The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 237

Pompey entered the temple, he found there by Delitzsch) ae the sign-board of a shop "vaouam sedem et inanio. arcana." A stone belongs to the shop and not to the street. basement is said by the rabbis to have It is, indeed, so regarded in the Old Testa- occupied the o.rk's pince, called "lapis ment. Bee Exod. xl. 5, "Thou ehnlt set the fund11tionis." In the " first tabernacle," altar of gold for the incense before the ark called "the holy plaoe" (1£-yuz probably, not of the testimony;" also Exod. xxx. 6, "Be- l,,-yla: i.e. a neuter pluro.l, equivalent to" the fore the mercy-seat that is over the testi- holies"), the to.blo of shewbread (with its mony; " and 1 Kings vi. 22, "The altar twelve loaves in two rows, changed weekly) which was by the oracle," or, "belo-ruJing etood on the north side, i.e. the right as one to the oracle ; " cf. also Isa. vi. 6 and approached the veil; and opposite to it, on Rev. viii. 3, where, in the visions of the the left, the seven-branched golden candle- heavenly temple based upon the symbol- stick, or lamp-stand, carrying a.n oil-lamp on ism of the earthly, the altar of incense is each branch (Exod. x.xv., xxxvii., xl.). Be- associated with the Divine throne. And it tween them, close to the veil stood the was e.leo so associated in the ceremonial of golden altar of incense(ibid.); which, never- the tabernacle. The smoke of the incense theless, is not mentioned here as pa.rt of the daily offered on it was supposed to penetrate furniture of the "first tabernacle," being the veil to the holy of holies, representina- associated with the " second," for reasons the sweet savour of intercession before th~ which will be seen. The "second veil " was mercy-seat itself; e.nd on the Day of Atone- that between the holy place e.nd the holy ment, not only was its incense taken by the of holies (Exod. x.xxvi. 35), the curtain e.t high priest within the veil, but also it, as the entrance of the holy place (Exod. xx.xvi. well as the mercy-seat, was sprinkled with 37) being regarded e.e the first. The inner the atoning blood. Of the rest of the things sanctuary behind this second veil is spoken described as belonging to the holy of hoiieil, of as having (lxoucra) in the first place "e. it is to be observed that, though none of golden censer," as the word 6uµ.,aTf,p,ov is them were in it when the Epistle was translated in the A.V. (so e.lso in the written, yet all ( except the pot of manna. Vulgate, thuribulum). But it assuredly and Aaron's rod) were essential to its signifi- means the" golden altar of incense," though cance, as will be seen ; and all, with these this stood locally outside the veil. For (1) two exceptions, were in Solomon's temple otherwise there would be no mention at all as well as in the original tabernacle. An of this altar, which was so important in the objection that has been raised to the symbolism of the tabernacle, and so promi- accuracy of the description, on the grolllld nent in the Pentateur.h, from which the that the pot and the rod a.re not said in the whole description is taken. (2) The alter- Pentateuch to have been placed inside the native view of its being a censer reserved ark, is groundless. They were to be la.id up for the use of the high priest, when he "before the LoRD " (Exod. xvi 33); " before entered behind the veil on the De.y of Atone- the testimony" (Nnmb. xvii. 10); and "the ment, has no support from the Pentatench, testimony" elsewhere mee.ns the tables of in which no such censer is mentioned as part the Law (Exod. xxv. 16; =i. 18; xl. 20, of the standing furniture of t:,e tabernacle, etc.), whioh were within the ark. It was and none of gold is spoken of at all; nor, most likely that they would be kept for safe had it been so, would it have been placed, preservation in the same place with the·• tes- e.ny more than the altar of incense, within timony," bef<Yre which they were ever to be. theveil,since the high priest required it before Further, what is said (1 Kings viii. 9 and he entered. (3) Though the word itself, 2 Chron. v. 10) of there being nothing in the 6uµ.,aTr,pwv,certainly means "censer," and not ark but the two tables of stone when it was "altar of incense," in the LXX., yet in the moved into Solomon's temple, is no proof Hellenistic writers it is otherwise. Philo and that nothing else had been originally there. Josephus, e.nd e.lso Olemens Alexandrinue It seems, indeed, rather to favour the idee. and Ori gen, o.l ways call the altar of incense that there had been, as implying that some- f/uµ.,aTf,p,ov xpucrovv; and the language of thing more might have been expected to be the Epistle is Hellenistic. (4) The wol'ding found there. The mercv-seat, as is well does not of necessity imply that what is known, was the cover of the ark, over which spoken of we.a locally within the veil : it is the wina-e of the two oherubim were spread. not said (as where the actual contents of the The expression, "cherubim of glory," pro- "first tabernacle" and of the ark are spoken bably has reference to the lurniuow cloud, of) wherein ( &v p), but having (txoucra), significant of the Divine p~sence, ~h_ich, which need only mean having a, belonging oooaeione.lly at least (there 1s no suffic1eut to it, as oonnected with its symbolism. It ground for conclud_ing i~ to ~ave been a per- we.s an appendage to the holy of holies, manent manifestation), 1s s111d to have been though not actually inside it, in the same seen above them. 'l'he cherubim, whatever way (to use e. homely illustration given tL, .- r exaot significance. are represented as  228 THE EPISTLE TO 'l'HE HEBREWS. [cH. IX, 1-28.