Ezechiele 41:23 Commento

An account was given of the porch of the house in the close of the foregoing chapter; this brings us to the temple itself, the description of which here given creates much difficulty to the critical expositors and occasions differences among them. Those must consult them who are nice in their enquiries into the meaning of the particulars of this delineation; it shall suffice us to observe, I. The dimensions of the house, the posts of it (Eze 41:1), the door (Eze 41:2), the wall and the side-chambers (Eze 41:5, Eze 41:6), the foundations and wall of the chambers, their doors (Eze 41:8-11), and the house itself (Eze 41:13). II. The dimensions of the oracle, or most holy place (Eze 41:3, Eze 41:4). III. An account of another building over against the separate place (Eze 41:12-15). IV. The manner of the building of the house (Eze 41:7, Eze 41:16, Eze 41:17). V. The ornaments of the house (Eze 41:18-20). VI. The altar of incense and the table (Eze 41:22). VII. The doors between the temple and the oracle (Eze 41:23-26). There is so much difference both in the terms and in the rules of architecture between one age and another, one place and another, that it ought not to be any stumbling-block to us that there is so much in these descriptions dark and hard to be understood, about the meaning of which the learned are not agreed. To one not skilled in mathematics the mathematical description of a modern structure would be scarcely intelligible; and yet to a common carpenter or mason among the Jews at that time we may suppose that all this, in the literal sense of it, was easy enough.

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 41 In this chapter the divine and illustrious Person, the prophet's guide, brings him to the temple itself, and gives the dimensions of the posts and doors, both of the holy and the most holy place, Eze 41:1, then of the wall of the house, its side chambers, the winding about to them, and the doors of them, Eze 41:5, next of a building before the separate place, its doorposts, narrow windows, and galleries, Eze 41:12, after that each of the ornaments of the house are described, Eze 41:18, then the altar of incense, Eze 41:22, and the chapter is concluded with observing the decorations and lights on the doors, porch, and side chambers of the temple and sanctuary, Eze 41:23.

And the temple and the sanctuary had two doors. Or the house of propitiatory, as the Targum; that is, the most holy place; not two doors apiece, but each had one door, which made two; the door of the temple was ten cubits broad, and the door of the most holy place six cubits, Eze 41:2 showing the door is wider, and more enter into the outward visible church, or less perfect state, even some bad, as well as good, than the door of the Jerusalem church state, or heavenly glory, into which fewer enter. showing the door is wider, and more enter into the outward visible church, or less perfect state, even some bad, as well as good, than the door of the Jerusalem church state, or heavenly glory, into which fewer enter. Ezekiel 41:24 eze 41:24 eze 41:24 eze 41:24And the doors had two leaves apiece, two turning leaves,.... Each of these doors had two leaves, which met in a middle post, and might be opened either singly or together, as occasion required; See Gill on Eze 40:48, two leaves for the one door, and two leaves for the other door; two for the door of the temple, and two for the door of the most holy place; or each leaf of both doors had two foldings; as there were two leaves in a door, there were two foldings in every leaf; so that the door might be opened wider or narrower, as was thought fit; denoting the greater number of persons let in, and the greater light and knowledge had, at one time than at another; see Kg1 6:31.

(Vers. 23 seqq.) And he spoke to me: This is the table before the Lord, and there were two doors in the temple and in the sanctuary, and in the two doors on each side there were two little doors that folded into each other. For there were two doors on each side of the doors, and on the doors of the temple there were carved cherubim and palm tree sculptures, just as they were also engraved on the walls. Therefore, the wood in the front of the vestibule was thicker: on top of which there were slanting windows, and the appearance of palm trees on both sides of the shoulders of the vestibule, according to the width of the house and the thickness of the walls. In this place, the Septuagint edition differs greatly from the Hebrew truth. Therefore, I will only mention that they have translated 'σπουδαῖα' as 'crassioribus lignis', which means necessary or worthy of attention, and 'absconditas' as 'oblique fenestras' or hidden windows. And at the end of the testimony, they have measured the 'laquearia superliminaris' or vestibule, as well as the 'conjuncta' or joined sides of the house, which they have called 'ἐζυγωμένα', and for which we can translate as equal weight. Therefore, that man who had brought the prophet into the hidden part of the temple and had shown him, among other things, the wooden altar which had both corners and horns according to the Septuagint, and wooden walls, said to him: This altar that you see, it is the table in front of the Lord, which burns in the likeness of a ruby and is not consumed; of which the holy one speaks to God: You have prepared a table before me, against those who trouble me (Ps. 22:5). There were also two doors in the temple and in the sanctuary itself, through which the sacraments of both instruments are revealed, and in the two doors on each side there were two little doors, which folded into each other: so that in history you may have spiritual understanding, and in the tropology the truth of history, both of which need each other, and if one is lacking, knowledge is incomplete. But what follows, 'There were two doors on each side of the doors,' is clear according to the letter. For in the larger dining rooms, it is customary for two to adhere and join together: so that the larger entrance is not closed or opened by two large doors, but by four smaller ones. In these doorways of the temple, or the holy of holies, there were carved Cherubs, of which we have mentioned above, and sculptures of palm trees, so that after a multitude of knowledge, victory would be provided to those entering. These sculptures of palm trees were also on all the walls of the temple. And the reasons why the Cherubim were carved on the doors themselves and the images of palm trees were depicted. Also, why the wood on the outer gate vestibule was thicker: so that they would have strength and could receive the carved work. Furthermore, according to spiritual understanding, the doors are more firm and carved, so that they possess both strength and beauty, so that no one like Uzziah can break into the Holy of Holies and claim priesthood for himself (2 Chronicles 26). Moreover, the gates which were windows were oblique, or concealed, so that the very light which was provided from within did not have perfect knowledge, nor clear light and open to all: but for the most part it was concealed. For now we see in an enigma (I Cor. XIII, 12); and we do not yet know as we ought to know: but when that which is perfect has come, then that which was in part, will be destroyed. And there was a likeness of palms here and there. In the interior of the Temple and in the Holy of Holies, he did not place the right hand and the left, so that he would not seem to say anything negative about things that are great and mysterious; but rather on this side and on that side, according to what is written in the Gospel: 'If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also' (Matthew 5:39). Could he not have said, 'and the left'? But when the right is struck, the other right is offered, because in a holy man, both the right and the left are perfect. And in the corners of the vestibule on the sides of the house, and the width of the walls: for which seventy were carried to the vaults of Aelus, that is, the porch, and the sides of the house, of equal weight or measure: through which it is covertly shown that the doorposts of the vestibule (for these seem to signify the corners) and the sides of the house, and the width of the walls, are all full of reason and measure, and that nothing is found in the temple of the Lord that is without order and wisdom.

In this chapter the prophet gives us a circumstantial account of the measures, parts, chambers, and ornaments of the temple, vv. 1-26.

THE CHAMBERS AND ORNAMENTS OF THE TEMPLE. (Eze. 41:1-26) tabernacle--As in the measurement of the outer porch he had pointed to Solomon's temple, so here in the edifice itself, he points to the old tabernacle, which being eight boards in breadth (each one and a half cubits broad) would make in all twelve cubits, as here. On the interior it was only ten cubits.