Chú giải chương
Exodus Chương 29
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Particular orders are given in this chapter, I. Concerning the consecration of the priests, and the sanctification of the altar, Ex 29:1-37. II. Concerning the daily sacrifice, Ex 29:38-41. To which gracious promises are annexed that God would own and bless them in all their services, Ex 29:42-46, etc.
1-46
The Consecration of the Priests (1491 BC)
繁體中文
祭司的分別為聖（主前1491年）
¹ 「使亞倫和他兒子成聖，給我供祭司職分的事，你要這樣行：取一隻公牛犢，兩隻無殘疾的公綿羊，
² 無酵餅、調油的無酵餅，與抹油的無酵薄餅；這都要用細麥麵做成。
³ 這餅要裝在一個筐子內，連公牛和兩隻公綿羊，一併帶到筐子裏。
⁴ 又要使亞倫和他兒子到會幕門口來，用水洗他們。
⁵ 要給亞倫穿上內袍和以弗得的外袍，並以弗得，又戴上胸牌，束上以弗得巧工織的帶子。
⁶ 把裹頭巾戴在他頭上，將聖冠加在裹頭巾上。
⁷ 就把膏油倒在他頭上膏他。
⁸ 要使他的兒子來，給他們穿上內袍。
⁹ 給亞倫和他兒子束上腰帶，包上裹頭巾，他們就憑永遠的定例得了祭司的職任。又要使亞倫和他兒子成聖。
¹⁰ 「你要把公牛牽到會幕前，亞倫和他兒子要按手在公牛的頭上。
¹¹ 你要在耶和華面前，在會幕門口，宰這公牛。
¹² 要取些公牛的血，用指頭抹在壇的四角上，把血都倒在壇腳那裏。
¹³ 要把蓋臟的脂油和肝上的網子，並兩個腰子和腰子上的脂油，都燒在壇上。
¹⁴ 只是公牛的肉、皮、糞，都要用火燒在營外；這是贖罪祭。
¹⁵ 「你要取一隻公綿羊；亞倫和他兒子要按手在這羊的頭上。
¹⁶ 要宰這羊，把血灑在壇的周圍。
¹⁷ 要把羊切成塊子，洗淨五臟和腿，連塊子帶頭，都放在一處。
¹⁸ 要把全羊燒在壇上。這是給耶和華獻的燔祭；是獻給耶和華為馨香的火祭。
¹⁹ 「你要取那一隻公綿羊；亞倫和他兒子要按手在羊的頭上。
²⁰ 你要宰這羊，取點血抹在亞倫的右耳垂上和他兒子的右耳垂上，又抹在他們右手的大拇指上和右腳的大拇指上；並要把血灑在壇的周圍。
²¹ 你要取點膏油和壇上的血，彈在亞倫和他的衣服上，並他兒子和他兒子的衣服上；他和衣服，並他兒子和他兒子的衣服，就一同成聖。
²² 你也要取這羊的脂油和肥尾巴，並蓋臟的脂油和肝上的網子，兩個腰子和腰子上的脂油，並右腿（這是承接聖職所獻的羊）。
²³ 再從耶和華面前裝無酵餅的筐子中取一個餅，一個調油的餅，一個薄餅，
²⁴ 都放在亞倫的手上和他兒子的手上，作為搖祭，在耶和華面前搖一搖。
²⁵ 你要從他們手中接過來，燒在耶和華面前壇上的燔祭上，作為獻給耶和華馨香的火祭。
²⁶ 「你要取亞倫承接聖職所獻公綿羊的胸，作為搖祭，在耶和華面前搖一搖，這就可以作你的分。
²⁷ 那搖祭的胸和舉祭的腿，就是承接聖職所獻公綿羊歸亞倫和他兒子的部分，你都要分別為聖；
²⁸ 這要作亞倫和他兒子從以色列人中永遠所得的分，因為是舉祭。這要從以色列人平安祭的祭牲中，分別為聖歸耶和華，作為舉祭歸給耶和華。
²⁹ 「亞倫的聖衣要傳給他的子孫，可以穿着受膏，又穿着承受聖職。
³⁰ 那接續他為祭司的子孫，每逢進會幕在聖所供職的時候，要穿這聖衣七天。
³¹ 「你要將承接聖職所獻公綿羊的肉，在聖處煮。
³² 亞倫和他兒子要在會幕門口，吃這公綿羊的肉和筐內的餅。
³³ 他們吃那些贖罪之物，好承接聖職，成聖為聖；只是外人不可吃，因為這是聖物。
³⁴ 那承接聖職所獻的肉或餅，若有一點留到早晨，就要用火燒了，不可吃這物，因為是聖物。
³⁵ 「你要這樣照我一切所吩咐的，向亞倫和他兒子行承接聖職的禮七天。
³⁶ 每天要獻公牛一隻為贖罪祭，為他們贖罪。你潔淨壇的時候，壇就潔淨了；你要用膏抹壇，使壇成聖。
³⁷ 七天你要為壇贖罪，使壇成聖；壇就成為至聖。凡挨着壇的都成為聖。
此處有：I. 關乎亞倫和他兒子分別為聖擔任祭司職分的律法，這要藉着許多禮儀和莊嚴的儀式來完成，使他們自己深切感受所蒙召之工的偉大，也使百姓學會尊重這職分，無人敢擅自侵入。
1. 為此所行的禮儀被十分詳盡而具體地指定，因為此前從未行過這類事，也因為這要作為永遠的定例，大祭司都要如此就職。如今：
（1）所要作的工是將神所揀選作祭司的人分別為聖，藉此他們奉獻自己歸向神的事奉，而神宣告他悅納他們；百姓也因此知道他們不是自取榮耀作祭司，而是蒙神所召（來五4、5）。他們如此從凡人中分別出來，脫離普通的事務，歸給神並直接伺候他。當注意：一切為神所用的人都當分別為聖歸他。必先悅納那人，然後才悅納他的事奉。希伯來文中分別為聖的說法是充滿手（出二十九9）：你要充滿亞倫和他兒子的手，分別為聖的公綿羊就是充滿之羊（出二十九22、26）。分別為聖即是使之完全；基督被說為完全或永遠為聖（來七28）。大概這說法是借用將祭物放在他們手中、在耶和華面前搖一搖的做法（出二十九24）。但它暗示：〔一〕傳道人的手是滿的；他們沒有時間虛度，因為他們的工作如此偉大、如此繁多、如此持久。〔二〕他們的手必須被充滿。他們必須有所獻上，而這不能在他們自己裏面找到，必須從上面賜給他們。他們不能充滿百姓的心，除非神充滿他們的手；所以他們必須到他那裏，從他的豐盛中領受。
