Difference between revisions of "Aaron"

<p> <strong> [[Aaron]] </strong> . In examining the Biblical account of Aaron, we must deal separately with the different ‘sources’ of the Hexateuch. </p> <p> <strong> 1. </strong> In J [Note: Jahwist.] , Aaron plays a very subordinate part. He, Nadah and Ahihu, along with 70 elders, accompanied Moses up Mt. [[Sinai]] (&nbsp; Exodus 19:24; &nbsp; Exodus 24:9 ). In the former passage he is distinguished from the priests, who are forbidden to come up; he would seem, therefore, to have been an elder or <em> sheikh </em> , perhaps somewhat superior to the 70. In &nbsp; Exodus 32:25 Aaron ‘let the people loose for a derision among their enemies.’ What this refers to is not known; it was not the making of the golden bull, which in the eyes of the surrounding nations would be only an act of piety. </p> <p> In other passages, which cannot be assigned either to E [Note: Elohist.] or P [Note: Priestly Narrative.] , the mention of Aaron is probably due to a later hand. In &nbsp;Exodus 4:13-16 Moses is allowed to nave Aaron as a spokesman. But ‘the Levite’ (&nbsp; Exodus 4:14 ) is suspicious: for Moses was also of the tribe of Levi, and the description is superfluous. The verses probably belong to a time when ‘Levite’ had become a technical term for one trained in priestly functions, and when such priestly officials traced their descent from Aaron. In the narratives of the plagues Aaron is a silent figure, merely summoned with Moses four times when Pharaoh entreats for the removal of the plagues (&nbsp; Exodus 8:8; &nbsp; Exodus 8:25 , &nbsp; Exodus 9:27 , &nbsp; Exodus 10:16 ). In each case Moses alone answers, and in the last three he alone departs. In &nbsp; Exodus 10:3 Moses and Aaron went in to announce the plague, but Moses alone ‘turned and went out’ (&nbsp; Exodus 10:6 ). The occurrence of Aaron’s name seems to be due, in each case, to later redaction. </p> <p> <strong> 2. </strong> In E [Note: Elohist.] , Aaron is the brother of Miriam (&nbsp; Exodus 15:20 ). He was sent to meet Moses in the wilderness, and together they performed signs before the people (&nbsp; Exodus 4:27-31 ). They demanded release from Pharaoh, and on his refusal the people murmured (&nbsp; Exodus 5:1-2; &nbsp; Exodus 5:4; &nbsp; Exodus 5:20 f.). Little of E [Note: Elohist.] has survived in the narrative of the plagues, and Aaron is not mentioned. In &nbsp; Exodus 17:10; &nbsp; Exodus 17:12 he and [[Hur]] held up Moses’ hands, in order that the staff might be lifted up, during the fight with Amalek. And while Moses was on the mountain, the same two were left in temporary authority over the people (&nbsp; Exodus 24:13 f.). Aaron is related to have abused this authority, in making the golden bull (&nbsp; Exodus 32:1-6; &nbsp; Exodus 32:21-24 ). [The narrative is composite, and in its present form must be later than E [Note: Elohist.] . It has some connexion with the story of &nbsp; 1 Kings 12:26-30 , for Jeroboam’s words, which are suitable in reference to <em> two </em> bulls, are placed in Aaron’s mouth.] In &nbsp; Exodus 18:12 Aaron, with the elders, was called to Jethro’s sacrifice an incident which must he placed at the end of the stay at Horeb. In &nbsp; Numbers 12:1-16 Aaron and Miriam claimed that they, no less than Moses, received Divine revelations; only Miriam, however, was punished. In &nbsp; Joshua 24:5 there is a general reference to the part played by Aaron in the Exodus. </p> <p> It is noteworthy that there is not a word so far either in J [Note: Jahwist.] or E [Note: Elohist.] , which suggests that Aaron was a priest. But it is probable that by the time of E [Note: Elohist.] the belief had begun to grow up that Aaron was the founder of an hereditary priesthood. &nbsp;Deuteronomy 10:6 occurs in a parenthesis which seriously interrupts the narrative, and which was perhaps derived from E [Note: Elohist.] (cf. &nbsp; Joshua 24:33 ). </p> <p> <strong> 3. </strong> In D [Note: Deuteronomist.] , Aaron