A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Exodus · Chapter 29
CHAP. XXIX.
Verſ. 1. ANd this is the thing that thou ſhalt do unto them, to hallow them, &c.]
That is, to ſanctifie them for the work of the prieſthood: and all the following ceremonies, ſacrifices, purifyings, were to this end, to teach men to look off from theſe men, who had need themſelves of purifying, and ſacrifices of atonement, and to look onelyonly upon Chriſt, or upon them onelyonly as types of Chriſt.
Take one young bullock and two rammes without blemiſh.]
This young bullock was for a ſinne-offering, and the two rammes were the one for a burnt-offering the other for a peace-offering.
Verſ. 2. And unleavened bread, and cakes, &c.]
This meat-offering of bread and cakes was to be unleavened, to ſignifie the ſincerity and incorruption of Chriſt, of whom all ſacrifices were types, and who is indeed the true bread of life, John 6. 55. and ſecondly, of all the ſacrifices evangelicall, which through him Chriſtians do offer unto God: and likewiſe the oyl wherewith they were mingled, ſignified the pretious anointing of Gods ſpirit both in Chriſt and the faithfull. 1. John 2. 27. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you; …nd ye need not that any man teach you: but as the ſame anointing teach…th you all things, and is truth, and is no lie, &c.
Verſ. 2. Of wheaten floure ſhalt thou make them.]
The beſt of the principle grain, ſignifying the purity of Chriſt and all Evangelicall ſacrifices.
Verſ. 4. And Aaron and his ſonnes ſhalt thou bring, and ſhalt waſh them with water.]
To wit, out of the ſanctified laver, Exod. 30. 18. And this ſignified the holineſſe that was required in theſe legall prieſts that were to be types of Chriſt.
Verſ. 7. Then thou ſhalt take the anointing oyl, and poure it upon his head.]
Here Moſes is expreſſely commanded to poure the anointing oyl (for the making whereof there is afterwards direction given, Chap. 30. 23. &c. upon the head of Aaron; but in the two following verſes, where there is order given for the conſecration of his ſonnes, there is no mention made of anointing them; whence many Expoſitours conclude, that onelyonly the high prieſt Aaron was anointed with this oyl, and not his ſonnes: yet becauſe it is ſaid, Exod. 30. 30. Thou shalt anoint Aaron and his ſons, and Chap. 40. 14, 15. Thou shalt bring his ſons, and cloth… them with coats; and thou shalt anoint them, as thou didſt anoint their father, that they may miniſter unto me in the prieſts office: it is more then probable, that at their firſt conſecration both Aaron and his ſonnes vvere anointed. Indeed in ſucceeding times it is evident that onelyonly the high prieſts vvere anointed, and therefore Levit. 21. 10. he is diſtinguiſhed from the inferiour prieſts hereby, He that is the high prieſt among his brethren, upon whoſe head the anointing oyl was poured. But at this preſent conſecration of the prieſts, doubtleſſe both Aaron and his ſonnes vvere anointed. And though vve cannot ſay that they vvere anointed by the pouring out of the oyl upon their heads, as Aaron vvas; yet it is hard on the other ſide to reſtrain their anointing to the ſprinkling of the holy oyl upon them and their garments, vvhereof mention is made, Levit. 8. 30. And Moſes took the anointing oyl, and the blo…d which was upon the Altar, and ſprinkled it upon Aarons and upon his ſonnes garments with him, &c.
Verſ. 10. And thou shalt cauſe a bullock to be brought, &c.]
Which vvas to be a ſinne-offering for the prieſt, verſ. 14. But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, thou shalt burn with fire without the camp; it is a ſinne-offering.
And Aaron and his ſonnes shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock.]
In vvhichwhich rite by the hand of faith they disburthened themſelves of their ſinnes, and laid them upon the head of the ſacrifice, that is, upon Chriſt, Iſa. 53. 6. God hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all.
Verſ. 11. And thou ſhalt kill the bullock before the Lord, &c.]
Thus till Aaron and his ſonnes were fully conſecrated for the ſervice of the prieſthood, Moſes himſelf did by extraordinary warrant from god do the work of the prieſt in offering theſe ſacrifices; whence is that of the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 99. 6. Moſes and Aaron among his prieſts.
Verſ. 12. And thou ſhalt take of the bloud and put it upon the horns of the altar, &c.]
