15 And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellers have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,
[AD 735] Bede on Ezra 7:15
And to bring silver and gold, etc. Note the faith and wisdom of the king and his counselors, who understood that the gifts they wished to offer to the Lord should be offered through him who had the law of God in his hand, that is, fulfilled it in deeds. It is wondrous to say, how faithfully and learnedly the king declares that he has a tabernacle in Jerusalem, whom he previously called the God of heaven; for we are accustomed to use a tabernacle on a journey, and the God of heaven has a tabernacle in Jerusalem; because he who has an eternal seat in the heavens deigns to dwell for a time with the saints who are on pilgrimage in this Church. Hence that passage of Revelation, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men" (Rev. 21). Indeed, because the blessed Ezra represented not only the preachers of the holy Church, among whom he was one, but also the Lord Savior, to whose members he belonged, it is as if we offer our gifts through him, whose help we need in all things, so that the good works we do may be acceptable to God the Father. For no one, he says, comes to the Father except through me (John 6). And concerning him, John says, "He is the atonement for our sins" (1 John 2).