was probably not mentioned. &nbsp; Deuteronomy 10:6 has been referred to; &nbsp; Deuteronomy 32:50 is from P [Note: Priestly Narrative.]; and the only remaining passage (&nbsp; Deuteronomy 9:20 ) appears to be a later insertion. </p> <p> <strong> 4. </strong> Outside the Hexateuch, two early passages (&nbsp; 1 Samuel 12:6; &nbsp; 1 Samuel 12:8 , &nbsp; Micah 6:4 ) refer to Aaron merely as taking a leading part in the Exodus. </p> <p> <strong> 5. </strong> In P [Note: Priestly Narrative.] , the process by which the tradition grew up that Moses delegated his priesthood to Aaron is not known. But the effect of it was that the great majority of ‘Levites,’ <em> i.e. </em> trained official priests, at local sanctuaries throughout the country traced their descent to Aaron. The priests of Jerusalem, on the other hand, were descendants of Zadok (&nbsp; 1 Kings 1:39; &nbsp; 1 Kings 2:27 ); and when local sanctuaries were abolished by Josiah’s reforms, and the country priests came up to seek a livelihood at [[Jerusalem]] (see &nbsp; Deuteronomy 18:6-8 ), the Zadokite priests charged them with image-worship, and allowed them only an inferior position as servants (see &nbsp; 2 Kings 23:9 , &nbsp; Ezekiel 44:9-15 ). But at the [[Exile]] the priests who were in Jerusalem were carried off, leaving room in the city for many country (Aaronite) priests, who would establish themselves firmly in official prestige with the meagre remnant of the population. Thus, when the Zadokite priests returned from Babylon, they would find it advisable to trace their descent from Aaron (see &nbsp; Ezra 2:61 f.). But by their superiority in culture and social standing they regained their ascendancy, and the country priests were once more reduced, under the ancient title of ‘Levites,’ to an inferior position. </p> <p> This explains the great importance assigned to Aaron in the priestly portions of the Hexateuch. Reference must be made to other articles for his consecration, his purely priestly functions, and his relation to the Levites (see articles [[Priests]] and Levites, Sacrifice, Tabernacle). But he also plays a considerable part in the narrative of the Exodus and the wanderings. His family relationships are stated in &nbsp;Exodus 6:20; &nbsp; Exodus 6:23; &nbsp; Exodus 6:25 , &nbsp; Leviticus 10:4 . He became Moses’ spokesman, not to the people but to Pharaoh (7:1), in whose presence he changed the staff into a ‘reptile’ (contrast ‘serpent’ in 4:3 J [Note: Jahwist.] ). P [Note: Priestly Narrative.] relates the 2nd plague (combined with J [Note: Jahwist.] ), the 3rd and the 6th, in each of which Aaron is conspicuous. Aaron as well as Moses suffered from the murmurings of the people (&nbsp; Exodus 16:2 , &nbsp; Numbers 14:2; &nbsp; Numbers 16:3; &nbsp; Numbers 16:41; &nbsp; Numbers 20:2 ); both were consulted by the people (&nbsp; Numbers 9:6; &nbsp; Numbers 15:33 ); and to both were addressed many of God’s commands (&nbsp; Exodus 9:8-10; &nbsp; Exodus 12:1; &nbsp; Exodus 12:43 , &nbsp; Leviticus 11:1; &nbsp; Leviticus 13:1; &nbsp; Leviticus 14:33; &nbsp; Leviticus 15:1 , &nbsp; Numbers 2:1 ). Aaron stayed a plague by offering incense (&nbsp; Numbers 16:46-48 ). [On the combined narratives in chs. 16, 17 see Aaron’s Rod, Korah]. At Meribah-kadesh he, with Moses, sinned against J″ [Note: Jahweh.] (&nbsp; Numbers 20:1-13 ), but the nature of the sin is obscure (see Gray, <em> Com </em> . p. 262 f.). He was consequently forbidden to enter Canaan, and died on Mt. Hor, aged 123, Eleazar his son being clothed in the priestly garments (&nbsp; Numbers 20:22-29; &nbsp; Numbers 33:38 f., &nbsp; Deuteronomy 32:50 ). </p> <p> <strong> 6. </strong> In the NT: &nbsp; Luke 1:5 , &nbsp; Acts 7:40 , &nbsp; Hebrews 5:4; &nbsp; Hebrews 7:11; &nbsp; Hebrews 9:4 . </p> <p> [[A. H]]  M‘Neile. </p>

