Ordination (Exodus 29; Leviticus 8)
The consecration of Aaron and his sons is one of the most elaborate rituals in Scripture, taking seven days to complete. Exodus 29 is the divine command; Leviticus 8 is the historical execution. The two should be read together.
The ceremony:
- Washing at the laver (Exodus 29:4) — the priests are bathed before being clothed.
- Investiture — the garments are placed on Aaron in a specific order (29:5–6).
- Anointing — "Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him" (29:7). Aaron is anointed first; later, his sons are anointed by sprinkling.
- The bullock of the sin offering (29:10–14) — Aaron and his sons lay their hands on the bullock's head. The bullock dies; its blood is applied to the horns of the altar.
- The ram of the burnt offering (29:15–18) — the second sacrifice, wholly consumed on the altar.
- The ram of consecration (29:19–28) — Aaron and his sons lay hands on a second ram. Its blood is applied to specific places on Aaron's body: the right ear, the right thumb, and the right great toe. The right side throughout — the side of strength. The ear, that he may hear; the thumb, that he may do; the toe, that he may walk in priestly service. The body is marked for service in three faculties.
The ceremony is repeated for seven days (29:35). Aaron does not minister in the tent until the eighth day. The cost of consecration is total.
The garments (Exodus 28)
Every garment is theology.
The ephod (28:6–14)
A short, sleeveless garment of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. Two onyx stones are set on the shoulders, each engraved with six tribe-names. "And Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for a memorial" (28:12). When the High Priest enters before the LORD, he carries Israel on his shoulders.
The breastpiece of judgment (28:15–30)
A square pouch of the same materials as the ephod. Twelve precious stones are set in four rows of three, each engraved with a tribe name. The breastpiece sits over Aaron's heart. "Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place" (28:29). On the shoulders, on the heart — Israel is borne in two places at once.
The pouch contains the Urim and Thummim — Lights and Perfections — by which the priest discerned God's judgment on hard cases.
The robe of the ephod (28:31–35)
Blue, all of one piece, woven through. The hem alternates "a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, round about". "And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the LORD, and when he cometh out, that he die not." The bells were the priest's safety. He had to be heard to live. Pomegranates — fruit. Bells — sound. Fruitfulness and witness, alternating.
The plate (28:36–38)
A plate of pure gold engraved "HOLINESS TO THE LORD" (Hebrew: qodesh la-YHWH). It fastens to the front of the turban. "And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts." The forehead — the front of the man — declares Holiness. The High Priest bears Israel's holy things; the plate covers the iniquity of even their best offerings. Even Israel's gifts needed the High Priest's forehead-plate.
The turban, coat, and girdle (28:39–43)
Fine linen. The undergarments of the priest. The text emphasizes "to cover their nakedness" — the same problem Adam's fig leaves had failed to solve, now resolved by priestly clothing.
The High Priest requirements (Hebrews 5:1–4)
"For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron."
Four requirements:
- Taken from among men — solidarity with those he represents.
- Ordained for men in things pertaining to God — appointed to act in the heavenly direction on the human's behalf.
- Able to deal gently with the ignorant — sympathetic, because compassed with infirmity himself.
- Called of God — not self-appointed.
Christ as the better High Priest (Hebrews 4:14–5:10; 7:23–28)
Hebrews holds Aaron up beside Christ to show the difference.
"Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:14–15). Same solidarity. Same sympathy. No sin — the difference.
"And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: but this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:23–25). Aaron died; Eleazar replaced him. Eleazar died; another replaced him. The priestly succession is a chain of funerals. Christ does not die. The priesthood is not handed off. Intercession is perpetual.
"For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself" (Hebrews 7:26–27). Aaron had to atone for himself first. Christ — having no sin — does not.
Aaron's failures as shadow
Aaron failed in three notable ways recorded in Scripture: (1) the golden calf at Sinai (Exodus 32) — the very man who would be High Priest molded an idol while Moses was on the mountain receiving the priestly pattern; (2) the failure to defend Moses against Miriam (Numbers 12); (3) Nadab and Abihu, his own sons, dying in the act of priestly service (Leviticus 10) — the failure of the priestly family. The shadow needed atonement before it could mediate atonement. The reality needed none.
Commentary
John Owen, Exposition of Hebrews (1668–1684, PD): Owen's most extended treatment of Hebrews 4–7 is the seventeenth-century English-language anchor of priestly typology. John Calvin, Commentary on Hebrews (1549, PD), is shorter and tighter, but reads the Aaronic priesthood entirely as preparation for the priesthood of Christ.
→ Cross-link: The Day of Atonement • The Three Zones (the priest crosses each one) • Hebrews 8–10.