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Commentary on 1 Kings 6 verses 15–38
Here, I. We have a particular account of the details of the building.
1.The wainscot of the temple. It was of cedar (Kg1 6:15), which was strong and durable, and of a very sweet smell. The wainscot was curiously carved with knops (like eggs or apples) and flowers, no doubt as the fashion then was, Kg1 6:18.
2.The gilding. It was not like ours, washed over, but the whole house, all the inside of the temple (Kg1 6:22), even the floor (Kg1 6:30), he overlaid with gold, and the most holy place with pure gold, Kg1 6:21. Solomon would spare no expense necessary to make it every way sumptuous. Gold was under foot there, as it should be in all the living temples: the abundance of it lessened its worth.
3.The oracle, or speaking-place (for so the word signifies), the holy of holies, so called because thence God spoke to Moses, and perhaps to the high priest, when he consulted with the breast-plate of judgment. In this place the ark of the covenant was to be set, Kg1 6:19. Solomon made every thing new, and more magnificent than it had been, except the ark, which was still the same that Moses made, with its mercy-seat and cherubim; that was the token of God's presence, which is always the same with his people whether they meet in tent or temple, and changes not with their condition.
4.The cherubim. Besides those at the ends of the mercy-seat, which covered the ark, (1.) Solomon set up two more, very large ones, images of young men (as some think), with wings made of olive-wood, and all overlaid with gold, Kg1 6:23, etc. This most holy place was much larger than that in the tabernacle, and therefore the ark would have seemed lost in it, and the dead wall would have been unsightly, if it had not been thus adorned. (2.) He carved cherubim upon all the walls of the house, Kg1 6:29. The heathen set up images of their gods and worshipped them; but these were designed to represent the servants and attendants of the God of Israel, the holy angels, not to be themselves worshipped (see thou do it not), but to show how great he is whom we are to worship.
5.The doors. The folding doors that led into the oracle were but a fifth part of the wall (Kg1 6:31), those into the temple were a fourth part (Kg1 6:33); but both were beautified with cherubim engraven on them, Kg1 6:32, Kg1 6:35.
6.The inner court, in which the brazen altar was at which the priests ministered. This was separated from the court where the people were by a low wall, three rows of hewn stone tipped with a cornice of cedar (Kg1 6:36), that over it the people might see what was done and hear what the priests said to them; for, even under that dispensation, they were not kept wholly either in the dark or at a distance.
7.The time spent in this building. It was but seven years and a half from the founding to the finishing of it, Kg1 6:38. Considering the vastness and elegance of the building, and the many appurtenances to it which were necessary to fit it for use, it was soon done. Solomon was in earnest in it, had money enough, had nothing to divert him from it, and many hands made quick work. He finished it (as the margin reads it) with all the appurtenances thereof, and with all the ordinances thereof, not only built the place, but set forward the work for which it was built.
II. Let us now see what was typified by this temple. 1. Christ is the true temple; he himself spoke of the temple of his body, Joh 2:21. God himself prepared him his body, Heb 10:5. In him dwelt the fulness of the Godhead, as the Shechinah in the temple. In him meet all God's spiritual Israel. Through him we have access with confidence to God. All the angels of God, those blessed cherubim, have a charge to worship him. 2. Every believer is a living temple, in whom the Spirit of God dwells, Co1 3:16. Even the body is such by virtue of its union with the soul, Co1 6:19. We are not only wonderfully made by the divine providence, but more wonderfully made anew by the divine grace. This living temple is built upon Christ as its foundation and will be perfected in due time. 3. The gospel church is the mystical temple; it grows to a holy temple in the Lord (Eph 2:21), enriched and beautified with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, as Solomon's temple with gold and precious stones. Only Jews built the tabernacle, but Gentiles joined with them in building the temple. Even strangers and foreigners are built up a habitation of God, Eph 2:19, Eph 2:22. The temple was divided into the holy place and the most holy, the courts of it into the outer and inner; so there are the visible and the invisible church. The door into the temple was wider than that into the oracle. Many enter into profession that come short of salvation. This temple is built firm, upon a rock, not to be taken down as the tabernacle of the Old Testament was. The temple was long in preparing, but was built at last. The top-stone of the gospel church will, at length, be brought forth with shoutings, and it is a pity that there should be the clashing of axes and hammers in the building of it. Angels are ministering spirits, attending the church on all sides and all the members of it. 4. Heaven is the everlasting temple. There the church will be fixed, and no longer movable. The streets of the new Jerusalem, in allusion to the flooring of the temple, are said to be of pure gold, Rev 21:21. The cherubim there always attend the throne of glory. The temple was uniform, and in heaven there is the perfection of beauty and harmony. In Solomon's temple there was no noise of axes and hammers. Every thing is quiet and serene in heaven; all that shall be stones in that building must in the present sate of probation and preparation be fitted and made ready for it, must be hewn and squared by divine grace, and so made meet for a place there.
