering; let your hand do no lawless deed, and it has become a whole burnt offering. Or rather this is not enough, but we must have good works also: let the hand do alms, the mouth bless them that cross one, and the hearing find leisure evermore for lections of Scripture. For sacrifice allows of no unclean thing: sacrifice is a first-fruit of the other actions. Let us then from our hands, and feet, and mouth, and all other members, yield a first-fruit unto God. Such a sacrifice is well pleasing, as that of the Jews was even unclean, for, their sacrifices, it says, are unto them as the bread of mourning. Hosea 9:4 Not so ours. That presented the thing sacrificed dead: this makes the thing sacrificed to be living. For when we have mortified our members, then we shall be able to live. For the law of this sacrifice is new, and so the sort of fire is a marvellous one. For it needs no wood or matter under it; but our fire lives of itself, and does not burn up the victim, but rather quickens it. This was the sacrifice that God sought of old. Wherefore the Prophet says, The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit. Psalm 51:17 And the three Children offer this when they say, At this time there is neither prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt offering, or place to sacrifice before You, and to find mercy. Nevertheless, in a contrite heart and an humble spirit let us be accepted. Daniel 3:15-16

And observe how great the exactness wherewith he uses each word. For he does not say, “offer” (ποιήσατε Exodus 29:39) your bodies as a sacrifice, but present (παραστήσατε see below) them, as if he had said, never more have any interest in them. You have given them up to another. For even they that furnish (same word) the war-horses have no further interest in them. And thou too hast presented your members for the war against the devil and for that dread battle-array. Do not let them down to selfish appliances. And he shows another thing also from this, that one must make them approved, if one means to present them. For it is not to any mortal being that we present them, but to God, the King of the universe; not to war only, but to have seated thereon the King Himself. For He does not refuse even to be seated upon our members, but even greatly desires it. And what no king who is but our fellow-servant would choose to do, that the Lord of Angels chooses. Since then it is both to be presented (i.e. as for a King’s use) and is a sacrifice, rid it of every spot, since if it have a spot, it will no longer be a sacrifice. For neither can the eye that looks lecherously be sacrificed, nor the hand be presented that is grasping and rapacious, nor the feet that go lame and go to play-houses, nor the belly that is the slave of self-indulgence, and kindles lusts after pleasures, nor the heart that has rage in it, and harlots’ love, nor the tongue that utters filthy things. Hence we must spy out the spots on our body upon every side.

For if they that offered the sacrifices of old were bid to look on every side, and were not permitted to offer an animal that has anything superfluous or lacking, or is scurvy, or scabbed Leviticus 22:22-23, much more must we, who offer not senseless animals, but ourselves, exhibit more strictness, and be pure in all respects, that we also may be able to say as did Paul, I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 2 Timothy 4:6 For he was purer than any sacrifice, and so he speaks of himself as ready to be offered. But this will be brought about if we kill the old man, if we mortify our members that are upon the earth, if we crucify the world unto ourselves. In this way we shall not need the knife any more, nor altar, nor fire, or rather we shall want all these, but not made with the hands, but all of them will come to us from above, fire from above, and knife also, and our altar will the breadth of Heaven be. For if when Elijah offered the visible sacrifice, a flame, that came down from above consumed the whole water, wood, and stones, much more will this be done upon you. And if you have anything in you relaxed and secular, and yet offerest the sacrifice with a good intention, the fire of the Spirit will come down, and both wear away that worldliness, and perfect the whole sacrifice. But what is reasonable (λογικὴ) service? It means spiritual ministry, conversation according to Christ. As then he that ministers in the house of God, and officiates, of whatever sort he may be, then collects himself συστέλλεται Ezekiel 44:19, and becomes more dignified; so we ought to be minded all our whole life as serving and ministering. And this will be so, if every day you bring Him sacrifices (3 manuscripts yourself as a sacrifice), and become the priest of your own body, and of the virtue of your soul; as, for example, when you offer soberness, when almsgiving, when goodness and forbearance. For in doing this you offer a reasonable service (or worship, λατρείαν), that is, one without anything that is bodily, gross, visible. Having then raised the hearer by the names bestowed, and having shown that each man is a priest of his own flesh by his conversation, he mentions also the way whereby we may compass all this. What then is the way? – John Chrysostom, Homily 20 on Romans, commentary on Romans 12:1

Whence also he says, “We are unto God a sweet savor;” that is, “even though some be lost we continue to be that which we are.” Moreover he said not simply a sweet savor, but unto God. And when we are a sweet savor unto God, and He decrees these things, who shall henceforth gainsay? The expression also, “sweet savor of Christ,” appears to me to admit of a double interpretation: for he means either that in dying they offered themselves a sacrifice: or that they were a sweet savor of the death of Christ, as if one should say, this incense is a sweet savor of this victim. The expression then, “sweet savor,” either signifies this, or, as I first said, that they are daily sacrificed for Christ’s sake. – John Chrysostom, Homily 5 on Second Corinthians, commentary on 2 Corinthians 2:15

Let us then follow Him, and take up the Cross. For though persecution be not present, yet the season for another kind of death is with us. Mortify, it says, your members which are upon earth (Colossians 3:5). Let us then quench concupiscence, slay anger, abolish envy. This is a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). This sacrifice ends not in ashes, is not dispersed in smoke, wants neither wood, nor fire, nor knife. For it has both fire and a knife, even the Holy Spirit. Using this knife, circumcise the superfluous and alien portion of your heart; open the closedness of your ears, for vices and evil desires are wont to stop the way against the entrance of the word. The desire of money, when it is set before one, permits not to hear the word concerning almsgiving; and malice when it is present raises a wall against the teaching concerning love; and some other malady falling on in its turn, makes the soul yet more dull to all things. Let us then do away these wicked desires; it is enough to have willed, and all are quenched. – John Chrysostom, Homily 74 on John, commentary on John 14:14

But first listen to what you say in the Psalm, “Let my prayer be set forth in Your sight as incense.” When then not incense, but a stinking smoke arises from you, and from your deeds, what punishment do you not deserve to undergo? – John Chrysostom, Homily 73 on Matthew, Commentary on Matthew 23:14

There is, if you desire it, a precious ointment and a fragrance, with which you might anoint your soul; not brought from Arabia, or Ethiopia, nor from Persia, but from heaven itself; purchased not by gold, but by a virtuous will, and by faith unfeigned. Buy this perfume, the odor of which is able to fill the world. It was of this the Apostles savored. For we are (he says) a sweet savor, to some of death, to others of life (2 Corinthians 2:15-16). And what means this? That it is as they say, that the swine is suffocated by perfumes! But this spiritual fragrance scented not only the bodies but the garments of the Apostles; and Paul’s garments were so impregnated with it, that they cast out devils. What balmy leaf, what cassia, what myrrh so sweet or so efficacious as this perfume? For if it put devils to flight, what could it not effect? With this ointment let us furnish ourselves. And the grace of the Spirit will provide it through almsgiving. Of these we shall savor, when we go into the other world. And as here, he that is perfumed with sweet odors draws upon himself the notice of all, and whether at the bath, or the assembly, or any other concourse of men, all follow him, and observe him; so, in that world, when souls come in that are fragrant with this spiritual savor, all arise and make room. And even here devils and all vices are afraid to approach it, and cannot endure it, for it chokes them. Let us then not bear about us that perfume which is a mark of effeminacy, but this, which is a mark of manhood, which is truly admirable, which fills us with a holy confidence. This is a spice which is not the produce of the earth, but springs from virtue, which withers not, but blooms forever. This is it that renders those who possess it honorable. With this we are anointed at our Baptism, then we savor sweetly of it; but it must be by our care afterwards that we retain the savor. Of old the Priests were anointed with ointment, as an emblem of the virtue, the fragrance of which a Priest should diffuse around him. But nothing is more offensive than the savor of sin, which made the Psalmist say, My wounds stink and are corrupt (Psalm 38:5). – John Chrysostom, Homily 2 on Timothy, Commentary on 1 Timothy 1:11

“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of His Son….” And he shows another thing besides this by saying, “in my spirit”: that this service is much higher than either the Gentile or the Jewish. For the Gentile is both fleshly and in error, and the Jewish is true indeed, yet even this is fleshly. But that of the Church is the opposite of the Gentile, but more lofty than the Jewish by a great deal. For the mode of our service is not with sheep and oxen and smoke and fat, but by a spiritual soul, which Christ also shows in saying that God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). – John Chrysostom, Homily 2 on Romans, Commentary on Romans 1:9

He takes aim also against the Jews, and if he censures the whole nation, we need not wonder, for he does the same in the case of the Galatians, saying, (O foolish Galatians. (Galatians 3:1)… “According to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness, in hope of eternal life.” This he says with reference to the type. For that was an acknowledging and a godliness, yet not of the Truth, yet neither was it falsehood, it was godliness, but it was in type and figure. And he has well said, “In hope of eternal life.” For the former was in hope of the present life. For it is said, he that does these things shall live in them (Romans 10:5). You see how at the beginning he sets forth the difference of grace. They are not the elect, but we. For if they were once called the elect, yet are they no longer called so. – John Chrysostom, Homily 1 on Titus, commentary on Titus 1:1-4

Listen to Paul’s words, that the observance of the Law overthrows the Gospel, and learn, if you will, how this comes to pass, and tremble, and shun this pitfall. Wherefore do you keep the sabbath, and fast with the Jews? Is it that you fear the Law and abandonment of its letter? But you would not entertain this fear, did you not disparage faith as weak, and by itself powerless to save. A fear to omit the sabbath plainly shows that you fear the Law as still in force; and if the Law is needful, it is so as a whole, not in part, nor in one commandment only; and if as a whole, the righteousness which is by faith is little by little shut out. If you keep the sabbath, why not also be circumcised? And if circumcised, why not also offer sacrifices? If the Law is to be observed, it must be observed as a whole, or not at all. If omitting one part makes you fear condemnation, this fear attaches equally to all the parts. – John Chrysostom, Homily 2 on Galatians, Commentary on Galatians 2:17

Ver. 3. “Yea, I testify again to every man that receives circumcision that he is a debtor to do the whole Law.” That you may not suppose that this is spoken from ill-will , I say not to you alone, he says, but to every one who receives circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole Law. The parts of the Law are linked one to the other. As he who from being free has enrolled himself as a slave, no longer does what he pleases, but is bound by all the laws of slavery, so in the case of the Law, if you take upon you a small portion of it, and submit to the yoke, you draw down upon yourself its whole domination. And so it is in a worldly inheritance: he who touches no part of it, is free from all matters which are consequent on the heirship to the deceased, but if he takes a small portion, though not the whole, yet by that part he has rendered himself liable for every thing. And this occurs in the Law, not only in the way I have mentioned, but in another also, for Legal observances are linked together. For example; Circumcision has sacrifice connected with it, and the observance of days; sacrifice again has the observance both of day and of place; place has the details of endless purifications; purifications involve a perfect swarm of manifold observances. For it is unlawful for the unclean to sacrifice, to enter the holy shrines, to do any other such act. Thus the Law introduces many things even by the one commandment. If then you are circumcised, but not on the eighth day, or on the eighth day, but no sacrifice is offered, or a sacrifice is offered, but not in the prescribed place, or in the prescribed place, but not the accustomed objects, or if the accustomed objects, but thou be unclean, or if clean yet not purified by proper rules, every thing is frustrated. Wherefore he says, that he is a debtor to the whole Law. Fulfil not a part, but the whole, if the Law is of force; but if it be not of force, not even a part. – John Chrysostom, Homily 5 on Galatians, Commentary on Galatians 5:3

The parts of the perfect and the temporary things of the eternal things were prefigured as images and types, foreshadowed for the truth that has now dawned; but when the truth is present, the type is untimely, just as when a king has arrived, no one thinks it worthy to leave the living king himself and worship his image. – John Chrysostom, On Holy Pascha, Sermon 1

“Let my prayer be set before You as incense” (Psalm 140:2). Another translation reads, “Let my prayer be ordered before You as incense.” “The lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice” (Psalm 140:2). Another says, “As an evening gift.” Another, “As an evening offering.” What does the prophet want to teach us by speaking of the evening sacrifice? In ancient times there were two altars: one made of bronze, the other of gold. The bronze one was almost public, placed outside for the sacrifices of the whole people. But the golden one was laid inside the inner sanctuary, beyond the veil. To make what I’m saying clearer, let us trace things back from the beginning. Among the Jews there was once a temple, forty cubits long and twenty cubits wide. From that length, ten cubits were taken away and enclosed within the veil; the part inside was called the Holy of Holies, and the part outside simply the Holy Place. And everything in it gleamed with gold. 3. Some, moreover, said that even the upper beam — the one overlaid with gold — was part of this sacred place. There, only the high priest entered, and only once a year (Hebrews 9:7). There also stood the ark, and the Cherubim were there. There too was the golden altar, where incense was offered — built for no other purpose than the burning of incense. And this was done only once a year. In the outer part of the temple, however, there was a bronze altar, and every evening a lamb was brought there and burned. This was called the evening sacrifice. There was also a morning sacrifice, for twice a day — morning and evening — something had to be burned on the altar of the temple, apart from the other offerings that were brought by the people. This was a command and a law given to the priests: that even if no one brought an offering, they themselves were to sacrifice and burn one lamb in the morning and one in the evening. The one was called the morning sacrifice, and the other the evening sacrifice. And God ordained this to be done in order to teach, through what was done, that He must be served continually — at the beginning and at the end of each day. This sacrifice, then, was always acceptable, and the offering was always pleasing. But the sacrifice offered for sins was sometimes accepted and sometimes not — depending on the character of those who brought it, whether they were inclined toward virtue or toward evil. Yet the offering that was not brought for sins, but as a law of priestly service and a way of worship, was always acceptable. In the same way, the psalmist asks that his prayer might be like that sacrifice — unstained by any blemish from the one who offers it, like that incense which was pure and holy. And because he asks this, he also teaches us to make our prayers pure and fragrant. For such is righteousness — just as sin, by contrast, is foul-smelling. That is why he himself shows the stench of sin, saying, “For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink and fester” (Psalm 37:4-5). Just as incense is good and fragrant in itself, yet shows its fragrance most fully when it comes into contact with fire, so prayer too is good in itself — but it becomes better and more fragrant when it is offered with a soul that is burning and boiling with zeal. When the soul itself becomes the censer and kindles a strong flame, then prayer rises rightly. For incense was never placed on the altar before the coals were lit and glowing. Do the same with your mind: first set it aflame with eagerness, and then lay upon it the offering of prayer. So then, the psalmist prays that his prayer might be “as incense” and the “lifting up of his hands as an evening sacrifice” (Psalm 140:2). Both are pleasing to God. And how can they be so? If both are pure and without blemish — both the tongue and the hands: the hands purified from greed and theft, and the tongue freed from evil words. For just as the censer must contain nothing unclean — nothing but fire and incense — so the tongue must not pour out filthy speech, but only holiness and praise. And so too the hands must become a censer. Let your mouth, then, be a censer — and be careful not to fill it with dung. Those who speak shameful and filthy words do exactly that. And why does he not say “morning sacrifice” but “evening sacrifice”? I think it makes no difference — for if he had said “morning,” the overly curious would have asked why he did not say “evening.” But if anyone wishes to hear the reason more carefully, it is this: the morning sacrifice awaits the evening one, but the evening sacrifice, once offered, completes the service. The day’s worship is then no longer incomplete, but has reached its fulfillment and its end.

But why does he also speak of the lifting up of hands in prayer? Because our hands are often used to serve many evils — for example, to strike, to murder, to steal, to act in greed. For this very reason we are commanded to lift them up, so that the service of prayer may become a chain that binds them away from evil and frees them from wickedness. Then, when you are about to steal, or act greedily, or strike another, you will remember that you are about to send those same hands as advocates before God, and through them to offer up that spiritual sacrifice. Do not disgrace them, and do not make them shameless by employing them in the service of wicked deeds. Instead, purify them with almsgiving, with love for mankind, with care for those in need — and then lift them up in prayer.

We must think the same way about the mouth and tongue, keeping them inaccessible to wickedness, and only then bringing our prayer before God. For if someone owned a vessel made of gold, he would never choose to use it for a dishonorable purpose because of the preciousness of the material. How much more, then, we who possess mouths more valuable than gold and pearls should never defile them with shameless and filthy words, with insults and abuse. You do not bring the censer to a bronze altar, nor even to a golden one, but to something far more precious — a spiritual temple. For in that case the material is lifeless, but in you God Himself dwells, and you are a member of Christ and His body (1 Corinthians 6:15, 19). – John Chrysostom, Commentary on Psalm 140 (141)

And what wonder? For He permitted opinions erroneous, and unworthy of Himself, to prevail, as that He was a body formerly, and that He was visible. In opposition to which He says, “God is a Spirit.” Again, that He delighted in sacrifices, which is far from His nature. And He utters words at variance with His declarations of Himself, and many such things. For He nowhere considers His own dignity, but always what will be profitable to us. And if a father considers not his own dignity, but talks lispingly with his children, and calls their meat and drink not by their Greek names, but by some childish and barbarous words, much more doth God. Even in reproving He condescends…. – John Chrysostom, Homily 3 on Titus, commentary on Titus 1:12-14

But I have all things and abound, i.e. through this gift you have filled up what was wanting, which would make them more eager. For benefactors, the wiser they are, the more do they seek gratitude from the benefited. That is, you have not only filled up what was deficient in former time, but you have gone beyond. For lest by these words he should seem to accuse them, see how he seals up all. After he had said, “Not that I seek for the gift,” and “Now at length;” and had shown that their deed was a debt, for this is meant by, “I have all,” then again he shows, that they had acted above what was due, and says, “I have all things and abound, I am filled.” I say not this at hazard, or only from the feeling of my mind, but why? “Having received of Epaphroditus the things that came from you, an odor of a sweet smell; a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God.” Lo, whither he has raised their gift; “not I,” he says, “received, but God through me.” Wherefore though I be not in need, regard it not, for God had no need, and He received at their hands in such sort, that the Holy Scriptures shrunk not from saying, “God smelled a sweet savor” (Genesis 8:21), which denotes one who was pleased. For you know, indeed ye know, how our soul is affected by sweet savors, how it is pleased, how it is delighted. The Scriptures therefore shrunk not from applying to God a word so human, and so lowly, that it might show to men that their gifts have become acceptable. For not the fat, not the smoke, made them acceptable, but the purpose of mind which offered them. Had it been otherwise, Cain’s offering too had been received. It says then, that He is even pleased, and how He is pleased. For men could not without this have learned. He then, who has no need, says that He is thus pleased, that they may not become remiss by the absence of need. And afterward, when they had no care for other virtues, and trusted to their offerings alone, behold, how again he sets them right by saying, “Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?” Psalm 50:13 This Paul also says. “Not that I seek,” says he, “for the gift.” – John Chrysostom, Homily 15 on Philippians, commentary on Philippians 4:18

“The Lord smelt an odor of fragrance.” This was not, however, true of the ungrateful Jews. What was the case with them? Listen to the words of the inspired writer: “Incense is an abomination to me” as if to suggest the malice of the offerers’ intention. You see, just as in the present case the good man’s virtue transformed the smoke and the stench into an odor of fragrance, so in their case the malice of the offerers caused the fragrant incense to smell like an abomination. Consequently, let us earnestly take every opportunity, I beseech you, to demonstrate a sound attitude. This, after all, proves responsible for all our good things. You see, the good Lord is accustomed to heed not so much what is done from our own resources as the intention within, on which we depend for our first move in doing these things, and he looks to that in either approving what is done by us or disapproving it. So whether we pray, or fast, or practice almsgiving (these, after all, being our spiritual sacrifices), or perform any other spiritual work, let us begin with a pure intention in performing it so that we may procure a reward worthy of our efforts. – John Chrysostom, Homily 27 on Genesis, chapter 8

Would you see His altar also? Bezaleel built it not, nor any other but God Himself; not of stones, but of a material brighter than the heaven, of reasonable souls. But the priest enters into the holy of holies. Into yet more awful places may thou enter when you offer this sacrifice, where none is present but your Father, Which sees in secret, Matthew 6:4 where no other beholds. ‘And how,’ says one, ‘is it possible that none should behold, when the altar stands in public view?’ Because this it is that is admirable, that in those times double doors and veils made the seclusion: but now, though doing your sacrifice in public view, you may do it as in the holy of holies, and in a far more awful manner. For when you do it not for display before men; though the whole world has seen, none has seen, because you have so done it. For He said not simply, Do it not before men, but added, to be seen of them. Matthew 6:1 This altar is composed of the very members of Christ, and the body of the Lord is made your altar. That then revere; on the flesh of the Lord you sacrifice the victim. This altar is more awful even than this which we now use, not only than that used of old. Nay, clamor not. For this altar is admirable because of the sacrifice that is laid upon it: but that, the merciful man’s, not only on this account, but also because it is even composed of the very sacrifice which makes the other to be admired. Again, this is but a stone by nature; but become holy because it receives Christ’s Body: but that is holy because it is itself Christ’s Body. So that this beside which thou, the layman, standest, is more awful than that. Whether then does Aaron seem to you anything in comparison of this, or his crown, or his bells, or the holy of holies? For what need is there henceforth to make our comparison refer to Aaron’s altar, when even compared with this, it has been shown to be so glorious? But you honor indeed this altar, because it receives Christ’s body; but him that is himself the body of Christ you treat with contumely, and when perishing, neglectest. This altar may thou everywhere see lying, both in lanes and in market places, and may sacrifice upon it every hour; for on this too is sacrifice performed. And as the priest stands invoking the Spirit, so do you too invoke the Spirit, not by speech, but by deeds. For nothing does so sustain and kindle the fire of the Spirit, as this oil largely poured out. But if you would see also what becomes of the things laid upon it, come hither, and I will show you them. What then is the smoke, what the sweet savor of this altar? Praise and thanksgiving. And how far does it ascend? As far as unto heaven? By no means, but it passes beyond the heaven itself, and the heaven of heaven, and arrives even at the throne of the King. For, Your prayers, says he, and your alms have come up before God. Acts 10:4 And the sweet savor which the sense perceives pierces not far into the air, but this opened the very vault of heaven. And thou indeed art silent, but your work speaks : and a sacrifice of praise is made, no heifer slain nor hide burnt, but a spiritual soul presenting her proper offering. For such a sacrifice is more acceptable than any loving-kindness. When then you see a poor believer, think that you behold an altar: when you see such an one a beggar, not only insult him not, but even reverence him, and if you see another insulting him, prevent, repel it. For so shall you yourself be able both to have God propitious to you, and to obtain the promised good things, whereunto may we all attain, through the grace and love towards men of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom and with Whom, to the Father and the Holy Ghost, be glory, might, honor, now and forever, and world without end. Amen. – John Chrysostom, Homily 20 on 2 Corinthians, Commentary on 2 Corinthians 9:15

