Numbers 7:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

For Christ embodies both the essence and the source of divine fragrance, not merely possessing an external aroma like we do, but rather within His very being, as God, He is rich in that which evokes wonder. He permeates the entire cosmos with the exquisite scent of ineffable and transcendent fragrance. This is because He is undeniably acknowledged as authentically and inherently God, having embraced the knowledge of the Father’s presence: thus, the incense container is filled with incense. The golden vessel, brimming with this aroma, symbolizes the beauty of the saints, representing, within these chosen instruments, the sanctified fragrance offered to God as a genuine gift. Do we not, Palladius, recognize the saints as luminous and chosen instruments?

The 'single silver dish' represents the disposition of the apostles, while the 'silver bowls' symbolize the disposition of the prophets. The 'incense-filled vessel' signifies the pure soul of Immanuel, untouched by sinful desires. Viewed from another perspective, the silver dish illustrates the righteous, the bowls depict the repentant, and the incense vessel embodies the perfect. Additionally, the incense book symbolizes the chosen Church ascending into the spiritual sanctuary, with the fragrances therein representing the tribes and nations brought together through faith in their sweet aroma. Furthermore, the incense container filled with incense signifies a soul enriched with virtues, revealed through various types of incense.