Exodus 27:20

“And thou shall command the children of Israel, etc.] Here begins a new section of the law; an account being given of the tabernacle, and its parts, and the furniture thereof, next the several parts of service done in it are observed; and the account begins with that of the candlestick in the holy place, in order to which Moses is directed to command the people of Israel, whose business it was to provide for it: that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light; for the light of the candlestick, to light up the several lamps in the several branches of it; and the oil to be brought and used there was not any sort of oil, as what is got out of fishes, as train oil, or out of nuts, as oil…”

“pure oil olive beaten--that is, such as runs from the olives when bruised and without the application of fire. for the light . . . Aaron and his sons--were to take charge of lighting it in all time coming.”

“Pure oil olive beaten - The oil was to be of the best kind. It is called beaten, because it was obtained by merely bruising the olives in a mortar or mill, without the application of heat. The finest oil is now thus obtained from young fruit freshly gathered. The inferior kind is pressed from unselected fruit under stronger pressure, and with the application of heat. The lamp - i. e. the lamps of the golden candlestick. (See Exodus 25:37.) To burn - See the margin “to ascend up.” It should be observed that the word does not properly mean to burn in the sense of to consume, but is the word regularly used to express the action of fire upon what was offered to Yahweh (see Leviticus 1:9). Always…”

“We read of the candlestick in the 25th chapter; here is order given for the keeping of the lamps constantly burning in it. The pure oil signified the gifts and graces of the Spirit, which are communicated to all believers from Christ the good olive, of whose fulness we receive, Zac 4:11-12. The priests were to light the lamps, and to tend them; to cause the lamp to burn always, night and day. Thus it is the work of ministers to preach and expound the scriptures, which are as a lamp to enlighten the church. This is to be a statute for ever, that the lamps of the word be lighted as duly as the incense of prayer and praise is offered. Next: Exodus Chapter 28”

“27:20–30:38 Following the instructions for Tabernacle structure, instructions are now given for those who would serve in the Tabernacle and for the elements involved in that service. Included are priestly functions (27:20-21; 29:38-46), clothing (ch 28), dedication ceremonies (29:1-37), furnishings (30:1-10, 17-21), and supplies (30:11-16, 22-38). 27:20-21 The first thing said about the function of the priests, Aaron and his sons, is that they were to keep the lamps burning continually through the night (see 30:8). As the lamps burned in the Lord’s presence, they would indicate the continuity of his presence.”

“pure oil olive beaten: That is, such oil as could be easily expressed from the olives, after they had been bruised in a mortar; and which is much purer than that obtained after the olives are put under the press. Exo 39:37; Lev 24:2-4; Jdg 9:9; Psa 23:5; Zac 4:11-14; Rev 11:4 for the light: Exo 25:31-37 to cause the lamp: Josephus says, that the whole of the seven lamps burned all night; and that in the morning four were extinguished, and three burned the whole of the day. Such might have been the practice in his time; but it appears sufficiently evident from Exo 30:8, and Sa1 3:3, that they were anciently extinguished in the morning. to burn: Heb. to ascend up Exodus 27:21”

“The instructions concerning the Oil For the Candlestick, and the daily trimming of the lamps by the priests, form a transition from the fitting up of the sanctuary to the installation of its servants. Exo 27:20 The sons of Israel were to bring to Moses (lit., fetch to thee) olive oil, pure (i.e., prepared from olives "which had been cleansed from leaves, twigs, dust, etc., before they were crushed"), beaten, i.e., obtained not by crushing in oil-presses, but by beating, when the oil which flows out by itself is of the finest quality and a white colour. This oil was to be "for the candlestick to set up a continual light." Exo 27:21 Aaron and his sons were to prepare this light in the…”