THEOSISBeda Venerabilis
The letter that Phaphnaeus dispatched to Darius markedly contrasts with the correspondence written by Rehum and Shimshai to Artaxerxes. While the latter was laden with criticism directed at the people of Jerusalem, Phaphnaeus's message is brimming with commendation not only for the populace but also for the Almighty. It opens with the salutation: To King Darius, peace be upon you! It informs the king of their journey to Judah, to the house of the great God, which is constructed of enormous stones with wood inserted within its walls, and emphasizes that this undertaking is progressing rapidly and successfully. They then consulted the elders, asking, “Who authorized you to construct this house and to complete these walls?” (1 Ezra 5:7-9).
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The significance of the mention of the Lord’s house being built with substantial stones requires exploration, given that such an impressive construction could only be achieved with worked stones. The reference to unhewn stones points to those new stones which were gathered in their natural state and then shaped to be suitable for the building of the Lord’s house. Even if some ancient stones remained, which, as Jeremiah indicates in Lamentations, were scattered throughout the streets (Lamentations 4:1), it is certain that new stones had to be crafted to fulfill the temple's completion. The importance of this detail is unmistakable. The Church of God is composed not only of individuals who repent and return to the virtuous lives they once forfeited due to sin but also of those newly called to faith, guided by the teachings of leaders akin to builders utilizing their measuring rods, and set in their rightful places within the structure of the Lord’s house. The fact that the temple incorporates both old and new stones—i.e., long-processed stones alongside those that had previously remained unworked—can indeed be understood as a reflection of the single Church of Christ, which comprises two groups: Jews and Gentiles. The Jews represent those who, like refined stones, had long been acquainted with the knowledge and commandments of God, while the Gentiles, who were previously enslaved to idolatry and untouched by spiritual zeal or piety, have shed the turmoil of ignorance and earthy inclinations.