（2）行這事的人是摩西，照神的任命。他雖是為人設立的，但百姓不可分別他為聖；必須由耶和華的僕人摩西、和他在此事上的代理人來作。照神特別的任命，他如今行了祭司之工，所以祭牲中祭司當得的部分在此被指定歸他（出二十九26）。
（3）地點是在會幕門口（出二十九4）。神樂意住在會幕中，百姓在院中侍候，所以院與會幕之間的門是最適合那些在神與人之間作中保、站在兩者之間、（如所言）兩手按在兩者之上之人受聖之處。他們在門口受聖，因為他們要作看門的。
（4）這事是藉許多禮儀完成的。
〔一〕他們要被洗（出二十九4），表明那些抬耶和華器皿的人必須潔淨（賽五十二11）。那些願意追求聖潔的人必須潔淨自己，除去身體靈魂一切的污穢（林後七1，賽一16-18）。他們如今全身被洗；但此後他們進去事奉時，只洗手和腳（出三十19）；因為凡洗過澡的人，只需要洗腳（約十三10）。
〔二〕他們要穿上聖服（出二十九5、6、8、9），表明他們不但要除去罪的污穢，更要穿上聖靈的恩典，披上公義（詩一三二9）。他們當束上腰帶，如同預備好、加強力量作工的人；他們也當穿袍戴冠，如同以工作和職分為真正尊榮的人。
〔三〕大祭司要用聖膏油受膏（出二十九7），使教會因他事奉的香氣而得着充滿和喜悅（因為膏油和香料使人心喜悅），也作為聖靈澆灌在他身上的記號，使他合格擔任他的職務。弟兄之愛被比作膏亞倫的這膏油（詩一三三2）。普通的祭司也被說為受了膏（出三十30），但不如大祭司那樣膏在頭上（利二十一10），油只是與彈在衣服上的血調和。
〔四〕要為他們獻祭。祭司之約與其他一切的約一樣，必須藉祭物立。
第一，要有贖罪祭，為他們贖罪（出二十九10-14）。律法所立的祭司有軟弱，所以他們必須先為自己的罪獻祭，然後才能為百姓贖罪（來七27、28）。他們要按手在祭牲頭上（出二十九10），承認自己因自己的罪該死，並祈願那牲畜的被殺能贖他們的罪，被悅納作為代替性的滿足。它的處理與其他贖罪祭一樣；只是其他贖罪祭的肉歸祭司吃（利十18），表明祭司擔當百姓的罪；而這祭卻被指定要全在營外焚燒（出二十九14），表明律法時代的不完全（如博學的帕特里克主教所注）；因為祭司自己的罪不能藉那些祭物除掉，他們必須指望一位更美的大祭司和更美的祭物。
第二，要有燔祭，一隻全燒的公綿羊，歸榮耀給神，作為他們完全奉獻自己和自己的事奉歸給神的記號，如同活祭，被聖潔之愛的火點燃並在其火焰中升上（出二十九15-18）。贖罪祭必須先獻，然後才是燔祭；因為罪惡未除，便不能有蒙悅納的事奉（賽六7）。
第三，要有平安祭；這被稱為分別為聖的公綿羊，因為其中特屬這場合的成分比前二者更多。在燔祭中，神得着他們祭司職分的榮耀；在這祭中，他們得着其中的安慰；並作為神與他們之間彼此立約的記號：（1）祭牲的血在神與他們之間分配（出二十九20、21）；一部分血灑在壇的周圍，一部分歸給他們，歸在他們身上（出二十九20）和他們衣服上（出二十九21）。這樣祭物所成就的贖罪之恩便應用並保證賜給他們，他們的全人從頭到腳都分別為聖歸給神。血歸在身體的末端部分，表明全身都已被圍住、為神所取，耳垂和腳趾也不例外。我們以為血和油彈在衣服上會弄污它們；然而聖膏油和祭牲的血彈在他們衣服上，當被視為他們所能想像的最大裝飾，因為它們預表基督的血和聖靈的恩典，這些構成並完成聖潔之美，並將我們推薦給神；我們讀到有用羔羊的血洗白淨的袍子。（2）祭牲的肉連同附帶的素祭也在神與他們之間分配，使（恭敬地說）神與他們可以一同坐席，作為友誼和團契的記號。（一）一部分要先在耶和華面前搖一搖，然後在壇上焚燒；一部分肉（出二十九22），一部分餅，因為餅和肉當同行（出二十九23）；這些先放在亞倫手中搖一搖，作為獻給神的記號（神雖不能看見，卻四面環繞我們），然後要在壇上焚燒（出二十九24、25），因為壇要吞滅神當得的祭物部分。這樣神允許亞倫和他兒子作他的僕人，在他的席前伺候，從他們手中取他壇上的食物。這裏，（如插句一般）引進了日後平安祭中祭司當得部分的律法，就是胸和腿，如今被分配：摩西得胸，腿則與神當得的部分一同在壇上焚燒（出二十九26-28）。（二）另一部分，公綿羊的肉和餅，亞倫和他兒子要在會幕門口吃（出二十九31-33），表明他不但稱他們為僕人，更稱他們為朋友（約十五15）。他與他們一同坐席，他們也與他。他們吃那些贖罪之物，表明他們領受贖罪（羅五11如此說），就是他們對贖罪之恩的感恩領受，以及隨之而來與神的喜樂相交，這正是享用祭物筵席的真義。若有剩下的，必須焚燒，免得它有腐壞的危險，也表明這是一個特別的平安祭。
