And the arches round about were five and twenty cubits long, and five cubits broad.
The gates into the inner court mirror those into the outer court exactly, same dimensions, same chambers, same carvings, yet the inner gates climb eight steps while the outer climb seven. Grace works the same way in all believers, but those who draw nearest to God must rise higher still, ascending one step further above the world than common folk do.
AI summary
Commenting on Ezekiel 40:27-38
And the arches thereof were toward the outward court,.... And so not within the gate of the inward court, but on the outside of it, towards the outward court, at the front of the gate as you went in: and palm trees were upon the posts thereof; of the gate, or of these arches or porticos; signifying that none should enter here but righteous persons...
This verse is omitted in the Septuagint, the Vatican manuscript, and others. The dimensions here of the inner gate do not correspond to the outer, though Eze 40:28 asserts that they do. HAVERNICK, retaining the verse, understands it of another porch looking inwards toward the temple. arches--the porch [FAIRBAIRN]; the columns on which the arches rest [HENDERSON].