A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Leviticus · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Verſ. 1. ANd the Lord ſpake unto Moſes after the death of the two ſonnes of Aaron, &c.]
That is, upon that occaſion, leſt they ſhould again endanger themſelves, by entring into the moſt holy place, as before by offering ſtrange fire; and ſo alſo within a ſhort time after that happened: for it doth not follow that becauſe the Lord upon that occaſion gave this enſuing charge, therefore the laws ſet down in the former chapters are tranſpoſed, and were not given in any interim of time before this.
Verſ. 2. Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place, &c.]
That is, not whenſoever he pleaſeth, but onelyonly once a year, as I have appointed, Exod. 30. 10. namely to miniſter: at other times both he and his ſonnes might and did enter at the taking down of the tabernacle, but not to miniſter. And this was thus appointed, firſt, to teach them to have a moſt reverend reſpect of Gods preſence; and ſecondly, that hereby more evidently might be repreſented that one particular ſacrifice of the ſonne of God once offered, as the Apoſtle hath noted, Heb. 9. 7, 8. But into the ſecond went the high priest alone once every year, not without bloud, &c. The holy Ghost this ſignifying that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifeſt, while as the firſt tabernacle was yet ſtanding; and again, verſ. …1, 12. Chriſt being come an high prieſt of good things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, &c. by his own bloud he entred in once into the holy place, having obtained eternall redemption for us.
For I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-ſeat.]
This is added as a reaſon why the high prieſt might not enter into the moſt holy place whenever he pleaſed, but onelyonly once a year, which was on the tenth day of the ſeventh monethmonth, and that in the manner as is here appointed, to wit, becauſe the Lord would there appear in the cloud upon the merciemercy-ſeat. The conceit of the Papiſts, That God appeared there in an humane ſhape upon the merciemercy-ſeat, hath no ground for it in the text: Nor do we any where reade that God did ever ſo appear in the tabernacle either to the high prieſt or to Moſes himſelf. All that is he…e ſaid is, that God would by a cloud upon the merciemercy-ſeat teſtifie his preſence; which whether it were the cloud raiſed by the ſmoke of the incenſe, which the high prieſt was now to bring with him, or any other cloud alwayes abiding upon the mercy-ſeat, we need not inquire. Sufficient it is that we know hereby that God did teſtifie his preſence, and doubtleſſe in ſome glorious manner, upon the mercy-ſeat, and therefore the high prieſt might not when he would go in thither, but onelyonly once a year, and then with the ſmoke of incenſe aſcending from his cenſer that might darken the glory of that forementioned ſight of Gods preſence for the ſafety of the high prieſt.
Verſ. 3. With a young bullock for a ſinne-offering, &c.]
Namely for himſelf, verſ. 6. But withall we may obſerve that beſides the fire-ſacrifices here expreſſed, he offered alſo on this day two lambes for the dayly burnt-offering, Numb. 28. 3. and one bullock, one ramme, and ſeven lambes for a burnt-offering, and one he-goat for a ſinne-offering (beſides the goat mentioned verſ. 5.) as is particularly expreſſed, Numb. 29. 7, 8, 11. Here theſe onelyonly are expreſſed which concerned the ſolemnity of his going into the moſt holy place: the other were ſacrifices appointed for the day, and offered in the remainder of the day, when the ſolemnities which …ad reſpect to his entring into the moſt holy place were wholly finiſhed.
Verſ. 4. He ſhall put on the holy linen coat, &c.]
