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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Leviticus, Chapter XVI].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1706)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
<CENTER>
<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>L E V I T C U S</B></FONT>
<BR>
<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XVI.</FONT>
<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
</CENTER>
<FONT SIZE=-1>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
In this chapter we have the institution of the annual solemnity of the
day of atonement, or expiation, which had as much gospel in it as
perhaps any of the appointments of the ceremonial law, as appears by
the reference the apostle makes to it,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+9:7">Heb. ix. 7</A>,
&c. We had before divers laws concerning sin-offerings for particular
persons, and to be offered upon particular occasions; but this is
concerning the stated sacrifice, in which the whole nation was
interested. The whole service of the day is committed to the high
priest.
I. He must never come into the most holy place but upon this day,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:1,2">ver. 1, 2</A>.
II. He must come dressed in linen garments,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:4">ver. 4</A>.
III. He must bring a sin-offering and a burnt-offering for himself
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:3">ver. 3</A>),
offer his sin-offering
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:6-11">ver. 6-11</A>),
then go within the veil with some of the blood of his sin-offering,
burn incense, and sprinkle the blood before the mercy-seat,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:12-14">ver. 12-14</A>.
IV. Two goats must be provided for the people, lots cast upon them,
and,
1. One of them must be a sin-offering for the people
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:5,7-9">ver. 5, 7-9</A>),
and the blood of it must be sprinkled before the mercy-seat
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:15-17">ver. 15-17</A>),
and then some of the blood of both the sin-offerings must be sprinkled
upon the altar,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:18,19">ver. 18, 19</A>.
2. The other must be a scape-goat
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:10">ver. 10</A>),
the sins of Israel must be confessed over him, and then he must be sent
away into the wilderness
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:20-22">ver. 20-22</A>),
and he that brought him away must be ceremonially unclean,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:26">ver. 26</A>.
V. The burnt-offerings were then to be offered, the fat of the
sin-offerings burnt on the altar, and their flesh burnt without the
camp,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:23-25,27,28">ver. 23-25, 27, 28</A>.
VI. The people were to observe the day religiously by a holy rest and
holy mourning for sin; and this was to be a statute for ever,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:29-34">ver. 29</A>,
&c.</P>
</FONT>
<A NAME="Le16_1"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_2"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_3"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_4"> </A>
<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Great Day of Atonement.</I></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1490.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<FONT SIZE=+1>1 And the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons
of Aaron, when they offered before the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, and died;
&nbsp; 2 And the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother,
that he come not at all times into the holy <I>place</I> within the
vail before the mercy seat, which <I>is</I> upon the ark; that he die
not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
&nbsp; 3 Thus shall Aaron come into the holy <I>place</I>: with a young
bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.
&nbsp; 4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the
linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen
girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these <I>are</I>
holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and
<I>so</I> put them on.
</FONT></P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Here is,
I. The date of this law concerning the day of atonement: it was
<I>after the death of the two sons of Aaron</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>),
which we read,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+10:1"><I>ch.</I> x. 1</A>.
1. Lest Aaron should fear that any remaining guilt of that sin should
cleave to his family, or (seeing the priests were so apt to offend)
that some after-sin of his other sons should be the ruin of his family,
he is directed how to make atonement for his house, that it might keep
in with God; for the atonement for it would be the establishment of it,
and preserve the entail of the blessing upon it.
