Ezekiel 40:44 Komentář

The waters of the sanctuary which this prophet saw in vision (Eze 47:1) are a proper representation of this prophecy. Hitherto the waters have been sometimes but to the ankles, in other places to the knees, or to the loins, but now the waters have risen, and have become "a river which cannot be passed over." Here is one continued vision, beginning at this chapter, to the end of the book, which is justly looked upon to be one of the most difficult portions of scripture in all the book of God. The Jews will not allow any to read it till they are thirty years old, and tell those who do read it that, though they cannot understand every thing in it, "when Elias comes he will explain it." Many commentators, both ancient and modern, have owned themselves at a loss what to make of it and what use to make of it. But because it is hard to be understood we must not therefore throw it by, but humbly search concerning it, get as far as we can into it and as much as we can out of it, and, when we despair of satisfaction in every difficulty we meet with, bless God that our salvation does not depend upon it, but that things necessary are plain enough, and wait till God shall reveal even this unto us. These chapters are the more to be regarded because the last two chapters of the Revelation seem to have a plain allusion to them, as Rev 20:1-15 has to the foregoing prophecy of Gog and Magog. Here is the vision of a glorious temple (in this chapter and ch. 41 and 42), of God's taking possession of it (ch. 43), orders concerning the priests that are to minister in this temple (ch. 44), the division of the land, what portion should be allotted for the sanctuary, what for the city, and what for the prince, both in his government of the people and his worship of God (ch. 45), and further instructions for him and the people, ch. 46. After the vision of the holy waters we have the borders of the holy land, and the portions assigned to the tribes, and the dimensions and gates of the holy city, ch. 47, 48. Some make this to represent what had been during the flourishing state of the Jewish church, how glorious Solomon's temple was in its best days, that the captives might see what they had lost by sin and might be the more humbled. But that seems not probable. The general scope of it I take to be, 1. To assure the captives that they should not only return to their own land, and be settled there, which had been often promised in the foregoing chapters, but that they should have, and therefore should be encouraged to build, another temple, which God would own, and where he would meet them and bless them, that the ordinances of worship should be revived, and the sacred priesthood should there attend; and, though they should not have a king to live in such splendour as formerly, yet they should have a prince or ruler (who is often spoken of in this vision), who should countenance the worship of God among them and should himself be an example of diligent attendance upon it, and that prince, priests, and people, should have a very comfortable settlement and subsistence in their own land. 2. To direct them to look further than all this, and to expect the coming of the Messiah, who had before been prophesied of under the name of David because he was the man that projected the building of the temple and that should set up a spiritual temple, even the gospel-church, the glory of which should far exceed that of Solomon's temple, and which should continue to the end of time. The dimensions of these visionary buildings being so large (the new temple more spacious than all the old Jerusalem and the new Jerusalem of greater extent than all the land of Canaan) plainly intimates, as Dr. Lightfoot observes, that these things cannot be literally, but must spiritually, understood. At the gospel-temple, erected by Christ and his apostles, was so closely connected with the second material temple, was erected so carefully just at the time when that fell into decay, that it might be ready to receive its glories when it resigned them, that it was proper enough that they should both be referred to in one and the same vision. Under the type and figure of a temple and altar, priests and sacrifices, is foreshown the spiritual worship that should be performed in gospel times, more agreeable to the nature both of God and man, and that perfected at last in the kingdom of glory, in which perhaps these visions will have their full accomplishment, and some think in some happy and glorious state of the gospel-church on this side heaven, in the latter days. In this chapter we have, I. A general account of this vision of the temple and city (Eze 40:1-4). II. A particular account of it entered upon; and a description given, 1. Of the outside wall (Eze 40:5). 2. Of the east gate (Eze 40:6-19). 3. Of the north gate (Eze 40:20-23). 4. Of the south gate (Eze 40:24-31) and the chambers and other appurtenances belonging to these gates. 5. Of the inner court, both towards the east and towards the south (Eze 40:32-38). 6. Of the tables (Eze 40:39-43). 7. Of the lodgings for the singers and the priests (Eze 40:44-47). 8. Of the porch of the house (Eze 40:48, Eze 40:49).

