Of the lectures of the three different degrees of Blue Masonry, the most beautiful and the most succinct can be found in the 2nd degree monitor. It tells us of the winding stairs consisting of three, five and seven steps, and also gives us a glimpse of how both the Operative and Speculative masons form the core of the membership of Fraternity.
This article will not touch on the coded portions of the second-degree lecture of the Craft but will only delve on the teachings that are decoded and which can readily be understood even by the cowans and eavesdroppers and the new members of the Fraternity. And while the coded portions will be copied verbatim to preserve its mystic, the explanations will, in so far as practicable, be laid out in pure and simple form. Take for instance, “Shiboleth”, that word that was subjected to a previous article.
This article will still probe the second-degree lecture but will also touch topics that hardly ever merited serious attention- the various pillars that were mentioned as follows:
1. The two pillars named Boaz and Jachin that greets the candidate when he re-enters the lodge room during the second section of his passing;
2. The three pillars of the Lodge that the three lights represent in the discourse of the first three steps of the Winding Stairs; and
3. The pillars, also known as columns, that are explained in the lecture of the five steps of the Winding Stairs lecture which comprise the five orders of architecture.
Let’s take Item 1 first.
THE TWO PILLARS MENTIONED IN THE HOLY BIBLE
The two pillars named Boaz and Jachin that greeted the candidate upon his return to the lodge on the second section of the fellowcraft degree conferral have biblical basis and were mentioned at length in 2 Chronicles 3:15-17 and, depending on the reader’s preference on what version of the Holy Bible to use, said the following:
King James Version
“Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty and five cubits high, and the chapiters that was on top of each of them was five cubits. And he made chains as in the oracle, and put them on the heads of the pillars; and made a hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains. And he reared up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and called the name of the one on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.
Catholic Edition
“In front of the building he set two columns thirty five cubits high, the capital topping each was five cubits. He worked out chains in the form of a collar with which he encircled the capitals of the columns, and he made a hundred pomegranates which he set on the chains. He set up the columns to correspond with the nave, one for the right side and the other for the left and he called the one to the right Jachin and the one to the left Boaz.”
Berkeley Edition
Finally, in front of the house he set up two pillars, 52 feet high, each crowned with a 7 ½ foot capital. He made chains in the inner room to put on top of the pillars, fashioning also 100 pomegranates, which he attached to the chains. Thus he erected the pillars in front of the temple one at the right and one at the left, naming the former Jachin and the latter Boaz.”
Note that save for the interchange of the words chapiters with capitals, the use of chains instead of networks, and Berkeley’s Edition use of feet instead of cubits, all three versions are in harmony and are basically in agreement with the wordings and phrases that were used in the second-degree coded monitor.
These two pillars, incidentally, were also mentioned in 1 Kings 7:15-22 and except for slight deviations as to measurements (it mentioned 18 cubits and 27 feet for the Berkley Edition or roughly half the measurements mentioned in 2 Chronicles) it also narrated practically the same thing, and that is, it was made of brass, had chains (or network), had chapiters (or capitals) and also had pomegranates that adorned those pillars.
THE PUZZLE
But what caught this undivided writer’s attention hence subjected to critical review is the coded portion of the monitor which states thus:
Ths chapiters wr srmntd b pommls a bls rprsntg glbs.”
and was followed by a lengthy explanation which says:
“Their principal use, besides serving as maps to distinguish the outward parts of the earth and the situation of the fixed stars, is to illustrate and explain the phenomena arising from the annual revolution of the earth around the sun, and its diurnal rotation upon its own axis. They are valuable instruments for improving the mind and giving it the most distinct idea of any given problem of proposition, as well as for enabling it to solve the same. Contemplating these bodies, we are inspired with due reverence for the Deity and His works, and are induced to encourage the study of astronomy, geography, navigation and the arts dependent upon them, by which society has been so much benefited.” (italics supplied).
The above-mentioned explanations were deemed intriguing because while the word pommels were indeed mentioned in 2 Chronicles 4: 12, as “on top of the two pillars”, no mention whatsoever as to their uses was ever made, and following the dictum of not adding or subtracting anything from the Holy Scriptures, then the purpose of the pillars in front of the temple would appear to serve mainly as decoration. Could it be then, that our ancient brethren “cooked up” the astronomical relevance of the lecture?!
And so the search for clues to validate our ancient brethren’ assertions in the second degree monitor.
THE TWIN PILLARS AS INTERPRETED BY THE AUTHORS OF HIRAM KEY
Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas, authors of “Hiram Key” and the “Second Messiah”, postulated that the twin pillars which King Solomon ordered Hiram Abiff to construct in front of the temple represents Misphat which roughly translates to Judgment for Boaz, and Tsedeq or Teacher of Righteousness for Jachin. They alleged that these two pillars when joined together by the word Shalom, represents the rule of Yahweh in establishing the moral order of government on earth. Incidentally, this theory basically conforms to the pronouncement made in the second degree monitor that the two pillars when joined together meant what God promised to David when the lecturer said: “in strength will I establish this mansion house and kingdom forever.”
