nncl hermliful---0f many colours, the work of tho skilled embroiderer. The fameliteR were tl\ugbt by this, that things devoted to God's service, whether they he .,,·en or 110 1 should be of the best. The intention is not to please men's eyes by bennty of colnnr .,; form, or richness of material, but to do honour to God. Scamped work in places where it is not seen lms been thought allowable by many a. church-architect; d11st and untidi- ness in hiddon corners are tolerated by many who have the care of sacred buildin"'s. '!'rue piety will make no difference between the seen and the unseen, the hidden a7id that which is opi,n to sight, but aim at comeliness, fitness, beauty, in all that appertains to the worship of God. EXPOSITION. Vere. 40-43.-Tm: APPAREL 011' THE 0RDI• in their favour (Lev. xvi. 4; Mark ix. 3; NARY PRIESTS, The chapter concludes with John xx. 12; Acts i. 10; Rev. iv. 4 • vi. II ; brief directions concerning the official attire of vii. 9, 14, etc.). Ver. 41. -Thou shalt put them upon the ordinary priests. This wos to consist of Aaron thy brother, etc. These words serve linen drawers like those of the high priest ; of a to connect the present chapter with the follow- tunic, also of linen ( eh xxxix. 27), shaped like ing one. They contain the first intimation his, hut not wapered ; of a linen girdle, the that Moses is not only to co.use the holy gar- exact charaeter of which is not stated ; and of ments to be made, but to invest the priests in them, and further to consecrate both Aaron a close-fitting cap. The entire dress, with and his sons by anointing. On this point, see perhaps the exception of the girdle, was the comment on eh. xxix. 7-9. white. The linen drawers were regarded as Ver. 42.-Linen breeches. Rather," linen of primary necessity, and the priest who did drawers" (Kalisch), !uch as we see worn by not wear them was threatened with death. the Egyptians generally, reaching from the waist to a little above the knee. (See Ver. 40.-For Aaron's sons. His actual Wilkinson in Rawlinson's HerotUJtus, vol. ii. sons at this time-his descendants afterwards, p. 113, 2nd ed.) This also was of linen to whom the priesthood was rigidly confined. (Herod. ii. 83). Unto the thigb.s-i.e., to Thou s~t make ooats. The verb is different the bottom of the thighs where they adjoin from that used in ver 39, and seems to imply on the knee. that the priests' tunics were not to be pat- Ver. 43.-When they go into the taber- terned. Girdles. It has generally been sup- naole of the congregation. Literally, " w ben posed that these were of the same material they go into the tent of meeti1UJ---i.e., the and workmanship as the high priest's; but place where God and the high priest were to this is nowhere stated. In eh. xxxix. 29, the meet. The holy plaoe. The "holy place " high priest's girdle alone is spoken of. Bon- seems in this passage to include the court of nets. Certainlv not" bonnets "in the modern the tabernacle, wherein the o.ltar was situated. sense. Plain, close-fitting caps, shaped like That they bear not iniquity. To " bear a cup, or rather be.sin, seem to be meant. iniquity" is to incur guilt, or have sin im- Such caps were often worn in Egypt, but not puted to one. If even through forgetfulness by the priests. For glory and for beauty. a priest entrred the sanctuary without this See above, ver. 2. It is very noticeable, that necessary article of clothing, and so risked an the extremely simple attire of the ordinary unseemly exposure of his person, he was to be priests-a dress of pure white, without any- accounted guilty, and punished by death. thing oruo.mental about it, unless it were the This was to be a "statute for ever," and to girdle- is still regarded as sufficient "for apply both to the high priest and the ordinary glory and for beauty." White robes have priests. Compare eh. xx. 26. certainly a vast amoW1t of scriptural testimony
HOMILETICS. Vcrs. 40-42.-The priests' a.ttire. 'l'he dress of the ordinary priests teaches us- I. TIIAT NOT ONLY THE CHIEF, DU'l' THE SU1l0RDINATE, MINISTERS OF THE S,\XC- 'l'UARY MUST DE CLAD IN HOLINESS. The priests' garments are called "holy," ll,, less than the high priest's (ver. 4). 'l'hey are almost entirely of fine white linen. The liueu drawers denote the need of holiness with respect to sins of the flesh. The liucu ,·,,p implies purity of thought and imagination. The linen tunic is symbolical of the c·um-. plcte sanctilication in which the whole man shoulJ. be _wrapped. _ The gmlle, ,llsu ul linen, uiarks the need of purity iu respect of all the active part ot lile. ln every ou;i 'l'HE BOOK OF EXODUS. [CH. XXIX. 1--37,
C'f these respect.& the ordinary prieet.e were on a JIil with the high priest. The same holmess WIMI requiffli of both. Il. r:i:HAT IN EXTnEME l'IMPLIOITY TBERB KAY BE A HIGH DEGREE OIi' BEAUTY, 'l'he priests' garments were, like the high priest's (ver. 2), "for glory and for beauty" (,·er. 40). And, being designed by God for those ends, they doubtless attained them. Yet, unless the girdle was an exception, they were all white. So, when Jesus was tranB- figured. "his raiment became shining, exceeding white M snow; oo 118 no fuller on earth ea~ white them" (Mark ill. 8). There is a wondrous beauty in pure, spotless, snow-white numeni. Still more is there beauty in the simplicity of a spotless life. A pure mind- a pure heart-pure conduct-simple, uniform performance of every-day duty-what ie more lovely, more glorious? To such the Divine Bridegroom will address the words- "Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee" (Cant. iv. 7).