The dedication of priests to service consists of two main elements. The first is a special cleansing sacrifice; the second is a "peace offering." This is not surprising if we recall the meaning of priestly ministry and of the very existence of the priesthood...
The dedication of priests to service consists of two main elements. The first is a special cleansing sacrifice; the second is a "peace offering." This is not surprising if we recall the meaning of priestly ministry and of the very existence of the priesthood. The meaning of its existence was that among the Jewish people, who according to God's design were to be a people-community, there would always be a certain community within the community that remained sanctified constantly, rather than being sanctified periodically as the larger part of the people was.
This is why priests during their service were not to leave the courtyard of the Tabernacle or the Temple. After completing their service they naturally left the sacred courtyard and went home, but others immediately came to take their place, and then they, in turn, became the sanctified community within the community. Coming to the Tabernacle or the Temple, the priests crossed, as it were, an invisible line, a line separating sacred space, the space whose center was God's presence directly defining it, from the rest of the world, where God's presence was hidden and which therefore existed differently, not as sacred space exists.
To cross this boundary, a priest had to be cleansed and sanctified separately and in a special way. In essence, precisely what, according to God's design, every person who came to the altar was supposed to experience there had to happen to him: the will of the one coming had to be turned toward God, and God's power had to cleanse his nature from sin and sanctify it through the corresponding sacrifices.
Ideally, the entire later life of a person cleansed and sanctified in this way should have become different; it should have flowed according to other laws. The person should have received a new spiritual quality of life and should no longer lose it, wherever he was and whatever he was doing, apart, of course, from sin, which in such a life was completely excluded.
In practice, however, a person, even after being cleansed and sanctified, could not thereafter preserve this new spiritual quality of life, quickly rolling back to his former state. The priests had an advantage here: they did not withdraw from the altar; they did not leave the sacred space throughout the whole time of their service. There, at the altar, they could, if they made the effort, locally and for a time realize what ideally was intended for everyone as the norm of life. In practice, of course, things happened in different ways, but the important point is that the opportunity for a full spiritual life was given to the priests who remained at the altar; the rest already depended on them.
9 Moses appoints Aaron to offer various sacrifices, Лев 9:1-7.
Aaron offers for himself, Лев 9:8-14.
Offers for, and blesses the people, Лев 9:15-22.
God signifies his acceptance of their persons and of their sacrifices, Лев 9:23-24.
9:1 On the eighth day - Namely, from the day of his consecration, or when the seven days of his consecration were ended. The eighth day is famous in scripture for the perfecting and purifying both of men and beasts.See Лев 12:2-3, Лев 14:8-10, Лев 15:13-14, Лев 22:27. And the elders of Israel - All the congregation were called to be witnesses of Aaron's installment into his office, to prevent their murmurings and contempt; which being done, the elders were now sufficient to be witnesses of his first execution of his office.
9:2 For a sin - offering - For himself and his own sins, which was an evidence of the imperfection of that priesthood, and of the necessity of a better. The Jewish writers suggest, that a calf was appointed, to remind him of his sin in making the golden calf. Thereby he had rendered himself for ever unworthy of the honour of the priesthood: on which he had reason to reflect with sorrow and shame, in all the atonements he made.
9:3 A sin - offering - For the people, for whose sin a young bullock was required, Лев 4:15, but that was for some particular sin; this was more general for all their sins. Besides, there being an eye here to the priest's consecration and entrance into his office, it is no wonder if there be some difference in these Sacrifices from those before prescribed.
9:4 The Lord will appear - Heb. Hath appeared. He speaks of the thing to come as if it were past, which is frequent in scripture, to give them the more assurance of the thing.
9:5 Before the tabernacle where God dwelt.
9:6 The glory of the Lord - The glorious manifestation of God's powerful and gracious presence.
9:7 Go and offer - Moses had hitherto sacrificed, but now he resigns his work to Aaron, and actually gives him that commission which from God he had received for him. For thyself and for the people - The order is very observable, first for thyself, otherwise thou art unfit to do it for the people. Hereby God would teach us, both the deficiency of this priesthood, and how important it is that God's ministers should be in the favour of God themselves, that their ministrations may be acceptable to God, and profitable to the people.
9:9 The altar - Of burnt - offering, of which alone he speaks both in the foregoing and following words; and the blood was poured out at the bottom of this altar only, not of the altar of incense, as appears from Лев 4:7, where indeed there is mention of putting some of the bloodupon the horns of the altar of incense, in this case of the priest's sacrificing for his own sins. But there seems to be a double difference,
9:10 He burnt it - By ordinary fire, which was used until the fire came down from heaven, Лев 9:24, though afterwards it was forbidden.And if it had not been allowed otherwise, yet this being done by Aaron at the command of Moses, and consequently with God's approbation, it was unquestionably lawful. Add to this, that there is nothing said to be consumed by that heavenly fire, but the burnt - offering with the fat belonging to it, namely, that burnt - offering mentioned Лев 9:16, which therefore is not there said to be burnt, as it is said of the other burnt - offering, Лев 9:13, and of the rest of the sacrifices in their places.
9:16 The burnt - offering - Which also was offered for the people, as the last mentioned sin - offering was.
9:17 Besides the burnt - sacrifice - Which was to be first offered every morning; for God will not have his ordinary and stated service swallowed up by extraordinary.
9:19 That - Fat. Which covereth the inwards - Or the Guts.
9:22 Aaron lifted up his hands - Which was the usual rite of blessing.By this posture he signified both whence he expected the blessing, and his hearty desire of it for them. And blessed them - In some such manner, as is related, Числ 6:24, etc though not in the same form, for it is not probable that he used it before God delivered it And this blessing was an act of his priestly office, no less than sacrificing. And herein be was a type of Christ, who came into the world to bless us, and when he was parting from his disciples, lifted up his hands and blessed them: yea, and in them his whole church, of which they were the elders and representatives.And came down - From the altar; whence he is said to come down, either
9:23 And Moses - Went in with Aaron to direct him, and to see him perform those parts of his office which were to be done in the holy place, about the lights, and the table of shew - bread, and the altar of incense, upon which part of the blood of the sacrifices now offered was to be sprinkled, Лев 4:7, Лев 4:16. And blessed the people - Prayed to God for his blessing upon them, as this phrase is explained, Числ 6:23, etc and particularly for his gracious acceptation of these and all succeeding sacrifices, and for his signification thereof by some extraordinary token. And the glory of the Lord - Either a miraculous brightness shining from the cloudy pillar, as Исх 16:10, or a glorious and visible discovery of God's graciouspresence and acceptance of the present service.
9:24 And there came a fire - In token of God's approbation of the priesthood now instituted, and the sacrifices offered, and consequently of others of the like nature. And this fire now given was to be carefully kept, and not suffered to go out, Лев 6:13, and therefore was carried in a peculiar vessel in their journeys in the wilderness. From before the Lord - Or, from the presence of the Lord, that is, from the place where God was in a special manner present, either from heaven or from the holy of holies. They shouted - As wondering at, rejoicing in, and blessing God for this gracious discovery of himself, and his favour.This also was a figure of good things to come. Thus the Spirit descended in fire upon the apostles, so ratifying their commission, as this does that of the priests. And the descent of this holy fire into our souls, to kindle in them devout affections, and such an holy zeal as burns up all unholiness, is a certain token of God's gracious acceptance.