20. T H E Ten Bases And Lavers
BEDE: ON T H E TEMPLE
seeing that we have merited through the protection of the divine law to attain the glory of everlasting reward?
19.11 Yet if we examine the words of the law more carefully, perhaps it will become apparent that it is not making images of objects o r animals that is forbidden. Rather what is entirely prohibited is making them for the purpose of idolatry. Finally, as the Lord on the holy mountain was about to say, You shall not make foryourselfa carved thing, he first said, You shall not have strange gods before me, and then added, You shall not make for yourselfa carved thing, or the likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or of those things that are in the waters under the earth; and he concluded as follows: You shall not adore them or serve them. 33 These words are a clear statement that what people are forbidden to make are those images which the impious are in the habit of making for the worship of alien gods and which the gentiles have misguidedly devised for service and worship. Moreover, in my opinion, no prescription of the divine law forbids making these; otherwise even the Lord in response to the Pharisccs who put him to the test on rendering to Caesar the coin of tribute on which, they said, Caesar's name and image was dcpictcd, would certainly not have said the words, Render to Caesar whut are Caesur's and to God what are Rather he would have corrected their error and said, 'It is not lawful for you in the minting of your gold to make the image of Caesar because the divine law forbids such sculpture.' For when the coin of tribute was shown him, it would have been an opportunity for him to say so, if Caesar's imagc had been misrepresented upon it for purposes of idolatry and not rather in token of his royal authority.
20. T H E TEN BASES AND LAVERS
20.1 (7:27) And he made ten bases of bronze; every base was Four cubits in length, and four cubits in breadth, and three cubits high.
Variously and in many ways the selfsame mysteries of our salvation are prefigured. For the same apostles and apostolic men who were denoted by the oxen supporting the Sea are also denoted by the bases which had been fitted for the purpose of supporting the wash-basins,
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just as the wash-basins themselves were a type of the same spiritual laver as was also typified by the Sea.' For as the Chronicles relate, they washed in them all the things they were going to offer as a holocaust. Now the holocaust of the Lord can be taken in general to mean the whole multitude of the elect that, according to the voice of the precursor, was baptized by him with the Holy Spirit and fire.2
Therefore, just as the priests who were washed in the Sea represent those who through baptism are made sharers in the high priesthood which is in the Lord Jesus Christ, so also do the holocausts most aptly present an image of these same people when through the washing of baptism they are filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit. For the victim is washed in the laver when the water of baptism is poured over one of the faithful; but it is offered as a holocaust when through the imposition of the hands of the bishop one receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. Although the evangelist Philip was preaching and baptizing in Sa~naria,~ what was he washing but the victims of the Lord in the laver of the temple? However, because the Holy Spirit had not yet begun tc come down upon any of them, but they had been baptized only in the name of the Lord Jesus,4 like washed victims they had not yet got as far as the fire of the most sacred altar. But when Peter and John were sent there and began to lay hands on the baptized, and these began to receive the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues,s then the victims reached the fire of the altar to become a holocaust which means in Latin 'whole-burnt', because, that is, the grace of the Holy Spirit filling their conscience made them begin to glow with divine love.6 But the fact that ten bases were made to support the lavers could thus be interpreted mystically to mean that the ministers of the laver of life call those whom they immerse to the joys of eternal beatitude, which is usually represented figuratively by the number ten.7
20.2
But because these lavers are written about individually in what cf. 2 Paralip 4:6 cf. Mt 3:11 cf. Ac 8:&5 cf. Ac 8:14-17 cf. Ac 19:6 cf. Greg., Horn. in Ezech. PL 76:1037C ' infra 20.11 * * -
BEDE: ON THE TEMPLE
follows,8 i.e. because five of them were placed on the right-hand side of the temple and five on the left, we must rather consider in them the mysteries of the number five. For the laver bases were placed on both sides of the temple to show that the grace of the sacred font was to be made accessible to both peoples of God, and there are five on either side to show, just as we have already said in the explanation of the Sea which is five cubits deep,g that in a typological sense all their transgressions committed through the five bodily senses are to be remitted to the faithful through the laver of baptism. Therefore, as in one Sea laid upon twelve oxen is expressed the unity of baptism which was to be preached by the apostles all over the world, so also by means of two sets of lavers is mystically shown that the gentiles were to be assembled with Judaea into the one fellowship of the faith through the water of baptism. For although the victims were washed in twin lavers, some on the right of the court, some on the [215/ left, they were nevertheless consumed by the one altar fire so as to become a holocaust; because whether one receives the bath on the side of the circumcised or of the uncircumcised, all are sanctified by the one Spirit so that they can become children of God. This indeed is why the Apostle says, But you have received the spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry out, 'Abba, Father!'" 'You have received,' he says,
'one Spirit by which you may all become children of adoption, the Spirit, namely, whereby we cry, "Abba, Father"; "Abba", that is, we who come from the Hebrews to the faith, "Father", we who come from the gentiles, with different languages, it is true, according to the diversity of nations, but invoking one and the same God the Father because of the gift of the one Spirit.
