The ten curtains: the churches joined in one
Palladius: Well said.
Cyril: If someone chose to treat it in very fine detail, the discussion of each point would grow long and branch in many directions. But one should know that some features belong to the vessels and lie close to contemplation and mystical meanings, while others were devised for the adornment and use of the tent. So I will cut the length of the discussion as far as I can, speak briefly, and keep the account short. He said, then: ‘You shall make the tent with ten curtains of twisted linen, blue, purple and twisted scarlet. You shall make them with Cherubim, the work of a weaver. The length of one curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of one curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall have the same measure. Five curtains shall be joined to one another, one to the other, and five curtains shall be joined, one to the other’ (Exodus 26:1–3). So there are ten curtains, and they are closely fastened to one another. For there are many dwelling places with the Father (John 14:2), and all who dwell in them have one holy aim, and one knowledge of God. For God has called us in peace, as it is written (1 Corinthians 7:15). If you like, you may take the ten curtains and consider them to be the full number of the churches throughout the world, not scattered into dissension or discordant opinion, but united in spirit and, as it were, bound tightly into one in the unity that is in Christ through faith. For everywhere and in all of them there is ‘one Lord, one faith, one baptism’ (Ephesians 4:5). Each of the curtains is four cubits wide and twenty-eight long (Exodus 26:2). The riddle is intricate and subtle, but I think it shows, darkly and dimly, that even the training given through the law is in some way accepted in the churches. It is very narrow, because the letter is obscure; yet as time stretches on in length, it will have as its end the mystery of Christ, that is, the eighth, the resurrection that took place on the eighth day. For Christ is the end of the law (Romans 10:4) and of the prophets, and to him the divine David cried aloud: ‘Your commandment is exceedingly broad’ (Psalm 119:96). The inspired Paul also writes to those who had valued worship under the law above faith in Christ: ‘Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians; our heart has been enlarged. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. In return (I speak as to children), be enlarged yourselves as well. Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers’ (2 Corinthians 6:11–14). Do you see that wanting to attach oneself to the Jews who disobeyed, who still speak the things of the law now that faith has come, makes people restricted?
Palladius: I understand.
Cyril: The cloth of the curtains is of twisted linen, blue, purple and twisted scarlet (Exodus 26:1). For the adornment of the Church is richly varied. This is what the inspired David also sings, speaking somewhere of her in this way (Psalm 45:9): ‘The queen stood at your right hand, clothed in a robe woven with gold,
