Commentaria in III Regum
The zophorus is that which is placed between the epistyle and the cornice, and is often seen adorned with cushioned figures and various ornaments.
The French call it la frise, just as here the second capital, like a zophorus, was adorned with a network of seven turns and two rows of pomegranates. The cornice is the very crown of the capital.
Villalpandus holds that these three capitals joined together were five cubits, as is said in verse 16, so that the epistyle was three cubits, as is had in 4 Kings, last chapter, verse 17, the zophorus two cubits, and the cornice one. Others, however, assign those five cubits to the second capital alone, since it alone had the network, and add to it three cubits for the epistyle and some for the cornice. But thus the capital would have been half the size of the column, for the latter was only 18 cubits. Wherefore, so that there may be a fitting proportion between the capitals and the column, it seems rather to be said that all the capitals did not exceed the measure of five cubits, for these have an architectural proportion with a column of 18 cubits.
20. AND AGAIN OTHER CAPITALS ON THE TOP OF THE COLUMNS ABOVE, ACCORDING TO THE MEASURE OF THE COLUMN, OVER AGAINST THE NETWORK.—Here he speaks of the third, or highest, capital, which was like a crown added to the column, “over against the network,” that is, above the network and opposite the network, which capital was “according to the measure of the column,” that is, it had the same thickness as the column, namely twelve cubits.
AND THE POMEGRANATES IN TWO HUNDRED ROWS WERE ROUND ABOUT THE SECOND CAPITAL,—for this second capital, as I said, was surrounded by a network from which a hundred pomegranates hung, and as many were inserted or interposed; for each network had two hundred pomegranates. The other column likewise had as many pomegranates in the network of its second capital, namely two hundred. Therefore, with both joined, there were in all 400 pomegranates made of brass; the hanging pomegranates, as is said, were precisely only 96, but Scripture counts a hundred, to assign a whole or full number, and perhaps the remaining four were there but were covered and did not appear. For this is what is said in Jeremias, last chapter, verse 23: “And there were ninety-six pomegranates hanging down, and all the pomegranates were a hundred round about upon the network,” that is, those that were interposed in the networks were a hundred; but the hanging ones were precisely not a hundred but 96. So Ribera, book 1 On the Temple, chapter 14.
21. AND HE SET UP THE TWO COLUMNS IN THE PORCH OF THE TEMPLE,—namely the porch which was the vestibule of the temple, and was therefore before the Holy Place, placed between the Holy Place and the court of the priests, of which chapter 6, verse 3, so that one column stood by one door of the porch, the other by the other. So Villalpandus. In the first entrance of the sanctuary, he says, he set them on either side of the door of the holy hall. So also Salianus, Adrichomius and others. Wrongly, therefore, do some place these columns before the court of the priests, and others before the court of the laity.
AND WHEN HE HAD SET UP THE RIGHT COLUMN, HE CALLED THE NAME OF IT JACHIN; IN LIKE MANNER HE SET UP THE SECOND COLUMN (on the left), AND CALLED THE NAME OF IT BOOZ.—JACHIN in Hebrew is the same as direction and rectitude, from the root cun, that is, to direct. Whence the Septuagint at 2 Paralipomenon 3, last verse, translate it “correction,” that is, “correction, direction, right disposition.” Booz in Hebrew is the same as “in him is strength.” Whence the Septuagint translate it “force,” that is, might and vigour. Some, such as Bede, Abulensis, Vatablus and Ribera, think that Solomon signified the same by these two names, “Jachin” and “Booz,” namely that he wished firmness and stability for the temple. For “Jachin” also at times signifies firmness and strength. Cajetan and others better distinguish these two, and by “Jachin,” that is, direction, understand prudence and wisdom; by “Booz” strength and firmness; so that Solomon signified by “Jachin” that this temple had been most elegantly built with wondrous skill and wisdom; by “Booz” that it had been most strongly founded, fortified and made stable; and by the same names disclosed his desire and vow, as if to say: Would that God might direct this my temple, as if it were his own Jachin, and strengthen it as his own Booz, that it may be cast down by no enemy, by no thunderbolt. Would that God might guard, direct and confirm for a very long time this my temple, or rather his own!
