And the skillfully woven band of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same workmanship, according to its work; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
All Commentaries on Exodus 28:8 Go To Exodus 28
Gregory The Dialogist
AD 604
Further, it is rightly enjoined that the humeral veil be made of gold, hyacinth, purple, scarlet twice dyed, and fine twisted linen, so that it may be evident with what variety of virtues the priest should be conspicuous. Thus in the vesture of the priest the gold is resplendent beyond all else; so should he especially shine beyond all others in the understanding of wisdom. Hyacinth is added, brilliant with the color of the skies, that by every matter which he penetrates with his understanding, he may not stoop to the base favors of earth but rise up to the love of heavenly things. He must beware of being incautiously snared by praise, thus despoiling himself of even the appreciation of truth. With the gold and blue of the vesture there is also a mingling of purple. That is to say, the heart of the priest, while hoping for those high matters about which he preaches, should repress in itself the remotest suggestions of vice. He should, as it were, with kingly power reject them, ever setting his gaze on the nobility of his interior regeneration and safeguarding by his way of living his right to the heavenly kingdom…. Now to gold, blue and purple is added twicedyed scarlet, to signify that in the eyes of the Judge of the heart all that is good in virtues must be adorned with charity and that everything that is resplendent in human eyes must in the sight of the Judge within be lit up with the flame of love coming from the heart. Moreover, because this charity embraces both God and neighbor, its radiance is, as it were, of a double hue. He therefore that sighs for the beauty of his Maker but neglects the care of his neighbor, or who so compasses the care of the neighbor as to grow listless in divine love, in neglecting either of these does not know what it means to have twicedyed scarlet in the adornment of the humeral. But while the mind is intent on the precepts of charity, it remains, beyond doubt, that the flesh must be mortified by abstinence. Consequently finetwisted linen is joined with the twicedyed scarlet. Now fine linen comes from the earth with radiant hue. And what else is designated by linen but chastity, radiant in the comeliness of bodily cleanness? The twisted linen is also woven into the beauty of the humeral, for then chastity issues into the perfect radiance of purity, when the flesh is spent with abstinence. While thus, in company with the other virtues, the merit of mortified flesh is revealed, as it were, the twisted linen is resplendent in the variegated beauty of the humeral.
