Large Christian library. The Life of Aaron the High Priest The Prophet of God Moses and His Pastoral Ministry

Old Testament hierarchy was established by God. It had three steps. The first place among the Israelite priesthood belonged to to the high priest. We first meet this name in the book of Leviticus - cohen-gadol (see: Lev 21, 10). Literally translated it means great priest. Word cohen comes from the verb Kogan- perform a sacred rite. Apparently, the original word Kogan meant stand. Earlier, in the book of Leviticus, in the chapter on sacrifices (see: Lev 4, 3), the high priest is named anointed priest(kohen-mashiach). Priests Scripture simply calls cohen- no adjective great. The third level of the Old Testament hierarchy was occupied by Levites.

All three levels in the Old Testament hierarchy according to the Sinai legislation belong only to tribe of Levi. Moreover, the priests and high priests could be direct descendants of Aaron, whom the Lord placed first in this ministry. Outside of Aaron's family, members of the tribe of Levi could only be Levites.

The high priest had the general leadership of the cult and the right to enter into holy of holies. The high priest presided over the holiday celebrations.

The Lord Himself established sacred robes. They were worn only during sacred ceremonies. The high priestly garments are described in the book of Exodus (see: Exodus 28:4-39).

Ephod(from the Hebrew verb Afad- to fit around, to encircle). These are two pieces of material: one covered the back, the other covered the chest to the waist. The ephod was multi-colored: made of blue, purple and scarlet thread (yarn), fine linen and gold (in the form of threads). Ephod symbolized responsibility, which fell on the shoulders of the high priest. The bishop's omophorion goes back to the ephod of the high priest, for it is translated from Greek as shoulder pad. In the New Testament Church, this type of bishop's clothing acquired a different spiritual and symbolic meaning than in the Old Testament. He depicts a lost sheep, which, according to the Gospel parable, the Good Shepherd found and laid on his shoulders.

The two pieces of the ephod were fastened together fasteners on shoulders. They were decorated with stones - onyx in a gold frame. The names of the tribes of Israel were carved on them. for constant remembrance before the Lord(Exodus 28, 29). Together with the high priest, all the tribes of Israel seemed to appear before the face of the Lord. Below, at the waist, the ephod was fastened with ties.

Confidant. The confidant was called the judgment. Word ship interpreters of Scripture associate with mysterious words Urim And Thummim. Place it on the breastplate of judgment Urim And Thummim, and they will be in Aaron's heart when he enters before the Lord; and Aaron shall always bear the judgment of the children of Israel in his heart before the Lord(Exodus 28, 30). There is an assumption that through the Urim the will of God was revealed, revelation was obtained, hence the word judgment.

In the front of the breastplate were inserted twelve gems in a gold frame, four in a row. There were two gold rings in the upper corners of the confidant. They were connected by two gold chains with amices. There were also two gold rings at the bottom corners of the breastplate, but they were on the underside, the inner side. Wearing stones on the chest (near the heart) with the names of the twelve sons of Jacob indicated the spiritual attitude of the high priest towards his people.

Relying on the ephod upper chasuble blue, woven from expensive thread. The robe was one-piece, knee-length, with a hole for the head. Three-color images ran along the hem pomegranate apples. The fruits of pomegranates were distinguished by their sweetness and symbolized the sweetness of the law proclaimed by the high priest. At the hem there were also golden bells. The sound of bells was heard as Aaron entered the sanctuary before the face of the Lord: so that a sound may be heard from him when he enters the sanctuary before the Lord and when he goes out, so that he does not die(Exodus 28, 35). Entering the place of God's special presence, Aaron, clothed in sacred robes, entered as a representative of the people and an intercessor for them.

Chiton- a fringed robe, woven from fine linen in checkered patterns, in small squares.

Was on my head kidar- a bandage made of fine linen. A golden half-hoop was attached to it - diadem of holiness- with an inscription: holy place to the Lord. The inscription indicated that he bore the sins of the children of Israel. The headdress of the high priest is not described in the Holy Scriptures. According to Josephus, it consisted of the usual priestly bandage of linen cloth, over which was another of patterned violet cloth with a hammered gold wreath.

Belt the high priest's was very long. For Easterners, a belt is a necessary accessory to tie together wide, flowing clothes. In the Bible we find an indication of the symbolic meaning of the belt: gird your loins(2 Kings 4:29). This meant being ready to work.