2. 分別為聖所當用的時間：你要向他們行承接聖職的禮七天（出二十九35）。雖然一切禮儀都在頭一天舉行，然而：（1）他們不可看自己的受聖為已完成，直到七日之末；這為他們的就職增添了莊嚴，也在這事與他們先前狀態之間設了距離，並使他們在停頓中開始他們的工作，給他們時間思想其分量和嚴肅。這在日後世代也當遵守（出二十九30）。繼亞倫擔任大祭司之職的，要一連七天穿上聖服，作為經過深思而漸進就任的記號，並使一個安息日在他的受聖期間過去。（2）在這首次受聖的七日中，每天要獻一隻公牛為贖罪祭（出二十九36），這要向他們暗示：〔一〕他們得着罪的赦免是極其要緊的事；雖然贖罪已經完成，他們也已得着其中的安慰，卻仍當保持對罪的悔改之心，並常重複認罪。〔二〕那些日復一日獻上為要贖罪的祭物，並不能使進前來的人得以完全；否則它們早已停止獻上了，正如使徒所論證的（來十1、2）。所以他們必須期待引進更美的盼望。
3. 祭司的分別為聖是將來美事的影兒。（1）我們的主耶穌是我們所認為的大祭司，為神所召擔任此職，永遠為聖，被聖靈膏抹超過他的同伴（因此他被稱為彌賽亞、基督），穿着聖服，就是榮耀與華美，用自己的血──不是公牛和山羊的血──成聖（來九12），因受苦難得以完全或成聖（來二10）。這樣在他裏面這是一條永遠的定例（出二十九9）。（2）一切信徒都是屬靈的祭司，要獻上屬靈的祭物（彼前二5），在基督的血中洗淨，成為我們神的祭司（啟一5、6）。他們也被披上聖潔之美，領受了膏抹（約壹二27）。他們的手滿了工作，必須持續不斷地事奉；正是藉着基督這位大祭物，他們被奉獻歸這事奉。他灑在良心上的血，洗淨你們的死行，使你們作祭司事奉永生神。神的靈（如安斯沃斯所注）被稱為神的指頭（路二十一20對照太十二28），藉着他基督的功勞有效地應用於我們的靈魂，正如摩西在此用指頭將血抹在亞倫身上。這也暗示，福音的傳道人當以極大的深思和嚴肅被分別出來擔任傳道之工，無論是按立者還是被按立者都當如此，如同那些受託從事偉大工作、承擔重大責任的人。
II. 壇的分別為聖，這似乎與祭司的分別為聖同時進行，而七日中每日所獻的贖罪祭也關乎壇以及祭司（出二十九36、37）。為壇贖罪。壇雖不是能犯罪的對象，且從未用過、不能說已被百姓的罪玷污，然而自從人墮落以後，除非先為罪贖罪，便不能有分別為聖歸神之事，因為罪使我們既不配也不適合為神所用。壇也被分別為聖，不但自己被撥歸神聖用途，更被造成為聖，以至能使所獻的禮物成聖（太二十三19）。基督是我們的壇；他為我們的緣故分別自己為聖，使我們和我們的行為可以成聖、被推薦給神（約十七19）。
³⁸ 「你每天所要獻在壇上的，就是兩隻一歲的羊羔，早晨要獻這一隻，黃昏的時候要獻那一隻。
³⁹ 早晨要獻這一隻，黃昏的時候要獻那一隻。
⁴⁰ 和這一隻羊羔同獻的，要用細麵伊法十分之一，並搗成的油一欣四分之一，調和作素祭；又用酒一欣四分之一作為奠祭。
⁴¹ 那一隻羊羔要在黃昏的時候獻上，照着早晨的素祭和奠祭的禮辦理，作為獻給耶和華馨香的火祭。
⁴² 這要在耶和華面前、會幕門口，作你們世世代代常獻的燔祭；我要在那裏與你們相會，和你說話。
⁴³ 我要在那裏與以色列人相會，會幕就要因我的榮耀成為聖。
⁴⁴ 我要使會幕和壇成聖，也要使亞倫和他的兒子成聖，給我供祭司的職分。
⁴⁵ 我要住在以色列人中間，作他們的神。
⁴⁶ 他們必知道我是耶和華──他們的神，是將他們從埃及地領出來的，為要住在他們中間。我是耶和華──他們的神。
在本段中我們有：
I. 每日事奉的設立。每天早晨要獻一隻羊羔，每天黃昏也要獻一隻羊羔，各配素祭，都是火祭，作為你們世世代代常獻的燔祭（出二十九38-41）。無論有沒有別的祭物要獻，這些是必定要獻的，由公費負擔，為全以色列的益處和安慰，為他們每日的罪贖罪，並作為他們每日從神所受恩惠的承認。這就是每日當盡的本分。安提阿古廢止這每日的祭，經過許多個早晚，便是那所預言的教會大災（但八11）。當注意：（1）這預表基督因着他的滿足所不住作的代求，為他教會不住的成聖：他雖一次獻上自己，那一次的獻上便成了不住的獻上。（2）這教訓我們每日早晚向神獻上禱告和讚美的屬靈祭物，謙卑地承認我們對他的倚賴和我們對他的虧欠。我們每日的靈修當被視為我們每日工作中最必需的，也是每日安慰中最愉快的。無論我們有甚麼事務，這決不可省略，或早或晚；禱告的時間當如吃飯的時間那樣按時守着。每日的祭如同神家中每日的飯餐，因此總有餅和酒伴隨。那些不持久在施恩寶座前伺候的人，便是使自己的靈魂挨餓。
II. 對以色列人所賜極大而寶貴的應許，就是當他們在他們中間保持他設立的禮儀時，他必施恩與他們，並賜下他特別同在的記號。他說話如同喜悅設立每日獻祭之人；因為在他繼續以下的設立之前，他插入了這些應許。正是宗教中的恆久才帶來其中的安慰。他應許：（1）他要與他們保持相交；他不但要與摩西相會、對他說話，更要與以色列人相會（出二十九43），悅納為他們所獻的每日之祭。當注意：神必不使那些在他自己所設立的禮儀中殷勤而忠心伺候他的人失望，必與他們相會。（2）他必承認他自己所設立的，會幕、壇、祭司職分（出二十九43、44）；他必佔有那分別為聖歸他之物。當注意：為神榮耀而分別為聖的，必因他的榮耀成聖。我們若盡我們的分，神必盡他的分；凡真誠獻給他的，他必標記並為自己預備。（3）他要住在他們中間作為與他們立約的神，並賜給他確切而舒適的記號，表明他對他們特別的恩惠和他特別的同在（出二十九45、46）：*我要住在以色列人中間。*當注意：神在哪裏設立他禮儀的會幕，他自己也必在那裏居住。我就常與你們同在（太二十八20）。那些住在神殿中的，神也必與他們同住。我要作他們的神，他們必知道我是。當注意：那些在神裏有立約的利益、並有那利益的舒適憑據的人，是真正有福的。我們若有這個，便已足夠，再不需要別的使我們幸福。
