Exodus 28:43

_AND THEY SHALL BE UPON AARON, AND UPON HIS SONS, WHEN THEY COME IN UNTO THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION, OR WHEN THEY COME NEAR UNTO THE ALTAR TO MINISTER IN THE HOLY PLACE; THAT THEY BEAR NOT INIQUITY, AND DIE: IT SHALL BE A STATUTE FOR EVER UNTO HIM AND HIS SEED AFTER HIM._ That they bear not iniquity, and die. To bear iniquity, 'is a common Scripture phrase, equivalent to suffer the punishment due to sin,' frequently coupled with the synonymous expressions of 'being cut off from the people,' and 'dying' (cf. Leviticus 19:8)....

40-43 The priest's garments typify the righteousness of Christ. If we appear not before God in that, we shall bear our iniquity, and die. Blessed is he, therefore, that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, Revelation 16:15. And blessed be God that we have a High Priest, appointed of God, and set apart for his work; furnished for his high office by the glory of his Divine majesty, and the beauty of perfect holiness. Happy are we, if by the law spiritually understood, we see that such a High Priest became us; that we cannot draw near to a holy God, or be accepted, but by him. There is no light, no wisdom, no perfection, but from him; no glory, no beauty, but in being like unto him. Let us take encouragement from the power, love, and compassion of our High Priest, to draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need....

(Compare Exodus 39:1.) Moses is now commanded to commit all that pertains to the offerings made to the Lord in the sanctuary to the exclusive charge of the members of a single family, who were to hold their office from generation to generation. In the patriarchal times, the external rites of worship had generally been conducted by the head of the tribe or family, in accordance with the principle involved in the dedication of the firstborn Exodus 13:2; Numbers 3:12. Moses, as the divinely-appointed and acknowledged leader of the nation, had, on a special occasion, appointed those who were to offer sacrifice, and had himself sprinkled the consecrating blood of the victims on the people...

EXPOSITION THE APPAREL OF THE ORDINARY PRIESTS. The chapter concludes with brief directions concerning the official attire of the ordinary priests. This was to consist of linen drawers like those of the high priest; of a tunic, also of linen (Exodus 39:27), shaped like his, but not diapered; of a linen girdle, the exact character of which is not stated; and of a close-fitting cap. The entire dress, with perhaps the exception of the girdle, was white. The linen drawers were regarded as of primary necessity, and the priest who did not wear them was threatened with death. EXODUS 28:40 FOR AARON'S SONS. His actual sons at this time—his descendants aft

AND THEY SHALL BE UPON AARON AND UPON HIS SONS,.... Not the linen breeches only, but all the other garments: WHEN THEY COME INTO THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION; even into that part of it where the people assembled, the court of the tabernacle, and where stood the altar of burnt offering, on which they offered the sacrifices of the people, but never without the priestly garments on: OR WHEN THEY CAME NEAR UNTO THE ALTAR TO MINISTER IN THE HOLY PLACE; at the altar of incense which stood there; or when they came to trim the lamps of the candlestick, and set the shewbread on the table, and take away the old, which candlestick and shewbread table were both in the holy place, THAT THEY BEAR NOT INIQUITY AND DIE; be guilty of sin in not having their priestly garments on in time of service, and so bear the punishment of it and die for it; the Targum of Jonathan adds, with flaming fire, wi...

CHAPTER 28 THE PRIESTHOOD _ 1. Aaron and his sons (Exodus 28:1)_ 2. The garments mentioned (Exodus 28:2) 3. The ephod (Exodus 28:5) 4. The breastplate (Exodus 28:15) 5. The robe of the ephod (Exodus 28:31) 6. The mitre (Exodus 28:35) 7. The ordinary garments (Exodus 28:39) This chapter is still richer in typical lessons, a ver

EXODUS 28. P (Exodus 28:26; Exodus 28:41 later). PRIESTLY VESTMENTS. After the sanctuary and its fittings have been ordered, the vestments for the priesthood come up for mention. For the strange story of the development of the priest-hood in Israel, _see_ pp. 106f. Here we find, no doubt, a simple assumption that Aaron and his sons wore the same vestments as were worn by the Zadokite High Priest and his assistants in the Temple of Zerub- babel. Sir_45:9-22; Sir_50:1-21 are a complete proof that the splendour of the Temple ritual and its religious value were fully appreciated by the Hebrew sages, cultivated men of the world who cared deeply for religion as well as for morality. Of Aaron's four sons, Nadab and Abihu are named in...

TABERNACLE. tent. Hebrew. _'ohel._ App-40....

The _linen drawers_, to be worn by the priests during their ministrations in the Tent of meeting or at the altar. A dictate of reverence and modesty. The layman was forbidden to go up by steps to the altar, lest he should expose his person upon it (Exodus 20:26): for the priests, who did go up upon the altar (see on Exodus 27:5), and were otherwise frequently engaged in or near the Tent of meeting, special garments were provided, in order to prevent the same unseemliness. Among the Romans the Flamen Dialis similarly (Gell. x. 15), -tunicam intimam nisi in locis tectis non exuit, ne sub caelo tanquam sub oculis Jovis nudus sit" (cited by Kn.). _breeches_ Only in this connexion (Exodus 39:28;...

THEY SHALL BE UPON AARON AND UPON HIS SONS— They, that is, all the sacerdotal vestments as above described, shall, on pain of death, be worn always during the time of their ministrations; but at no other time, and in no other place. See Ezekiel 42:14; Ezekiel 44:19. Hence some account for St. Paul's not knowing the high-priests, Acts 23:5 as he was not clothed in his sacerdotal vestments. _It shall be a statute for ever,_ means as long as the Jewish policy and priesthood shall subsist....