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Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Exodus 29:1–37. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here is, I. The law concerning the consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priest's office, which was to be done with a great deal of ceremony and solemnity, that they themselves might be duly affected with the greatness of the work to which they were called, and that the people also might learn to magnify the office and none might dare to invade it.
1.The ceremonies wherewith it was to be done were very fully and particularly appointed, because nothing of this kind had been done before, and because it was to be a statute for ever that the high priest should be thus inaugurated. Now,
(1.)The work to be done was the consecrating of the persons whom God had chosen to be priests, by which they devoted and gave up themselves to the service of God and God declared his acceptance of them; and the people were made to know that they glorified not themselves to be made priests, but were called of God, Heb 5:4, Heb 5:5. They were thus distinguished from common men, sequestered from common services, and set apart for God and an immediate attendance on him. Note, All that are to be employed for God are to be sanctified to him. The person must first be accepted, and then the performance. The Hebrew phrase for consecrating is filling the hand (Exo 29:9): Thou shalt fill the hand of Aaron and his sons, and the ram of consecration is the ram of fillings, Exo 29:22, Exo 29:26. The consecrating of them was the perfecting of them; Christ is said to be perfect or consecrated for evermore, Heb 7:28. Probably the phrase here is borrowed from the putting of the sacrifice into their hand, to be waved before the Lord, Exo 29:24. But it intimates,
[1.]That ministers have their hands full; they have no time to trifle, so great, so copious, so constant is their work.
[2.]That they must have their hands filled. Of necessity they must have something to offer, and they cannot find it in themselves, it must be given them from above. They cannot fill the people's hearts unless God fill their hands; to him therefore they must go, and receive from his fulness.
(2.)The person to do it was Moses, by God's appointment. Though he was ordained for men, yet the people were not to consecrate him; Moses the servant of the Lord, and his agent herein, must do it. By God's special appointment he now did the priest's work, and therefore that which was the priest's part of the sacrifice was here ordered to be his, Exo 29:26.
(3.)The place was at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, Exo 29:4. God was pleased to dwell in the tabernacle, the people attending in the courts, so that the door between the court and the tabernacle was the fittest place for those to be consecrated in who were to mediate between God and man, and to stand between both, and lay their hands (as it were) upon both. They were consecrated at the door, for they were to be door-keepers.
(4.)It was done with many ceremonies.
[1.]They were to be washed (Exo 29:4), signifying that those must be clean who bear the vessels of the Lord, Isa 52:11. Those that would perfect holiness must cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, Co2 7:1; Isa 1:16-18. They were now washed all over; but afterwards, when they went in to minister, they washed only their hands and feet (Exo 30:19); for he that is washed needs no more, Joh 13:10.
[2.]They were to be clothed with the holy garments (Exo 29:5, Exo 29:6, Exo 29:8, Exo 29:9), to signify that it was not sufficient for them to put away the pollutions of sin, but they must put on the graces of the Spirit, be clothed with righteousness, Psa 132:9. They must be girded, as men prepared and strengthened for their work; and they must be robed and crowned, as men that counted their work and office their true honour.
[3.]The high priest was to be anointed with the holy anointing oil (Exo 29:7), that the church might be filled and delighted with the sweet savour of his administrations (for ointment and perfume rejoice the heart), and in token of the pouring out of the Spirit upon him, to qualify him for his work. Brotherly love is compared to this oil with which Aaron was anointed, Psa 133:2. The inferior priests are said to be anointed (Exo 30:30), not on their heads, as the high priest (Lev 21:10), the oil was only mingled with the blood that was sprinkled upon their garments.
[4.]Sacrifices were to be offered for them. The covenant of priesthood, as all other covenants, must be made by sacrifice.
First, There must be a sin-offering, to make atonement for them, Exo 29:10-14. The law made those priests that had infirmity, and therefore they must first offer for their own sin, before they could make atonement for the people, Heb 7:27, Heb 7:28. They were to put their hand on the head of their sacrifice (Exo 29:10), confessing that they deserved to die for their own sin, and desiring that the killing of the beast might expiate their guilt, and be accepted as a vicarious satisfaction. It was used as other sin-offerings were; only, whereas the flesh of other sin-offerings was eaten by the priests (Lev 10:18), in token of the priest's taking away the sin of the people, this was appointed to be all burnt without the camp (Exo 29:14), to signify the imperfection of the legal dispensation (as the learned bishop Patrick notes); for the sins of the priests themselves could not be taken away by those sacrifices, but they must expect a better high priest and a better sacrifice.
