es
made by hands." It was therefore unfitting that in the Old Law a
tabernacle or temple should be set up for the worship of God.

Obj. 2: Further, the state of the Old Law was not changed except by
Christ. But the tabernacle denoted the state of the Old Law.
Therefore it should not have been changed by the building of a temple.

Obj. 3: Further, the Divine Law, more than any other indeed, should
lead man to the worship of God. But an increase of divine worship
requires multiplication of altars and temples; as is evident in
regard to the New Law. Therefore it seems that also under the Old Law
there should have been not only one tabernacle or temple, but many.

Obj. 4: Further, the tabernacle or temple was ordained to the worship
of God. But in God we should worship above all His unity and
simplicity. Therefore it seems unbecoming for the tabernacle or
temple to be divided by means of veils.

Obj. 5: Further, the power of the First Mover, i.e. God, appears
first of all in the east, for it is in that quarter that the first
movement begins. But the tabernacle was set up for the worship of
God. Therefore it should have been built so as to point to the east
rather than the west.

Obj. 6: Further, the Lord commanded (Ex. 20:4) that they should "not
make . . . a graven thing, nor the likeness of anything." It was
therefore unfitting for graven images of the cherubim to be set up in
the tabernacle or temple. In like manner, the ark, the propitiatory,
the candlestick, the table, the two altars, seem to have been placed
there without reasonable cause.

Obj. 7: Further, the Lord commanded (Ex. 20:24): "You shall make an
altar of earth unto Me": and again (Ex. 20:26): "Thou shalt not go up
by steps unto My altar." It was therefore unfitting that subsequently
they should be commanded to make an altar of wood laid over with gold
or brass; and of such a height that it was impossible to go up to it
except by steps. For it is written (Ex. 27:1, 2): "Thou shalt make
also an altar of setim wood, which shall be five cubits long, and as
many broad . . . and three cubits high . . . and thou shalt cover it
with brass": and (Ex. 30:1, 3): "Thou shalt make . . . an altar to
burn incense, of setim wood . . . and thou shalt overlay it with the
purest gold."

Obj. 8: Further, in God's works nothing should be superfluous; for
not even in the works of nature is anything superfluous to be found.
But one cover suffices for one tabernacle or h