bản gốc tiếng anh
The Consecration of the Priests (1491 BC)
¹ And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest's office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish,
² And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them.
³ And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the two rams.
⁴ And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water.
⁵ And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod:
⁶ And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre.
⁷ Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him.
⁸ And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them.
⁹ And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.
¹⁰ And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock.
¹¹ And thou shalt kill the bullock before the LORD, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
¹² And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar.
¹³ And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul that is above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and burn them upon the altar.
¹⁴ But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering.
¹⁵ Thou shalt also take one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.
¹⁶ And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and sprinkle it round about upon the altar.
¹⁷ And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of him, and his legs, and put them unto his pieces, and unto his head.
¹⁸ And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the LORD: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
¹⁹ And thou shalt take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.
²⁰ Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.
²¹ And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him.
²² Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat and the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and the right shoulder; for it is a ram of consecration:
²³ And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before the LORD:
²⁴ And thou shalt put all in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons; and shalt wave them for a wave offering before the LORD.
²⁵ And thou shalt receive them of their hands, and burn them upon the altar for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour before the LORD: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
²⁶ And thou shalt take the breast of the ram of Aaron's consecration, and wave it for a wave offering before the LORD: and it shall be thy part.
²⁷ And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the shoulder of the heave offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of the consecration, even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons:
²⁸ And it shall be Aaron's and his sons' by a statute for ever from the children of Israel: for it is an heave offering: and it shall be an heave offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifice of their peace offerings, even their heave offering unto the LORD.
²⁹ And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons' after him, to be anointed therein, and to be consecrated in them.
³⁰ And that son that is priest in his stead shall put them on seven days, when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation to minister in the holy place.
³¹ And thou shalt take the ram of the consecration, and seethe his flesh in the holy place.
³² And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
³³ And they shall eat those things wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them: but a stranger shall not eat thereof, because they are holy.
³⁴ And if ought of the flesh of the consecrations, or of the bread, remain unto the morning, then thou shalt burn the remainder with fire: it shall not be eaten, because it is holy.
³⁵ And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons, according to all things which I have commanded thee: seven days shalt thou consecrate them.
³⁶ And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it.
³⁷ Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.
Here is, I. The law concerning the consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priest's office, which was to be done with a great deal of ceremony and solemnity, that they themselves might be duly affected with the greatness of the work to which they were called, and that the people also might learn to magnify the office and none might dare to invade it.