Some Expoſitours conceive that theſe holy linen garments here ſpoken of were thoſe mentioned Exod. 28. 39. which the high prieſt wore under his other rich attire, and that together with theſe here mentioned all his other garments are to be underſtood alſo. But becauſe it is expreſly ſaid, verſ. 23. that when Aaron returned out of the moſt holy place into the tabernacle of the congregation, he ſhould put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and ſhould leave them there; therefore I rather conceive with others that theſe were other plain linen garments, like thoſe that were made for the inferiour prieſts, Exod. 39. 27, 28. And that the high prieſt did wear theſe onelyonly when he went into the moſt holy place, as being reſerved for this peculiar ſervice, and did therefore put them off again, when he came out from thence, as it is ſaid verſe 23. Yet was not this thus ordered, becauſe this day of expiation, when the prieſt went into the holy of holies, was a faſting day, verſe 29, 30. and therefore it was not fit that he ſhould wear now his glorious garments: for after he was come back out of the moſt holy place, and had put off theſe linen garments, verſe 23. he put on his other glorious attire, and wore them in the remaining ſervice of the day. But other reaſons are given for this by Expoſitours more probably: as 1. that it was to teach the people thereby that his rich attire was onelyonly for their ſakes, that in them they might behold him as repreſenting the perſon of the Meſſiah, richly adorned with all righteouſneſſe and grace, and not that God was delighted with ſuch rich garments; and ſo he left them off when he went into the place of Gods ſpeciall preſence; and 2. that in this plain attire he might be a figure of the baſe eſtate of Chriſt upon earth, and how he ſhould without worldly glory perform the work of our redemption.
Verſ. 6. And Aaron ſhall offer his bullock of the ſinne-offering.]
In what time and manner this was done, ſee verſ. 11.
Verſ. 8. And Aaron ſhall caſt lots on the two goats.]
Which ſignified, that God would accept no ſacrifice but what was of his own chuſing; and that in the work of our redemption by Chriſt nothing ſhould be done but what Gods hand and his counſell had determined, Act. 4. 28.
Verſ. 12. And he ſhall take a cenſer-full of burning coals of fire, &c.]
Here we ſee what the high prieſt was to carry along with him when he went within the vail; to wit, 1. a cenſer-full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, that is, from the altar of incenſe; and 2. his hands full, that is, two handfull of ſweet incenſe beaten ſmall to burn upon the coals as ſoon as ever he entred within the vail; and 3. the bloud of the ſinne-offerings: for though that be not mentioned here, yet that he carried the bloud along with him is evident, verſe 14, & 15. both of the bullock his own ſinne-offering, and the goat the peoples ſinne-offering.
Verſ. 13. And he ſhall put the incenſe upon the fire, &c.]
As the way was prepared into the moſt holy place by the cloud before the bloud was ſprinkled▪ ſo Chriſt before he entred with his own bloud into the moſt holy place of heaven prepared his way by prayer▪ John 17. And this alſo ſignified that the incenſe of Chriſts prayers and mediation ſhould aſcend into heaven before God for his Church, Heb. 9. 24. For Chriſt is not entred into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into heaven it ſelf, now to appear in the preſence of God for us. So alſo Revel. 8. 3, 4. And another ang…l came and ſtood at the altar, having a golden cenſer, and there was given unto him much incenſe, that he ſhould offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne: And the ſmoke of the incenſe, which came with the prayers of the Saints, aſcended up before God out of the angels hand.
Verſ. 13. That the cloud of incenſe may cover the mercy-ſeat, &c.]
Whereby they were taught how formidable the majeſty of God was, and with what reverence we ought to preſent our ſelves before him.
Verſ. 15. Then ſhall he kill the goat of the ſinne-offering, &c.]
We muſt not conceive that he came forth out of the moſt holy place to kill this goat of the ſin-offering for the people, for the bloud of this goat (as it is ſaid here) was alſo ſprinkled before the mercy-ſeat, and had he gone in once with the bloud of his own ſinne-offering, and then came out and killed this goat for a ſinne-offering for the people, and gone in again to ſprinkle the bloud of that before the mercy-ſeat, then had he gone in twice on this day within the vail, which is expreſſely againſt that of the Apoſtle, Heb. 9. 7. But into the ſecond went the high prieſt alone once every year, not without bloud, which he offered for himſelf and for the errours of the people. Theſe words therefore, then ſhall he kill the goat of the ſinne-offering, do onelyonly intend that he killed the bullock firſt for himſelf, verſ. 11. and then this goat for the people; for both of them were killed before he entred into the moſt holy place.
Verſ. 16. And he ſhall make an atonement for the holy place.]
As being defiled, though not in it ſelf, yet in regard of the peoples guilt, partly by reaſon of any unwitting approching to the ſanctuary, when they were not legally clean; and partly by reaſon of all other their ſinnes: whereby appears the horrour of ſinne: for though the people never went into the holy place, much leſſe into the moſt holy, yet were the altar, ark, and Sanctuary defiled in the ſight of God by their ſins, and could not be cleanſed without bloud. So our ſinnes do defile Gods Church and moſt holy ordinances, and do, aſcend into heaven it ſelf, whereinto we can have no entrance but by bloud. See Heb. 9. 7, 11, 12.