Let us then give to our discourse a becoming conclusion. And what conclusion is becoming? A suitable giving of glory to God; and that is suitable which is given, not by words only, but much more by actions. For He says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.” Matthew 5:16 Now nothing is more full of light than a most excellent conversation. As one of the wise men has said, “The paths of the just shine like the light” Proverbs 4:18; and they shine not for them alone who kindle the flame by their works, and are guides in the way of righteousness, but also for those who are their neighbors. Let us then pour oil into these lamps, that the flame become higher, that rich light appear. For not only has this oil great strength now, but even when sacrifices were at their height, it was far more acceptable than they could be. “I will have mercy,” He says, “and not sacrifice.” Matthew 12:7; Hosea 6:6 And with good reason; for that is a lifeless altar, this a living; and all that is laid on that altar becomes the food of fire, and ends in dust, and it is poured forth as ashes, and the smoke of it is dissolved into the substance of the air; but here there is nothing like this, the fruits which it bears are different. As the words of Paul declare; for in describing the treasures of kindness to the poor laid up by the Corinthians, he writes, For the administration of this service not only supplies the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God. 2 Corinthians 9:12 And again; Whiles they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the Gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; and by their prayer for you, which long after you. Do you behold it resolving itself into thanksgiving and praise of God, and continual prayers of those who have been benefited, and more fervent charity? Let us then sacrifice, beloved, let us sacrifice every day upon these altars.  – John Chrysostom, Homily 13 on John

“Dwelleth not in temples made with hands.” For He does indeed dwell in temples, yet not in such, but in man’s soul. He overthrows the corporeal worship. What then? Did He not dwell in the temple at Jerusalem? No indeed: but He worked therein. “Neither is He worshipped by men’s hands.” How then was He worshipped by men’s hands among the Jews? Not by hands, but by the understanding. “As though He needed anything:” since even those acts of worship He did not in this sort seek, “as having need. Shall I eat,” saith He, “the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?” Neither is this enough – the having need of naught – which he has affirmed: for though this is Divine, yet a further attribute must be added. “Seeing it is He that giveth unto all, life and breath and all things.” Two proofs of Godhead: Himself to have need of naught, and to supply all things to all men. Produce here Plato and all that he has philosophized about God, all that Epicurus has: and all is but trifling to this! “Giveth,” he says, “life and breath.” Lo, he makes Him the Creator of the soul also, not its begetter. See again how he overthrows the doctrine about matter. – John Chrysostom, Homily 38 on Acts, commentary on Acts 17:25

Does God hate their [Jewish] festivals and do you share in them? He did not say this or that festival, but all of them together. Do you wish to see that God hates the worship paid with kettledrums, with lyres, with harps, and other instruments? God said: “Take away from me the sound of your songs and I will not hear the canticle of your harps” (Amos 5:23). If God said: “Take them away from me,” do you run to listen to their trumpets? Are these sacrifices and offerings not an abomination? “If you bring me the finest wheaten flour, it is in vain: incense is an abomination to me” (Isaiah 1:13). The incense is an abomination. Is not the place also an abomination? And when was it an abomination? Before they committed the crime of crimes, before they killed their Master, before the cross, before the slaying of Christ, it was an abomination. Is it not now all the more an abomination? And yet what is more fragrant than incense? But God looks not to the nature of the gifts but to the intention of those who bring them; it is by this intention that he judges their offerings. He paid heed to Abel and then to his gifts. He looked at Cain and then turned away from his offering. For Scripture says: “For Cain and his offerings he had no regard” (Genesis 4:5). Noah offered to God sacrifices of sheep and calves and birds. The Scripture says: “And the Lord smelled a sweet odor” (Genesis 8:21), that is, he accepted the offerings. For God has no nostrils but is a bodiless spirit. Yet what is carried up from the altar is the odor and smoke from burning bodies, and nothing is more malodorous than such a savor. But that you may learn that God attends to the intention of the one offering the sacrifice and then accepts or rejects it, Scripture calls the odor and smoke a sweet savor; but it calls the incense an abomination because the intention of those offering it reeked with a great stench. Do you wish to learn that, together with the sacrifices and the musical instruments and the festivals and the incense, God also rejects the temple because of those who enter it? He showed this mostly by his deeds, when he gave it over to barbarian hands, and later when he utterly destroyed it. But even before its destruction, through his prophet he shouted aloud and said: “Put not your trust in deceitful words for it will not help you when you say: ‘This is the temple of the Lord! The temple of the Lord!’” (Jeremiah 7:4). What the prophet says is that the temple does not make holy those who gather there, but those who gather there make the temple holy. If the temple did not help at a time when the Cherubim and the Ark were there, much less will it help now that all those things are gone, now that God’s rejection is complete, now that there is greater ground for enmity. How great an act of madness and derangement would it be to take as your partners in the festivals those who have been dishonored, those whom God has forsaken, those who angered the Master? – John Chrysostom, Discourse 1 Against Judaizing Christians (Fathers of the Church vol. 68:26-28)

Gregory of Nazianzus:

Now we will partake of a Passover which is still typical; though it is plainer than the old one. For that is ever new which is now becoming known. It is ours to learn what is that drinking and that enjoyment, and His to teach and communicate the Word to His disciples. For teaching is food, even to the Giver of food. Come hither then, and let us partake of the Law, but in a Gospel manner, not a literal one; perfectly, not imperfectly; eternally, not temporarily. Let us make our Head, not the earthly Jerusalem, but the heavenly City (Hebrews 12:22); not that which is now trodden under foot by armies (Luke 21:20-24), but that which is glorified by Angels. Let us sacrifice not young calves, nor lambs that put forth horns and hoofs, in which many parts are destitute of life and feeling; but let us sacrifice to God the sacrifice of praise upon the heavenly Altar, with the heavenly dances; let us hold aside the first veil; let us approach the second, and look into the Holy of Holies. Shall I say that which is a greater thing yet? Let us sacrifice ourselves to God; or rather let us go on sacrificing throughout every day and at every moment. Let us accept anything for the Word’s sake. By sufferings let us imitate His Passion: by our blood let us reverence His Blood: let us gladly mount upon the Cross. Sweet are the nails, though they be very painful. For to suffer with Christ and for Christ is better than a life of ease with others.- Gregory of Nazianzus, Oration 45, chapter XXIII

93. I hear again that Nadab and Abihu, for having merely offered incense with strange fire, were with strange fire destroyed (Leviticus 10:1), the instrument of their impiety being used for their punishment, and their destruction following at the very time and place of their sacrilege; and not even their father Aaron, who was next to Moses in the favor of God, could save them.

94. I know also that not even bodily blemishes in either priests (Leviticus 21:17) or victims passed without notice, but that it was required by the law that perfect sacrifices must be offered by perfect men — a symbol, I take it, of integrity of soul. It was not lawful for everyone to touch the priestly vesture, or any of the holy vessels; nor might the sacrifices themselves be consumed except by the proper persons, and at the proper time and place; nor might the anointing oil nor the compounded incense be imitated (Exodus 30:33, 38); nor might anyone enter the temple who was not in the most minute particular pure in both soul and body; so far was the Holy of holies removed from presumptuous access, that it might be entered by one man only once a year; so far were the veil, and the mercy-seat, and the ark, and the Cherubim, from the general gaze and touch.

95. Since then I knew these things, and that no one is worthy of the mightiness of God, and the sacrifice, and priesthood, who has not first presented himself to God, a living, holy sacrifice, and set forth the reasonable, well-pleasing service (Romans 12:1), and sacrificed to God the sacrifice of praise and the contrite spirit, which is the only sacrifice required of us by the Giver of all; how could I dare to offer to Him the external sacrifice, the antitype of the great mysteries, or clothe myself with the garb and name of priest, before my hands had been consecrated by holy works; before my eyes had been accustomed to gaze safely upon created things, with wonder only for the Creator, and without injury to the creature; before my ear had been sufficiently opened to the instruction of the Lord, and He had opened mine ear to hear without heaviness, and had set a golden earring with precious sardius, that is, a wise man’s word in an obedient ear; before my mouth had been opened to draw in the Spirit, and opened wide to be filled with the spirit of speaking mysteries and doctrines; 1 Corinthians 14:2 and my lips bound, to use the words of wisdom, by divine knowledge, and, as I would add, loosed in due season: before my tongue had been filled with exultation, and become an instrument of Divine melody, awaking with glory, awaking right early, and laboring till it cleave to my jaws: before my feet had been set upon the rock, made like hart’s feet, and my footsteps directed in a godly fashion so that they should not nearly slip, nor slip at all; before all my members had become instruments of righteousness (Romans 6:13), and all mortality had been put off, and swallowed up of life (2 Corinthians 5:4), and had yielded to the Spirit?

97. Who is the man who has never beheld, as our duty is to behold it, the fair beauty of the Lord, nor has visited His temple, or rather, become the temple of God (2 Corinthians 6:16), and the habitation of Christ in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:22)? Who is the man who has never recognized the correlation and distinction between figures and the truth, so that by withdrawing from the former and cleaving to the latter, and by thus escaping from the oldness of the letter and serving the newness of the spirit, he may clean pass over to grace from the law, which finds its spiritual fulfilment in the dissolution of the body? – Gregory of Nazianzus, Oration 2, chapters 93-97

Let us give to God all our members which are upon the earth; Colossians 3:5 let us consecrate them all; not the lobe of the liver or the kidneys with the fat, nor some part of our bodies now this now that (why should we despise the rest?); but let us bring ourselves entire, let us be reasonable holocausts (Romans 12:1), perfect sacrifices; and let us not make only the shoulder or the breast a portion for the Priest to take away, Leviticus 7:34 for that would be a small thing, but let us give ourselves entire, that we may receive back ourselves entire; for this is to receive entirely, when we give ourselves to God and offer as a sacrifice our own salvation. – Gregory of Nazianzus, Oration 40 (On Baptism), chapter 40

Ephrem the Syrian:

1. During these same days, [God] gave [Moses] commandments concerning the building of the tabernacle: of what it should be made, and how; and the vessels they should make for the sanctuary; and [the commandments] concerning the holy oil, the incense, and the priestly sacrifice. By saying [to him]: “You shall make everything according to the model of the tabernacle that I will show you,” he first called it a model and a temporal tabernacle, to indicate that it was transitory and that it would be replaced by the church, the perfect prototype which lasts forever, and so that they would esteem it because of its likeness to the heavenly tabernacle. – Ephrem the Syrian, Commentary on Exodus, Sections XXV-XXXI

Glory be to You Who clothed Yourself in the body of mortal Adam, and made it a fountain of life for all mortals. You are He that lives, for Your slayers were as husbandmen to Your life, for that they sowed it as wheat in the depth [of the earth], that it may rise and raise up many with it. Come, let us make our love the great censer of the community, and offer on it as incense our hymns and our prayers to Him Who made His cross a censer for the Godhead, and offered from it on behalf of us all. He that was above stooped down to those who were beneath, to distribute His treasures to them. Accordingly, though the needy drew near to His manhood, yet they used to receive the gift from His Godhead. Therefore He made the body which He put on, the treasurer of His riches, that He, O Lord, might bring them out of Your storehouse, and distribute them to the needy, the sons of His kindred. – Ephrem the Syrian, Homily on Our Lord, chapter 9

Blessed are you, O Church, that in your festivals, — the Watchers rejoice amid your festivity!— for one night the Watchers gave praise — on the earth which withheld and refused praise.— Blessed your voices that have been sown and reaped — and in Heaven stored up in garners!— Your mouth is a censer, and your voices as perfumes, breathing vapour in your festivals. – Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns on the Nativity, Hymn 18, chapter 2

“How was Moses demeaned, who received even the Divine Name and a heavenly glory, yet dared not to say he was God, and deceived not the people? When the children of that people went astray in the desert, then he by all methods reproved them in every thing; and he cried against them, and called heaven and earth to witness against them. How again was the saintly Apostle demeaned and his colleague, when the men began to offer sacrifices unto them and to burn incense to them, and called them gods, because they saw their wondrous works? They rent their inward heart and their outward garments, and allowed themselves to be stoned rather than to be worshipped.” Ephrem the Syrian, Eighty Rhythms upon the Faith, against the Disputers – Ephrem the Syrian, Eighty Rhythms Upon The Faith Against the Disputers, Rhythm 61.4

Basil the Great:

How do you hope to find redemption for your souls through sacrifices that are offered in quantity but with no repentance worth mentioning? For God is merciful not through the blood of animals or through slaughter on the altar but upon the contrite heart. For “the sacrifice of God is a contrite heart.” It is fitting for the same to be said to those who are lavish in their expiations but do not repent through their deeds. Scripture says, “What is the multitude of your sacrifices to me?” So it dismisses the multitude and seeks after the single sacrifice. – Basil, Commentary on Isaiah 1.24

Observe that God does not say that He does not wish for any blood, but for this particular blood from these particular animals. For he would not say that He does not wish for the blood that was poured out “in the last times for the annulment of sins,” which speaks more effectively than that of Abel,” but He changes the sacrifices to the spiritual plane, since “The change of priesthood” is about to happen. For if He rejects the physical sacrifices, He manifestly rejects the high priest according to the law…. They of the stock of Aaron are cast out, therefore, so that He [Christ] according to the order of Melchizedek might enter instead. The “continuous sacrifices” are no more, no more the sacrifices of the Day of Atonement, no more “the ashes of the heifer which purify those that partake.” For the sacrifice is one, the Christ, and the mortification of the saints according to Him; the absolution of the sins is one – the blood poured out for the salvation of the world. Because of this God renounces the former things, so that He may established the latter. – Basil, Commentary on Isaiah 1.26

“If you bring me fine flour, it is vain; incense is an abomination to me. Your new moons and your Sabbaths and your great day—I cannot endure them. Your fasting, and idleness, and your festivals my soul hates” (Isaiah 1:13–14). Clearly he rejects the literal observance, proclaiming the law of God and, with great reproach, rousing both the rulers and the people to attention. For he announces nothing from himself, but sets forth the ancient matters, calling this the law of God and the ordinance of God: namely, that nothing now being performed is valid—”If you bring me fine flour, it is vain” (Isaiah 1:13). In many places he makes use of fine flour in connection with sacrifices: sometimes unprepared, with only oil poured upon it; sometimes without oil, as in the case of jealousy; sometimes as cakes, sometimes unleavened, sometimes merely as dough, the fine flour having been mixed with oil. Now, by declaring its use vain, he sets aside the greater part of the sacrifices.

It is an extraordinary statement, but it is none the less true, that the Spirit is frequently spoken of as the place of them that are being sanctified, and it will become evident that even by this figure the Spirit, so far from being degraded, is rather glorified. For words applicable to the body are, for the sake of clearness, frequently transferred in scripture to spiritual conceptions. Accordingly we find the Psalmist, even in reference to God, saying Be Thou to me a champion God and a strong place to save me and concerning the Spirit behold there is place by me, and stand upon a rock. Plainly meaning the place or contemplation in the Spirit wherein, after Moses had entered there, he was able to see God intelligibly manifested to him. This is the special and peculiar place of true worship; for it is said “Take heed to yourself that thou offer not your burnt offerings in every place… but in the place the Lord your God shall choose” (Deuteronomy 12:13-14). Now what is a spiritual burnt offering? The sacrifice of praise. And in what place do we offer it? In the Holy Spirit. Where have we learned this? From the Lord himself in the words The true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth. This place Jacob saw and said The Lord is in this place (Genesis 28:16). It follows that the Spirit is verily the place of the saints and the saint is the proper place for the Spirit, offering himself as he does for the indwelling of God, and called God’s Temple. – Basil, On The Holy Spirit, chapter 26

Thus whenever we have in mind the Spirit’s proper rank, we contemplate Him as being with the Father and the Son, but when we think of the grace that flows from Him operating on those who participate in it, we say that the Spirit is in us. And the doxology which we offer in the Spirit is not an acknowledgment of His rank; it is rather a confession of our own weakness, while we show that we are not sufficient to glorify Him of ourselves, but our sufficiency is in the Holy Spirit. Enabled in [or by] Him we render thanks to our God for the benefits we have received, according to the measure of our purification from evil, as we receive one a larger and another a smaller share of the aid of the Spirit, that we may offer the sacrifice of praise to God (Hebrews 13:15). According to one use, then, it is thus that we offer our thanksgiving, as the true religion requires, in the Spirit. – Basil, On The Holy Spirit, chapter 26

God always asks for sacrifice, not, I think, because He needs it, but because He accepts a pious and right mind as a precious sacrifice. – Basil, Letter 115

Persecution has come upon us, right honourable brethren, and persecution in the severest form. Shepherds are persecuted that their flocks may be scattered. And the worst of all is that those who are being treated ill cannot accept their sufferings in proof of their testimony, nor can the people reverence the athletes as in the army of martyrs, because the name of Christians is applied to the persecutors. The one charge which is now sure to secure severe punishment is the careful keeping of the traditions of the Fathers. For this the pious are exiled from their homes, and are sent away to dwell in distant regions. No reverence is shown by the judges of iniquity to the hoary head, to practical piety, to the life lived from boyhood to old age according to the Gospel. No malefactor is doomed without proof, but bishops have been convicted on calumny alone, and are consigned to penalties on charges wholly unsupported by evidence. Some have not even known who has accused them, nor been brought before any tribunal, nor even been falsely accused at all. They have been apprehended with violence late at night, have been exiled to distant places, and, through the hardships of these remote wastes, have been given over to death. The rest is notorious, though I make no mention of it—the flight of priests; the flight of deacons; the foraying of all the clergy. Either the image must be worshipped, or we are delivered to the wicked flame of whips. The laity groan; tears are falling without ceasing in public and in private; all are mutually lamenting their woes. No one’s heart is so hard as to lose a father, and bear the bereavement meekly. There is a sound of them that mourn in the city—a sound in the fields, in the roads, in the deserts. But one voice is heard from all that utter sad and piteous words. Joy and spiritual gladness are taken away. Our feasts are turned into mourning. Our houses of prayer are shut. The altars of the spiritual service are lying idle. Christians no longer assemble together; teachers no longer preside. The doctrines of salvation are no longer taught. We have no more solemn assemblies, no more evening hymns, no more of that blessed joy of souls which arises in the souls of all that believe in the Lord at communions, and the imparting of spiritual boons. We may well say, “Neither is there at this time prince, or prophet, or reader, or offering, or incense, or place to sacrifice before thee, and to find mercy” (Daniel 3:38). – Basil, Letter CCXLIII, chapter 2

Gaudentius of Brescia (ca. 387-410):

And immediately, as the heavenly physician healed the dying boy by the power of His word, the holy Evangelist concluded: “This again is the second sign that Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.” (John 4:54) Therefore, to return to the interpretation of the names and to the figurative meaning: in Cana of Galilee—that is, in the possession of the Gentiles—the spiritual wedding is celebrated under the presence of Christ. The Prophet, speaking in the person of Christ to the Church in the Song of Songs, says: “Come from Lebanon, My spouse, come from Lebanon” (Song of Songs 4). That is, “Come away from that Gentile incense offering.” For Lebanon is interpreted as “incense” from the Greek, and it was those Magi who came from the Gentile nations (Matthew 2) who believed that incense ought to be offered to Christ. Indeed, Lebanon is also known as a lofty mountain among the Phoenicians, comparable to the proud dominion of the Gentiles; and therefore the Church, as the bride, is most fittingly called forth from there, hearing the voice of Christ saying, “Come from Lebanon, My spouse, come from Lebanon” (Song of Songs 4). – Gaudentius of Brescia, Sermon 8

Gregory of Nyssa:

How can you obey Paul when he exhorts you “to present your body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,” when you are “conformed to this world,” and not transformed by the renewing of your mind, when you are not “walking” in this “newness of life,” but still pursuing the routine of “the old man”? How can you be a priest unto God, anointed though you are for this very office, to offer a gift to God; a gift in no way another’s, no counterfeited gift from sources outside yourself, but a gift that is really your own, namely, “the inner man,” who must be perfect and blameless, as it is required of a lamb to be without spot or blemish? How can you offer this to God, when you do not listen to the law forbidding the unclean to offer sacrifices? – Gregory of Nyssa, On Virginity, chapter 24

Jerome:

But I do not presume to limit God’s omnipotence or to restrict to a narrow strip of earth Him whom the heaven cannot contain. Each believer is judged not by his residence in this place or in that but according to the deserts of his faith. The true worshippers worship the Father neither at Jerusalem nor on mount Gerizim; for “God is a spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” “Now the spirit bloweth where it listeth,” and “the earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof.” When the fleece of Judæa was made dry although the whole world was wet with the dew of heaven, and when many came from the East and from the West and sat in Abraham’s bosom: then God ceased to be known in Judah only and His name to be great in Israel alone; the sound of the apostles went out into all the earth and their words into the ends of the world. The Saviour Himself speaking to His disciples in the temple said: “arise, let us go hence,” and to the Jews: “your house is left unto you desolate.” If heaven and earth must pass away, obviously all things that are earthly must pass away also. Therefore the spots which witnessed the crucifixion and the resurrection profit those only who bear their several crosses, who day by day rise again with Christ, and who thus shew themselves worthy of an abode so holy. Those who say “the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord,” should give ear to the words of the apostle: “ye are the temple of the Lord,” and the Holy Ghost “dwelleth in you.”

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and death.” And more clearly in what follows he teaches that Christians do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit: “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit. For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the spirit is life and peace: because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be: and they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you,” and so on to where he says, “So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh: for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the spirit ye mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” … The Apostle being desirous to withdraw us from the flesh and to join us to the Spirit, says afterwards: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” – Jerome, Against Jovinianus, book 1, chapter 37

This is so that they may know that spiritual victims will come in succession to the fleshly victims. And it is not the blood of the bulls and goats that must be offered to the Lord, but “incense,” that is, the prayers of the saints. – Jerome, Commentary on Malachi 1:10b-13

Then, again, no one but a profligate denies that the profligate and licentious find a delight in sweet odours, different sorts of incense, fragrant balsam, kuphi, œnanthe, and musk, which is nothing but the skin of a foreign rat. – Jerome, Against Jovinianus, book 2, chapter 8

Idolatry is not confined to casting incense upon an altar with finger and thumb, or to pouring libations of wine out of a cup into a bowl. Covetousness is idolatry, or else the selling of the Lord for thirty pieces of silver was a righteous act. Matthew 26:15 Lust involves profanation, or else men may defile with common harlots those members of Christ which should be a living sacrifice acceptable to God (Romans 12:1). – Jerome, Letter, chapter 5

[God’s leniency toward the Jews in allowing them to offer incense to Him only extended as far as their willingness to offer the incense to Him EXACTLY as He commanded. All unlawful offerings of incense to God are seen as pure idolatry, which the fathers confirm repeatedly. If you offer incense to images apart from a clear command to do so, you’re guilty of idolatry.]