Secondly, There must be a burnt-offering, a ram wholly burnt, to the honour of God, in token of the dedication of themselves wholly to God and to his service, as living sacrifices, kindled with the fire and ascending in the flame of holy love, Exo 29:15-18. The sin-offering must first be offered and then the burnt-offering; for, till guilt be removed, no acceptable service can be performed, Isa 6:7.
Thirdly, There must be a peace-offering; it is called the ram of consecration, because there was more in this peculiar to the occasion than in the other two. In the burnt-offering God had the glory of their priesthood, in this they had the comfort of it; and, in token of a mutual covenant between God and them, 1. The blood of the sacrifice was divided between God and them (Exo 29:20, Exo 29:21); part of the blood was sprinkled upon the altar round about, and part put upon them, upon their bodies (Exo 29:20), and upon their garments, Exo 29:21. Thus the benefit of the expiation made by the sacrifice was applied and assured to them, and their whole selves from head to foot sanctified to the service of God. The blood was put upon the extreme parts of the body, to signify that it was all, as it were, enclosed and taken in for God, the tip of the ear and the great toe not excepted. We reckon that the blood and oil sprinkled upon garments spot and stain them; yet the holy oil, and the blood of the sacrifice, sprinkled upon their garments, must be looked upon as the greatest adorning imaginable to them, for they signified the blood of Christ, and the graces of the Spirit, which constitute and complete the beauty of holiness, and recommend us to God; we read of robes made white with the blood of the Lamb. 2. The flesh of the sacrifice, with the meat-offering annexed to it, was likewise divided between God and them, that (to speak with reverence) God and they might feast together, in token of friendship and fellowship. (1.) Part of it was to be first waved before the Lord, and then burnt upon the altar; part of the flesh (Exo 29:22), part of the bread, for bread and flesh must go together (Exo 29:23); these were first put into the hands of Aaron to be waved to and fro, in token of their being offered to God (who, though unseen, yet compasses us round on every side), and then they were to be burnt upon the altar (Exo 29:24, Exo 29:25), for the altar was to devour God's part of the sacrifice. Thus God admitted Aaron and his sons to be his servants, and wait at his table, taking the mat of his altar from their hands. Here, in a parenthesis, as it were, comes in the law concerning the priests' part of the peace-offerings afterwards, the breast and shoulder, which were now divided; Moses had the breast, and the shoulder was burnt on the altar with God's part, Exo 29:26-28. (2.) The other part, both of the flesh of the ram and of the bread, Aaron and his sons were to eat at the door of the tabernacle (Exo 29:31-33), to signify that he called them not only servants but friends, Joh 15:15. He supped with them, and they with him. Their eating of the things wherewith the atonement was made signified their receiving the atonement, as the expression is (Rom 5:11), their thankful acceptance of the benefit of it, and their joyful communion with God thereupon, which was the true intent and meaning of a feast upon a sacrifice. If any of it was left, it must be burnt, that it might not be in any danger of putrefying, and to show that it was an extraordinary peace-offering.
2.The time that was to be spent in this consecration: Seven days shalt thou consecrate them, Exo 29:35. Though all the ceremonies were performed on the first day, yet,
(1.)They were not to look upon their consecration as completed till the seven days' end, which put a solemnity upon their admission, and a distance between this and their former state, and obliged them to enter upon their work with a pause, giving them time to consider the weight and seriousness of it. This was to be observed in after-ages, Exo 29:30. He that was to succeed Aaron in the high-priesthood must put on the holy garments seven days together, in token of a deliberate and gradual advance into his office, and that one sabbath might pass over him in his consecration.
(2.)Every day of the seven, in this first consecration, a bullock was to be offered for a sin-offering (Exo 29:36), which was to intimate to them,
[1.]That it was of very great concern to them to get their sins pardoned, and that though atonement was made, and they had the comfort of it, yet they must still keep up a penitent sense of sin and often repeat the confession of it.
[2.]That those sacrifices which were thus offered day by day to make atonement could not make the comers thereunto perfect, for then they would have ceased to be offered, as the apostle argues, Heb 10:1, Heb 10:2. They must therefore expect the bringing in of a better hope.
3.This consecration of the priests was a shadow of good things to come.
