John Calvin Commentary Exodus 28:40

"And for Aaron`s sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and head-tires shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty." — Exodus 28:40 (ASV)

And for Aaron’s sons. The sons of Aaron are also separated not only from the general populace but also from the Levites. This was because a special dignity was attached to that family, from which his successor was later to be chosen.¹⁷⁰

Since no single individual could perform all their duties, these responsibilities were distributed among them. This is why they were adorned with the coat, the girdle, and the bonnet, for glory and for beauty. We will discuss their anointing in the next chapter.

Their hands are said to be filled¹⁷¹ when they are made fit for offering sacrifices. For as long as their hands are unconsecrated (profanae), they are considered empty, even if they are very full. This is because no gift is acceptable to God except by the right of the priesthood. Consequently, their fullness came from consecration, through which the offerings properly made gained access to God.

However, we must observe that it is not their father Aaron, but Moses, who sanctifies them. This ensures that the power itself, or the effect of their sanctification, rests in God and is not transferred to His ministers.

Perhaps, too, God intended to preempt the slanders of the ungodly. This was so that no one could later object that Aaron had fraudulently and unjustly extended the honor conferred on him alone to his sons as well, thereby unlawfully making it hereditary. Aaron was protected against this accusation by the fact that the sacerdotal dignity came to his sons from another source.

Furthermore, by these means, the descendants of Moses were more certainly deprived of any hope they might have conceived based on their father’s status. Therefore, Moses, by inaugurating Aaron’s children, put his own children in their proper place. This was to prevent any ambition from tempting them in the future, or envy from possessing them when they saw themselves placed below others.

¹⁷⁰ “Les successeurs de la souveraine sacrificature;” the successors in the sovereign priesthood.;” the successors in the sovereign priesthood.

¹⁷¹ A.V., “consecrate,” v. 41. “consecrate,” v. 41. Margin, “fill their hand;” fill their hand;” i.e., says Rosenmuller, says Rosenmuller, in loco, “thou shalt deliver them the power of their office. Le Clerc suggests that the phrase is perhaps borrowed from some ancient oriental rite, in which the ensigns of office were put into the hands of those to whom it was entrusted. It appears also, from the following chapter, thou shalt deliver them the power of their office. Le Clerc suggests that the phrase is perhaps borrowed from some ancient oriental rite, in which the ensigns of office were put into the hands of those to whom it was entrusted. It appears also, from the following chapter, ver. 24, that all the sacred offerings were placed by Moses in the hands of the priests at their inauguration.", that all the sacred offerings were placed by Moses in the hands of the priests at their inauguration."