For the inner man finds itself well known by that knowledge whereby the apostle Paul knew the Colossians and many other believers whom he had never seen. How high an esteem I entertain for this virgin, nay more what a miracle of virtue I think her, you may judge by the fact that being occupied in the explanation of Ezekiel’s description of the temple—the hardest piece in the whole range of scripture—and finding myself in that part of the sacred edifice wherein is the Holy of Holies and the altar of incense, I have chosen by way of a brief rest to pass from that altar to this, that upon it I might consecrate to eternal chastity a living offering acceptable to God and free from all stain. – Jerome, Letter 130

Epiphanius of Salamis:

No one has sacrificed animals to Christ since the advent of Christ and the new covenant… Now that this is no longer done—by his will, as he said even from the first through the prophet Jeremiah, “To what purpose dost thou bring to me incense from Sheba and sweet cane from a far country?” and again, “Thy sacrifices are not sweet unto me”; and elsewhere, “Take away thy sacrifices, O Israel, and eat flesh. For I gave your fathers no commandment concerning sacrifices in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, but this thing I commanded them, that every man deal justly with his neighbor.” But when the same God who said, “I gave no such commandment,” also said to Moses, in the Law, “If any man of the children of Israel shall offer a sacrifice of the beeves or of the sheep, let him offer a male without blemish”—and again, “If any sin and be overcome by a transgression, let him offer a sheep”; and again, “If the people sin, let them offer a calf”— he showed that he willingly accepted the sacrifices which once were offered for the people’s salvation, not because he needed or wanted them, but in deference to their weakness and people’s preconception, to divert men’s minds from polytheism to the knowledge of the one God. For since their minds had been firmly set on the sacrifice which, as though in piety, they were offering to idols for their own atonements and salvation, he willed that, lest they feel any distress because of their habituation, they transfer their customary practices to himself—to wean them away from them by allowing them to do this in his name for a while, rather than in the names of an imaginary pantheon. Then finally, when they had learned to know the One and come to believe firmly in the One, he would tell them, “Do I eat bulls’ flesh or drink the blood of goats?” and, “Did ye offer unto me sacrifice in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?”—though many sacrifices were offered then, surely— to show that they were not offering to him, though he accepted this and they were offering in his name. [He accepted it] because of their inherited custom in such matters, until he could undermine it by drawing them away from their customary worship of many gods to the One, and from the One they could finally learn that he had not needed and did not need sacrifices; and at last he would remove the entire reason for the sacrifices through the incarnation of Christ himself. For the one sacrifice has put an end to all the previous ones—the sacrifice of Christ, that is, for, as the scripture says, “As our Passover, Christ is sacrificed.” Of this Sacrifice, Passover and teaching the Law became a guardian; for because of the type, it led and brought them back to the more perfect teaching. – Epiphanius, Panarion, Heresy 42 (Against Marcionites)

And to show that he himself has no need of sacrifices, he says in the prophet, “Have ye offered unto me sacrifices forty years, O house of Israel? saith the Lord.” To whom were the sacrifices offered, then? To him, in proportion with the understanding of the offerers; and God had commanded this, not because he needed the sacrifices, but to wean them away from polytheism to the recognition of one God. [He commanded it] because they had seen sacrifices offered to the gods of the Egyptians, so that their minds would not be changed because of the polytheism, and they would desert the one and only God. But when God had dissuaded them from polytheism over a long period of time and weaned them away from an opinion of this sort, he began to cut off the things that were not his will, and said, To what purpose bring ye me incense from Saba, and spices from a land afar off?” “Will I eat the flesh of bulls and drink the blood of goats?” “I have not required this at your hands,” “but to do righteousness each man to his neighbor, and truth each man to his brother.” – Epiphanius, Panarion, Heresy 66 (Against Manichaeans)

And you see that the meaning behind the sacred oracles is revealed as time goes on. For example, God himself tells Samuel, “Anoint Saul as king,” but later he accuses them with the words, “Ye have anointed a king but not by me, and rulers, and I did not command you.” And since their minds were set on this, God consoles the prophet Samuel by saying, “They have not rejected thee, but me, saith the Lord. But anoint for them Saul, the son of Kish.” The Godhead was dealing with them as though with little children, to show patience with the feebleness of the weak and coax the infant out of its weakness. Then, at the very last, he says, “The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart God will not despise,” “Offer unto God the sacrifice of praise,” and whatever other things can be said about this. – Epiphanius, Panarion, Heresy 66 (Against Manichaeans)

But this is the typical portion of the Law, the part that has been made the image of things which are spiritual and excellent, I mean the laws of sacrifices, circumcision, the Sabbath, fasting, the Passover, the feast of unleavened bread and the like. For all these, being images and allegories, were transformed when the truth appeared. Outwardly and in bodily observance they were abrogated but spiritually they were adopted, with the names remaining the same but the things altered. For the Savior has commanded us to offer sacrifices, not of dumb animals or their odors but by means of spiritual hymns, praises, and thanksgiving, and of charity and acts of kindness to our neighbors. He also desires that we have a circumcision, not of the bodily foreskin but of the spiritual heart— and that we keep the Sabbath, for it is his will that we desist from evil works. And that we fast—but it is his will that we keep not the bodily fast but the spiritual, which includes abstinence from all evil. – Epiphanius, Panarion, Heresy 33 (Against Ptolemaeans)

There is also the division which has been transformed and altered from the physical to the spiritual—this allegorical legislation in the image of the things that are excellent. For since the images and allegories were indicative of other things, they were rightly performed as long as the truth was not here. But once the truth is here we must do what is proper to the truth, not to the image. – Epiphanius, Panarion, Heresy 33 (Against Ptolemaeans)

In the time, then, as we said, of Anicetus, the aforementioned Marcellina, having come to Rome, spewed out the corruption of the teaching of Carpocrates, and having corrupted many there, destroyed them. And from this came the beginning of those called Gnostics. They have painted images in colors, but some also of gold and silver and other material, which they say are portraits of Jesus, and that these were made by Pontius Pilate, that is, portraits of Jesus himself when he sojourned among the human race. They keep such things in secret, but also of certain philosophers, Pythagoras and Plato and Aristotle and others, along with which philosophers they also place other portraits of Jesus, and having set them up, they worship (προσκυνοῦσι) them and perform the mysteries of the Gentiles. For having set up these images, they then perform the customs of the Gentiles. And what are the customs of the Gentiles but sacrifices and the other things? And they say that salvation is of the soul only and not of bodies. It is necessary, therefore, to refute these men with all strength; for let no one despise argument, especially against deceivers. But someone might say: Are they not detectable and full of foolishness? But somehow even foolish things persuade the foolish and lead the wise astray…. – Epiphanius, Panarion, Heresy 27, (Against Carpocratians)

Augustine:

Prayer then, purely directed from a faithful heart, rises like incense from a hallowed altar. Nought is more delightful than the odour of the Lord: such odour let all have who believe. – Augustine, Exposition of Psalm 141:3

At the time David spoke in this way: “Since if you had wanted a sacrifice I would certainly have given one; in burnt offerings you will not delight.” [However,] those sacrifices that were still offered to God are no longer offered now. He was prophesying, therefore, when he said this: he was rejecting current customs and foreseeing future ones. “In burnt offerings,” he says, “you will not delight. When you [the congregation] stop delighting in burnt offerings, will you be left without any sacrifice? Certainly not.” “A sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit: a contrite and humbled heart God does not despise.” Therefore you do have something to offer. Don’t look around the flock, don’t fit out ships and travel to far distant regions to bring back incense. Look in your own heart for what may be acceptable to God. The heart has to be crushed. Why be afraid it will be destroyed if you crush it? There you have the answer: “Create a clean heart in me, O God.” For a clean heart to be created, let the unclean heart be crushed. – Augustine, Sermon 19:3

16. Question III. Let us now look to the question which comes next in order. [A pagan says] “They [Christians] find fault,” he says, “with the sacred ceremonies, the sacrificial victims, the burning of incense, and all the other parts of worship in our temples; and yet the same kind of worship had its origin in antiquity with themselves, or from the God whom they worship, for He is represented by them as having been in need of the first-fruits.”

17. This question is obviously founded upon the passage in our Scriptures in which it is written that Cain brought to God a gift from the fruits of the earth, but Abel brought a gift from the firstlings of the flock (Genesis 4:3-4). Our reply, therefore, is, that from this passage the more suitable inference to be drawn is, how ancient is the ordinance of sacrifice which the infallible and sacred writings declare to be due to no other than to the one true God; not because God needs our offerings, seeing that, in the same Scriptures, it is most clearly written, “I said to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord, for You have no need of my good,'” but because, even in the acceptance or rejection or appropriation of these offerings, He considers the advantage of men, and of them alone. For in worshipping God we do good to ourselves, not to Him. When, therefore, He gives an inspired revelation, and teaches how He is to be worshipped, He does this not only from no sense of need on His part, but from a regard to our highest advantage. For all such sacrifices are significant, being symbols of certain things by which we ought to be roused to search or know or recollect the things which they symbolize. To discuss this subject satisfactorily would demand of us something more than the short discourse in which we have resolved to give our reply at this time, more particularly because in other treatises we have spoken of it fully. – Augustine, Letter 102, chapter 16-17

18.  As to idols, indeed, who entertains a doubt as to their being wholly devoid of perception? And yet, when they are placed in these temples and set on high upon thrones of honour, that they may be waited upon by suppliants and worshippers praying and offering sacrifices, even these idols, though devoid both of feeling and of life, do, by the mere image of the members and senses of beings endowed with life, so affect weak minds, that they appear to live and breathe, especially under the added influence of the profound veneration with which the multitude freely renders such costly service.

19. To these morbid and pernicious affections of the mind divine Scripture applies a remedy, by repeating, with the impressiveness of wholesome admonition, a familiar fact, in the words, “Eyes have they, but they see not; they have ears, but they hear not,” etc. For these words, by reason of their being so plain, and commending themselves to all people as true, are the more effective in striking salutary shame into those who, when they present divine worship before such images with religious fear, and look upon their likeness to living beings while they are venerating and worshipping them, and utter petitions, offer sacrifices, and perform vows before them as if present, are so completely overcome, that they do not presume to think of them as devoid of perception.

20. The heathen find a plea for their profane rites and their idols in the fact that they interpret with ingenuity what is signified by each of them, but the plea is of no avail. For all this interpretation relates to the creature, not to the Creator, to whom alone is due that religious service which is in the Greek language distinguished by the word λατρεία. Neither do we say that the earth, the seas, the heaven, the sun, the moon, the stars, and any other celestial influences which may be beyond our ken are demons; but since all created things are divided into material and immaterial, the latter of which we also call spiritual, it is manifest that what is done by us under the power of piety and religion proceeds from the faculty of our souls known as the will, which belongs to the spiritual creation, and is therefore to be preferred to all that is material. Whence it is inferred that sacrifice must not be offered to anything material. There remains, therefore, the spiritual part of creation, which is either pious or impious — the pious consisting of men and angels who are righteous, and who duly serve God; the impious consisting of wicked men and angels, whom we also call devils. Now, that sacrifice must not be offered to a spiritual creature, though righteous, is obvious from this consideration, that the more pious and submissive to God any creature is, the less does he presume to aspire to that honour which he knows to be due to God alone. How much worse, therefore, is it to sacrifice to devils, that is, to a wicked spiritual creature, which, dwelling in this comparatively dark heaven nearest to earth, as in the prison assigned to him in the air, is doomed to eternal punishment. Wherefore, even when men say that they are offering sacrifices to the higher celestial powers, which are not devils, and imagine that the only difference between us and them is in a name, because they call them gods and we call them angels, the only beings which really present themselves to these men, who are given over to be the sport of manifold deceptions, are the devils who find delight and, in a sense, nourishment in the errors of mankind. For the holy angels do not approve of any sacrifice except what is offered, agreeably to the teaching of true wisdom and true religion, unto the one true God, whom in holy fellowship they serve. Therefore, as impious presumption, whether in men or in angels, commands or covets the rendering to itself of those honours which belong to God, so, on the other hand, pious humility, whether in men or in holy angels, declines these honours when offered, and declares to whom alone they are due, of which most notable examples are conspicuously set forth in our sacred books.

21. In the sacrifices appointed by the divine oracles there has been a diversity of institution corresponding to the age in which they were observed. Some sacrifices were offered before the actual manifestation of that new covenant, the benefits of which are provided by the one true offering of the one Priest, namely, by the shed blood of Christ; and another sacrifice, adapted to this manifestation, and offered in the present age by us who are called Christians after the name of Him who has been revealed, is set before us not only in the gospels, but also in the prophetic books. For a change, not of the God, who is worshipped, nor of the religion itself, but of sacrifices and of sacraments, would seem to be proclaimed without warrant now, if it had not been foretold in the earlier dispensation. For just as when the same man brings to God in the morning one kind of offering, and in the evening another, according to the time of day, he does not thereby change either his God or his religion, any more than he changes the nature of a salutation who uses one form of salutation in the morning and another in the evening: so, in the complete cycle of the ages, when one kind of offering is known to have been made by the ancient saints, and another is presented by the saints in our time, this only shows that these sacred mysteries are celebrated not according to human presumption, but by divine authority, in the manner best adapted to the times. There is here no change either in the Deity or in the religion. – Augustine, Letter 102, chapters 18-21

Whilst therefore it is summer, while it is well with you, while you are in tranquility, hear the word of the Lord. For how can it be that in the midst of these tempests of the world, you should pass through the whole of that sea, without suffering? How could it happen? To what mortal’s lot has it fallen? If even it has been the lot of any, that very calm is more to be dreaded. The Lord has commended His loving-kindness in the day-time, and in the night-time will He declare it….”There is with me prayer unto the God of my life.” This I make my business here; I who am the hart thirsting and longing for the water-brooks, calling to mind the sweetness of that strain, by which I was led on through the tabernacle even to the house of God; while this corruptible body presses down the soul, Wisdom 9:15 there is yet with me prayer unto the God of my life. For in order to making supplication unto God, I do not need to buy anything from places beyond the sea; or in order that He may hear me, must I sail to bring from a distance frankincense and perfumes, or to bring calf or ram from the flock. There is with me prayer to the God of my life. I have within a victim to sacrifice; I have within an incense to place on the altar; I have within a sacrifice wherewith to propitiate my God. The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit. What sacrifice of a troubled spirit I have within, hear. – Augustine, On Psalm 42, chapter 15

But there is clearly much acuteness in the question put by our author, How must we suppose that those holy men quitted this life — with sin, or without sin? For if we answer, With sin, condemnation will be supposed to have been their destiny, which it is shocking to imagine; but if it be said that they departed this life without sin, then it would be a proof that man had been without sin in his present life, at all events, when death was approaching. But, with all his acuteness, he overlooks the circumstance that even righteous persons not without good reason offer up this prayer: Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; Matthew 6:12 and that the Lord Christ, after explaining the prayer in His teaching, most truly added: For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Father will also forgive you your trespasses (Matthew 6:14). Here, indeed, we have the daily incense, so to speak, of the Spirit, which is offered to God on the altar of the heart, which we are bidden to lift up,— implying that, even if we cannot live here without sin, we may yet die without sin, when in merciful forgiveness the sin is blotted out which is committed in ignorance or infirmity. – Augustine, On Nature and Grace, chapter 41

“And my mouth has spoken in my tribulation.” How sweet ofttimes is tribulation, how necessary! In that case what has the mouth of the same spoken in his tribulation? “Holocausts marrowed I will offer to You” (Psalm 65:15). What is marrowed? Within may I keep Your love, it shall not be on the surface, in my marrow it shall be that I love You. For there is nothing more inward than our marrow: the bones are more inward than the flesh, the marrow is more inward than those same bones. Whosoever therefore on the surface loves God, desires rather to please men, but having some other affection within, he offers not holocausts of marrow: but into whosesoever marrow He looks, him He receives whole. “With incense and rams.” The rams are the rulers of the Church: the whole Body of Christ is speaking: this is the thing which he offers to God. Incense is what? Prayer. “With incense and rams”. For especially the rams do pray for the flocks. “I will offer to You oxen with he-goats.” Oxen we find treading out grain, and the same are offered to God. The Apostle has said, that of the preachers of the Gospel must be understood that which has been written, “Of the ox treading out grain the mouth you shall not muzzle. Does God care for oxen?” Therefore great are those rams, great the oxen. – Augustine, Exposition of Psalm 66, chapter 18

This being so, if the Platonists, or those who think with them, knowing God, glorified Him as God and gave thanks, if they did not become vain in their own thoughts, if they did not originate or yield to the popular errors, they would certainly acknowledge that neither could the blessed immortals retain, nor we miserable mortals reach, a happy condition without worshipping the one God of gods, who is both theirs and ours. To Him we owe the service which is called in Greek λατρεία, whether we render it outwardly or inwardly; for we are all His temple, each of us severally and all of us together, because He condescends to inhabit each individually and the whole harmonious body, being no greater in all than in each, since He is neither expanded nor divided. Our heart when it rises to Him is His altar; the priest who intercedes for us is His Only-begotten; we sacrifice to Him bleeding victims when we contend for His truth even unto blood; to Him we offer the sweetest incense when we come before Him burning with holy and pious love; to Him we devote and surrender ourselves and His gifts in us; to Him, by solemn feasts and on appointed days, we consecrate the memory of His benefits, lest through the lapse of time ungrateful oblivion should steal upon us; to Him we offer on the altar of our heart the sacrifice of humility and praise, kindled by the fire of burning love. It is that we may see Him, so far as He can be seen; it is that we may cleave to Him, that we are cleansed from all stain of sins and evil passions, and are consecrated in His name. For He is the fountain of our happiness, He the end of all our desires. Being attached to Him, or rather let me say, re-attached — for we had detached ourselves and lost hold of Him — being, I say, re-attached to Him, we tend towards Him by love, that we may rest in Him, and find our blessedness by attaining that end. – Augustine, City of God, book 10, chapter 3

But, putting aside for the present the other religious services with which God is worshipped, certainly no man would dare to say that sacrifice is due to any but God. Many parts, indeed, of divine worship are unduly used in showing honor to men, whether through an excessive humility or pernicious flattery; yet, while this is done, those persons who are thus worshipped and venerated, or even adored, are reckoned no more than human; and who ever thought of sacrificing save to one whom he knew, supposed, or feigned to be a god? And how ancient a part of God’s worship sacrifice is, those two brothers, Cain and Abel, sufficiently show, of whom God rejected the elder’s sacrifice, and looked favorably on the younger’s. – Augustine, City of God, book 10, chapter 4

And who is so foolish as to suppose that the things offered to God are needed by Him for some uses of His own? Divine Scripture in many places explodes this idea. Not to be wearisome, suffice it to quote this brief saying from a psalm: I have said to the Lord, You are my God: for You need not my goodness. We must believe, then, that God has no need, not only of cattle, or any other earthly and material thing, but even of man’s righteousness, and that whatever right worship is paid to God profits not Him, but man. For no man would say he did a benefit to a fountain by drinking, or to the light by seeing. And the fact that the ancient church offered animal sacrifices, which the people of God now-a-days read of without imitating, proves nothing else than this, that those sacrifices signified the things which we do for the purpose of drawing near to God, and inducing our neighbor to do the same. A sacrifice, therefore, is the visible sacrament or sacred sign of an invisible sacrifice. Hence that penitent in the psalm, or it may be the Psalmist himself, entreating God to be merciful to his sins, says, “If You desired sacrifice, I would give it: You delight not in whole burnt-offerings. The sacrifice of God is a broken heart: a heart contrite and humble God will not despise.” Observe how, in the very words in which he is expressing God’s refusal of sacrifice, he shows that God requires sacrifice. He does not desire the sacrifice of a slaughtered beast, but He desires the sacrifice of a contrite heart. Thus, that sacrifice which he says God does not wish, is the symbol of the sacrifice which God does wish. God does not wish sacrifices in the sense in which foolish people think He wishes them, viz., to gratify His own pleasure. For if He had not wished that the sacrifices He requires, as, e.g., a heart contrite and humbled by penitent sorrow, should be symbolized by those sacrifices which He was thought to desire because [they were] pleasant to Himself, the old law would never have enjoined their presentation; and they were destined to be merged when the fit opportunity arrived, in order that men might not suppose that the sacrifices themselves, rather than the things symbolized by them, were pleasing to God or acceptable in us. Hence, in another passage from another psalm, he says, If I were hungry, I would not tell you; for the world is mine and the fullness thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? as if He should say, Supposing such things were necessary to me, I would never ask you for what I have in my own hand. Then he goes on to mention what these signify: Offer unto God the sacrifice of praise, and pay your vows unto the Most High. And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me. So in another prophet: Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? Hath He showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:6-8 In the words of this prophet, these two things are distinguished and set forth with sufficient explicitness, that God does not require these sacrifices for their own sakes, and that He does require the sacrifices which they symbolize. In the epistle entitled To the Hebrews it is said, “To do good and to communicate, forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” Hebrews 13:16 And so, when it is written, “I desire mercy rather than sacrifice,” Hosea 6:6 nothing else is meant than that one sacrifice is preferred to another; for that which in common speech is called sacrifice is only the symbol of the true sacrifice. Now mercy is the true sacrifice, and therefore it is said, as I have just quoted, with such sacrifices God is well pleased. All the divine ordinances, therefore, which we read concerning the sacrifices in the service of the tabernacle or the temple, we are to refer to the love of God and our neighbor. For on these two commandments, as it is written, hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22:40 – Augustine, City of God, book 10, chapter 5

“In me, O God, are Your vows, which I will render of praise to You” (Psalm 55:12). “Vow ye, and render to the Lord your God”. What vow, what render? Perchance those animals which were offered at the altars aforetime? No such thing offer thou: in yourself is what you may vow and render. From the heart’s coffer bring forth the “incense of praise”; from the store of a good “conscience” bring forth the “sacrifice of faith”. Whatsoever thing you bring forth, kindle with “love”. “In me, O God, are Your vows, which I will render of praise to You”. Of what praise? For what has He granted you? “For You have rescued my soul from death” (Psalm 55:13). This is that very life which he tells out to Him: “O God, my life I have told out to You”. For I was what? Dead. Through myself I was dead: through You I am what? Alive. Therefore “in me, O God, are Your vows, which I will render of praise to You”. Behold I “love” my God: no one does tear Him from me: that which to Him I may give, no one does tear from me, because in the heart it is shut up. – Augustine, Exposition on Psalm 56, chapter 17

My good deeds are Your institutions and Your gifts, my evil ones are my delinquencies and Your judgments. Let them breathe freely at the one, and sigh over the other; and let hymns and tears ascend into Your sight out of the fraternal hearts — Your censers. Revelation 8:3 And do Thou, O Lord, who takest delight in the incense of Your holy temple, have mercy upon me according to Your great mercy, for Your name’s sake; and on no account leaving what You have begun in me, do Thou complete what is imperfect in me. – Confessions, book 10, chapter 4

