John Calvin Commentary Leviticus 9
John Calvin Commentary
Leviticus 9
John Calvin Commentary
Leviticus 9
"And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel;" — Leviticus 9:1 (ASV)
And it came to pass on the eighth day. Here it is related how Aaron and his sons, after the time of their consecration was completed, began to carry out their duties.
It was necessary that he should be his brother’s disciple, to follow the pattern established by God. We must also bear in mind that Moses, who was not appointed priest by a solemn rite, consecrated the others, so that the authority and effectiveness of the outward sign would rest in God alone.
Therefore, the earlier part of the chapter details how, after Aaron had been initiated into the priest’s office for seven days, he began the work entrusted to him by God’s command. The second part shows how the sacrifices were approved by a divine miracle, ratifying the priesthood that God had instituted.
But first of all, He enumerates the ordinary kinds of sacrifice: namely, for sin; the burnt offering; and for thanksgiving, the sacrifice with the meat offering (minha) and the sprinkling, so that in every respect Aaron might be recognized as the lawful priest of God.
"And Moses said, This is the thing which Jehovah commanded that ye should do: and the glory of Jehovah shall appear unto you." — Leviticus 9:6 (ASV)
And Moses said, This is the thing which the Lord commanded. He seems, indeed, to address the whole people, to whom the promise also belonged; but in the word “do ye,”413 He specifically speaks to the sons of Aaron; and he promises what, at the end of the chapter, he will state was fulfilled: that the glory of God should be manifested in approval of the priesthood, so that they may set about their duties more cheerfully. For this was no common aid to their faith and assurance, that their office should be thus, as it were, sealed by God.
413 “That ye should do.” — A. V.
"And Moses said unto Aaron, Draw near unto the altar, and offer thy sin-offering, and thy burnt-offering, and make atonement for thyself, and for the people; and offer the oblation of the people, and make atonement for them; as Jehovah commanded." — Leviticus 9:7 (ASV)
And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar. Here is repeated what was stated elsewhere: that the priest, being himself a sinner, must first entreat for himself before he propitiates God towards others. Hence the Apostle justly infers that the legal priesthood was weak and merely typical (Hebrews 5:1).
For none can be a true peacemaker, except one who, in reliance on his perfect innocence, presents himself before God to obtain pardon for others and, being pure from every blemish, requires no expiation for himself. All else to the end of the chapter I pass over, because Moses only records how Aaron sacrificed according to God’s command and the legal ritual.
"And Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people, and blessed them; and he came down from offering the sin-offering, and the burnt-offering, and the peace-offerings." — Leviticus 9:22 (ASV)
And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people. This was a kind of application of the sacrifice, so that the people might know that God was reconciled to them through the priest as their mediator and surety.
The form of benediction414 has already been expounded. For now, let this one point suffice: when the priests, by lifting up their hands, testified to God’s paternal favor toward the people, their commission was ratified and efficacious. Sacred history presents us with a memorable instance of this, where it records that:
the priests and Levites blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling-place, even unto heaven. (2 Chronicles 30:27).
The fulfillment of this type was eventually manifested in Christ, who is not only the source and cause of blessing, but also publishes it by the Gospel with effectual results. For He came to preach peace to them which were afar off, and to them that were nigh, (Ephesians 2:17); and although He does not appear or speak in a visible form, yet we know what He says, namely, that:
whatsoever His disciples shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever they shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 18:18).
414 See ante on on Numbers 6:22-27, , vol. 2, p. 245 et seq..
"And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of Jehovah appeared unto all the people." — Leviticus 9:23 (ASV)
And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle. This is a repetition of the same statement, except that what had been said of Aaron only is now also ascribed to Moses; that is, that he blessed the people, but for a different reason. For although he was God’s prophet, Aaron, by right of his office, was the only mediator.
What follows, the glory of the Lord appeared, may be read separately—namely, that the majesty of God was manifested in some conspicuous sign; or else it is connected with the concluding verse, where it is said that there came a fire out from before the Lord, etc. If we prefer the latter, the account of the consuming of the sacrifice was added as an explanation, as if it were said that God appeared when He sent forth the fire to consume the sacrifice.
By this sign, or rather miracle, God manifested that He was the Author of the legal priesthood, so that it should be held in reverence forever.
The same thing sometimes occurred afterwards when, in troubled circumstances, extraordinary confirmation was needed. For example, fire consumed the sacrifice of Manoah (Judges 13:20); or when God’s service and pure religion required to be vindicated against superstitious counterfeits, the sacrifice of Elijah was utterly consumed and reduced to ashes without the application of fire (1 Kings 18:38). Or, lastly, when God would show that He delighted in Mount Zion, which He had chosen for His resting-place and home; for this reason, the first sacrifice of Solomon was consumed by fire from heaven (2 Chronicles 7:1).
Lest posterity should doubt this matter, as if it were not thoroughly certain, Moses says that the whole people were stirred up by the sight to praise God and fell on their faces.
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