Ezekiel 42:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

It is important to note that in the Septuagint, the sequence of directions differs, placing the west first, representing the sea, followed by the south, while in Jewish tradition, the south is first, then the west. The Scripture states that after he measured the inner sanctuary, he guided me through the east gate, indicating that everything previously mentioned regarding the interior and exterior of the temple, including the Most Holy Place, pertains to the temple's structure and interior. Therefore, the act of bringing me out through the east gate and measuring it on all sides suggests that the focus is not merely on the physical structure itself but on its representation, reflecting a clearer understanding, as we currently see through a mirror (1 Cor. 13:12). Once perfection arrives, partial understandings will dissipate (1 Cor. 13:10). Thus, both Moses's tabernacle and Solomon's temple were not the true sanctuary but representations designed to help us grasp heavenly truths and understand the spiritual edifice.

The individual who guided the prophet began measuring from the east and continued to the north, then to the south, and finally to the west. The dimensions of the surrounding walls were noted as both length and breadth, totaling two thousand cubits. If the cubit is six cubits and one palästin ('an inch'), which is a sixth of a cubit, the outer wall rounds to two thousand cubits, translating to a sum of twelve thousand three hundred and thirty-three and one-third cubits. A discerning reader may refer to the book of Jesus and perceive how these measures are applied in urban regions. This number aligns with the legion of demons in the account of the swine (Luke 8), where application of the Lord's command designates one who is divinely set apart for God's service while simultaneously foreboding destruction for those who dwell in impurity. The surrounding wall, vast in its extent on each side, encompasses a total representative number of the apostles, which amounts to twelve thousand, assigning a thousand to each apostle. To truly fulfill the calling of Christ and mature into a complete person (Eph. 4:13), the palästin, translating to three hundred and thirty-three and a third cubits, must be included—symbolizing the profound mystery of the Holy and Triune God, safeguarding the dwellers of His temple with absolute security.

Indeed, the ark of Noah measured three hundred cubits in length and thirty cubits in height, culminating in one cubit (Gen. 5). The additional fifty cubits implies the ordinance of absolution, a theme we have explored previously. Moreover, the Lord engaged in baptism at thirty years of age, and this prophet marks his thirtieth year at the start of his writing. The totality encapsulated in three hundred and thirty cubits is completed with an added three and one-third. The expression found in the LXX and our translation—“he measured the wall round about on all sides five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits broad”—is not reflected in the Hebrew text. The Hebrew merely indicates a length of five hundred and a breadth of five hundred, suggesting the units being canes, as reiterated earlier where the one holding the rod measured the wall along each direction—east, north, south, and west—five hundred cubits. The number five hundred closely approaches fifty, alluding to the forgiveness of sins, underscored by the Old Scripture (Lev. 25) and echoed in Christ's words concerning two debtors (Luke 7:41). The encircling wall served to separate the sanctuary from the area allotted for the people, highlighting that the entire structure described was intended for the priestly service, with the wall's expansive nature delineating the sacred space from that of the community.