Leviticus 16:11-12
“Aaron shall present the bull as a sin offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. He shall kill the bull as a sin offering for himself. And he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from the altar before the LORD, and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small, and he shall bring it inside the veil
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The most striking thing here is that Aaron must first make atonement for himself and his "house" (family/priesthood) before he can offer sacrifice for the people. This emphasizes that even the mediator needs mediation, pointing to a deeper, perfect High Priest who would need no such prior cleansing.
This passage is part of the highly detailed instructions for the Day of Atonement, a solemn annual ceremony. It immediately follows the Lord’s command to Moses concerning the special, restricted entry of the high priest into the Holy of Holies and sets the stage for the elaborate rituals that follow. Aaron is to begin by dealing with a sin offering for himself and his household, emphasizing that even the mediator of the people must first address his own sinfulness before he can approach God on behalf of others.
Before Aaron could stand as mediator for Israel, he had to deal with his own sin. It's a powerful reminder about the nature of true mediation.
The ritual for the Day of Atonement begins with Aaron making atonement for himself and his household. This wasn't an oversight; it was essential. How can a flawed mediator bring purity to others if he himself is stained?
A Necessary First Step
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This sin offering wasn't just a ritual; it pointed forward to a greater sacrifice. What does this specific animal reveal about God's plan?
The bullock offered for Aaron’s sin serves as a profound type, or foreshadowing, of Jesus Christ.
Echoes of the Savior
The atonement wasn't just for Aaron personally, but for his 'house.' What does this reveal about the scope of priestly responsibility?
The phrase 'for himself, and for his house' is significant. It encompasses both Aaron's immediate family and the broader priestly lineage.
More Than Just One Man
Understand the original words
kaphar · Hebrew Verb
The act of making amends for sins or appeasing divine wrath, ultimately realized in the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, which restores the relationship between God and humanity.
chattath · Hebrew Noun
Refers to an offering made to make reparation for sin. In the Old Testament, it involved the death of an animal to symbolize the life-for-life substitutionary principle for dealing with guilt.
machtah · Hebrew Noun
A vessel used for holding burning coals and incense, often used in priestly service to offer prayers or symbolic intercession before God.
mizbeach · Hebrew Noun
The place of burnt offering in the Tabernacle/Temple where sacrifices were made; it represents the holiness of God that consumes sin and the provision of a way to approach Him.
paroketh · Hebrew Noun
The heavy curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, symbolizing the barrier caused by sin between a holy God and sinful humanity.
This verse highlights the necessity for the High Priest to offer sacrifices for his own sins, just as Aaron did in Leviticus 16:11, emphasizing the imperfection of the Levitical system.
Hebrews 9:7It describes the High Priest entering the Most Holy Place once a year with blood for his own sins and those of the people, mirroring the unique and restricted access depicted in Leviticus 16.
Hebrews 9:12This passage contrasts Aaron's repeated sacrifices for himself with Christ's one-time offering of Himself, showing how Christ's sacrifice fulfilled and surpassed the atonement made by the bullock in Leviticus 16:11.
1 Peter 2:24This verse speaks of Christ bearing our sins in His body on the tree, which connects to the concept of sin being transferred to a sacrifice, as seen with Aaron's bullock.
Leviticus 4:3This verse establishes the principle that a sin offering is required for the anointed priest who sins, setting the precedent for Aaron's need for atonement in Leviticus 16:11.
bensonLeviticus 16:11: "And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:"
Leviticus 16:11 . The bullock — Mentioned in general, Leviticus 16:6 ; the ceremonies respecting which are here particularly described. This was a very different sacrifice from that of the red heifer spoken of Numbers 19., as evidently appears upon comparing the two places.…
calvinLeviticus 16:1-34: "And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;"
And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
Dixitque Jellova ad Mosen, Loquere ad Aharon fratrem tuum, ut ne ingrediatnr omni tempore sanctuarium intra velum…
The most striking thing here is that Aaron must first make atonement for himself and his "house" (family/priesthood) before he can offer sacrifice for the people. This emphasizes that even the mediator needs mediation, pointing to a deeper, perfect High Priest who would need no such prior cleansing.
This passage is part of the highly detailed instructions for the Day of Atonement, a solemn annual ceremony. It immediately follows the Lord’s command to Moses concerning the special, restricted entry of the high priest into the Holy of Holies and sets the stage for the elaborate rituals that follow. Aaron is to begin by dealing with a sin offering for himself and his household, emphasizing that even the mediator of the people must first address his own sinfulness before he can approach God on behalf of others.
This passage is part of the highly detailed instructions for the Day of Atonement, a solemn annual ceremony. It immediately follows the Lord’s command to Moses concerning the special, restricted entry of the high priest into the Holy of Holies and sets the stage for the elaborate rituals that follow. Aaron is to begin by dealing with a sin offering for himself and his household, emphasizing that even the mediator of the people must first address his own sinfulness before he can approach God on behalf of others.
"“Aaron shall present the bull as a sin offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. He shall kill the bull as a sin offering for himself. And he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from the altar befo…" — The most striking thing here is that Aaron must first make atonement for himself and his "house" (family/priesthood) before he can offer sacrifice for the people. This emphasizes that even the mediat…
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