9. THE SCREEN AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE TABERNACLE,: And Its Pillars
BEDE: ON THE TABERNACLE
and where, as John says, we shall see him as he is,' there will then be no need of the external props of salvation, because God Almighty, dwelling internally in his elect, will shine upon them as the Light of life, satisfy them as the Bread of life, and raise them up to perpetual blessedness, leading them into the joy of his kin dom.
Now we have said above that the south side of the tabernacle sigrufies the ancient people of God who were the first to receive the light of divine knowledge and the fire of divine love, but the northern part of the same tabernacle indicates the Church gathered together from among the Gentiles 3 which remained for a longer time in darkness and in the shadow of death.
For this reason, it is also right to make a distinction between the lampstand that was set up in the southern part, whch can suggest the grace that was given to the former people, and the table that stood in the northern part, which designates those benefits of God that have been given to us.
Rightly is it said that the lampstand was put opposite the table, because the Scripture of the law and the prophets doubtless looks to the grace of the gospel in every respect by beating witness to it, and through this grace signifying its own meaning in a spiritual sense.
[74] 9.
THE SCREEN AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE TABERNACLE,
AND ITS PILLARS
26:36 You shall also make a screen at the entrance of the tabernacle, of blue and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, and fine twisted linen with embroidery work. Having completed the account of the curtain that divided the sanctuary and the holy of holies, [Moses] reverts to an explanation about the east side of the sanctuary, which he seems to have omitted at the time when he was describing the rest of its sides, namely, the southern, northern, and western. Thus thc screen at the entrance of the tabernacle, woven witha lovely variety of colours, is the beauty of the primitive Church glorified with garlands of diverse virtues, of which Luke writes that the multitude of believers were of one heart and one soul; neither did any of them say that anything theypossessed was their own,4 and so on. For blue was certainly present in the primitive Church, because it was accustomed to think about celestial things and to lead a celestial life while on earth; purple was present in it, because it was ready to die for Christ; scarlet twice
1 1 John3:2
2 Bede, De tab. 2,6 (CCSL 119A: 64, 867-73) 3 Ps. 107:lO (106:lO) 4 Acts 4:32
BOOK TWO
dyed was certainly present in it, because it was on fire with the love of God and neighbour; and fine twisted linen was present in it, because it rejoiced in the continence of the flesh and in chastity.
26:37 And you shall overlay with gold five pillars of acacia wood, before which the screen shall be drawn. The pillars from which the screen was hung are the holy teachers, of whom Luke suitably added: And with great power the apostles gave testimony to the resurrection ofJesus Christ
our Lord. As stalwart as their purpose was in being raised to supernal things, they were also just as firm in their capacity of lifting others up to the love of supernal thmgs by their teachmg. For just as the apostles and apostolic men can be rightly designated by boards, on account of the wideness of eitherthe doctrine with which they go into the whole worldand preach the gospel to every ~reature,~ or of the charity which they show by loving not only their friends but their enemies as well, and by bestowing prayers and acts of kindness upon those who hate them, so also are they not unsuitably figured by the name and the form of pillars, on account of their indestructible strength4 of heart and the attention whch they are always lifting up to heavenly things, as the Apostle bears witness when he speaks of James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars.
It is appropriate that five of these pillars were made, doubtless because that is the number of books of the law, with which it is necessary for holy teachers to fort@ the words of their preaching; this applied especially to those who instructed the primitive Church. Having been gathered together from among the people of the Hebrews, it acknowledged only what could be established by the authority of the Mosaic law, since the writings of the evangelists and apostles had not yet begun to shine throughout the world.
/75/ Surely these same pillars are properly commanded to be made of acacia wood but covered with gold, so that they might suggest that holy preachers ought to be distinguished on the inside by the steadfastness of a pure heart and also on the outside by the brightness of their works, since they are lacking in nothing. Or perhaps the pillars of acacia wood are overlaid with gold when the same teachers teach that the power of their deeds is always being shielded by divine assistance, and when in everything they do they seek the glory of the Father who is in heaven, and when in everythmg that they say they rejoice to proclaim Christ, saying: For we preach not 1 Acts 4:33
2 robustius: derived from robur ('oak-tree') 3 Mark 16:15
4 robur: literally, 'oak-tree'
5 Gal. 2:9
BEDE: ON THE TABERNACLE
ourselves, but Jesus Christ our Lord. Concerning these [pillars] it is aptly added:
26:37 Their heads shall be of gold, and their bases of bronze. Surely the golden heads designate him of whom the Apostle says: And in him all things hold together, and he is the head of the body, the Church; he is the beginning, thejrstbornfrom the dead.2 And it should not seem incongruous that Christ, the Church's one Head, is figured by the five heads of the pillars. For there were as many heads as there were pillars, doubtless because the same Lord Christ himself is the head of all the saints, in himself always remaining equal and indivisible, to be sure, but distributing the grace of his Spirit to each one of those who are elect, according to their capacity for receiving. For this reason, not only to the whole Church in general but also to each of its members in particular is it permissible to proclaim with confidence that prophetic [word]: And now he has lifted up my head above my enemies.
It is aptly consistent with the significance of this head that the same heads of the pillars are not commanded to be overlaid withgold, as were the pillars and boards, but to be made of gold, for surely the saints have all been made partakers in the Holy Spirit and in heavenly grace. Moreover, [Jesus] himself was full of grace and truth: and as his forerunner [John the Baptist] said concerning him: 'God does not give the Spirit by measure; for the Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hand. l5
Now the bronze bases are the prophets, whose word is confirmed by the testimony of the apostles. And [they are] properly bronze, either on account of the unconquerable confidence in the mind of the prophets, or because their word can never be worn down by old age, though the world grows old or passes away; for surely the Lord comes not to abolish the law and the prophets, but to fulfill them.6 The pillars of the tabernacle have bronze bases, and they have golden heads, because the apostles and the apostolic
[76j men were doubtless strengthened in faith by the words of the prophets and lifted up to see the face of their Creator by a desire for heavenly things.
Likewise, they have heads of gold but bases ofbronze because they received whatsoever was given to them by the Lord with heavenly authority, and 1 2 Cor. 4:5
2C0l. 1:17-18 3 Ps. 27:6 (26:6) 4 John 1:14
5 John 3:34-5; Bede treats w. 31-6 as a continuation of John the Baptist's speech in w.
27-30.
6 Matt. 5:17