Ezekiel 41:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The walls surrounding the house were interconnected, with a gap of four cubits separating them from the temple’s walls, indicating the mutual support among believers who, although they stand apart, strengthen the foundations of the Church. They do so from a distance, content to regard and honor the ineffable truths without direct contact, for as it is written, "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face" (1 Corinthians 13:12).

The courtyard was circular, accessed via a spiral staircase leading to the upper chamber, manifesting the spaciousness found at higher elevations. The ascent reflects a spiritual journey through self-denial and fasting, illustrating how as one rises, broader paths reveal themselves. The scripture states, "In my distress thou hast enlarged me" (Psalm 4:1), indicating that through the circular staircase, we progress into the higher sanctuaries of the temple. This circular form is esteemed by contemporary philosophers, paralleling the beauty of the heavens, sun, moon, and stars with the human body: the eyes akin to celestial bodies, and the rounded contours of the head and hands revealing this divine symmetry.

The upper chamber, into which we elevate from the narrower areas, is likened to that experienced by Elijah and Elisha as recorded in the books of Kings, as well as Tabitha mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. The Apostle Peter, tasked by the Lord with laying the Church’s foundation, ascended to the upper room, often referred to in Greek as the 'terrace of the roof,' to grasp the previously concealed mysteries of the Church (Acts 10). The Savior of humanity also commemorated the Passover in an upper room that was spacious and cleansed for a sacred meal, where He instructed His disciples in the sacrament of His body and blood, providing us with the eternal observance of the Immaculate Lamb.

The narrative continues with an observation of the house's height on all sides, indicating the base measures of six cubits and the external wall's breadth of five cubits. Between the treasury spaces, as termed by Simmachus, is a width of twenty cubits surrounding the house. These figures signify our privileged access not only to the holy of holies but also to its upper chambers, reminding us that through the six days of creation, five senses, and the span of twenty cubits, we transcend the earthly realm. We are uplifted into the Church’s higher dimensions, rejoicing in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. The Lord mentions that there is a door on the north side for prayers, from which calamities emerge (Jeremiah 1), and promises deliverance from northern foes (Joel 2:20). This northern door serves for petitioning against dangers, while a corresponding door on the south, also providing a space for prayer, promotes thanksgiving for past mercies, as we seek assurance of our victories. The five cubits around this entrance symbolize divine senses that elevate us from the earthly to the spiritual.

Furthermore, the structure designated for facing the sea spans seventy cubits, signifying our arrival after enduring the threats of this age, encapsulated in the seventy years noted by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25 and Jeremiah 29) and Daniel (Daniel 9). This leads us to the genuine and sacred Sabbath of seven decades, where we may find eternal rest. The additional width of five cubits extends our measure to ninety cubits, a significant age for Sarah, who at ninety years bore a son as promised, linking us to Abraham, who reached a century (Genesis 21), thus embodying the sacred number of ten decades. The meaning of this number will be illuminated further by the subsequent scriptural passages.