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 40 This and the eight following chapters contain a vision of a city and temple herein described, and are thought to be the most difficult part of the whole Bible. The Jews forbid the reading of it till a man is arrived to thirty years of age; and then he must expect to meet with things in it he does not understand, and which must be left until Elijah comes to explain them. Many Christian commentators have omitted the exposition of these chapters; and all acknowledge the difficulties in them. Something however may be got out of them, relating to the Gospel, and Gospel church state, which I am fully persuaded is intended by the city and temple; for that no material building can be designed is clear from this one observation; that not only the whole land of Israel would not be capable of having such a city as is here described built upon it, but even all Europe would not be sufficient; nor the whole world, according to the account of the dimensions which some give of it. The circumference of the city is said to be about eighteen thousand measures, Eze 48:35; but what they are is not certain. Luther makes them to be thirty six thousand German miles; and a German mile being three of ours, the circuit of this city must be above a hundred thousand English miles; and this is sufficient to set aside all hypotheses of a material building, either of city or temple, the one being in proportion to the other. The Jews dream of a third temple to be built, by their vainly expected Messiah; but nothing is more clear than that the true Messiah was to come into the second temple, and by that give it a greater glory than the former ever had; as is evident from Hag 2:6 and, according to Malachi, he was to come suddenly into his temple, which could be no other than the then present one, Mal 3:1, and into which Jesus came, and where he often appeared and taught, as well as entered into it with power and authority, as the Lord and proprietor of it; by which he appeared to be the true Messiah, as by many other characters; see Luk 2:22. There are some who think that Solomon's temple, as it was before it was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, and as it was rebuilt by Zerubbabel, is here described; and that partly to let the Jews know what a glory to their nation they lost by their sins; and partly that they might have a complete pattern for the rebuilding of it, as well as to comfort them under its present ruins; but there is no agreement between them. This temple was to be built at a distance from the city, several miles; according to some ten, others twenty, and by the best account twenty seven miles; see Eze 45:1, whereas Solomon's temple, and that built by Zerubbabel, were in the city of Jerusalem: nor from either of these flowed waters, which rose up to a river, on the bank of which were many trees for food and medicine, and whose waters were healing, and quickened wherever they came, as from this, Eze 47:1, nor do we ever read of the east gate of these temples always shut, as this, Eze 44:2, and besides, both these temples were profaned and destroyed; whereas this shall never be, but God will dwell in it forever, Eze 43:7, neither place, structure, nor worship, agree. Nor is this city here the same with the New Jerusalem John had a vision of; for though he borrows some of his expressions to describe it from hence; and in some things there is an appearance of agreement, as of the river of water of life, and the tree of life on both sides of the river, Rev 22:1, yet the description agrees not, either with respect to its gates, or its compass; and though there was no temple in that John saw, as there was none in this, it being without the city; yet here is a temple in this vision, and the greatest part of it is taken up in the description of it. It remains that this must be understood mystically and figuratively of the Gospel church, which is often spoken of as a city and temple, Heb 12:22 and which began to have its accomplishment in the first times of the Gospel, immediately after the death and resurrection of Christ; when his disciples had a commission to preach the Gospel to all nations; and who accordingly did, even before the destruction of Jerusalem, and of the material temple, so that Gospel churches were planted in all parts of the world; and especially this was the case, when the Roman empire, called the whole world, became Christian: though the further and greater accomplishment of this vision will be in the latter day; when the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea; when Jews and Gentiles will be converted, and Gospel churches be set up everywhere; so that the Gospel church state, or kingdom of Christ, signified by the great mountain in Dan 2:35, and by this large city here, will fill the whole earth: and the rather this may be thought to be the design of this vision to represent it, as it follows the prophecies of the Jews' settlement in their own land; and of the destruction of Gog, or the Turk, attempting to dispossess them; of which in chapters 37-39. In this chapter are first an account of the vision in general, the time, manner, and place of it, Eze 40:1, a description of the person, the builder and owner of the house; and by whom the prophet is shown each of the parts and dimensions of it, whom he calls to him for that purpose, Eze 40:3, and then a particular account is given, which begins with the outward wall around the house, Eze 40:5, then the east gate, with its posts, porch, and chambers, and the outward court with its chambers, Eze 40:6, then the gate of the outward court to the north, with its chambers, and the gate of the inner court over against that, Eze 40:20, then the gate to the south, with its posts, arches, and chambers, Eze 40:24, then the inner court to the east, its gate, chambers, and arches, Eze 40:32, then the north gate, with its posts, chambers, and arches, Eze 40:35, in the porch of which are the tables, on which the sacrifices are slain, Eze 40:39, after which are described the chambers for the singers and the priests, Eze 40:44, then the inner court and altar in it; and the chapter is concluded with the dimensions of the porch of the house, Eze 40:48.

So he measured the court,.... The inward court, where the prophet and his guide now were; and the gates leading to which he had been measuring, with the chambers, arches, and tables belonging thereunto: an hundred cubits long, and an hundred cubits broad, foursquare; the floor, or area of this court, which was a hundred cubits in length and breadth; so that it was a perfect square, equilateral, east, west, north, and south, and above fifty yards each way; such a court as never was in any temple whatever: hence Kimchi observes, there was no such court in the second temple; no, nor in the first neither: in the second temple, the length of the court of Israel, according to Abarbinel, was a hundred and thirty five cubits, and the breadth eleven, but this was a hundred by a hundred; these things, says Lipman (u), are wonderful in my eyes: this denotes the large increase of the church, and of spiritual worshippers, in the latter day; and the foursquare of it signifies the order, perfection, and stability of it; see Rev 21:16, and the altar that was before the house; the altar of burnt offering, which stood before the house or temple, in the midst of the inward court; so that it might be seen by all in the inward court and chambers; and even by all in the outward court, through the several gates, which directly opened and led to it. This was typical of Christ, the altar, we Christians have a right to eat of; which sanctifies every gift offered upon it, and which every worshipper should by faith look unto for the expiation of their sins. The dimensions of this altar were now taken, and are given in Eze 43:13. (u) Tzurath Beth Hamikdash, sect. 27.

The inner court is set in the side of the gate that looked north and south and east so that singers of the Lord and those who are engaged in the task of angels will always remember and recognize the divine mysteries of each place carefully.

(Vers. 44 seqq.) «And outside the front gate of the cantor's treasury in the inner courtyard, which was on the side of the gate facing the north, their faces were towards the south: one on the side of the eastern gate, which faced the way of the north.» Regarding the treasuries, the Seventy translated them as exedrae. And what we called exedrae, or the treasuries of the singers, was omitted by them. And again, after the measurement of the vestibule of five cubits on this side and five cubits on that side, they added from their own, and the width of the gate was fourteen cubits, whereas in the Hebrew it is only mentioned as a width of twelve cubits, and the width of the gate on this side was three cubits, and on that side was three cubits. I have reminded the reader not to be confused by the diversity of translations, but to be satisfied with the Hebrew truth in this particular place, especially when it comes to the measurements of the temple. Therefore, after the wall, which the Seventy translated as the περίβολον, which surrounded the whole temple in a square circuit, we read that the prophet was introduced into the inner courtyard, and then to the north, and to the south, and to the Eastern Gate, and again to the north: concerning which, as we were able, we have spoken, and in the diversity of which, either of names or of measurements, the past discourse showed what seemed to us: the meaning of which the testimony of the Savior briefly shows, saying: In my Father's house there are many mansions (John 14:2). After completing these things, he enters the temple, that is, the Holy of Holies, of which it is now said, and within the inner gate, the treasuries, or the singing halls. To them is given this command: Sing to the Lord a new song (Psalm 95:1). They cry out with the angels: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will (Luke 2:14). This inner courtyard was situated on the side of the gate that faced the North, the South, and the East, so that the singers of the Lord, and those who are engaged in the ministry of angels, may always remember by which steps they have reached the highest, and diligently understand the mysteries of each place.

The Prophet, wisely understanding the mystical senses of sacred Scripture through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, says: "Thy testimonies are wonderful, therefore my soul hath searched them out." He also says again: "Open thou mine eyes, and I shall consider the wondrous things of thy law." For he who does not yet understand hidden things from what is plain has veiled eyes. But he who already understands considers the wondrous things of God's law with unveiled eyes, because, discussing the words of the letter spiritually, he weighs what greatness lies hidden within. Is it not wonderful when one thing sounds in the ears, and another thing that did not sound comes forth to the understanding? To what then shall I liken the word of sacred Scripture if not to a stone, in which fire lies hidden? It is indeed held cold in the hand, but when struck with iron, it flashes forth sparks, and that which the hand previously held cold now sends forth fire that burns afterward. For so indeed, so are the words of sacred Scripture, which are indeed held cold through the narration of the letter; but if anyone, with the Lord inspiring, strikes them with attentive understanding, he draws forth fire from their mystical senses, so that the soul afterward burns spiritually with those words which he himself, being cold, previously heard only according to the letter.

