267. Tabernacle Furnishings and the Seven Feasts of Israel

Subscribe in Podcast App | Download Transcript

Lecture Notes

Main Topics #

Interior Furnishings of the Outer Sanctuary (Sancta) #

The sanctuary contains three principal items:

1. Candelabra (seven branches)

   • Literal reason: Provides illumination for priestly functions
   • Figurative reasons: Signifies Christ as “the light of the world” (John); the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
   • Positioned on the southern side (right side of world, associated with planets and higher things)

2. Table of Proposition (Shewbread)

   • Literal reason: Provides sustenance for priests and represents God’s provision
   • Figurative reasons: Signifies Christ as “the living bread” (John 6); the twelve loaves signify the twelve apostles or apostolic doctrine
   • Positioned on the northern side (left side, associated with temporal things)
   • Through this table, the teaching and faith of the Church illumine and spiritually refresh

3. Altar of Incense

   • Located directly before the Ark of the Covenant
   • Figurative reason: Signifies Christ as mediator; incense signifies prayers and sanctity of the people

Figurative Synthesis of Furnishings #

Thomas indicates that through the candelabra and table together, “the teaching and faith of the Church” are signified, which “illumine and enlighten and spiritually refresh us.” Christ himself is signified through the two-fold altar (holocaust and incense) as one to whom all works of virtue must be offered—either afflictions of the flesh (altar of holocaust) or spiritual desires of the perfect offered as incense. This reflects Hebrews on offering praise continually to God.

The Altar of Holocausts #

Construction Requirements:

• Originally commanded to be made of earth or unhewn stones (Exodus 20)
• Later commanded to be constructed of wood and bronze with gold decoration
• Made of bronze (conspicuous to all people) rather than gold
• Accessible to the people through priestly mediation

Prohibition on Steps:

• God commanded that priests not ascend by permanent steps
• Literal reason: To prevent nakedness (indecency) being revealed to the people
• Figurative reason: To exclude idolatry—Gentiles constructed high, ornate altars for their idols
• Solution: Portable wooden steps could be used without danger of idolatry

Distinction Between Bronze and Gold Altars:

• The bronze altar (accessible to people) is visible to all and cannot provoke idolatry by excessive preciousness
• The gold altar of incense (inner sanctuary, seen only by priests) does not face risk of popular idolatry since the people cannot see it
• Reference to the Golden Calf incident (Exodus 32) where the people fashioned a golden idol

The Tabernacle’s Coverings and Their Symbolism #

Physical Structure:

• The tabernacle body constructed from tables erected vertically and covered by curtains of four colors
• Roof covered by hyacinth skins, above which red (rubric) ram skins, above which goat’s hair covering

Four-Color Curtains (Literal and Figurative Reasons):

Literal reason: Ornate protection and reverence for the tabernacle

Figurative reasons (according to some theologians):

• Through the curtains: Signify the “heaven of stars” (coelum sidereum) with diverse stars
• Through the saga (goat’s hair): Signify the waters above the firmament
• Through the red skins: Signify the imperial heaven (coelum imperium) where angels dwell
• Through the hyacinth skins: Signify the heaven of the Holy Trinity

Figurative Meaning of Faithful as Living Tabernacle:

• The tables from which the tabernacle is constructed signify the faithful of Christ
• The interior tables covered with four-colored curtains signify the faithful adorned inwardly with four virtues:
  • Linen (white): Signifies flesh adorned with chastity (as Christ’s body was wrapped in linen)
  • Hyacinth: Signifies mind desiring higher things (superna)
  • Purple: Signifies flesh subject to passions and sufferings
  • Cochineal: Signifies the mind between passions and love of neighbor, shining with charity

Figurative Meaning of Roof Coverings:

• Carvings of the roof designate the prophets and doctors (teachers) speaking from the roof
• Hyacinth skins: Signify promptitude for martyrdom
• Red skins: Signify austerity of life and tolerance of adversities
• Saga (goat’s hair exposed to winds and rains): Signify the austerity practiced by religious communities

Sanctification of the Tabernacle and Vessels #

Literal reason: That they might be held in greater reverence, being consecrated and given over to divine worship

Figurative reason: Signifies the spiritual sanctification of the living tabernacle of faith from which the Church of Christ is constituted

Application to Church Feasts:

• Feast of the Lateran exemplifies double signification—not merely commemorating a building but commemorating what occurs in the building and the people who constitute the Church
• Other feasts similarly commemorate both the physical structure and the spiritual reality

The Seven Temporal Solemnities #

Daily Sacrifice (Perpetual Feast)

• Morning and evening sacrifice of lambs (Numbers 28-29)
• Figurative reason: Represents perpetuity of Christ, the Lamb of God (Hebrews 13: “Jesus Christ yesterday and today and forever”)

Weekly Solemnity: The Sabbath

• Literal reason: Commemorates creation
• Figurative reason: Signifies spiritual rest given to us through Christ (Hebrews 4)

Monthly Solemnity: Feast of the New Moon (Neomene)

