The Lord said to Moses, “You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it, with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet.
—Exodus 30:17-19
He made the basin of bronze and its stand of bronze, from the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered in the entrance of the tent of meeting.
—Exodus 38:8
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
—1 Corinthians 13:12
Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
—Philippians 2:4, 4:8
Some prisoners might see a prison-breaking earthquake as an opportunity for themselves, a chance to escape. Paul and Silas saw it as an opportunity to look out for the interests of others and to serve others, including the jailer who had put their feet in the stocks. And thereby to serve the Lord.
The basin of water allowed the priests to wash before entering the tent or burning a sacrifice on the altar—to be clean before approaching the Lord. The bronze for the basin came from mirrors.
Mirrors can be very useful: removing a speck from one's own eye, combing hair before going out, checking the fit of a coat before buying it, and so on. But mirrors can also represent vanity or obsession with one's own image. So, there's beauty in the idea of mirrors being transformed into a means of cleansing and preparation for worship.
Polished metal mirrors can be surprisingly good, even good enough for use in telescopes. But such mirrors reflect from their front surface, unlike today's typical framed mirror or hand mirror, with the reflection coming from a layer on the back surface that is protected by the glass in front. So, an everyday metal mirror can accumulate scratches and dents and discoloration, leading to a less-than-perfect reflection.
It may be surprising how often references to light and seeing come up in Paul's letter to the believers in Philippi. The first readers of that letter must have known of Paul's experiences there, some of them even eyewitnesses of how Paul and Silas had looked beyond self-interest to the needs of others. Paul had been transformed from his former career as a Pharisee into one who offered the cleansing and healing word of the Lord. And the jailer had been transformed into one who washed the wounds of Paul and Silas.
That must have given extra meaning for them, as he urged them to practice what they had seen in him, and so come to the God of peace.
Bronze Mirrors (part 3)
To you I lift up my eyes,
O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
—Psalm 123:1
The Lord said to Moses, “You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it, with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet.
—Exodus 30:17-19
He made the basin of bronze and its stand of bronze, from the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered in the entrance of the tent of meeting.
—Exodus 38:8
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
—1 Corinthians 13:12
Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
—Philippians 2:4, 4:8
Some prisoners might see a prison-breaking earthquake as an opportunity for themselves, a chance to escape. Paul and Silas saw it as an opportunity to look out for the interests of others and to serve others, including the jailer who had put their feet in the stocks. And thereby to serve the Lord.
The basin of water allowed the priests to wash before entering the tent or burning a sacrifice on the altar—to be clean before approaching the Lord. The bronze for the basin came from mirrors.
Mirrors can be very useful: removing a speck from one's own eye, combing hair before going out, checking the fit of a coat before buying it, and so on. But mirrors can also represent vanity or obsession with one's own image. So, there's beauty in the idea of mirrors being transformed into a means of cleansing and preparation for worship.
Polished metal mirrors can be surprisingly good, even good enough for use in telescopes. But such mirrors reflect from their front surface, unlike today's typical framed mirror or hand mirror, with the reflection coming from a layer on the back surface that is protected by the glass in front. So, an everyday metal mirror can accumulate scratches and dents and discoloration, leading to a less-than-perfect reflection.
It may be surprising how often references to light and seeing come up in Paul's letter to the believers in Philippi. The first readers of that letter must have known of Paul's experiences there, some of them even eyewitnesses of how Paul and Silas had looked beyond self-interest to the needs of others. Paul had been transformed from his former career as a Pharisee into one who offered the cleansing and healing word of the Lord. And the jailer had been transformed into one who washed the wounds of Paul and Silas.
That must have given extra meaning for them, as he urged them to practice what they had seen in him, and so come to the God of peace.