On the surface, there’s nothing fantastic about Aaron’s garments in Exodus 28. Sure, they’re elaborate—as they should be for someone who ministers to hundreds of thousands of people on behalf of an all-powerful God—but they’re still just clothes.
All the colors of royalty are there. Blue, purple, scarlet material (Exodus 28:5), “skillfully woven bands” (Exodus 28:8), chains of pure gold (Exodus 28:14), and a “breast piece of judgment” that has various precious stones (Exodus 28:15).
Okay, so the clothes are pretty fantastic after all.
All of the physical adornments aside, there is one element that I think is particularly interesting. On the shoulders of his garments were the names of the sons of Israel: six on one side, and six on the other.
Why does Aaron need these? The most likely explanation is that, as the reigning High Priest, the stones were to be a representation of the people. When he brings the sacrifices on behalf of the people, they’re done to serve the people, not himself (unless he’s making a sacrifice for himself, obviously).
This is even mentioned in the Text. In Exodus 28:12, it’s mentioned that he wears them on his shoulders “as a memorial.” As one writer put it, “Aaron was Israel, and Israel was Aaron.” To see the high priest was to see the entire nation that he represented.
Take a brief second to think about what thatmeans for Aaron, though. Four times in this chapter alone, the Bible says that “Aaron shall bear”…something. In this case (Exodus 28:12, 29), it’s a memorial. In Exodus 28:30, it’s the “judgment of the people.” In verse 38, it’s the “guilt from the holy things.”
The idea within those verses is that Aaron acts as a mediator between God and people, but can you imagine how taxing that would be for him, personally?
As a father, I’m aware of what happens under my house. I know what my kids are up to (it helps that they’re all under ten right now), and I know the struggles and motivations that my wife and I share.
Now multiply that by a million. As the people’s representative, Aaron would most likely be aware of the struggles of an entire nation of people. He oversees the acts of forgiveness and repentance on a human scale; you think he’s not going to become jaded after a while after knowing the inner workings of all those people?
This is the struggle our elders face every day. Tasked with the spiritual oversight of a group of saints, they (should) know the inner workings of those people—however large it may be. It’s going to weigh on them. It has to.
Aaron needed grace to take it all in, just like our shepherds do. They’re taking on a lot, even if they don’t show it. Let’s go out of our way to show mercy to the ones who show mercy to us.