2. The priests being warned by the death of Nadab and Abihu to approach
to God with reverence and godly fear (without which they came at their
peril), directions are here given how the nearest approach might be
made, not only without peril, but to unspeakable advantage and comfort,
if the directions were observed. When they were cut off for an undue
approach, the rest must not say, "Then we will not draw near at all,"
but, "Then we will do it by rule." They died for their sin, therefore
God graciously provides for the rest, that they die not. Thus God's
judgments on some should be instructions to others.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
II. The design of this law. One intention of it was to preserve a
veneration for the most holy place, within the veil, where the
<I>Shechinah,</I> or divine glory, was pleased to dwell between the
cherubim: <I>Speak unto Aaron, that he come not at all times into the
holy place,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
Before the veil some of the priests came every day to burn incense upon
the golden altar, but within the veil none must ever come but the high
priest only, and he but on one day in the year, and with great ceremony
and caution. That place where God manifested his special presence must
not be made common. If none must come into the presence-chamber of an
earthly king uncalled, no, not the queen herself, upon pain of death
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Es+4:11">Esth. iv. 11</A>),
was it not requisite that the same sacred respect should be paid to the
Kings of kings? But see what a blessed change is made by the gospel of
Christ; all good Christians have now <I>boldness to enter into the
holiest,</I> through the veil, every day
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+10:19,20">Heb. x. 19, 20</A>);
and we <I>come boldly</I> (not as Aaron must, with fear and trembling)
to the <I>throne of grace,</I> or mercy-seat,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+4:16">Heb. iv. 16</A>.
While the manifestations of God's presence and grace were sensible, it
was requisite that they should thus be confined and upon reserve,
because the objects of sense the more familiar they are made the less
awful or delightful they become; but now that they are purely spiritual
it is otherwise, for the objects of faith the more they are conversed
with the more do they manifest of their greatness and goodness: now
therefore we are welcome to come at all times into the <I>holy place
not made with hands,</I> for we are made to <I>sit together with Christ
in heavenly places</I> by faith,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eph+2:6">Eph. ii. 6</A>.
Then Aaron must not come near at all times, <I>lest he die;</I> we now
must come near at all times that we may live: it is distance only that
is our death. Then God appeared in the cloud upon the mercy-seat, but
now with open face we behold, not in a dark cloud, but in a clear
glass, the glory of the Lord,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Co+3:18">2 Cor. iii. 18</A>.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
III. The person to whom the work of this day was committed, and that
was the high priest only: <I>Thus shall Aaron come into the holy
place,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
He was to do all himself upon the day of atonement: only there was a
second provided to be his substitute or supporter, in case any thing
should befal him, either of sickness or ceremonial uncleanness, that he
could not perform the service of the day. All Christians are spiritual
priests, but Christ only is the high priest, and he alone it is that
makes atonement, nor needed he either assistant or substitute.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
IV. The attire of the high priest in this service. He was not to be
dressed up in his rich garments that were peculiar to himself: he was
not to put on the ephod, with the precious stones in it, but only the
linen clothes which he wore in common with the inferior priests,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>.
That meaner dress did best become him on this day of humiliation; and,
being thinner and lighter, he would in it be more expedite for the work
or service of the day, which was all to go through his hands. Christ,
our high priest, made atonement for sin in our nature; not in the robes
of his own peculiar glory, but the linen garments of our mortality,
clean indeed, but mean.</P>
<A NAME="Le16_5"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_6"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_7"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_8"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_9"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_10"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_11"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_12"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_13"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_14"> </A>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<FONT SIZE=+1>5 And he shall take of the congregation of the children of
Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for
a burnt offering.
&nbsp; 6 And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which
<I>is</I> for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his
house.
&nbsp; 7 And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the
L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> <I>at</I> the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
&nbsp; 8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the
L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
&nbsp; 9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>'s lot
fell, and offer him <I>for</I> a sin offering.
&nbsp; 10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat,
shall be presented alive before the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, to make an atonement
with him, <I>and</I> to let him go for a scapegoat into the
wilderness.
&nbsp; 11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which
<I>is</I> for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and
for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering
which <I>is</I> for himself:
&nbsp; 12 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire
from off the altar before the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, and his hands full of sweet
incense beaten small, and bring <I>it</I> within the vail:
&nbsp; 13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>,
that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that <I>is</I>
upon the testimony, that he die not:
&nbsp; 14 And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle
<I>it</I> with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the
mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven
times.