Just as the entrance to the inner sanctuary by which one reached the ark of the Lord and the cherubim signifies the entrance to the kingdom of heaven whereby we hope and desire to be introduced to the vision of our Creator and the heavenly citizens, so the entrance into the temple shows in type the beginnings of our life oriented on God when we enter the church of this present time. The latter entrance denotes our entry into the faith, the former our entry into vision. Hence the posts of this entrance were foursquare because of the four books of the holy gospel by whose teaching we are instructed in the true faith, or because of the four cardinal virtues of prudence, fortitude, temperance and justice, on whose most firm foundation, as it were, every edifice of good actions rests; prudence, by which we learn what we ought to do and how we ought to live; fortitude, through which we carry out what we have learned must be done; and the prophet briefly sums up these virtues in one verse, saying, “The Lord is my light and my salvation”; light, that is, to teach us the things we ought to do, salvation to strengthen us to do them; temperance by which we have discretion so as not to find ourselves giving more or less than the right amount of attention to prudence or fortitude; and since anyone who exercises prudence, fortitude and temperance will be proved beyond dispute to be just, the fourth virtue that follows after prudence, fortitude and temperance is justice.
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SUMMARY
First Kings 6:34 provides a meticulous description of the inner doors of Solomon's Temple, specifically those separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (the Holy of Holies). Crafted from "fir tree" (cypress) wood and designed with "folding" leaves, these doors underscore the profound sacredness and restricted access to God's unique dwelling place under the Old Covenant, highlighting the meticulous divine design and the precious materials employed in the construction of the Lord's house.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse is intricately woven into the highly detailed architectural account of Solomon's Temple construction, primarily found in 1 Kings 6 and extending into 1 Kings 7. Chapter 6 systematically describes the Temple's dimensions, materials, and internal structure, progressing from the outer elements inward. Verses 1 Kings 6:31-35 specifically detail the various doors of the sanctuary. Initially, the passage describes the doors of the Holy Place (vv. 31-33), which were made of olive wood. Then, in verse 34, the focus shifts to the crucial doors that demarcated the sacred boundary between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. This narrative progression emphasizes the increasing sanctity as one approaches the divine presence, culminating in the innermost sanctuary where the Ark of the Covenant would eventually reside. The precise description of the materials and the unique folding mechanism highlights the deliberate and divinely inspired design of every element within God's dwelling.
Historical & Cultural Context: The construction of the Temple in Jerusalem represented a monumental undertaking for ancient Israel, signifying a profound transition from the portable Tabernacle to a permanent, magnificent dwelling for God's presence among His people. In the broader ancient Near East, temples were regarded as the earthly abodes of deities, and their construction invariably involved the finest materials and the most skilled craftsmanship available, serving as a testament to the deity's status and the patron king's wealth, power, and devotion. The "fir tree" (Hebrew: beroshim), often identified as cypress wood, was highly esteemed in the region for its exceptional durability, natural resistance to decay, and pleasant aromatic qualities, making it an ideal and luxurious choice for a structure intended to endure for generations. Its prominent use alongside cedar (1 Kings 6:9) within the Temple's construction underscores the precious and enduring nature of the sanctuary. The "folding" design of the doors, likely a bi-fold or multi-leaf system, was both a practical and aesthetically elegant solution for large, heavy doors, allowing them to open inward efficiently without obstructing the limited space within the inner sanctuary, while simultaneously providing a secure and imposing barrier to the most sacred space.
