THEOSISJerome of Stridon
Vv. 15-20. After completing the measurements of the inner sanctuary, he led me out through the gate that faced east and took measurements all around, similar to surveying a house. He measured towards the east with a measuring rod of five hundred cubits, repeating this for all directions. To the north, he measured five hundred cubits, to the south five hundred cubits, and to the west five hundred cubits. Thus, the perimeter of the temple measured five hundred cubits in length and five hundred cubits in width, forming a wall that distinguishes the sanctuary from the area designated for the people. It is noteworthy that the Septuagint presents the order of the measurements differently, placing west before south, while Jewish tradition lists south first.
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The act of measuring the inner sanctuary and then leading me out via the eastern gate illustrates that the previous details about both the exterior and interior pertain to the temple itself, including the Holy of Holies. Consequently, this indicates that it is not merely the physical house that is being evaluated, but rather a representation of it, akin to seeing through a mirror in prophecy (1 Cor. 13:12). Once perfection arrives, the partial understanding will be set aside (ibid. 1 Cor. 13:10). Therefore, neither Moses' tabernacle nor Solomon's temple constructed the true tabernacle of God, but rather a likeness, helping us discern the heavenly and spiritual realities through earthly representations. The figure leading the prophet did not enter the outer court but guided him through the eastern gate, measuring the surroundings—first to the east, then to the north, south, and finally west—resulting in measurements encompassing the four directions, totaling two thousand cubits. Given that each cubit measures six cubits and a sixth of a cubit (a palaiiste), the outer wall totalled two thousand cubits, which translates to twelve thousand three hundred thirty-three and one-third cubits when accounting for the dimensions. A discerning reader of the Book of Jesus will see how this measure aligns with nearby cities. The legion of demons, for instance, understood this numeric significance in the episode of the swine (Luke 8), emphasizing the call of those devoted to God's service, contrasting with those who live in impurity. The entire external wall, which had significant length and width on all four sides, corresponds to the number of apostles, presenting a measure of twelve thousand, assigning a thousand to each apostle. Full maturity in Christ, as stated in (Eph. 4:13), is only realized when joined with the palaiiste—three hundred thirty-three cubits and one-third, signifying the divine mystery of the holy Trinity, which encompasses and safeguards all, keeping the inhabitants of its temple secure. Moreover, the dimensions of Noah’s ark were three hundred cubits in length and thirty cubits in height, culminating in one cubit (Gen. 5). The fifty cubits of breadth represent the concept of absolution, often discussed. Significantly, the Lord, at the age of thirty, approached baptism, which the prophet mentions as occurring in the thirtieth year in the beginning of his writing. This three hundred thirty-third number is fulfilled through the union of three and one-third. The description that he measured the wall, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits broad, is not fully captured in the Hebrew text. It highlights the measure of five hundred without specifying cubits, as previously mentioned in the measurements of the east, north, south, and west. The number five hundred is close to fifty, suggesting restoration and the release of sins, a concept supported by the Old Testament (Lev. 25) and reiterated by the Savior in the Gospel with the example of two debtors (Luke 7:41). The wall created a distinction between the sanctuary and the people’s area, confirming that the entire temple was designed for the priests’ service, with the extensive wall serving to separate the holy sanctuary from the congregation.