</FONT></P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
The Jewish writers say that for seven days before the day of expiation
the high priest was to retire from his own house, and to dwell in a
chamber of the temple, that he might prepare himself for the service of
this great day. During those seven days he himself did the work of the
inferior priests about the sacrifices, incense, &c., that he might have
his hand in for this day: he must have the institution read to him
again and again, that he might be fully apprised of the whole method.
1. He was to begin the service of the day very early with the usual
morning sacrifice, after he had first washed his whole body before he
dressed himself, and his hands and feet again afterwards. He then
burned the daily incense, dressed the lamps, and offered the
extraordinary sacrifice appointed for this day (not here, but
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+29:8">Num. xxix. 8</A>),
a bullock, a ram, and seven lambs, all for burnt-offerings. This he is
supposed to have done in his high priest's garments.
2. He must now put off his rich robes, bathe himself, put on the linen
garments, and present unto the Lord his own bullock, which was to be a
sin-offering for himself and his own house,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>.
The bullock was set between the temple and the altar, and the offering
of him mentioned in this verse was the making of a solemn confession of
his sins and the sins of his house, earnestly praying for the
forgiveness of them, and this with his hands on the head of the
bullock.
3. He must then cast lots upon the two goats, which were to make (both
together) one sin-offering for the congregation. One of these goats
must be slain, in token of a satisfaction to be made to God's justice
for sin, the other must be sent away, in token of the remission or
dismission of sin by the mercy of God. Both must be presented together
to God
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>)
before the lot was cast upon them, and afterwards the scape-goat by
itself,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>.
Some think that goats were chosen for the sin-offering because, by the
disagreeableness of their smell, the offensiveness of sin is
represented: others think, because it was said that the demons which
the heathens then worshipped often appeared to their worshippers in the
form of goats, God therefore obliged his people to sacrifice goats,
that they might never be tempted to sacrifice to goats.
4. The next thing to be done was to kill the bullock for the
sin-offering for himself and his house,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>.
"Now," say the Jews, "he must again put his hands on the head of the
bullock, and repeat the confession and supplication he had before made,
and kill the bullock with his own hands, to make atonement for himself
first (for how could he make reconciliation for the sins of the people
till he was himself first reconciled?) and for his house, not only his
own family, but all the priests, who are called the <I>house of
Aaron,</I>"
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+135:19">Ps. cxxxv. 19</A>.
This charity must begin at home, though it must not end there. The
bullock being killed, he left one of the priests to stir the blood,
that it might not thicken, and then,
5. He took a censer of burning coals (that would not smoke) in one
hand, and a dish full of the sweet incense in the other, and then went
into the holy of holies through the veil, and went up towards the ark,
set the coals down upon the floor, and scattered the incense upon them,
so that the room was immediately filled with smoke. The Jews say that
he was to go in <I>side-ways,</I> that he might not look directly upon
the ark where the divine glory was, till it was covered with smoke;
then he must come out <I>backwards,</I> out of reverence to the divine
majesty; and, after a short prayer, he was to hasten out of the
sanctuary, to show himself to the people, that they might not suspect
that he had misbehaved himself and died before the Lord.
6. He then fetched the blood of the bullock from the priest whom he had
left stirring it, and took that in with him the second time into the
holy of holies, which was now filled with the smoke of the incense, and
sprinkled with his finger of that blood upon, or rather towards, the
mercy-seat, once over against the top of it and then seven times
towards the lower part of it,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>.
But the drops of blood (as the Jews expound it) all fell upon the
ground, and none touched the mercy-seat. Having done this, he came out
of the most holy place, set the basin of blood down in the sanctuary,
and went out.</P>
<A NAME="Le16_15"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_16"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_17"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_18"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_19"> </A>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<FONT SIZE=+1>15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that <I>is</I>
for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with
that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle
it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:
&nbsp; 16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy <I>place,</I> because
of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of
their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for
the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in
the midst of their uncleanness.
&nbsp; 17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the
congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy
<I>place,</I> until he come out, and have made an atonement for
himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of
Israel.