The Lord Himself not only established the described types of clothing for priests and the high priest, but also prescribed a rite of passage for each level of the hierarchy.

Ordination to the high priesthood and priesthood consisted of four main acts. Let's talk about each:

1. Washing with water. Researchers believe that the entire body was cleansed, not just the arms and legs. The high priest took such a bath on the holiday - the day of Atonement. It was not only a physical action, but also a moral and symbolic one. It was a prototype of the highest holiness and impeccable purity of the High Priest of the New Testament - Jesus Christ.

2. Dressing in sacred robes- a symbol of the ministry into which the high priest or priest entered.

3. Anointing with sacred oil(its preparation is described in the 30th chapter of the book of Exodus). The oil intended to anoint Aaron and his four sons was prepared in a special way. Its composition included: self-flowing myrrh (resin of the myrrh bush), cinnamon tree bark, incense reed that had fragrant roots, cassia (fragrant bark).

Anointing served as a visible sign of God's provision of special gracious power. In the anointing a person received the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Prophet Isaiah says: The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, for the Lord anointed me He sent Me to preach good news to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to preach release to the captives and the opening of prison to the prisoners, to preach the favorable year of the Lord.(Isaiah 61:1-2; emphasis added. - Auto.).

In Israel, not only priests, but also prophets and kings were anointed with sacred oil. Aaron's anointing as high priest was different from that of his priestly sons. Moses poured a large amount of oil on Aaron's head and then probably anointed his face and clothes. For priests, only the face and clothing were anointed.

4. Sacrifice. The initiates made three sacrifices: for sin, burnt offering and special dedication sacrifice.

Initiation Sacrifice similar to a peace offering. The blood of the slain ram was poured onto the right ear, thumbs of the right hand and right foot of the initiates. In the ear - to better hear the law and the voice of God. On hand - to accurately fulfill God’s commandments. On your feet - to enter the sanctuary blamelessly. Further: blood and myrrh were mixed and sprinkled with them on the sacred clothes of the initiates. Then those parts of the sacrificial animal that were dedicated to God (fat, fat tail and liver) were placed on the hands of the initiates. They also offered: one round loaf of bread, one cake of oil, and one cake (unleavened bread). The initiate shook it before it was burned. This pointed to future service, which consisted mainly of sacrifices. The dedication ended with a meal, which symbolized union (communication) with God.

The consecration of the high priests and priests took place over seven days. All these days they were not to leave the doors of the tabernacle.

Duties of priests. The priests were intermediaries between God and His people. First of all, they were to serve in the sanctuary, at the altar of burnt offering, which was in the courtyard, and at the altar of incense, which stood in holy. Sacrifices were made on the first altar, and incense was burned on the second. They laid bread weekly on the show table. They maintained a constant fire in the courtyard on the altar of burnt offerings. They removed the ashes from him every day. On special days, trumpets were blown. At the end of the public sacrifices, the believers were blessed.

The priests were obliged teach the Israelites the law Lord and resolve controversial issues. The priests were supposed to be without physical defects and free from all uncleanness, and to avoid defilement. Their moral reputation had to be impeccable.

The high priests, in addition to the usual sacrifices that the priests also performed, had two special duties. On the great day of Purification, make special sacrifices and entering the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the blood of the sin offering on the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant. In important matters, through the Urim and Thummim, ask for the will of God (see: Numbers 27:21).

In later times the high priest was chairman of the Sanhedrin- the highest religious court. In accordance with his high rank and duties, he was obliged to observe himself more than the priests with regard to personal purity and holiness. He could only marry a girl and only from his own people (see: Lev 21:14). He could not bare his head and tear his clothes, because this meant sadness or grief. The high priest Caiaphas, who tore his clothes during the trial of the Savior, broke the law. This meant the end of the Old Testament priesthood. The high priest was not supposed to touch the body of the deceased.

Devotional of the Levites. The initiation ceremony of the Levites was much simpler than the initiation of the high priest and priests. This is explained in the book of Numbers: And the Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes, and Aaron dedicated them to the Lord, and Aaron purified them to make them clean; After this the Levites entered to perform their services in the tabernacle of meeting before Aaron and before his sons(Numbers 8:21-22). Moses performed cleansing over them: they were sprinkled with cleansing water.

