Washing and Clothing the Priests

Once the Lord finished His instructions regarding the clothing that the priests of Israel had to wear when performing their duties (Ex. 28), it was time to explain to Moses how to formally institute the priesthood by ordaining Aaron and his sons to the priestly ministry. Moses records these directions in Exodus 29, and today we begin our study of this important chapter.

Verses 1–3 describe the various animals, breads, and cakes that would be used in the consecration of the priests, and over the next few days, we will focus on how these items played a role in the ceremony. Today we will look particularly at the washing and the anointing of Aaron and his sons as described in verses 4–9. Before anything else was done to ordain the priests, Exodus 29:4 indicates, Aaron and his sons had to be washed with water. Washing with water was an important part of restoring ritual purity under the old covenant, so the practice was not unique to the priesthood (e.g., see Lev. 15). It takes on special import for the priesthood, however, given that the priests represented all Israel before the Lord. Ceremonial purity was essential for the priests to properly represent the people of God. In light of the larger theological realities of sin and inner holiness, the washings were also a picture of the need for the priests to be cleansed of sin, pointing forward to the day when Christ’s perfect sacrifice would provide full cleansing of transgression and purify our hearts (see Eph. 5:25–27). John Calvin comments: “Since the whole human race is corrupt and infected with many impurities, so that his uncleanness prevents every single individual from having access to God, Moses, before he consecrates the priests, washes them by the sprinkling of water, in order that they may be no longer deemed to be of ordinary rank. Hence we gather that true purity and innocence, which was but typical in the Law, is found in Christ alone.”

After being washed with water, Aaron and his sons would be anointed with oil. This probably happened before the priests donned their head coverings, even though the anointing is mentioned after the turban’s placement on the high priest’s head (Ex. 29:6–7). The anointing visibly set the priests apart for their duties, marking them out for God’s service. Only members of Aaron’s family could be lawful priests. By statute, the priesthood of the old covenant belonged to them forever, and no one could appoint himself a priest (Ex. 29:8–9).