<p> By name Aaron is mentioned in the NT only by St. Luke (&nbsp;Luke 1:5, &nbsp;Acts 7:40) and by the writer of the [[Epistle]] to the Hebrews (&nbsp;Hebrews 5:4; &nbsp;Hebrews 7:11; &nbsp;Hebrews 9:4), and in his personal history very little interest is taken. Offically, he was represented to be the first of a long line of high priests, specifically appointed such (&nbsp;Exodus 28:1 f.) in confirmation of the status already allowed him in Arabic usage (&nbsp;Exodus 4:14); and, though his successors were probably not all in the direct line of descent, they found it convenient to claim relationship with him (&nbsp;Ezra 2:61 f.), and gradually the conceptions involved in high-priesthood were identified with the name of Aaron. That continued to be the case in the apostolic period; and it became a familiar thought that the high priest was a type of Christ, who was viewed as the antitype of all true sacerdotal persons and ministries. </p> <p> In this typical relation between Aaron as the embodiment of priestly ideas and Christ as their final expression, an attempt was made to trace differences as well as correspondences. Christ was thought of, not as identical with His prototype, but as invested with higher qualities, of which only the germ and promise are to be found in Aaron. </p> <p> <b> 1. </b> In regard to <b> vocation </b> , both were appointed by God (&nbsp;Hebrews 5:4); yet to the priesthood of Christ no Aaronic (&nbsp;Hebrews 7:11), or [[Levitical]] (&nbsp;Hebrews 7:14), or legal (&nbsp;Hebrews 9:9) measure may he put. He was a man like Aaron (&nbsp;Hebrews 2:16 f.), capable of sympathy both by nature and from experience (&nbsp;Hebrews 4:15); yet His priesthood is distinctly of a higher and eternal order (&nbsp;Hebrews 5:9), limited neither to an earthly sanctuary (&nbsp;Hebrews 9:24), nor to the necessity of repeating the one great sacrifice (&nbsp;Hebrews 9:25 f.), nor in efficiency to the treatment of offences that ware chiefly ceremonial or ritual (&nbsp;Hebrews 9:9; &nbsp;Hebrews 9:14). </p> <p> <b> 2. </b> In the <b> consecration </b> of the high priest the supreme act was anointing with oil (&nbsp;Leviticus 8:12), from which, indeed, the designation <i> [[Messiah]] </i> (‘anointed one’) arose. Yet such was the lofty position of Jesus, and such was His consciousness, that He could say, ‘I consecrate myself’ (&nbsp;John 17:19 m), on the very eve of His priestly sacrifice. </p> <p> <b> 3. In function </b> Aaron stood between God and the congregation, representing each to the other. On the one hand, not only were the priests gathered together into an embodied unity in him, but in his annual approach to God he brought a sacrifice even for the ‘ignorances’ of the people (&nbsp;Hebrews 9:7), and purified the sanctuary itself from any possible defilements contracted through the sins of its frequenters (&nbsp;Hebrews 9:19 ff.; cf. &nbsp;Leviticus 16:16). As the representative of God, he wore the sacred Urim and Thummim in the pouch of judgment upon his heart (&nbsp;Exodus 28:30), indicating his qualification to communicate God’s decision on matters that transcended human wit; and through him and his order the blessing of God was invoked. In the [[Christian]] thought of the apostolic age all these functions pass over to Jesus Christ, with modifications emphasizing their ethical effect and the intrinsically spiritual benefit that follows. One of the most general statements is &nbsp;Hebrews 2:17, where the phrase ‘things pertaining to God’ covers both sides of the relations between God and man, though prominence is given, as in the passages that speak of Christ as our [[Advocate]] with God, to the work done by Him as representing men. Much the same is the case with the great passage on mediatorship (&nbsp;1 Timothy 2:5). As He is the Saviour, so He is the High Priest, of all men, ‘specially of them that believe’ (&nbsp;1 Timothy 4:10). In virtue of His immanence as God, as well as of His priestly rank and sympathy, He fitly represents all men before God, while for those who have put themselves into a right attitude towards Him He acts as [[Paraclete]] (&nbsp;1 John 2:1), promoting their