TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Leviticus 16:29–34. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
I.We have here some additional directions in reference to this great solemnity, particularly,
1.The day appointed for this solemnity. It must be observed yearly on the tenth day of the seventh month, Lev 16:29. 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.
2.The duty of the people on this day.
(1.)They must rest from all their labours: It shall be a sabbath of rest, Lev 16:31. 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 (Isa 58:13), 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, Dan 10:3, Dan 10:12. David chastened his soul with fasting, Psa 35:13. And it signified the mortifying of sin and turning from it, loosing the bands of wickedness, Isa 58:6, Isa 58:7. 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.
3.The perpetuity of this institution: It shall be a statute for ever, Lev 16:29, Lev 16:34. 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 remembrance made of sin every year, upon the day of atonement, Heb 10:1-3. 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 offering up of the body of Christ once for all, and that once was sufficient; that sacrifice needed not to be repeated.
II.Let us see what there was of gospel in all this.
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,
(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 makes reconciliation for the sins of the people, Heb 2:17. He, and he only, is par negotio - fit for the work 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 God might in him reconcile the world to himself. He undertook it, and for our sakes sanctified himself, and set himself apart for it, Joh 17:19. 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 (Lev 16:17); for our Lord Jesus was to tread the wine-press alone, and of the people there must be none with him (Isa 63:3); therefore, when he entered upon his sufferings, all his disciples forsook him and fled, 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 for the holy sanctuary, for the tabernacle, for the altar, for the priests, and for all the people, Lev 16:33. Christ's satisfaction is that which atones for the sins both of ministers and people, the iniquities of our holy (and our unholy) things; 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. Such a high priest became us, Heb 7:26. And therefore, when he was baptized in Jordan, whereas others stood in the water confessing their sins (Mat 3:6), he went up straightway out of the water (Heb 7:16), 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 by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. First, 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) the iniquity of us all (Isa 53:6), and he is said to have borne our sins, even the punishment of them, in his own body upon the tree, Pe1 2:24. Thus was he made sin for us, that is, a sacrifice for sin, Co2 5:21. 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 driven of the Spirit into the wilderness, a land not inhabited. Secondly, The consequence of this was that all the iniquities of Israel were carried into a land of forgetfulness. Thus Christ, the Lamb of God, takes away the sin the of world, by taking it upon himself, Joh 1:29. And, when God forgives sin, he is said to remember it no more (Heb 8:12), to cast it behind his back (Isa 38:17), into the depths of the sea (Mic 7:19), and to separate it as far as the east is from the west, Psa 103:12.
(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 (Heb 9:7, etc.), 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, Heb 10:20.
[3.]That he entered by his own blood (Heb 9:12), 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 a lamb that had been slain, Rev 5:6. 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 (Joh 17:4, Joh 17:5), as well as an eternal redemption for us, Heb 9:12.
[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 this incense. And as the high priest interceded for himself first, then for his household, and then for all Israel, so our Lord Jesus, in the Joh 17:1 (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 new and living way into the holiest, so that we also have boldness to enter, Heb 10:19, Heb 10:20.
[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.
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. "Thou shalt answer, Lord, for me. This is all I have to say for myself, Christ has died, yea, rather has risen again; to his grace and government I entirely submit myself, and in him I receive the atonement," Rom 5:11.
(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, if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Lastly, In the year of jubilee, the trumpet which proclaimed the liberty was ordered to be sounded in the close of the day of atonement, Lev 25:9. 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.
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Summary
Leviticus 16:30 encapsulates the profound purpose of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), revealing God's singular provision for the comprehensive cleansing of the Israelite community from all their sins. On this unique day, the high priest performed intricate rituals, acting as mediator to secure a covering and purification for the people, enabling them to stand ritually and spiritually clean before the holy presence of the LORD. This annual event underscored the gravity of sin, the necessity of divine intervention, and God's gracious pathway for reconciliation with His covenant people, ensuring the continuation of His dwelling among them.
Context
Literary Context
Leviticus 16 meticulously details the rituals for the Day of Atonement, the most sacred day in the Israelite calendar. The preceding verses Leviticus 16:1-28 outline the specific preparations and actions of the high priest: cleansing himself, offering a bull for his own sins, and then presenting two goats for the sins of the people—one sacrificed to the LORD and its blood brought into the Most Holy Place, and the other, the "scapegoat," sent into the wilderness bearing the nation's iniquities. Verse 30, therefore, serves as a climactic summary, stating the ultimate outcome and purpose of these elaborate procedures, particularly emphasizing the comprehensive cleansing effect of the atonement. The verses immediately following Leviticus 16:31-34 reinforce the perpetual nature of this ordinance, specifying it as a Sabbath of solemn rest and a perpetual statute for future generations, underscoring its enduring significance within the Mosaic covenant.
