Ezekiel 41:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Old Testament indicates in Leviticus that when a male child is born, both the mother and child must undergo purification for thirty-three days after one week. Conversely, the birth of a female infant requires a purification period that doubles, coming to sixty-six days. This signifies that to access the holy of holies, one needs both the first birth and the second birth, emphasizing the necessity of being born of the flesh and reborn in the spirit. Thus, while the numbering shows sixty-six, it stresses the need to acknowledge God's providence in both births, encircling the house with a dual wall that upholds the structure of the temple.

Following this, according to the Hebrew text, ledges extend along the walls of the house to provide support without making contact with the temple. This conveys that the holy men emerge from the congregation of believers surrounding the temple on all sides, supporting the foundation of the Church while remaining at a distance, limited to witnessing and revering the indescribable ordinances from afar. For now, we see through a glass darkly and cannot touch or fully grasp the truth. The court was circular, ascending by a spiral staircase to the upper room, leading to a broader space at the top. It becomes clear to the reader that the humble conditions below, characterized by fasting and earthly penance, provide a more intimate experience, while ascending gradually leads us to broader pathways, fulfilling the scripture: "In tribulation thou hast expanded me" (Psalms 4:2). Through the rounded staircase, we rise into the upper chamber of the temple. Among all forms, this circular design is deemed more beautiful by contemporary philosophers as it mirrors the heavens, the sun, the moon, and other celestial beings, as well as the human body—eyes resembling stars, the head housing all senses, and the rounding of fingers and limbs reflect this elliptical shape.

Moreover, the upper room of the temple, which we access from the narrower areas to the elevated spaces, is akin to that which Elijah and Elisha occupied in the books of Kings and the room where Tabitha, also called Dorcas, was found, as seen in the Acts of the Apostles. The Apostle Peter, on whom the Lord founded the Church, ascended into this upper room, reaching the roof, known in Greek as "τοῦ δώματος," where he learned the Church's mysteries previously hidden from the world. The Savior of humanity also celebrated the Passover in an upper room, one that was notably spacious and purified, prepared for a sacred feast where He instructed His disciples about the sacrament of His body and blood, instituting the eternal observance of the Immaculate Lamb.

The subsequent addition regarding the middle and the three dwelling places, reflecting the third upper room, should be aptly noted. Why should we ponder over uncertain or unwritten matters when we must focus on what is conveyed in the Holy Scriptures? Following this narrative, I beheld the height of the house on every side, with the base of its walls measuring six cubits and the external wall’s width five cubits. The space between the storerooms, which Simmachus refers to as "ἑξε'δρας," extends twenty cubits around the house. These measurements suggest that from this earthly realm and through our physical senses, represented by the number twenty, we are afforded access not only to the holy of holies but also to the higher chambers. We must remember that our ascent is rooted in the creation narrative, where six days culminate in our elevation into the upper room of the temple, moving beyond earthly limitations and engaging in the ecclesial heights, rejoicing in the communion of the Holy Spirit.

The Lord states that the entrance lies to the north, from where calamities spread across the earth. He assures us of its removal, saying: "And I will remove him that is from the north" (Joel 2:20). At the north entrance, a place for prayer exists to ensure that we, as the Apostle encourages, “pray without ceasing,” echoing Jeremiah: "Let not the apple of your eye be silent" (Lamentations 2:18), whether we wish to avoid present dangers or express gratitude for past mercies. While confined within this bodily temple, we may lament: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24). A door was also present on the southern side, which, according to the Hebrew text, also included a prayer alcove, stretching five cubits in width. After the coolness of the north, we turn to the warmth of the south, seeking prayer: at the north door to seek shelter from perils, and at the southern door to offer thanksgiving for previous blessings, affirming our victories.

The five cubits in this place signify the divine senses through which we transition from the earthly to the heavenly. The structure set apart, oriented towards the sea, extends seventy cubits in width, symbolizing the trials and tumultuous waves of life experienced over seventy years, as noted by Jeremiah and Daniel. Through this ordeal, we arrive at the true and righteous Sabbath of seven decades, which promises us eternal rest. With a breadth of five cubits, this leads to an overall length of ninety cubits; at this age, Sarah bore a promised son, Isaac, when she was ninety, joined to Abraham, who was a hundred years old, representing the mystical number of ten decades. The significance of this number will be revealed through the ensuing scriptures.