Levites after sprinkling with water They shaved their entire body, washed their clothes and became clean. Then it was done dedication: They took two bulls and a grain offering. The children of Israel laid their hands on the Levites, and their hands on the heads of the bulls. One bull was sacrificed for sins, and the other was offered as a burnt offering. The dedication was performed by Aaron and his sons. The Levites served for thirty years, from the age of twenty to the age of fifty.

In the desert they had to endure tabernacle and its accessories. Later they were entrusted with taking care of the temple. They unlocked and locked it, kept it clean, managed its income, and prepared the showbread. Since the time of Saint David, numerous choirs have been formed from the Levites. They were engaged in singing and performing music at the temple.

The first sacrificers, as the book of Genesis tells us (4, 3-4), were Cain and Abel, who offered sacrifice to God from the fruits of their hands. And we know that the Lord was pleased to accept Abel’s sacrifice, which was offered from a pure heart, but the Lord did not accept Cain’s sacrifice; it was not pleasing to God, because it was not offered from a pure heart.

Sacrifice was the basis not only of God's chosen people, but also of every other pagan religion. Throughout the ancient world, they expressed the consciousness of humanity's guilt before God. This resulted in an urgent need for atonement, atonement for one’s sins in order to reconcile with the Supreme Being. Sacrifice was such a means of reconciling man with God. “The sacrifice,” in the words of one learned apologist, Gottinger, “was nothing other than the loud and never interrupted cry of mankind to Him for reconciliation with God, a cry that was heard from all points of the earth and resounded throughout all the millennia of history; a monument erected between heaven and earth to constantly testify to the repentance of mankind."

The sacrifices of the patriarchs and the idea behind them

Initially, sacrifices were made by each member of the family separately (), but when sins began to be revealed more and more in the life of the human race, He turned His Spirit away from people, because they had become flesh, but did not, however, turn away His mercy from them. To maintain the spirit of piety and sacred fear in people, the Lord chooses from among humanity people who are the oldest in age and most worthy in life; these men were called patriarchs. Their sacrifices were pleasing to God because they walked before Him. In religious terms, for members of their family, as well as for members of their clan, they were priests and servants of the True God, i.e. priests. They satisfied all the religious and liturgical needs of their fellow tribesmen. It was like a home church in which they taught them the truths of faith in the One True God.

The duty of the patriarchs also included giving names to babies at birth (), performing circumcision (), blessing for marriage () and many other significant moments in the life of individual members of the clan ().

With these sacred rites, the patriarchs connected the remembrance of the promise they received from God about the Seed of the woman, about the Savior of the world, who was to appear from their blessed family ().

With sacrifices, the patriarchs expressed prayer requests to the Lord and usually accompanied them with fervent prayers, in which they asked God for help and guidance, improvement of family life, the gift of offspring, etc. They prayed for sins with which, according to their conscience, they offended the greatness of God .

In the book of Job we find the following evidence about this: “And... (Job) brought sacrifices for them (the children) according to their number, and bullocks for sin for their souls. Job said: “It was negli when my sons sinned and in their thoughts they thought evil thoughts against God” ().

Thus, we see how closely connected are sacrifice and sacrifice. The performers of sacrifices, the ancestors, appeared as intermediaries between God and their family. All members of a given clan had to be present when making sacrifices. It can be assumed that the patriarchal sacrifice, for all its outward simplicity, bore the majestic character of public worship and prayer.

Thus, already in this mediatory service lay the idea of the priesthood, although it did not yet have a hierarchical character, since it was based on the right of birthright, on natural right. This patriarchal priesthood continued until the Egyptian migration.

The history of the emergence of the hierarchical priesthood in the Old Testament Church

Over time, the patriarchal priesthood, as not having certain rules for its service and acting according to natural law, is replaced by a special class of hierarchical priesthood, whose activities were strictly determined by God-given law. God Himself was pleased to entrust the preservation of His covenant and the preaching of His promises to His chosen tribe of Levi. The reason for this preference, no doubt, was that the tribe of Levi abstained from worshiping the golden calf at Mount Sinai. Moses and Aaron, the great leaders of the people, zealous guardians of their moral purity and strict executors of Divine commands, belonged to this tribe. God Himself commanded that Moses should bring Aaron and his sons before the tabernacle and consecrate them to sacred service: “Bring to you Aaron your brother and his sons from the children of Israel, that they may perform sacred acts for Me” ().