Again, the right column “Jachin,” says Cajetan, signified the directing authority both of God over all creatures and men, but chiefly over the Israelites and their temple, and of the kings and kingdom of Israel; whence both columns were crowned. The left column “Booz” signified the strength to carry out what had been prudently ordered through “Jachin,” that is, through the directing authority; for both are in God, and in God’s providence, which wisely and strongly governs all things; both are also necessary to kings. Solomon therefore gave thanks to God for both, and at the same time wished and asked that God would show both in the guarding of the temple, the people and the kingdom, and communicate the same to himself and his successors for ruling well.
Allegorically, these columns of the temple signify the wisdom of the Church and her firmness; for she herself is the pillar and ground of the truth, as the Apostle says alluding to this, 1 Timothy 3:15. See what is said there. Wherefore Jachin represents the Doctors and Rulers of the Church, for these teach and direct others in the way of virtue and salvation; Booz signifies the Martyrs and strong men. Whence St. Jerome, Bede, Eucherius and Angelomus say: The columns are the Apostles and Doctors, because by contemplation they are raised to heavenly things, and are strong in faith and work. They are two, because they support Jews and Gentiles. They are before the doors of the temple, to lead both into the temple, that is, into heaven. Again, they are two so as to teach that the course of the heavenly country is to be kept ever before the eyes of the mind, so that we may be neither cast down by adversities nor lifted up by prosperity, but, constant in faith and virtue amid both, may press on to heaven. So the authors cited. The line of 12 cubits, says Bede, is the rule of apostolic instruction. A capital is set upon the column, because “he that shall persevere to the end, and strive lawfully, shall be crowned,” as the Apostle says: “For he that striveth for the mastery is not crowned, unless he strive lawfully.” The height of the capital is five cubits, because the crown is given for the pleasures of the five senses bravely despised and overcome. The band encircling the capital is the beatitude which Theologians call accidental; it encircles it seven times, because this beatitude arises from very many things, and there are many causes of rejoicing, for seven is put for many.
Moreover, any saints eminent in the virtue of faith are columns: round on account of firmness in good works, erect through intention, lofty through contemplation, fluted or hollowed through mortification, by which they restrain depraved appetites and wear themselves down by the maceration of the flesh, which hollowing can also be referred to humility. Secondly, the two capitals are the two testaments, to whose meditation and observance the holy Doctors submit both mind and body. Thirdly, the appearance of chains and the likeness of a net on the capitals is the variety of spiritual virtues in the saints. Fourthly, the two hundred pomegranates signify their great and manifold charity, union, concord and zeal. Fifthly, the capitals ended in the flower of a lily. For what is designated by the lily but eternal happiness, and the pleasantness fragrant with the flowers of immortality, in which all the Saints at last end, and which they preach with others, as it were displaying it on high and setting it forth to be earned? So Angelomus and Bede: “What,” they say, “is designated by the lilies but the brightness of the heavenly country and the pleasantness of paradise fragrant with the flowers of immortality?” More minute details see in Ribera, book 2 On the Temple, chapter 15.
22. AND UPON THE TOP OF THE COLUMNS HE MADE WORK AFTER THE MANNER OF A LILY,—as if to say: Upon the whole work of the columns and capitals he set, as a crown, a lily, or the form of a lily made of the same brass, both to show the beauty of the temple and to ask its flowering from God, that in it piety and the pure and chaste worship of God might flourish. For the lily is a symbol of purity and virginity, as also of the glorious resurrection of Christ and of the Saints, according to that which the Church sings to the Martyrs in the Ecclesiastical Office: “The youth of the Saints shall be renewed like the eagles, and they shall flourish as the lily in the city of the Lord”; and in Paschal time: “Thy Saints, O Lord, shall flourish as the lily, and as the odour of balsam shall they be before thee, Alleluia.” And that of the Spouse: “I am the flower of the field and the lily of the valleys,” Canticle 2:1. See what is said there; and Ecclesiasticus 39:19, and Osee 14:6, where I said much on the symbols of lilies. Solomon, therefore, setting a lily on the temple, presented the purity, splendour, happiness and eternal glory of Christ, of the Blessed Virgin and of the Saints; for the temple was a figure of heaven, and of the heavenly manner of life, of the resurrection and of glory.