K. But their very position will make clear what they are looking for.

P. In what way?

K. He says that the five veils should be mutually united, as well as the other five of the same kind, and equally opposed. Wherefore, while they were erected on both sides, and one against the other, as it were, from the north and the south, or from the east and west, the eleventh side of the middle side was already neglected, dividing into parts those ten which had been cut in two, on which side was stretched the eleventh leather covering, which restrained both sides with hooks and loops. And in the likeness of the others were the pillars of this side, only smaller in number: for the ten coverings, as I have said beforehand, extended twenty-eight cubits in length, and the eleventh and middlest among the others, being five cubits wide (and those curtains were four cubits each), extended only to twenty cubits in length. For this reason He says: "Make a double veil for the sixth curtain on the front side of the tabernacle," so that the excessively spread veil does not harm the beauty of the tabernacle. And so, in this eleventh side, located among the others, and as it were, the sacred and divine vessels were placed, in themselves in different ways prefiguring Immanuel. But perhaps this number also means that in the last times of the age, and as it were at the hour of the one-tenth hour, Christ appeared and the tabernacle containing Christ, that is, the Church.

P. There is nothing unreasonable, as it seems, and this sense is considered to be applicable.

K. After the discourse on the tabernacle and its images, he says: "Make the court of the tabernacle: on the noonday side to the south, the curtains for the court shall be of fine linen, a hundred cubits long on one side; Their pillars are twenty, and their sockets are twenty of brass; the hooks at the pillars and the ties on them are made of silver. And along the north side are curtains a hundred cubits long; Their pillars are twenty, and their sockets are twenty of brass; the hooks at the pillars and the ties on them are made of silver. And in the breadth of the court on the west side are the curtains of fifty cubits; there are ten pillars for them, and ten sockets for them" (Exodus 27:9-12). Consider, therefore, that the first curtains were narrow, and reached (only) thirty cubits, for their breadth is four, and their length is twenty-eight; and those who follow them are so wide and long: for they had a hundred by a hundred, and fifty by fifty, stretching out to the east, and to the west, and to the south.

P. But what is the meaning of this veiled speech?

K. Is this not what was clearly promised of old by the mouth of Isaiah, who appeared in the last times of the Church: "Enlarge the place of thy tent, enlarge the veils of thy gates; Do not be ashamed, let your ropes run longer, and strengthen your stakes; for thou shalt spread to the right and to the left" (Isaiah 54:2 and 3): for the Church of Christ, which was at first constrained, then expands to the east and west, north and south, and reaches every place.

P. Pravda.

K. Notice, then, that all the other pillars of the ten curtains and the middle covering were to be covered with gold and fixed on double pedestals trimmed with silver. And what is the meaning of this, as I think; the pillars of long and wide coverings are decorated in a different way. He commands them to be decorated from head to foot (from top to foot) with silver as best as possible, but to be fixed on copper and silver-plated pedestals. And this is the image of Christ, for He shone like light, shining with mental rays, like God, which is indicated by silver. And that His word is bright and harmonious on earth, that is, the preaching of the Gospel, is indirectly indicated to us by silver-plated brass: for, while copper is euphonious, the substance of silver is very bright and clear, and this is also characteristic of the Gospel sermons, and everyone can see that the word of the Saviour has the clarity and purity of supreme piety and as it were announces the entire universe. And if anyone would like to see the holy Apostles and Evangelists as it were educated in such pillars, he will reason justly: for they too are truly silvered, as it were, as a result of communion with the shining Christ. Therefore it is said: "And the light of the Lord our God shall be upon us" (Psalm 89:17). And they are also called "the light of the world" (Matt. 5:14), as if (lamps) were set up in silver-plated brass: for it is an affirmation for them that they use a word that is brighter and more euphonious, for "the Lord," it is said, "will give a word to them that preach good tidings with much power" (Psalm 67:12). "How beautiful are the feet of the evangelist on the mountains," it is written (Isaiah 52:7).

П. Глубоко слово, но к истине близко.

К. Итак, с окончанием заповедей и о покрывалах, обращается к составу елея и мира, а равно и курений, так говоря: «И вели сынам Израилевым, чтобы они приносили тебе елей чистый, выбитый из маслин, для освещения, чтобы горел светильник во всякое время; в скинии собрания вне завесы, которая пред [ковчегом] откровения, будет зажигать его Аарон и сыновья его, от вечера до утра, пред лицем Господним. [Это] устав вечный для поколений их от сынов Израилевых» (Исх. 27, 20-21).

П. И что же это значит?

К. Я думаю, что эта прикровенная речь есть мудрая и имеет настоятельнейшую нужду в изъяснении: ибо семь лампад непрестанно горящих и светящих в святой скинии, весьма легко можно уподобить освещению Христову, имеющему достаточную силу к осиянию и возжжению и наполнению ума верующих: потому что число семь везде указывает на значение совершенства, как, например, в изречении: «бесплодная рождает семь раз» (1Цар. 2, 5), то есть весьма много и сколько нужно было к довольству. Возжигают же лампады Аарон и остальные следовавшие за ним священники: ибо исходящее от Христа освещение как бы неугасимым сохраняется в церквах посредством честной жизни предназначенных к священству, которые правым тайноводством осиявают ум верующих: потому что это, я думаю, значит возжигание лампад от вечера до утра. Темнотою же я считаю исходящее от диавола заблуждение и, как бы какою мысленною ночью настигающею умы людей, — бессветные и неясные басни нечестивых еретиков. Итак, постоянно и непрестанно видим был бы свет Спасителя в церквах, если бы учители их правильно истолковывали Божественные и евангельские проповеди. Елей же чистый: ибо от дрождей и всякой нечистоты совершенно свободно правое и истинное и не имеющее примеси дурного слово о Божественных догматах, которое всегда поддерживает освещение Спасителя, не само от себя прибавляя что-либо к светлости Христа (потому что вполне безумно было бы думать, что Он нуждается в человеке), но потому, что Христос, пребывая светом истинным и сиянием Отца (ср. Евр.1, 3), в правом учении учителей является умам верующих тем, что Он истинно есть.

П. Но почему говорит: «елей чистый, выбитый из маслин»? Вероятно, самая точность указания заключает в себе какое-либо из необходимых умосозерцаний.