20.3 However, that each of the bases was four cubits long and four cubits widc and three cubits high is easy to understand. For the length rcfers to the patience of long endurance, the width to the expansiveness of love, the height to the hope of heavenly reward."
Morcovcr, there are four principal virtues on which the rest of the structure of the virtues depends, namely, prudence, fortitude, temperance and justice, and the reason why the length and width of the cf. 3 K 7:39
' supra 19.2 * * lo Ilm 8:15
I cf. Greg.. Horn. in Ezech. PL 76:957C, 963A-B, 1034C. 1047D-1048B. 1067D-1069B
BOOK TWO
bases was four cubits was that holy preachers, whether they endure outwardly the adversities of the world, the lengthy exile and present labours, or expand their heart in the love of their creator and of their neighbours with inward joy, always pay attention to the virtues, i.e. by prudently distinguishing between good things and evil, courageously bearing adversity, restraining their heart from its desire of pleasures, and maintaining uprightness in their manner of acting. But the height of the bases is three cubits when, through the exercise of the virtues which they practise by the endurance of evils and the love of what is good, they strive with sustained resolve to attain the vision of the holy Trinity.
20.4 (7:28) And the work of the bases was itself embossed, and there were carvings between the joinings. This seems to mean the joinings which linked the boards of the lavers, that is to say, in order
(2161 to form onc base of four or five boards. What kind of carvings they had between these joinings, i.e. on their sides fore and aft, on the right and on the left and also on top, is made clear by the addition o f the next verse:
20.5 (7:29) And between the little crowns and the ledges were lions and oxen and cherubim, and in the joinings likewise above. Hence the surface of the bases was not level at any point, but whichever side one turned, it was carved with mystical figures because the minds of the saints, indeed their whole way of life, displays the charm of the virtues in everything, and not an empty or idle hour passes them by that they fail to have time for good works or words or, at all events, thoughts. They have little crowns carved upon them when they yearn with untiring longing for entry into eternal life; they have ledges when, amid their longing for the life of heaven which is above, they never undo the bonds of fraternal intercourse which is at hand; they have lions between the little crowns and ledges when they so raise their minds to hope for heavenly things and so open them out to the love of their neighbour that they do not shirk the zealous exercise of stern denunciation upon any sinners entrusted to their charge.12 In addition to lions they have oxen when they employ even the invective of correction in a spirit of meekness, when, in the heat of rebuking, they never cease to have the cloven hoof of prudent l 2 cf. Greg., Horn. in Ezech. PL 76:1054B-D
BEDE: ON THE TEMPLE
action and word, o r to roll the words of divine reading around in the mouth as if ruminating upon them. Finally, blessed Stephen, the one who was the pillar par excellence of the Lord's temple, seemed to show the fierce teeth and claws of a lion when he said to his persecutors, You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and cars, you always resist the Hob Spirit; which of the prophets did your fathen notpersecute? and so forth;13 but in saying this he showed how much of the compassion of bovine meekness he nurtured in his heart within, when, for these same persecutors raging to kill him, he knelt and said, Lord lay nor this sin to their charge.14 But because we can have neither hope of things eternal in heaven, nor love of neighbour o n earth, nor the fervour of trenchant zeal, nor the gentleness of compassionate restraint, without knowledge of the holy scriptures, it is aptly remarked that, after crowns and ledges, after lions and oxen, cherubim too were carved. For it is generally accepted that cherubim are a type of sacred scripture, whether because the two cherubim on the propitiatory of the ark'5 were fashioned as a figure of the two testaments which sing in harmony of Christ, or because the name itself means 'much knowledge'.IG However, the more assiduously one gives oneself to reading the pages of God's word, the more necessary it is that in all one's acts or judgements one should fear the scrutiny of the inner witness or judge, lest, either by overstepping the bounds of justice in reproving sinners or by pardoning without the restraint of proper discretion, one should incur the wrath of the just judge. For he who adds knowledge adds labour also.17 Hence here too after the carvings of the cherubim it is suitably added:
20.6
(7:29) And abave the lions and oxen, as it were, bands of bronze hanging down. For bands hang down above the lions and oxen when holy teachers, both in the severity and rigour with which they judge sinners and in the gentleness and leniency with which they pardon penitents, fear the judgement of their creator, lest perhaps by unjustly binding or loosing anyone they deserve to be bound themselves by him whose judgement cannot err.
