TRV
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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 16:34 serves as the culminating declaration for the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), establishing it as an enduring divine ordinance for the nation of Israel. This verse encapsulates the profound theological truth that annual atonement was perpetually required for the children of Israel's sins, ensuring the ongoing reconciliation between a holy God and His covenant people. It underscores the perpetual need for purification and the importance of precise obedience to God's commands in maintaining that sacred relationship.
Context
Literary Context
Leviticus 16 is entirely dedicated to the detailed regulations for Yom Kippur, the most solemn day in the Israelite liturgical calendar. The chapter begins by setting the stage after the tragic deaths of Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, emphasizing the need for proper reverence and approach to God's holiness, as previously highlighted in Leviticus 10:1-3. It meticulously outlines the high priest's elaborate preparations, including personal purification and specific vestments, detailed in Leviticus 16:1-6. The core of the ritual involves the two goats for a sin offering, one sacrificed and the other, the "scapegoat," sent into the wilderness bearing the sins of the people, as described in Leviticus 16:7-10. The chapter then details the sprinkling of blood in the Most Holy Place, the cleansing of the tabernacle, and the purification of the altar, culminating in the complete atonement for the entire congregation, as laid out in Leviticus 16:11-19. Verses 29-34 provide general instructions for the people's observance, including fasting and rest, before verse 34 delivers the final, overarching decree regarding the statute's permanence.
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 of the Tabernacle (and later, the Temple) to sprinkle blood before the mercy seat, the lid of the Ark of the Covenant, where God's presence was uniquely manifested, as instructed in Exodus 25:21-22. This annual ritual was absolutely critical for the spiritual health and survival of the Israelite nation. Living in close proximity to a holy God, yet being inherently sinful, necessitated a divinely appointed means of regular purification. Without it, the accumulated sins and impurities of the people would defile the sanctuary and potentially lead to God's withdrawal or judgment. The phrase "once a year" highlights the unique and profound significance of this day, distinguishing it from daily or weekly sacrifices. It served as a powerful annual reminder to the Israelites of the gravity of sin, the necessity of divine intervention for forgiveness, and God's gracious provision for reconciliation within the covenant relationship established at Mount Sinai.
Key Themes
Leviticus 16:34 profoundly contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Leviticus and the Pentateuch. Firstly, it underscores the holiness of God and the absolute necessity of a proper, divinely ordained approach to His presence, a theme introduced early in Leviticus 10. Secondly, it highlights the pervasive and defiling nature of human sin, emphasizing that even the covenant people of God require regular, comprehensive cleansing. The annual, corporate nature of the atonement demonstrates that sin is not merely an individual failing but a communal reality that impacts the entire relationship with God. Thirdly, the verse reinforces the theme of atonement and reconciliation, showcasing God's gracious provision for His people to remain in covenant fellowship despite their sin, through the shedding of blood, as articulated in Leviticus 17:11. Finally, the designation "everlasting statute" points to the enduring requirements of the Mosaic Covenant, while simultaneously foreshadowing the need for a more perfect and final atonement, a theme that finds its ultimate development in the New Testament's understanding of Christ's work (e.g., Hebrews 9).
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
From the root meaning "to cover," this term, H3722, describes the ritual act by which sins and impurities were "covered" or "purged" in God's sight. It signifies a divinely instituted means of expiation, reconciliation, or pacification, allowing God's holy presence to continue dwelling among a sinful people without consuming them due to their defilement. It was a temporary, ritual covering that satisfied God's righteous demands within the Old Covenant.
This word, H5769, denotes a duration that is "time out of mind," encompassing both past and future, practically meaning eternity or perpetuity. When applied to a statute, as here, it signifies an ordinance intended to be observed throughout the generations of Israel's existence under the Old Covenant, emphasizing its non-negotiable and enduring nature within that specific theological framework.
This term, H2403, refers to an "offence" or "habitual sinfulness," encompassing both the act of sin and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or expiation. In the context of the Day of Atonement, it refers to the accumulated transgressions and impurities of the Israelites that necessitated the annual cleansing ritual, highlighting the pervasive and defiling nature of human rebellion against God's holy standards.
Verse Breakdown
"And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you"
This opening clause firmly establishes the Day of Atonement as a perpetual, divinely ordained command for the Israelite community. The term "everlasting statute" signifies its enduring nature within the Old Covenant, indicating that the need for this annual reconciliation would persist as long as the covenant stood. It underscores the non-negotiable and foundational role of atonement in Israel's relationship with God.
"to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year"
This central phrase articulates the explicit purpose and scope of the statute. The atonement was comprehensive, covering "all their sins"—both intentional and unintentional, known and unknown—accumulated over the year. The phrase "once a year" highlights the unique solemnity and singular efficacy of this annual purification, distinguishing it as the most significant act of national reconciliation. It points to the ongoing reality of human sinfulness and the continuous need for God's gracious provision to maintain fellowship.
"And he did as the LORD commanded Moses."