Thus, the entire Old Testament hierarchical priesthood originates from the Aaronic priesthood. Although this hierarchical system was established by God, it was not yet the same that appeared in the New Testament Church. It had an initial form and was educational in nature.

The act of consecrating the Old Testament priesthood. Main responsibilities of priests

After the election of Aaron and his sons to the great priestly ministry, their special consecration followed through the following actions: washing, putting on priestly vestments, anointing with oil, sprinkling with the blood of sacrificial animals, seven days at the door of the tabernacle (at this time they made many sacrifices). Only on the eighth day did they solemnly enter into the rights of the priesthood ().

God's establishment of a hierarchical system was caused by the fact that the Israeli people, due to their sinfulness, could no longer personally talk with God. They needed a mediator, as we see from the Bible, where it is narrated that when Moses accepted the law on Mount Sinai, “all the people saw thunder and flames, and the sound of a trumpet, and a smoking mountain, and stood afar off,” and they prayed to To Moses: “Speak to us, and we will listen, but let God not speak to us, lest we die (). From these words it is clear that the people themselves came to the idea of the need for special mediation between them and God.

The main duties of the Old Testament priests were determined by God: “And the Lord said to Aaron... you and your sons with you, oversee your priesthood in everything that belongs to the altar and that is within the veil, and serve; I have given you the gift of the priesthood, and any stranger who approaches will be put to death” ().

The duties of the three-degree Old Testament priesthood (Levitical, priestly and high priestly) were different. Only one high priest could enter the Holy of Holies, the priests performed their duties in the sanctuary, and the lowest order - the Levites - served in the courtyard of the tabernacle. The Lord himself defined the priestly and high priestly service as follows: “Keep your priesthood throughout the entire image of the altar, and inside the veil” (). About the Levitical service, the Lord said to Aaron: “Bring your brothers, the tribe of Levi...to you, and let them come to you, and let them serve you, and let them keep watch over your life and the guards of the tabernacle: only let them not approach the holy vessels and the altar, lest they die.” " (). From these words it is clear that their ministries and duties are different.

The duties of the altar servers - the clergy - were as follows:

1 . Propitiation of God and serving Him through the offering of sacrificial animals, which the clergyman must carefully examine so that the animal satisfies all the requirements of the ritual law ().

2 . Lighting lamps, as well as maintaining a fire on the altar, cleansing it of ash. Burning fragrant incense ().

3 . Preparation of showbread (); and also every Saturday the priesthood had to change the loaves of bread at the meal, of which there were twelve, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

4 . Their duty was to convene the people through the sacred trumpet when the camps were taken down while wandering in the desert; upon entry into war (; ; ); They also blew on days of rejoicing and on the New Year holiday of the seventh month, called the Feast of the Trumpet (;).

5 . They were given the right to cleanse the uncleanness of the Israelites from touching a dead body and from leprosy (ch.).

All these ritual aspects were of a teaching nature and had moral and educational significance for the Israelis. Having announced to the people so many different laws and regulations of a civil and religious-moral nature, the altar minister had to take care that all these statutes and laws of “Jehovah” were not forgotten and distorted by the people, but on the contrary, that they were always in the minds of the people and implemented in life. Hence, “teaching the people the laws and statutes of Jehovah” became the second task of the priesthood after religious and church functions; that is why in the Bible we see constant and persistent commands to the priesthood to “teach” the people (; ; ; Par. 15, 3; 17, 7-9; Mac. 2, 7, etc.). And this task of teaching in the minds of the people itself was very closely connected with the duties of the priesthood. We find an indication of this in the subsequent history of the Jewish people. In the times following Moses, the absence of a “teaching priest” () was considered a national disaster.

Such a strict view of the teaching duty of a priest is understandable. He was supposed to teach nothing other than the fulfillment of God’s commands, which, under a theocratic system, determined the entire life of God’s chosen people. In the event of the termination of the priestly teaching, the “statutes of Jehovah” in the people’s consciousness could be obscured, distorted and, finally, lose in their consciousness their primary meaning - God’s chosen people. That is why Moses commands the people to have the “commands of Jehovah” constantly before them, like a “sign on their hand” or “a monument before their eyes” (), to “instill them in their children,” to talk about them while sitting in the house, walking along the road, and lying down, and getting up,” and write them on the doorposts of houses and on their gates ().