''' Ac 7 5 - 5 2 l 4 Ac7:60 l5 Ex 25: 17-20 1 (i
cf. Jer.. Nom. Hehr CCSL 72:74, 20 00 1:lU
BOOK TWO
20.7
(7:30) And every base had four wheels and axle-trees of bronze; and at the four sides were shoulderings under the laver which were cast and facing one another. The four wheels are the four books of the Gospels which are very aptly compared to wheels because, just as the wheel's whirling motion can travel with the greatest rapidity wherever it is steered, so with the Lord's help through the instrumentality of the apostles the word of the Gospel filled all the regions of the world in a short space; as the wheel raises from the earth the chariot laid upon it, and when raised carries it where the driver steers it, so the preaching of the Gospel lifts up the minds of the elect from earthly cravings to heavenly desires and, having lifted them up, guides them to progress in good works or to the ministry of preaching, in whichever direction the helping grace of the Spirit wills. For since, in the text that follows, it says that they were the kind of wheels usually designed for a chariot,'* and moreover, we read of the saints, The chariot of God is attended by ten thousands; thousands of them that rejoice,19 why, then, is it that the wheels of the bases are compared to the wheels of chariots, unless it is that one and the same word of the Gospel makes some of those whom it teaches chariots of God, and others pillars of God's temple? For all who were sent far and wide as teachers to spread the word of the Gospel in the world were chariots o f God, and very fast ones too, because, as they sped about from one place to the next, they brought God into the hearts of believers; but the ones who remain in one place announce the word of salvation to their neighbours and light their way to the laver of life, which is received either in baptism or in the compunction of tears,
(2181 these are, as it were, the bases of the temple which support the lavers for washing the sacrificial victims. For they exercise the ministry of salvation on the faithful in their charge in such a way that they do not undergo the hardships of travelling rather long distances to get new communities of people. So the reason why the wheels of the bases are like chariot wheels is that the same books of the Gospels, which send these teachers to preach the true faith to the ignorant, order them to stay among those who have already been taught and imbued with the heavenly mysteries in order to strengthen them further." The four wheels supported the base of the laver when the Gospels ordered
3 K 7 3 3
Ps67:lR cf. Rufinus. Hisf. E d . 2:23 GCS 9.165.1314
BEDE: ON THE TEMPLE
James the brother of the Lord to reside in Jerusalem to strengthen the Church; wheels like these were placed under God's chariots and preparcd them to run when these Gospels wished Paul and Barnabas to travel around everywhere to preach to the gentiles.21 The wheels placed underneath to support the laver of the temple raised the base from the ground when the blessed Pope Gregory recently in our own day ruled the Roman Church on the strength of the words of the Gospel; the same wheels fitted beneath God's chariot transported people long distances when the most venerable Fathers, Augustine,
Paulinus and the rest of their companions backed by the oracular sayings of the Gospel came to Britain at his command and a short while ago entrusted the word of God to unbelievers.
