Daily Lectionary | Exodus 30 & Matthew 26:1-30

Exodus 30

Summary

The Lord gives instructions to construct an altar of incense and place it before the veil of the Most Holy Place. Aaron and his sons will be responsible for burning incense on the altar of incense every morning and at twilight along with keeping the lamps burning. So the priests now have daily duties of offering burnt offerings on the altar in the courtyard, keeping the lamps burning in the Holy Place, and burning incense. The Holy Place is a bright and smoky place! 

Later in the chapter are rules fro the bronze basin, which is placed between the entry of the tent and the altar. This is basin for washing for the priest before they enter the tent. 

All of the implements, furniture, and the tent itself are to be anointed with oil. This is a consecration of this holy place. Moses is also commanded to make a special incense to burn in the tent of meeting. 

Curiously, between the instruction for the basin and the special oil and incense, we have a rule for a census tax. The census is taken based on males, 20 years or older. From this census there is a mandatory tax flat tax for the tent of meeting. 

Reflection

How does the furniture and implements of the tent of meeting engage all the senses? 

Matthew 26:1-30

Jesus understands that he is about to be delivered up and tells his disciples so. The conspiracy among the religious establishment to kill Jesus is afoot, but they are waiting for the right time. 

Meanwhile, Jesus is at Simon’s house in Bethany where a woman empties expensive oil and pours it on Jesus’ head. The disciples sees this as wasteful, but Jesus sees it as a beautiful thing: she anoints his body for burial! While the disciples have a hard time accepting Jesus’ impending fate, this woman does not. 

The extravagant woman, who spends lavishly on her devotion to Jesus, might contrasted with Judas who seeks to betray Jesus with money. 

Jesus tells his disciples to prepare for the Passover. At the Passover, Jesus institutes as Supper, relating the bread to his body and the wine to his blood, which will be poured out for the remission of sins. 

Reflection

Jesus says that he will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until he drinks it “anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.” What event or time might Jesus be referring to?