Pure oil olive beaten - The oil was to be of the best kind. It is called beaten, because it was obtained by merely bruising the olives in a mortar or mill, without the application of heat. The finest oil is now thus obtained from young fruit freshly gathered. The inferior kind is pressed from unselected fruit under stronger pressure, and with the application of heat.

The lamp - i. e. the lamps of the golden candlestick. (See Exodus 25:37.)

To burn - See the margin "to ascend up." It should be observed that the word does not properly mean to burn in the sense of to consume, but is the word regularly used to express the action of fire upon what was offered to Yahweh (see Leviticus 1:9).

Always - i. e. every night "from evening until morning." Compare Exodus 30:8.

Pure oil olive beaten - That is, such oil as could easily be expressed from the olives after they had been bruised in a mortar; the mother drop, as it is called, which drops out of itself as soon as the olives are a little broken, and which is much purer than that which is obtained after the olives are put under the press.

Columella, who is a legitimate evidence in all such matters, says that the oil which flowed out of the fruit either spontaneously, or with little application of the force of the press, was of a much finer flavour than that which was obtained otherwise. Quoniam longe melioris saporis est, quod minore vi preli, quasi luxurians, defluxerit - Colum., lib. xii., c. 50.

To cause the lamp to burn always - They were to be kept burning through the whole of the night, and some think all the day besides; but there is a difference of sentiment upon this subject. See the note on Exodus 27:21.

This oil and continual flame were not only emblematical of the unction and influences of the Holy Ghost, but also of that pure spirit of devotion which ever animates the hearts and minds of the genuine worshippers of the true God. The temple of Vesta, where a fire was kept perpetually burning, seems to have been formed on the model of the tabernacle; and from this the followers of Zeratusht, commonly called Zoroaster, appear to have derived their doctrine of the perpetual fire, which they still worship as an emblem of the Deity.

And thou shall command the children of Israel,.... Here begins a new section of the law; an account being given of the tabernacle, and its parts, and the furniture thereof, next the several parts of service done in it are observed; and the account begins with that of the candlestick in the holy place, in order to which Moses is directed to command the people of Israel, whose business it was to provide for it:

that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light; for the light of the candlestick, to light up the several lamps in the several branches of it; and the oil to be brought and used there was not any sort of oil, as what is got out of fishes, as train oil, or out of nuts, as oil of almonds, but what comes from the olive tree; and this must be pure and free from lees and dregs, and must be beaten with a pestle in a mortar, and not ground in a mill, that so it might be quite clear; for being bruised and beaten, only the pulp or flesh of the olive was broken, but being ground in a mill, the stones were broken and ground, and so the oil not so pure.Jarchi and Ben Melech, from their Rabbins, observe, that after the first drop was pressed out, they put them into mills and grind them; but then, though the oil was fit for offerings, it was not fit for the light of the candlestick. Ben Gersom says, they put the olives bruised into a basket, and the oil dropped from them without pressing at all; and this was the choicest and most excellent for the light. The quantity to be brought is not fixed; but the measure fixed by the wise men of Israel, as Jarchi says, was half a log, that is, for every lamp; and this was the measure for the longest nights, the nights of the month Tebet, and so the same for all other nights:

to cause the lamp to burn always night and day, continually, as it was proper it should, that the house of God might not be at any time in darkness; as it would otherwise be, since there were no windows in it; and his servants minister in it in the dark, even in the daytime, at the altar of incense, and at the shewbread table, which is not reasonable to suppose; and though there are some passages of Scripture which seem to intimate as though the lamps only burnt till the morning, and then went out, and were lighted every evening; this difficulty may be solved, and the matter reconciled by what Josephus (l) relates, who must be an eyewitness of it, that three of the lamps burned before the Lord in the daytime, and the rest were lighted at the evening; and Hecataeus (m), an Heathen writer, speaking of the golden candlestick, says, its light was unextinguished day and night, particularly the lamp which was in the middle; also the candlestick is by the ancient Jews, and by Nachmanides, said to have been never extinct.

(l) Antiqu. l. 3. c. 8. sect. 3.((m) Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 4. p. 408.

The instructions concerning the Oil For the Candlestick, and the daily trimming of the lamps by the priests, form a transition from the fitting up of the sanctuary to the installation of its servants.

Exodus 27:20

The sons of Israel were to bring to Moses (lit., fetch to thee) olive oil, pure (i.e., prepared from olives "which had been cleansed from leaves, twigs, dust, etc., before they were crushed"), beaten, i.e., obtained not by crushing in oil-presses, but by beating, when the oil which flows out by itself is of the finest quality and a white colour. This oil was to be "for the candlestick to set up a continual light."

And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive {h} beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.

(h) Such as comes from the olive, when it is first pressed or beaten.

27:20 We read of the candlestick in the 25th chapter ; here is order given for the keeping of the lamps constantly burning in it. The pure oil signified the gifts and graces of the Spirit, which are communicated to all believers from Christ the good olive, of whose fulness we receive, Zech 4:11,12. The priests were to light the lamps, and to tend them; to cause the lamp to burn always, night and day. Thus it is the work of ministers to preach and expound the scriptures, which are as a lamp to enlighten the church. This is to be a statute for ever, that the lamps of the word be lighted as duly as the incense of prayer and praise is offered.

to burn: Heb. to ascend up

[3] oil

Oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit (Cf) Jn 3:34 Heb 1:9. In Christ the oil-fed Light ever burns, the Light of the world Jn 8:12. But here we have not the world, but the sanctuary. It is a question, not of testimony in and to the world, but of our communion and worship as believer-priests in the holiest Heb 10:19,20. In the Tabernacle there were two compartments, two lights: the holy place with the candlestick See Scofield Note: "Ex 25:31" the holy of holies with the shekinah, or manifested glory of God. These two places are now one Mt 27:50,51 Heb 9:6-8 10:19-21 but it is important to see that there are still two lights: Christ, the Light of life Jn 8:12 through the Spirit giving light upon the holy things of God, the showbread and altar of incense; and also the shekinah, now on the face of Jesus Christ 2Cor 4:6. Into this twofold light we, as believer- priests, are brought 1Pet 2:9. We "walk in the light," not merely which He gives, but in which He lives 1Jn 1:7. But what of the command to "bring pure oil" Ex 27:20. Because our access, apprehension, communion, and transformation are by the Spirit Eph 2:18 1Cor 2:14,15 2Cor 13:14 Phil 2:1 2Cor 3:18. Our title to His presence is the blood Eph 2:13 but only as filled with the Spirit Eph 5:18 do we really walk in the light.

20, 21. pure oil olive beaten-that is, such as runs from the olives when bruised and without the application of fire.

for the light . Aaron and his sons-were to take charge of lighting it in all time coming.

27:20,21 The pure oil signified the gifts and graces of the Spirit, which all believers receive from Christ, the good Olive, and without which our light cannot shine before men. The priests were to light the lamps, and tend them. It is the work of ministers, by preaching and expounding the Scriptures, which are as a lamp, to enlighten the church, God's tabernacle upon earth. Blessed be God, this light is not now confined to the Jewish tabernacle, but is a light to lighten the gentiles, and for salvation unto the ends of the earth.