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The Tabernacle's Typology: Christ, the Theotokos, and the Christian Temple
4:25
The audio reading presents an article from the Orthodox Study Bible on the tabernacle built by Moses according to precise divine instructions received on Mount Sinai. The tabernacle was a movable tent where God manifested his glory in a shining cloud and promised: "I shall be known to you to speak to you. There I shall give directions to the children of Israel, and I shall be sanctified in my glory."
The Ark of the Covenant held three objects that prefigure Christ: the tablets of the law point to Christ the lawgiver, the manna to Christ as the bread of life, and Aaron's budded staff to the life-giving cross. St. Gregory of Nyssa teaches that the tabernacle encompasses the universe and is Christ, the power and wisdom of God, and also prefigures the Theotokos whose womb became the tabernacle where the Lord dwelt.
St. John Chrysostom identifies the "greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands" as the flesh of Christ, in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwells. The wilderness tabernacle was superseded by the temple in Jerusalem, which in turn is superseded by Christ and his body, the Church. In holy baptism every Christian becomes a temple of the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul writes: "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit?"
St. Isaac of Nineveh affirms this indwelling. The fulfillment comes in the kingdom of heaven where, as St. John sees, "the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple," and all earthly types vanish as the redeemed behold God in unmediated glory.
Key moments
- Moses received precise instructions for building the tabernacle on Mount Sinai, a movable tent where God met the assembly of Israel and manifested his glory in a shining cloud.
- The Lord promises at the tabernacle: "I shall be known to you to speak to you. There I shall give directions to the children of Israel, and I shall be sanctified in my glory."
- The Ark of the Covenant held three objects prophetic of Christ: the tablets of the law prefigure Christ the lawgiver, the manna points to Christ as the bread of life, and Aaron's budded staff prefigures the life-giving cross.
- St. Gregory of Nyssa says the tabernacle encompasses the universe and is Christ, the power and wisdom of God, and also prefigures Mary the Theotokos whose womb becomes the tabernacle where the Lord dwells.
- St. John Chrysostom explains that the "greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands" in the New Testament means the flesh of Christ, in whom God the Word and all the power of the Spirit dwell.
- The movable tabernacle is superseded by the temple in Jerusalem, which in turn is superseded by Christ and the church which is his body.
- In baptism every Christian becomes a tabernacle, a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says: "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit?"
- St. John sees no temple in heaven because "the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple," and all earthly types vanish as the redeemed behold God in unmediated glory.