• Celebrated at the beginning (newness) of the moon, not at fullness
• Literal reason: Commemorates divine governance; lower things especially varied according to motion of the moon
• Why not at full moon: To avoid worship of idolaters who venerated the full moon
• Figurative reason: Signifies enlightenment of the primitive Church through Christ’s preaching and miracles
• Divine governance and motion: The moon’s influence on tides demonstrates motion/mover activity; feast celebrates God as mover (directing things toward himself as end) as distinct from God as maker/creator

Five Annual Feasts #

These commemorate particular benefits shown to the Jewish people, celebrated once per year:

1. Feast of Passover (First Month)

   • Commemorates: Liberation from Egypt
   • Figurative reason: Signifies Christ’s passion and redemption

2. Feast of Pentecost (Fifty Days After Passover)

   • Commemorates: Giving of the Law
   • Figurative reason: Signifies descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles

3. Feast of Trumpets/Horns (Tubae) (Seventh Month, First Day)

   • Commemorates: Liberation of Isaac when Abraham found the ram held by the horns
   • Practice: Made loud noise with horns/trumpets
   • Function: Served as invitation and preparation for the following feast
   • Figurative reason: Signifies apostolic preaching

4. Feast of Expiation (Day of Atonement) (Seventh Month, Tenth Day)

   • Commemorates: God’s forgiveness of the people’s sin of worshiping the Golden Calf, at the prayers of Moses
   • Figurative reason: Signifies cleansing from sins of the Christian people

5. Feast of Tabernacles (Seventh Month, 15-22 Days, Seven Days)

   • Commemorates: Divine protection and leading through the desert where people dwelt in tents
   • Required elements:
     • Fruit of the “most beautiful tree” (citrus/citron)
     • Wood of the dense/odiferous tree (myrtle) that keeps vigor long
     • Willows of the wood
   • Significance: Found in land of promise; signify transition from arid desert to most delicious land flowing with milk and honey
   • Figurative reason: Signifies the Christian’s journey through this world, progressing in virtues

6. Eighth Day (Octave)

   • Literal reason: Collected from people things necessary for expenses of divine worship
   • Figurative reason: Signifies congregation of faithful in heavenly kingdom; said to be most holy

The Three Final Feasts as Stages of Christian Life #

Thomas presents the three final feasts (Expiation, Tabernacles, Eighth Day) as continuous to one another, reflecting the three stages of Christian spiritual progress:

1. Expiation from Vices (Feast of Expiation)

   • First stage: Fighting vices and sins
   • Corresponds to Psalm 50 (repentance)

2. Progress in Virtue (Feast of Tabernacles)

   • Second stage: Advancing in goodness, progressing from virtue to virtue
   • Corresponds to Psalm 100 (good deeds)

3. Rest in God (Eighth Day/Heavenly Congregation)

   • Third stage: Resting in God, vision of God face to face
   • Corresponds to Psalms 101-150 (contemplation/rest)

Connection to Augustine’s Division of Psalms:

• Augustine divides the Psalms into three groups using Psalms 50, 100, and 150 as markers
• Each group represents a stage of Christian life
• Thomas follows Augustine’s scheme in his Psalms commentary (which extends through Psalm 53)
• The progression parallels Thomas’s presentation of the three final feasts

Benefits Commemorated: Universal vs. Particular #

Universal Benefits (Common to Whole Human Race):

• Creation (commemorated in Sabbath) - celebrated weekly
• Divine Governance (commemorated in Feast of New Moon) - celebrated monthly
• These are “frequencius” (more frequently) repeated because they benefit everyone

Particular Benefits (Special to Jewish People):

• The five annual feasts recall benefits specially shown to that people
• Less frequent because not as universal

Key Arguments #

Why Bronze Rather Than Gold for the Accessible Altar? #

Argument:

• The altar of holocausts (bronze, visible to all people) must not be overly precious, else it would provoke idolatry among the people
• The altar of incense (gold, visible only to priests in inner sanctuary) does not face such danger because the people cannot see it
• This principle prevents the people from being tempted to worship the material richness rather than God
• Historical evidence: When Moses ascended the mountain, the people constructed a golden calf for worship—demonstrating the danger of precious metal idols

Why No Permanent Steps to the Altar? #

Dual Reason:

1. Literal: To prevent the priest’s nakedness from being revealed, which would be indecent
2. Figurative: To exclude idolatry, since Gentiles built high, ornate altars for their idols, suggesting that height and elaborate construction invite idolatrous veneration

Solution: Portable wooden steps could be instituted without danger

Why Celebrate New Moon Rather Than Full Moon? #

Argument:

• The moon governs lower things (evidenced by its effect on tides)
• Divine governance feast should be celebrated when the moon is in its governing function (new moon)
• Full moon was avoided because idolaters venerated the full moon
• This is an exclusion of idolatry principle

Why Feast of Trumpets Before Feast of Expiation? #

Argument:

• The Feast of Trumpets serves as “invitation and preparation” for the following feast
• It signifies apostolic preaching, which prepares people for cleansing from sins
• The logical sequence: preaching → expiation → progress in virtue → heavenly rest

Important Definitions #

Neomene (νουμηνία or new moon) #

The new moon; the beginning of the lunar month. Celebrated in the Old Law as a monthly feast commemorating divine governance.