Augustine replied: How and for what purpose the Old Testament is received by the heirs of the New Testament has been already explained. But as the remarks of Faustus were then about the promises of the Old Testament, and now he speaks of the precepts, I reply that he displays ignorance of the difference between moral and symbolic precepts. For example, “You shall not covet” is a moral precept; “You shall circumcise every male on the eighth day” is a symbolic precept. From not making this distinction, the Manichæans, and all who find fault with the writings of the Old Testament, not seeing that whatever observance God appointed for the former dispensation was a shadow of future things, because these observances are now discontinued, condemn them, though no doubt what is unsuitable now was perfectly suitable then as prefiguring the things now revealed. In this they contradict the apostle who says, “All these things happened to them for an example, and they were written for our learning, on whom the end of the world has come” (1 Corinthians 10:6). The apostle here explains why these writings are to be received, and why it is no longer necessary to continue the symbolic observances. For when he says, “They were written for our learning,” he clearly shows that we should be very diligent in reading and in discovering the meaning of the Old Testament Scriptures, and that we should have great veneration for them, since it was for us that they were written. Again, when he says, “They are our examples,” and “these things happened to them for an example,” he shows that, now that the things themselves are clearly revealed, the observance of the actions by which these things were prefigured is no longer binding. So he says elsewhere, “Let no man judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon or of the sabbath-days, which are a shadow of things to come.” Colossians 2:16-17 Here also, when he says, “Let no one judge you” in these things, he shows that we are no longer bound to observe them. And when he says, “which are a shadow of things to come,” he explains how these observances were binding at the time when the things fully disclosed to us were symbolized by these shadows of future things. – Augustine, Against Faustus, book 6, chapter 2

With all this, you venture to denounce the sacrifices of the Old Testament, and to call them idolatry, and to attribute to us the same impious notion. To answer for ourselves in the first place, while we consider it no longer a duty to offer sacrifices, we recognize sacrifices as part of the mysteries of Revelation, by which the things prophesied were foreshadowed. For they were our examples, and in many and various ways they all pointed to the one sacrifice which we now commemorate. Now that this sacrifice has been revealed, and has been offered in due time, sacrifice is no longer binding as an act of worship, while it retains its symbolic authority. For these things “were written for our learning, upon whom the end of the world has come” (1 Corinthians 10:11)…. The same Lord Jesus, before the sacrifice of His passion, said to a leper whom He had cured, “Go, show yourself to the priest, and give the offering, as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them” (Luke 5:14). When God, by the prophets, repeatedly declares that He needs no offering, as indeed reason teaches us that offerings cannot be needed by Him who stands in need of nothing, the human mind is led to inquire what God wished to teach us by these sacrifices. For, assuredly, He would not have required offerings of which He had no need, except to teach us something that it would profit us to know, and which was suitably set forth by means of these symbols. – Augustine, Against Faustus, book 6, chapter 5

Symbols of this kind, either in words or in things, give useful and pleasant exercise to intelligent minds in the way of inquiry and comparison. But formerly people were required not only to hear, but to practise many such things. For at that time it was necessary that, by deeds as well as by words, those things should be foreshadowed which were in after times to be revealed. After the revelation by Christ and in Christ, the community of believers is not burdened with the practice of the observances, but is admonished to give heed to the prophecy. – Augustine, Against Faustus, book 6, chapter 7

The elders who pleased God kept their own order by their obedience, in observing, according to God’s arrangement, what was appointed as suitable to certain times. So, although all animals intended for food are by nature clean, they abstained from some which had then a symbolic uncleanness, in preparation for the future revelation of the things signified. And so with regard to unleavened bread and all such things, in which the apostle says there was a shadow of future things, neglect of their observance under the old dispensation, when this observance was enjoined, and was employed to prefigure what was afterwards to be revealed, would have been as criminal, as it would now be foolish in us, after the light of the New Testament has arisen, to think that these predictive observances could be of any use to us. On the other hand, since the Old Testament teaches us that the things now revealed were so long ago prefigured, that we may be firm and faithful in our adherence to them, it would be blasphemy and impiety to discard these books, simply because the Lord requires of us now not a literal, but a spiritual and intelligent regard to their contents. They were written, as the apostle says, for our admonition, on whom the end of the world has come (1 Corinthians 10:11). “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning” (Romans 15:4). – Augustine, Against Faustus, book 6, chapter 9

Consider, therefore, whether it may not be a sign of greater anger on the part of God, that, while so many laws have been enacted against you, you have not been ordered by any emperor to be put to death. Or do you think that you are not to be compared to that fratricide? Hearken to the Lord speaking through His prophet: “From the rising of the sun, even unto the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering; for my name shall be great among the heathen, says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 1:11 On this brother’s sacrifice you show that you look with malignant eyes, over and above the respect which God pays to it; and if you have ever heard that “from the rising of the sun, unto the going down of the same, the Lord’s name is to be praised,” which is that living sacrifice of which it is said, “Offer unto God thanksgiving,” then will your countenance fall like that of yonder murderer. – Augustine, Answer to Petilian the Donatist, Book II, chapter 87

1. For so have we heard, that a certain Man made a great supper. Who is this Man, but the Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus? … 2. They who would not come made excuses. And how did they excuse themselves? There were three excuses: One said, I have bought a farm, and I go to see it; have me excused. Another said, “I have bought five pairs of oxen, and I go to prove them; I pray you have me excused….” Do we suppose that these are not the excuses, which hinder all men, who decline to come to this supper? Let us look into them, discuss, find them out; but only that we may beware.

3. Another said, I have bought five pairs of oxen. Would it not have been enough, I have bought oxen? Something beyond doubt there is, which by its very obscurity challenges us to seek out, and understand; and in that it is shut, He exhorts us to knock. The five pairs of oxen are the senses of this body. There are numbered five senses of this body, as is known to all; and they who, it may be, do not consider it, will doubtless perceive it on being reminded of it. There are then found to be five senses of this body. In the eyes is the sight, the hearing in the ears, the smell in the nose, the taste in the mouth, the touch in all the members. We have perception of white and black, and things colored in whatever way, light and dark, by the sight. Harsh and musical sounds, we have perception of by the hearing. Of sweet and offensive smells, we have perception by the smell. Of things sweet and bitter by the taste. Of things hard and soft, smooth and rough, warm and cold, heavy and light, by the touch. They are five, and they are pairs. Now that they are pairs, is seen most easily in the case of the three first senses. There are two eyes, two ears, two nostrils; see three pairs. In the mouth, that is in the sense of taste, a certain doubling is found, because nothing affects the taste, unless it is touched by the tongue and the palate. The pleasure of the flesh which pertains to the touch, has this doubling in a less obvious way. For there is both an outer and an inner touch. And so it too is double. Why are they called pairs of oxen? Because by these senses of the body, earthly things are sought for. For oxen turn up the earth. So there are men far off from faith, given up to earthly things, occupied in the things of the flesh; who will not believe anything but what they attain to by the five senses of their body. In those five senses do they lay down for themselves the rules of their whole will. “I will not believe,” says one, “anything but what I see. See, here is what I know, and am sure of. Such a thing is white, or black, or round, or square, or colored so and so; this I know, am sensible of, have a hold of; nature itself teaches it me. I am not forced to believe what you cannot show me. Or it is a voice: I perceive that it is a voice; it sings well, it sings ill, it is sweet, it is harsh. I know, I know this, it has come to me. There is a good or a bad smell: I know, I perceive it. This is sweet, this is bitter; this is salt, this insipid. I know not what you would tell me more. By the touch I know what is hard, what is soft; what is smooth, what is rough; what is warm, and what cold. What more would you show me?”

4. By such an impediment was our Apostle Thomas held back, who as to the Lord Christ, the resurrection that is of Christ, would not believe even his own eyes only. Unless, says he, I put my fingers into the places of the nails and wounds, and unless I put my hand into His side, I will not believe. And the Lord who could have risen again without any vestige of a wound, kept the scars, that they might be touched by the doubting Apostle, and the wounds of his heart be healed. And yet as designing to call to His supper others, against the excuse of the five pairs of oxen, He said, Blessed they who do not see, and believe. We, my Brethren, who have been called to this supper, have not been kept back by these five pairs. For we have not in this age desired to see the Face of the Lord’s Body, nor have we longed to hear the Voice proceeding out of the mouth of that Body; we have not sought in Him for any passing odour. A certain woman anointed Him with most costly ointment, that house was filled with the odour; but we were not there; lo, we did not smell, yet we believe. He gave to the disciples the Supper consecrated by His Own Hands; but we did not sit down at that Feast, and yet we daily eat this same Supper by faith. And do not think it strange that in that supper which He gave with His Own Hand, one was present without faith: the faith that appeared, afterwards was more than a compensation for that faithlessness then. Paul was not there who believed, Judas was there who betrayed. How many now too in this same Supper, though they saw not then that table, nor beheld with their eyes, nor tasted with their mouths, the bread which the Lord took in His Hands, yet because it is the same as is now prepared, how many now also in this same Supper, eat and drink judgment to themselves?

5. But whence arose an occasion, so to say, to the Lord, to speak of this supper? One of them that sat at meat with Him (for He was at a feast, whither He had been invited), had said, Blessed are they who eat bread in the kingdom of God. He sighed as though after distant things, and the Bread Himself was sitting down before him. Who is the Bread of the kingdom of God, but He who says, I am the Living Bread which came down from heaven? Do not get your mouth ready, but your heart. On this occasion it was that the parable of this supper was set forth. Lo, we believe in Christ, we receive Him with faith. In receiving Him we know what to think of. We receive but little, and we are nourished in heart. It is not then what is seen, but what is believed, that feeds us. Therefore we too have not sought for that outward sense; nor have we said, Let them believe who have seen with their eyes, and handled with their hands the Lord Himself after His resurrection, if what is said be true; we do not touch Him, why should we believe? If we were to entertain such thoughts, we should be kept back from the supper by those five pairs of oxen. That ye may know, Brethren, that not the gratification of these five senses, which softens and ministers pleasure, but a kind of curiosity was denoted, He did not say, ‘I have bought five pairs of oxen,’ and I go to feed them; but, I go to prove them. He who wishes to prove by the pairs of oxen, does not wish to be in doubt, just as St. Thomas by these pairs did not wish to be in doubt. – Augustine, Sermon 62 on the New Testament, chapters 1-5

15. What He requires of man, let us see; what tribute our God, our Emperor and our King does enjoin us; since He has willed to be our King, and has willed us to be His province? Let us hear His injunctions. Let not a poor man tremble beneath the injunction of God: what God enjoins to be given to Himself, He does Himself first give that enjoins: be ye only devoted. God does not exact what He has not given, and to all men has given what He does exact. For what does He exact? Let us hear now: “I will not reprove you because of your sacrifices” (Psalm 49:8). I will not say to you, “Wherefore have you not slain for me a fat bull? Why have you not selected the best he-goat from your flock? Wherefore does that ram amble among your sheep, and is not laid upon mine altar?” I will not say, “Examine your fields and your pen and your walls, seeking what you may give Me. I will not reprove you because of your sacrifices.” What then: “Do You not accept my sacrifices?” But “your holocausts are always in My sight” (Psalm 49:9). Certain holocausts concerning which it is said in another Psalm, “If You had desired sacrifice, I would surely have given, with holocausts You will not be delighted” (Psalm 50:16); and again he turns himself, “Sacrifice to God is a troubled spirit, a heart broken and humbled God does not despise” (Psalm 50:17). Which be then holocausts that He despises not? Which holocausts that are always in His sight? “Kindly, O Lord,” he says, “deal in Your good will with Sion, and be the walls of Jerusalem built, then shall You accept the sacrifice of righteousness, oblations, and holocausts” (Psalm 50:18). He says that certain holocausts God will accept. But what is a holocaust? A whole consumed with fire: causis is burning, holon is whole: but a holocaust is a whole consumed with fire. There is a certain fire of most burning love: be the mind inflamed with love, let the same love hurry off the limbs to its use, let it not allow them to serve cupidity, in order that we may wholly glow with fire of divine love that will offer to God a holocaust. “Such holocausts of yours are in My sight always” (Psalm 49:9).

16. As yet that Israel perchance does not understand what are the holocausts thereof which He has in His sight always, and is still thinking of oxen, of sheep, of he-goats: let it not so think: “I will not accept calves of your house” (Psalm 50:9). Holocausts I named; at once in mind and thought to earthly flocks you were running, therefrom you were selecting for Me some fat thing: “I will not accept calves of your house” (Psalm 50:9). He is foretelling the New Testament, wherein all those sacrifices have ceased. For they were then foretelling a certain Sacrifice which was to be, with the Blood whereof we should be cleansed. “I will not accept calves of your house, nor he-goats of your flocks” (Psalm 50:9).

20. Why then dost still think of your flocks? “Shall I eat the flesh of bulls, or shall I drink the blood of he-goats?” (Psalm 50:13). You have heard what of us He requires not, who wills to enjoin us somewhat. If of such things you were thinking, now withdraw your thoughts from such things: think not to offer God any such thing. If you have a fat bull, kill for the poor: let them eat the flesh of bulls, though they shall not drink the blood of he-goats. Which, when you shall have done, He will account it to you, that has said, “If I shall be hungry, I will not tell you” (Psalm 50:12); and He shall say to you, “I was hungry, and you gave Me to eat” (Matthew 25:35). “Shall I eat the flesh of bulls, or shall I drink the blood of he-goats?” (Psalm 50:13).

21. Say then, “Lord our God, what do You enjoin your people, Your Israel?” “Immolate to God the sacrifice of praise” (Psalm 50:14). Let us also say to Him, “In me, O God, are your vows, which I will render of prose to You” (Psalm 56:12). I had feared lest You might enjoin something which would be out of my power, which I was counting to be in my pen, and but now perchance it had been taken away by a thief. “What do You enjoin me? Immolate to God the sacrifice of praise” (Psalm 50:14). Let me revert to myself, wherein I may find what I may immolate: let me revert to myself; in myself may I find immolation of praise: be Your altar my conscience. We are without anxiety, we go not into Arabia in quest of frankincense: not any bags of covetous dealer do we sift: “God requires of us the sacrifice of praise” (Psalm 50:14). Zacchæus had the sacrifice of praise in his patrimony (Luke 19:8); the widow had it in her bag (Mark 12:42); some poor host or other has had it in his jar: another neither in patrimony, nor in bag, nor in jar, has had anything, had it wholly in his heart: “salvation was to the house of Zacchæus” (Luke 19:9); and “more this poor widow cast in than those rich men” (Mark 12:43); “this man, that does offer a cup of cold water, shall not lose his reward” (Matthew 10:42); but there is even “peace on earth to men of good will” (Luke 2:14). “Immolate to God the sacrifice of praise” (Psalm 50:14). O sacrifice gratuitous, by grace given! I have not indeed bought this to offer, but You have given: for not even this should I have had. And this is the immolation of the sacrifice of praise, to render thanks to Him from whom you have whatever of good you have, and by whose mercy is forgiven you whatsoever of evil of yours you have. “Immolate to God the sacrifice of praise: and render to the Highest your prayers” (Psalm 50:14). With this odour the Lord is well pleased.

Let the flesh raving with carnal imaginations hear these words: God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. John 4:24 If this be the manner of worshipping Him, how much more of seeing Him! For who dared affirm that the Divine essence is seen in a corporal manner, when He has not permitted it to be worshipped in a corporal manner? – Augustine, Letter 92, chapter 5

For the life of a beast possesses the fivefold sense, but has no understanding. But the life which is God perceives and understands all things, and perceives by mind, not by body, because “God is a spirit.” And God does not perceive through a body, as animals do, which have bodies, for He does not consist of soul and body. And hence that single nature perceives as it understands, and understands as it perceives, and its sense and understanding are one and the same. – Augustine, On the Trinity, book 15, chapter 5

23. But see what follows, my brethren. For now some one or other, because God had said to him, “Immolate to God the sacrifice of praise,” and had enjoined in a manner this tribute, did meditate to himself and said, “I will rise daily, I will proceed to Church, I will say one hymn at matins, another at vespers, a third or fourth in my house, daily I do sacrifice the sacrifice of praise, and immolate to my God.” Well you do indeed, if you do this: but take heed, lest now thou be careless, because now you do this: and perchance your tongue bless God, and your life curse God. O my people, says to you the God of gods, the Lord that spoke, calling the earth from the rising of the sun unto the setting, though yet you are placed amid the tares (Matthew 13:25). Immolate the sacrifice of praise to your God, and render to Him your prayers: but take heed lest you live ill, and chant well. – Augustine, Exposition of Psalm 50, chapters 15

[Faustus]: The pagans accordingly think it right to worship God with altars, and shrines, and images, and sacrifices, and incense. Here also my practice differs entirely from theirs: for I look upon myself as a reasonable temple of God, if I am worthy to be so; and I consider Christ his Son as the living image of his living majesty; and I hold a mind well cultivated to be the true altar, and pure and simple prayers to be the true way of paying divine honors and of offering sacrifices.

[Augustine]: Every one must see the folly of your boasting of superiority to the pagans because they use altars and temples, images and sacrifices and incense, in the worship of God, which you do not. As if it were not better to build an altar and offer sacrifice to a stone, which has some kind of existence, than to employ a heated imagination in worshipping things which have no existence at all. – Augustine, Against Faustus, book 20, chapter 3

[Augustine acknowledges that Faustus is right not to use altars, temples, images, sacrifices, or incense, but bashes Faustus as still being inferior to the pagans because he worships a completely made-up deity, whereas the pagans at least worship something that exists, a stone. Augustine is confirming that the church does not use altars, temples, images, sacrifices, or incense in the worship of God.]

Nor is He greedy for blood and fat; but by requiring from a carnal people sacrifices, suited to their character, He by certain types prefigures the true sacrifice. – Augustine, Against Faustus, book 22, chapter 21

Moreover, as the pure intellectual perception of that which is not matter, and so is not the object of the bodily sense, cannot be expressed in words which spring from the flesh, the doctrine of wisdom prefers to get some lodging for divine truth in the mind by whatever material figures and illustrations occur, rather than to give up teaching these things. – Augustine, Against Faustus, book 22, chapter 54

For then first appeared the sacrifice which is now offered to God by Christians in the whole wide world, and that is fulfilled which long after the event was said by the prophet to Christ, who was yet to come in the flesh, You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek, — that is to say, not after the order of Aaron, for that order was to be taken away when the things shone forth which were intimated beforehand by these shadows. – Augustine, City of God, book 16, chapter 22

He was wearing, after all, the mortal flesh in which he was representing us, in which in due course he was going to die for us. That is why he received from those Magi not only gold as a sign of honor, and frankincense as a sign of worship, but also myrrh as a sign of his future burial. – Augustine, Sermon 202, chapter 2

[The Cathodox offer incense to God AND to images, refusing to acknowledge that burning incense to someone or something is a divine honor, symbolic of praying.]

For where has God His seat, but where He dwells? And where does He dwell, but in His temple? “For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” Take heed therefore how you do receive God. “God is a Spirit, and must be worshipped in spirit and in truth.” Let the ark of testimony enter now into your heart, if you are so minded, and let Dagon fall. Now therefore give ear at once, and learn to long for God; learn to make ready that whereby you may see God. “Blessed,” says He, “are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Why do you make ready the eyes of the body? If He should be seen by them, that which should be so seen would be contained in space. But He who is wholly everywhere is not contained in space. Cleanse that whereby He may be seen.” – Augustine, Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament, Sermon 3, chapter 7

Macarius of Egypt (300-391 AD):

There were formerly types and shadows of these true realities. The ancient service is a shadow and image of the present service. Circumcision, the tabernacle, the ark, the pot and the manna, the priesthood, the incense, the washings, and, in short, all that was done in Israel, and in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, was done with reference to this soul, made after the image of God, and fallen under the yoke of bondage, and under the kingdom of the darkness of bitterness. – Fifty Spiritual Homilies, Homily XLVII, chapter 16

Prudentius (348 – 413 AD):

Thus does it come about that we believe Christ eternal along with the Father and begotten of Him before whom was no begetter. If you doubt these mysteries of Christ the Son, abandoned man, you are not of the Catholic people, but one of the crew of incense-offerers, a worshipper of Deucalions, devotee of a grave-stone, anointer of a fig-tree stump. – Prudentius, The Divinity of Christ

But perchance you would rob God of the glory of fatherly love and be content with the bare name of God, only taking from Him the honour of fatherhood and the power of begetting. Is there anyone who, as he lies in a heathen temple amid a thousand sacred objects, or worships absurd gods with salt and altar and incense, does not suppose there is a supreme god who stands alone above all things? – Prudentius, The Divinity of Christ

Maximus of Turin (380 – 465 AD):

It is clear that you are carnal rather than spiritual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . religion . . . . . handed down to you from ancient books . . . . . you delight in lights with incense, in paintings and images and your carved figures. Why is it that today, in the theaters, at your own applauding shouts, the most shameless actors portray that same impudent Venus, and adulterous Mars, and Jupiter—the prince of vices—descending to earthly lusts, with his thunderbolts (that is, by magical delusions) made to turn white, and now as a golden shower pouring down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “For all who sinned without the Law will perish without the Law, and all who sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law” (Romans 2:12). And the pagans are not ashamed to claim that so many gods and goddesses were born—Saturn begetting Jupiter and the rest. But if the gods were born then, why are they not born today? Unless perhaps—as the holy Cyprian again said—either Jupiter has grown old, or Juno has ceased from childbirth. — Maximus of Turin, Against the Pagans, Patrologia Latina 57.781-794A

Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD):

“Accordingly, he clearly told those exercising priesthood according to the Law that they are unacceptable to him or, rather, I have no pleasure in them as they perform sacrifices in shadow and type, and that he would not accept what was offered by them. He predicts that his name will be great and famous among people everywhere throughout the earth under heaven, and that in every place and nation pure and bloodless sacrifices will be offered to his name, now that the ministers no longer diminish his honor or pay him spiritual worship in indifferent fashion. Instead, with enthusiasm, simplicity, and holiness they will be zealous in offering the pleasing odor of the spiritual incense—namely, faith, hope, love, and the ornaments of good works.” – Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Malachi 1

“He now clearly repudiates the offering of sacrifice according to the Law, and, as it were, abandons his love for Jews, and regards the priesthood as unacceptable and the shadow as inadmissible—animal sacrifice and incense, I mean—this not being his original intention.” – Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Malachi 1

“In other words, we who are called in Christ are not involved any longer in sacrifices of blood and smoke, nor do we offer to God lambs and goats; rather, we celebrate in the churches the sacrifice that is understood in Christ to be holy and spiritual. By performing it also for sanctification and for participation in eternal life, we offer like some special incense the sweet odor coming from our good works, and by making a sacrifice of righteousness we are confident that we shall be acceptable. Scripture says, remember, ‘Honor the Lord with your righteous efforts, and from your fruits of righteousness offer him the first-fruits.’ The God of all will in fact be pleased, in my view, with no other sacrifices than these.” – Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Malachi 3

By contrast, when the Only-begotten became like us, God as he is, and “the Lord shone upon us,” as Scripture says, the earth under heaven has since been filled with holy houses and innumerable worshipers, who venerate the God of all with spiritual sacrifices and immaterial fragrances. This, in my view, was foretold in the statement of the prophet Malachi made in the person of God, “Because I am a great king, says the Lord, and my name has been glorified among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure sacrifice.” The verse is therefore truthful in saying that the glory of the final temple—that is, the Church—will be greater. – Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Haggai 2

Accordingly, we have become his people, after once being no people, only worshipers of stones; abominating the ancient and loathsome error, we have chosen him as our God, in truth and righteousness. Far from adhering to types and shadows, like those in love with the letter, we instead welcome into our mind and heart the splendor of the evangelical preaching and perform the true worship, and, holding fast the righteousness acceptable to him, we perform the worship in the spirit. “God is spirit,” as the Son himself says, remember, “and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” – Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Zechariah 8

“With the cessation of those ancient rites, however, the mysteries moved to another form of worship for us; we were taught by our faith to honor the God of all, no longer with slaughtering of sheep and with offering of incense, but rather with bloodless sacrifices, and to perform sacred rites of a spiritual nature in churches to Christ the Savior of all, using, instead of pots, other sacred vessels, which the prophet here calls bowls, vessels very useful for drinking.” – Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Zechariah 14

Now, the fact that God needs not lifeless matter but a spiritual array he suggests in saying, Mine is the silver and mine the gold, says the Lord almighty. It would be like saying, “Do not consider the Temple inglorious because it happens to lack gold and silver and the splendor of wealth; I need nothing like that.” How so? “Mine is the silver and mine the gold, says the Lord almighty: I look rather for sincere worshipers; it is with the splendor of such people that I shall gild my Temple.” In other words, just as when he relieved Israel of the obligation of sacrifices according to the Law, he necessarily said, “I shall not accept calves from your house, or goats from your flocks, for all the beasts of the countryside, cattle on the mountains, and oxen are mine,” so too here he declines to accept adornment of a material kind, and seeks rather the spiritual kind, saying, Mine is the silver and mine the gold. In other words, I am content and satisfied, and have no need of any such thing; instead, let someone come who has an upright faith, is distinguished for ornaments of virtue, resplendent with love for me, pure in heart, poor in spirit, compassionate, and kind. When they assemble in my temple, in fact, that is, the Church, they will make it glorious, the cynosure of all eyes. – Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Haggai 2

“It is therefore necessary to abstain from depravity and follow rigorously the teachings of the lawgiver, directing our heart towards whatever pleases him, submitting the neck of our mind, singing and saying, ‘See my lowliness and my trouble, and forgive all my sins,’ and in addition that prophetic statement, “Lo, here we come to you, for you are the Lord our God.” This in fact is a spiritual offering and a sacrifice pure and pleasing to God ‘more than a young calf,’ more than a lamb of the flock, more than a kid from the goats, more than fine flour and incense, since ‘God is pleased with sacrifices’ of a spiritual kind. By sanctifying a fast, let us proclaim worship, that is, performance of the divine will, with which is duly associated uprightness, docility in behavior, readiness for everything affecting piety.” – Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Joel 1

Cyril: For it is written that, “Honor the Lord from your righteous labors, and make a firstfruit offering to Him from your fruits of righteousness” (Prov 3.9), “for with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Heb 13.16), according to the expressions of the saints.