1. The ceremonies wherewith it was to be done were very fully and particularly appointed, because nothing of this kind had been done before, and because it was to be a statute for ever that the high priest should be thus inaugurated. Now,
(1.) The work to be done was the consecrating of the persons whom God had chosen to be priests, by which they devoted and gave up themselves to the service of God and God declared his acceptance of them; and the people were made to know that they glorified not themselves to be made priests, but were called of God, Heb 5:4,5. They were thus distinguished from common men, sequestered from common services, and set apart for God and an immediate attendance on him. Note, All that are to be employed for God are to be sanctified to him. The person must first be accepted, and then the performance. The Hebrew phrase for consecrating is filling the hand (Ex 29:9): Thou shalt fill the hand of Aaron and his sons, and the ram of consecration is the ram of fillings, Ex 29:22,26. The consecrating of them was the perfecting of them; Christ is said to be perfect or consecrated for evermore, Heb 7:28. Probably the phrase here is borrowed from the putting of the sacrifice into their hand, to be waved before the Lord, Ex 29:24. But it intimates, [1.] That ministers have their hands full; they have no time to trifle, so great, so copious, so constant is their work. [2.] That they must have their hands filled. Of necessity they must have something to offer, and they cannot find it in themselves, it must be given them from above. They cannot fill the people's hearts unless God fill their hands; to him therefore they must go, and receive from his fulness.
(2.) The person to do it was Moses, by God's appointment. Though he was ordained for men, yet the people were not to consecrate him; Moses the servant of the Lord, and his agent herein, must do it. By God's special appointment he now did the priest's work, and therefore that which was the priest's part of the sacrifice was here ordered to be his, Ex 29:26.
(3.) The place was at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, Ex 29:4. God was pleased to dwell in the tabernacle, the people attending in the courts, so that the door between the court and the tabernacle was the fittest place for those to be consecrated in who were to mediate between God and man, and to stand between both, and lay their hands (as it were) upon both. They were consecrated at the door, for they were to be door-keepers.
(4.) It was done with many ceremonies.
[1.] They were to be washed (Ex 29:4), signifying that those must be clean who bear the vessels of the Lord, Isa 52:11. Those that would perfect holiness must cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, 2Co 7:1, Isa 1:16-18. They were now washed all over; but afterwards, when they went in to minister, they washed only their hands and feet (Ex 30:19); for he that is washed needs no more, Joh 13:10.
[2.] They were to be clothed with the holy garments (Ex 29:5,6,8,9), to signify that it was not sufficient for them to put away the pollutions of sin, but they must put on the graces of the Spirit, be clothed with righteousness, Ps 132:9. They must be girded, as men prepared and strengthened for their work; and they must be robed and crowned, as men that counted their work and office their true honour.
[3.] The high priest was to be anointed with the holy anointing oil (Ex 29:7), that the church might be filled and delighted with the sweet savour of his administrations (for ointment and perfume rejoice the heart), and in token of the pouring out of the Spirit upon him, to qualify him for his work. Brotherly love is compared to this oil with which Aaron was anointed, Ps 133:2. The inferior priests are said to be anointed (Ex 30:30), not on their heads, as the high priest (Le 21:10), the oil was only mingled with the blood that was sprinkled upon their garments.
[4.] Sacrifices were to be offered for them. The covenant of priesthood, as all other covenants, must be made by sacrifice.
First, There must be a sin-offering, to make atonement for them, Ex 29:10-14. The law made those priests that had infirmity, and therefore they must first offer for their own sin, before they could make atonement for the people, Heb 7:27,28. They were to put their hand on the head of their sacrifice (Ex 29:10), confessing that they deserved to die for their own sin, and desiring that the killing of the beast might expiate their guilt, and be accepted as a vicarious satisfaction. It was used as other sin-offerings were; only, whereas the flesh of other sin-offerings was eaten by the priests (Le 10:18), in token of the priest's taking away the sin of the people, this was appointed to be all burnt without the camp (Ex 29:14), to signify the imperfection of the legal dispensation (as the learned bishop Patrick notes); for the sins of the priests themselves could not be taken away by those sacrifices, but they must expect a better high priest and a better sacrifice.
Secondly, There must be a burnt-offering, a ram wholly burnt, to the honour of God, in token of the dedication of themselves wholly to God and to his service, as living sacrifices, kindled with the fire and ascending in the flame of holy love, Ex 29:15-18. The sin-offering must first be offered and then the burnt-offering; for, till guilt be removed, no acceptable service can be performed, Isa 6:7.
