Commentaria in Exodum
The Hebrews add, finished off, or equal-ended: thou shalt make these little chains equal, that is, so that they end equally at the end of the rational, and are inserted into its extreme rings; but this is sufficiently explained in the description of the rational itself, verses 24 and 25. Whence our Interpreter omitted it, to avoid this repetition.
15. THOU SHALT MAKE ALSO THE RATIONAL OF JUDGMENT WITH EMBROIDERED WORK.—This is the second vestment of the high priest, which was the most sacred part of the ephod itself, that is, of the superhumeral, and of all the priestly vestments. It is called by the Hebrews choshen, by the Greeks logeion, by the Latins rationale, and that, first, because it admonished the high priest, and consequently the people, of those things which were to be considered, with the highest prudence and reason, in his office, sacrifices and priesthood, and which were signified by the names of the children of Israel, and by Urim and Thummim, that is, by the doctrine and truth which were inscribed on the rational.
Secondly, because this rational gave oracles, as though it were endowed with a provident and prophetic mind or reason: whence the rational might be called both vocal and verbal; for the Greek logion signifies both, says St. Augustine, Question 116. The Hebrew choshen also signifies both. For from the root chasa, that is, to be silent, it is called choshen by antiphrasis, as though by no means silent, or because, though silent, it yet gave oracles through the priest.
Thirdly, choshen alludes to chosen with samech, that is, strength and protection, because this rational fortified and protected the breast of the priest like a breastplate.
Fourthly, choshen alludes, by metathesis, to nachash, that is, he divined, he gave an oracle.
Hence it is called “the rational of judgment”: of judgment, I say, partly human, that is, due (for this the word judgment signifies), and of the office of the priest and of the people of Israel, of which, as I said, it admonished them; partly divine, in which God, namely, pronounced His sentence through the high priest. For the high priest, clothed with the rational, consulted the Lord about doubtful matters, and was instructed by Him about them, discharging the pontifical office in the name of the whole people, and presently himself declared to the people the judgment of God, that is, the sentence and oracle.
Tropologically, the rational of judgment signifies purity of thoughts, likewise prudence and circumspection, and the reasonable examination of ourselves, both internal and external, namely of conscience as well as of outward works, which most adorn the priest; see Bede, book 3 On the Tabernacle, chap. 5, and Gregory, part 2 of the Pastoral Rule, chap. 2 and following. So that Abbot in the Lives of the Fathers, book 5, chap. 11, no. 39, said: “A monk ought daily, morning and evening, to think within himself what he has done of the things which God wills, and what he has not done. And so, going over his whole life with repentance, a monk ought to be: for thus lived Abbot Arsenius.” The same examination, morning and evening, with great feeling and spirit of compunction, St. Ephrem used to make, as he himself confesses in the Life of St. Mary the harlot, at the end.
16. IT SHALL BE FOURSQUARE,—not geometrically, but physically, as if to say: It shall be square: for this rational was not longer in one dimension than the other, but was equilateral in all its parts: for it had a palm, or span, that is, twelve fingers.
AND DOUBLED,—that is, folded double, and consisting of a double cloth, that it might be able to bear the stones, or gems, to be set in it.
17. AND THOU SHALT SET IN IT FOUR ROWS OF STONES.—The Lord Himself expressed and described these rows of stones for mysteries. These stones, says St. Jerome, we read in the diadem of the prince of Tyre, Ezech. 28 (though there only nine stones are read, which signify the nine orders of angels, says St. Jerome: for from each some fell with Lucifer, whom the king of Tyre represents), and in the Apocalypse of St. John chap. 21, but in another order: for in the Apocalypse the twelve stones signify the twelve Apostles, who are the foundations of the Church militant and triumphant: whence under the names and appearance of these stones the order or diversity of virtues is indicated, says St. Jerome.