Historical & Cultural Context
The Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, was the only day of the year when the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place (also known as the Holy of Holies) of the Tabernacle, where God's presence was uniquely manifested above the ark of the covenant. This annual ritual was critical for the spiritual health of the nation of Israel, as it addressed the corporate accumulation of sin and defilement that occurred throughout the year. Unlike other sacrifices that dealt with specific sins, Yom Kippur provided a comprehensive, national cleansing for both known and unknown transgressions, including the defilement of the sanctuary itself by the people's presence. The concept of ritual purity was paramount in ancient Israelite society, as seen throughout the book of Leviticus, because an impure people could not dwell in the presence of a holy God. This day of fasting and humility (as mentioned in Leviticus 16:29) was a solemn reminder of the chasm between human sinfulness and divine holiness, and God's gracious provision to bridge that gap through prescribed atonement.
Key Themes
This verse, and indeed the entire chapter, is central to several key themes within Leviticus and the broader Pentateuch. Firstly, the holiness of God is profoundly emphasized, demonstrating that His transcendent purity necessitates a precise and divinely ordained means for sinful humanity to approach Him without being consumed. Secondly, the gravity and pervasiveness of sin are highlighted, as the annual ritual acknowledges the constant accumulation of defilement that affects both individuals and the community, even the sacred space itself. Thirdly, the theme of atonement and reconciliation is paramount, illustrating God's merciful initiative to provide a pathway for His covenant people to be cleansed and restored to a right relationship with Him. Finally, the mediatorial role of the high priest is crucial, as he alone performs the rites that bridge the gap between a holy God and a sinful people, foreshadowing a greater mediator to come. These themes collectively underscore the profound theological truths concerning sin, sacrifice, and divine grace that permeate the Old Testament sacrificial system, pointing toward a future, ultimate redemption.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
From a primitive root, this verb means "to cover (specifically with bitumen); figuratively, to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel." In the context of the Old Testament sacrificial system, kâphar refers to the act of covering sin in such a way that it is removed from God's sight, allowing for reconciliation and the restoration of a right relationship between God and His people. It implies a satisfaction of divine justice, not by ignoring sin, but by dealing with it through a prescribed means, typically involving the shedding of blood.
A primitive root, properly meaning "to be bright; i.e. (by implication); to be pure (physical sound, clear, unadulterated; Levitically, uncontaminated; morally, innocent or holy)." This verb signifies the removal of impurity, whether ritual, moral, or spiritual. In Leviticus 16:30, it refers to the state of purity achieved through the atonement rituals, enabling the people to be acceptable in God's presence. It emphasizes the transformation from a state of defilement to one of holiness, essential for fellowship with a holy God.
From חָTָא, this noun refers to "an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or expiation; also (concretely) an offender; punishment (of sin), purifying(-fication for sin), sin(-ner, offering)." Fundamentally, it means "missing the mark" or "straying from the path." The phrase "all your sins" in this verse highlights the comprehensive nature of the Day of Atonement's cleansing, addressing the collective guilt and defilement of the entire community, both known and unknown transgressions accumulated throughout the year.
This plural noun (always used as singular) means "the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)." In this context, "before the LORD" signifies being in the very presence or sight of God, implying a state of acceptability and unhindered communion. It underscores the relational objective of the atonement—to enable the people to stand in a right relationship with their holy God.
Verse Breakdown
"For on that day shall [the priest] make an atonement for you"
This clause pinpoints the specific timing and agent of the cleansing. "That day" unequivocally refers to Yom Kippur, the unique annual day set apart for national purification. The bracketed "the priest" (implied from the context of Leviticus 16) refers specifically to the high priest, who alone was authorized to perform the most sacred rituals, including entering the Most Holy Place. His actions were not for himself alone but "for you," meaning on behalf of the entire community of Israel, underscoring his crucial mediatorial role in securing divine favor.
"to cleanse you"
This phrase states the immediate and direct purpose of the atonement. The elaborate rituals performed by the high priest, culminating in the application of the blood, were divinely ordained to effect a purification. This cleansing was both ceremonial, removing ritual defilement that prevented access to God, and spiritual, addressing the moral stain of sin, making the people fit to remain in covenant relationship with a holy God who dwells among them.
"[that] ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD"
This final clause reveals the ultimate goal and comprehensive scope of the Day of Atonement. The cleansing was not partial but "from all your sins," signifying a thorough and complete removal of the accumulated guilt and defilement of the nation for the preceding year. The phrase "before the LORD" emphasizes the relational aspect: the purpose was to restore the people to a state of acceptability and unhindered fellowship in God's holy presence, ensuring the continuation of His dwelling among them without His holiness being compromised by their impurity.