interests and completing their deliverance from sin. On the other hand, as representative of God, He bestows gifts upon men (&nbsp;Ephesians 4:8), communicating to them the will of God and enriching them with every spiritual blessing. He is not only the [[Revealer]] of the Father; but, just as He offers His sacrifice to God in the stead of man, so He represents to man what God is in relation to human sin, and what God has devised and does with a view to human redemption. Between God and man He stands continuously, the medium of access on either side, the channel of Divine grace and of human prayer and praise. </p> <p> See, further, articleMelchizedek. </p> <p> Literature.-See article‘Aaron’ in <i> Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible (5 vols) </i> , <i> Dict. of Christ and the [[Gospels]] </i> and <i> Jewish Encyclopedia </i> , and Comm. on Hebrews, esp. those of [[A. B]]  [[Davidson]] and [[B. F]]  Westcott, [[A. S]]  Peake ( <i> Century Bible </i> ), [[E. C]]  Wickham ( <i> [[Westminster]] Com. </i> ); also Phillips Brooks, <i> Sermons in English Churches </i> , 1833, p. 43; J. Wesley, <i> Works </i> , vii. [London, 1872] 273. </p> <p> [[R. W]]  Moss. </p>

<p> Aaron had the distinctive privilege of being Moses' close associate and also the one selected as the first high priest of God's people. He and the firstborn son of each generation of his lineage were dedicated in a special anointing ceremony to officiate before God and on behalf of God's people as high priests. </p> <p> Aaron, the first priest of ancient Israel, was the older brother of Moses. His parents Amram and Jochebed were [[Kohathites]] of the tribe of Levi. Two aspects of Aaron's earlier years provided a matrix out of which he responded to God's call to help Moses when he returned to Egypt. First, Aaron was committed to the God of the “fathers”—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (&nbsp;Exodus 3:1-6 ). Second, he understood that God had made a covenant with [[Abraham]] that included him and the people of Israel. </p> <p> <i> Pre-Sinai </i> . Aaron agreed to help his brother Moses in the cause of seeking the release of his people from bondage. He and Moses were Yahweh's human instruments, carrying out Yahweh's mighty, unprecedented salvation-acts. </p> <p> First, he accepted God's call to be Moses' mouthpiece before Pharaoh (&nbsp;Exodus 4:10-17; &nbsp;5:1-13; &nbsp;6:10-13; &nbsp;6:28-7:7 ), a risky assignment. Both he and Moses were to be Yahweh's messengers in a hostile, polytheistic setting. </p> <p> Second, as Moses' prophet (&nbsp;Exodus 7:1 ) he was an important proclaimer of God's word to Pharaoh and the other Egyptians. He fulfilled his priestly role by serving as mediator and intercessor on behalf of the people of Israel. </p> <p> Third, like Moses he was moved by the Spirit of God and was used to effect miracles a number of times on the way to Sinai. </p> <p> <i> At Sinai </i> . God graciously granted both Moses and Aaron new revelation during Israel's encampment at Sinai. </p> <p> First, they were granted an unparalleled privilege. Moses and Aaron were allowed to enter into God's holy presence on Sinai (&nbsp;Exodus 19:24; &nbsp;24:9-10 ). </p> <p> Second, Aaron and Moses were leader-participants in the covenant [[Yahweh]] made between himself and the people of Israel. </p> <p> Third, Yahweh delivered specific instructions to Aaron and Moses at Sinai about how they were to lead Israel to become his holy nation and kingdom of priests. </p> <p> <i> The [[Break]] in Loyalty </i> . Aaron was directly responsible for a grave offense against God when Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the written law of Israel (&nbsp;Exodus 32:1-10 ). He gave in to the demands of the people, collecting the necessary materials and supervising the making of a golden calf. He then told the people, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt." Aaron then set up an altar and proceeded to lead the people in