(1.)Our Lord Jesus is the great high-priest of our profession, called of God to be so, consecrated for evermore, anointed with the Spirit above his fellows (whence he is called Messiah, the Christ), clothed with the holy garments, even with glory and beauty, sanctified by his own blood, not that of bullocks and rams (Heb 9:12), made perfect, or consecrated, through sufferings, Heb 2:10. Thus in him this was a perpetual statute, Exo 29:9.
(2.)All believers are spiritual priests, to offer spiritual sacrifices (Pe1 2:5), washed in the blood of Christ, and so made to our God priests, Rev 1:5, Rev 1:6. They also are clothed with the beauty of holiness, and have received the anointing, Jo1 2:27. Their hands are filled with work, to which they must continually attend; and it is through Christ, the great sacrifice, that they are dedicated to this service. His blood sprinkled upon the conscience purges it from dead works, that they may, as priests, serve the living God. The Spirit of God (as Ainsworth notes) is called the finger of God (Luk 11:20, compared with Mat 12:28), and by him the merit of Christ is effectually applied to our souls, as here Moses with his finger was to put the blood upon Aaron. It is likewise intimated that gospel ministers are to be solemnly set apart to the work of the ministry with great deliberation and seriousness both in the ordainers and in the ordained, as those that are to be employed in a great work and entrusted with a great charge.
II.The consecration of the altar, which seems to have been coincident with that of the priests, and the sin-offerings which were offered every day for seven days together had reference to the altar as well as the priests, Exo 29:36, Exo 29:37. An atonement was made for the altar. Though that was not a subject capable of sin, nor, having never yet been used, could it be said to be polluted with the sins of the people, yet, since the fall, there can be no sanctification to God but there must first be an atonement for sin, which renders us both unworthy and unfit to be employed for God. The altar was also sanctified, not only set apart itself to a sacred use, but made so holy as to sanctify the gifts that were offered upon it, Mat 23:19. Christ is our altar; for our sakes he sanctified himself, that we and our performances might be sanctified and recommended to God, Joh 17:19.
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Summary
Exodus 29:27 outlines God's specific command for Moses to sanctify the breast of the wave offering and the shoulder of the heave offering from the ram of consecration. These particular portions were divinely designated for Aaron and his sons, serving as a perpetual ordinance for their sustenance and symbolizing their complete dedication and God's faithful provision during their seven-day ordination ceremony and for their ongoing priestly ministry in Israel.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is a crucial component within Exodus chapter 29, which meticulously details the elaborate seven-day consecration ceremony for Aaron and his sons. The preceding verses (Exodus 29:1-26) describe the preparation of various offerings, including the ram of consecration, and the anointing rituals that set Aaron and his sons apart for sacred service. The ram of consecration, distinct from other general sin or burnt offerings, was central to establishing a unique covenant relationship between God and His chosen priests. The ritualistic actions of waving and heaving these specific portions, as commanded in this verse, are not merely ceremonial but deeply symbolic gestures of presenting to God and receiving from Him. This act immediately precedes the consumption of these holy portions by the priests themselves, as further detailed in Exodus 29:31-34. Thus, Exodus 29:27 serves as a vital bridge, connecting the ritual acts of offering with the practical provision for the priests, ensuring they are both consecrated for service and sustained in their holy office.
Historical & Cultural Context
In the ancient Near East, priesthoods were common, often serving as mediators between deities and people, typically supported by temple offerings. However, Israel's priesthood, established by divine decree, was unique in its meticulous regulations and its foundation in a covenant relationship with Yahweh. The concept of "sanctification" (making holy) was paramount, as the priests were to handle sacred objects and mediate in the presence of a holy God. The "wave offering" and "heave offering" were established elements in Israelite sacrificial worship, signifying God's ownership of all things and His gracious return of a portion to His servants. The breast and shoulder were considered prime cuts, underscoring the honor and provision bestowed upon the priests. This system ensured that the priests, who had no tribal land inheritance (as detailed in Numbers 18:20-24), would be sustained directly by the offerings of the people, thereby emphasizing their complete reliance on God's provision through the community's worship. This ritual was not merely a formality but a foundational act establishing the Levitical priesthood's legitimacy and divine support before they began their service in the newly constructed Tabernacle.