On the other hand, conscientiously fulfilling their religious and church duties, the priesthood already taught the people the same commands of Jehovah, so closely were these two duties of the priesthood - religious rites and teaching - connected. We can say that this was one responsibility - the religious and moral education of the people.

Inseparably with the teaching and concern for the salvation of the verbal sheep, the duties of the priesthood included two more positions - judicial and medical. Being the mediator between God and the people, the interpreter and custodian of all Divine commandments, the priests should, naturally, be the first judges and punishers in case of non-fulfillment of the “statutes of Jehovah.” Therefore, the priesthood undividedly had the right to judge in the area of the sins of everyone who violated the commandments of Jehovah.

Establishing the fact of sinfulness, imposing punishment, cleansing and forgiveness of the sinner - all this was under the jurisdiction of the priests (;).

Elders could also administer justice among the Jewish people, but in all difficult and controversial issues, the court belonged to the priests. The priestly court had an indisputable final decision, resistance to which was punished (; ; ). And although the rights of the court were not as broad as the rights of teaching, nevertheless, the court of the priesthood should have had great educational significance for the people. During the trial, those Divine commandments that were violated by the criminal were necessarily read before the people, and this was already a kind of teaching of the people. In addition, the court ordered the guilty to carry out various church and religious decrees, which also, in turn, served as a school for the people. Thus, we see how firmly the various threads of theocratic government of the people converged in the hands of the priesthood.

In addition to judicial duties, the Old Testament priests were also engaged in medical activities, which were aimed at recognizing various skin diseases and healing them in the sons of Israel. Their supervision also included those patients who were covered with a contagious disease - leprosy. They removed such people from society until they fully recovered. The powers of the priests included overseeing purity, both physical and moral.

This activity of the priesthood, like the work of judges, was closely connected with its first and main duty - the fulfillment of religious requirements and rituals, since in any case of cleansing from impurity or recovery, the law required the offering of certain sacrifices. Hence, the medical work of the priesthood again became a kind of teaching.

In wartime, the priests were the inspirers of Israel in battles with enemies ().

Thus, all aspects of the activity of the Old Testament priesthood were determined by one task - to cleanse the people from bodily and spiritual uncleanness and prepare from them a people pleasing to God. Without exaggeration, we can say that in the matter of educating the entire people, the activity of the Old Testament priesthood was irreplaceable.

External and internal qualities of the Old Testament priesthood

The variety and importance of the duties of the Old Testament priesthood required high physical, spiritual and moral qualities from him. When entering this great office, first of all, the law required that candidates for the priesthood trace their descent from the priestly tribe and be legitimate (). Moreover, the origin and legitimacy had to be proven through the entire sequence of generations by many evidence. In addition, priests were required to be physically completely healthy, free from temporary impurity, and especially clean in family matters. A priest should not have any defects or defects on his body. In the Holy Scriptures, these physical defects that prevent the acceptance of the priesthood are indicated: “Let no man, even if there be a blemish on him, approach him; a person is blind, or lame, or snub-nosed (ugly), or has a cut ear, or a person, he has a broken hand, or a broken leg, or a hunchback, or a suppurating eye, or a cataract, or a person, on whom there are the essence of the crust of divia (scabs) ), or lichens, or single (with damaged yatras); everyone, even if there is a blemish on him from the seed of Aaron the priest, let him not fail to offer sacrifices to God... for the blemish on him” (). These physical defects were considered a kind of humiliation of the sacred dignity and could serve as a reason for the humiliation of the divine service itself.

In the Old Testament, a person’s bodily defect was considered a consequence of sinfulness, if not his personal, then his ancestors. This is why the priests, who were supposed to cleanse others from the filth of sin, had to themselves be clean from the consequences of sin.

The inner qualities of a priest must correspond to the height of his position. In order to educate the people in a religious and moral spirit, the Old Testament shepherd was required to be a zealous executor of all laws. He was a model for Old Testament man. Being from the clan of Aaron and growing up in a priestly environment, from a young age he had to gain “the spirit of wisdom and reason” (), greater “knowledge and prudence” ().

In all his conduct, a clergyman must be pure and chaste. Along with chastity, sobriety was also required from a servant of Jehovah - abstinence from drinking alcoholic beverages or strong drink (), so that during sacred ceremonies he had the ability to distinguish “between holy things and between unclean things, and between unclean and between clean things” ().

