Bible Commentaries

Leviticus 8:1-2. The Lord spake unto Moses — This is here premised to show that Moses did not confer the priesthood upon his brother Aaron because of his relation or affection to him, but by God’s appointment. Take Aaron, and his sons with him — All directions which were needful being given respecting sacrifices, and the rites belonging to them, Moses is now ordered to consecrate the priests according to the injunctions given before, Exodus 28., 29., and 30.

Leviticus 8:3. All the congregation — The elders, who represented all, and as many of the people as would and could get thither, that all might be witnesses both of Aaron’s commission from God, and of his work and business.

Leviticus 8:9. The holy crown — The crown signified the dignity of the high- priest, and its being termed holy, the sanctity of his person and office. Thus he was a type of Christ, crowned with glory and honour, perfectly holy, and consecrated for evermore.

Leviticus 8:11. He sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times — To signify the singular use and holiness of it, which it was not only to have in itself, but to communicate to all the sacrifices laid upon it. And thus does the blood of atonement give efficacy to all the services of believers, and render them acceptable to God.

Leviticus 8:12. He poured the oil upon Aaron’s head — In a plentiful manner, as appears from Psalm 133:2, whereas other persons and things were only sprinkled with it; because his unction was to typify the anointing of Christ with the Spirit, which was not given by measure to him. A measure of the same anointing is given to all believers, to all the members of Christ’s mystical body, who, by virtue of their union with their living head, partake of those gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit which were in him. Reader, hast thou received a measure of them? Remember, If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his.

Leviticus 8:14. The bullock — There were, indeed, seven bullocks to be offered at his consecration, one every day; but here he mentions only one, because he here describes only the work of the first day.

Leviticus 8:15. Moses took the blood, &c., and purified the altar — This ceremony of touching the altar with blood emphatically signified that all the services which they offered to God partook of their impurity, and that the very altar which consecrated their oblations was defiled by their unhallowed touch. But the sprinkling it with the blood of the victim, which, by divine appointment, was substituted and accepted instead of the forfeited life of the sinner, made room for repentance, the removal of guilt, and purification; on which account the altar is said to be purified and sanctified by this action.

Leviticus 8:17. The bullock — and his flesh — he burned — As commanded, Exodus 29:14. The priests were not to eat of their own sin-offering, (Leviticus 6:23,) to teach them that they could not make a proper atonement for their own sins, much less for the sins of others; though God was pleased to appoint their eating the sin-offering of others to be a sign to the people of God’s accepting their sacrifice; and their eating of the sin- offering is therefore called making atonement for them, or bearing their iniquity. Compare Leviticus 6:26, with Leviticus 10:17; Leviticus 10:19; see also Exodus 24:14; and Leviticus 19:7. His hide — Which, in the offerings for the people, was not burned, but given to the priest.