&nbsp; 18 And he shall go out unto the altar that <I>is</I> before the
L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood
of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put <I>it</I> upon
the horns of the altar round about.
&nbsp; 19 And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger
seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness
of the children of Israel.
</FONT></P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
When the priest had come out from the sprinkling the blood of the
bullock before the mercy-seat,
1. He must next kill the goat which was the sin-offering for the people
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>)
and go the third time into the holy of holies, to sprinkle the blood of
the goat, as he had done that of the bullock; and thus he was to
<I>make atonement for the holy place</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>);
that is, whereas the people by their sins had provoked God to take away
those tokens of his favourable presence with them, and rendered even
that holy place unfit to be the habitation of the holy God, atonement
was hereby made for sin, that God, being reconciled to them, might
continue with them.
2. He must then do the same for the outward part of the tabernacle that
he had done for the inner room, by sprinkling the blood of the bullock
first, and then that of the goat, without the veil, where the table and
incense-altar stood, eight times each as before. The reason intimated
is <I>because the tabernacle remained among them in the midst of their
uncleanness,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>.
God would hereby show them how much their hearts needed to be purified,
when even the tabernacle, only by standing in the midst of such an
impure and sinful people, needed this expiation; and also that even
their devotions and religious performances had much amiss in them, for
which it was necessary that atonement should be made. During this
solemnity, none of the inferior priests must come into the tabernacle
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:17"><I>v.</I> 17</A>),
but, by standing without, must own themselves unworthy and unfit to
minister there, because their follies, and defects, and manifold
impurities in their ministry, had made this expiation of the tabernacle
necessary.
3. He must then put some of the blood, both of the bullock and of the
goat mixed together, upon the horns of the altar that is before the
Lord,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:18,19"><I>v.</I> 18, 19</A>.
It is certain that the altar of incense had this blood put upon it, for
so it is expressly ordered
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+30:10">Exod. xxx. 10</A>);
but some think that this directs the high priest to the altar of
burnt-offerings, for that also is here called the <I>altar before the
Lord</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>),
because he is said to <I>go out</I> to it, and because it may be
presumed that that also had need of an expiation; for to that the gifts
and offerings of the children of Israel were all brought, from whose
uncleanness the altar is here said to be hallowed.</P>
<A NAME="Le16_20"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_21"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_22"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_23"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_24"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_25"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_26"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_27"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_28"> </A>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<FONT SIZE=+1>20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy
<I>place,</I> and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar,
he shall bring the live goat:
&nbsp; 21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live
goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of
Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting
them upon the head of the goat, and shall send <I>him</I> away by the
hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
&nbsp; 22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a
land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the
wilderness.
&nbsp; 23 And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the
congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put
on when he went into the holy <I>place,</I> and shall leave them
there:
&nbsp; 24 And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place,
and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt
offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an
atonement for himself, and for the people.
&nbsp; 25 And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the
altar.
&nbsp; 26 And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his
clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into
the camp.
&nbsp; 27 And the bullock <I>for</I> the sin offering, and the goat <I>for</I>
the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in
the holy <I>place,</I> shall <I>one</I> carry forth without the camp; and
they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and
their dung.
&nbsp; 28 And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe
his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.
</FONT></P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
The high priest having presented unto the Lord the expiatory
sacrifices, by the sprinkling of their blood, the remainder of which,
it is probable, he poured out at the foot of the brazen altar,
1. He is next to confess the sins of Israel, with both his hands upon
the head of the scape-goat
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:20,21"><I>v.</I> 20, 21</A>);
and whenever hands were imposed upon the head of any sacrifice it was
always done with confession, according as the nature of the sacrifice
was; and, this being a sin-offering, it must be a confession of sin. In
the latter and more degenerate ages of the Jewish church they had a set
form of confession prepared for the high priest, but God here
prescribed none; for it might be supposed that the high priest was so
well acquainted with the state of the people, and had such a tender
concern for them, that he needed not any form. The confession must be
as particular as he could make it, not only of <I>all the iniquities of
the children of Israel,</I> but <I>all their transgressions in all
their sins.</I> In one sin there may be many transgressions, from the
several aggravating circumstances of it; and in our confessions we
should take notice of them, and not only say, <I>I have sinned,</I>
but, with Achan, "Thus and thus have I done." By this confession he
must <I>put the sins of Israel upon the head of the goat;</I> that is,
exercising faith upon the divine appointment which constituted such a
translation, he must transfer the punishment incurred from the sinners
to the sacrifice, which would have been but a jest, nay, an affront to
God, if he himself had not ordained it.