In these words of the letter, therefore, whose mind grows inflamed toward the love of God, or rather is not made lukewarm by the very reading of them? But if the hidden spiritual marrow in the letter is examined, through this sparks of understanding go forth and kindle what previously sounded cold to the ears of the heart. Nevertheless, for us, so that the interior understanding may open itself as the Lord breathes upon us, let the narrative itself first be made clear according to the letter. For he says that there was an interior gate, and outside this a court, which is called the inner court; and then other gates are described, namely of the North, the South, and the East, so that he might show that the very court which he had said was outside the interior gate was inner in relation to the exterior gates. Therefore this court is both outside and inside: outside, because it is outside the interior gate; but inside, because it is within the exterior gates. The treasuries of the singers are also narrated to be in this same court, which are said to be placed at the side of the gate looking toward the North. But those same treasuries look toward the Southern way. And it is added: From the side of the Eastern gate, which looked toward the way of the North. In which words it is clearly understood that the treasuries of the singers had been placed between the side of the gate looking toward the North, and the side of the Eastern gate, which gate, namely, looked toward the way of the North. Therefore the face of the treasuries was toward the Southern way, but their position was between the Eastern gate and the Northern gate. Therefore the interior gate had on one side the Northern gate, and on the other side the Southern gate. But in front of the vestibule the Eastern gate had risen, and thus the gates surrounded the exterior so that the court which was outside the interior gate might also be interior.

These things we have run through briefly from the words of the letter, so that we may seek out the mystical senses in them not briefly. In the upper part, moreover, three gates have been described, that is, of the East, North, and South; and soon three others of the inner court were narrated, that is, of the South, East, and North, and then the gate of the inner court was mentioned, in which tables constructed of squared stones are recorded; and the gate that looked toward the North, in which there would be tables for sacrifice, not for holocaust. Whence we said that in the inner the Church is signified, in the outer the Synagogue. But, with these completed, the prophet again begins to describe the inner gate, and three others, that is, of the North, South, and East, and he declares that in their inner court, which was outside the inner gate, there are treasuries, singers, priests, the temple, the altar, sacrifices. In which words, because he began to narrate other things about the institution of the holy Church than those which he had said before, it is clear that he changed the understanding of the inner gate. For if he were saying all things under one understanding, he would not repeat the same things and others in a new order. For how can we speak of a court, treasuries, singers, priests, the temple, the altar, sacrifices outside the inner gate, if by that same inner gate in this place the holy Church is designated? For since all these things are within her, how are they outside the inner gate, if they are not outside the Church? The inner gate therefore can be understood as that of which we spoke already long before, which is said to be placed opposite the gate of the North and the Eastern one, through which we said is figured the entrance that is opened to us to the inner joys of the heavenly homeland, so that here also through the gates that are narrated around the vestibule the holy Church is figured, but through the inner gate the entrance of the heavenly kingdom is figured.

But lest anyone think that I violently bend the words of the Holy Spirit to my understanding, and say that I should not have changed the signification of the holy Church which I once gave concerning the inner gate, by the shining grace of almighty God, let us hold to those things which we have begun, so that both the inner gate signifies the Church, which leads us to inner joys; and the treasuries, singers, priests, the temple, the altar, sacrifices are in the court which is outside the gate, and yet are not outside the Church. For if we search with subtle investigation, nothing prevents it being understood that we perceive the inner gate, as was said, to be the holy Church. Of which it is now said: And outside the inner gate, treasuries of singers in the inner court. For there are two things that are mentioned: the inner gate, and outside this the inner court, so that this same court is both outer and inner, outer from the gate, but inner, as we said before, from the gates which he added in narrating.

The holy Church has two lives: one which it leads temporally, another which it receives in eternity; one in which it labors on earth, another in which it is rewarded in heaven; one in which it gathers wages, another in which it now rejoices over the wages received, and in both lives it offers sacrifice. Here, namely, the sacrifice of compunction, and there the sacrifice of praise. Of this sacrifice it is said: "A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit." But of that one it is written: "Then you will accept the sacrifice of justice, offerings and holocausts." Of which again it says: "That my glory may sing to you, and I may not be pierced with compunction." In both sacrifices, however, flesh is offered, because here the offering of flesh is the mortification of the body, there the offering of flesh is the glory of resurrection in praise of God. For then flesh will be offered there as in a holocaust, when, transformed into eternal incorruption, it will have nothing of contradiction, nothing of mortality, because entirely kindled at once by the fires of his love, it will remain in praise without end. Therefore let this inner gate, that is, in the holy Church, have its interior parts, namely that life which is still hidden from our eyes. Let it have outside it an outer court, that is, the present life, in which every good is done so that the good without end may be reached.

