John Calvin Commentary Exodus 29:36

"And every day shalt thou offer the bullock of sin-offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou makest atonement for it; and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it." — Exodus 29:36 (ASV)

And thou shalt offer every day a bullock. Since the ancient altar was no less a type of Christ than the priest was, it may naturally be asked what its expiation could mean, as if there were anything impure or polluted in Christ.

But we must remember, what I previously mentioned, that no likeness is identical (with the reality); for then the substance and reality of the shadows could not be represented in their perfection. Yet this was an apt likeness, showing that God could only be made gracious toward the human race by an expiation made with blood.

On this account, not only was the altar to be cleansed, but also dedicated to its use, so that reconciliation might proceed from it. This is expressed by the word “sanctify,” especially when it is added, it shall be the holiness of holinesses,¹⁵¹ so that it may sanctify whatever is put upon it.

Others read it in the masculine gender: Whosoever shall touch it, shall be holy; and understand it of the priest, who by right of his anointing might approach the altar. But it rather dignifies the consecration of the altar by its consequence, namely, because it sanctifies the victims themselves.

The sum is that the body of Christ, since it was offered as a sacrifice and consecrated with blood, was acceptable to God, so that its holiness washes away and blots out all our uncleanness.

We shall speak of the anointing a little further on.

¹⁵¹ A.V., “And it shall be an altar most holy.” Ainsworth, “And it shall be an altar most holy.” Ainsworth, in loco, says: “says: “Heb. holinesse of holinesses; i.e., most holy, not only sanctified itself, but sanctifying the gifts that were offered to God upon it."most holy, not only sanctified itself, but sanctifying the gifts that were offered to God upon it."