2. The goat was then to be sent away immediately by the hand of a fit
person pitched upon for the purpose, into a wilderness, a land not
inhabited; and God allowed them to make this construction of it, that
the sending away of the goat was the sending away of their sins, by a
free and full remission: <I>He shall bear upon him all their
iniquities,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:22"><I>v.</I> 22</A>.
The losing of the goat was a sign to them that <I>the sins of Israel
should be sought for, and not found,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+50:20">Jer. l. 20</A>.
The later Jews had a custom to tie one shred of scarlet cloth to the
horns of the goat and another to the gate of the temple, or to the top
of the rock where the goat was lost, and they concluded that if it
turned white, as they say it usually did, the sins of Israel were
forgiven, as it is written, <I>Though your sins have been as scarlet,
they shall be as wool:</I> and they add that for forty years before the
destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans the scarlet cloth never changed
colour at all, which is a fair confession that, having rejected the
substance, the shadow stood them in no stead.
3. The high priest must then put off his linen garments in the
tabernacle, and leave them there, the Jews say never to be worn again
by himself or any other, for they made new ones every year; and he must
bathe himself in water, put on his rich clothes, and then offer both
his own and the people's burnt-offerings,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:23,24"><I>v.</I> 23, 24</A>.
When we have the comfort of our pardon God must have the glory of it.
If we have the benefit of the sacrifice of atonement, we must not
grudge the sacrifices of acknowledgment. And, it should seem, the
burning of the fat of the sin-offering was deferred till now
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:25"><I>v.</I> 25</A>),
that it might be consumed with the burnt-offerings.
4. The flesh of both those sin-offerings whose blood was taken within
the veil was to be all burnt, not upon the altar, but at a distance
without the camp, to signify both our putting away sin by true
repentance, and the spirit of burning, and God's putting it away by a
full remission, so that it shall never rise up in judgment against us.
5. He that took the scape-goat into the wilderness, and those that
burned the sin-offering, were to be looked upon as ceremonially
unclean, and must not come into the camp till they had washed their
clothes and bathed their flesh in water, which signified the defiling
nature of sin; even the sacrifice which was but made sin was defiling:
also the imperfection of the legal sacrifices; they were so far from
taking away sin that even <I>they</I> left some stain upon those that
touched them.
6. When all this was done, the high priest went again into the most
holy place to fetch his censer, and so returned to his own house with
joy, because he had done his duty, and died not.</P>
<A NAME="Le16_29"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_30"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_31"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_32"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_33"> </A>
<A NAME="Le16_34"> </A>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<FONT SIZE=+1>29 And <I>this</I> shall be a statute for ever unto you: <I>that</I> in
the seventh month, on the tenth <I>day</I> of the month, ye shall
afflict your souls, and do no work at all, <I>whether it be</I> one of
your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:
&nbsp; 30 For on that day shall <I>the priest</I> make an atonement for
you, to cleanse you, <I>that</I> ye may be clean from all your sins
before the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>.
&nbsp; 31 It <I>shall be</I> a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall
afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.
&nbsp; 32 And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall
consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's
stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen
clothes, <I>even</I> the holy garments:
&nbsp; 33 And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and
he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the
congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement
for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.
&nbsp; 34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make
an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a
year. And he did as the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> commanded Moses.
</FONT></P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
I. We have here some additional directions in reference to this great
solemnity, particularly,</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
1. The day appointed for this solemnity. It must be observed yearly on
<I>the tenth day of the seventh month,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:29"><I>v.</I> 29</A>.