Palladius: So then, it is worthless to be zealous for animal sacrifice and for us to fulfill the things that were introduced through the ancient law. For sacrifices of sheep and [offerings of] incense, and cakes along with these, as well as oil laden fine flour, turtledoves and pigeons, were the offerings used by worshippers at that time. But do tell me why these things were not dismissed in the beginning, but God is seen legislating now the things in which He [really] exults, and He reveals the modes of spiritual sacrifice for us.

Cyril: Well then, do you suppose, and are you daring to suggest, that the Divinity was not deliberating correctly in the beginning, and so, having missed the mark as it were from perfect goodness, He was scarcely able to devise something better? Or at any rate, that He chose things as though in shadows at that time, such as seemed to be sufficient to Him, but then He experienced a fondness for something new in relation to us, experiencing the impulse to other things, and devised anew for us a worship that was not known of old?

Palladius: Of course not! I think that would be foolish! It would never occur to me that He would be able to miss the mark in any way. But I want to learn what it was that persuaded [Him] that it was most pleasing to legislate those things then to those on earth, but these things now.

Cyril: Your comment requires that we go backwards, as it were. For did I not say that the law was a pedagogue, that is, the instructor of those who are still infants? And that it is for those who are not yet able to understand what is truly good? And that it would be characteristic of the will of God to intimate a reality that is perfect and well-pleasing through an enigma? And how he indicates [this] [M68.224] in thick types? For you will surely see and understand, without a great deal of sweat, how the tropos of the spiritual worship was greatly desired by God always and in the beginning, but also was inaccessible and still unclear to the souls of the Jews. For God gave the old legislation in types because a logos appropriate for infants, and simple lessons, and a curriculum suited to children that has nothing steep or rugged was needed. But He also indicated in advance how the realities from the true worship would obtain and come about in due time. Indeed He rejected the approach through blood [offerings], and the shadow, and He threw [them] off through the prophet Amos, saying, “I have hated, I reject your festivals, and I am not delighting in your festivities; wherefore if you offer to me whole-burnt offerings and your sacrifices, I will not look at them. Turn away from me the sound of your songs, and I will not listen to the strumming of your instruments” (Amos 5.22-23). Through Micah He introduced the figure of a man who is yearning to learn the way in which he might succeed at the good blamelessly: “For in what thing will I attain the Lord, will I be helped by God Most High? Will I attain him in whole-burnt offerings, in year-old calves? Will the Lord accept in thousands of rams, or in ten-thousands of fatted goats? If I give my firstborns, a fruit of my impious womb, as sin offerings for my soul?” (Mic 6.6-7). Then, connectedly and continuing on, he says, “If he announce to you, O man, what is good, or what the Lord is seeking from you, but doing judgment and loving mercy, and to be ready to walk with the Lord your God?” (Mic 6.8). So then, is this not clearly what Christ said, “If someone wills to come after me, let him deny himself, and let him take up his cross, and let him follow me” (Matt 16.24)? And again, “He who loves me, let him follow me, and where I am, there let my minister be” (Jn 12.26). What accords with Christ is not in the worship of the law, but in the holy and spiritual [worship].

Palladius: You have spoken most correctly!

Cyril: And through the voice of Isaiah, he vigorously upbraids the Israelites, saying, “Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; attend to the law of God, you people of Gomorrah. What is the multitude of your sacrifices to me? says the Lord: I am full of whole-burnt offerings of rams, and I do not want the fat of lambs and goats: You shall not come to appear before me, for who has sought these things from your hands? You shall not tread my court. If you bring fine flour, it is vain. Incense is an abomination to me; I cannot bear your new moons, sabbaths, and great day. Fasting and inactivity, and your feasts my soul hates: you have become satiety to me” (Isa 1.10-14). Through the prophet Malachi, He likewise says that those things are quite detested, and He made mention of times when people from all over the earth would bring to him the incomparable sweet-savor of the bloodless and noetic [M68.225] sacrifice. For He said again as follows, “My will is not in you, says the Lord Almighty, and I will not accept sacrifice from your hands, because my name has been glorified among the nations from the rising of the sun to its setting, and in every place incense will be offered to my name and pure sacrifices, because my name is great among the nations, says the Lord Almighty” (Mal 1.10-11). Do observe that pure incense and sacrifice will be brought to him from every nation. Just as when He named the new covenant for us in Christ “new,” He made the first obsolete (Heb 8.13)—for such is what the inspired Paul writes to us—so in the present case, when he speaks of the sacrifice from the nations that will come in due time as “pure,” he is casting a vote against the ancient [worship] as not possessing such [purity]. The blessed Paul speaks about this very thing, how [the first] was not blameless, but that the realities through Christ were necessarily being brought in, and that the place would be sought for the second (Heb 8.7).

Palladius: So the worship in shadows was completely unwanted by the all-holy God?

Cyril: Absolutely, yes. This can be clearly perceived when He says to the Israelites through the voice of Jeremiah, “Thus says the Lord, ‘You gather together your whole-burnt offerings with your sacrifices, and you eat flesh. For I did not speak to your fathers, and I did not command them in the day in which I brought them up from Egypt about whole-burnt offerings and sacrifices. Rather, this word I commanded them, saying, “Listen to my voice”’” (Jer 7.21-23). For so far as it relates to the Legislator’s precise intention, even in the beginning, the law was not uttered completely in shadows, with the worship in spirit having been kept secret. But since the matter was weighty, and the ability to fulfill what is perfectly good was not at that time something accessible to them—I mean, that [it was] hard and difficult—the law was inspired in an accommodated way in letters, as it were a kind of practice exercise appropriate to infants that has the form of the truth.

Yet the Definer of the laws clearly indicated to us that those things were not most pleasing to him, but the things through Christ are greatly desired. Indeed He again said, “This is why I have mown down your prophets; I have killed them with the word of my mouth, and my judgment shall go forth as light. Wherefore I want mercy, and not sacrifice, and the true knowledge of God, than whole-burnt offerings” (Hos 6.6-7). For the love for brothers, unto the fulfillment of the law, and the exceeding reality of the knowledge of Christ (Phil 3.8), through Whom the Father himself might become known to us, is a much greater reality to God than a calf falling [in sacrifice] and the slaughter of sheep. And that this is the real source of eternal life, someone should not be in doubt, as Christ says to the Father in heaven, “This is eternal life, that they might know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (Jn 17.3). Seeing as [M68.228] the truth is completely and altogether without falsehood, how could there be equivocating?

Palladius: Not at all.

Cyril: As Israel had slipped away from the intimacy with Him, it did not know God, since it did not preserve the faith. And so He, after bringing the practices according to the law to an end, says that there was no other way for [Israel] to successfully come back to the beginning, except through Christ alone. It was written in turn, “ For the children of Israel shall abide many days15 without an altar, and without a priesthood, and without manifestations. And after these things the sons of Israel shall return, and shall seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and they shall be amazed at the Lord and at his goodness in these latter days” (Hos 3.4-5). For when “the fullness of the gentiles comes in, then all Israel will be saved” (Rom 11.27)—which clearly means by Christ, yet David is named [in the prophecy] because [Christ] is from the seed and from the tribe of David. And that these sacrifices according to the law will indeed be taken away, was confirmed clearly through Joel, saying, “Gird yourselves [with sackcloth], and lament, you priests: lament, you who perform the liturgy at the altar: go in, sleep in sackcloth, you who perform the liturgy to God: for the sacrifice and drink-offering are withheld from the house of your God” (Joel 1.13). And again through the same prophet, “The sacrifice and drink-offering are removed from the house of the Lord: mourn, O you priests that perform the liturgy at the altar” (Joel 1.9). And in addition, he promised that the very tabernacle would be [taken] from their midst, saying, “And it shall come to pass that when you have multiplied and increased upon the land, says the Lord, in those days they shall say no more, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Holy One of Israel: it shall not come to mind, nor shall it be named, neither shall it be visited; nor shall this be done any more” (Jer 3.16). For with the sacrifice that was still in types and through blood being completely overturned, it was necessary also that the tabernacle itself be taken from the midst, since the truer one has been raised up instead, that is, the Church, on whose behalf Christ himself said, “Here I will dwell, for I have chosen it” (Ps 131.14). And it is clear that the tropos of worship will migrate and change over to what is superior, to the new reality which is in Christ, when Malachi writes to us concerning God, “And he shall purify the sons of Levi, and smelt them as gold and silver, and they shall offer to the Lord a sacrifice in righteousness, and the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem shall be pleasing to the Lord, just as the day of the age, and just as the former years” (Mal 3.3- 4). You see, then, that he says that there will be all but a certain retempering and refashioning of the priesthood at the same time as the sacrifices?

God also made quite clear to us the very time in which the course-change (μεταδρομή) of all things to the better reality will occur, [and] the tropos of the renewal, when He says, “And it will be from the eighth day and onward that the priests will offer your whole-burnt offerings on the altar, and your [sacrifices] of salvation, and I will accept you, says the Lord” (Ezek 43.27). He names the time of our Savior’s resurrection the “eighth day.” It is at this [time] that “the whole-burnt offerings,” that is, believers’ perfect and complete consecration to God and [their] spiritual offering, are acceptable to God. The inspired Paul also teaches this, when he writes, “Through him, therefore, we offer a sacrifice of praise continually to God, that is, the fruit of lips confessing his name” (Heb 13.15). And again, “Do not forget to do good and communion, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Heb 13.16). For the fruits that we who have been made righteous in faith [offer] to God, what else would they be except an extended and continual doxology? And the incomparable sweet scent, [that is] the most pure “incense” of a blameless life. – Cyril of Alexandria, On the Veneration and Worship in Spirit and Truth, book 2 (Patrologia Graeca 68.131-1126)

Cyril: It was fitting, then, that the hierophant Moses was mediator of the fleshly freedom, of letter and shadow, while our Lord Jesus Christ is an initiator to things above the law, and bestower of the [freedom] incomparably greater than the fleshly freedom, that is, the [freedom] according to spirit. This is why he spoke to the Israelites who had been liberated in a fleshly way, “If you remain in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will liberate you” (Jn 8.31-32). And again, “Everyone who does sin, is a servant of sin; but the servant does not remain in the house forever, the son remains forever. If the Son sets you free, you are free people in reality” (Jn 8.34-36).

Palladius: Superbly put.

Cyril: We will boast, then, not in the illustrious things according to the flesh, but in those in the spirit and righteousness according to Christ, not in the [righteousness] according to the law. – Cyril of Alexandria, On the Veneration and Worship in Spirit and Truth, book 2, chapter 2 (Patrologia Graeca 68.131-1126)

Cyril: For the Divinity is not a respecter of persons, as I was just saying. So then, should someone of those who do not have something remarkable in the world choose to bring an offering to God, it says, the mode of sacrifice will be fine flour, soaked moreover in oil and mixed with frankincense. The word clearly signifies to us that fine flour is [used] as a type of life, that the oil [is a type] of the joyfulness as though in hope, that frankincense [is a type] of the sweet-scent as though in works and successful accomplishments, and in a life most conformed to law. The law quite clearly says that those who would choose to gladden the God of all in themselves, must devote and dedicate their own life to Him, not looking gloomy because of the sweat [exerted] on behalf of virtue—(for the inspired Paul says, “Do not grumble” [1 Cor 10.10]), but [a life] that has been filled with noetic sweet-scent; for then the priest will bring to God its memorial. For, in Christ, we will approach God the Father through the spiritual sacrifice, gaining the benefit of being placed in His memory. – Cyril of Alexandria, On the Veneration and Worship in Spirit and Truth, book 16, chapter 3 (Patrologia Graeca 68.131-1126)

Cyril: One must offer up to God, then, O Palladius, a manner of life befitting holiness, and the glorious achievements of the excellent life just as a sweet-smelling savor, indeed in a form of debts [we owe]. You have searched out one of the saints who wrote, “Honor the Lord from your righteous labors, and give first fruits to him from your fruits of righteousness” (Prov 3.9). For those of old supposed to pay honor with sacrifices of oxen and frankincense, for such was the way of conduct according to the law. But we, then, who are in Christ through faith, proceeding on the greater and more befitting path, devote to God the veneration in spirit and truth, turning all things to good, as it were, so as to be able to nobly bring to completion the things that are necessary, and to honor God with spiritual and sacred votive offerings. – Cyril of Alexandria, On the Veneration and Worship in Spirit and Truth, book 16, chapter 6 (Patrologia Graeca 68.131-1126)

Isaiah 43:22–24: “I have not now called you, O Jacob, nor have I made you weary, O Israel. You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings, nor have you glorified me with your sacrifices or served me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with sacrifices or wearied you with frankincense. You have not bought me incense with money, nor have I desired the fat of your sacrifices. But in your sins and iniquities and wrongdoing and suchlike I have protected you.”

In the passage we have just studied, prophecies were made of the covenant of Christ and the graces bestowed by him. For he said that he would make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the dry land, and on account of this would be blessed by all the wild beasts of the field (Is. 43:19, 20 LXX). This may be understood as the praise of spiritual sacrifice and the fruit of the new covenant in Christ. In the present passage he attempts to assure Israel that they have been delivered from Egypt, and have been liberated from the slavery that they endured there, and have been freed from such distressing toil, not in order to offer him calves and win access to him by means of blood and smoke. For such things are repugnant to God, and are the shadow rather than the reality.

He therefore says: ‘I have not now called you, O Jacob’ (Is. 43:22). The word ‘now’ should be taken to mean ‘not when you were offering me sacrifice’, that is, ‘I have not called you while you were sacrificing oxen and slaughtering sheep, so that you should not conclude that you had received deliverance as some kind of reward for the offering. On the contrary, it was while you were in sin and guilty of defilement, for you had worshipped the gods of the Egyptians, that I deemed you worthy of mercy and love. Therefore the gift is one of gentleness, and the fruit of loving kindness is grace, and the liberation is as if out of love. The sheep of your burnt offerings are nothing to me, he says, nor indeed have you glorified me with your sacrifices. For how can that which is entirely unacceptable and offered in vain contribute to my glory? You have performed no service with your sacrifices. A person who pursues the good, he says, who achieves the moral character that leads to virtue, who submits to my will, who puts the teaching of the prophets into practice—that is the person who may be said to serve the God who rules over all. But a person who fills the holy tabernacle with the smoke of frankincense, who offers oxen or sheep, or who has put on a fine show, will not render any genuine glory. Such a person has done absolutely nothing that pleases me. Therefore service does not consist in offering sacrifice. It consists in the readiness to submit a tender neck, a neck that needs, as it were, not so much as a touch, to the will of God.

The nearer you have come, he says, to that which pleases me, the less I have wearied you with frankincense. You have not bought me ‘incense with money, nor have I desired the fat of your sacrifices’ (Is. 43:24). This resembles something said by another prophet to them: ‘Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat the flesh. For in the day I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices’ (Jer. 7:21, 22). And the same prophet Jeremiah has said in another passage: ‘To what purpose do you bring me frankincense from Sheba, and cinnamon from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices have not pleased me’ (Jer. 6:20). And indeed the Psalmist also says: ‘I will accept no calves from your house, nor young he-goats from your flocks’ (Ps. 50:9). Everywhere he represents worship in shadows as cast out and the things in types as taken away, drawing us to the righteousness that is in Christ and teaching us to be refashioned according to the evangelical way of life, which is the only way in which that which is pleasing to God can be brought about and in which we can arrive at the worship that is truly irreproachable and sincere, that is to say, the worship that is spiritual. ‘For God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth’ (Jn. 4:24). – Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Isaiah, In Isaiah 4.1 (Patrologia Graeca 70, 909A–912B)

Thus the God of all things freed Israel from Egypt, rescued them from the error of polytheism, and brought them by the law of Moses from the chicanery of the demons to the dawn of the true knowledge of God. He taught them to worship a single God and bow down before a single Lord. Then by means of types and shadows he wanted to raise them up to what was still better and more perfect, that is, to the things that are in Christ. For the law was a preliminary instructor and was laid down until the time of setting aright. This came with the advent of our Saviour Jesus Christ, when he set aside the shadow of the commandments of the law and the types found in the letter, and introduced to those on earth the beauty of worship in spirit and in truth openly and without disguise.

We have been spiritually refashioned in Christ, that is to say, we have been transformed, some of us from pagan error into the knowledge of the truth, and to a holy life through Christ the Saviour of us all, others from Judaism into the acquisition of evangelical teachings and into a newness of worship that no longer cleaves to the dreariness of the types but instead is resplendent with the striking beauty of spiritual worship, both we and they have been enriched with rebirth in Christ through water and the Spirit. – Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Isaiah, In Isaiah 4.2 (PG 70, 960C–964B)

“The sacrifice for God is a contrite spirit” (Ps. 51:17). The power of spiritual worship does not come simply through the mind alone, but continually take on in one way or another as a fellow runner in the race the fragrance of good works, which comes by a willingness to obey, if indeed we should attain it. For we say that obedience is the fruit of a pleasing and pliant heart, of a heart that has nothing rough within it. The sort of heart that the obdurate Jews had was hard and difficult to lead. Take as proof that one of the holy prophets took on on their role and said, “Why have you mislead us off your path, Lord? Have you hardened our hearts so that they do not fear you?” (Is. 63:17) Hard hearts are utterly unable to receive the word of God. We should expect, then, that a contrite spirit would be most fitting as a sacrifice for God and as an offering of spiritual fragrance. By contrite spirit, of course, we mean a soul that delights in and yields to the divine scriptures. – Cyril of Alexandria, Interpretatio in Psalmos, Patrologia Graeca 69:717

When we investigate, so far as is possible, the deepest meaning of the vision, we say that it is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ who is the spiritual coal lying on the altar, from whom the incense we offer ascends as a sweet fragrance to God the Father, for through him we have had access (cf. Eph. 2:18) and are acceptable as we perform our spiritual worship (cf. Heb. 9:6). Accordingly, when this divine coal touches the lips of a person who approaches it, it immediately renders him cleansed and utterly free from participation in any sin. – Cyril of Alexandria,, Against Nestorius, II Prooem (ACO I, 1, 6, pp. 32.6–34.9)

And the God-inspired Scripture confirms us hereto by ten thousand words and acts: using similitudes whereby one may (and that without labour) clearly advance so as we may behold the Mystery of Christ. The blessed Prophet Isaiah said therefore, And there was sent to me one of the Seraphim and in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar and he touched my mouth and said, Lo this hath touched thy lips and shall take away thine iniquities and purge thy sins. And searching according to our power into the depth of the vision, we say that none other save our Lord Jesus Christ is the spiritual coal laid on the altar whereon by us it gives forth the sweet savour of incense to God the Father: for through Him have we had access and are acceptable, offering the spiritual worship. This Divine Coal therefore, when it touches the lips of him who approaches thereto, will straightway exhibit ‘him pure and wholly imparticipate in any sin. And in what way it touches our lips, the blessed Paul will teach saying, Nigh thee is the word, in thy mouth and in thy heart, that if thou say with thy mouth Lord Jesus and believe in thy heart that God hath raised, Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved, for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. And He is compared to a Coal, because conceived of as from two unlike things, yet by a true concurrence they are all but knit together unto union. For the fire entering into the wood, will transelement it somehow into its own glory and might albeit it hath retained what it was. – Cyril of Alexandria, Five Tomes Against Nestorius, Book 2

But perhaps some one may say to this: ‘But lo! any one can see that the ceremonial ordained by the law is unlike and at variance with faith in Christ:” for the law commands us to make use of bloody sacrifices; but faith rejects everything of the kind, and has brought in for mankind a worship to be offered in spirit and in truth. For even Christ is somewhere found thus speaking by the harp of the Psalmist to God the Father in heaven: “Sacrifices and offerings Thou didst not desire: whole burnt offerings, and for sins, Thou hadst no pleasure in: but a body hast Thou framed for Me. Then said I, Lo! I come: for in the chapter of the books it is written of Me: I delight to do Thy will, O God,” Offerings therefore by blood are unavailing; but the sweet savour of spiritual worship is very acceptable to God. And this no man can present unto Him, unless first he possess that faith which is by Christ. And the blessed Paul bears witness to this, where he writes: “Without faith, no man can ever do that which is well pleasing. – Cyril of Alexandria, Sermon XLVI on Luke, Commentary on Luke 8:49-56

How, tell me, can festivals that God hates be intended for continual and uninterrupted observance? Are we to say that God changed his mind, and that ordinances God originally said to be good, when he established them through Moses, are ridiculed by the prophets, so that we must conclude He who enjoined them made a mistake, and that He is subject to the same infirmities that afflict us?… He was in favor of the good for the ancients, but He wished, rather, that by passing from symbols and shadows into the beauty of the truth, they should commend the worship most well pleasing to Him, and it is clear that such worship is intellectual and in spirit. – Cyril of Alexandria, Against Julian, book 9

