What was in the Ark?

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In a popular book called “Where we got the Bible” by Bishop Henry G. Graham a statement is made in the second chapter," the Law, as I remarked before, was the nucleus, the earliest substantial part, which at one time formed the sole Book of Scripture that the Jews possessed. Moses wrote it, and placed a copy of it in the Ark". I cannot find any source for this. The Bible seems to say that only three things were kept in the Ark. The Ten Commandments, a pot of “hidden” mana and the rod of Aaron that budded. The Bible does say the law was kept on the side of the Ark.Can anyone help me with this?
 
I knew someone was going to have fun with that. I just didn’t think it would be on the first reply. No, I mean the Ark of the Covenant.
 
The Ten Commandments~~~The Written Word of God

Manna~~~Bread from Heaven, a prefigurement of the Eucharist

Staff of Aaron~~~ The Priesthood

There is reference to these three in scripture but for the life of me, the chapter and book escape me at this time.
 
The Ten Commandments is often seen as representing the entire Law, sort of like shorthand or symbolically. Sort of like when we see the Cross, we think of our Redemption and all that Jesus suffered to accomplish it.
 
I understand that the Ten Commandments are often seen as represeenting the whole law but he said Moses wrote it which would not mean the Ten Commandments.
 
Exodus Chapter 25:16
In the ark you are to put the commandments which I will give you.

Hebrews Chapter 9 :4
in which were the gold altar of incense and the ark of the covenant entirely covered with gold. In it were the gold jar containing the manna, the staff of Aaron that had sprouted, and the tablets of the covenant. -http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/hebrews/hebrews9.htm

I think he means the entire Mosaic Laws was present not just the first 10 items of the Law.
 
love4mary said:
The Ten Commandments~~~The Written Word of God

Manna~~~Bread from Heaven, a prefigurement of the Eucharist

Staff of Aaron~~~ The Priesthood

There is reference to these three in scripture but for the life of me, the chapter and book escape me at this time.
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Note that these were types which were fulfilled by Jesus in the New Covenant. Thus, Mary is the Ark of the the New Covenant.
 
Bishop Graham may have read the Douay-Rheims Bible which has:

24Therefore after Moses had wrote the words of this law in a volume, and finished it: 25 He commanded the Levites, who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord. saying: 26 Take this book, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God: that it may be there for a testimony against thee. (Deuteronomy 31:24-26)
 
I’m curious: The NAB footnote for Hebrews 9:4 says this:
The gold altar of incense: Exodus 30:6 locates this altar in the Holy Place, i.e., the first tabernacle, rather than in the Holy of Holies.** Neither is there any Old Testament support for the assertion that the jar of manna and the staff of Aaron were in the ark of the covenant.** For the tablets of the covenant, see Exodus 25:16.
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So how does one resolve this apparent contradiction?
 
RNRobert said:
So how does one resolve this apparent contradiction?
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The Old Testament may not explicitly support the idea that the jar of manna and Aaron’s rod were in the ark with the tablets of the Ten Commandments but neither does it explicitly reject the idea, as the relevant passages are a little ambiguous.

The Old Testament says:

And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the LORD, to be kept throughout your generations.” As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the testimony, to be kept. (Exodus 16:33-34)

And the LORD said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, lest they die.” (Numbers 17:10)
The testimony seems to refer to the two stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments that were placed in the ark of the covenant.
 
Todd_Easton said:
The Old Testament may not explicitly support the idea that the jar of manna and Aaron’s rod were in the ark with the tablets of the Ten Commandments but neither does it explicitly reject the idea, as the relevant passages are a little ambiguous.

The Old Testament says:

And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the LORD, to be kept throughout your generations.” As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the testimony, to be kept. (Exodus 16:33-34)And the LORD said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, lest they die.” (Numbers 17:10)The testimony seems to refer to the two stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments that were placed in the ark of the covenant.
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Thanks, Todd!

So in a way it does sound like the OT described the manna and the rod being placed in the ark with the stone tablets of the Law. I always figured that when the tabernacle was being transported, it would be easier to carry by having them in the ark instead of carrying them separately.
 
Testman said:
In a popular book called “Where we got the Bible” by Bishop Henry G. Graham a statement is made in the second chapter," the Law, as I remarked before, was the nucleus, the earliest substantial part, which at one time formed the sole Book of Scripture that the Jews possessed. Moses wrote it, and placed a copy of it in the Ark". I cannot find any source for this. The Bible seems to say that only three things were kept in the Ark. The Ten Commandments, a pot of “hidden” mana and the rod of Aaron that budded. The Bible does say the law was kept on the side of the Ark.Can anyone help me with this?
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THe 10 commandments are the law. We (Jews) believe the ark contained the broken pieces of the first set of commandments that Moses destroyed.
 
Valke2 said:
We (Jews) believe the ark contained the broken pieces of the first set of commandments that Moses destroyed.
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Was this in addition to the second set of stone tables that Deuteronomy 10:1-5 seems to say was put in the ark? Or, are you and I interpreting this particular text in different ways.
 
In addition. Both were kept. (Bava Batra 14b). So this is Jewish belief based on Talmud. There’s another opinion in the Talmud that there were actually 2 arks. One kept the broken pieces.
 
Todd_Easton said:
The Old Testament may not explicitly support the idea that the jar of manna and Aaron’s rod were in the ark with the tablets of the Ten Commandments but neither does it explicitly reject the idea, as the relevant passages are a little ambiguous.

The Old Testament says:

And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the LORD, to be kept throughout your generations.” As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the testimony, to be kept. (Exodus 16:33-34)

And the LORD said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, lest they die.” (Numbers 17:10)
The testimony seems to refer to the two stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments that were placed in the ark of the covenant.
Click to expand...
I think it is pretty clear that mana was kept in the ark. At least at one time. Is there a dispute about this among scholars? On the other hand, if the rod was supposed to be kept as a sign, it would imply that the ark was routinely opened to the people or that it was not actually kept in the ark.
 
davidv said:
To remind us that earth is not our home. It is only on the path to our true home in heaven.
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Is that what mosquitos remind you of? And where in the bible does it say earth is not our home? Tend the garden. Dominion over all the beasts, etc.
 
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