The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
Read Chapter 28
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Gold. This is the third time it has been mentioned, according to its different degrees of excellence. Hence it is called by the most common name, (Calmet) zahab. (Haydock)
Crystal was formerly more "transparent "than we have it at present. (Calmet)
Zecucith (Haydock) denotes something of this kind. (Calmet)
77. Who that is sound of perception would deem it worthy to understand this according to the letter? For ‘glass,’ as we said above, is of much less worth than ‘gold,’ and after it was said that ‘gold is not equal’ to this Wisdom, it is yet further, as if heightening, subjoined, that ‘glass’ too cannot equal it either. But the bare letter failing us in the historical sense, sends us to investigating the mystery of the allegory. For we know that the metal gold shines with a superior brightness to all the metals. But it is of the nature of glass that whilst seen without it shines with perfect transparency in the inside. In every other metal whatever is contained within is hidden from sight, but in the case of glass, every liquid, such as it is contained within, such is it shewn to be without, and, so to say, all the liquid in a glass vessel, whilst shut up is open. What other thing, then, do we understand by ‘gold and glass,’ but that heavenly Country, that society of blessed citiz...