The seventh had been reckoned the first month, till God appointed that
the month in which the children of Israel came out of Egypt should
thenceforward be accounted and called the first month. Some have
fancied that this tenth day of the seventh month was the day of the
year on which our first parents fell, and that it was kept as a fast in
remembrance of their fall. Dr. Lightfoot computes that this was the day
on which Moses came the last time down from the mount, when he brought
with him the renewed tables, and the assurances of God's being
reconciled to Israel, and his face shone: that day must be a day of
atonement throughout their generations; for the remembrance of God's
forgiving them their sin about the golden calf might encourage them to
hope that, upon their repentance, he would forgive them all
trespasses.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
2. The duty of the people on this day.
(1.) They must rest from all their labours: <I>It shall be a sabbath of
rest,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:31"><I>v.</I> 31</A>.
The work of the day was itself enough, and a good day's work if it was
done well; therefore they must do no other work at all. The work of
humiliation for sin requires such a close application of mind, and such
a fixed engagement of the whole man, as will not allow us to turn aside
to any other work. The day of atonement seems to be that sabbath spoken
of by the prophet
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+58:13">Isa. lviii. 13</A>),
for it is the same with the fast spoken of in the verses before.
(2.) They must afflict their souls. They must refrain from all bodily
refreshments and delights, in token of inward humiliation and
contrition of soul for their sins. They all fasted on this day from
food (except the sick and children), and laid aside their ornaments,
and did not anoint themselves, as Daniel,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+10:3,12"><I>ch.</I> x. 3, 12</A>.
<I>David chastened his soul with fasting,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+35:13">Ps. xxxv. 13</A>.
And it signified the mortifying of sin and turning from it, <I>loosing
the bands of wickedness,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+58:6,7">Isa. lviii. 6, 7</A>.
The Jewish doctors advised that they should not on that day read those
portions of scripture which were proper to affect them with delight and
joy, because it was a day to afflict their souls.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
3. The perpetuity of this institution: <I>It shall be a statute for
ever,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:29,34"><I>v.</I> 29, 34</A>.
It must not be intermitted any year, nor ever let fall till that
constitution should be dissolved, and the type should be superseded by
the antitype. As long as we are continually sinning, we must be
continually repenting, and receiving the atonement. The law of
afflicting our souls for sin is a statute for ever, which will continue
in force till we arrive where all tears, even those of repentance, will
be wiped from our eyes. The apostle observes it as an evidence of the
insufficiency of the legal sacrifices to take away sin, and purge the
conscience from it, that in them there was a <I>remembrance made of sin
every year,</I> upon the day of atonement,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+10:1-3">Heb. x. 1-3</A>.
The annual repetition of the sacrifices showed that there was in them
only a faint and feeble effort towards making atonement; it could be
done effectually only by the <I>offering up of the body of Christ once
for all,</I> and that once was sufficient; that sacrifice needed not to
be repeated.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
II. Let us see what there was of gospel in all this.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
1. Here are typified the two great gospel privileges of the remission
of sin and access to God, both which we owe to the mediation of our
Lord Jesus. Here then let us see,</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
(1.) The expiation of guilt which Christ made for us. He is himself
both the maker and the matter of the atonement; for he is,
[1.] The priest, the high priest, that <I>makes reconciliation for the
sins of the people,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+2:17">Heb. ii. 17</A>.
He, and he only, is <I>par negotio--fit for the work</I> and worthy of
the honour: he is appointed by the Father to do it, who sanctified him,
and sent him into the world for this purpose, that <I>God might in him
reconcile the world to himself.</I> He undertook it, and for our sakes
sanctified himself, and set himself apart for it,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Joh+17:19">John xvii. 19</A>.
