Hebrews 9:4

Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; GOLDEN CENSER, [ thumiateerion (G2369)] - must not be translated 'altar of incense,' for it was in the outer holy place, not in "the Holiest" place; but as in Ezekiel 8:11, "censer." So Vulgate and Syriac. This GOLDEN censer was only used on the day of atonement (other censers on other days), and is associated with the holiest place, as being taken into it on that anniversary by the high priest. "Which had" does not mean that the golden censer was deposited there, for then the high priest would have had to go in and bring it out before burning incense in it; but that the golden c...

1-5 The apostle shows to the Hebrews the typical reference of their ceremonies to Christ. The tabernacle was a movable temple, shadowing forth the unsettled state of the church upon earth, and the human nature of the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily. The typical meaning of these things has been shown in former remarks, and the ordinances and articles of the Mosaic covenant point out Christ as our Light, and as the Bread of life to our souls; and remind us of his Divine Person, his holy priesthood, perfect righteousness, and all-prevailing intercession. Thus was the Lord Jesus Christ, all and in all, from the beginning. And as interpreted by the gospel, these things are a glorious representation of the wisdom of God, and confirm faith in Him who was prefigured by them....

Verse Hebrews 9:4. _WHICH HAD THE GOLDEN CENSER_] It is evident that the apostle speaks here of the tabernacle built by Moses, and of the state and contents of that tabernacle as they were during the lifetime of Moses. For, as Calmet remarks, in the temple which was afterwards built there were many things _added_ which were not in the tabernacle, and _several_ things _left out_. The ark of the covenant and the two tables of the law were never found after the return from the Babylonish captivity. We have no proof that, even in the time of Solomon, the golden pot of manna, or the rod of Aaron, was either in or near the ark. In Solomon's temple the holy place was separated from the holy of holies by a solid _wall_, instead of a veil, and by strong wooden doors, 1 Kings 6:31-11. I...

WHICH HAD THE GOLDEN CENSER - The censer was a “fire-pan,” made for the purpose of carrying fire, in order to burn incense on it in the place of worship. The forms of the censer were various. Some difficulty has been felt respecting the statement of Paul here that the “golden censer” was in the most holy place, from the fact that no such utensil is mentioned by Moses as pertaining to the tabernacle, nor in the description of Solomon’s temple, which was modelled after the tabernacle, is there any account of it given. But the following considerations will probably remove the difficulty. (1) Paul was a Jew, and was familiar with what pertained to the temple, and gave such a description of it as would be in accordance with what actually existed in his time. The fact that Moses does not expressly mention it, does not prove that in fact no such censer was laid up in the most holy place....

EXPOSITION _The sphere _of Christ's "more excellent ministry," as the "Mediator of a better covenant," having been shown to be elsewhere than in the earthly tabernacle, the ministry itself is now contrasted with that of the superseded priesthood. With this view the latter is described, and shown to express in itself its own insufficiency and to point to a more availing one to come. HEBREWS 9:1 THEN VERILY (or, _now indeed_)_ _THE FIRST COVENANT ALSO (or, _even the first covenant_)_ _HAD ORDINANCES OF DIVINE SERVICE, AND A WORLDLY SANCTUARY (rather _its sanctuary of this world _(τὸ ἅγιον κοσμεκόν). The definite article points to the well-known one of the Mosaic dispensation, which, unlike the true one, was in its bearings, as well as locally and materially

WHICH HAD THE GOLDEN CENSER,.... There were various censers used by the priests in the daily service, but this was a peculiar one, which was used by the high priest on the day of atonement; on other days he used a silver censer, but on that day a golden one, and with it he entered into the holy of holies y; and though Moses does not call it a golden one, Leviticus 16:12 yet Josephus does z; and so do the Jewish doctors in the place referred to, with whom the apostle agrees, and to this the allusion is in Revelation 8:3 but here a difficulty arises, how this can be said to have been in the holy of holies, and within the vail, when, according to Moses, it was without the vail, and was only carried within on the day of atonement; and so Philo the Jew a places it in the other part of the tabernacle; and

1 _Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary._ An external sanctuary, a material structure, and therefore belonging to this world. Hebrews 9:2. _For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread: which is called the sanctuary._ Or, «the Holy Place.» Hebrews 9:3. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All; which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; and over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. Now when these

CHAPTER 9 _ 1. The first tabernacle and its worship (Hebrews 9:1)_ 2. The blood and the perfect work accomplished (Hebrews 9:11) 3. The Priest in heaven (Hebrews 9:24) Hebrews 9:1 The Spirit of God now brings forth the greatest and most blessed facts concerning Christ, the offering He brought, and what has been accomplished by that offering. First the worldly sanctuary, the tabernacle, which was connected with the old covenant is briefly mentioned. It was erected by divine command, exhibiting divine wisdom and foreshadowed, like the levitical priesthood, the better things to come. Yet it was a “worldly

The two ministries are now contrasted, in order to show that the OT institutions were imperfect, and pointed beyond themselves to that real access to God which we have obtained through Christ. HEBREWS 9:1. The first covenant was associated with a system of worship ordained by God Himself, although its sanctuary was of this world_ i.e._ composed of visible and material elements. A Tabernacle was set up which consisted of two parts, divided by a curtain. In the fore-tent, or holy place, were the candlestick and table of shewbread (as described in Exodus 25:23); and then, behind an inner curtain, was the holy of holies, containing a golden censer and the Ark of the covenant, which was surmounted by the mercy-seat and overshadowed by figures of cherubim. It is hinted by the writer that these objects

So, then, the first tabernacle, too, had its ordinances of worship and its holy place, which was an earthly symbol of the divine realities. For the first tabernacle was constructed and in it there was the lampstand and the table with the shewbread, and it was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain there was that part of the tabernacle which was called the Holy of Holies. It was approached by means of the golden altar of incense, and it had in it the ark of the covenant, which was covered all over with gold. In the ark there was the golden pot with the manna and Aaron's rod which budded and the tables of the covenant. Above it there were the cherubim of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat; but this is not the place to speak about all these things in detail. The writer to the Hebrews has just been thinking of Jesus as the one who leads us into reality. He has been using the idea...