The Need for a Perfect Priest

An odd exchange occurs between Moses and Aaron right after Nadab and Abihu are put to death for their strange fire.

Leviticus 10:16–20 (ESV) Now Moses diligently inquired about the goat of the sin offering, and behold, it was burned up! And he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the surviving sons of Aaron, saying, 17 “Why have you not eaten the sin offering in the place of the sanctuary, since it is a thing most holy and has been given to you that you may bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD? 18 Behold, its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary. You certainly ought to have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded.” 19 And Aaron said to Moses, “Behold, today they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD, and yet such things as these have happened to me! If I had eaten the sin offering today, would the LORD have approved?” 20 And when Moses heard that, he approved.

Moses knows the law. The sin offerings were to be eaten by the priests. These stipulations are stated in Leviticus 6. The priest was to bear culpability before the Lord on behalf of the worshipper and in a way remove the sin by putting away the food offered for its expiation. 

Yet after his sons are put to death, Aaron burns up the offering completely and disregards the stipulations. At first, Moses appears to have every right for his outrage. The sin of the people must be born in this way as pointing to Christ, the final high priest who would truly take away the sins of the world through his own death - the Lamb of God. 

But Aaron comes back with a most valid point. He has just seen his family judged severely for disregarding their holy calling before the people. He has seen his sons act cavalierly as representations of God's presence. They did what must never be done for a priest. They have disregarded the people, God, and their role before them both. 

Aaron knows he has had a hand in this. He was perhaps too lenient with these boys. Moses has to instruct him again earlier in this chapter as to his role and how they are to conduct themselves before the people in the presence of God. So Aaron is fully aware that today he and his family are not worthy to bear the sins of the people when they themselves have to be atoned for. 

They would need greater priest. That priest is Jesus. He alone is the perfect holy representation before God on behalf of the people and before people on behalf of God. He is able to completely take away our sin because He has no sin of His own. 

Praise God for our Great High Priest.