Key Themes: This verse significantly contributes to several overarching themes within the book of 1 Kings and broader biblical theology:
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse primarily employs Detailing and Repetition to convey its architectural and theological significance. The meticulous Detailing of the materials ("fir tree") and the specific construction ("folding") reflects the overall narrative style of 1 Kings 6, which emphasizes the precise fulfillment of divine instructions and the grandeur of the Temple. This granular description not only provides essential architectural information but also profoundly underscores the significance and sacredness of the space being described. The Repetition of "the two leaves...were folding" for both doors highlights the symmetry, consistency, and perfection of the design, reinforcing the idea of a perfectly crafted and divinely ordered sanctuary. While not explicitly stated as such, these physical elements carry profound Symbolism, representing the sacred boundary between the human and divine, and the restricted access to God's immediate presence under the Old Covenant.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The doors of the Most Holy Place in Solomon's Temple represent a profound theological statement about God's absolute holiness and humanity's inherent fallen state. They were a tangible, imposing barrier, signifying that direct access to God's immediate presence was severely restricted, permissible only for the High Priest, and then only once a year, after extensive purification rituals. This physical separation underscored the infinite chasm between a holy God and sinful humanity, emphasizing the dire need for a mediator and a comprehensive atonement. The elaborate craftsmanship and precious materials of these doors further highlighted the immense value, sanctity, and awe-inspiring nature of the divine presence they guarded, reinforcing the reverence and profound humility required when approaching the Lord.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The intricate and restrictive doors of Solomon's Temple serve as a powerful historical and theological reminder of the profound separation that once existed between a holy God and sinful humanity. For ancient Israelites, these doors were a constant visual sermon, teaching them about God's unapproachable holiness and their own desperate need for mediation and atonement. Today, as believers under the New Covenant, we look back at these meticulously crafted doors not as enduring barriers, but as poignant symbols that point to the radical, transformative work wrought by Jesus Christ. The dramatic tearing of the Temple veil from top to bottom at the moment of Jesus' death (Matthew 27:51) signified the complete and permanent removal of this spiritual barrier, granting us direct, unhindered access to God's presence through Christ's perfect and atoning sacrifice. This verse, detailing an ancient physical barrier, thus serves as a profound reminder of the incredible privilege and profound intimacy we now have with God, an intimacy that was once unimaginable and strictly forbidden. It calls us to live lives worthy of such extraordinary access, approaching God with both humble reverence and bold confidence, understanding the immense cost of our redemption and the boundless grace that has been extended to us.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why were the doors to the Most Holy Place so elaborate and restrictive?
Answer: The doors to the Most Holy Place were designed to be both elaborate and restrictive for several profound theological and practical reasons, all rooted in the Old Covenant understanding of God's character and humanity's condition. Theologically, they served as a tangible symbol of God's absolute holiness, His transcendent nature, and the inherent sinfulness of humanity. The Most Holy Place was where God's unique presence was believed to reside, specifically above the Ark of the Covenant, and it was considered too sacred for common access. The elaborate construction, using precious "fir tree" (cypress) wood and an intricate "folding" mechanism, underscored the immense value, sanctity, and reverence due to the space. Practically, these robust doors provided security for the Ark of the Covenant and ensured that only the High Priest, on the solemn Day of Atonement and according to strict divine protocol (Leviticus 16), could enter. This design reinforced the Old Covenant system of mediation and atonement, where a physical and spiritual barrier existed between God and His people, necessitating a priestly intercessor and sacrificial rituals for reconciliation. This very barrier, however, served as a powerful foreshadowing of a greater, permanent access that would be provided in the future through the ultimate work of Jesus Christ.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The "fir tree" doors of the Most Holy Place, meticulously described in 1 Kings 6:34, stand as a powerful Old Testament shadow pointing directly to the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. These doors symbolized the profound, impassable separation between a holy God and sinful humanity, a formidable barrier that only the High Priest could briefly and ritually pass through once a year, and even then, not without the shedding of blood. However, in Christ, this ancient barrier is utterly demolished and rendered obsolete. The ultimate fulfillment of these restrictive doors is found in the dramatic, divinely orchestrated tearing of the Temple veil from top to bottom at the precise moment of Jesus' death on the cross (Matthew 27:51). This cataclysmic event signified that the way to God's presence was no longer through physical barriers, elaborate rituals, or an earthly priesthood, but through the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice of the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus Himself unequivocally declared, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). He is our great High Priest, who has entered the true, heavenly sanctuary, not by means of animal blood, but by His own precious blood, securing an eternal redemption for all who believe (Hebrews 9:11-12). Thus, the very doors that once restricted access now serve as a powerful testament to the boundless, intimate, and grace-filled access to God that is freely available to all believers through faith in Jesus Christ, our open door to the Father's presence, allowing us to "draw near with confidence to the throne of grace" (Hebrews 4:16).