This concluding statement serves as an affirmation of obedience and completion. It confirms that the detailed instructions for Yom Kippur, as given by God to Moses, were faithfully executed by Aaron and subsequent high priests. This emphasizes the critical importance of exact adherence to divine commands in worship and ritual, ensuring the efficacy and acceptance of the atonement by God. It also provides a narrative closure to the extensive instructions of the chapter, indicating their immediate implementation.
Literary Devices
Leviticus 16:34 employs several literary devices to convey its profound message. The most prominent is Repetition, particularly of the concept of "atonement" and the phrase "once a year," which reinforces the central theme of sin's gravity and the necessity of periodic divine covering. The use of Legal Language ("everlasting statute," "commanded") underscores the authoritative, binding, and unchanging nature of God's decree. The verse also functions as a Summary Statement or Climax, bringing the extensive instructions of Chapter 16 to a definitive close and emphasizing the enduring significance of the Day of Atonement within the covenant. Furthermore, the meticulous detail throughout the chapter, culminating in this verse, can be seen as a form of Symbolism, where the physical rituals and sacrifices prefigure a greater, ultimate spiritual reality of atonement.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Leviticus 16:34 profoundly highlights the holiness of God, the pervasive reality of human sin, and God's gracious, yet demanding, provision for reconciliation. The annual nature of Yom Kippur underscored that while atonement was provided, sin was an ongoing issue, requiring repeated covering. This system, though divinely ordained, was inherently temporary and imperfect, serving as a constant reminder of the chasm between a holy God and sinful humanity. It demonstrated that access to God's presence was not automatic but required a specific, blood-shedding sacrifice and a divinely appointed mediator. The "everlasting statute" thus pointed to an enduring need for atonement, setting the stage for a more perfect and final solution.
Reflection and Application
Leviticus 16:34 invites us to reflect deeply on the nature of sin and the incredible cost of reconciliation. The "everlasting statute" of Yom Kippur, with its annual, meticulous rituals, vividly portrayed the seriousness with which God views sin and the absolute necessity of atonement for fellowship with Him. For us today, while the Old Covenant rituals have found their ultimate fulfillment, this verse still speaks to the persistent reality of our own sinfulness and the ongoing need for God's grace. It should cultivate in us a profound gratitude for the complete and final atonement provided through Christ, which transcends the temporary coverings of the Old Testament. Understanding the shadow helps us appreciate the substance, reminding us that our access to God is not by our own merit or effort, but solely through the perfect sacrifice. It calls us to live lives that honor this immense grace, continually confessing our sins and walking in the forgiveness freely offered.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "everlasting statute" mean if the Day of Atonement is no longer practiced by Christians?
The phrase "everlasting statute" (Hebrew: chuqqat olam) indicates a perpetual or enduring ordinance within the context of the Old Covenant and its specific historical and theological framework. For the Israelites, it meant that Yom Kippur was to be observed throughout their generations as a foundational aspect of their covenant relationship with God. However, the New Testament reveals that the Old Covenant rituals, including the Day of Atonement, were "a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities," as stated in Hebrews 10:1. In Christ, these shadows find their ultimate and eternal fulfillment. His single, perfect sacrifice on the cross accomplished a "once for all" atonement that superseded the need for repeated animal sacrifices, as explained in Hebrews 9:11-14. Therefore, while the principle of atonement is everlasting, the method of atonement has been perfected and fulfilled in Christ, rendering the Old Covenant ritual obsolete for those in the New Covenant.
Why was atonement needed "once a year" for all sins, rather than daily or weekly?
The "once a year" observance of the Day of Atonement underscored its unique and comprehensive nature. While daily and weekly sacrifices (like the burnt offerings and sin offerings) addressed specific, individual sins and maintained a general state of purity, Yom Kippur was designed for the corporate cleansing of the entire nation and the purification of the Tabernacle itself from the accumulated defilement of all their sins throughout the year. It was a national spiritual reset, a profound annual reminder of the pervasive nature of sin and the extraordinary divine provision required to maintain God's holy presence among His people. Its annual, singular nature heightened its solemnity and emphasized that such a comprehensive covering was a momentous, divinely appointed event, not a routine occurrence.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Leviticus 16:34, with its emphasis on an "everlasting statute" for "atonement... once a year," powerfully foreshadows the ultimate work of Jesus Christ. The annual, repeated nature of Yom Kippur underscored the temporary and incomplete efficacy of the Old Covenant sacrifices; they could only "cover" sins, never truly take them away, as the author of Hebrews 10:4 explains. However, Christ, as our great High Priest, entered not into an earthly tabernacle made with hands, but into the true heavenly sanctuary, "not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption," as beautifully articulated in Hebrews 9:12. His sacrifice on the cross was the perfect, once-for-all atonement for the sins of the world, fulfilling the "once a year" shadow with a "once for all" reality, as confirmed in Hebrews 9:26-28. The "everlasting statute" of the Old Covenant finds its eternal and perfect fulfillment in Christ's finished work, providing not just a covering, but the complete removal of sin, establishing a new and better covenant based on His perfect sacrifice, as promised in Hebrews 8:6. He is indeed the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, making reconciliation eternally complete and accessible to all who believe.