Let there be therefore in the interior court, which is nevertheless outside the gate, treasuries of singers, because all the elect and perfect, who still subsist in mortal flesh, are both within the bosom of holy Church and still outside the secret joys of the interior life. Let there be treasuries of singers within and without, because the hearts of the saints, which sing their desire to almighty God through the love of great ardor, both are already within and are not yet within, because placed in the bosom of holy Church, they already see through the spirit what they might love strongly within, and yet they do not yet perfectly see what they love. Let there be therefore treasuries in the interior court, but outside the gate, so that they may already be within through desire, and not yet be within through full attainment. But what are the treasuries of singers, except the holy desires of those who love? They guard the divine precepts like certain riches in the mind, which they preserve by singing, because they fulfill the commandments of God not from fear but from love; and for them the instructions of sacred speech become singable, because they always work not from sadness but from desire. Do you wish to hear the heart of the just man as the treasury of a certain singer? Your statutes were my songs in the place of my sojourning. We call the statutes of God the divine precepts, which make us just if they are fulfilled. These become singable to us in the place of our sojourning when in this pilgrimage of the present life we love those same commandments and fulfill them from desire. Hence it is that the same Psalmist again presents himself from the treasury of singers, who says: Mercy and judgment I will sing to you, O Lord.

The mercy of the Lord, by which sins are forgiven, even the sinner ought to sing—that is, to speak of it with joy and to hope in it. But who is so righteous that he can call before the eyes of his mind the eternal judgment and not tremble, and rather presume, hasten, and rejoice to come to that examination before so great a Judge? Whoever he is, he is great, because, already singing of the Lord's mercy and judgment, he loves with the whole affection of his mind the almighty God who mercifully forgives his sins, and therefore does not fear His judgment. For perfect love, as the apostle John says, casts out fear. He sings indeed of the judgment which he does not dread to enter. Therefore let his mind be a treasury of singers, so that through the riches of mercy which he receives, he may proceed joyfully to the judgment which he no longer fears. Let us see, if you please, dearest brothers, another treasury of the singer as well. Perhaps he too sings of judgment. For what does he say? "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith; for the rest, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will render to me on that day." He who, conscious of his labors, mindful of the struggle he waged, mindful of the faith he kept, says that a crown is laid up for him at the judgment, and hopes rather than expects it to be granted to him as a gift on that day—it is clearly evident that he sings of the judgment which he desires to come. Hence he also adds: "And not only to me, but also to those who love His appearing." For no one loves the coming of the Judge unless he knows that he has a good case in the judgment. Therefore the hearts of those who love the coming of the Judge are treasuries of singers, because through the confidence of grace and life, through the virtues of holy desire, they sing of the righteous judgment which all the unrighteous fear.

But your charity remembers that in our previous discourse we said that faith is designated by the Eastern gate, hope by the Northern, and charity by the Southern. Therefore these treasuries are mentioned as being between the Eastern and Northern gates, and as looking toward the Southern way, because the hearts of the saints, positioned between faith and hope, look toward the Southern way, since they burn with the fires of holy charity. The Eastern gate itself is also said to look toward the Northern way, because although all sins are forgiven us through faith in baptism, nevertheless while we still live here, even after faith we frequently decline toward sins. And the Eastern gate, as it were, looks toward the Northern way, when our life after receiving faith still grows somewhat numb in the coldness of fault. For who in this life is able to live without fault after faith, since John says: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us"? Agreeing with whose words, James says: "For in many things we all offend." But if past sins were forgiven in the reception of faith, and we still decline toward sins after faith, what presumption of righteousness will there be for us, what hope of enduring life, unless now, while we are still between the Eastern and Northern gates, we lift the eyes of our mind toward the Southern way, so that, burning with holy charity, the heat of love may free us from the fault of numbness and coldness? Therefore let the treasuries be between the Eastern and Northern gates; but, as was said, let their faces look toward the Southern way, so that between this—that we were born in faith—and this—that afterward, having fallen into sins, we presume upon the hope of divine mercy—we may exercise ourselves in the ardor of charity, and direct the eyes of our heart there, where we are kindled by the fires of love.

