Lance Carson
The burning of incense has been a significant practice in various religious traditions, including Judaism and Christianity. In the context of temples and sacred spaces, incense has played a crucial role in rituals, prayers, and offerings. Incense was burned on altars, often made of gold and acia wood, to produce a sweet-smelling smoke that rose towards the heavens. This act symbolised the ascension of prayers to God and was seen as a sacred offering that pleased the divine. The ingredients for the incense were carefully prescribed, with the Book of Exodus listing four components, while Rabbi Nathan of Babylon and the Talmud describe a more complex recipe with additional elements. The altar of incense was considered holy, and its continuous burning served as a reminder of the perpetual nature of prayer and Christ's mediation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To mask unpleasant smells, to be used in prayer, and to be offered to God |
| Ingredients | Stacte, onychia, galbanum, frankincense, myrrh, cassia, spikenard, saffron, costus, aromatic bark, cinnamon, carshina lye, Cyprus wine, Sodom salt, Jordan amber |
| Religious Significance | Symbol of the prayers of God's people, a picture of the intercession of Christ |
| Rituals | Burning incense on the altar, sprinkling aromatic spices on burning coals, putting blood on the horns of the altar |
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What You'll Learn
Incense as a symbol of prayer
Incense has long been associated with prayer in Scripture and is often seen as a symbol of prayer. In the Book of Psalms, David prays, "May my prayer be set before you like incense" (Psalm 141:2). In the Book of Revelation, John describes a vision of heaven in which the elders around the throne "were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people" (Revelation 5:8; cf. 8:3).
The altar of incense in the temple is also associated with prayer. In Luke's Gospel, Zechariah, a priest in the temple, is described as offering incense at the altar while the assembled worshippers prayed outside (Luke 1:10). The smoke rising from the altar symbolised the prayers of the people rising up to God. Similarly, the perpetual burning of incense on the altar symbolises the perpetual nature of prayer—the idea that we should always be praying (Luke 18:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:17).
The ingredients of the incense and the fire used to burn it were also significant. The incense was made from costly and fragrant materials, including various spices such as frankincense, myrrh, and cinnamon, and was intended to create a sweet-smelling savour. The fire used to burn the incense was taken from the altar of burnt offering outside the sanctuary (Leviticus 16:12), symbolising the need for our prayers to be kindled with heaven's grace.
The altar of incense, therefore, serves as a reminder that our prayers are made holy and acceptable to God through Christ's sacrifice and mediation. Just as the sweet smell of incense rises to God, so too do our prayers rise up to Him, made acceptable by Christ's intercession on our behalf.
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Incense as a sweet-smelling offering
Incense was burned in the temple as a sweet-smelling offering to God. The smoke from the incense was thought to carry prayers up to God, and the aroma was considered a tribute to his position. The incense was burned on a golden altar in the Holy Place, and the fragrance rose above the veil to fill the inner Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant sat. The altar of incense was considered part of the Holy of Holies, where God resided in the Temple.
The incense offering was an important component of priestly liturgy in the Temple in Jerusalem. The sacred incense was made from costly materials that the congregation contributed. The recipe for the incense is given in the Book of Exodus:
> Take unto yourself sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight: And you shall make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together [salted], pure and holy: And you shall beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with you.
The Talmud lists seven additional components for the incense, bringing the total number of ingredients to eleven. These include frankincense, myrrh, cassia, and cinnamon. The incense was burned morning and evening, and the coals used to light it were always taken from the altar of burnt offerings outside the sanctuary.
The altar of incense was holy to the Lord, and it was atoned for with the blood of sacrifice. The perpetual burning of the incense symbolises the perpetual nature of Christ's mediation.
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Incense as a tribute to God's position
Incense has been burned in temples as an offering to God, with the belief that the smoke from the altar helps prayers rise to God. In the Bible, incense is often associated with prayer. David prayed, "May my prayer be set before you like incense" (Psalm 141:2). In his vision of heaven, John saw that the elders around the throne "were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people" (Revelation 5:8; cf. 8:3). Burning incense is also mentioned in the Book of Exodus, where God instructs Moses to use sweet spices to create a sacred perfume for use in the wilderness Tabernacle.
The altar of incense was considered part of the holy of holies, where God resided in the Temple above the Ark of the Covenant. It was a horned altar that held burning coals upon which priests would sprinkle aromatic spices, with frankincense being the only spice we are sure about. The incense was burned with fire from the altar of burnt offerings, symbolising how our prayers must be kindled with heaven's grace.
The incense offering was an important component of priestly liturgy in the Temple in Jerusalem. The sacred incense was made from costly materials contributed by the congregation. The incense was burned morning and evening, filling the temple with a sweet-smelling smoke.
The altar of incense was also seen as a symbol of Christ's mediation on our behalf. Just as the smoke of incense rises to God, our prayers ascend to Him because of Christ's sacrifice. Christ's intercession on our behalf is described as a sweet-smelling savour to God, and through faith in Him, we can now enter God's holy presence.
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The ingredients of incense
Incense has been used in religious ceremonies and rituals since ancient times. The ingredients of incense vary depending on the region and the specific religious tradition.
In Judaism, the incense used in the Temple, or "ketoret" in Hebrew, is described in the Bible, specifically in the Book of Exodus. The recipe includes four main ingredients: stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense, with each weighing seventy mina. The Talmud, a Jewish rabbinic text, lists seven additional ingredients: myrrh, cassia, spikenard, saffron, costus, aromatic bark, and cinnamon. Rabbi Nathan of Babylon also mentions the inclusion of Jordan amber. The incense was prepared by grinding the ingredients into a fine powder and then burning it on the altar.
In Christianity, the use of incense in religious practices is inspired by passages in the Bible, particularly in the Book of Psalms and the Revelation of John. However, specific ingredients for incense are not mentioned in the Christian texts.
In Buddhism, highly scented Chinese incense sticks are commonly used, featuring large amounts of sandalwood, agarwood, or floral scents. The use of incense in Buddhism is not limited to China; it is also prevalent in East Asian countries such as Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and Thailand.
In Hinduism, the traditional incense ingredients used in ancient India included Benzoin resin and the resin obtained from the Commiphora wightii tree. These resins were burned over embers, releasing perfumed smoke. However, modern-day incense in India is mostly chemically produced rather than made from natural ingredients.
The use of incense is also prevalent in Chinese Taoist and Japanese Shinto traditions. Agarwood and sandalwood are the two most important ingredients in Chinese incense. The incense sticks are burned before statues or plaques of deities or ancestors, and they are either placed in censers or waved in the air during rituals.
The specific ingredients and methods of preparation and use may vary, but the common purpose of incense across these religious traditions is often associated with prayer, purification, and offering to deities or higher powers.
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The altar of incense
The fire for the altar of incense was taken from the altar of burnt offering outside the sanctuary, and it was never to be used for burnt offerings or drink offerings. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would put blood on the horns of the altar to cleanse it.
The incense was made from costly and carefully measured ingredients, including various spices and resins. The recipe for the incense is described in the Book of Exodus, and it was contributed by the congregation.
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Frequently asked questions
The purpose of burning incense in the temple was to symbolise the prayers of the people rising to God.
The incense was made of costly materials contributed by the congregation. The Book of Exodus describes the recipe as containing "sweet spices, stacte, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense".
Incense was burned in the temple morning and evening so that a sweet-smelling smoke issued from it day and night.
The altar of incense was made of gold and acacia wood.
The altar of incense was considered holy to the Lord and was atoned for with the blood of sacrifice. It can be seen as a symbol of the intercession of Christ.