That is, the braſen altar of the burnt-offerings which ſtood in the court yard. This firſt ſinne-offering differed from others that were offered for the ſinnes of the prieſts: In others, the bloud was carried into the tabernacle, and put upon the horns of the golden altar of incenſe, Levit. 4. 7. And the prieſt ſhall put ſome of the bloud upon the horns of the altar of ſweet incenſe, &c. here it was not ſo, Firſt, becauſe this was alſo to ſanctifie the altar it ſelf, that it might be fit afterwards to ſanctifie the ſacrifices of the people (whereby alſo was implyed the worthleſneſſe of theſe things in themſelves if they be not looked upon with reference to Chriſt) Secondly, becauſe Aaron and his ſonnes being not yet full prieſts, it was done as was uſuall at the ſinne-offerings of the common ruler and private perſon. See Levit. 4. 25, 30. As for the doing of this with the finger, this was uſed in all ſinne-offerings, Levit. 4. and onelyonly in them, teaching us the efficacy of Chriſts bloud for the purging away of ſinne, when it is ſo particularly preſented unto God and applyed by his Spirit, Heb. 9. 12, 13, 14. Neither by the bloud of goats and calves, but by his own bloud he entred once into the holy place, having obtained eternall redemption for us. For if the bloud of bulls and of goats, and the aſhes of an heifer ſprinkling the unclean, ſanctifieth to the purifying of the fleſh: How much more ſhall the bloud of Chriſt, who through the eternall Spirit offered himſelf without ſpot to God, purge our conſcience from dead works to ſerve the living God? And indeed the finger of God, Luk 11. 20. is expounded to be the Spirit of God, Matth. 12. 28.
And poure all the bloud beſide the bottome of the altar.]
It is likely that it was poured out at the bottome of the altar on the inſide; and ſo it might be much conſumed with the continuall heat of the fire: and this ſignified the full price that ſhould be paid for our redemption.
Verſ. 13. And thou ſhalt take of the fat that covereth the inwards, &c.]
By the …at may be meant the groſſeneſſe of our nature in all the faculties and powers of the ſoul, the underſtanding in the heart, the angry motion in the liver, the concupiſcence in the kidneyes or reins, which being all corrupted are therefore to be purged by the fire of the Spirit, and ſo to be offered unto God. But the plainer reaſon of this ceremony I conceive to be, that the people might be taught highly to eſteem the worſhip of God, by this direction of giving him the beſt of the ſacrifices.
Verſ. 14. But the fleſh of the bullock▪ and his skinne, and his dung, thou ſhalt burn without the camp, &c.]
Thus it was done whereever bullocks were offered for a ſinne-offering, Levit. 4. and when the bloud was carried into the tabernacle, Levit. 6. 30. No ſinne-offering, whereof any of the bloud is brought into the tabernacle of the congregation to reconcile withall in the holy place, ſhall be eaten; it ſhall be burnt in the fire. It was to imply how deteſtable the ſinne was, which was as it were laid upon this bullock, and that the true ſacrifice for our ſinnes ſhould ſuffer without the gates of Jeruſalem, Heb. 13. 11, 12, 13. For the bodies of thoſe beaſts whoſe bloud is brought into the Sanctuary, by the high prieſt for ſinne, are burnt without the camp: wherefore Jeſus alſo, that he might ſanctifie the people with his own bloud, ſuffered without the gate, &c.
It is a ſinne-offering.]
And therefore thus to be ordered, as is above appointed.
Verſ. 15. And thou shalt take one ramme, &c.]
That is, one of thoſe two rammes before mentioned verſe 1. The ſacrifice for ſinne being firſt offered (without which no other offering could have been accepted, for God heareth not ſinners) now followeth the burnt-offering; which was firſt a ſhadow of Chriſt, who after that he had offered himſelf to God as a ſacrifice for ſinne, did then aſcend up into heaven, there to prepare a place for his …edeemed ones; ſecondly, a ſigne of our regeneration, as the other was of the expiation of our ſinnes by Chriſt, ſignifying that through him we ſhall and muſt be clenſed from ſinne, crucified to the world, and preſent our whole man, bodies and ſouls, a living ſacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, Rom. 12. 1. And thirdly, to teach the prieſts, for whoſe conſecration it was offered, that being purified by the Spirit of God, they muſt deny themſelves, and conſecrate themſelves wholly to God, to ſerve him in their office holily and faithfully all the dayes of their life.
Verſ. 16. And thou shalt take his bloud, and ſprinkle it round about, &c.]
It figured the ſprinkling of Chriſts bloud, as for our reconciliation ſo alſo our ſanctification, 1. Pet. 1. 2. Through ſanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and ſprinkling of the bloud of Chriſt.
Verſ. 19. And thou shalt take the other ramme, &c.]
This was for a congratulatory or peace-offering: Now theſe were offered uſually either to obtain ſome bleſſing, or to give thanks for ſomething already received: in both reſpects was this offered at the prieſts conſecration, both by way of thankfulneſſe for the honour done him in his calling, and to beg of God that he would proſper him in the execution of it.
And Aaron and his ſonnes shall put their hands upon the head of the ramme, &c.]
Signifying that from God in Chriſt (figured in that ramme) they expected not onelyonly juſtification and ſanctification (as in the two former ſacrifices) but alſo conſecration to their office, and ability to perform the ſame.
