The biblical Aaron is an ambiguous figure. Brother and spokesperson
of Moses, Israel’s first high priest, he nevertheless plays a key role
in the episode of the golden calf. The fourth century Christian
exegetes Gregory of Nyssa and Ephrem the Syrian, although writing in
different languages, both scoured the Old Testament for types and
symbols. Sebastian Brock has listed a number of themes shared by
Gregory and Ephrem. David Taylor has even suggested considering
seriously the possibility of direct influence. In their interpretations
of Aaron, however, they differ markedly. Gregory sees Aaron as a type
of humanity’s older brother: the intellectual, incorporeal angelic
nature. Angels, like brothers, can be good or bad, and Aaron
encapsulates both possibilities (Vit. Moys. 2.42–53, 209–213). Rather than splitting Aaron into two opposite poles, Ephrem places him halfway up Mount Sinai (Par. 2.12). In Commentary on Exodus,
he strenuously distinguishes him from the people, presenting a long
list of excuses for his behaviour. Aaron is a key figure for Ephrem
because, like Moses, he wields a rod which prefigures the cross. Even
more importantly, his atoning and death-defeating priesthood (Num
17:41–50) comes down to John the Baptist through Elizabeth, daughter of
Aaron (Luke 1:5), and then passes to Jesus at his baptism (Comm. Diat. 1.31, 4.3; Haer. 22.19). Aaron’s halfway status, in that he holds back Death, but cannot resist Satan (Nis. 53.13), is symptomatic of Ephrem’s troubled relationship with Judaism.
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