Thirdly, There must be a peace-offering; it is called the ram of consecration, because there was more in this peculiar to the occasion than in the other two. In the burnt-offering God had the glory of their priesthood, in this they had the comfort of it; and, in token of a mutual covenant between God and them, 1. The blood of the sacrifice was divided between God and them (Ex 29:20,21); part of the blood was sprinkled upon the altar round about, and part put upon them, upon their bodies (Ex 29:20), and upon their garments, Ex 29:21. Thus the benefit of the expiation made by the sacrifice was applied and assured to them, and their whole selves from head to foot sanctified to the service of God. The blood was put upon the extreme parts of the body, to signify that it was all, as it were, enclosed and taken in for God, the tip of the ear and the great toe not excepted. We reckon that the blood and oil sprinkled upon garments spot and stain them; yet the holy oil, and the blood of the sacrifice, sprinkled upon their garments, must be looked upon as the greatest adorning imaginable to them, for they signified the blood of Christ, and the graces of the Spirit, which constitute and complete the beauty of holiness, and recommend us to God; we read of robes made white with the blood of the Lamb. 2. The flesh of the sacrifice, with the meat-offering annexed to it, was likewise divided between God and them, that (to speak with reverence) God and they might feast together, in token of friendship and fellowship. (1.) Part of it was to be first waved before the Lord, and then burnt upon the altar; part of the flesh (Ex 29:22), part of the bread, for bread and flesh must go together (Ex 29:23); these were first put into the hands of Aaron to be waved to and fro, in token of their being offered to God (who, though unseen, yet compasses us round on every side), and then they were to be burnt upon the altar (Ex 29:24,25), for the altar was to devour God's part of the sacrifice. Thus God admitted Aaron and his sons to be his servants, and wait at his table, taking the mat of his altar from their hands. Here, in a parenthesis, as it were, comes in the law concerning the priests' part of the peace-offerings afterwards, the breast and shoulder, which were now divided; Moses had the breast, and the shoulder was burnt on the altar with God's part, Ex 29:26-28. (2.) The other part, both of the flesh of the ram and of the bread, Aaron and his sons were to eat at the door of the tabernacle (Ex 29:31-33), to signify that he called them not only servants but friends, Joh 15:15. He supped with them, and they with him. Their eating of the things wherewith the atonement was made signified their receiving the atonement, as the expression is (Ro 5:11), their thankful acceptance of the benefit of it, and their joyful communion with God thereupon, which was the true intent and meaning of a feast upon a sacrifice. If any of it was left, it must be burnt, that it might not be in any danger of putrefying, and to show that it was an extraordinary peace-offering.
2. The time that was to be spent in this consecration: Seven days shalt thou consecrate them, Ex 29:35. Though all the ceremonies were performed on the first day, yet, (1.) They were not to look upon their consecration as completed till the seven days' end, which put a solemnity upon their admission, and a distance between this and their former state, and obliged them to enter upon their work with a pause, giving them time to consider the weight and seriousness of it. This was to be observed in after-ages, Ex 29:30. He that was to succeed Aaron in the high-priesthood must put on the holy garments seven days together, in token of a deliberate and gradual advance into his office, and that one sabbath might pass over him in his consecration. (2.) Every day of the seven, in this first consecration, a bullock was to be offered for a sin-offering (Ex 29:36), which was to intimate to them, [1.] That it was of very great concern to them to get their sins pardoned, and that though atonement was made, and they had the comfort of it, yet they must still keep up a penitent sense of sin and often repeat the confession of it. [2.] That those sacrifices which were thus offered day by day to make atonement could not make the comers thereunto perfect, for then they would have ceased to be offered, as the apostle argues, Heb 10:1,2. They must therefore expect the bringing in of a better hope.
3. This consecration of the priests was a shadow of good things to come. (1.) Our Lord Jesus is the great high-priest of our profession, called of God to be so, consecrated for evermore, anointed with the Spirit above his fellows (whence he is called Messiah, the Christ), clothed with the holy garments, even with glory and beauty, sanctified by his own blood, not that of bullocks and rams (Heb 9:12), made perfect, or consecrated, through sufferings, Heb 2:10. Thus in him this was a perpetual statute, Ex 29:9. (2.) All believers are spiritual priests, to offer spiritual sacrifices (1Pe 2:5), washed in the blood of Christ, and so made to our God priests, Re 1:5,6. They also are clothed with the beauty of holiness, and have received the anointing, 1Jo 2:27. Their hands are filled with work, to which they must continually attend; and it is through Christ, the great sacrifice, that they are dedicated to this service. His blood sprinkled upon the conscience purges it from dead works, that they may, as priests, serve the living God. The Spirit of God (as Ainsworth notes) is called the finger of God (Lu 21:20, compared with Mt 12:28), and by him the merit of Christ is effectually applied to our souls, as here Moses with his finger was to put the blood upon Aaron. It is likewise intimated that gospel ministers are to be solemnly set apart to the work of the ministry with great deliberation and seriousness both in the ordainers and in the ordained, as those that are to be employed in a great work and entrusted with a great charge.
