THEOSISBeda Venerabilis
The correspondence that Phaphnaeus sent to Darius contrasts greatly with the one authored by Rehum and Shimshai addressed to Artaxerxes. While the latter contained many accusations aimed at the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Phaphnaeus’s letter is filled with commendation not only of the people but also of the Sovereign Lord. It opens with these words: To Darius the king, greetings! Let the king be informed that we traveled to the region of Judah, to the temple of the great God; it has been constructed with magnificent stones and timber is used in its walls; and this endeavor has progressed swiftly and successfully by their hands. We then inquired of the elders of those individuals, asking them, “Who authorized you to build this house and to complete these walls?” (Ezra 5:7-9).
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In these words, we discern the significance behind the description of the Lord's house as being built with large stones, for it is clear that such a magnificent undertaking could only be accomplished with crafted stones. The unhewn stones mentioned can be interpreted as the new stones that were gathered unshaped and then fashioned appropriately for the construction of the Lord's house. Even if some ancient stones remained, which as Jeremiah reflects in Lamentations were scattered throughout the streets (Lamentations 4:1), it was surely essential to shape new stones to finish the temple work.
This circumstance is evidently significant. We observe that the Church of God comprises not only those who, through repentance, regain the righteous path they had lost due to sin, but also those who are newly called to faith, guided by the teachings of leaders, much like builders utilizing a measuring rod, and placed in their rightful position within God's temple. The fact that the temple was fashioned from both old and new stones—those that have been long shaped and those that remained untouched—aptly symbolizes that the one Church of Christ includes two peoples: Jews and Gentiles. The Jews, akin to stones that have long been shaped, possess knowledge and adhere to the divine law. In contrast, the Gentiles, who were previously enslaved by idolatry, had not been moved by the spiritual architects’ zeal or by devotion, yet they cast aside their primal instincts and the earthly attitudes of their minds.
The correspondence sent by Phaphnaeus to Darius stands in stark contrast to the message penned by Rehum and Shimshai to Artaxerxes. While the latter was laden with charges against the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Phaphnaeus's letter is replete with commendation not only for the people but also for the Sovereign Lord. It opens with a greeting: "To Darius the king, all peace! Let the king be informed that we journeyed into the territory of Judah, to the house of the great God; it is constructed from substantial stones, with timber incorporated into its walls; and this endeavor is advancing swiftly and successfully." Subsequently, we inquired of the elders, asking, ‘Who authorized you to build this house and complete these walls?’ (1 Ezra 5:7-9).
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These words prompt us to reflect on the interpretation of the assertion that the Lord’s house was constructed from large stones, though it is evident that such a magnificent project could only have been accomplished using worked stones. By "unhewn stones," we should conceive the new stones that were gathered in their raw form, which were then chiseled and shaped for the construction of the Lord's house. Even if some older stones remained, as Jeremiah notes in Lamentations concerning those scattered at crossroads (Lamentations 4:1), it is clear that new stones were necessary to complete the temple’s construction. The intent of this circumstance is equally evident. The Church of God is established not only from those who, through repentance, regain their awareness and return to the righteous life they once abandoned due to sin but also from those newly called to faith, guided by the teachings of instructors, akin to builders using a measuring rod, and positioned rightly within the framework of the Lord’s house.
The reality that the temple was constructed from both new and old stones—both those that had been significantly worked and those that had remained unshaped—accurately mirrors the truth that the singular Church of Christ is comprised of two groups: Jews and Gentiles. The Jews can be likened to those stones that have been long prepared, as they possessed knowledge and adhered to God's law. In contrast, the Gentiles, who were enslaved to idolatry and untouched by the fervor of spiritual architects or the reverence of faith, have cast off the disgrace of their wildness and the earthliness of their mentality.