Verſ. 17. And there ſhall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation, &c.]
That is, neither of the prieſts nor people; neither in the holy place nor in the court of the tabernacle: for elſe why is it ſaid, no man, ſince the people at no time uſed to come into the holy place. The reaſons of this were two: 1. As by way of chaſtiſement▪ and for their humiliation, they were all excluded from the places and holy things till they were purged from the uncleanneſſe which they had contracted by their ſinnes; 2. Hereby was ſignified that our high prieſt Chriſt ſhould without help of any other perfect the work of our reconciliation with God.
Verſ. 18. And he ſhall go out unto the altar that is before the Lord.]
That is, the altar of incenſe. See Exod. 30. 10.
Verſ. 21. And Aaron ſhall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat.]
This is the onelyonly unbloudy ſacrifice which was appointed in the Law; yet was it not, if it be well conſidered, wholly without bloud: For this and the goat which was killed was indeed but one ſacrifice, the one repreſenting Chriſt dying for our ſinnes, the other Chriſt riſing again for our juſtification, Rom. 4. 25. the one the price paid for our redemption, the other the effect thereof, that God laying our ſinnes upon Chriſt had removed our ſinnes farre away from us. See Pſal. 103. 12. As farre as the East is from the West, ſo farre hath he removed our tranſgreſſions from us.
Verſ. 21. And ſhall ſend him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderneſſe.]
That is, a man who for ability of body, knowledge of the way, and ſufficiency for this ſervice was choſen and in readineſſe as appointed hereunto.
Verſ. 22. And the goat ſhall bear upon him their uniquities unto a land not inhabited.]
That ſo the place might ſignifie, that by Chriſt ſinne is removed farre away even from all mankind that will believe in him. Beſides, it might ſignifie that Chriſt was not onelyonly put to death for our ſakes, but alſo forſaken in a manner of God, caſt off and left in a forlorn and comfortleſſe condition.
Verſ. 24. And he ſhall waſh his fleſh with water in the holy place.]
To wit, becauſe he had touched the goat upon which the ſinnes of the people were laid. The Hebrews ſay that this waſhing was not (as at other times) in the laver of braſſe, but in ſome veſſell which ſtood in the Sanctuary, which ſeems probable, becauſe after this done he is ſaid to come forth that he might offer the burnt-offerings in the court.
And put on his garments, &c.]
The garments which he was now to put on were his ordinary high prieſts garments. See the note above upon ver. 4. And the burnt-offerings here appointed to be offered by him were the rammes mentioned ver. 3. and ver. 5.
Verſ. 26. And he that let go the goat, &c. ſhall waſh his clothes, and bathe his fleſh in water, and afterward come into the camp.]
Being unclean till the evening is not here mentioned, as I conceive, becauſe it was uſually evening ere they returned from theſe ſervices; or elſe in theſe caſes they might preſently come into the camp to bring back word that▪ they had done what was injoyned.
Verſ. 29. In the ſeventh monethmonth, on the tenth day of the monethmonth, ye ſhall afflict your ſouls, &c.]
To wit, by faſting and abſtinence from all fleſhly delights, as alſo by the duties of inward humiliation and contrition, and therefore was this day called their fast, Sailing was now dangerous becauſe the fast was now already paſt, Act. 27. 9. And this we muſt know was the very ſame day wherein all thoſe things before mentioned in this chapter were done by the high prieſt for the expiation of the ſinnes of the people, and was therefore called the day of atonement, Levit. 23. 27. Indeed the ſolemnity of the day began the evening foregoing the tenth day, and therefore it is ſaid Levit. 23. 32. Ye ſhall afflict your ſouls on the ninth day of the monethmonth at even: but the tenth day it was that was allotted for this ſervice. On this day the Jubile was alſo proclaimed, of which ſee chap. 20. 8, 9. As likewiſe for the extraordinary ſacrifices of this day, ſee Numb. 29. 7, 11.