The Old Testament clergy had to prepare to fulfill their duties, not to perform them formally, but to deeply and comprehensively guide the entire moral and spiritual life of the people. As a representative of his people before God, the priest alone bore “the names of the sons of Israel on the breastplate of judgment near his heart” ().

The High Priestly Ministry and Its Features

The highest person in the Old Testament hierarchy was the high priest. He himself commanded that Aaron and his sons be brought to Moses before the tabernacle and placed in sacred service. Thus, Aaron began the series of high priests who constituted the highest degree of the Old Testament priesthood. The high priest was the closest servant of Jehovah, as the highest mediator between God and the people. Through his lips the will of the Heavenly King was declared to His chosen people, so he alone could ask the Lord through the Urim and Tuvim; through his hands the chosen people offered sacrifices of thanksgiving to the Lord of hosts; Through his prayers, the people asked the Lord for mercy and sought reconciliation with Him. As the closest mediator to God, he had the right to enter the Holy of Holies once a year with the blood of cleansing. He had the responsibility of preserving the integrity of the law, explaining its meaning to the Israelites, maintaining unity in governing the people and caring for their well-being, the responsibility of the main supervision of worship and all the priesthood and the treasures of the temple.

The holiness of the place required from the high priest much greater purity and impeccable life than was required from a simple ordinary priest. The wise Sirach, seeing this high service of the high priest and his superiority over the priests and the people, says: “How glorified was (the high priest) in the cohabitation of people... like the morning star in the midst of the clouds, like the moon full in its days, like the sun shining on the church of the Most High and like soul shining on the clouds of glory; like the color of thorns in the days of spring, like the color of the spring when water comes out, like the stem of Lebanon in the days of harvest; like fire and frankincense on fires, like a vessel of gold forged, adorned with every valuable stone, like an olive bearing fruit and like a cypress growing to the clouds” ().

The height of high priestly service required corresponding dedication. The beginning of this act coincides with the beginning of the Levitical and priestly consecration. The only difference was that when vesting the person supplied, in addition to the priestly vestments, a special robe was put on (). After laying on the high priestly vestments, anointing was performed over the appointed one, but it was more abundant in comparison with the priestly anointing. At the end of the dedication, the high priest also remained inseparably in the tabernacle for seven days, and only on the eighth day did he assume his rights.

The main features of the pastoral activity of the Old Testament prophets and their functions

As Old Testament history testifies to us, the Jewish people and their leaders very often shied away from honoring the true God and leaned into idolatry. In this regard, there is a constant struggle between light and darkness. By doing this, they obscured in their hearts the promise by which the Lord promised to produce from their generation the Redeemer of the human race.

Pagan superstitions and immorality of the entire people, including priests, at times reached the limit. There were moments when the priesthood itself, together with the people, deviated into idolatry. Holy Scripture repeatedly testifies to this (; ).

In the very house of God, pagan altars were erected and idol sacrifices were made. So Ahaz, the king of Judah, commands the high priest Uriah to replace the copper altar of the temple with a new one, modeled on the pagan altar that he saw in Damascus - and the king’s order is carried out unquestioningly (). During the time of the Jewish king Manasseh, more than one pagan altar was built in the temple of God, and even an idol of Astarte was erected, fortune-telling, divination, calling the dead and soothsayers were allowed, and the royal son was led through the fire (Jer. 7:31). Under other kings, “they locked the doors of the porch and extinguished the lamps, and did not burn incense, and did not offer burnt offerings in the sanctuary of the God of Israel” ().

All the attention of the pastors was focused on visible, ostentatious piety. As a result of this, there was a lack of spirituality among the Levitical priesthood, which deprived them of grace-filled gifts that contributed to the worthy performance of the ministry entrusted to them, and deprived them communication with God. Due to such separation of the Old Testament priesthood from Jehovah, it could not influence the people, and if it did, it was only through its unworthy life, which had a corrupting effect on the Jewish people.

Naturally, with such a spiritual state of the Old Testament priesthood, its authority in the eyes of the people completely fell and it lost all influence on the masses. “My people,” says the prophet Isaiah, “your leaders are leading you astray and have spoiled the path of your paths” (). “You are corrupting the people of the Lord,” Eli says to his sons (Kings 2:24).

