The Temple of Solomon Portrayed, History · Chapter 9 · Section 3 · Part 6
The Golden Tables of Shewbread.
HErein I ſhall deſire leave to ſpeak ſomewhat to the four urenſils deſcribed Exod. 25.29. becauſe omitted in the preceding Hiſtory, viz. the Diſhes, Spoons, Covers, and Bowls: the Hebrew hath theſe words, foreign which Arias Montanus renders Scutellas: the 2d is foreign Arias & Coclearia: the third foreign & medios Calamos: the laſt foreign & Cyathos ejus.
The firſt word is tranſlated, a Charger, Numb. 7.84, 85. and was no other then a golden Diſh or Charger wherein the Cakes were placed: The next is derived from foreign ſignifying hollow, and was a little Veſſel, wherein the Incenſe was put, which we tranſlate a Spoon. The 3d is from foreign which ſome tranſlate by ſcutella; others explain it by a Veſſel to cover, and ſeems to be a Golden Veſſel that was laid as a covering on the top of the Bread: whereas Arias hath turned it by Medius Calamus, it is in favour of the Jewiſh relations mentioned by Ainſworth at large, out of the Rabbies on that place, and Dr. Lightfoot, p. 83. of his ſecond Temple, as if they had bin golden Canes ſlit in the midſt, and laid between each Cake to preſerve them from touching each other, and thereby contracting any muſtineſs. This word in Numb. 4.7. is joyned with foreign to cover withall, which Buxtorf ſayes, when uſed with things that are dry, ſignifies obtegere, obducere, to cover or overwhelm; for what liquid thing was there here, for any effuſion or libation? and therefore he tranſlates them Scutellas tegminis, the covering diſhes. The laſt terme comes from foreign to be pure and clean; and thence ſome have tranſlated them Scopulae, as if they were bruſhes; but were ſuch made of gold? The Septuagint in Exod, 37.16. Numb. 4.7. and Jer. 52.19. tranſlate this word by foreign, and we, in that laſt place of the Prophet, by Cups. They are called by that name in the Hebrew from purity.
1. Conſerving or keeping pure or clean, as the covers of Goblets or great Cups, are therefore laid to keep the inſide of the Veſſel pure and clean, or the liquor or any other matter within from duſt. So then the two firſt are the Veſſels that ſtand underneath the bread and the incenſe: the two laſt, the covers on the top of each. So that on the top of the Covering Veſſel that was whelmed or laid upon the bread, ſtood the Spoon, as we call it, or the container of the Incenſe, with its Cover or Bowl, as we tranſlate it, to preſerve it from duſt, or any thing falling into it all the week long: till it was taken up, and offered to the Lord by fire at that time, as is conceived, when the bread was taken off. Now, becauſe that Incenſe doth (as it were) melt in the fire:Lev. 24.7. therefore poſſibly might the 70 call theſe Veſſels foreign, which are the common terms for receivers of liquids: and that which we Numb. 4.7. render to cover withall, they render foreign in which libation, or powring out, is uſed.
So much then, for what was omitted formerly in the Hiſtorical part: I ſhall now deſcend to the ſignification thereof.
As for the Tables themſelvs, their Rings, Crowns, Staves, matter or outward form, I ſhall leave as niceties for others to pry into, that pleaſe; Taking them to be all but attendants, and acceſſaries of what was the principal thing, viz. the Bread upon it, and Incenſe. The number of the Tables were 10, being increaſed in Solomon's daies.
We read in Scripture of the(a)Pſal. 105.16. ſtaff and ſtay of bread, as on which, man's temporal life doth lean: it being the(c)Pſal. 104.15. ſtrengthner of his heart. It is the principal of all food,(b)Iſa. 3.1. and therefore all our refreſhments are prayed for under that name in our Lord's prayer. But(d)Mat. 4.4. man doth not live by Bread alone but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Therefore was this part of the whole Maſſe of the Corn of Iſrael, preſented before the Lord, as an homage-teſtimony unto God, that the Harveſt was bleſſed by God, and that he giveth(e)Hoſ. 2.9. his Corn to his people in the ſeaſon thereof.
We ſee here, that God's Majeſty was pleaſed by this ſhadow, to hint forth his Commiſſion with his Inheritance. The people of God do enjoy a foreign, a fellowſhip with him, they are entertained by God who ſpreads their Tables, who(f)Iſa. 55.10. ſendeth his Rain from Heaven, that the Earth may give Seed to the Sower, and Bread to the Eater.
The Word of God is often compared to bread in Scripture, for the nouriſhment which Souls receive by it. The famine of Bread for the body, is not ſo ſore a puniſhment, as that(g)Amos 8.11. Mat. 16.12. of the hearing the Word of the Lord. Our bleſſed Saviour admoniſhing his Diſciples to beware of the leavened Bread of the Phariſees, expounds it of their corrupt Doctrine, that was unſound food for ſouls: for ſuch as attended to them(h)Iſa. 55.2. laid out their mony for that which was not true Bread.