“For the law has but a shadow of the good things to come, and not the exact image of the objects,” as it is written. Yet the shadows bring forth the truth, even if they are not at all the truth themselves. Because of this, the divinely inspired Moses placed a veil upon his face and spoke thus to the children of Israel, all but shouting by this act that a person might behold the beauty of the utterances made through him, not in outwardly appearing figures, but in meditations hidden within us. – Cyril of Alexandria, Letter 41, chapter 7

The Lord now says clearly that He will not feast with the Jews, or go with them, to partake with them in their rejoicing in shadows. For that which is once said to a few, albeit reputed His brethren, will be extended in its force to the whole race of Israel. For no one will say that Jesus refused to be with His brethren on their own account in particular, seeing He was plainly with them in Galilee, and we must suppose that not without a purpose by reason of His generally supposed relationship after the flesh, did He also dwell with them. It is manifest then, that the whole multitude of the Jews being introduced in a type by His brethren, Christ declines feasting with them, according to that which is said by one of the holy Prophets, I have hated, I have thrust away your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies: for even though ye offer Me whole burnt offerings and sacrifices, I will not accept them, and will not look at your assembly of thanksgiving: take thou away from Me the noise of thy songs and the psalm of thine instruments I will not hear. For God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth, as the Saviour Himself saith. But being a Spirit, He would (one may think) take pleasure in spiritual honours and offerings, for a type too whereof by command of the law, were the sacrifices of oxen and sheep, oblations moreover of frankincense, of fine flour and wine and oil, duly appointed, signifying by more visible forms the many hues of the virtue of them that worship in spirit. Do ye then (He says) who still love the shadow, and are more grossly and Jewishly affected concerning these things, go up to the assembly that is in shadows and types; Me it pleaseth not so to feast; to this feast I go not up, that, namely, in type and outline: for I have no pleasure in it, but rather I await the time of the true assembly, which is not yet full come. – Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 4

Leo the Great (400-451 AD):

For the things which had long been promised under mysterious figures had to be fulfilled in all clearness; for instance, the True Sheep had to supersede the sheep which was its antitype, and the One Sacrifice to bring to an end the multitude of different sacrifices. For all those things which had been divinely ordained through Moses about the sacrifice of the lamb had prophesied of Christ and truly announced the slaying of Christ. In order, therefore, that the shadows should yield to the substance and types cease in the presence of the Reality, the ancient observance is removed by a new Sacrament, victim passes into Victim, blood is wiped away by Blood, and the law-ordained Feast is fulfilled by being changed. – Leo the Great, Sermon 58, chapter 1

Therefore the insults of empty exultation were scorned, and the Lord’s mercy in restoring the lost and the fallen was not turned from the path of its purpose by contumely or reviling. For a peerless victim was being offered to God for the world’s salvation, and the slaying of Christ the true Lamb, predicted through so many ages, was transferring the sons of promise into the liberty of the Faith. The New Testament also was being ratified, and in the blood of Christ the heirs of the eternal Kingdom were being enrolled; the High Pontiff was entering the Holy of Holies, and to intercede with God the spotless Priest was passing in through the veil of His flesh. In fine, so evident a transition was being effected from the Law to the Gospel, from the synagogue to the Church, from many sacrifices to the One Victim that, when the Lord gave up the ghost, that mystic veil which hung before and shut out the inner part of the Temple and its holy recess was by sudden force torn from top to bottom, for the reason that Truth was displacing figures, and forerunners were needless in the presence of Him they announced. To this was added a terrible confusion of all the elements, and nature herself withdrew her support from Christ’s crucifiers. And although the centurion in charge of the crucifixion, in fright at what he had seen, said “truly this man was the Son of God,” yet the wicked hearts of the Jews, which were harder than all tombs and rocks, is not reported to have been pierced by any compunction: so that it seems the Roman soldiers were then readier to recognize the Son of God than the priests of Israel. – Leo the Great, Sermon On The Passion, chapter 17

The day, dearly-beloved, on which Christ the Saviour of the world first appeared to the nations must be venerated by us with holy worship: and today those joys must be entertained in our hearts which existed in the breasts of the three magi, when, aroused by the sign and leading of a new star, which they believed to have been promised, they fell down in presence of the King of heaven and earth. For that day has not so passed away that the mighty work, which was then revealed, has passed away with it, and that nothing but the report of the thing has come down to us for faith to receive and memory to celebrate; seeing that, by the oft-repeated gift of God, our times daily enjoy the fruit of what the first age possessed. And therefore, although the narrative which is read to us from the Gospel properly records those days on which the three men, who had neither been taught by the prophets’ predictions nor instructed by the testimony of the law, came to acknowledge God from the furthest parts of the East, yet we behold this same thing more clearly and abundantly carried on now in the enlightenment of all those who are called, since the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled when he says, “the Lord has laid bare His holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the nations upon earth have seen the salvation which is from the Lord our God;” and again, “and those to whom it has not been announced about Him shall see, and they who have not heard, shall understand.” Hence when we see men devoted to worldly wisdom and far from belief in Jesus Christ brought out of the depth of their error and called to an acknowledgment of the true Light, it is undoubtedly the brightness of the Divine grace that is at work: and whatever of new light illumines the darkness of their hearts, comes from the rays of the same star: so that it should both move with wonder, and going before lead to the adoration of God the minds which it visited with its splendour. But if with careful thought we wish to see how their threefold kind of gift is also offered by all who come to Christ with the foot of faith, is not the same offering repeated in the hearts of true believers? For he that acknowledges Christ the King of the universe brings gold from the treasure of his heart: he that believes the Only-begotten of God to have united man’s true nature to Himself, offers myrrh; and he that confesses Him in no wise inferior to the Father’s majesty, worships Him in a manner with incense. – Leo the Great, Sermon 36, chapter 1

[Why would Leo suggest to his audience how they also offer incense to God “in a certain sense” if they ALREADY offered literal incense to God? He wouldn’t need to say, “Did you know we offer incense to God in a manner?” if they already offered incense in the liturgy.]

A star more brilliant than the other stars arouses wise men that dwell in the far East, and from the brightness of the wondrous light these men, not unskilled in observing such things, appreciate the importance of the sign: this doubtless being brought about in their hearts by Divine inspiration, in order that the mystery of so great a sight might not be hid from them, and, what was an unusual appearance to their eyes, might not be obscure to their minds. In a word they scrupulously set about their duty and provide themselves with such gifts that in worshipping the One they may at the same time show their belief in His threefold function: with gold they honour the Person of a King, with myrrh that of Man, with incense that of God. – Leo the Great, Sermon 33, chapter 2

Peter Chrysologus (406-450 AD):

‘I exhort you to present your bodies.’ By requesting this, the Apostle has raised all men to a priestly rank. ‘To present your bodies as a living sacrifice.’ O unheard of function of the Christian priesthood, inasmuch as man is both the victim and the priest for himself! Because man need not go beyond himself in seeking what he is to immolate to God! Because man, ready to offer sacrifice to God, brings with himself, and in himself, what is for himself! Because the same being who remains as the victim, remains also as a priest! Because the victim is immolated and still lives! Because the priest who will make atonement is unable to kill! Wonderful indeed is this sacrifice where the body is offered without [the slaying of] a body, and the blood without bloodshed.

‘I exhort you,’ says the Apostle, ‘by the mercy of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice.’ Brethren, Christ’s sacrifice is the pattern from which this one comes to us. While remaining alive, He immolated His body for the life of the world. And He truly made his body a living sacrifice, since He still lives although He was slain. In the case of such a victim, death suffers defeat. The victim remains, the victim lives on, death gets the punishment. Consequently, the martyrs get a birth at the time of their death. They get a new beginning through their end, and a new life through their execution. They who were thought to be extinguished on earth shine brilliantly in heaven.

‘I exhort you, brethren,’ he says, ‘by the mercy of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice, living; holy.’ That is what the Prophet sang: ‘Sacrifice and oblation thou wouldst not, but a body thou hast perfected for me.” Be, O man, be both a sacrifice to God and a priest. Do not lose what the divine authority gave and conceded to you. Put on the robe of sanctity, gird yourself with the belt of chastity…. Let the cross remain as the helmet on your forehead. Cover your breast with the mystery of heavenly knowledge. Keep the incense of prayer ever burning as your perfume. Take up the sword of the spirit. Set up your heart as an altar. Free from anxiety, move your body forward in this way to make it a victim for God. – Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 108

Who doubts, brethren, that by this two-horse chariot Christ was riding upon His saving journeys, since he sees that through the Apostles’ preaching temples have fallen, idols have perished, the bleatings of herds have ceased, and the victims, along with even the very altars with their perfume of incense, have already disappeared through all the centuries. – Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 170

Since she had received Samuel as a gift from God, she soon returned him weaned as a gift to God, and she added her own happiness to the sacrificial victims to make a plentiful libation; all the more is it right for us to offer a sacrifice of praise, to pay our vows, and to present sweet incense and offerings, as ample as any holocaust, to God the Father, since the Virgin Mother presents to the Father children from throughout the whole world who have been nourished and weaned and are as numerous as the stars of the sky, so that the words of the prophet might be fulfilled: “You will bless the crown of the year with your bounty, and your fields will be full of a fertile harvest.” So let no one believe that the saving mystery that we celebrate in this feast is of no benefit, nor think that we sew a new patch onto an old cloak, where we join none of the old Jewish ways to the new Christian ones, knowing, as the Apostle teaches, that for us the whole of creation has emerged new in Christ, but we contribute to their growth in heavenly virtue and in the knowledge of God. – Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 73

“It happened that when he entered the Temple to offer incense, the whole multitude was praying outside at the hour of incense” (see vv.9–10). At the hour of incense, brothers, the sun was already setting on the Jewish Temple, so that in the morning it would rise on the Church; the evening of Jewish teaching was approaching, because the dawn of the Gospel was imminent; and day was fading for the Law, so that it might shine with all its brilliance on grace. This is why at the hour of incense, that is, in the final period of observing the Law, Zechariah by the Spirit of prophecy sprinkles incense, offers prayers, pronounces petitions, utters solemn vows, makes mention of the time, asks again for what has been promised, and makes entreaties for the Christ. And the whole multitude was praying outside. He pleads for the people who were standing outside to be allowed in, because those whom the Law brought as far as the doorway, grace allows into the Temple…. Zechariah, it says, entered into the Temple of the Lord to offer incense (v.9). Appropriately it said that he entered into the Temple, and not “entered the Temple,” because he himself was a temple of God, on fairly intimate terms at that, bearing within the purity of his heart all the mysteries of the Law, and offering in sacrifice, not so much incense, as undefiled prayer. For indeed God finds greater satisfaction in his own work than in human work, and the oil from an Arabian tree provides an aroma that does not please him as much as the sanctity that comes from a sincere heart and breast. – Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 87

Theodoret of Cyrus (393-457):

These words correspond exactly to the Davidic melody. For here, in a similar fashion, He cast out not only the bulls, the goats, and the lambs, but also the fine flour, the fragrance of spices, and the entire catalog of great festivals. Just as through David He forbade such ritual offerings and commanded them to offer instead the sacrifice of praise, so here too, having cast each of these aside, He points them toward the baptism of incorruption and regeneration, saying: “Wash yourselves, become clean” (Isaiah 1:16). And lest they should suppose He was commanding them to use their customary sprinklings, He necessarily added: “Take away the wickednesses from your souls, from before My eyes.” This clearly alludes to the gift of all-holy baptism. Again, in the midst of the prophecy, the God of the prophet speaks through the prophet: “I have not now called you, Jacob, nor have I made you weary, Israel. You did not bring Me the sheep of your whole burnt offering, nor did you glorify Me with your sacrifices; you did not serve Me with gifts, nor did I weary you with demands for frankincense; neither did you purchase incense for Me with silver, nor did I desire the fat of your sacrifices, but rather I stood before you in your sins and in your iniquities” (Isaiah 43:22-24). Thus, having shown once more that the forms of the legal ritual are unprofitable, He promises the remission of sins which He bestowed through all-holy baptism: “I am He, I am He who blots out your lawlessness for My own sake, and your sins I will remember no more” (Isaiah 43:25). For indeed, it was not through works worthy of praise, but through faith alone that we obtained these mystical blessings. For this reason, the divine Apostle also cries out: “By grace you have been saved; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Declaring this very thing here also, He set down the phrase, “for My own sake.” These matters He also protests through Jeremiah, saying: “Collect your whole burnt offerings with your sacrifices and eat meat. For I did not speak to your fathers nor did I command them on the day in which I brought them out of Egypt concerning whole burnt offerings and sacrifice” (Jeremiah 7:21-22). For indeed, those things which He had commanded concerning these matters in the Law were on account of their own insensibility, not because of any need or will of His own. He says these things elsewhere as well: “Your whole burnt offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices have not been sweet to Me” (Jeremiah 6:20). And again He cries out: “Take away from Me the noise of your songs, and the sound of your instruments I will not hear” (Amos 5:23). One may find a vast number of other such passages clearly demonstrating that God, being in no need of sacrifices nor taking pleasure in smoke, the soot of burnt fat, or musical instruments, did not command these things to be performed for His own sake, but because He was providing for their own healing. – Theodoret of Cyrus (Graecarum affectionum curatio, chapter 7, http://217.71.231.54:8080/TLG4089/4089_001.htm)

Procopius of Gaza (465-528):

Gregory the Great (540 – 604):

Perhaps it may influence some that we have so made out these particulars, that what was well done by the friends should denote that which was to be ill done by heretics. Yet in this way it very often happens that a circumstance is virtue in the historical fact, evil in its meaning and import, just as an action is sometimes in the doing ground of condemnation, but in the writing, a prophecy of merit, which we shall the sooner shew, if we shall bring forward one testimony of Holy Writ to prove both points. For who, that hears of it, not only among believers but of unbelievers themselves also, does not utterly loathe this, that David walking upon his rooftop lusteth after Bathsheba the wife of Uriah? Yet when he returns back from the battle, he bids him go home to wash his feet. Whereupon he answered at once, “The Ark of the Lord abideth in tents, shall I then take rest in my house?” David received him to his own board, and delivers to him letters, through which he must die. But of whom does David walking upon his rooftop bear a figure, saving of Him, concerning Whom it is written, “He hath set His tabernacle in the sun” (Ps. 19:4)? And what else is it to draw Bathsheba to himself, but to join to Himself by a spiritual meaning the Law of the formal letter, which was united to a carnal people? For Bathsheba is rendered “the seventh well,” assuredly, in that through the knowledge of the Law, with spiritual grace infused, perfect wisdom is ministered unto us. And whom does Uriah denote, but the Jewish people, whose name is rendered by interpretation, “My light from God”? Now forasmuch as the Jewish people is raised high by receiving the knowledge of the Law, it as it were glories “in the light of God.”

But David took from this Uriah his wife, and united her to himself, surely in that the strong-handed One, which is the rendering of “David,” our Redeemer, shewed Himself in the flesh, whilst He made known that the Law spake in a spiritual sense concerning Himself. Hereby, that it was held by them after the letter, He proved it to be alienated from the Jewish people, and joined it to Himself, in that He declared Himself to be proclaimed by it. Yet David bids Uriah “go home to wash his feet,” in that when the Lord came Incarnate, He bade the Jewish people turn back to the home of the conscience, and wipe off with their tears the defilements of their doings, that it should understand the precepts of the Law in a spiritual sense, and finding the fount of Baptism after the grievous hardness of the commandments, have recourse to water after toil. But Uriah, who recalled to mind that the ark of the Lord was under tents, answered, that he could not enter into his house. As if the Jewish people said, “I view the precepts of God in carnal sacrifices, and I need not to go back to the conscience in following a spiritual meaning.” For he, as it were, declares “the ark of the Lord to be under tents,” who views the precepts of God as designed for no other end than to shew forth a service of carnal sacrifice.

Yet when he would not return home, David even bids him to his table, in that though the Jewish people disdain to return home into the conscience, yet the Redeemer at His coming avouches the commandments to be spiritual, saying, “For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me: for he wrote of Me” (John 5:46). And thus the Jewish people holds that Law, which tells of His Divinity, whereunto that people deigns not to give credence. And hence Uriah is sent to Joab with letters, according to which he is to be put to death, in that the Jewish people bears itself the Law, by whose convicting testimony it is to die. For whereas holding fast the commandments of the Law it strives hard to fulfil them, clearly it does itself deliver the judgment whereupon it is condemned. What, then, in respect of the fact, is more foul than David? What can be named purer than Uriah? What again in respect of the mystery can be discovered holier than David, what more faithless than Uriah? Since the one by guiltiness of life prophetically betokens innocency, and the other by innocency of life prophetically represents guilt. Wherefore it is with no inaptitude that by the things that are well done by the friends of Job we have represented to us those to be done amiss by heretics, in that it is the excellency of Holy Writ so to relate the past as to set forth the future; in such wise to vindicate the case in the fact, that it is against it in the mystery; so to condemn the things done, that they are commended to us as fit to be done in the way of mystery. – Gregory the Great, Morals on Job, Book 3, Chapter 55

So let the firstlings of the bullocks and the sheep avail for the Divine sacrifices alone, that whatsoever we begin strong and harmless, we may sacrifice in honour of the Judge of the interior upon the altar of our hearts. Which same we may be sure is accepted the more gladly by Him, in proportion as being kept concealed from men it is stained by no desire of applause. – Gregory the Great, Morals on job, book 8, chapter 79

For ‘the earth was shaken out of her place,’ when the Israelitish people, rooted out of the borders of Judaea, submitted the neck to the Gentiles, because she would not be subjected to the Creator. Which same earth had pillars, in that the erection of her stubbornness, which was to be destroyed, rose upon the Priests and Rulers, the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees. For in these she held in her the edifice of the letter, and in her season of peace, carried the burthen of carnal sacrifices like a fabric overlaid. But when ‘the mountains were removed,’ the ‘pillars were shaken,’ in that when the Apostles were withdrawn from Judaea, they were no more themselves allowed to live therein, who drove out from thence the proclaimers of life. For it was meet that they being brought into subjection should lose that earthly country, for the love of which they had not been afraid to assail the soldiers of the heavenly country. – Gregory the Great, Book 9, chapter 7

Liturgy of James (late 4th or early 5th century)

III Sovereign Lord Jesus Christ, O Word of God, who freely offered Yourself a blameless sacrifice upon the cross to God even the Father, the coal of double nature, that touched the lips of the prophet with the tongs, and took away his sins, touch also the hearts of us sinners, and purify us from every stain, and present us holy beside Your holy altar, that we may offer You a sacrifice of praise: and accept from us, Your unprofitable servants, this incense as an odour of a sweet smell, and make fragrant the evil odour of our soul and body, and purify us with the sanctifying power of Your all-holy Spirit: for You alone are holy, who sanctifies, and are communicated to the faithful; and glory becomes You, with Your eternal Father, and Your all-holy, and good, and quickening Spirit, now and ever, and to all eternity. Amen.

…

The Deacon.

V Let us again pray to the Lord.

The Priest, prayer of the incense at the entrance of the congregation.

God, who accepted the gifts of Abel, the sacrifice of Noah and of Abram, the incense of Aaron and of Zacharias, accept also from the hand of us sinners this incense for an odour of a sweet smell, and for remission of our sins, and those of all Your people; for blessed are You, and glory becomes You, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever.

[Is your incense offered for the remission of sins?]

…

The Priest says the prayer of incense.

Sovereign Almighty, King of Glory, who know all things before their creation, manifest Yourself to us calling upon You at this holy hour, and redeem us from the shame of our transgressions; cleanse our mind and our thoughts from impure desires, from worldly deceit, from all influence of the devil; and accept from the hands of us sinners this incense, as You accepted the offering of Abel, and Noah, and Aaron, and Samuel, and of all Your saints, guarding us from everything evil, and preserving us for continually pleasing, and worshipping, and glorifying You, the Father, and Your only-begotten Son, and Your all-holy Spirit, now and always, and forever.

[If the “prayer of incense” is talking about literal incense, why is the “prayer of the veil”

…

Prayer of the veil.

XXVII. We thank You, O Lord our God, that You have given us boldness for the entrance of Your holy places, which You have renewed to us as a new and living way through the veil of the flesh of Your Christ. We therefore, being counted worthy to enter into the place of the tabernacle of Your glory, and to be within the veil, and to behold the Holy of Holies, cast ourselves down before Your goodness:

…

XXVI. O Lord God, who created us, and bring us into life, who hast shown to us ways to salvation, who hast granted to us a revelation of heavenly mysteries, and hast appointed us to this ministry in the power of Your all-holy Spirit, grant, O Sovereign, that we may become servants of Your new testament, ministers of Your pure mysteries, and receive us as we draw near to Your holy altar, according to the greatness of Your mercy, that we may become worthy of offering to You gifts and sacrifices for our transgressions and for those of the people; and grant to us, O Lord, with all fear and a pure conscience to offer to You this spiritual and bloodless sacrifice, and graciously receiving it unto Your holy and spiritual altar above the skies for an odour of a sweet spiritual smell, send down in answer on us the grace of Your all-holy Spirit.

And, O God, look upon us, and have regard to this our reasonable service, and accept it, as You accepted the gifts of Abel, the sacrifices of Noah, the priestly offices of Moses and Aaron, the peace-offerings of Samuel, the repentance of David, the incense of Zacharias. As You accepted from the hand of Your apostles this true service, so accept also in Your goodness from the hands of us sinners these offered gifts; and grant that our offering may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit, as a propitiation for our transgressions and the errors of the people; and for the rest of the souls that have fallen asleep aforetime; that we also, Your humble, sinful, and unworthy servants, being counted worthy without guile to serve Your holy altar, may receive the reward of faithful and wise stewards, and may find grace and mercy in the terrible day of Your just and good retribution.

…

We render thanks to You, Christ our God, that You have made us worthy to partake of Your body and blood, for the remission of sins, and for life everlasting. We pray You, in Your goodness and love, keep us without condemnation.

The prayer of incense at the last entrance.

XLIV. We render thanks to You, the Saviour and God of all, for all the good things You have given us, and for the participation of Your holy and pure mysteries, and we offer to You this incense, praying: Keep us under the shadow of Your wings, and count us worthy till our last breath to partake of Your holy rites for the sanctification of our souls and bodies, for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven: for You, O God, are our sanctification, and we send up praise and thanksgiving to You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Church Fathers Quoted (45):

Didache
Barnabas
Clement of Rome
Martyrdom of Polycarp
Mathetes
Justin Martyr
Athenagoras
Tatian the Syrian
Irenaeus
Clement of Alexandria
Tertullian
Mark Minucius Felix
Origen
Gregory Thaumaturgus
Cyprian
Novation
Victorinus of Pettau
Lactantius
Arnobius
Methodius
Apostolic Constitutions
Eusebius
Athanasius
Zeno of Verona
Ambrose
Hilary of Poitiers
Cyril of Jerusalem
John Chrysostom
Gregory of Nazianzus
Ephrem the Syrian
Basil the Great
Gaudentius of Brescia
Gregory of Nyssa
Jerome
Epiphanius of Salamis
Augustine
Macarius of Egypt
Prudentius
Maximus of Turin
Cyril of Alexandria
Leo the Great
Theodoret of Cyrus
Peter Chrysologus
Procopius of Gaza
Gregory the Great

“But God told Moses to model their worship after the pattern he saw!”