Key Themes
Exodus 29:27 contributes significantly to several key themes woven throughout the book of Exodus and the Pentateuch. Foremost is the theme of Holiness and Separation, emphasizing God's absolute purity and the necessity for those who serve Him to be set apart from the common. The command to "sanctify" these portions underscores this divine requirement. Another prominent theme is Divine Provision and Sustenance, as God meticulously outlines how His consecrated servants, the priests, will be sustained through the offerings of the people. This highlights God's faithfulness to care for those dedicated to His service, a principle echoed throughout Israel's history. The verse also reinforces the Mediatorial Role of the Priesthood, as Aaron and his sons are consecrated to stand between God and Israel, facilitating worship and atonement. Finally, the Meticulous Nature of Divine Instruction is evident, demonstrating that God's worship and service are not arbitrary but must conform precisely to His revealed will, reflecting His order and sanctity. This detailed instruction prepares for the full establishment of the Tabernacle worship system described in Leviticus.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This verb, a primitive root, means "to be (causatively, make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally)." In the context of Exodus 29:27, it signifies the act of setting apart, hallowing, or dedicating these specific portions for sacred use. By God's command, these parts are transformed in status, becoming holy and exclusively designated for the Lord and His consecrated priests, thereby making them fit for consumption by those themselves set apart for holy service.
Derived from the root nûwph, which means "to quiver (i.e. vibrate up and down, or rock to and fro)," this term refers to a specific ritual action where the offering was moved back and forth horizontally before the Lord. This motion symbolized the presentation of the offering to God, acknowledging His ownership, and then its gracious return to the priest, signifying God's provision. The breast was typically the portion designated for the wave offering.
From the root rûwm, meaning "to be high actively, to rise or raise," this refers to the ritual action of lifting the offering vertically towards God. This gesture symbolized a portion lifted directly to God as a tribute, a dedicated gift, or an acknowledgment of His sovereignty. It represented a portion "heaved up" or "lifted off" from the whole as a sacred portion. The shoulder was typically the portion designated for the heave offering.
Verse Breakdown
"And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the shoulder of the heave offering,"
This opening clause is a direct, imperative command from God to Moses, establishing the divine authority and importance of the ritual. The "breast" and "shoulder" are precisely identified, signifying their particular value and the specific ritual actions ("wave offering" and "heave offering") associated with each. This designation highlights the meticulousness of God's instructions.
"which is waved, and which is heaved up,"
This descriptive clause clarifies that these specific portions are either in the process of being, or have already been, subjected to the prescribed ritual movements. It emphasizes the completion or designation of their ritual presentation before the Lord, confirming their status as consecrated through these symbolic actions. The repetition serves to underscore the precision required.
"of the ram of the consecration,"
This phrase identifies the specific source of these sanctified portions: the unique "ram of consecration" (or "ram of ordination"). This ram was central to the seven-day ceremony of setting apart Aaron and his sons for their priestly service, distinguishing it from other types of offerings and highlighting the unique nature of this ordination.
"[even] of [that] which [is] for Aaron, and of [that] which is for his sons:"
This final clause clarifies the beneficiaries and ultimate recipients of these consecrated portions. They are specifically designated for the sustenance of the newly ordained high priest, Aaron, and his priestly lineage, his sons. This underscores God's direct and faithful provision for those dedicated to His sacred service, emphasizing their reliance on Him rather than on personal inheritance.
Literary Devices
Exodus 29:27 employs several significant literary devices that enhance its meaning and impact. Repetition is prominently featured in the parallel phrasing "wave offering... which is waved" and "heave offering... which is heaved up." This serves to emphasize the specific ritual actions and their integral role in the consecration process, highlighting both the meticulousness of God's instructions and the precision required in priestly service. Symbolism is central to the verse's meaning; the breast, often associated with the heart or affections, and the shoulder, representing strength or the bearing of burdens, are not arbitrary choices. By designating these prime parts, the ritual symbolically dedicates the priests' entire being—their affections, devotion, and strength—to God's service. Furthermore, the actions of waving and heaving are themselves symbolic, representing presentation to God, acknowledgment of His ownership, and reception of His gracious provision. The prescriptive language ("thou shalt sanctify") underscores the divine authority behind these commands, emphasizing that these are not mere suggestions but non-negotiable requirements for the establishment of a holy and divinely supported priesthood.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Exodus 29:27 profoundly illustrates God's meticulous nature in establishing holiness and His unwavering commitment to providing for those set apart for His service. The sanctification of these specific portions underscores the absolute necessity of purity and divine authorization for approaching God, reflecting His transcendent holiness. This passage reveals a deep theology of divine provision, where God not only calls individuals to sacred service but also ensures their sustenance, demonstrating His faithfulness to those who dedicate their lives to Him. It highlights the crucial mediatorial role of the priesthood, as these men were consecrated to stand between God and Israel, with the offerings providing the tangible means of their support and identity. The detailed instructions show that worship and service are not arbitrary but must conform precisely to God's revealed will, reflecting His divine order and sanctity in all matters of faith and practice.