At such moments in the life of the Jewish people, it was necessary for someone to take on the sacred mission of reminding the people of the True Jehovah and His laws. It is in such difficult times for the Jewish people that the prophets come out with their activities. Not tied to a specific place, not constrained by any particular form of action or means of subsistence, they were completely free and little dependent on the princes and powerful of this world. Therefore, during the period of kings, the prophets take upon themselves the task of spiritual development and education of the people in true religiosity and moral purity; and the priests and Levites are given only the formal performance of liturgical rites.

Inspired by God, the prophets fearlessly denounced all violators of the Law. They courageously opposed polytheism and superstition, raising the eyes of Israel to the One, True God. As soon as they noticed the decline of morality, they were immediately filled with the power to proclaim his wickedness to Jacob and his sins to Israel. They tried to return every lawless person to the path of truth and salvation; From every member of society, starting from the king, they demanded strict fulfillment of their duties.

The main thing that the prophets pointed out in the matter of worshiping God is that it is not external ritual and legal performance that is needed for God, and not sacrifices, but, first of all, the inner good mood of the human heart. “Why do I need the multitude of your sacrifices,” says the prophet Isaiah the words of the Lord, “I am satisfied with the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of oxen, and the blood of bulls, and lambs, and goats is not pleasing to Me. When you come to appear before Me, who demands that you trample My courts? Bring no more hypocritical gifts: incense is an abomination to Me, new moons and Sabbaths, calling meetings are intolerable to Me; lawlessness - and a sacred meeting! My soul hates your new moons and your holidays: they are a burden for Me” ().

The prophet Jeremiah, on behalf of Jehovah, also says: “Why do I need frankincense from Sava and fragrant reeds... Your burnt offerings are not pleasing to Me, and your sacrifices are unpleasant to Me” (). “Take away from Me,” says the Lord through the mouth of the prophet Amos, “the noise of your songs, and I will not listen to the sounds of your harps” (5: 21-23).

“Is it possible to please the Lord with even thousands of rams or countless streams of oil?” - asks the prophet Micah (6, 7). For the dishonor of the people and priests, the Lord even allowed the destruction of temples. God needs a pure and undefiled heart. “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool; where will you build a house for me and where is the place for my presence” ().

Thus, all external worship of God, starting from national holidays and ending with all kinds of sacrifices, fasting and prayers, turned out to be not pleasing to God, according to the preaching of the prophets. Meanwhile, wasn’t it this outwardly legal obedience in all rituals that was so strictly and consistently instilled in the people, and wasn’t it the pastoral duty of the Jewish priesthood, since through it it was only supposed to create a special people, different from all other peoples? Wasn’t it Saturday and Easter, wasn’t it fasts and sacred meetings, wasn’t it sacrifices and all their rituals that were legalized and introduced into people’s life through the fear of even the death penalty (; ; )? And if all these decrees about outwardly legal righteousness and religiosity were canceled as displeasing to God, then what could the Jewish shepherd do, when it was precisely commanded to “teach the children of Israel all the statutes that the Lord spoke through Moses?” (). The prophets also gave positive instructions about this. Instead of external worship of God, which, according to the irreplaceable expression of the prophets, turned into a “learned human commandment” (), the prophets preached internal spiritual worship through knowledge of God, purity and holiness in direct spiritual unity with God; Accordingly, the priesthood was offered new ideals of activity - to teach the people the knowledge of God, to purify first of all and most of all the souls and hearts of those who believe in Jehovah, to try to ensure that every person approaches God not through external acts of worship, but through internal purity and likeness to God. The prophet Isaiah says that the leader before God must do good deeds: “Dissolve the covenant of unrighteousness, loose the shackles of slavery, give freedom to the oppressed and break every yoke... bring into the house the abandoned poor... then you will pray, and the Lord will hear, you will cry, and He will say : here I am" ().

So the Lord, through the mouth of the prophets, called on the priests to live an inner life, take care of the salvation of the people of Israel and revive them morally. But the priests did not listen to this voice, did not admonish themselves and did not correct the people. The Lord, through the lips of the prophet Ezekiel, denounces them, saying: “They did not strengthen the weak sheep, they did not heal the sick sheep, and they did not bandage the stricken ones, and they did not return the stolen ones, and they did not look for the lost ones” ().

Addressing the shepherds, the prophet Jeremiah says: “Weep, shepherds, groan and sprinkle dust on yourselves, leaders of the flock, for your days are fulfilled for your slaughter and dispersion” (). By exposing sins through the prophets, the Lord sought the salvation of the sinner, so that he would begin to do justice and truth, and for this he would live ().