But this writer, not being familiar with the exact meanings or translations of the words Misphat, Tsedeq, Boaz and Jachin, would rather just leave these assertions to the said authors. Suffice it to say that the Bible said that Boaz is the great grandfather of David while Jachin is a name of one of the sons of Simeon, the eldest son of Jacob. What correlation these names have to the pillars of King Solomon, if any, this writer really does not know.
THE TWIN PILLARS IN THE EYES OF SECHARIA ZITCHIN
Zecharia Zitchin, author of “The Earth’s Chronicles“ whose sources were based on ancient Sumerian tablets that allegedly predates the Holy Bible, theorized that the twin pillars had astronomical relevance. These two pillars, he said, were similar to the devices called “obelisks” in ancient Egypt designed by the builders of the pyramids to determine the equinoctial or solstitial positions of the sun and had for its forerunner the tools and implements of Sumerian astronomy, the basis for the determination of the world’s calendar. Zitchin also claimed in his other book “The Lost Realms” that even at the other side of the globe in Ecuador, two similar pillars also adorn its temples which he claims was also erected for stargazing studies.
Verily therefore, Zitchin’s theories conform to our ancient brethren’s pronouncements that the pillars built by King Solomon on the porch fronting the Temple were indispensable tools for astronomical, geographical and navigational functions.
THE FATE OF THE TWIN PILLARS AS NARRATED IN THE HOLY BIBLE
The question that should now concern the reader before this article ends is: “whatever happened to these twin pillars that were erected by King Solomon” as the second-degree monitor suddenly dropped this issue as if it were a hot potato!!
Well, the answer can be found in the Book of Jeremiah that narrated the destruction of the kingdom of Judah when it was over run by King Nebuchadnezar in 586 BC. In this book (Jm 53: 17-18), it said:.
“The bronze pillars that belonged to the House of the Lord, and the wheeled carts and the bronze sea in the House of the Lord, the Chaldeans broke into pieces; they carried away all the bronze to Babylon.”
The twin pillars therefore, had been cast to oblivion but not before similar representations of which may be viewed in most modern-day Masonic Temples, (readers can easily see these either in front of the doorway of the old but now destroyed Masonic Temple at San Marcelino St., and another at the doorway of the new Grand Lodge of the Philippines temple at General Luna St.), and made available for the present and future generations of Masons to remember and behold.
This article will not touch on the coded portions of the second-degree lecture of the Craft but will only delve on the teachings that are decoded and which can readily be understood even by the cowans and eavesdroppers and the new members of the Fraternity. And while the coded portions will be copied verbatim to preserve its mystic, the explanations will, in so far as practicable, be laid out in pure and simple form. Take for instance, “Shiboleth”, that word that was subjected to a previous article.
This article will still probe the second-degree lecture but will also touch topics that hardly ever merited serious attention- the various pillars that were mentioned as follows:
1. The two pillars named Boaz and Jachin that greets the candidate when he re-enters the lodge room during the second section of his passing;
2. The three pillars of the Lodge that the three lights represent in the discourse of the first three steps of the Winding Stairs; and
3. The pillars, also known as columns, that are explained in the lecture of the five steps of the Winding Stairs lecture which comprise the five orders of architecture.
Let’s take Item 1 first.
THE TWO PILLARS MENTIONED IN THE HOLY BIBLE
The two pillars named Boaz and Jachin that greeted the candidate upon his return to the lodge on the second section of the fellowcraft degree conferral have biblical basis and were mentioned at length in 2 Chronicles 3:15-17 and, depending on the reader’s preference on what version of the Holy Bible to use, said the following:
King James Version
“Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty and five cubits high, and the chapiters that was on top of each of them was five cubits. And he made chains as in the oracle, and put them on the heads of the pillars; and made a hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains. And he reared up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and called the name of the one on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.
Catholic Edition
“In front of the building he set two columns thirty five cubits high, the capital topping each was five cubits. He worked out chains in the form of a collar with which he encircled the capitals of the columns, and he made a hundred pomegranates which he set on the chains. He set up the columns to correspond with the nave, one for the right side and the other for the left and he called the one to the right Jachin and the one to the left Boaz.”
Berkeley Edition
Finally, in front of the house he set up two pillars, 52 feet high, each crowned with a 7 ½ foot capital. He made chains in the inner room to put on top of the pillars, fashioning also 100 pomegranates, which he attached to the chains. Thus he erected the pillars in front of the temple one at the right and one at the left, naming the former Jachin and the latter Boaz.”