Coelum sidereum #

The heaven of stars; in medieval cosmology, the sphere containing the stars.

Coelum imperium #

The imperial heaven; the sphere beyond the stars where angels dwell.

Tabernacle (Latin: tabernaculum, from taberna = tent) #

Originally a tent structure used as the portable sanctuary during the Israelite wilderness wanderings. Signifies (figuratively) the changeable status of present life.

Temple (Latin: templum) #

The fixed, permanent sanctuary built after settlement in the promised land. Signifies (figuratively) the fixed, invariable status of future life (heaven).

Sanctification (Latin: sanctificatio) #

The consecration of the tabernacle and its vessels to divine worship. Signifies (figuratively) the spiritual sanctification of the Church, the living tabernacle of faith.

Propitiatory (Latin: propitiatorium) #

The mercy seat; the cover of the Ark of the Covenant where God’s seat of judgment and mercy is located.

Examples & Illustrations #

Preventing Idolatry Through Material Simplicity #

• Bronze altar (accessible to all): Made of humble material to avoid provoking idolatry
• Golden calf incident: When Moses was on the mountain receiving the Law, the people fashioned a golden idol—showing the danger of precious materials for worship objects
• The golden altar of incense was safe in inner sanctuary because only priests saw it and they understood its true purpose

The Fruits of the Feast of Tabernacles #

• Citron (most beautiful fruit): Represents the transition from arid desert to land “flowing with milk and honey”
• Myrtle and willow: Odiferous woods that retain vigor long, signifying lasting qualities of virtue through the journey

Lunar Influence on Sublunary Things #

• Moon’s effect on tides demonstrates its “mover” function in governing lower things
• Berquist notes the medievals understood this before Galileo
• Connection between moon and water explains influence on lunacy (people affected by water content in bodies)

Three Stages Illustrated by Concrete Examples #

• First stage (expiation): Priest describes religious community’s week as involving specific practices, then “on Sunday we just rest in the Lord”
• This encapsulates the progression from struggle to peace
• The soul at rest understands (Physics VII); complete satisfaction of reason and will in vision of God

Heavenly Activity: Music and Beatitude #

• Mozart and Palestrina collaborating on masses for eternal praise of God
• Music is appropriate for heaven because it suits love (as poets recognize connection between music and love)
• Unlike earthly life: no need for tragedy and comedy (which result from the fall); no need for painting/sculpture (glorified bodies and surroundings sufficiently beautiful)
• But music remains: it conveys love and praise in way that transcends earthly limitations

Notable Quotes #

“Jesus Christ yesterday and today and forever” — Hebrews 13 (cited for perpetual signification of Christ through daily lamb sacrifice)

“I am the living bread” — John 6 (cited for significance of table and twelve loaves signifying apostolic doctrine)

“I am the light of the world” — John (cited for candelabra signifying Christ)

“Per ipsum ergo offeramus hostiam laudis semper Deo” [“Through him therefore let us offer the host of praise always to God”] — Hebrews (cited for significance of incense altar and offering)

“You will not plant a grove next to the altar of the Lord your God” — Deuteronomy 16 (cited for exclusion of idolatrous practices; asherah worship)

“Do not ascend by steps to my altar lest your nakedness be revealed” — Exodus 20 (cited for prohibition on steps)

“Don’t go out anymore” — Scripture (cited regarding rest in heaven and cessation of seeking)

“The soul coming to rest understands” — Physics VII (cited by Berquist for understanding through rest)

Questions Addressed #

Why Were Different Materials Used for the Two Altars? #

Answer: The bronze altar, visible to all people, must avoid excessive preciousness to prevent idolatry. The golden altar, hidden in the inner sanctuary from the people’s view, does not face this danger. This principle protects the people from being tempted to venerate material richness rather than God.

Why Do the Three Final Feasts Form a Continuous Sequence? #

Answer: Thomas states: “These three feasts were continuous to one another, right? Because it’s necessary for those expiated from vices that they progress in virtue until they arrive at the vision of God.” The logical progression reflects spiritual maturation: first cleansing from sin (expiation), then advancing in virtue (tabernacles/journey), finally resting in God’s vision (eighth day).

Why Celebrate the New Moon Rather Than the Full Moon? #

Answer: The feast celebrates divine governance, and the moon’s governing function is demonstrated by its effect on tides. Additionally, celebration at the new moon excludes idolatrous veneration of the full moon (which gentiles practiced). The new moon marks the beginning of the month and fits the commemoration of God’s active governance.

Why Are the Weekly and Monthly Feasts More Frequent Than Annual Feasts? #

Answer: The benefits they commemorate (creation and divine governance) are universal and common to the whole human race. The annual feasts commemorate particular benefits shown specially to the Jewish people. Therefore, more frequent repetition is appropriate for universal benefits.

How Do the Furnishings Relate to Scriptural Types? #

Answer: The candelabra signifies Christ as light and the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit; the table signifies Christ as living bread and the apostles’ doctrine; the altar of incense signifies Christ as mediator and our prayers. Together they represent the Church’s teaching, faith, and worship life ordered toward communion with Christ.