SEV Biblia, Chapter 8:3
Y otro ngel vino, y se par delante del altar, teniendo un incensario de oro; y le fue dado mucho incienso de las oraciones de todos los santos para que los pusiese sobre el altar de oro, el cual est delante del trono.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Revelation 8:3
Verse 3. Another angel] About to perform the office of priest. Having a golden censer] This was a preparation peculiar to the day of expiation. "On other days it was the custom of the priest to take fire from the great altar in a silver censer, but on the day of expiation the high priest took the fire from the great altar in a golden censer; and when he was come down from the great altar, he took incense from one of the priests, who brought it to him, and went with it to the golden altar; and while he offered the incense the people prayed without in silence, which is the silence in heaven for half an hour." See Sir Isaac Newton.
Much incense, that he should offer it] Judgments of God are now about to be executed; the saints - the genuine Christians, pray much to God for protection. The angelic priest comes with much incense, standing between the living and those consigned to death, and offers his incense to God WITH the prayers of the saints.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 3. And another angel came , etc.] The Ethiopic version adds, from the east, as in ( Revelation 7:2); pointing to the same angel, and who is intended: for not a created angel, as Gabriel, or any other, is meant; nor any mere man, at least not Pope Damasus, who lived in Constantine's time, as Lyra thought; nor Constantine himself, which is the opinion of Brightman, who thinks that his, and the desires of other good men to make peace, and compose the differences occasioned by the Arian heresy, are designed by the incense and prayers; and this being brought about at the counsel of Nice, when the Arian blasphemy was condemned, and truth confirmed, is intended by the ascent of the smoke of the incense with the prayers, out of the angels hands; when there followed upon this great contentions, heart burnings, and persecutions, signified by fire, voices, thunderings, etc. and others, have been of opinion that the Emperor Theodosius is designed, and that respect is had to his prayer both in the church, and at the head of his army, before the battle with Eugenius, the saints in the mean while putting up united prayers to God for success, and which was obtained; and this victory was attended with a miraculous tempest, and gave a deadly blow to the Pagan religion. Yet neither of those, but Christ himself, the Angel of the covenant, and of God's presence, is here intended, who appeared in an angelic form; so the high priest in the day of atonement was called jyl f233 , an angel, or messenger, to which the allusion is; and stood at the altar ; either of burnt offerings, and may be rendered stood upon it; and so may represent his sacrifice, which had been lately offered up for the sins of his people, he being both altar, sacrifice, and priest; or rather the altar of incense, since mention is made of a censer and of incense, and the smoke of it; and seeing this altar is a golden one, as that was, and is before the throne, as that was before the vail by the ark of the testimony; ( Exodus 30:1,3,6); and so Christ is here introduced as the high priest, advocate, and intercessor for his people, though both altars may be respected in this verse: the altar may design the altar of burnt offering from whence the coals were taken in the censer; and the golden altar the altar of incense where the coals being brought the incense was put upon them, and offered; and here he stood as everyone concerned in the service of the sanctuary did f234 : having a golden censer ; the Ethiopic version adds, of fire: for this was a vessel in which were put burning coals of fire taken from off the altar before the Lord ( Leviticus 16:12), and which may denote the sufferings of Christ, he pains he endured in his body the sorrows of his soul, and the wrath of God which was poured like fire upon him; the altar from which they were taken off was typical of Christ: in his divine nature which is the altar that sanctifies the gift, and gave virtue to his blood and sacrifice; and all this being before the Lord may show that Christ's sufferings were according to the will of God, were grateful to him, and always before him; for these burning coals in the censer were also carried within the vail, representing heaven, where Christ entered by his own blood and where he is as a Lamb that had been slain, the efficacy of whose death always continues; and this being a golden censer shows the excellency and perpetuity of Christ's sacrifice and intercession. In the daily service the priest used a silver censer, but on the day of atonement a golden one f235 ; though at the daily sacrifice there was a vessel used, called Pkh , like to a large golden bushel, in which was a smaller vessel full of incense f236 , and may be what is here designed: and there was given unto him much incense ; the intercession of Christ is meant by the incense, which, like that, is sweet and fragrant, very grateful and acceptable to God and also pure and holy; for though it is made for transgressors, yet in a way of righteousness, and consistent with the holiness and justice of God; nor is there any like it, nor should there be any besides it; the intercession of angels, and saints departed, ought to be rejected: and it is perpetual, or will be for ever; (see Exodus 30:7,8,34- 38); and whereas it is said to be much, this is an allusion either to the many spices used in the composition of the incense, (see Exodus 30:34); the Jews say f237 , that eleven sorts of spices were ordered to Moses, and the wise men have added three more, in all fourteen; or to the priest's handfuls of incense, which he took and brought within the vail on the day of atonement, ( Leviticus 16:12); and which were added to, and were over and above the quantity used every day f238 ; and even in the daily service the pot of incense was not only filled, but wdg , heaped up f239 ; now this may denote the fulness of Christ's intercession, which is for all his elect, called and uncalled, greater or lesser believers, and for all things for them, as their cases be; for conversion, discoveries of pardon, preservation, perseverance, and glorification; and to support this, he has a fulness of merit, which makes his intercession efficacious; for incense was put upon the burning coals in the censer, or upon the fire before the Lord, ( Leviticus 16:13), signifying that Christ's intercession proceeds upon his sufferings and death: his blood and sacrifice, from whence all his pleas and arguments are taken in favour of his people, and which always prevail: and this is said to be given him, as his whole work and office as Mediator, and every branch of it is; he is appointed to this work, is allowed to do it, and is accepted in it, by him that sits upon the throne: in the daily offering of the incense, one took the incense and gave it into the hand of his friend, or the priest that was next him; and if he wanted instruction how to offer it, he taught him, nor might anyone offer incense until the president bid him f240 ; to which there seems to be an allusion here: now the end of this was, that he should offer [it] with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne ; the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions add, of God; the prayers of the saints, rightly performed, are themselves compared to incense, being very grateful and acceptable to God, ( <19E102> Psalm 141:2); and the Arabic version here renders it in connection with the preceding clause, and explanative of that, and there was given unto him much incense and much spice, which are the prayers of the saints, as in ( Revelation 5:8); and at the time of incense the people prayed; (see Luke 1:10); and these are spiritual sacrifices, which Christ the high priest presents for the saints, perfumes with the incense of his mediation, and makes acceptable to God, being offered upon, and coming up from that altar which is before him, and which gives value to everything that is put upon it: and they are the prayers of saints, who are set apart by God the Father, whose sins are expiated by the blood of Christ, and who are sanctified by the Spirit of God; who draw nigh to God with a true heart, and call upon him out of a pure heart, and in sincerity and truth; the prayers of such righteous ones, through faith in Christ, avail much with God; and the prayers of all saints are regarded by Christ, and presented by him, whether they be rich or poor, high or low, greater or lesser believers. The Jews often speak of an angel, whose name is Sandalphon, who is appointed over the prayers of the righteous, and takes them and presents them to God f241 : so Raphael in the Apocrypha: I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels, which present the prayers of the saints, and which go in and out before the glory of the Holy One. (Tobit 12:15) says he was one of the seven holy angels that carry up the prayers of the saints; and the heretic Elxai, who was originally a Jew, talked of the holy angels of prayer f242 : so the Jews say, that God by, or through his Word, receives the prayers of Israel, and has mercy on them f243 . In the Greek text it is, that he should give, etc. that is, the incense, agreeably to the Hebrew phrase in ( Numbers 16:47), and elsewhere.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - The seventh seal is opened. There was profound silence in heaven for space; all was quiet in the church, for whenever the church on eart cries through oppression, that cry reaches up to heaven; or it is silence of expectation. Trumpets were given to the angels, who were to sound them. The Lord Jesus is the High Priest of the church, having golden censer, and much incense, fulness of merit in his own glorious person. Would that men studied to know the fulness that is in Christ and endeavoured to be acquainted with his excellency. Would that the were truly persuaded that Christ has such an office as that of Intercessor, which he now performs with deep sympathy. No prayers, thu recommended, was ever denied hearing and acceptance. These prayers thus accepted in heaven, produced great changes upon earth. The Christian worship and religion, pure and heavenly in its origin an nature, when sent down to earth and conflicting with the passions an worldly projects of sinful men, produced remarkable tumults, here se forth in prophetical language, as our Lord himself declared, Lu 12:49.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 αλλος 243 αγγελος 32 ηλθεν 2064 5627 και 2532 εσταθη 2476 5681 επι 1909 το 3588 θυσιαστηριον 2379 εχων 2192 5723 λιβανωτον 3031 χρυσουν 5552 και 2532 εδοθη 1325 5681 αυτω 846 θυμιαματα 2368 πολλα 4183 ινα 2443 δωση 1325 5661 ταις 3588 προσευχαις 4335 των 3588 αγιων 40 παντων 3956 επι 1909 το 3588 θυσιαστηριον 2379 το 3588 χρυσουν 5552 το 3588 ενωπιον 1799 του 3588 θρονου 2362
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. At the altar (epi to qusiasthrion). The best texts read qusiasthriou, which justifies the Rev., "over the altar." For altar, see on chapter vi. 9. Interpreters differ as to whether the altar meant is the brazen altar, as in chapter vi. 9, or the altar of incense, as in chapter ix. 13. There seems to be no reason for changing the reference from the brazen altar (see on chapter vi. 9), especially as both altars are mentioned in this verse. The officiating priest in the tabernacle or temple took the fire for his censer from the brazen altar, and then offered the incense upon the golden altar.
Censer. See on chapter v. 8.
Incense. See on chapter v. 8.
Offer it with the prayers (dwsh taiv proseucaiv). Lit., should give it unto the prayers. Rev., add it unto the prayers. So that the prayers and the incense might ascend together. Proseuch is always used of prayer to God.
Golden altar. The altar of incense. Exod. xxx. 1-6; xxxix. 38.