The high priest's frequently bathing himself on this day, and
performing the service of it in fine linen clean and white, signified
the holiness of the Lord Jesus, his perfect freedom from all sin, and
his being beautified and adorned with all grace. No man was to be with
the high priest when he made atonement
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:17"><I>v.</I> 17</A>);
for our Lord Jesus was to <I>tread the wine-press alone,</I> and of the
people there must be <I>none with him</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+63:3">Isa. lxiii. 3</A>);
therefore, when he entered upon his sufferings, <I>all his disciples
forsook him and fled,</I> for it any of them had been taken and put to
death with him it would have looked as if they had assisted in making
the atonement; none but thieves, concerning whom there could be no such
suspicion, must suffer with him. And observe what the extent of the
atonement was which the high priest made: it was <I>for the holy
sanctuary, for the tabernacle, for the altar, for the priests,</I> and
<I>for all the people,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:33"><I>v.</I> 33</A>.
Christ's satisfaction is that which atones for the sins both of
ministers and people, the <I>iniquities of our holy</I> (and our
unholy) <I>things;</I> the title we have to the privileges of
ordinances, our comfort in them, and benefit by them, are all owing to
the atonement Christ made. But, whereas the atonement which the high
priest made pertained only to the congregation of Israel, Christ is the
propitiation, not for their sins only, that are Jews, but for the sins
of the whole Gentile world. And in this also Christ infinitely excelled
Aaron, that Aaron needed to offer sacrifice for his own sin first, of
which he was to make confession upon the head of his sin-offering; but
our Lord Jesus had no sin of his own to answer for. <I>Such a high
priest became us,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+7:26">Heb. vii. 26</A>.
And therefore, when he was baptized in Jordan, whereas others stood in
the water <I>confessing their sins</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mt+3:6">Matt. iii. 6</A>),
he <I>went up straightway out of the water</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+16:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>),
having no sins to confess.
[2.] As he is the high priest, so he is the sacrifice with which
atonement is made; for he is all in all in our reconciliation to God.
Thus he was prefigured by the two goats, which both made one offering:
the slain goat was a type of Christ dying for our sins, the scape-goat
a type of Christ rising again for our justification. It was directed by
lot, the disposal whereof was of the Lord, which goat should be slain;
for Christ was delivered <I>by the determinate counsel and
foreknowledge of God. First,</I> The atonement is said to be completed
by putting the sins of Israel upon the head of the goat. They deserved
to have been abandoned and sent into a land of forgetfulness, but that
punishment was here transferred to the goat that bore their sins, with
reference to which God is said to have laid upon our Lord Jesus (the
substance of all these shadows) <I>the iniquity of us all</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+53:6">Isa. liii. 6</A>),
and he is said to have <I>borne our sins,</I> even the punishment of
them, <I>in his own body upon the tree,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Pe+2:24">1 Pet. ii. 24</A>.
Thus was he made sin for us, that is, a sacrifice for sin,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Co+5:21">2 Cor. v. 21</A>.
He suffered and died, not only for our good, but in our stead, and was
forsaken, and seemed to be forgotten for a time, that we might not be
forsaken and forgotten for ever. Some learned men have computed that
our Lord Jesus was baptized of John in Jordan upon the tenth day of the
seventh month, which was the very day of atonement. Then he entered
upon his office as Mediator, and was immediately <I>driven of the
Spirit into the wilderness,</I> a land not inhabited. <I>Secondly,</I>
The consequence of this was that all the iniquities of Israel were
<I>carried into a land of forgetfulness.</I> Thus Christ, the Lamb of
God, <I>takes away the sin the of world,</I> by taking it upon himself,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Joh+1:29">John i. 29</A>.
And, when God forgives sin, he is said to remember it no more
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+8:12">Heb. viii. 12</A>),
<I>to cast it behind his back</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+38:17">Isa. xxxviii. 17</A>),
<I>into the depths of the sea</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mic+7:19">Mic. vii. 19</A>),
and to separate it <I>as far as the east is from the west,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+103:12">Ps. ciii. 12</A>.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
(2.) The entrance into heaven which Christ made for us is here typified
by the high priest's entrance into the most holy place. This the
apostle has expounded
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+9:7">Heb. ix. 7</A>,
&c.), and he shows,
[1.] That heaven is the holiest of all, but not of that building, and
that the way into it by faith, hope, and prayer, through a Mediator,
was not then so clearly manifested as it is to us now by the gospel.
