Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 28:38
And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.
38. bear the iniquity, &c.] i.e. take upon himself the guilt of any ritual error or mistake made accidentally in offering the holy things; cf. Lev 22:16. Elsewhere the expression becomes equivalent to be responsible for (Num 18:1; Num 18:23). Cf. LOT. p. 50, No. 20 c .
that they may be accepted ] more lit. for their acceptance: so Lev 22:20; and similarly (in the Heb.) Lev 1:3; Lev 19:5; LevExo 22:19; Lev 22:21; Lev 22:29; Lev 23:11. The gold plate, with its inscription, on the high priest’s forehead, marks him out as the people’s specially holy representative before God: and enables him, as such, to secure His acceptance of their offerings, in spite of any venial oversight or omission made in offering them.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 38. May bear the iniquity of the holy things] venasa Aharon eth avon hakkodashim. And Aaron shall bear (in a vicarious and typical manner) the sin of the holy or separated things – offerings or sacrifices. Aaron was, as the high priest of the Jews, the type or representative of our blessed Redeemer; and as he offered the sacrifices prescribed by the law to make an atonement for sin, and was thereby represented as bearing their sins because he was bound to make an atonement for them; so Christ is represented as bearing their sins, i.e., the punishment due to the sins of the world, in his becoming a sacrifice for the human race. See Isa 53:4, Isa 53:12, where the same verb, nasa, is used; and see 1Pe 2:24. By the inscription on the plate on his forehead Aaron was acknowledged as the holy minister of the holy God. To the people’s services and their offerings much imperfection was attached, and therefore Aaron was represented, not only as making an atonement in general for the sins of the people by the sacrifices they brought, but also as making an atonement for the imperfection of the atonement itself, and the manner in which it was brought.
It shall be always upon his forehead] The plate inscribed with Holiness to the Lord should be always on his forehead, to teach that the law required holiness; that this was its aim, design, and end: and the same is required by the Gospel; for under this dispensation it is expressly said, Without holiness no man shall see the Lord; Heb 12:14.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
That Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things; either,
1. That he, being consecrated to God for this end, that he should take care as far as he could that both persons and things presented to God should be holy or agreeable to the mind of God, might bear the punishment for any miscarriage committed therein which he could have prevented. Or rather,
2. That he, being a holy person, and appointed by God to make a typical reconciliation for the sins of the people, and to intercede for them, might take away, or obtain from God the pardon of their iniquity, wherewith even their holy things are defiled, if God should severely mark what is amiss in them; which sense the last words of the verse favour. And the high priest was herein eminently a type of Christ, who properly and truly bare and took away the iniquity of his peoples holy things by his sacrifice and intercession.
Which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts, i.e. shall separate or consecrate unto God in all their offerings or gifts. If there be any thing amiss either in the thing offered, or in the manner of offering, God upon the priests intercession will pardon it.
It shall be always upon his forehead, i.e. at all times of his solemn appearance before God.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
36-38. plateliterally, apetal of a flower, which seems to have been the figure of this goldenplate, which was tied with a ribbon of blue on the front of themitre, so that every one facing him could read the inscription.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead,…. That is, the plate of gold, with the inscription on it, holiness to the Lord, and so was very visible and legible. The Targum of Jonathan adds, from temple to temple, that is, from the furthermost end of the one, to the furthermost end of the other, the same as from ear to ear, [See comments on Ex 28:36] the use of it follows:
that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; this supposes that the sacrifices of the children of Israel, which they brought to the priests to offer for them, or the gifts they devoted to sacred use, might be attended with sin and blame, either in the matter of their offerings and gifts, or in the manner in which they brought them; and which through the high priest having this plate of gold, with the above inscription on it, were expiated; they were bore away from them, and were not placed to their account, but they were cleared and discharged of them: and so it is that there is sin in the best performances of the saints; there is not a just man that does good, but he sins in doing that good; the best righteousness of men is imperfect, and attended with sin; and this cannot be borne, or taken away by themselves; if God should mark such sins as these, they could not stand before him; now Christ, their High Priest, bears and takes away these, along with all others, which are laid upon him, and borne by him:
and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord; not that he had always this plate of gold on his forehead, only in time of service; but then it was continually for the acceptance of them, though it was not upon his forehead, as Jarchi observes; at Maimonides h says, there was great necessity that the high priest should be always in the sanctuary, as it is said, “it shall be always upon his forehead”, and therefore must be always there, for he might not wear it outside of it. This with respect to the antitype may signify, that the persons and services of the people of God are accepted with him through the holiness and righteousness of Christ, who is always in the presence of the Lord, ever appears in heaven for them, and is the Lamb of God, to whose person, blood, righteousness, and sacrifice, they are directed to look for the removal of their sins of every sort.
h Moreh Nevochim, par. 3. c. 47.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(38) That Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things.The holy things are the offerings brought by the people. These would always have some iniquity attaching to them, some imperfection, owing to the imperfection of human nature and the mixed character of human motives. The high priests official holiness enabled him to present to God offerings thus imperfect without offending Him. It was accepted as purging the offerings from their impurity.
It shall be always upon his foreheadthat is to say, during his ministrations.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 28:38 And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.
Ver. 38. That Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things. ] Get the people’s pardon. This Christ did indeed for all his. 1Jn 2:1-2
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
bear = bear away, carry off. Lev 10:17. Psa 32:1. Isa 33:24.
iniquity. Hebrew `avon. App-44.
holy. See note on Exo 3:5.
his . . . they. Note these words. Christ is our Representative, we are holy in Him, and this “always”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
bear
i.e. be responsible for every neglect or offence respecting “the holy things,” etc.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
bear the iniquity: Exo 28:43, Lev 10:17, Lev 22:9, Num 18:1, Isa 53:6, Isa 53:11, Isa 53:12, Eze 4:4-6, Joh 1:29, 2Co 5:21, Heb 9:28, 1Pe 2:24, 1Pe 3:18
accepted: Lev 1:4, Lev 22:27, Lev 23:11, Isa 56:7, Isa 60:7, Eph 1:6, 1Pe 2:5
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 28:38. Aaron must have this upon his forehead, that he may bear the iniquity of the holy things, and that they may be accepted before the Lord Herein he was a type of Christ, the great Mediator between God and man. Through him, what is amiss in our services, is pardoned: even this would be our ruin, if God should enter into judgment with us: but Christ, our High-Priest, bears this iniquity; bears it for us, so as to bear it from us. Through him, likewise, what is good is accepted; our persons, our performances, are pleasing to God upon the account of Christs intercession, and not otherwise. His being holiness to the Lord, recommends all those to the divine favour that believe in him. Having such a High-Priest, we come boldly to the throne of grace.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
28:38 And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may {p} bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.
(p) Their offerings could not be so perfect, but some fault would be in them: which sin the high priest bore and pacified God.