The two weeks [of festivity] and the two solemn celebrations were accomplished by the people of the Lord with the greatest joy. The former prefigured the festivals of our church, which Christ began with the mystical dedication of his temple and the transferring of the flesh which he had assumed, to heaven; the latter foreshadowed the last day, the greatest of all solemn days, that will dawn for all saints after the resurrection of the flesh. And the distribution of the ministries and offices in the heavenly and everlasting temple will follow that day. ^[1] THE BIBLICAL AUTHOR MAKES NO OMISSIONS. ISHO‘DAD OF MERV: The words there was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone does not mean that the author did not know that there were also the jar [containing the manna], the staff [of Aaron], and so forth. He simply wants to signify all the rest by mentioning the most important part, because he writes for the Jews who already knew the other objects. ^[1] BLESSING FROM THE PILLAR. ISHO‘DAD OF MERV: While the king prayed and blessed the people, he stood on a pillar of bronze whose height was five cubits and whose width was two cubits.^[1] He climbed it by means of a flight of steps. All the kings stood on it when they needed to speak to the people. This is why [the Scripture] says, And when she looked up, Jehoash stood on the pillar, according to the royal custom.^{[2] [3]}

Now notice that Solomon did not only pray for his people but also for the foreigners and the strangers who distrusted the nation of Israel and were often hostile to it, so that the son of David might show the God of David to everyone in general, by praying for his enemies and by speaking ahead of time for us those future words: But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.^[1]

Solomon the son of David, in the books styled The Reigns of the Kings, comprehending not only that the structure of the true temple was celestial and spiritual but had also a reference to the flesh, which he who was both the son and the Lord of David was to build up, both for his own presence, where, as a living image, he resolved to make his shrine, and for the church that was to rise up through the union of faith, says expressly, Will God in very deed dwell with humans on the earth? He dwells on the earth clothed in flesh, and his abode with humans is effected by the conjunction and harmony that obtain among the righteous and that build . . . a new temple. For the righteous are the earth, being still encompassed with the earth; and earth, too, in comparison with the greatness of the Lord. Thus also the blessed Peter does not hesitate to say, You also, as living stones, are built up, a spiritual house, a holy temple, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.^[1] And with reference to the body, which by circumscription he consecrated as a hallowed place for himself on earth, he said, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again. The Jews therefore said, In forty-six years was this temple built, and will you raise it up in three days? But he spoke of the temple of his body.^[2]

Afterwards Solomon, hearing his father David say these things, and having built a wondrous house and foreseeing him who would come to it, says in astonishment, Is it then to be thought that God should indeed dwell on earth? Yes, says David in anticipation in the psalm inscribed For Solomon, wherein it is said, He shall be like rain coming down on the fleece;^[1] rain because of his heavenly origin but on the fleece because of his humanity. For rain, falling on fleece, falls noiselessly; so that, the mystery of his birth being unknown, the wise men said, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? And Herod, being troubled, inquired concerning him who had been born, and said, Where is the Christ born?^[2]

Therefore, the one God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, fills up the whole, contains the whole; as the whole is in each thing, so the whole is in everything; as the whole is in small things, so the whole is in the largest creatures. This is true of nature but not of grace. When it creates human beings, it does not by the same act save them. While it makes them, it does not by the same act remake them. While it makes that sun to rise over the good and the evil, it does not do the same when the sun of justice rises on those on whom the light, not of the flesh but of the heart, is poured by the gift of prevenient mercy. As it belongs to all to be born through nature, it does not in the same way belong to all to be reborn through grace. Since the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit by nature are one God, eternal and infinite, there is nothing in heaven, nothing on earth, nothing above the heavens, nothing in any nature that he made that has not been made, where the same one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, could be missing. In God, just as there is no mutability of times, so there is no spatial capacity. As Solomon truly said at the dedication of the temple in these words: Even heaven and the highest cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built. ^[1] BLIGHT AND MILDEW. ISHO‘DAD OF MERV: [The Scripture] defines them as diseases deriving from changes in the weather. Blight [occurs when] wheat does not grow. Therefore [we read] these words: Pharaoh saw ears blighted by a burning wind.^[1] Mildew derives from excessive heat and constant bad weather and descends on wheat in the form of drops like rain. One who ignores it calls it dew, but it burns and dries up wheat when it falls on it. ^[2] GUILT WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED. ISHO‘DAD OF MERV: The words knowing the rebellion of their own heart, mean that, when they are saved, they will know that God had previously turned away from them and had crushed them by misfortunes because they had sinned and acted rebelliously. ^[1]