Reflection and Application
While the specific rituals of the Old Covenant priesthood belong to a past dispensation, the enduring principles embedded in Exodus 29:27 remain profoundly relevant for believers today. This verse calls us to reflect deeply on the concept of sanctification in our own lives, reminding us that just as the priests were set apart for holy service, so too are all believers called to live lives consecrated to God. Our "offerings" today are not animal sacrifices but spiritual sacrifices of praise, good deeds, and dedicated lives, presented to God through Christ. The meticulousness of God's instructions for priestly provision also assures us of His faithfulness to sustain those who are obediently serving Him, whether in full-time ministry or in their daily vocations. This passage encourages us to embrace our identity as a "royal priesthood" (as declared in 1 Peter 2:9) and to live in a manner that reflects the holiness of the God who has called us, trusting in His provision as we faithfully serve.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the "breast" and "shoulder" in these offerings?
The breast and shoulder were considered prime cuts of the animal, symbolizing their value and significance within the sacrificial system. The breast, often associated with the heart or affections, could symbolize devotion or the inner being. The shoulder, being a strong and robust part, could symbolize strength, burden-bearing, or the capacity to carry out tasks. By designating these specific portions, God emphasized that the priests were to be sustained by the best, reflecting His generous provision. Furthermore, it symbolically indicated that their entire being—their affections and their strength—was consecrated for His service. These portions also served as the physical sustenance for the priests, who had no land inheritance and relied entirely on the offerings for their livelihood, as seen in Numbers 18:8-19.
Why were these specific portions given to Aaron and his sons?
These portions were given to Aaron and his sons as their rightful sustenance and a tangible sign of God's unique provision for their priestly service. Unlike the other tribes of Israel, the Levitical priests were not allotted a portion of the land as an inheritance. Instead, the Lord Himself was declared to be their inheritance, and they were to live from the offerings brought by the people to the Tabernacle. This arrangement, detailed further in Numbers 18, ensured that the priests could devote themselves fully to their sacred duties without needing to engage in agricultural or other labor for their livelihood. Receiving these holy portions underscored their unique, set-apart status and their complete dependence on God's faithfulness and the community's worship.
What is the difference between a "wave offering" and a "heave offering"?
The primary difference between a "wave offering" and a "heave offering" lies in the ritual action and their symbolic nuances. A "wave offering" (Hebrew: tᵉnûwphâh) involved moving the offering back and forth horizontally before the Lord. This action symbolized the presentation of the offering to God, acknowledging His ownership over all things, and then its gracious return to the priest, signifying God's provision. The breast was typically the wave offering. A "heave offering" (Hebrew: tᵉrûwmâh) involved lifting the offering vertically towards God. This gesture symbolized a portion lifted directly to God as a tribute or an act of dedication, acknowledging His sovereignty and receiving a blessing from Him. The shoulder was typically the heave offering. Both were acts of worship and dedication, but with distinct symbolic expressions of giving to God and receiving from Him.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Exodus 29:27, with its meticulous instructions for the consecration of the Old Testament priesthood and the provision of specific portions from the ram of consecration, finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is the true and perfect "Ram of Consecration," whose singular, perfect sacrifice on the cross not only consecrates Himself as our eternal High Priest but also perfectly consecrates all who believe in Him. Unlike the Levitical priests who required repeated offerings for their own sins and for the people, Jesus offered Himself "once for all" (as seen in Hebrews 7:27 and Hebrews 10:10), providing a perfect and perpetual sanctification that the Old Covenant rituals could only foreshadow. The breast and shoulder, portions given for the sustenance of the priests, point to Christ's body and strength given for us—His very life broken and poured out so that we might have spiritual sustenance and eternal life through Him. Through His sacrifice, Jesus has not only fulfilled the need for a mediator but has also made us, His followers, a "royal priesthood" (as declared in 1 Peter 2:9), enabling us to draw near to God with boldness, offering spiritual sacrifices of praise and good works (as encouraged in Hebrews 13:15-16). The Old Testament ritual, therefore, beautifully foreshadows the complete and all-sufficient work of Christ, who perfectly sanctifies and eternally provides for His people.