Literary Devices
Leviticus 16:30 employs several literary devices to emphasize its profound message. Repetition is evident in the close proximity and thematic connection of "cleanse you" and "be clean," both derived from the same Hebrew root (ṭâhêr). This reiteration underscores the thoroughness and necessity of the purification process, highlighting that atonement leads directly to a state of purity. The phrase "all your sins" serves as a form of hyperbole or emphasis, highlighting the comprehensive nature of the atonement, designed to cover every transgression, known and unknown, that had accumulated within the community. The entire chapter, and this verse within it, functions as a powerful example of ritual language and symbolism. The physical acts of sacrifice, blood application, and the high priest's actions are not merely rote movements but are laden with profound theological meaning, symbolizing the spiritual reality of sin's defilement and God's gracious provision for its removal, allowing for reconciliation and continued divine presence among His people.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Leviticus 16:30 stands as a cornerstone of Old Testament theology, revealing God's unwavering commitment to holiness while simultaneously providing a gracious pathway for sinful humanity to approach Him. It underscores the profound truth that sin creates a barrier between God and humanity, necessitating a divine provision for cleansing and reconciliation. The annual nature of the Day of Atonement, however, implicitly highlighted the temporary and incomplete nature of the animal sacrifices; they covered sins for a year but could not permanently remove the guilt or transform the heart. This ritual, therefore, served as a prophetic shadow, pointing forward to a more perfect, once-for-all sacrifice that would truly and eternally cleanse from sin and enable permanent access to God's presence.
Reflection and Application
Leviticus 16:30 offers a profound spiritual lesson for believers today. It starkly reminds us of the absolute holiness of God and the pervasive nature of human sin. The meticulous and costly rituals of the Day of Atonement reveal that sin is not trivial; it demands a serious, divinely ordained remedy. This verse should cultivate within us a deep sense of gratitude for God's merciful provision for cleansing, acknowledging that our own efforts are insufficient to bridge the gap created by sin. It calls us to humility, recognizing our constant need for purification, and to a profound appreciation for the ultimate fulfillment of this Old Testament shadow in Christ. We are invited to reflect on the comprehensive nature of God's cleansing, which promises to make us "clean from all your sins," fostering confidence in His complete forgiveness and enabling us to live in His presence without fear or shame. This passage compels us to consider the depth of God's grace that makes such reconciliation possible, inspiring both reverence and joy in His presence.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of "that day" in this verse?
"That day" refers specifically to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, a unique and solemn annual observance in the Israelite calendar. It was distinct from all other sacrifices and rituals because it was the one day when the high priest entered the Most Holy Place to make a comprehensive atonement for the sins of the entire nation, including the defilement of the Tabernacle/Temple itself. This emphasis on "that day" highlights its unparalleled importance and the singular nature of the corporate cleansing it provided for the community before the LORD, as detailed throughout Leviticus 16.
Was the cleansing on the Day of Atonement permanent?
The cleansing provided on the Day of Atonement was comprehensive for the nation for that year, but it was not permanent in an ultimate sense. It was a provisional, annual, and ceremonial cleansing that needed to be repeated year after year. The very necessity of its annual repetition underscored that the blood of bulls and goats could not truly take away sin (as later explained in Hebrews 10:4). Rather, it pointed forward to a future, perfect, and eternal atonement that would provide a once-for-all cleansing for sin, fully satisfying God's righteous demands.
How does the priest's role here relate to personal responsibility for sin?
While the high priest performed the corporate atonement for the nation's sins on Yom Kippur, this did not negate individual responsibility for sin. The Day of Atonement was also a day for personal introspection, fasting, and humility (as seen in Leviticus 23:27-32). Individuals were expected to "afflict their souls," which implied repentance and a personal turning to God in recognition of their sinfulness. The priest's actions provided the means for corporate cleansing, but individuals still needed to align themselves with this divine provision through a humble and repentant heart, demonstrating their participation in the national day of reconciliation.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Leviticus 16:30, with its emphasis on the high priest making atonement to cleanse from all sins before the LORD, finds its glorious and complete fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The annual, repetitive nature of the Day of Atonement rituals underscored their temporary efficacy, serving as a powerful shadow pointing to the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice of Christ. As the ultimate High Priest, Jesus did not offer the blood of animals but His own precious blood, entering not into an earthly sanctuary but into heaven itself, to obtain eternal redemption for us (Hebrews 9:11-12). His single offering on the cross perfectly accomplished what the Day of Atonement could only foreshadow: a complete and eternal cleansing from "all your sins." Through faith in Him, believers are not merely covered for a year but are permanently purified and made righteous, enabling them to draw near to God with confidence, having been made perfectly clean in His sight (Hebrews 10:14). The efficacy of Christ's sacrifice means that the need for annual atonement has ceased, for He has truly taken away the sin of the world (John 1:29), establishing a new and living way into the very presence of God (Hebrews 10:19-20).