II. The consecration of the altar, which seems to have been coincident with that of the priests, and the sin-offerings which were offered every day for seven days together had reference to the altar as well as the priests, Ex 29:36,37. An atonement was made for the altar. Though that was not a subject capable of sin, nor, having never yet been used, could it be said to be polluted with the sins of the people, yet, since the fall, there can be no sanctification to God but there must first be an atonement for sin, which renders us both unworthy and unfit to be employed for God. The altar was also sanctified, not only set apart itself to a sacred use, but made so holy as to sanctify the gifts that were offered upon it, Mt 23:19. Christ is our altar; for our sakes he sanctified himself, that we and our performances might be sanctified and recommended to God, Joh 17:19.
³⁸ Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually.
³⁹ The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even:
⁴⁰ And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering.
⁴¹ And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
⁴² This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee.
⁴³ And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.
⁴⁴ And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office.
⁴⁵ And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.
⁴⁶ And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the LORD their God.
In this paragraph we have,
I. The daily service appointed. A lamb was to be offered upon the altar every morning, and a lamb every evening, each with a meat-offering, both made by fire, as a continual burnt-offering throughout their generations, Ex 29:38-41. Whether there were any other sacrifices to be offered or not, these were sure to be offered, at the public charge, for the benefit and comfort of all Israel, to make atonement for their daily sins, and to be an acknowledgement to God of their daily mercies. This was that which the duty of every day required. The taking away of this daily sacrifice by Antiochus, for so many evenings and mornings, was that great calamity of the church which was foretold, Da 8:11. Note, 1. This typified the continual intercession which Christ ever lives to make, in virtue of his satisfaction, for the continual sanctification of his church: though he offered himself once for all, yet that one offering thus becomes a continual offering. 2. This teaches us to offer up to God the spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise every day, morning and evening, in humble acknowledgement of our dependence upon him and our obligations to him. Our daily devotions must be looked upon as the most needful of our daily works and the most pleasant of our daily comforts. Whatever business we have, this must never be omitted, either morning or evening; prayer-time must be kept up as duly as meat-time. The daily sacrifices were as the daily meals in God's house, and therefore they were always attended with bread and wine. Those starve their own souls that keep not up a constant attendance on the throne of grace.
II. Great and precious promises made of God's favour to Israel, and the tokens of his special presence with them, while they thus kept up his institutions among them. He speaks as one well pleased with the appointment of the daily sacrifice; for, before he proceeds to the other appointments that follow, he interposes these promises. It is constancy in religion that brings in the comfort of it. He promises, 1. That he would keep up communion with them; that he would not only meet Moses, and speak to him, but that he would meet the children of Israel, (Ex 29:43), to accept the daily sacrifices offered up on their behalf. Note, God will not fail to give those the meeting who diligently and conscientiously attend upon him in the ordinances of his own appointment. 2. That he would own his own institutions, the tabernacle, the altar, the priesthood (Ex 29:43,44); he would take possession of that which was consecrated to him. Note, What is sanctified to the glory of God shall be sanctified by his glory. If we do our part, God will do his, and will mark and fit that for himself which is in sincerity given up to him. 3. That he would reside among them as God in covenant with them, and would give them sure and comfortable tokens of his peculiar favour to them, and his special presence with them (Ex 29:45,46): I will dwell among the children of Israel. Note, Where God sets up the tabernacle of his ordinances he will himself dwell. Lo, I am with you always, Mt 28:20. Those that abide in God's house shall have God to abide with them. I will be their God, and they shall know that I am so. Note, Those are truly happy that have a covenant-interest in God as theirs and the comfortable evidence of that interest. If we have this, we have enough, and need no more to make us happy.
本章特別下令：一、關乎祭司的分別為聖，以及祭壇的成聖，出 29:1-37。二、關乎常獻的燔祭，出 29:38-41。與此相連的是恩典的應許：神必在他們一切事奉中認識他們、賜福與他們，出 29:42-46 等。