When he was in Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover, many believed in his name, seeing the signs that he was working. But Jesus himself did not trust himself to them.^[1] For those disciples were more dependable who came to him not only by reason of miracles but also because of his teaching. Miracles, indeed, attracted the more slow-witted, but prophecies and teaching, the more intelligent. And those who were won over by teaching were, in truth, more steadfast than those won by miracles. Christ has even called them blessed, saying, Blessed are they who have not seen and yet have believed.^[2] That the others were not of his true disciples the next words show, for the Evangelist added, Jesus did not trust himself to them.^[3] Why? In that he knew all people and because he had no need that anyone should bear witness concerning humankind, for he himself knew what was in humanity. What this means is as follows: He who dwells in the very hearts of people and enters into their minds did not give heed to outward words. Knowing clearly that the fervor of these people was transient, he did not feel confidence in them as full-fledged disciples, nor did he entrust all his teachings to them as if they were already firm believers. Now to know what is in the hearts of people belongs to him who has fashioned the heart of each of them,^[4] that is, to God, for you only, Scripture says, know what is in every human heart. He did not, then, need witness in order to know the minds of his own creatures; therefore, he did not have confidence in them by reason of their inconstant faith. People who know neither the present nor the future often both say and confide everything without hesitation to those who treacherously approach them and who will presently forsake them, but not so Christ, for he clearly knows all secrets.

For Holy Scripture supports the freedom of the will where it says: Keep your heart with all diligence,^[1] but the apostle indicates its weakness by saying The Lord keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.^[2] David asserts the power of free will, where he says, I have inclined my heart to do your righteous acts,^[3] but he also teaches us its weakness, by praying and saying, Incline my heart unto your testimonies and not to covetousness.^[4] Solomon also: The Lord incline our hearts to himself that we may walk in all his ways and keep his commandments and ordinances and judgments.

We read that two altars were set up in the temple built by Solomon, one outside and one within. On the one that was outside, the sacrifice of animals took place, while on the one inside, the burning of incense was offered. Let us see, brothers, whether there are two altars set up in ourselves, the one that is of the body and the other that is of the heart. God, finally, asks a twofold sacrifice of us: the one, that we be chaste in body; the other, that we should be pure of heart. For this reason good works are offered on the exterior altar, that is, in our body. May holy thoughts emit a sweet fragrance in our hearts, and let us continually do what is pleasing to God on the altar or our heart. We celebrate the consecration of an altar with joy and in right order of things at the time when we offer the altars of our heart and body purified in the sight of the divine majesty and with a good conscience.

But we should note this too: having explained the dedication and subsequent festival, Scripture concludes, And Solomon dismissed the people, who blessed the king and set out for their own dwellings joyfully and glad of heart for all the goodness the Lord had done for David his servant and for his people Israel. When he has brought to completion the gift of resurrection, our Lord dismisses his elect joyfully to their eternal dwelling places. Surely he does not move them further away from his presence but lets them pass into the dwelling place of the heavenly fatherland after the division at the final judgment (which, according to the saying of the apostle, we know will take place in the air),^[1] so that each may receive his promised seat in the kingdom in proportion to his deserts. What is said here, that the people set out for their own dwellings, refers to the setting-out of which our Lord speaks in the Gospel: In my Father’s house are many mansions.^[2] And it is well said that the people set out for their own dwellings while blessing the king, because this is the single supremely tranquil and joyful action of the heavenly citizens, singing hymns of thanksgiving to their Maker. Thus is it written, Happy are they who dwell in your house; they will praise you forever.^[3] Thus the same prophet [David] has filled the final seven psalms^[4] with the sweetness of the divine praises; moreover, in the eighth psalm before the end of the psalter,^[5] he commemorates by blessing the Lord for his victory in the fight in which he killed the giant [Goliath]. In this he clearly indicates that all who triumph in their contests against the malignant enemy here below will sing the praises of their Maker and Helper there, where they will have true rest. They blessed the king and set out for their own dwellings joyfully and glad of heart for all the goodness the Lord had done for David his servant and for his people Israel. The just do indeed go into the dwellings of the heavenly mansions joyfully because of the goodness they have received from the Lord. Although the labors of this age are burdensome and prolonged, whatever ends in eternal blessedness seems short-lived and trifling. Hence each one of us, dearly loved, must press on with his devout actions by exerting himself to the extent of his ability by encouraging, entreating and rebuking in the building up of the house of God, lest, if the heavenly King catches sight of anyone slothful now in the work [of building] his temple, he may make him an outcast from his great solemn celebration at the time of the dedication.