20.8 If thcn the bases of the lavers are the holy teachers who administer to us the bath of life, and the four wheels of the bases are the four books of the Gospels, what else are the axle-trees of the wheels that support the bases but the very hearts of these teachers which, while earnestly intent on the precepts of the Gospel, raise them above their craving for what is lowest, just as the axles inserted into the wheels raise the base up further from the ground.
Furthermore the shoulderings which were put outside the wheels to prevent them from slipping off the axles, are the proclamations of the prophets which lend weight to the evangelical and apostolic writing lest it should be doubted by any of its readers. And the apostle Peter speaking of the Lord says, And we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you will do well to pay attention, 22 and moreover, all the evangelists and apostles were in the habit of mentioning the law and the prophets in what they wrote. Finally, Mark begins as follows: The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as it is written in the prophet and Matthew: Now all this was done that the scriptures of the prophets might be It is well said that the shoulderings which had been placed under the laver on four sides were facing each other because, of course, all prophetical scripture is consistent inasmuch as it is the product of the one Spirit of God.
Now for each of the four bases there were four shoulderings, that is, [21Y/
BOOK TWO
corresponding to the number of wheels, not because there are only four prophetical books but because in everything that the prophets and Moses said they bore testimony to the sayings of the four evangelists so that as a result of the harmony of both, our common faith and love of Christ might strengthen the hearts of all.
20.9 (7:31) Also the mouth of the laver inside was on the top of the capital. And what appeared outside measured one cubit all round; and it was one cubit and a half in all. The mouth of the laver was one cubit on account of the unity of confession and faith because we are all baptized in the confession of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, as the Apostle says, One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of And the mouth itself was at the top of the capital to teach that the way to the heavenly kingdom had been opened to us through baptism. But the actual laver was a cubit and a half in size, in view, no doubt, of the perfection of good works and the beginning of contemplation.2G For the whole cubit in the laver denotes the perfection of good works. And this, without any doubt, that man had of whom the Lord said to the ancient tempter,
Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from But there is the other cubit of the vision of God which to a certain degree used to be granted to believers even while they were still detained in this life; as this man Job, speaking with the Lord after defeating the adversary, says, With the hearing of the ear I have heard you, but now my eye sees you, 2a as the Lord appeared to Moses face to face,2g as he appeared to Isaiah30 seated on his royal throne with the heavenly citizens surrounding him with due praise, as he often appeared to the other prophets, as the gates of heaven opened and the glory of God was shown to blessed Stephen in the moment of his passion,31 as the mysteries of the entrance to Paradise and the 25 Ep45-6 2G cf. Greg., Horn. in Ezech. PL 76:1048A-B
27 Jb 1:8
28 Jb 425 29 cf. Ex 33:ll 30 cf. Is 6:l-3 31 cf. Ac 7 5 5
BEDE: ON THE TEMPLE
third heaven were disclosed to but all these were on a very modest scale in comparison with the glory which is to be revealed in the world to come.33 Therefore, after the cubit of good works, which can be achieved in this life in the saints, begins the cubit of heavenly contemplation which, as we well know, is finally to be achieved in the life to come in all the elect.