The North gate can signify the Gentiles, the South way Judea, and the East gate the Lord Himself. For not without reason is the Gentile world represented by the North, which he possessed in the coldness of torpor who said: "I will sit on the mount of the covenant, on the sides of the North." Judea is also rightly understood by the South gate, in which the spiritual fathers burned with heavenly love. One of them speaks, saying: "Turn again, O Lord, our captivity, like a torrent in the South." Although it had a carnal people in whom it bore, as it were, the cold of the North, nevertheless in its holy teachers and Prophets it burned with the heat of charity toward God and neighbor. The East gate not without reason signifies Him of whom it is written: "Behold the man, Rising is his name." And of whom Zechariah says: "The Rising from on high has visited us." Therefore let the treasuries of the singers be on the side of the North gate, because not only in Judea were the hearts of the saints spiritually kindled, but also in the multitude of the Gentiles converted to the sacraments of the holy faith, the hearts of the saints burn with love of the heavenly fatherland, they yearn for eternal joys, they sigh for the fellowship of their fellow citizens in heaven; yet they take examples of this ardor, which they received by the gift of the Holy Spirit, from the spiritual fathers of the Synagogue. Hence those same treasuries, though placed on the side of the North, turn their eyes toward the South way. For behold, we come from among the Gentiles; but in this, that we are warmed by the love of the Holy Spirit, we look to the fathers of Judea, who daily provide us examples of holy desire in their words.

Was he not burning as if with the heat of midday fervor, who was inflamed, saying: "As the deer longs for the springs of water, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul has thirsted for the living God; when shall I come and appear before the face of God?" Who again said: "I will sing and understand in the immaculate way, when will you come to me?" He who said this was also kindled with this ardor: "Now you dismiss, Lord, your servant according to your word in peace, because my eyes have seen your salvation." Therefore, because we come from the Gentiles, but we set before ourselves the holy fathers of Judea for imitation in divine love, we are like certain treasury chambers of the singers on the side of the gate that looks toward the way of the North, but we keep our faces toward the way of the South.

And it should be noted that these same treasuries are said to be between the gate of the North and the East, because evidently after the Lord's incarnation a multitude of nations came to the faith, and among those faithful peoples themselves and the sacraments of the Lord's incarnation which they love from the depths of their hearts, the hearts of those who love rise up. Therefore let the holy treasuries have the gate of the East on one side and of the North on the other, because among those very mysteries of their redemption which they follow, and certain carnal people whom they also tolerate within the holy Church, many advance in strong love toward God, grow in virtues, seek the coming of the eternal Judge, and between those things which they love and those which they tolerate, like certain treasuries, they preserve the riches of the spirit in their mind. Nor do they fail between the sacraments which they love and certain contrary things which they bear, because they direct their faces toward the Southern way. For what do we suffer that our fathers did not previously endure for love of the Lord?

It should be noted that the Eastern gate is described as being between the gate of the South and of the North, because our Lord and Redeemer was born from Judea, and soon afterward drew the Church from the Gentiles to His faith. For He appeared as it were between the southern gate and that of the North, because He came from the former and converted the latter to His service. Hence it is well said that the same Eastern gate looks toward the way of the North, because the Lord when born abandoned the Synagogue and gathered the multitude of the Gentiles. It should also be noted that when it was being said concerning the treasury chambers: "And their faces toward the way of the South," "one" was added, so that we might clearly understand that the way to the heavenly homeland is not one for us who come from the Gentiles, and another for those fathers who were in Judea; but this same one way is for us and for them, which leads us to eternal joys, which says to us through the Gospel: "I am the way, the truth, and the life." Concerning which the Psalmist says: "That we may know Your way on earth, Your salvation among all nations." For what is called Jesus in Hebrew is called Savior in Latin. Therefore the way is known on earth, because Jesus, God before the ages, and made man at the end of the ages, was manifested to the Gentiles. Therefore there is one way both for those who are from the South and for those who are from the North.

THE REMAINING CHAPTERS, THE FORTIETH THROUGH FORTY-EIGHTH, GIVE AN IDEAL PICTURE OF THE RESTORED JEWISH TEMPLE. (Eze. 40:1-49) beginning of the year--the ecclesiastical year, the first month of which was Nisan. the city . . . thither--Jerusalem, the center to which all the prophet's thoughts tended.

the chambers of the singers--two in number, as proved by what follows: "and their prospect (that is, the prospect of one) was toward the south, (and) one toward the north." So the Septuagint.