4. Symbolism
The four statutory ingredients of the sacred
incense have been interpreted in a variety of
symbolic ways. Philo gives a cosmo-
logical turn to the number four, stacte
having reference
to water, sea
clove
to the earth, heart resin to the air,
frankincense to fire (Quis
rerum div. here,, p.
397).
Josephus says that the
thirteen kinds of odors, pro
ceeding from the sea, the inhabited and uninhabited
earth, denote that all is God's, and all is designed
for him. In connection with the symbolical iden
tity of incense and prayer, some have sought to
correlate the four kinds of material for incense with
the four categories of Christian prayer (praise,
thanksgiving, petition; and intercession; cf.
I Tim. ii. 1);
or with the four emotional attributes indis
pensable to prayer (faith., humility, love, hope).
All this is conjecture, and only this is certain, that
there was
contemplated an ascension of the mys
terious aroma within the holy abode, and that the
drawing near to God is also to be prefigured by
ennobling and enrichment of the elements of
worship.
5. The Ritual of Incense
In the ritual for incense, the effusions of incense
that were combined with the meal offerings, where
the frankincense was put over the same
on the sacrificial altar, are to be
distinguished from the separate oblations
of incense, which took place only
within the second enclosure. More
particular procedure with the incense is
not reported. The directions are
equally brief in respect
to incense in the sanctuary
(Ex. xxx. 7
sqq.); morning and evening, as the priest " dresseth the
lamps," and when he " lighteth " them, he shall
also kindle the perpetual incense offering. More
detailed regulations, in, so far, at least, as
they apply
to the ritual of Herod's temple, are furnished by the
Mishnah Tamidh, iii. 6, vi. 1-3;
cf. Maimonides, Yadh hachaaaka, iii. 1-9.
As early as the Torah, two utensils are mentioned which were used in offering
incense: (1) the firepan
(Ex. xxvii. 3, xxxviii. 3;
Num. xvi. 6-7),
whereon the hot coals lay. The
incense was poured upon these out of (2) a bowl
fitted with a
handle, the golden incense spoon
(Ex. xxv. 29;
Num. vii. 84, 86).
By means of this firepan, or of the censer
(Ezek. viii. 11;
II Chron. xxvi. 19),
which does not appear to have
been essentially different from the firepan, incense
could be offered without an altar; and this was
always the case in the Holy
of Holies. Here the high
priest entered on the day of atonement, with the
pan of coals in his right hand and the vessel of
aromatics in his left hand; he placed the former
vessel down and from the latter took incense and
placed it upon the firepan. If, however, as on
occasion of the daily morning and evening offering
of incense, the oblation was performed on the inner
altar, then a priest, at least according to later
observance, first carried the basin full of hot coals
into the sanctuary and poured it over the altar of
incense; whereupon a second priest brought in the
aromatics in the incense ladle, and completed the
solemn offering as he spread the spices over the
coals and uttered his prayer therewith. The quantitative portion to be offered every morning and
evening is prescribed in the Talmud as half a pound.
The service of offering incense alternated, as determined by lot, among the officiating priests
(Lev. i. 8
sqq.). In course of time the two daily offerings
of incense coincided with the two daily burnt offerings, and marked, conjointly with these, the hour
of morning and evening prayer for the whole
congregation, when many frequented the temple.
As the ceremonial of incense began, both priest and
people were admonished to solemn stillness and
devout prayer by the sound of small bells.
C. von Orelli.