(2201 20.10 This measurement of one and a half cubits applied not only to the lavers but also to their wheels and bases. For it is written in what follows:
(7:32) The height of a wheel was a cubit and a half; and a little further on, ( 7 3 ) And on the top of the base there was a round band of half a cubit, fashioned in such a way that the laver might be set upon it. For the lavers measured a cubit and a half because we are washed by such faith in the font of life that we may merit through works of righteousness to enter into eternal life, and that, although we cannot be without sin while we live here, we may be able partly to taste and love the sweetness of the life of heaven in this interim life, but not, of course, enjoy perfect vision. The wheels too measure a cubit and a half because the text of the Gospel reading shows how those who wish to be perfect ought to live, and holds out to us the hopc of eternal reward in the present time, but promises us that the actual quality of that rcward is to be revealed to us and bestowed upon us in the time to comc. And the bases themselves were a cubit and a half in size at the top where they held the lavers because the teachers themselves and chief ministers were eminent for their perfection in this life by reason of the work of administering the bath of salvation, but they partially enjoyed the light of contemplation and so they say,
For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophesying is imperfect; but once perfection comes, all imperfect things will disappear: 34
20.11 (7:37-38) After this manner he made the ten bases of the one casting and measure, and of similar carving; he also made ten lavers of bronze. Why ten bases were made and the same number of lavers laid upon them has already been told.35 But the reason why there
'' cf. 2 Co 12:4
33 cf. 1 I' 5: 1
:14 1 Co 13:9-10 :" sirpro 20.1 * *
BOOK TWO
was one casting and measure and a similar carving for all the bases or lavers was not to signify that the merits of all teachers could be equal, but rather that there is one Gospel faith in which they are instructed, one sacrament of baptism by which they are washed, one same Spirit by which all the elect are consecrated, even though they have different gifts in this Spirit who distributes them to each one as he wishes.36
20.12
(7:38) One laver contained forty bates. The number forty conventionally typifies great perfection because, of course, four tens make forty; now there are ten precepts whereby our whole code of conduct is laid down in the divine law, but four books of the Gospels in which entry into our heavenly homeland was opened to us through the plan of the Lord's incarnation. And because all who are involved in the ministry of sacred baptism must, together with the faith and mysteries of the Gospel, show the fruits of upright conduct, it is fitting that each of the lavers in which the holocausts were washed should hold forty bates.
20.13 But as regards what follows, i.e.
(7:38) and was of four cubits, whether it means in height or in width, the meaning of the mystery is obvious. For one laver was four cubits either because of the four books of the holy Gospel in which the form of baptism is laid down for us, or else on account of the four cardinal virtues in which each believer, if he is not to be a believer in vain, must be formed, or, at all events, on account of the four quarters of the world in which the bath of salvation is administered, as the psalmist says, Whom he has redeemedfrom the hand of thc enemy, and gathered out of the countries, from the rising and from the setting of the sun, from the north, and from the sea.37 But as regards what he said above: and together it was one cubit and a half" (and not wen there did he add whether he meant height or width), it seems that he wished it to be understood that the bottom of thc laver itself was this width. Unless I am mistaken, this can very easily be inferred from the measurement of the base on which each laver was placed which is described thus: And on the top ofthe base
JG cf. Rm 12:6; 1 co 12:11
37 Ps 106:2-3
38 3 K 731
BEDE: O N THE TEMPLE
there was a round band of haya cubit, fashioned in such a way that the laver might be set upon it.39 So the width of the lavers at the bottom was a cubit and a half, but the actual capacity of the lavers was four cubits. But whether he means in height or width or both is for the one who knows to say.
20.14 (7:39) And he set the ten bases, five on the right side of the temple, and five on the left. He is speaking of the right and left side of the temple not on the inside of the temple itself but in front of the temple, i.e. towards the east in the inner court which was properly called that of the priests. Now he set five on the right side of the temple because of the Jews who in ancient times used to make use of thc sun of justice on account of the teaching of the law, and five at the lcft because of us who for a long time clung blind-heartedly to thc slavery of him4o who says, I will set my throne in the which, to put it in plain language, means 'I desire to abide in those hearts which I consider to be strangers to the light of truth and the flame o f divine love.'
20.15 (7:39) And the sea he set on the right side of the temple facing the east southwards. And this was placed in the same court to the east. His words, on the right side of the temple, he repeats when he says, southwards. For those who entered the court from the east had first to turn southwards where the Sea stood in the very corner ready for thc priests to wash, then as they proceeded inside they were met by lavers placed on either side for washing the victims; inside these was a bronzc dais fivc cubits long and five cubits wide and three cubits high, on which Solomon stood when dedicating the temple;42 then as they procccdcd further they came to the altar of holocaust facing the south side of the court, then the temple porticoes or vestibule in which were bronze pillars around the door of the temple. Therefore, the fact that he placed the Sea at the right side of the temple signifies that it is through the bath of baptism we must reach the kingdom of heaven which is properly represented by the term 'right hand'. For 3 K 735 3 n " cf. Greg., Horn. in Ezech. PL 76:1008D-I009A
" Is 14:13 cf. 3 K Rh3-64