Hebrews 9:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The first part of the tabernacle, with everything in it, was a symbol of the world and of what is in the world. The second part, with everything in it, was a symbol of heaven and of what is in heaven.

The first veil was a sign of the first heaven, by which I mean the firmament. Therefore it is also first in position. The second veil signified something higher than the firmament.

The tablets of the covenant in the ark signify everything in Christ: the knowledge of the hidden Father and the power of judicial decrees.

For on the tablets was inscribed faith in the eternal Divinity of Him who made the world and governed it. Through their giving, service to God is raised into law, and judgmental division is made.

According to this division, He rightly condemns those who hate Him, and in mercy worthily rewards those who are zealous for Him.

Such is the testimony which the Lord gave Moses to place in the ark. For us it signified the confession of Christ, the truth of flesh, soul, and Word.

It also revealed the flesh itself, glorified by resurrection after the suffering of death, and exalted by the eternal dignity of King and High Priest.

For He taught that He alone is initiated into the mysteries of the Father, and that He truly is, with the Father of majesty, the Judge of all ages.

One may also see in the image of the ark a type of the holy Church. It is built of incorruptible trees, that is, of the souls of the saints.

In faith in the holy Gospel, which has spread to the four ends of the world, it awaits for itself from God the eternal crown of life, cf. Jas 1:12.

It contains the tablets of the covenant in continual meditation on the law of God. The golden vessel with manna contains faith in the Incarnation of the Lord.

Aaron's rod blossomed through its participation in the Lord's kingdom and priesthood. The Apostle Peter says of this: "You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood" (1 Pet 2:9).

That is, it has received and possesses heavenly mercy. The Apostle mentions this so that they may remember this good and the grace of God so generously poured out upon them.

It also has above itself the cherubim of glory and angelic guardianship, by which it is upheld through the mercy of God.

For its defense there is mercy, or the covenants. Through them both the rules of life and the proper ways of asking for help in living rightly are established by divine mercy.

As the cherubim of glory are raised above it by mercy, so the city of Christ, that is, the holy Church, is founded and upheld upon the rock, that is, upon Christ Himself, cf. Heb 12:22.

This is said because His city cannot be higher than He is. Nor can that city grow except by His help and support.

The cherub is raised above the ark by mercy, because both the services of the angels and the word of God more surely assist the Church. They themselves serve as its support in the foundation of the highest truth.

"And above it were the cherubim of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat." According to the correct interpretation of the teachers of the Church, the name "cherubim of glory" conveys glorification, glory, and nearness to God.

In Hebrew this name signifies richness of knowledge and an outpouring of wisdom. As for what these cherubim are, let Mamona, Emperor Constantine, hear and know, if he has a mind to hear.

Scripture does not depict the divine and most exalted cherubim themselves, who are bodiless, invisible, formless, spiritual, and rational.

Rather, it depicts their sacred images, made from the purest and most brilliant material, hammered from gold, fashioned by human hands according to the command of God.

They are soulless and motionless, yet called by the same name as the cherubim. They share the name and have been deemed worthy of glory and grace.

What then should be done? Should we believe this, or erase Paul, who speaks of it?

It would be pleasant and desirable for Mamona to depart from apostolic teaching and cease to be a Christian. He should also not follow Moses, who was commanded to make the images.

He should not even be a Jew and, to speak of the worst, should not acknowledge God Himself, who commanded this.

What does God say when conversing with His servant? "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you," and "I will be known to you from there" (Ex 25:40, 22), meaning the cherubim.

Is that by which God is known to men not honorable and worthy of veneration? Everyone who reverently honors holy things acknowledges this.

What, then, will the one who tramples on what is holy inherit, and with whom will he be numbered? This is easy for anyone who wishes to understand.

Certainly he will be numbered with godless pagans and with the impious Manichaeans.

It also had a place for the performance of worship. This place was established by divine command, but had only a temporary purpose, for man's earthly life, τό τε άγιον κοσμικόν.

The Apostle wishes to speak only about Old Testament worship and to compare it with the high-priestly ministry of Jesus Christ in heaven.

But to make this comparison clearer, he first recalls to his readers the arrangement of the very place of Old Testament worship.

First Moses prepared for divine worship, κατεσκευασθη, the first, that is, the front part of the tabernacle, or the Holy Place, άγια. It was furnished with the lampstand and the table with the showbread.

Behind this part came the Holy of Holies, separated from the first by a veil. Among the furnishings of the Holy of Holies, besides the ark of the covenant and the objects contained in it, the Apostle includes the golden altar of incense.

Why does the Apostle do this, when everyone knew that the altar of incense stood in the sanctuary? This can be explained by considering what is said in the law about this altar.

Moses had to place the altar of incense before the veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the sanctuary, before the ark of testimony (Ex 40:3, 4, 5).

This, of course, showed that the altar of incense had the closest relation to the ark of the covenant. For this reason, probably, in 3 Kingdoms 6:22 it is called the altar belonging to the Holy of Holies.

It belonged to the Holy of Holies, before whose entrance it stood, just as the altar of burnt offering properly belonged to the tabernacle itself, though it stood before it in the court.

Indeed, when the priests burned incense on the altar of incense, together with the fragrance of incense they raised their prayers for the people to God.

He dwelt among the Cherubim of Glory above the ark of the covenant, in the Holy of Holies.

Since the Apostle intended to describe, not the tabernacle, but the worship performed in it and the meaning of its liturgical actions, he assigned the altar of incense to the furnishings of the Holy of Holies.

This was because, by the essence of the action performed upon it, the altar belonged to the Holy of Holies.

Then, following the rabbinic and Talmudic interpretation, the Apostle says that in the ark of the covenant were the vessel with manna and Aaron's rod that had sprouted.

Finally, after mentioning the cherubim of glory, that is, the representatives of divine majesty, the Apostle sees no need to speak of all the tabernacle's furnishings one by one.

They overshadowed with their wings and hid from the high priest's eyes the mercy seat, or lid of the ark. Toward it the high priest had to sprinkle blood.

Thus the Apostle does not separately explain the typical meaning of the listed objects.