[2.] That Christ our high priest entered into heaven at his ascension
once for all, and as a public person, in the name of all his spiritual
Israel, and through the veil of his flesh, which was rent for that
purpose,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+10:20">Heb. x. 20</A>.
[3.] That he entered <I>by his own blood</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+9:12">Heb. ix. 12</A>),
taking with him to heaven the virtues of the sacrifice he offered on
earth, and so sprinkling his blood, as it were, before the mercy-seat,
where it speaks better things than the blood of bulls and goats could
do. Hence he is said to appear in the midst of the throne as <I>a lamb
that had been slain,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+5:6">Rev. v. 6</A>.
And, though he had no sin of his own to expiate, yet it was by his own
merit that he obtained for himself a restoration to his own ancient
glory
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Joh+17:4,5">John xvii. 4, 5</A>),
as well as an eternal redemption for us,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+9:12">Heb. ix. 12</A>.
[4.] The high priest in the holy place burned incense, which typified
the intercession that Christ ever lives to make for us within the veil,
in virtue of his satisfaction. And we could not expect to live, no,
not before the mercy-seat, if it were not covered with the cloud of
this incense. Mere mercy itself will not save us, without the
interposition of a Mediator. The intercession of Christ is there set
forth before God as incense, as <I>this incense.</I> And as the high
priest interceded for himself first, then for his household, and then
for all Israel, so our Lord Jesus, in the
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Joh+17:1-26">17th of St. John</A>
(which was a specimen of the intercession he makes in heaven),
recommended himself first to his Father, then his disciples who were
his household, and then all that should believe on him through their
word, as all Israel; and, having thus adverted to the uses and
intentions of his offering, he was immediately seized and crucified,
pursuant to these intentions.
[5.] Herein the entry Christ made far exceeded Aaron's, that Aaron
could not gain admission, no, not for his own sons, into the most holy
place; but our Lord Jesus has consecrated for us also a <I>new and
living way into the holiest,</I> so that we also have <I>boldness to
enter,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+10:19,20">Heb. x. 19, 20</A>.
[6.] The high priest was to come out again, but our Lord Jesus ever
lives, making intercession, and always appears in the presence of God
for us, whither as the forerunner he has for us entered, and where as
agent he continues for us to reside.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
2. Here are likewise typified the two great gospel duties of faith and
repentance, by which we are qualified for the atonement, and come to be
entitled to the benefit of it.
(1.) By faith we must put our hands upon the head of the offering,
relying on Christ as the Lord our Righteousness, pleading his
satisfaction as that which was alone able to atone for our sins and
procure us a pardon. "<I>Thou shalt answer, Lord, for me.</I> This is
all I have to say for myself, <I>Christ has died, yea, rather has risen
again;</I> to his grace and government I entirely submit myself, and in
him I <I>receive the atonement,</I>"
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ro+5:11">Rom. v. 11</A>.
(2.) By repentance we must afflict our souls; not only fasting for a
time from the delights of the body, but inwardly sorrowing for our
sins, and living a life of self-denial and mortification. We must also
make a penitent confession of sin, and this with an eye to Christ, whom
we have pierced, and mourning because of him; and with a hand of faith
upon the atonement, assuring ourselves that, <I>if we confess our sins,
God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.</I></P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Lastly, In the year of jubilee, the trumpet which proclaimed the
liberty was ordered to be sounded in the close of the <I>day of
atonement,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+25:9"><I>ch.</I> xxv. 9</A>.
For the remission of our debt, release from our bondage, and our return
to our inheritance, are all owing to the mediation and intercession of
Jesus Christ. By the atonement we obtain rest for our souls, and all
the glorious liberties of the children of God.</P>
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