The Sanctuary ſignified the Church of God, (as hath bin declared) wherein the Prieſts were to ſet forth bread every Sabbath-day: to ſhew that on that day, the bread of life, the Doctrine of the Goſpel ſhould be adminiſtred to the people of God, by ſuch as are able Miniſters of the New Teſtament, workmen that need not be aſhamed, rightly dividing the(i)2 Tim. 2.15. word of truth; and as the bread, ſet on the Table that day, did continue all the week there, ſo we ought all the week long to live upon the ſpiritual food of the Sabbath. Now, as the Incenſe-Altar ſignified prayer; and the Candleſtick, the light of a ſhining Miniſter, to illuminate the underſtanding in all things that accompany ſalvation, (of which more by and by): So the Table of Shew-bread ſignified the feeding Doctrines: the former concerns the head, the other the heart. To ſhew, that Miniſters are not onelyonly to ſet up Candleſticks in their Congregations, and to prepare the Lamps of knowledge; but to adminiſter the ſolid food of ſoul-ſaving and ſoul nouriſhing Doctrines. The Manna within the Vail was the Type of Chriſt Eſſentiall: This Bread on the Table without the Vail, of Chriſt Doctrinall; or Chriſt explained, opened, and applyed to the hearts of all hungry ſouls, that come with a heavenly appetite to the feaſt of the Goſpel.
Ribera p. 130.To let paſſe the conceit of Ribera, that this bread noted Charity: as the Papiſts are alwayes harping on that ſtring, tuning and ſtraining all places poſſibly they can to that leſſon, which is moſt excellent and melodious in it ſelf, but when played upon to the tune of merit: ſuch perſons do tranſgreſs for a(k)Prov. 28.11. Luk. 14.15. piece of bread that it may fall into their Basket: like crafty Gibeonites, that inſnare the Iſrael of God with ſuch leavened Doctrines.
I will not ſay neither, that this did ſignifie eating bread in the Kingdom of God: that place being only one by ſpiritual accommodation of the preſent bread that he was eating at a Phariſees Houſe, as our Lord was alwayes ready in a moſt heavenly way to apply every preſent providence to ſome ſpiritual benefit and improvement. Though its certain, that they ſhall be bleſſed that come to that Table of glory which Chriſt ſhall ſpread in Heaven, where ſhall be no faſtidium, no glutting Satiety, the Table there ſhall never be uncovered: At his right hand, are pleaſures that excel for evermore.
Yet I cannot ſay, this was a Type of it, but rather of the food of the Church here, before we come within Heaven, the Holy of Holies: yet certainly, it is the breakfaſt of grace to prepare our ſtomacks, and whet our appetites for the Manna within the Vail: on which we ſhall feed for evermore. Lord evermore give us of this(l)Joh. 6.34. bread, that we may never hunger more; but as Adam in innocency, whoſe inclination to eat, is conceived to be without any corroſions of pain, he had no Latrans Stomachus. So and much more excellent ſhall it be with Saints in Heaven, when we ſhall(m)Luk. 22.30. eat and drink at his Table, in his Kingdom. If we let in Chriſt to ſup with us in the Banquet of Grace, he will open the Gates of the New Jeruſalem, that we may(n)Rev. 3.20. ſup with him at the Table of Glory.
This bread was ſet in order before the Lord continually, being taken from the Children of Iſrael, by an everlaſting,(o)Lev. 24.8. Covenant. For as Laban and Jacob did make a Covenant of peace by eating of(p)Gen. 31.54. bread together. So Jethro, Moſes Father in Law, the Elders of Iſrael, and Aaron, eta(q)Exod. 18.12. bread together in token poſſibly of a Covenant; for Saul, when he was ſent to deſtroy Amalek, bids the Levites to depart from among them, that he might remember the kindneſs which they ſhewed to the Iſraelites, when they(r)1 Sam. 15.6. came up out of Egypt.
This cuſtom of making a Covenant by eating of bread, is noted by Alexander ab Alex. Gentil. l. 2. c. 5. Stuck. Antiq. Conviv. lib. 1. c. 30. m. 6. Coelius Rhodig. Lect. Antiq. l. 28. c. 15. and many others: to recite whoſe words, would fill up too much time and room.
Sufficient is it to note, that hereby there was a Covenant made between God and his people, that if they did obey him, he would(s)Pſal. 81.16. feed them with the finest of the Wheat, and with Honey out of the Rock would he ſatisfie them.
This Temple-bread was made into 12 Cakes, denoting probably the 12 Tribes of Iſrael, and therein the Church of God, under the conduct of the 12 Apoſtles of the New Teſtament. Jeruſalem we read, to have been built upon (t)Rev. 21.14.12 Foundations. Now as in the Temple there were 10 Tables, and each Table had in it 12 Cakes in the dayes of Solomon, ariſing in the whole to 120. I will not affirm, that it reflects upon the(u)Act. 1.15. 120 Diſciples, that were aſſembled at Jeruſalem: (then I ſhould conſent to the inventing niceties, which are juſtly condemned by ſober men.) But I conceive rather, that as Solomon was a ſingular Type of Chriſt: ſo this might ſignifie the great increaſe of the Congregations of the faithful, after the dayes of that Prince of peace, who was greater then Solomon in all his glory.
In each of which, as the Maſſe of each Cake was made up of many grains: So the Saints, though many, yet are one bread and one body, if they are all page missing
In the laſt place it is to be obſerved, that the Prieſts were to(e)Lev. 24.9. eat of this holy Bread, who were the Lords [foreign or] portion: to ſhew that they are to have their livelyhood from the Church of Chriſt in the dayes of the Goſpel, in which they miniſter. And further, it notes in a ſpiritual way, that the Prieſts were to feed upon, and live up to, the ſame truths which they held forth to others.
The Incenſe that was on the top of the Cakes was to be burnt on the Sabbath, to ſhew, that prayer was to be joyned with the word, as before was mentioned.