Where note, that in the names of these stones, as also of herbs, trees, birds and animals, the more recent Hebrews are blind and guess; therefore lest we be deceived, it will be safest to follow St. Jerome, the Septuagint and the Chaldee, who here wonderfully agree.
Tropologically, the four rows of gems are the four cardinal virtues, says St. Jerome to Fabiola, which, when mingled with one another, make twelve combinations, as is plain if one combines each in order with the other three: for example, first, prudence with fortitude; second, prudence with temperance; third, prudence with justice; again, fourth, fortitude with prudence; fifth, fortitude with temperance; sixth, fortitude with justice, and so in succession let him combine temperance and justice with the other three.
The three stones in each row are the three theological virtues, says Bede.
Allegorically, Tertullian, book 4 Against Marcion, chap. 13, teaches that by these twelve gems the twelve Apostles are signified: for by the same the Apostles are signified in Apoc. 21.
You will ask, why in these twelve gems is the diamond omitted, which holds the first place among gems? First, Alcazar on Apoc. 21:19, disputing about the chalcedony, thinks that the chalcedony of St. John is the carbuncle of Moses here, and that the carbuncle of Moses is the diamond. For there are, he says, whitish carbuncles, and therefore adamantine, which pass, that is, into diamonds, as coals (from whose likeness the carbuncle took its name), when they burn too much, do not glow red but white-hot, as appears in glowing iron, which where it is most fiery, glows white: whence it is called silver by blacksmiths. But I have refuted this on Apocal. 21:19.
Secondly, others think that God here omitted the diamond from the high priest’s rational because the diamond, being hard and intractable, is a symbol of a stubborn man and a tyrant. But this too I have refuted on Ezech. 3:9: for there Ezechiel is compared by God to a diamond, and is made a diamond.
I say, then, that the genuine literal reason of this matter is twofold. The first, that the diamond is of excessive price. For we see small diamonds, like a Roman bean, valued at 40 or 50 thousand gold pieces. Why, then, would a diamond of such size that the name of Juda, or of another tribe, could be inscribed on it, have cost more than a hundred thousand gold pieces? Whence this price? nay, the price aside, whence would the poor Hebrews, going out of Egypt, have procured so great a diamond for themselves? So the first Pontiffs and Christians, more zealous for religion, holiness and poverty than for pomp and splendour, preferred temples and chalices and other sacred things moderate and simple rather than over splendid and costly. “Formerly,” says one, “golden priests celebrated in wooden chalices, now wooden priests celebrate in golden chalices.” This seems to be the reason why the Emperor Constantine, most magnificent and likewise most religious, kept moderation in the temple of Sts. Peter and Paul and others, namely because St. Sylvester begged it of him in those beginnings of the temples and of Christianity coming to power; otherwise he would have built a new Pantheon, nay a temple of Solomon.
The second, lest there should be too great inequality between the tribe to which the diamond would be given and the rest, to whom other cheaper gems would be given, which would be to that tribe an occasion of pride and ambition, to the others of envy and hatred: as Joseph, on account of the coat of many colours received from his father, was hated and detested by his other brothers. For the diamond is the queen of gems, and incomparably surpasses all the rest in brilliance, hardness, solidity and price. St. Epiphanius adds, treatise On Stones and Gems (let him answer for the credit of it, for neither Moses nor Scripture mentions it), that the high priest in the time of Solomon, entering the temple on the three solemnities of the year, namely at the Pasch, Pentecost and the feast of Tabernacles, besides the gems of the rational, wore on his breast a diamond between two emeralds, which shone if the people, free from sins, were dear to God; but if by their sins they had provoked His anger, it became dark or blood-red, as though threatening the vengeance and sword of God. So among Christians the Supreme Pontiff wears a diamond on his breast, as I said on Ezech. 3:9.
The symbolic reason was, that it might be signified that the old priesthood, and so the old law and the synagogue, would not be adamantine, that is, unconquered, unbreakable, constant and perpetual; for they were to be broken and abolished by the priesthood, law and kingdom of Christ.