Verſ. 20. And take of his bloud, and put it upon the tip of the right eare of Aaron, &c.]
The eare hand and foot are anointed with bloud, to intimate the ſanctifying of all their parts by Chriſts bloud to make them fit for the prieſthood: And theſe are put for all, becauſe the eare is the ſigne of obedience, Pſal. 40. 6. Sacrifice and offering, thou didſt not deſire, mine ears haſt thou opened; eſpecially in hearing the word from Gods mouth, which they ſhould teach unto the people: And again, the hands and feet are the inſtruments of action, not onelyonly in their miniſtery, but in their whole converſation.
And ſprinkle the bloud upon the altar round about, &c.]
See the notes upon verſ. 10. for this tended to the ſame end.
Verſ. 21. And thou shalt take of the bloud that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oyl, &c.]
Though this bloud and oyl mingled together was ſprinkled upon the holy garments of Aaron and his ſonnes, yet we may well think it was done ſo, that it might not marre the beauty and glory of their garments; and then ſome little drops of bloud ſprinkled here and there would rather be for the honour, then the defiling of their garments. Now this was done to ſignifie that by the bloud of Chriſt, and the oyl of his graces, they were ſanctified for the work of their miniſtery.
Verſ. 22. For it is a ramme of conſecration.]
That is, offered as a peace-offering in liew of his conſecration.
Verſ. 24. And thou ſhalt put all in the hands of Aaron, &c.]
To wit, all thoſe things mentioned in the two former verſes, amongſt which the right ſhoulder is alſo named. In other peace-offerings, the breaſt and the right ſhoulder were ſet apart from the reſt of the ſacrifice, and given to the prieſts for their portion, Levit. 7. 31, 32. The breaſt ſhall be Aarons and his ſonnes; and the right ſhoulder ſhall ye give unto the prieſt for an heave-offering of the ſacrifice of your peace-offerings. But here the breaſt onelyonly was given to Moſes, as he that extraordinarily did now the prieſts work; the ſhoulder was together with the fat and other things waved by the prieſts, and then by Moſes burnt upon the altar: and the reaſon was doubtleſſe, becauſe there were many prieſts among whom the breaſt and ſhoulder were in future times divided, whereas here onelyonly Moſes executed now the work of the prieſt, and therefore the breaſt alone was given unto him for his portion, and the ſhoulder was burnt upon the altar, and offered to the Lord.
And ſhalt wave them for a wave-offering before the Lord.]
By ſhaking it thus to and fro they did as it were diſclaim all their intereſt in that offering, and reſigne it as a thing wholly conſecrated to God; and beſides, this waving it to the Eaſt Weſt North and South might imply that all Nations ſhould in Chriſt have cauſe to praiſe God.
Verſ. 26. And it ſhall be thy part.]
Becauſe he was now in the ſtead of the prieſt; yet he hath not all (viz. not the ſhoulder) which was afterward the prieſts portion, becauſe this breaſt was enough to imply that he had done the prieſts work.
Verſ. 27. And thou ſhalt ſanctifie the breaſt of the wave-offering, &c.]
This is not ſpoken of the preſent, but is an ordinance for the future, what ſhall be then the prieſts; becauſe Moſes had now the breaſt onelyonly, therefore this is now Inſerted that the prieſts were to have both breaſt and ſhoulder.
Verſ. 29. And the holy garments of Aaron ſhall be his ſonnes after him, &c.]
And thus though the man was changed yet the high prieſt ſeemed in a manner the ſame, appearing before God in the ſame garments: a ſweet type of that one high prieſt after the order of Melchiſedec.
Verſ. 30. And that ſonne that is prieſt in his ſtead ſhall put them on ſeven dayes.]
So many dayes were the ſolemnities of Aaron and his ſonnes conſecration at the preſent to continue, ver. 35. Seven dayes ſhalt thou conſecrate them: during which time they were to abide at the doore of the tabernacle day and night, to keep the watch of the Lord, Levit. …. 33, 35. And ye ſhall not go out of the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation in ſeven dayes, untill the dayes of your conſecration be at an end: for ſeven dayes ſhall he conſecrate you. Therefore ſhall ye abide at the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night, ſeven dayes, and keep the charge of the Lord, that ye die not, and were every day to be conſecrated with the ſame ſacrifices and ceremonies as they had been the firſt day, as methinks it is evident, Levit. 8. 34. As he hath done this day, ſo the Lord hath commanded to do, &c. And the continuance of theſe ſolemnities ſeven dayes ſignified, 1. that perfect holineſſe which ſhould be in Chriſt; and 2. that the whole courſe of the prieſts lives ſhould be conſecrated to Gods ſervice. See Exod. 12. 15.
Verſ. 31. And ſeethe his fleſh in the holy place.]
