Hebrews 9:1-5
Hebrews 9:1-5. (Direct translation of the Greek to English from the NKJV Interlinear Bible). Had in indeed, then even the first covenant ordinances of service and the sanctuary earthly. A tabernacle for was prepared: the first part, in which were the both lampstand and the table, and the presentation of loaves, which is called the holy place; after and the second veil a tabernacle the one being called the Holy of Holies, a golden having altar and the ark of the covenant having been covered round on all sides with gold, in which were a jar golden having the manna and the rod of Aaron the one having budded and the tablets of the covenant, above and it were cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat.
The problem in this text is that the golden altar of incense is placed not in the first apartment as described in Exodus 30:6. And you shall put it before the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony, but in the second apartment i.e. the Holy of Holies. Did Paul who we assume was the author of the Epistle to the Hebrew make a mistake here in this text?
To find out we shall take a look at the word altar in the Greek and see what the word actually means.
The Greek word for altar as translated by the NKJV is . But there is no other text in the New Testament to say that this word means the altar of incense. However, there is another Greek word that the New Testament uses for the altar of incense and that is θυσίαστηρίον (Thusiastairion). Let us look at the texts referring to this Greek word.
Matthew 5:23. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar. (This altar refers to the altar of burnt offering).
Matthew 23:18. And whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing. (This refers to the altar of burnt offering).
Matthew 23:35. Zacharias, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. (This refers to the altar of burnt offering).
Luke 1:11. The angel of the Lord appeared to him, (Zacharias a priest) standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
Luke 11:51. Zachariah who perished between the altar and the temple. (This refers to the altar of burnt offering).
Romans 11:3. Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life. (This refers to the altars of sacrifice).
1 Corinthians 9:13. Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? (This refers to the altar of burn offering).
1 Corinthians 10:18. Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? (This refers to the altar of burnt offering).
Hebrews 7:13. From which no man has officiated at the altar. (Altar of burnt offering).
Hebrews 13:10. We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. (Altar of burnt offering).
James 2:21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? (Altar of sacrifice).
Revelation 6:9. I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. (Altar of burnt offering).
Revelation 8:3. Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which is before the throne. (Altar of incense).
Revelation 8:5. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar. (Altar of incense).
Revelation 9:13. Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God. (Altar of incense).
Revelation 11:1. Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod, And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. (Altar of burnt offering).
Revelation 14:18. And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud voice cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” (Altar of incense related to the altar in Revelation 8:5).
Revelation 16:7. And I heard another from the altar saying, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are your judgments.” (Altar of burnt offering because the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed. This means no one had access to the altar of incense).
Conclusion
The word altar in the Greek is θυσίαστηρίον (Thusiastairion) refers to the altar of sacrifice, altar of burnt offering and the altar of incense in the New Testament. The word θυσίαστηρίον (Thusiastairion) does not mean a censer in the New Testament.
Therefore, the word () in Hebrews 9:3.4. does not refer to the altar of incense, but to a golden censer used on the Day of Atonement.
Leviticus 16:12. And he (Aaron) shall take a censer full of coals of fire from the altar before the Lord, two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small, and he shall bring it inside the veil, and put the incense on the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of incense may cover the mercy seat that is over the testimony, so that he does not die.
In addition, there are two texts from the LXX version of the Old Testament which indicate that the word () refers to a censer.
2 Chronicles 26:19. And Ozias was angry, and in his hand was the censer () to burn incense in the temple; and when he was angry with the priests, then leprosy rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, over the altar θυσίαστηρίου (Thusiastairio) of incense. (One can see that there is a difference in spelling between the words censer and altar in the Greek text).
Ezekiel 8:11. And seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, and Jechonias the son of Saphan stood in their presence in the midst of them, and each one held his censer () in his hand.