Exactly. God told the Jews to serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, which was a flawed form of worship, but we Christians worship in spirit, no longer serving a copy and shadow, but the realities.

Hebrews 8:3-6 – For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer. For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve (latria) the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.

“What about the Liturgy of James, and the Liturgy of Mark, and the Liturgy of Addai and Mari?

First of all, these liturgies have all been added to over the centuries, and the Cathodox have already admitted that incense did NOT exist within the first 500 years of the church. They know this because the evidence from the fathers is overwhelming.

Secondly, even if we didn’t know these liturgies had gradually evolved and had many new elements added to them (just as Chrysostom’s and Basils did), can we not verify that Mark was the bishop of the church at Alexandria, and can we not verify that ALL of the succeeding church leaders at Alexandria after him – Clement, Origen, Athanasius, and Cyril – each of whom presided over their congregations in the 100s, 200s, 300s, and 400s, unanimously rejected the offering of incense during liturgy? Are we to believe that these men were offering incense during their liturgies the entire time, while teaching sermon after sermon about why the church has universally rejected incense?

The same principle applies to these other bogus liturgies. Encyclopedia Britannica says about the Liturgy of Addai and Mari, “The anaphora that is part of this liturgy is of particular interest, being one of the oldest in Christianity, possibly dating back to 3rd-century Edessa, even if the outline of the current form can only be traced as far back as the time of the Patriarch Ishoyahb III in the 7th century.”

The Cathodox slyly insinuate to their congregations that the modern liturgies which pass under the name of John Chrysostom and Basil have been handed down unchanged from generation to generation, but they casually admit elsewhere, “From the liturgical sources it appears that St. John Chrysostom did not compose the entire Divine Liturgy, not even its main part, called the Anaphora. The liturgical role of Chrysostom then should be restricted to the revision of already existing formulary of the Divine Liturgy and to the composition of some secondary liturgical prayers…. During the centuries the Chrysostomian Liturgy underwent certain evolution both in text and in ritual. Thus, in the fifth century, the Hymn of Trisagion was introduced into the Liturgy. In the following century the Liturgy became enriched with the Incarnation Hymn (O Only Begotten Son), the mystical Cherubic Hymn, and the Symbol of Faith. It was only in the seventh century that the Rite of Preparation (Proskomidy) was moved to the beginning of the service and the Antiphons were added. Thus, by the end of the eighth century, we have already a definite formulary of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom as to its external structure and prayers.”

To anyone foolish enough to believe the church in Antioch really was offering incense in their liturgies, we remind them that John Chrysostom was a presbyter in Antioch for 12 years, and he says incense DIDN’T EXIST in the church! He would know.

“What about Canon 3/4 of Apostolic Constitutions?”

Canon what? Is it canon 3 or canon 4? Do you know why it’s listed as 3/4? Because there are different manuscripts of the Apostolic Constitutions, some of which are only 50 canons (rejecting the rest as later additions), and some with  It should really bother you that this canon is #3 in some lists and #4 in others, indicating an obvious evolution of canons! This proves there were certainly not always 85 canons.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the author “borrows very largely from a Syrian council” specifically Antioch (341),  and other scholarly sources agree that it cites canons from the Council of Laodicea in 360. We know this list of canons draws from many councils, and it’s unclear in which year it was completed.

The earliest written record of exactly 85 canons even existing appears in the 6th century, starting with Dionysius Exiguus (c. 500).. Severus of Antioch quotes from 21-23 (c. 520, E. W. Brooks, “Select Letters of Severus of Antioch”, London, 1904 (Syriac text), I, 463-64). And John Scholasticus (c. 550) also mentions 85 in his day. Before that, there were only general references to “the canons of the apostles,” and no reference to canon 3/4 whatsoever. These 85 canons were officially recognized by the Eastern church as authoritative at the Quinisext Council in 692.

Tell me, why do your best and only evidences consist of liturgies and canon lists that are known to have been added to over the centuries? Why can’t you just quote from a reputable church father whose writings are known to be authentic? Even when you quote from the Apostolic Constitutions, canon 3/4 contradicts all of the other fathers of the 300s and 400s, so it doesn’t resolve this conflict. You STILL have to choose between this solitary canon contradicting the whole church (which appears in an evolving document) OR the united consensus of the fathers.

“They’re offering incense in heaven!”

Cathodox apologists claim that since incense appears in the Book of Revelation (Rev. 5:8; 8:3–4), it must be part of Christian liturgy on earth. Let’s see how consistent this argument is. If we take the heavenly imagery of Revelation literally, as they suggest with incense, then we must also literally incorporate every other object or ritual seen in heaven into our worship — but they do not.

Revelation 3:12 – “The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God.”

Do you look forward to being made into a literal pillar inside of a building for all of eternity? Is that something you’re excited about?

Revelation 3:18 – I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.

Is that literal gold we need to buy from Jesus? Or do we need to buy literal white clothes for our physical bodies? And literal salve to anoint our physical eyes?

Revelation 4:6-7 – And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 

Are there four literal creatures like this in heaven? Oh, it’s symbolic of the four gospels?

Revelation 5:6 – “Then I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain…”

If incense must be literal because it’s seen in heaven, why don’t you slay a literal lamb in your liturgy? After all, the Lamb is central in the “heavenly worship scene.” If it’s good to offer incense because it reminds us of prayer, why don’t we slay a literal lamb in the liturgy to remind us of Christ?

Revelation 5:8 – “And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp”

If incense is required in liturgy, are harps also required in liturgy?

Revelation 5:8 – “… and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”

Are your censers made of gold? Most are made of brass!

So you admit that you do not model your liturgy after the symbolic images seen in John’s Revelation. And you admit that the lamb, the ark, the four living creatures, the dragon, the scroll John eats, and every other object seen in heaven is symbolic EXCEPT the incense? Either admit it’s ALL symbolic or that it’s just this ONE thing you’ve selectively decided to take literally, after already practicing it without any justification.

This has got to be one of the stupidest, most childish arguments the Cathodox ever came up with, trying to argue that the visions of Revelation are meant to be taken in a literal and physical sense! The book of Revelation consists entirely of abstract, symbolic visions from beginning to end. It is the LEAST literal book in the entire Bible! 

Do you Cathodox even know what incense is? Do you really think these incorporeal spirits are shaving bark off literal trees in heaven, creating physical incense from resin, seeds, flowers, and leaves, and then burning it in physical censers? Do you think heaven is a physical space, and that angels are corporeal beings?

“Didn’t God tell Moses that incense is a perpetual ordinance?”

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “And you shall make an altar for burning incense…. And Aaron shall burn upon it fine compound incense every morning; when he trims the lamps he shall burn it on it. And when Aaron lights the lamps in the evening, he shall burn the incense perpetually before the Lord throughout your generations.
— Exodus 30:1, 8-9

He sure did! You know what else God said was a perpetual ordinance?

1. Circumcision

“This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised… It shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male throughout your generations… My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.”
— Genesis 17:10–13 (cf. Leviticus 12:3)

2. The Passover Sacrifice

“You shall observe this thing as an ordinance for you and your sons forever… You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your armies out of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as a perpetual statute.”
— Exodus 12:14, 17 (also verse 24)

3. The Day of Atonement and Its Sacrifices

“This shall be a perpetual statute for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls… For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you… Once a year.”
— Leviticus 16:29–34 (see also v. 31: “a statute forever”)

4. The Levitical/Aaronic Priesthood

“It shall be a perpetual statute for him and his descendants after him… The priesthood shall be theirs by a perpetual statute.”
— Exodus 29:9; 40:15 (also Numbers 25:13: “an everlasting priesthood”)

5. The Sabbath Command

“The children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever.”
— Exodus 31:16–17 (see also Leviticus 24:8 for the showbread on the Sabbath as a perpetual statute)

6. Prohibition of Priests Drinking Wine During Liturgy

And the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying, “You shall not drink wine nor strong drink, you and your sons with you, when you enter into the tabernacle of witness, or when you approach the altar, so you shall not die; it is a perpetual statute for your generations, to distinguish between sacred and profane, and between clean and unclean, and to teach the children of Israel all the statutes, which the Lord spoke to them by Moses.
— Leviticus 10:8–10 (see Leviticus 11 for lists of clean/unclean animals)

“How could God hate something He once commanded?”

Didn’t God once command the Jews to swear by no other name except his own? And yet He later said you must not swear at all, and that swearing is of the devil. James says, “But above all, my brethren, do not swear.” How can swearing become such a massive sin if God once commanded it? The fathers tell us why. John Chrysostom tells us that the Jews were in the habit of swearing by the names of other gods, so God restricted their swearing to His name alone, even though they should not swear at all. And Apostolic Constitutions repeats this teaching: “He who made a law for swearing rightly, and forbade perjury, has now charged us not to swear at all.” Yes, God is capable of commanding something that he dislikes as an alternative to something much worse, in order to gradually lead a stubborn people worthy of annihilation to a higher moral standard.

Ezekiel 20:25 – “I gave statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they would not live.”

This passage from Ezekiel and many others are cited in the writings of the fathers in reference to the Mosaic law. Book 6 of the Apostolic Constitutions (starting at chapter 20) explains the weakness and inferiority of the Mosaic law in great detail, which is quoted at length in this document. You Cathodox would certainly admit that God refuses to accept animal sacrifices anymore. Also, according to Paul, if you were to receive circumcision as a rite of religion, you would be severed from Christ. And yet both animal sacrifices and circumcision are types that were commanded by God BEFORE the law of Moses! How could God forbid things that He once commanded, you ask? The answer is, God has the authority to command symbolic acts to be performed and then to cancel the observance of those symbolic acts at any time! Your only question should be, what has God commanded the far-superior Gentile church to do in the New Covenant? Stop justifying your practices by referring to the Jews, who God abhorred.

Eastern Orthodox Church:

Second Council of Nicaea (787 AD) – Seventh Ecumenical Council (Schaff’s Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, Vol 14, p.550–551):

The Decree of the Council:

(Found in Labbe and Cossart, Concilia. Tom. VII., col. 552.)

The holy, great, and Ecumenical Synod which by the grace of God and the will of the pious and Christ-loving Emperors, Constantine and Irene, his mother, was gathered together for the second time at Nice, the illustrious metropolis of Bithynia, in the holy church of God which is named Sophia, having followed the tradition of the Catholic Church, hath defined as follows:

Christ our Lord, who hath bestowed upon us the light of the knowledge of himself, and hath redeemed us from the darkness of idolatrous madness, having espoused to himself the Holy Catholic Church without spot or defect, promised that he would so preserve her: and gave his word to this effect to his holy disciples when he said: “Lo! I am with you always, even unto the end of the world,” which promise he made, not only to them, but to us also who should believe in his name through their word. But some, not considering of this gift, and having become fickle through the temptation of the wily enemy, have fallen from the right faith; for, withdrawing from the traditions of the Catholic Church, they have erred from the truth and as the proverb saith: “The husbandmen have gone astray in their own husbandry and have gathered in their hands nothingness,” because certain priests, priests in name only, not in fact, had dared to speak against the God-approved ornament of the sacred monuments, of whom God cries aloud through the prophet, “Many pastors have corrupted my vineyard, they have polluted my portion.”

And, forsooth, following profane men, led astray by their carnal sense, they have calumniated the Church of Christ our God, which he hath espoused to himself, and have failed to distinguish between holy and profane, styling the images of our Lord and of his Saints by the same name as the statues of diabolical idols. Seeing which things, our Lord God (not willing to behold his people corrupted by such manner of plague) hath of his good pleasure called us together, the chief of his priests, from every quarter, moved with a divine zeal and brought hither by the will of our princes, Constantine and Irene, to the end that the traditions of the Catholic Church may receive stability by our common decree. Therefore, with all diligence, making a thorough examination and analysis, and following the trend of the truth, we diminish nought, we add nought, but we preserve unchanged all things which pertain to the Catholic Church, and following the Six Ecumenical Synods, especially that which met in this illustrious metropolis of Nice, as also that which was afterwards gathered together in the God-protected Royal City.

We detest and anathematize Arius and all the sharers of his absurd opinion; also Macedonius and those who following him are well styled “Foes of the Spirit” (Pneumatomachi). We confess that our Lady, St. Mary, is properly and truly the Mother of God, because she was the Mother after the flesh of One Person of the Holy Trinity, to wit, Christ our God, as the Council of Ephesus has already defined when it cast out of the Church the impious Nestorius with his colleagues, because he taught that there were two Persons [in Christ]. With the Fathers of this synod we confess that he who was incarnate of the immaculate Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary has two natures, recognizing him as perfect God and perfect man, as also the Council of Chalcedon hath promulgated, expelling from the divine Atrium [aulhj] as blasphemers, Eutyches and Dioscorus; and placing in the same category Severus, Peter and a number of others, blaspheming in divers fashions. Moreover, with these we anathematize the fables of Origen, Evagrius, and Didymus, in accordance with the decision of the Fifth Council held at Constantinople. We affirm that in Christ there be two wills and two operations according to the reality of each nature, as also the Sixth Synod, held at Constantinople, taught, casting out Sergius, Honorius, Cyrus, Pyrrhus, Macarius, and those who agree with them, and all those who are unwilling to be reverent.

To make our confession short, we keep unchanged all the ecclesiastical traditions handed down to us, whether in writing or verbally, one of which is the making of pictorial representations, agreeable to the history of the preaching of the Gospel, a tradition useful in many respects, but especially in this, that so the incarnation of the Word of God is shown forth as real and not merely phantastic, for these have mutual indications and without doubt have also mutual significations.

We, therefore, following the royal pathway and the divinely inspired authority of our Holy Fathers and the traditions of the Catholic Church (for, as we all know, the Holy Spirit indwells her), define with all certitude and accuracy that just as the figure of the precious and life-giving Cross, so also the venerable and holy images, as well in painting and mosaic as of other fit materials, should be set forth in the holy churches of God, and on the sacred vessels and on the vestments and on hangings and in pictures both in houses and by the wayside, to wit, the figure of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, of our spotless Lady, the Mother of God, of the honourable Angels, of all Saints and of all pious people. For by so much more frequently as they are seen in artistic representation, by so much more readily are men lifted up to the memory of their prototypes, and to a longing after them; and to these should be given due salutation and honourable reverence (ἀσπασμὸν καὶ τιμητικὴν προσκύνησιν), not indeed that true worship of faith (λατρείαν) which pertains alone to the divine nature; but to these, as to the figure of the precious and life-giving Cross and to the Book of the Gospels and to the other holy objects, incense and lights may be offered according to ancient pious custom. For the honour which is paid to the image passes on to that which the image represents, and he who reveres the image reveres in it the subject represented. For thus the teaching of our holy Fathers, that is the tradition of the Catholic Church, which from one end of the earth to the other hath received the Gospel, is strengthened. Thus we follow Paul, who spake in Christ, and the whole divine Apostolic company and the holy Fathers, holding fast the traditions which we have received. So we sing prophetically the triumphal hymns of the Church, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion; Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem. Rejoice and be glad with all thy heart. The Lord hath taken away from thee the oppression of thy adversaries; thou art redeemed from the hand of thine enemies. The Lord is a King in the midst of thee; thou shalt not see evil any more, and peace be unto thee forever.”

Those, therefore who dare to think or teach otherwise, or as wicked heretics to spurn the traditions of the Church and to invent some novelty, or else to reject some of those things which the Church hath received (e.g., the Book of the Gospels, or the image of the cross, or the pictorial icons, or the holy reliques of a martyr), or evilly and sharply to devise anything subversive of the lawful traditions of the Catholic Church or to turn to common uses the sacred vessels or the venerable monasteries, if they be Bishops or Clerics, we command that they be deposed; if religious or laics, that they be cut off from communion.

[After all had signed, the acclamations began (col. 576).]

The holy Synod cried out: So we all believe, we all are so minded, we all give our consent and have signed. This is the faith of the Apostles, this is the faith of the orthodox, this is the faith which hath made firm the whole world. Believing in one God, to be celebrated in Trinity, we salute the honourable images! Those who do not so hold, let them be anathema. Those who do not thus think, let them be driven far away from the Church. For we follow the most ancient legislation of the Catholic Church. We keep the laws of the Fathers. We anathematize those who add anything to or take anything away from the Catholic Church. We anathematize the introduced novelty of the revilers of Christians. We salute the venerable images. We place under anathema those who do not do this. Anathema to them who presume to apply to the venerable images the things said in Holy Scripture about idols. Anathema to those who do not salute the holy and venerable images. Anathema to those who call the sacred images idols. Anathema to those who say that Christians resort to the sacred images as to gods. Anathema to those who say that any other delivered us from idols except Christ our God. Anathema to those who dare to say that at any time the Catholic Church received idols.

Many years to the Emperors, etc., etc.

And if anyone does not so believe, but undertakes to debate the matter further and is evil affected with regard to the veneration due the sacred images, such an one our holy ecumenical council (fortified by the inward working of the Spirit of God, and by the traditions of the Fathers and of the Church) anathematises. Now anathema is nothing less than complete separation from God.

The Typicon:

Daily Vespers
 The Royal Doors and curtains are closed and remain closed until the end of the service.
 During this service, the priest only vests with the epitrachelion.
 During the censing, the priest exits through the North Door and enters the Sanctuary through the
South Door
 The Protos reads the Sunset Psalm while the priest reads the 7 Prayers of Vespers.
 When the choir begins chanting, “Let my prayer…” the priest blesses the incense and censes the
Sanctuary, the icons, and the faithful as usual.

The Order of the Vigil with Great Vespers
 After sunset, the senior priest receives the blessing from the bishop.
 The bell is rung slowly, while the person ringing the bell says the Psalm “Blessed are the blameless in
the way, who walk in the law of the Lord…” (Psalm 118).
 After that, the candles are lit and the censor is brought to the priest.
 Two candle holders, with lit candles are placed in the middle of the Temple.
 The big bell is rung, followed by the larger bell.
 The priest, standing in front of the Royal Doors, turns and bows to the bishop or to the throne, if the
bishop is not present.

 Then he bows three times, one in front of the Royal Doors, and one towards both choirs, while the
members are seated.
 Then he enters the Altar and reads the prayer of incense inaudibly.
 The server says “Bless” while holding a lit candle.
 The priest censes the Holy Table crosswise and the Prothesis Table, exits and censes the Temple as
usual, preceeded by a candle holder carrying a lit candle.
 He returns and enters the Altar and censes crosswise.
 He then says, in a loud voice, “Bless Master…” and censes the bishop or his throne once again.
 Standing in front of the Holy Table, the priest blesses with the censor crosswise and exclaims “Glory
to the Holy Consubstantial and undivided Trinity, always now and ever and unto ages of ages.”
 The bishop or protos intones, “Come let us worship…” in tone 8 to the melody of “All creation
rejoices in thee, O full of grace…” as sung during the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil in a loud voice.
 After “Amen” the protos reads the Sunset Psalm.

 When the choir reaches the verse “For his mercy is great toward us…”, the priest and deacon bow to
the bishop and complete their vesting with uncovered heads and, preceeded by servers carrying lit
candles, they make the Little Entrance with the censor.

 After the priest says “Blessed and glorified be the might…” all process, in an orderly manner, to the
Narthex, the Priest with the censor and the servers with the lit candles, while the choir chants the
ideomelia of the litia of the patron saint of the Temple.

At Matins

A tray decorated with basil and flowers and with three lit candles and The Holy Cross
is placed on the Holy Table.
 The priest censes the Holy Cross.
 Lifting the tray with the Cross above his head, the priest faces West and processes
around the Holy Table from the right to the left, preceded by the deacons who are
censing.
 All exit the sanctuary from the North door and make a great procession accompanied
by candles, fans, the chanters, the trikirion and dikirion.
 The deacons carry the censors and candles.
 When the procession reaches the solea, the priest carries the Holy Cross three times
around a table, placed in the middle of the solea.
 The priest then stands in front of the table, facing east lifts up the Cross and says in a
loud voice “Wisdom, let us attend.”
 The priest places the tray on the table and censes it from all four sides while chanting
the troparion “O Lord, save thy people…” (1x)

The 3rd Hour
The beginning as the 1st Hour.
At the chanting of the hymns, the archdeacon, wearing his mandya exits the sanctuary through the
north door and censes with the hand censer preceded with a lit candle. He censes again at the
idiomela in the 6th and the 9th Hour. The other deacons do the same consecutively according to
their rank. If there is no hierarch present, the priest, does the censing wearing his phelonion.
After the first hymn, the chanter sings` the verse “Lord thy hearing have I heard.”

At Vespers on Sunday

Priest: (standing in the Holy Doors and censing the Iconostasis) “Christ is risen from the
dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs.”
The Choir: “bestowing life.”

FRIDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK
WITH THE AKATHIST SERVICE

At the Akathist Hymn on Friday evening

While the hymn is chanted for the third time, the patriarch, preceded by the deacons, exits the
sanctuary and comes to icon of the Theotokos.
He censes the icon 3 times, and intones the 1st stasis of the Akathist Hymn.
After each section, he censes the icon 3 times.
At the end of the 1st stasis, he venerates the icon, blesses the people with the trikirion, and enters
the Sanctuary.

Censing at Home by Fr. John Whiteford:

It is a nice touch to have a Cross and Gospel in your icon corner. This is where your censing would begin and end. You could just cense the icons in the icon corner, but if you wanted to, you could cense the whole room you are praying in, or other rooms too, if you wish.

The offering of incense to God is a practice which dates back to the time of Moses when God gave commands as to how to burn it.

You shall make an altar to burn incense upon … And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it; every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, and when Aaron sets up the lamps in the evening, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations. You shall offer no unholy incense thereon (Ex. 30:1, 7-9). The burning of incense as an offering to God will continue even to the end of the world, as revealed by God to St. John.

And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God (Rev. 8:3- 5).

Because of the command and revelation of God regarding the offering of incense, the Church uses incense as an acceptable offering in its Divine Services. Since the parish church uses incense, so should the family church use incense as an offering pleasing to God. On Saturday evenings, on the eves of feasts and the other already-mentioned occasions, the house is “blessed” with incense. The head of the household carries the hand censer with burning incense throughout the entire dwelling (basement and attic included) and makes the sign of the Cross on the four walls of each room and over the beds. Some Orthodox have the custom of saying with each sign of the Cross thus made: “This room (or bed) is blessed by the sign of the Holy Cross.” The person censing is accompanied by all members of the household chanting “Holy God…,” the troparion of the feast or Sunday or other appropriate ode, and bearing icons or candles. The procession begins at the icon corner, proceeds through the entire dwelling, and returns to the icon corner.

