And Gad came to David that day, and said: Go up, and build an altar to the Lord in the thrashingfloor of Areuna the Jebusite.
וַיָּבֹא־גָ֥ד אֶל־דָּוִ֖ד בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ עֲלֵה֙ הָקֵ֤ם לַֽיהוָה֙ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ בְּגֹ֖רֶן ארניה אֲרַ֥וְנָה הַיְבֻסִֽי׃
5 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The angel, wielding a sword and laying waste to every city filled with evil, established the temple of the Lord in the territory of the Jebusite king, indicating that the church of Christ would emerge not within Israel but among the Gentiles.
In light of the apostle's teaching that the person who departs from their earthly form will be in the presence of Christ, provided they merit it, we ought to reflect on the essence of life and death. Scripture reveals that death signifies the liberation of the soul from the physical body, representing a form of separation within humanity. We experience a release from the connection binding the soul to the body upon our departure. David willingly offered to face death as an atonement for his transgressions against the Lord, prepared to accept God’s discipline for the benefit of his people. He understood that it is far more honorable to die for the sake of Christ than to hold a position of power in this world. What could be more esteemed than to serve as a sacrifice for Christ?
The compassionate Lord, upon listening to the prayer, instructed that an altar be constructed at the site where divine grace intervened to halt the execution.
Consider, dear friends, that in the region of the Jews, there exists no suitable site for constructing an altar to the Lord. Conversely, a place in the territory of the Gentiles has been selected, where the angel is witnessed, and an altar is established, symbolizing the humility of the Almighty’s wrath. This representation indicates that within the hearts of the Jews, no fitting location is available for the offering of spiritual sacrifices; rather, it is the land of the Gentiles—the conscience of Christians—that is designated as the Lord's temple.
The apostle reinforces this sentiment when he admonishes the Jews, stating, "You were the first to be preached the word of God, but since you reject it, and make yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles" (Acts 13:46). This conveys that due to their rejection of Christ and failure to prepare an honorable altar for the Lord, we shall establish one in the land of the Gentiles—in the hearts of all humanity. Hence, the apostle proclaims, "The temple of God is holy; but this temple is you" (1 Cor. 3:17).
Now, consider, beloved, that the territory of the Gentile king was chosen when the Israelites were afflicted by a divine plague. We observe that this culminated in the suffering of the Lord; as the Jewish people rejected and crucified Him, an altar was dedicated to the Lord in the Gentile threshing floor, encompassing all the land. Therefore, the angel of the Lord appeared in the Gentile threshing floor, pointing to the truth that the true angel—Christ—had come to the nations of the Gentiles.
In order to fulfill the mission of forgiveness, liberation, and redemption, the Prophet, guided by the angel, prompted David to construct an altar for the Lord on the threshing floor of Orna the Jebusite, where the temple of Solomon would eventually be established. This occurred following the sanctification of the temple and after invoking prayers to the Lord God for safeguarding against a harmful affliction.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS