Hebrews 9:5 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And over it the cherubims— That these things were shadows, emblems, and patterns of heavenly things, is past a doubt, from what we meet with in this epistle; nor does it appear difficult to understand of what the mercy-seat was an emblem, since St. Paul expressly speaks of Christ under that notion, Romans 3:25. Whom God hath set forth as a propitiatory or mercy-seat. The cherubims must have over-shadowed this mercy-seat, or covered it, since their wings joined together over the middle of it. These cherubims are commonly, and I think with good reason, thought to be sensible representations of angels; and they are called cherubims of glory, not barely upon account of the matter or formation of them, but as they were emblems of that Shechinah, or glorious presence of God, which certainly attended the ark, and the mercy-seat in the tabernacle. See the passages in the margin, and on Ezekiel, ch. 1. The next clause has been thought by some to refer to the cherubim only; but Dr. Heylin seems to have given the just interpretation of it; Concerning all which things we are not at this time to give a more distinct account; ουκ εστι :—"There is no need for us to speak distinctly respecting each of them, either on account of the argument which we are upon; or for your information, who are Hebrews, and well acquainted with them."