The hand censer, charcoal (for burning the incense) and the incense may be purchased at some parish churches or from monastic communities such as Holy Transfiguration Monastery (Brookline, Massachusetts 02146). The parish priest or deacon would be happy to show parishioners how to light the charcoal and offer incense.

The charcoal and incense ashes should not be discarded in the garbage, but should be put along the foundation of the building, buried in the ground or put in some other appropriate place where no one will step on them.

Meaning of Incense in Orthodox Worship: A Deep Dive By Orthodoxy Christianity 101:

In Orthodox Christianity, the use of incense stands out as a deeply symbolic practice. It’s more than just a fragrant offering; it’s a vital part of worship that engages the senses and draws the faithful into a deeper spiritual experience. I’ve always been captivated by the swirling smoke and its significance, and I’m eager to share why incense is so integral to Orthodox liturgy.

From biblical times to modern-day services, incense has played a crucial role in religious rites. It’s fascinating to explore how this ancient tradition carries profound meanings and how it enhances our connection to the divine. Stay tuned as I delve into the reasons behind this enchanting element of Orthodox worship and its enduring impact on the faithful.

In delving into why incense holds such importance in Orthodox Christianity, it’s clear it goes beyond mere tradition. Incitement of the senses is paramount in an Orthodox service and incense plays a central role. When I immerse myself in the rituals of the church, the scent of incense envelops me, reminding me that what I’m experiencing isn’t just a formality but a gateway to the divine.

Incense is a Symbol of Prayer. As the smoke rises toward the heavens, it visually embodies our prayers elevating to God. This imagery is steeped in biblical references, particularly in Psalms 141:2, where it states, “Let my prayer be set forth as incense before thee.” The burning of incense during worship is not only a biblical act but also a tangible representation of our petitions to the Lord.

In addition, incense serves as a Mark of Reverence and Purification. The sensory impact it has can’t be understated. It sanctifies the environment and the senses, creating a space that feels set apart from the mundane world outside. The billowing clouds symbolize the presence of the Holy Spirit and purify the church for holy rituals.

Liturgical Use and Hierarchical Significance play a role too. The use of incense varies depending on the liturgical calendar and specific church service. It accentuates the sacredness of holy days and the hierarchy within the church; for instance, more incense is used during high feasts and less during regular services. Incense burning signifies the importance of the service and the solemnity of the occasion.

Delving into the historical roots of incense in Orthodox Christian worship, I discover a tradition steeped in rich symbolism dating back centuries. Early Christian worship was deeply influenced by Judaic practices, where incense was a regular part of temple rituals. It’s written in the Psalms, “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense,” illustrating the deep connection between incense and prayer from early on.

It’s fascinating to unravel how the use of incense quickly became integral in the Christian liturgy. As Christianity emerged and spread through various cultures, incense took on a role not just of ritual purification, but also of participation within the divine mysteries. The Eastern Christian churches, including the Orthodox Church, preserved the essence of these early rituals, eventually formalizing the use of incense in their services.

Introduction into Liturgy

• Fourth century: References to incense in Christian texts
• Development: Integration into daily services
• Church Fathers: Writings emphasize incense’s role in worship

By the fourth century, texts and church teachings began referencing incense explicitly within a Christian context. What’s more, church fathers like St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great wrote about the purpose and symbolism of incense, cementing its use in Orthodox worship.

The Ritual of Using Incense in Worship

When discussing Orthodox Christian worship, the ritual of using incense stands out as a profound act imbued with history and meaning. As I delve into this ritual, it’s essential to grasp the meticulous process that symbolizes so much more than fragrance filling the air.

Preparing incense for a service is itself a ritual act. Typically, the priest or an assistant combines frankincense, a tree resin, with various aromatic oils to create a specific scent. This process represents the care and intention placed into every aspect of Orthodox worship.

In the sanctuary, incense is burned in a censer, a metal container with a lid, suspended on chains. Liturgy commences with the lighting of charcoal, upon which the incense granules are placed. As the charcoal glows red, the granules melt and smoke begins to rise, signaling a sensory call to prayer and reflection. The act of lighting the incense, much like the lighting of candles, marks the beginning of a transition from the temporal to the divine.

The censer is not only a practical item but a significant one. Embellished with religious symbolism, it often features the images of the four Evangelists or other sacred iconography. The chains, from which it swings, are said to represent the prayers rising to heaven. Censing is then performed at specific points during the service, with a deacon or priest rhythmically swinging the censer to spread the smoke throughout the church.

• During processions, the censer leads the way, emphasizing the movement from one holy space to another.
• While censing icons, it’s believed that honor is bestowed upon the saints depicted.
• In blessing the congregation, the smoke is a visible sign of the Holy Spirit’s presence amongst the people.

The integration of incense in Orthodox worship is a sensory experience that engages believers in the sacred mysteries. It reinforces the transcendence of the liturgy, bridging the gap between heaven and earth, and allowing for a moment where worshippers can feel enveloped by the divine. The richness of this tradition ensures that its practice is much more than ceremonial — it’s a core expression of theological truths.

Fr Stephen De Young:

4:36 – If you’re an evangelical, you don’t have any concept of the difference between veneration and worship because you don’t worship. There is no worship taking place at evangelical churches. Because there is no sacrifice, right? There is no offering of the Eucharist. There’s no offering of incense. There’s no sacrifice. Dogmatically, the Eucharist isn’t a sacrifice for them. So all they do is venerate God, right? So when they see us venerating anyone else, they’re like, “Oh, you’re worshiping.”

Jay Dyer:

4:55 – We believe that there’s literally an apostolic worship pattern that the apostles handed down. [Ben/Orthodox Luigi cuts in] Yeah, the God of Abraham is very particular about the way He’s worshiped. If you read Leviticus 10, the famous passage with Nadab and Abihu, they kind of make up their own liturgical practice, and then God immediately kills them on the spot, because of their illicit practice of worship. So basically, what it comes down to is the order of the service. I mean, we literally have the liturgy of St James, the brother of James. We have the liturgy that goes back to St James himself. We have the liturgy of St Mark. And then the normative liturgy we use is the liturgy of St John Chrysostom, which is from the 4th century.

All Orthodox teachers say the offering of incense is derived from the Mosaic Law.

Oriental Orthodox Church:

Comparative Theology by Pope Shenouda III:

(3) The Sanctuary and the Altar

There is neither a sanctuary nor an altar in Protestant churches. The reason for this is more serious: There is no Sacrifice. We shall discuss the subject of the Sacrifice when we come to the Sacraments of Eucharist and Priesthood. Now we will confine our discussion to the altar.

(1) In the Old Testament there are numerous passages about the altar. But our brethren the Protestants think that the altar was merely a symbol of Christ’s Sacrifice on the Cross, and has now terminated. Therefore, in our discussion with them, we have to present text-proofs from the New Testament.

(2) St. Paul the Apostle says: “We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat” (Heb.13: 10). The tabernacle is the Tent of Meeting or the old Sanctuary. St. John Chrysostom comments on this, saying: “St. Paul the Apostle turned from the symbolic meaning to the actual meaning… We now have the authority to partake of the Holy Blood which was the authority of the priest only.”

(4) God willed that the word ‘altar’ be fixed in the minds and hearts of people, therefore He mentions it more than once in the Book of Revelation which was written at the end of the first century, after the martyrdom of the Apostles and the disciples of Christ. St. John the Evangelist says: “Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. And he was given much incense” (Rev.8: 3). He also says: “I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held” (Rev.6: 9).

(5) The altar will continue to exist as long as the words of the Divine Inspiration: “the Body and Blood of the Lord” (1Cor.11: 27) remain before us. As long as there is Blood, then there should be an altar, and by necessity, a sanctuary to contain it.

(4) Incense

Our brethren the Protestants do not use incense or censers, considering them part of the Old Testament worship which were mere symbols and have now terminated. Here we would like to display the history of incense in the past and present and see whether incense is a symbol or an independent spiritual performance.

(1) The Lord said to Moses: “You shall make an altar to burn incense on; you shall make it of acacia wood” (Ex.30: 1). Here the Lord presents us an important point: The incense was considered a sacrifice in itself, offered on an altar called the altar of incense.

(2) The Lord gave great importance to the altar of incense. He commanded that it be overlaid on all sides with gold, have a horn of gold, be carried on two rings overlaid with gold and be placed before the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony where He would meet with Moses (Ex.30: 3-6).

(3) The incense was conditioned to be ‘sweet incense’. The Lord says: “Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning” (Ex.30: 7). And also at twilight “he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations” (Ex.30: 8). The spices for making the sweet incense are mentioned in (Ex.30: 34). It is said that this incense “shall be to you holy for the Lord” (Ex.30: 37). Moreover, “It shall be most holy to you… you shall not make any for yourselves, according to its composition” (Ex.30: 36,37). The phrase ‘sweet incense’ is repeated on many occasions in the Holy Bible: (Ex.25: 6); (Ex.37: 29); (Lev.16: 12). So incense represented a fragrant perfume ascending before the Lord.

(4) Some people are mistaken and say that incense was presented with burnt offerings to absorb their smell. And as there are no animal burnt offerings now, incense is subsequently cancelled. This interpretation is unsound because incense was a form of worship independent in itself. It had its own special altar different from the altar of burnt offerings. It had its own rites in the way of offering it. It was meant and considered as a prayer in itself and not as a symbol of another thing.

(5) We notice that when the Lord sent the plague on the Israelites, Aaron the chief priest, upon Moses’ command, took his censer, put incense in it and burnt it with fire from the altar to intercede for the people before God. When he ran into the midst of the assembly and offered the incense, the plague ceased. The Lord accepted the incense from Aaron as a prayer (Num.16: 44-48) as though it were a sacrifice.

We notice that Aaron did not offer a sacrifice for the Israelites, but incense alone. The incense was not offered to absorb the smell of a burnt offering but it was an offering to make atonement for the people (Num. 16: 46,47).

(6) Because of the importance of incense, only priests were allowed to offer it. So incense is in a higher position than prayer because prayer can be raised by any individual to the Lord. When Korah, Dathan and Abiram dared to offer incense, the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them with all their belongings. So they went down to the pit alive (Num.16: 31,32). This happened not because they offered a sacrifice, but because they offered incense, even though they were of the tribe of Levi.

(7) As incense was so important, it was offered in golden censers as is written in the Epistle to the Hebrews (Heb.9: 4) and as is said about the twenty-four priests who had golden bowls full of incense (Rev.5: 8).

(8) In the Book of the Prophet Malachi, there is a prophecy about the continuation of the offering of incense and that it is not limited to the Jewish Era. The Lord says: “For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; in every place incense shall be offered to My name, and a pure offering; for My name shall be great among the nations” (Mal.1: 11). Of course, worship among the Gentiles did not happen except in the Era of Christianity. Thus the Lord has included incense among the forms of Christian worship.

(9) There are two examples in the New Testament showing the Divine concern about incense, and both are written in the Book of Revelation:

(a) About the twenty-four priests, it is written: “and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” (Rev.5: 8).

(b) St. John the Visionary says: “Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. And he was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar, which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand” (Rev.8: 3,4).

(12) Because incense is important in Christianity, frankincense (which is a component of incense) was one of the gifts offered by the Magi to Christ. It was a symbol of His Priesthood and a profession from the Magi that He is a Priest, in the same way that gold was a symbol of His Kingdom and myrrh a symbol of His sufferings.

(13) Incense has numerous meanings, which satisfy the senses and nourish the soul. Not all those who attend church are of a profound spiritual level and deep thought. Children, for example, who do not apprehend much from the sermon or the readings of the Holy Bible or the prayers, are spiritually affected through their senses by the incense, candles and icons which serve as spiritual lessons for them, uplifting them to a spiritual atmosphere. The same applies to the uninformed and superficial believers who have no depth of knowledge and have not studied theological books.

Spiritual meanings and contemplation of incense:

(22) Incense represents clouds or dark clouds reminding us of God’s presence and the glory of God. It is written: “Clouds and darkness surround Him” (Ps.97: 2). Therefore incense has numerous spiritual meanings for whoever wishes to benefit from it. It is a form of worship in itself. It was not connected with the Old Testament sacrifices thus not necessitating its termination with that of those sacrifices.

(23) Lastly, we say that there is not one single verse in the New Testament commanding the cancellation of incense: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev.2: 7).

The Spirituality of the Rites of the Holy Liturgy of the Coptic Orthodox Church by Bishop Mettaous:

“His Grace the great Bishop Mettaous is one of the prominent scholars of Ritual Theology in our contemporary era, and all his.”

Raising of Incense

21. Incense is raised during Vespers and Morning Prayers before every liturgy, except those during the Great Lent which are concluded late, and hence, incense is only raised during Vespers on the Saturday night. The Raising of Incense is an introduction and preparation for the Liturgy, consisting of a collection of prayers, praises and Thanksgiving prayers which request the Lord’s blessings upon the sacramental service. The Raising of Incense may be performed on its own, not just as an introduction to the Liturgy, but as an offer of the sacrifices of prayer and praise to God through its sweet incense. However, the Raising of Incense is mandatory prior to the Liturgy (except, of course, during Lent, as just stated above), the minimum requirement being the raising of the Prime Incense after the midnight praises. The raising of Incense can be found in the Old Testament. The Temple of Jerusalem contained a separate altar for the raising of incense called the Incense Altar which was different to the Altar of Offertory.

THE MYSTERY OF INCENSE PRAYERS

The priest stands before the altar and the deacon brings the censer to him from the right side of the altar. The priest places five spoonfuls of incense in the censer while making the sign of the cross three times, thus consecrating the incense to the Only One Holy God (not to idols or strange gods), as it is written, “From the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My Name shall be great among the gentiles, in every place incense shall be offered to My Name, and a pure offering” (Malachi 1:11). These five spoonfuls of incense represent the five righteous men of the Old Testament who offered acceptable sacrifices to the Lord, and the Lord smelled their pleasing aroma. These men are: 1-ABEL, who offered the first born of his flock. “Abel also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering” (Gen.4:4). 25 2-NOAH, who, after coming out of the Ark, offered from every pure animal and bird. “Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma, then the Lord said in His Heart, `I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake’.” (Gen.8:20-21). 3-MELCHIZEDEK, who offered bread and wine, a non- blood sacrifice, and blessed Abraham. (Gen.14:18) 4-AARON, who offered sacrifices for himself and his people, “…and the fire came out from before the Lord, and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar,” as a sign that the Lord accepted the sacrifice (Lev.9:24). 5-ZACHARIAS, who entered the Sanctuary to offer incense, and “…the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar, and announced to him the birth of John” (Luke 1:8-22).

“…And in every place, incense is offered before You…”, as a pure offering, as written in Malachi (1:11), “For from the rising of the sun even to its going down, My Name shall be great among the gentiles, in every place incense shall be offered to My Name and a pure offering. For My Name shall be great among the nations, says the Lord of Hosts.” “…O Lord we ask You to accept our prayers, as incense rising before You…”, as mentioned in Psalm 140:2, “Let my prayers be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”

THE MORNING (MATIN) INCENSE PRAYER

In the prayer of the Morning Incense, the priest asks the Lord to accept the incense offered to Him as He accepted the offerings of the righteous Abel, the sacrifices of Noah and Abraham, and the incense of Aaron and Zacharias.

“…And the incense of Aaron…”, as seen in Exodus (30:1-8), when the Lord ordered Moses, saying, “You shall make an altar to burn incense on…Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning when he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it. And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generation.” “…And Zacharias…”, as in Luke (1:5-13), “So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. Then an angel of the Lord 30 appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense…the angel said to him…’for your prayer is heard and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son’….” “…Accept this incense from our hands, us sinners…”, the priest thus asking God to accept the incense offered to Him, as He had accepted the offerings and sacrifices of the five righteous men, and also as He accepted the atoning sacrifice of Christ as a pleasing aroma, as spoken by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians (5:2) when he said, “Walk in love as Christ also has loved us, and given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet smelling aroma.”

During Vespers Incense: “The blessing of the Vespers incense be with us, Amen.” During Morning Incense: “The blessing of the Morning incense be with us, Amen.” He then walks to the North-West corner of the Church behind all the seats at the back and then walks South until he reaches the centre walkway. He walks down the centre walkway towards the East until he reaches the middle sanctuary door, then he turns South to the iconostasis and offers incense to the icons there. He continues incensing before the icons on the South side of the iconostacis until he reaches the Southern sanctuary door where he bows and offers incense to the icons. Moving from the Southern door the priest then he proceeds Westward down the Southern-most aisle of the Church, offering incense to the congregation and blessing them while repeating the phrase, “The Holy blessing of Vespers Incense/Matin Incense be with us, Amen.”.

The priest offers incense to the icons of the martyrs and saints, believing that they are with us in spirit and praying with the priest. The martyrs and saints accept the incense and support us with their prayers and supplications exactly as though they were living; as they are now living in the unseen victorious Church while we are living in the struggling Church on earth. Incense is only offered before icons that have been consecrated by the holy Mayroun oil. There is a special ritual for consecrating the icons which is performed by a bishop. On the issue of offering incense to the Icons of our Lord, God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, there are two opinions; one is that we should say, “Holy God”, both for the regular offering and on a special occasion, and the other is that we should say, “Hail to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ”, for the crucifixion icon, “Hail to the Resurrection of 59 our Lord Jesus Christ”, for the resurrection icon, “Hail to the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ”, for the ascension icon, and so on.

LITURGY OF THE WORD THE CIRCUIT OF THE PAULINE INCENSE

After the Absolution the serving priest enters the Sanctuary, takes the box of incense and bows before his brethren asking them to bless the box with him. In love and humility they bow in return saying, “You Bless.” Then he puts five spoonfuls of incense into the censer.

A Point On The Round Of The Pauline Incense

If the Patriarch, a Metropolitan or a Bishop is present he alone should bless the box of incense since he is the Archpriest. On the second signing of the cross he places the incense in the hands the other priests and they put it in the censer. He then completes the rest of the signings.

THE MYSTERY OF THE PRAXIS

The priest prays the Litany of Oblation, not the Litany of Travellers which is prayed in the morning. If he has already said the Litany of Oblation then he does not repeat it. After the Mystery of the catholic Epistle the priest prays the Mystery of the Praxis. Having put one spoonful of incense in the censor, he says:” 125 O God who accepted the sacrifice of Abraham and prepared for him a lamb in place of Isaac…”. Isaac, despite the fact that he was a strong youth, did not resist his father or flee when Abraham was offering him as a sacrifice on the altar to the Lord; for this reason the Lord accepted this sacrifice. The sacrifice of Isaac is the archetype of the sacrifice of our beloved Lord Jesus Christ who was sacrificed for the forgiveness of our sins.” …Likewise, O Lord, accept this sacrifice of incense and send down upon us in return Your abundantly rich mercy and purify us from all corruption of sin and make us worthy to serve in holiness and righteousness before Your goodness all the days of our life…” If we raise before the Lord pure and undefiled hands, a sanctified heart and eyes full of innocence and yet illumination, the Lord will accept our offering as a sweet aroma of incense. The church here repeats what Zachariah the priest said, “We serve Him in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life” (Luke 1:75). Notice that the priest calls the incense `a burnt offering’, meaning a sacrifice, just like the sacrifice of fasting, the sacrifice of prayer, the sacrifice of raising hands during worship, and the sacrifice of praise. As mentioned previously, in the Old Testament temple there was a special altar named the Altar of Incense, where the sacrifice of incense was offered. At the right hand side of the Altar of Incense the angel appeared to Zachariah and announced the birth of his son John. 126 The priest proceeds around the altar three times while praying the Three Minor Litanies then comes out of the sanctuary and offers incenses as mentioned in the Round of the Pauline. He then offers the Gospel Incense before exchanging a holy kiss with his fellow fathers and asking them to pray for him. He then proceeds to offer incense to the icons on the Southern side of the sanctuary’s door, then proceeds towards the Northern side of the sanctuary.

After the procession the deacon who is holding the icon of the Resurrection stands facing the West and the priests proceed in order of rank to offer incense to the icon; each priest offering three spoonfuls of incense. With the first spoonful he says, “We worship you O Christ Our God and Your life-giving Resurrection, for You have risen and saved us from our sins.” With the second spoonful he says, “O my Lord Jesus Christ Who rose from the dead, crush Satan under our feet speedily.” And with the third spoonful he 132 says, “Hail to the Resurrection of Christ, Who rose from the dead and saved us from our sins.” After offering the incense each priest kisses the icon and gives the censer to the next priest. The icon is then placed in the Eastern side of the sanctuary with two lit candles surrounding it. If a feast of St. Mary, a martyr, saint or angel falls during Eastertide, the icon of that saint (or angel) should accompany the icon of the Resurrection during the procession but incense is offered only to the icon of the Resurrection.

Then the priest continues, “Remember also, O Our Master…”. At the end of the litany he offers incense to God before the sanctuary saying, “And to You we send up the glory, honour…”.

Use of Incense in the Liturgy of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church:

“Although strictly forbidden in the worship of the early church….”

Liturgy and Spiritual Practices by Fr. Dr. Mathew Vaidyan

2. Communication with the five senses: The five sense help us in human communications. The same is applicable to our communication with God. In real worship we see, hear, smell, taste and experience the divine communion. Preaching the word of God and listening to it are not the exclusive factors of worship. Take the example of the three fold colors by which the Holy Altar is decorated. The red covering at the altar indicates the universe and the solar system. The green coloring denotes the earth with the greenish variety of biological species. The white covering indicates the Church made sanctified and pure through the blood of the unblemished lamb of God , Jesus Christ. The blood and body of Christ were given to the Church and the whole creation is sanctified through the Church. In worship we listen to the word of God , smell the odor of incense, touch the hands of our brethren in Kiss of Peace and taste from the divine chalice perceiving the mysteries of the liturgical scenario.

3. Rituals, offerings and incense: God became man. He took flesh, matter was used in the redeeming process of incarnation. Rituals offerings and material objects were given sufficient role in the ministry of Jesus. St. Luke chapter 5 verse 14 states , “ And he charged him to tell no one: but go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing as Moses commanded for a proof to the people”. Thus Jesus commanded to give offering and rites of thanks giving. Jesus is serious towards those who disobeyed the commandments. Jesus taught that offerings and rituals must help to be firm in faith and for the glorification of God. Jesus was respectful towards priesthood , offerings of thanks giving and vows. Even St.Paul cut his hair at Cenchreae, for he had a vow (Acts 18:18). Bread, wine, water, oil and soil are all seen used in the redemptive process according to the Bible. “You do this in remembrance of me, this is my body and this is my blood” commanded Jesus. The offering of the incense is practiced in Christian worship ( See Rev. 8 : 3,4 Rev. 5:8, Heb 9:4, Mt.2: 11). Offering of the incense is to get rid of the plagues to remove the foul smell of sin, to please the Lord with complete dedication and to keep the Biblical commandments ( See Num. 16:46- 50 ) . Ex. 35: 8, 2 Chron 2: 4, 1 kg 9: 25, Malachi 1:11 etc.) With the offering of incense we are mingling with the prayers of all the saints. ( Rev, 8:4)

Why Do We Cense in the Church and What does the Poorvar (Censer) Symbolize? by Rev. Fr. Barouyr Shernezian