worshiping the calf. </p> <p> Aaron acted against what he knew God wanted. Perhaps he had not completely detached himself from the Apis-bull worship of Egypt or from some insidious feature of [[Baal]] worship present in Egypt. In spite of his sin, Aaron was restored to his position of high priest. This is a most remarkable incident demonstrating the grace and compassion of God. </p> <p> <i> High Priest of God Most High </i> . Aaron was duly attired and dedicated as God's priest (&nbsp;Leviticus 8-9 ). He ministered before Yahweh, whose presence-cloud dwelt above the mercy seat over the ark of the covenant in the Most Holy Place of the tabernacle (&nbsp;Exodus 40:38 ). </p> <p> Aaron was chief as he ministered with other priests in presenting offerings and sacrifices to Yahweh for himself and for the people of Israel. He was an intercessor and mediator before Yahweh among his people. His priestly vestments, especially the ephod and breastplate adorned with precious stones inscribed with the names of the tribes, emphasized in a special way this ministry before God on behalf of the people. </p> <p> Harvey E. Finley </p> <p> <i> See also </i> [[Offerings And Sacrifices]]; [[Priesthood Priest]] </p> <p> <i> Bibliography </i> . [[W. F]]  Albright, <i> History, [[Archaeology]] and Christian Humanism </i> ; [[O. T]]  Allis, <i> ZPEB, </i> 1:1-4; [[B. S]]  Childs, <i> The Book of Exodus </i> ; [[L. G]]  Cox, <i> Exodus </i> ; [[C. F. H]]  Henry, <i> God Who Speaks and Shows </i> ; [[J. P]]  Hyatt, <i> Exodus </i> ; [[C. F]]  Keil and F. Delitzsch, <i> The [[Pentateuch]] </i> ; [[D. F]]  Kinlaw, <i> Leviticus </i> . </p>

<p> The son of Amram and Jochabed, of the tribe of Levi, and brother of Moses and Miriam, &nbsp;Exodus 6:20; born about the year [[B. C]]  1574. He was three years older than Moses, &nbsp;Exodus 7:7 and was the spokesman and assistant of the latter in bringing Israel out of Egypt, &nbsp; Exodus 4:16 . His wife was Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab; and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. He was 83 years old when God summoned him to join Moses in the desert near Horeb. Cooperating with his brother in the exodus from Egypt, &nbsp;Exodus 4:1-16:36 , he held up his hands in the battle with Amalek, &nbsp;Exodus 17:1-16; and ascended Mount Sinai with him to see the glory of God, &nbsp;Exodus 24:1,2,9-11 . </p> <p> Aaron's chief distinction consisted in the choice of him and his male posterity for the priesthood. He was consecrated the first high priest by God's directions, &nbsp;Exodus 28:1-29:46 &nbsp; Leviticus 8:1-36; and was afterwards confirmed in his office by the destruction of Korah and his company, by the staying of the plague at his intercession, and by the budding of his rod, &nbsp;Numbers 16:1-17:13 . He was faithful and self-sacrificing in the duties of his office, and meekly "held his peace" when his sons Nadab and Abihu were slain, &nbsp;Leviticus 10:1 - &nbsp;3 . Yet he fell sometimes into grievous sins: he made the golden calf at Sinai, &nbsp;Exodus 32:1-22; he joined Miriam in sedition against Moses, &nbsp;Numbers 12:1-16; and with Moses disobeyed God at Kadesh, &nbsp;Numbers 20:8-12 . God, therefore did not permit him to enter the promised land; but he died on Mount Hor, in Edom, in the fortieth year after leaving Egypt, at the age of about 123 years, &nbsp;Numbers 20:22-29 &nbsp; 33:39 . In &nbsp;Deuteronomy 10:6 , he is said to have died at Mosera, which was probably the station in the valley west of Mount Hor, whence he ascended into the mount. The Arabs still pretend to show his tomb on the mount, and highly venerate it. In his office as high priest, Aaron was an eminent type of Christ, being "called of God," and anointed; bearing the names of the tribes on his breast; communicating God's will by Urim and Thummim; entering the Most Holy place on the Day of Atonement, "not without blood;" and interceding for and blessing the people of God. See Priest . </p>