Leviticus 9:2
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He said to Aaron, “Take for yourself a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without blemish, and present them before the LORD.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel; Entrance of Aaron and his Sons upon their Office. - Lev 9:1-7. On the eighth day, i.e., on the day after the seven days' consecration, Aaron and his sons entered upon their duties with a solemn sacrifice for themselves and the nation, to which the Lord had made Himself known by a special revelation of His glory, to bear solemn witness before the whole nation that their service at the altar was acceptable to Him, and to impress the divine seal of confirmation upon the consecration they had received. To this end Aaron and his sons were to bring to the front of the tabernacle a young calf as a sin-offering for themselves, and a ram for a burnt-offering; and the people were to bring through their elders a he-goat for a sin-offering, a yearling calf and yearling sheep for a burnt-offering, and an ox and ram for a peace-offering, together with a meat-offering of meal mixed with oil; and the congregation (in the persons of its elders) was to stand there before Jehovah, i.e., to assemble together at the sanctuary for the solemn transaction (Lev 9:1-5). If, according to this, even after the manifold expiation and consecration, which Aaron had received through Moses during the seven days, he had still to enter upon his service with a sin-offering and burnt-offering, this fact clearly showed that the offerings of the law could not ensure perfection (Heb 10:1.). It is true that on this occasion a young calf was sufficient for a sin-offering for the priests, not a mature ox as in Lev 8:14 and Lev 4:3; and so also for the burnt-offerings and peace-offerings of the people smaller sacrifices sufficed, either smaller in kind or fewer in number than at the leading feasts (Num 28:11.). N…
Open source ↗Aaron and his sons, having been solemnly consecrated to the priesthood, are in this chapter entering upon the execution of their office, the very next day after their consecration was completed. I. Moses (no doubt by direction from God) appoints a meeting between God and his priests, as the representatives of his people, ordering them to attend him, and assuring them that he would appear to them (Lev 9:1-7). II. The meeting is held according to the appointment. 1. Aaron attends on God by sacrifice, offering a sin-offering and burnt-offering for himself (Lev 9:8-14), and then the offerings for the people, whom he blessed in the name of the Lord (Lev 9:15-22). 2. God signifies his acceptance, (1.) Of their persons, by showing them his glory (Lev 9:23). (2.) Of their sacrifices, by consuming them with fire from heaven (Lev 9:24).
Open source ↗9:2-4 These sacrifices—the sin and whole burnt offerings for the priests and the sin, burnt, peace, and grain offerings for the people—were offered at the beginning of the priests’ ministry to make certain that all sin was atoned for and the covenant with God affirmed. Only the guilt offering was omitted.
Open source ↗Cross-references
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If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the LORD a young bull without blemish as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.
Then Moses presented the ram for the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head.
“Now this is what you are to do to consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve Me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams without blemish,
Moses then brought the bull near for the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head.
Unlike the other high priests, He does not need to offer daily sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people; He sacrificed for sin once for all when He offered up Himself.
God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
That is why he is obligated to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.