Revelation 21:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Let us consider what mystery lies in the wall’s being measured at one hundred forty-four cubits. One hundred, composed of ten tens, passes to the right side.

From this it is clear that the whole fullness of the saints, and all the righteousness contained in the fulfillment of the Ten Commandments and the prophecy of the Gospel, is blessedly contained in the right hand of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Forty-four, divided into four tens with four remaining, likewise signifies that both the fourfold truth of the Gospel and the substance of all heavenly teaching abide in His power.

For the number twenty-four itself is the sum of two equal numbers. This shows that the fullness of the old law and the power of the Gospel abide in Him and proceed from Him.

We know that this is a symbol of the Apostles of the Lamb or of the patriarchs, or the very image of the twenty-four elders. This number multiplied by six shows that in these six days of the present week, in which the world was created, every assembly and fullness of the saints is contained.

So too in our Lord Jesus Christ all perfection and all righteousness of all the blessed are, as has been shown, preserved.

Indeed, since angels in many places, as was said above, are called men, their gaze is directed toward God. For this reason it is said here: “He measured its wall, one hundred forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.”

By what is said, it is implied that the Godhead is in every respect unknowable, for above we supposed that the wall of the city is Christ. Especially in the comprehension of God’s greatness, men stand on equal footing with angels.

Therefore the wall is measured by an angelic cubit, not a human one. The fact that the wall has a measure of one hundred forty-four cubits contains a certain mystical number, corresponding to angelic wisdom, which gives clear discernment.

The city has the form of a regular quadrangle. This geometric figure is used in the image as a symbolic mark of perfection.

On the twelve foundations of the wall are written the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. This is, of course, a sign that the apostles are the foundations, or founders, of the Christian faith among all nations.

The city is measured by an angel before the eyes of the seer of mysteries. This signifies, first, that the number of the chosen citizens of this city was foreseen from eternity. It also signifies that each of these chosen ones has attained a known and definite measure of righteousness and holiness.

When measured, the city was found to have equal length, breadth, and height, and its wall to be 144 cubits. All these numerical expressions are plainly used to signify the perfection, firmness, and wondrous symmetry of the whole building of the Church of God.

The city wall is built of jasper, which in Revelation signifies divine glory (see above, Rev 21:11). The city itself is of pure gold. The foundations of the city wall are made of twelve solid precious stones, and the twelve gates are made of twelve whole pearls. The street of the city is pure gold, like transparent glass.

All these details express one and the same idea: in the heavenly Church of God all is holy, pure, luminous, and steadfast. Everything in her is majestic, spiritual, and precious. The gold of God’s grace and love is scattered everywhere in her in abundance, for the full blessedness of her holy members.