Ver. 1. And the Lord spake unto Moses.] Gave him the ceremonial law also—as before he had done the moral and judicial—which was their gospel.
Ver. 2. That giveth it willingly.] Virtus nolentium nulla est; God strains upon no man. If ye consent and obey, &c. If there be a willing mind, God accepteth, &c. (2 Corinthians 8:11,12) “ Si desint vires, tamen est laudanda voluntas: Hac ego contentos auguror esse Deos.”—Ovid.
Ver. 3. Gold, and silver, and brass.] No mention of iron. Compare 1 Kings 6:7 8:51.
Ver. 4. And blue, and purple, and scarlet,] i.e., Wool dyed with these colours; (Hebrews 9:19) to teach the Church that both themselves and their actions should be washed and dyed in the blood of Christ.
Ver. 5. Shittim wood.] A kind of cedar that rotteth not.
Ver. 6. Spices.] As cinnamon; which in Galen’s time was very rare, and hard to be found but in princes’ storehouses. Antidit. Gal., lib. i.
Ver. 7. In the ephod, and in the breastplate.] Of which see afterwards in Exodus 28.
Ver. 8. That I may dwell among them.] “But will God in very deed dwell with men upon earth?” (2 Chronicles 6:18) What can he do more to make them happy? As he in Plutarch said of the Scythians, that although they h ad no music nor vines among them, yet, as a better thing, they had gods: and as the philosopher, having little else in his house, yet could say of it, ενθα δε οι Θεοι εισιν, Here be gods: so may every good man boast of his house and of his heart, This is the habitation of the Most High. (Hebrews 3:6 2 Corinthians 6:16) As for the public assembly of saints, “This is the house of God, this is the gate of heaven.” (Genesis 28:17)
Ver. 9. According to all that I show thee.] Nothing was left to man’s invention. Here then is no footing for the Popish pomp.
Ver. 10. An ark.] Chest, or cabinet, wherein to keep the two tables of the law, signifying thereby that “Christ is the end of the law,” covering the imperfection of our works.
Ver. 11. A crown of gold.] To set forth the majesty of Christ’s kingdom, or the eternity of his deity; which, as a crown or circle, had neither beginning nor end.
Ver. 12,13. And thou shalt cast four rings, &c.] These staff rings were to continue upon the ark; the Kohathites’ shoulders felt wherefore. But “God helped them to bear the ark”; (1 Chronicles 15:26) and so he doth still his gospel ministers.
Ver. 13. [See Trapp on “Ex 25:12”]
Ver. 14. That the ark may be borne with them.] The ark was transportative till settled in Solomon’s temple; so, till we come to heaven, shall we be in a continual motion.
Ver. 15. The staves shall be, &c.] That they might not touch it; for reverence’ sake, it being a visible sign of God himself among them.
Ver. 16. The testimony.] Those tables of the testimony, (Exodus 31:18) that testified what God required of them, and would be a testimony against them if disobedient. (Deuteronomy 31:26)
Ver. 17. A mercy seat.] Heb., A covering; or covering up of men’s sins; the appeasing of an angry God, [compare Genesis 32:20] by Christ who is our propitiation or mercy seat. (Romans 3:25 1 John 2:2) Two cubits and a half, &c.] Just so big every way as the ark. (Exodus 25:10) Get into covenant with God, saith one, for as the mercy seat was no larger than the ark, so neither is the grace of God than the covenant. And as the ark and mercy seat were not asunder; so God is near to all that call upon him in truth.
Ver. 18. And thou shalt make two cherubims.] Golden winged images, made by God’s special appointment, and set out of sight. Hence then is no warrant for the use of images in churches. These here were to represent the holy angels attendant upon God, looking intently into the mystery of Christ, as the cherubims did into the propitiatory, (1 Peter 1:12) and joined to the society of saints.
Ver. 19. Even of the mercy seat.] Of the matter of it: to show that the very angels have their establishment in and by Christ: and that, if they need mercy, how much more do we. Angels also are under Christ as a head of government, of influence, of confirmation, though not of redemption.
Ver. 20. Toward the mercy seat shall the faces, &c.] Angels in the Syriac are called םינפא, of the face; because they look ever on the face of God, waiting his commands.
Ver. 21. Above upon the ark.] The ark covering the law within it, the mercy seat upon it, and over them two cherubims covering one another, did typify Christ covering the curses of the law, in whom is the ground of all mercy; “which things the angels desire to pry into,” (1 Peter 1:12) as into the pattern of God’s deep wisdoms. (Ephesians 3:10)
Ver. 22. From between the two cherubims.] Which covered the place from whence the Lord spake, to restrain curiosity.
Ver. 23. Of shittim wood.] Which corrupteth not. (Isaiah 41:19) Christ’s hody could not putrify in the grave.
Ver. 24. Pure gold.] Pointing to the glory of Christ’s deity, and the majesty of his kingdom.
Ver. 25. A golden crown.] To hide the joints, and for ornament. Christ also is said to have many crowns. (Revelation 19:12)
Ver. 26. Four rings of gold.] [See Trapp on “Ex 25:12”]
Ver. 27. Over against the border,] i.e., Close under it, for more convenient carriage.
Ver. 28. Of shittim wood.] See Exodus 25:23. A wood much commended for lightness, firmness, fairness, and lastingness.
Ver. 29. The dishes thereof, &c.] Haply to hold the loaves and frankincense. Spoons.] To put the frankincense into those dishes. Covers and bowls to cover withal.] Or, To pour out with.
Ver. 30. Show bread.] [See Trapp on “Mt 12:4”]
Ver. 31. And thou shalt make a candlestick.] Called the candlestick of light. (Exodus 35:14) A type of Christ who is Αυτοφως, light essential, and “giveth light to every man that cometh into the world.” (John 1:9) [See Trapp on “Joh 1:9”]
Ver. 32. And six branches shall come out of the sides.] Denoting the ministers both of the law and gospel; those “lights of the world,” (Matthew 5:14) that have their light all from Christ.
Ver. 33. Three bowls made like unto almonds, &c.] Signifying the several endowments and ornaments of Christ’s faithful ministers.
Ver. 34. And in the candlestick,] i.e., In the shaft of the candlestick. See Exodus 25:33.
Ver. 37. Seven lamps.] Signifying the manifold graces and diversity of gifts in the Church. (Zechariah 4:2)
Ver. 38. And the tongs.] All of gold; betokening the purity of doctrine and discipline in the Church.
Ver. 39. Of a talent of pure gold,] i.e., Of a hundred and twenty pounds’ weight.
Ver. 40. After their pattern, &c.] The like also was afterwards given in writing, for the building of the temple. (1 Chronicles 28:19 Hebrews 8:5)