Ezekiel 41:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Furthermore, it did not measure thirty-three cubits in length, but rather sixty-six, being double that number. The Old Testament in Leviticus states that when a male child is birthed, after one week, both the mother and child must undergo purification for thirty-three days. Conversely, the birth of a female child requires a purification period that is an unchanging double, amounting to sixty-six days. This signifies that to gain access to the holy of holies, we must undergo both a physical birth and a spiritual rebirth, reinforcing our reliance on God as the source of both births and recognizing His goodness, which metaphorically surrounds us with a protective wall as we build the temple.

Continuing with the Hebrew text, it describes ledges built along the wall of the house, providing support without touching the temple walls. This suggests that holy individuals emerge from the community of believers and line the temple walls while supporting the Church’s foundations, yet they do not actually touch the walls, being satisfied only to witness and honor the divine mysteries from a distance. At present, we see through a glass darkly, unable to fully grasp the truth in its entirety. The courtyard was of a rounded shape, ascending via a spiral staircase into the upper room, thus creating a wider space at the top. This ascent symbolizes that while the lower areas signify rigorous fasting and earthly humility, as one ascends step by step, a broader pathway is revealed, fulfilling the scripture: “In tribulation thou hast enlarged me” (Psalms 4:2).

Through the gradual ascent by the circular stairway, we reach the upper chamber of the temple. This form is deemed beautiful by the philosophers of our age, as exemplified in the heavens, the sun, moon, and stars, as well as in human anatomy; for instance, the eyes reflect celestial bodies, and the rounded shape of the head serves as a receptacle for the senses, while fingers, thighs, and hands reveal this circularity. Additionally, the upper chamber of the temple, which we enter moving from the narrower areas to the elevated spaces, can be compared to the experiences of Elijah and Elisha in the books of Kings and to Tabitha, known as Dorcas, in the Acts of the Apostles, who through good works achieved heights of sanctity (1 Kings 17; 2 Kings 4; Acts 9). The Apostle Peter, upon whom the Lord established the foundations of the Church, ascended to the upper chamber and reached the roof, referred to in Greek as the “terrace of the roof,” where he discovered the mysteries of the Church previously unknown to humanity (Acts 10). The Savior, too, celebrated the Passover in an expansive upper room, cleansed of all impurities, where He imparted to His disciples the sacrament of His body and blood, instituting for us the eternal celebration of the immaculate Lamb.

Moreover, the statement regarding the middle section leading to three upper chambers signifies a need for distinction, especially considering the relevance of what is conveyed in Jewish texts. It continues, stating that he observed the height of the house from every angle, with the base measuring six cubits and the outer wall's thickness being five cubits. Between the treasuries—referred to by Simmachus as ἑξε'δρας—a total of twenty cubits surrounded the house. These measurements illustrate that from this world, through our earthly senses and the numerical significance of two decades, we are enabled to access not only the holy of holies but also the upper chambers. It is vital to remember that through the six days of creation, the five senses, and a breadth of twenty cubits, we ascend into the temple's upper room, moving beyond worldly limitations and into the heights of the Church, rejoicing in communion with the Holy Spirit.

The Lord states that the door is positioned on the north side, a region from which calamities arise (Jer. 1), yet His promise to alleviate these dangers is reaffirmed: “And of him that is of the north I will remove from you” (Joel 2:20). The northern door includes a designated prayer space, urging us to pray without ceasing as directed by the Apostle (1 Thess. 5), echoing Jeremiah’s cry: “Let not the apple of thy eye be silent” (Lamentations 2:18). In our physical temple, we often lament, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24). There was also an entrance on the southern side, which similarly possessed a place for prayer, encompassing five cubits. Following the cold from the north, we move toward the warmth of the south, again seeking a space for prayer—through the north door to avoid peril, and through the south door to express gratitude for past blessings while assuring victory. The thickness of five cubits also symbolizes the divine senses, facilitating our elevation from the earthly to the celestial.

The building, it is said, was set apart facing the path to the sea, measured seventy cubits wide. This reflects the labors, dangers, and trials of this life, of which Jeremiah (Jer. 25 and 29), Daniel (Dan. 9), and Zechariah (Zech. 9) have spoken within seventy years. Through this, we attain the true and legitimate Sabbath of seven decades, offering us eternal rest; additionally, the breadth of five cubits allows us to reach a length of ninety cubits. Remarkably, at this age, Sarah, who was ninety, bore a son by divine promise, bringing forth Isaac and uniting with Abraham, who was a hundred years old (Genesis 21), bearing the symbolic number of ten decades. The significance of such numbers will be illuminated through ensuing scripture.