Note that save for the interchange of the words chapiters with capitals, the use of chains instead of networks, and Berkeley’s Edition use of feet instead of cubits, all three versions are in harmony and are basically in agreement with the wordings and phrases that were used in the second-degree coded monitor.
These two pillars, incidentally, were also mentioned in 1 Kings 7:15-22 and except for slight deviations as to measurements (it mentioned 18 cubits and 27 feet for the Berkley Edition or roughly half the measurements mentioned in 2 Chronicles) it also narrated practically the same thing, and that is, it was made of brass, had chains (or network), had chapiters (or capitals) and also had pomegranates that adorned those pillars.
THE PUZZLE
But what caught this undivided writer’s attention hence subjected to critical review is the coded portion of the monitor which states thus:
Ths chapiters wr srmntd b pommls a bls rprsntg glbs.”
and was followed by a lengthy explanation which says:
“Their principal use, besides serving as maps to distinguish the outward parts of the earth and the situation of the fixed stars, is to illustrate and explain the phenomena arising from the annual revolution of the earth around the sun, and its diurnal rotation upon its own axis. They are valuable instruments for improving the mind and giving it the most distinct idea of any given problem of proposition, as well as for enabling it to solve the same. Contemplating these bodies, we are inspired with due reverence for the Deity and His works, and are induced to encourage the study of astronomy, geography, navigation and the arts dependent upon them, by which society has been so much benefited.” (italics supplied).
The above-mentioned explanations were deemed intriguing because while the word pommels were indeed mentioned in 2 Chronicles 4: 12, as “on top of the two pillars”, no mention whatsoever as to their uses was ever made, and following the dictum of not adding or subtracting anything from the Holy Scriptures, then the purpose of the pillars in front of the temple would appear to serve mainly as decoration. Could it be then, that our ancient brethren “cooked up” the astronomical relevance of the lecture?!
And so the search for clues to validate our ancient brethren’ assertions in the second degree monitor.
THE TWIN PILLARS AS INTERPRETED BY THE AUTHORS OF HIRAM KEY
Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas, authors of “Hiram Key” and the “Second Messiah”, postulated that the twin pillars which King Solomon ordered Hiram Abiff to construct in front of the temple represents Misphat which roughly translates to Judgment for Boaz, and Tsedeq or Teacher of Righteousness for Jachin. They alleged that these two pillars when joined together by the word Shalom, represents the rule of Yahweh in establishing the moral order of government on earth. Incidentally, this theory basically conforms to the pronouncement made in the second degree monitor that the two pillars when joined together meant what God promised to David when the lecturer said: “in strength will I establish this mansion house and kingdom forever.”
But this writer, not being familiar with the exact meanings or translations of the words Misphat, Tsedeq, Boaz and Jachin, would rather just leave these assertions to the said authors. Suffice it to say that the Bible said that Boaz is the great grandfather of David while Jachin is a name of one of the sons of Simeon, the eldest son of Jacob. What correlation these names have to the pillars of King Solomon, if any, this writer really does not know.
THE TWIN PILLARS IN THE EYES OF SECHARIA ZITCHIN
Zecharia Zitchin, author of “The Earth’s Chronicles“ whose sources were based on ancient Sumerian tablets that allegedly predates the Holy Bible, theorized that the twin pillars had astronomical relevance. These two pillars, he said, were similar to the devices called “obelisks” in ancient Egypt designed by the builders of the pyramids to determine the equinoctial or solstitial positions of the sun and had for its forerunner the tools and implements of Sumerian astronomy, the basis for the determination of the world’s calendar. Zitchin also claimed in his other book “The Lost Realms” that even at the other side of the globe in Ecuador, two similar pillars also adorn its temples which he claims was also erected for stargazing studies.
Verily therefore, Zitchin’s theories conform to our ancient brethren’s pronouncements that the pillars built by King Solomon on the porch fronting the Temple were indispensable tools for astronomical, geographical and navigational functions.
THE FATE OF THE TWIN PILLARS AS NARRATED IN THE HOLY BIBLE
The question that should now concern the reader before this article ends is: “whatever happened to these twin pillars that were erected by King Solomon” as the second-degree monitor suddenly dropped this issue as if it were a hot potato!!
Well, the answer can be found in the Book of Jeremiah that narrated the destruction of the kingdom of Judah when it was over run by King Nebuchadnezar in 586 BC. In this book (Jm 53: 17-18), it said:.
“The bronze pillars that belonged to the House of the Lord, and the wheeled carts and the bronze sea in the House of the Lord, the Chaldeans broke into pieces; they carried away all the bronze to Babylon.”
The twin pillars therefore, had been cast to oblivion but not before similar representations of which may be viewed in most modern-day Masonic Temples, (readers can easily see these either in front of the doorway of the old but now destroyed Masonic Temple at San Marcelino St., and another at the doorway of the new Grand Lodge of the Philippines temple at General Luna St.), and made available for the present and future generations of Masons to remember and behold.
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