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Summary
- The Gospels never say that Jesus burned incense; the only link they record is the frankincense the Magi gave him (Matthew 2:11).
- The law of Moses reserved temple incense for priests descended from Aaron (Exodus 30:7–8; Numbers 16:40), and Zechariah was chosen by lot to offer it (Luke 1:9).
- Hebrews says Jesus came from the tribe of Judah and “would not be a priest at all” on earth (Hebrews 7:14; 8:4).
- Scripture links incense with prayer (Psalm 141:2; Revelation 5:8; 8:3–4) and condemns it when offered to other gods or alongside injustice (Isaiah 1:13).
- Early Christians refused to offer incense to the emperor’s image, and there is no clear evidence of incense in Christian worship before the late fourth century.
- Catholic, Orthodox and some Anglican churches use incense today; Reformed churches do not, holding that the ceremonial law pointed to Christ and is now abrogated.
Bibliography (Click to show)
- Scripture quotations from the English Standard Version (Exodus 30:6–8, 34–38; Leviticus 10:1–2; 16:12–13; Numbers 16:35, 40; 2 Kings 23:5; 2 Chronicles 26:18; Psalm 141:2; Proverbs 27:9; Isaiah 1:11–17; 60:6; Malachi 1:11; Matthew 2:11; Luke 1:9–10; 2:46; John 7:14; Hebrews 7:14; 8:4; 9:24; Revelation 5:8; 8:3–4) and the King James Version (Jeremiah 44:17). https://www.biblegateway.com/
- F. Brown, S. R. Driver and C. A. Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (Oxford, 1906), entries “קְטֹרֶת” and “לְבֹנָה,” via Sefaria. https://www.sefaria.org/
- Mishnah, Tamid 5:2, William Davidson Edition, via Sefaria. https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Tamid.5.2
- Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies 3.9.2, in Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1. https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0103309.htm
- Pliny the Younger, Letters 10.96, Internet History Sourcebooks, Fordham University. https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/pliny1.asp
- Tertullian, Apology 42, in Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 3. https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0301.htm
- Tertullian, The Chaplet, or De Corona 10, in Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 3. https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0304.htm
- “Apologeticus,” Wikipedia, on the date of Tertullian’s Apology. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apologeticus
- The Pilgrimage of Etheria, translated by M. L. McClure and C. L. Feltoe (SPCK, 1919), on the Sunday vigil at the Anastasis. https://www.ccel.org/m/mcclure/etheria/etheria.htm
- “Egeria (pilgrim),” Wikipedia, on the date of her pilgrimage. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egeria_(pilgrim)
- The Apostolic Canons, canon 3, in Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 7. https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3820.htm
- “Apostolic Canons” and “Incense,” The Catholic Encyclopedia (1907–1910). https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03279a.htm and https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07716a.htm
- General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no. 276. https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20030317_ordinamento-messale_en.html
- Orthodox Church in America, The Orthodox Faith, vol. 2, “Vespers,” “Gospel” and “Offertory: Great Entrance.” https://www.oca.org/orthodoxy/the-orthodox-faith/worship/the-daily-cycles-of-prayer/vespers
- “Incense,” Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th ed. (1911), on incense in the Church of England and the Lambeth opinion of 1899. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Incense
- The Episcopal Church, glossary, “Incense.” https://www.episcopalchurch.org/glossary/incense/
- Westminster Confession of Faith, chapters 19.3 and 21.1, Orthodox Presbyterian Church. https://www.opc.org/wcf.html
- Orthodox Presbyterian Church, “Regulative Principle of Worship,” question and answer, 4 August 2003. https://opc.org/qa.html?question_id=113
- John Calvin, Commentary on the Psalms, vol. 5, on Psalm 141:2. https://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/calcom12.xxv.i.html
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