Commentary - 1 Kings 6:33-36

Bird's-eye view

In this brief but dense passage, we are given a description of the entrance to the main hall of the temple, the nave, and the construction of the inner court. Every detail here is dripping with theological significance. Solomon, building according to the pattern given by God, is not just constructing a functional religious building. He is fashioning a microcosm of the cosmos, a symbolic representation of God's dwelling with man, a tangible prophecy of the coming Christ, and a pattern for the life of the Church. The materials used, the carvings selected, and the very mechanics of the doors all preach the gospel. This is not mere architecture; it is architectural theology. The entrance speaks of access, the carvings speak of a restored Eden, and the structure of the court speaks of the ordered life of God's people. We are meant to see in the olive wood, cypress, gold, and stone a story that finds its ultimate fulfillment not in a building, but in a Person and His body, the Church.

Outline

Context In 1 Kings

This passage is situated within the larger narrative of Solomon's reign, the high point of which is the construction of the temple. After seven years of meticulous work, the house of God is nearing completion. The author has just detailed the inner sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, and now moves outward to describe the entrance to the nave, or the holy place. This is a movement from the most sacred space to the next level of holiness. The details provided are not incidental; they are a crucial part of demonstrating Solomon's faithfulness to the divine blueprint and underscoring the majesty and holiness of the God who would condescend to dwell there. The chapter as a whole serves to establish the temple as the center of Israel's worship and national life, a physical manifestation of God's covenant presence with His people. This section, focusing on the doors and inner court, highlights the themes of access to that presence and the nature of the community that gathers there.

Key Issues

Commentary

1 Kings 6:33

So also he made for the entrance of the nave four-sided doorposts of olive wood

We begin with the entrance, because how one enters the presence of God is a matter of first importance. The entrance here is to the nave, the holy place, the main chamber of the temple. And the frame for this entrance is made of olive wood. This is not an arbitrary choice of lumber. Olive wood speaks of peace, fruitfulness, and life. The olive branch is a symbol of peace, brought to Noah by the dove. Olive oil was used for anointing priests and kings, setting them apart for holy service. It fueled the lamps in the tabernacle, providing light. So the very frame of the door preaches a sermon. To enter here is to enter into peace with God, to be made fruitful, to be set apart for His service, and to walk in His light. The doorposts are four-sided, suggesting stability and completeness, like the four corners of the earth. This entrance is solid, established, and it offers the fullness of God's blessings to those who enter aright.

1 Kings 6:34

and two doors of cypress wood; the two leaves of the one door turned on pivots, and the two leaves of the other door turned on pivots.

The doors themselves are of cypress wood, a durable, strong, and fragrant wood, often associated with longevity and incorruptibility. This points to the enduring and eternal nature of the access God provides. But notice the mechanics. These are not single, monolithic doors. They are double doors, and each door has two leaves that turn on pivots. They are folding doors. This is a picture of generous and wide access. When the doors are opened, they do not just swing open to one side, creating a narrow passage. They fold back on themselves, creating a broad and welcoming entrance. The way into God's house is not a tight squeeze. Christ, who is the Door, says, "him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." The entrance is wide enough for all who would come. The pivoting action suggests ease of movement. There is no groaning, rusty hinge here. The way is made smooth. This is the gospel in architecture. The way is opened by God, it is a generous opening, and it is an easy opening for the one who comes by faith.

1 Kings 6:35

And he carved on it cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers; and he overlaid them with gold evenly applied on the engraved work.

Now we see what is depicted on the doors. Cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. What is this but a picture of the Garden of Eden? After Adam and Eve were exiled, God placed cherubim at the east of the garden to guard the way to the tree of life. Here, the cherubim are carved on the doors. They are still guardians, but they are guardians of a way that is now open. They are incorporated into the entrance. The palm trees are symbols of righteousness and victory, and the open flowers speak of new life, beauty, and fruitfulness. To walk through these doors is to re-enter paradise. It is to come back to the world as God intended it, a world of life, beauty, and fellowship with Him, guarded by His holy angels. And then all of this, the wood, the carvings, is overlaid with gold. Gold in Scripture consistently represents that which is divine, pure, and glorious. The glory of God covers everything. The entire scene of restored paradise is bathed in the divine glory. The gold is "evenly applied," which tells us of the perfection and uniformity of God's work. His glory is not patchy. It covers all, perfectly.

1 Kings 6:36

And he built the inner court with three rows of cut stone and a row of cedar beams.

Having passed through the doors, we are now in the inner court. This is the space for the priests, the place of service and closer communion. Its construction is also symbolic. Three rows of cut stone. The number three throughout Scripture speaks of the divine. The stone is "cut," meaning it is shaped, prepared, and fitted for its purpose. This is a picture of the people of God, the living stones being built up into a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5). We are quarried by grace and shaped by the trials and disciplines of the Lord. And there are three rows, a divine pattern. Interspersed with the stone is a row of cedar beams. Cedar is strong, aromatic, and resistant to decay. It was used for purification rites. This row of cedar beams binds the rows of stone together, providing structure and stability. This represents the sanctifying and preserving work of Christ that binds His people together. The Church is not just a pile of individual stones; we are a structured, ordered court, bound together by the incorruptible life of our Lord. We are a holy priesthood, ministering in His presence, built on a divine foundation and held together by His strength.

Application

The details of Solomon's temple are not just for architectural historians. They are for us. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit, both individually and corporately as the Church. This passage shows us what that temple looks like.

First, the entrance is everything. Jesus is the Door. The doorposts of olive wood remind us that the only way to enter into peace with God is through Him. There is no other frame for salvation. The cypress doors, folding open wide, tell us that His invitation is generous and His yoke is easy. We must not imagine that God is reluctant to save.

Second, when we come to God through Christ, we are entering a restored Eden. The carvings of cherubim, palms, and flowers are not just decorations. They are a promise of what we receive in the gospel: guarded access to the tree of life, the victory of righteousness, and the beauty of new creation. And all of this is covered in the gold of God's glory. Our salvation is not about our tarnished efforts, but about being covered completely in the perfect, glorious righteousness of Christ.

Finally, our life together as the church is to be like this inner court. We are to be an ordered community, "cut stones" shaped by God's hand, not a chaotic jumble of individuals. We are bound together by the strength and purity of Christ, the cedar beam. Our fellowship should be stable, strong, and fragrant with the knowledge of Him. We are called to be a holy priesthood, serving God together in His house. We must therefore take care how we build, ensuring that our lives and our churches reflect this divine, gospel-centered pattern.