Greek
{ΠΑΛΛ.} Εὖ ἔφης.
{ΚΥΡ.} Εἰ μὲν οὖν ἕλοιτό τις ἄγαν ἰσχνομυθεῖν, μακρὸς ἂν γένοιτο καὶ πολυσχιδὴς ὁ ἐφ' ἑκάστῳ λόγος. Ἰστέον δὲ ὅτι, τὰ μὲν σκευῶν καὶ θεωρίας ἀγχοῦ καὶ λόγων ἐστὶ μυστικῶν, τὰ δὲ εἰς κόσμον τε καὶ χρείαν ἐκμεμηχάνηται τῆς σκηνῆς· ὑποτεμὼν δὲ, ὡς ἔνι, τὸ μῆκος τοῦ λόγου, ἐν βραχέσιν ἐρῶ, καὶ συστελῶ τὸ διήγημα. Ἔφη τοίνυν, ὅτι «Καὶ τὴν σκηνὴν ποιήσεις δέκα αὐλαίας, ἐκ βύσσου κεκλωσμένης, καὶ ὑακίνθου καὶ πορφύρας, καὶ κοκκίνου κεκλωσμένου. Χερουβὶμ ἐργασίαν ὑφαντοῦ ποιήσεις αὐτά· μῆκος τῆς αὐλαίας τῆς μιᾶς, ὀκτὼ καὶ εἴκοσι πήχεις, καὶ εὖρος τεσσάρων πήχεων ἡ αὐλαία ἡ μία ἔσται· μέτρον τὸ αὐτὸ ἔσται πάσαις ταῖς αὐλαίαις. Πέντε δὲ αὐλαῖαι ἔσονται ἐξ ἀλλήλων συνεχόμεναι, ἑτέρα ἐκ τῆς ἑτέρας, καὶ πέντε αὐλαῖαι ἔσονται συνεχόμεναι, ἑτέρᾳ τῇ ἑτέρᾳ.» Δέκα μὲν οὖν αἱ αὐλαῖα· καὶ ἀλλήλων ἀπρὶξ ἡμμέναι· πολλαὶ γὰρ μοναὶ παρὰ τῷ Πατρὶ, καὶ τῶν ἐνοικούντων αὐταῖς εἷς που πάντων καὶ ὅσιος ὁ σκοπὸς, μία δὲ καὶ ἡ περὶ Θεοῦ γνῶσις. Ἐν γὰρ εἰρήνῃ κέκληκεν ἡμᾶς ὁ Θεὸς, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον. Ἐκδέξῃ δὲ, εἰ δοκεῖ, τὰς δέκα αὐλαίας, εἶναί τε οἰήσῃ τὸ πλήρωμα τῶν εἰς κόσμον Ἐκκλησιῶν, οὐ διεσπαρμένων εἰς διχόνοιαν, ἢ εἰς ἀσύμφωνον δόξαν, ἀλλ' ἡνωμένων ἐν πνεύματι, καὶ οἱονεί πως συνεσφιγμένων εἰς ἓν καθ' ἑνότητα τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ διὰ πίστεως. Πανταχοῦ γὰρ καὶ ἐν πάσαις εἷς Κύριος, μία πίστις, ἓν βάπτισμα. Πλάτος δὲ ἑκάστῃ τῶν αὐλαιῶν πήχεις τέσσαρες, καὶ ὀκτὼ καὶ εἴκοσι τὸ μῆκος. Καὶ περίεργον μὲν καὶ ἰσχνὸν τὸ αἴνιγμα, πλὴν οἶμαι καταδηλοῦν αὐτὸ σκοτεινῶς τε καὶ ἀμυδρῶς, ὅτι καὶ ἡ διὰ νόμου παίδευσις δεκτή πως ἐν Ἐκκλησίαις, στενοτάτη μὲν οὖσα διά γε τὸ ἀσυμφανὲς τοῦ γράμματος· προϊόντος γε μὴν εἰς μῆκος τοῦ χρόνου, τέλος ἕξει τὸ περὶ Χριστοῦ μυστήριον, τοῦτ' ἔστι, τὴν ὀγδόην, ἤτοι τὴν ἐν ὀγδόῃ γενομένην ἀνάστασιν. Τέλος γὰρ νόμου καὶ προφητῶν ὁ Χριστὸς, πρὸς ὃν καὶ ὁ θεῖος ἀνακέκραγε Δαβίδ· «Πλατεῖα ἡ ἐντολή σου σφόδρα.» Γράφει δὲ καὶ ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος, τοῖς τὴν ἐν νόμῳ λατρείαν τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως προτετιμηκόσι· «Τὸ στόμα ἡμῶν ἀνέῳγε πρὸς ὑμᾶς, Κορίνθιοι, ἡ καρδία ἡμῶν πεπλάτυνται· οὐ στενοχωρεῖσθε ἐν ἡμῖν, στενοχωρεῖσθε δὲ ἐν τοῖς σπλάγχνοις ὑμῶν. Τὴν δὲ αὐτὴν ἀντιμισθίαν ὡς τέκνοις λέγω. Πλατύνθητε καὶ ὑμεῖς, μὴ γίνεσθε ἑτεροζυγοῦντες ἀπίστοις.» Ὁρᾷς ὅτι τὸ προσκεῖσθαι θέλειν τοῖς ἀπειθήσασιν Ἰουδαίοις καὶ λαλοῦσιν ἔτι τὰ ἐν νόμῳ μετὰ τὴν πίστιν, στενοχωρεῖσθαι ποιεῖ;
{ΠΑΛΛ.} Συνίημι.
{ΚΥΡ.} Ἱστία δὲ ταῖς αὐλαίαις ἐκ βύσσου κεκλωσμένης, καὶ ὑακίνθου καὶ πορφύρας, καὶ κοκκίνου κεκλωσμένου. Παμποίκιλος γὰρ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ὁ κόσμος. Τοῦτό τοι καὶ ὁ θεσπέσιος ψάλλει Δαβὶδ, ὡδί πη λέγων περὶ αὐτῆς· «Παρέστη ἡ βασίλισσα ἐκ δεξιῶν σου ἐν ἱματισμῷ διαχρύσῳ περιβεβλημένη,