That is, in the courtyard of the Sanctuary at the doore of the tabernacle; for there it was both boyled and eaten, Levit. 8. 31. And Moſes ſaid unto Aaron and his ſonnes, Boil the fleſh at the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation, and eat it with the bread, &c. See Exod. 28. 43.
Verſ. 33. But a ſtranger ſhall not eat thereof, &c.]
That is, none but themſelves: in other peace-offerings the offerer did eat of it; here was no offerer but the prieſt.
Verſ. 34. Then thou ſhalt burn the remainder with fire.]
Which was done, 1. to maintain the peoples reverence toward them, by letting them ſee that they were not to be uſedbut in holy uſes▪ 2. to prevent the ſuperſtitious abuſes of them. Some peace-offerings might be eaten the next day, Levit. 7. 16. But if the ſacrifice of his offering be a vow or a voluntary offering, it ſhall be eaten the ſame day that he offereth his ſacrifice; and on the morrow alſo the remainder of it ſhall be eaten. OnelyOnly thoſe which were offered for a thanksgiving were to be eaten the ſame day; whereby it may ſeem that theſe of the prieſts were principally for that end. See Exod. 12. 10.
Verſ. 35. Seven dayes ſhalt thou conſecrate them.]
See the note above upon ver. 30.
Verſ. 36. And thou ſhalt offer every day a bullock for a ſinne-offering, for atonement, &c.]
This is meant of the ſame bullock mentioned before, ver. 10. which was offered for a ſinne-offering for the prieſts. Nor doth it follow that there were not two rammes alſo offered on each of the ſeven dayes of the prieſts conſecration becauſe it is here onelyonly expreſſed that there ſhould be a bullock offered on each of theſe ſeven dayes. For this concerning the ſinne-offering is onelyonly repeated, to ſhew that this ſinne-offering was not onelyonly for the prieſts but alſo to purifie the altar, to make an atonement for the altar, and to ſanctifie it, as it is expreſſed in the following verſe. Now an atonement is ſaid to be made for the altar, not becauſe there was any ſinne in the altar, but becauſe it was hereby now ſo perfectly purified and ſanctified according to Gods inſtitution, that men might without ſinne offer ſacrifices thereon.
Verſ. 37. Whatſoever toucheth the altar ſhall be holy.]
Some underſtand this clauſe thus, that none but holy perſons might touch the altar: but rather it is meant of the ſacrifices that were to be offered on this altar, that whatſoever ſhould according to Gods inſtitution be offered thereon ſhould be accepted as holy to the Lord, the altar ſanctifying the ſacrifice that was laid thereon, according to that which our Saviour ſaith, Matth. 23. 19. Ye fools and blind, whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that ſanctifieth the gift?
Verſ. 38. Two lambs of the first year, day by day continually.]
This was the daily ordinary ſacrifice: and it was 1. to ſignifie that the death of Chriſt the true lambe was available to the Church from the firſt morning of time to the evening of the ſame; 2. to ſhew what continuall need they had of reconciliation through Chriſts bloud applied by faith; 3. to ſanctifie the morning and evening prayers of the Church by the interceding ſacrifices of the Mediatour.
Verſ. 40. And with the one lambe a tenth deal of flower mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oyl, &c.]
By a tenth deal of flower is meant the tenth part of an ephah or buſhell, as is expreſſed, Num. 28. 5. which is called an Omer, Exod. 16. 36. and by the fourth part of an hin of oyl, wherewith the floure was mingled, and the fourth part of an hin of wine, which was for a drink-offering, a pint and an half of each is meant; for the hin contained ſix pints, and ſo the fourth part of an hin was a pint and half: Now this meat-offering and drink-offering added to the dayly ſacrifice, was to ſhew that Chriſt by his oblation of himſelf for us becomes not onelyonly redemption, but alſo food, gladneſſe, and chearing comfort to us, yea all in all: And the ſweetneſſe of theſe things, floure and oyl and wine, ſignified both how pleaſing to God the ſacrifice of Chriſt ſhould be; and alſo what care was required of Gods people to make their ſacrifices by true faith and repentance (wherein God delights) a ſweet ſavour unto God, without which their externall ſacrifices muſt needs be unſavory, and ſuch things as could not be likely to pleaſe him.
Verſ. 42. Where I will meet you to ſpeak there unto thee.]
That is, in the tabernacle, from the mercy-ſeat, Exod. 30. 6. Before the mercy-ſeat that is over the teſtimony where I will meet with thee. Wherein we have the reaſon given why it was called the tabernacle of the congregation, namely, becauſe there the Lord did by glorious ſignes witneſſe his preſence, and make known by Moſes his will unto them, meeting them and making a covenant with them. See Exod. 40. 34. Levit. 9. 13, 24.
Verſ. 43. And the tabernacle shall be ſanctified by my glory.
That is, the glorious ſignes of his glorious preſence.