The prophets, obeying God, had to fearlessly denounce the lawbreakers, otherwise they themselves would have been rejected by God: “When I say to the wicked,” says the Lord through the mouth of the prophet Ezekiel, “the wicked! you will die; and you will not say anything to warn the wicked man from his path, then that wicked man will die, but I will require his blood at your hand” ().

A direct consequence of the decomposition of spiritual life among the priests was their mercenary attitude towards the flock: a mercenary does not care about the sheep (). For a mercenary, the first priority is the payment for the work he has undertaken. Without feeling a heartfelt disposition for their activities, without the necessary patience, all-forgiving love, such mercenary shepherds are always ready to abuse their power, turn the shepherding rod into a punishing club, the blows of which fall not only on those who can suffer, but also on the weak, unapproved, in need of attention and careful care ().

The Old Testament shepherds had to teach not so much by word as by the example of their lives. “Woe to the careless shepherd,” says the prophet Zechariah, “who leaves the flock; a sword on his hand and on his right eye; his hand will be completely withered and his right eye will be completely dim” (11:17). Gregory Dvoeslov, explaining these words, says: “The Lord will destroy the evil deeds and plans of criminal shepherds.” Likewise, the prophet Jeremiah says: “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture” (23:1). “For you, Zion will be plowed up like a field,” says the prophet Micah, “and Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins” (3:12).

The Old Testament shepherds “became fussy,” they forgot their purpose and lived according to the whim of their wisdom. They did not need Israel's spiritual growth. Due to their sinfulness, the shepherds could not raise moral purity among the people; they stopped caring about the people. “They fed themselves,” says the prophet Ezekiel on behalf of God, “they ate the fat and clothed themselves with the wool; those who were fattened were slaughtered and ruled either with violence or with cruelty” ().

The Old Testament shepherds were supposed to monitor the life of the people, keeping them from violating God’s commands, to be guides to eternal life and teachers of the Divine law: “I want the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings,” says the Lord through the lips of the prophet (Hosea 6, 6 ), but the shepherds did not want to listen to the accusatory speeches of the prophets; their hearts were hardened by their lawless life. That is why the descendants of Levi could not have a beneficial influence on the people.

When a root disease occurs, all above-ground branches of the plant wither; in the absence of sunlight, only stunted shoots from the seed develop; Thus, with the violation of the covenant with God and the creeping in of religious dullness and indifference, the energy of the priests and Levites was dissipated in all clans and social activities. “The salt, intended to protect Israel from moral corruption, has eroded and lost its strength,” says the prophet Micah.

The prophets not only denounced the immorality of the priests and Levites, but also showed them the means of healing: restoring the union with God, who is not always angry, but loves mercy ().

Realizing the educational significance of the law in all its decrees, the prophets demanded its spiritual understanding and implementation, so that the Old Testament priests would serve with fear and trembling the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

The Old Testament prophets acted, vigilantly monitoring their flock, and kept them from harmful deviations. None of the people with their inner life escaped the watchful warning of the guardian shepherd. The shepherd-prophet had to speak openly, without embarrassment, about the abominations that Israel allowed in its religious and moral life. The Prophet Micah admits that “he is filled with the power of the Spirit of the Lord to tell Jacob his crime and to Israel his crime” (). The prophet should not be afraid when using this means (reproof); his speech should be especially strong, he should not spare bright colors to depict all the disgustingness of vice and the harm it causes to a person. “Cry with strength and do not hold back,” God commands the prophet Isaiah. “Lift up your voice like a trumpet, and tell my people their sins and the house of Jacob their iniquities” ().

The corruption of the princes, people and priests has reached its limit, so no one and nothing will save the people from the wrath of Jehovah; He even hates all holidays and rejects sacrifices (). Jehovah gives His people over to destruction. This last thought was in no way reconciled in the minds of the people with the idea of God's chosenness, but the prophet spoke about this not without reason. The moral sense and worldview of the prophet are incomparably higher than the concepts of the environment in which he was brought up. The prophet Amos considers the basis of the words spoken at God's command to be the moral corruption that infected the ruling and lower classes of the people. Israel can only remain God's chosen people if it fulfills the commandments of the Lord (). If the people do not satisfy this condition, then their advantage will turn to their detriment, and they will feel the severity of Jehovah (), for He is righteous. In the name of justice, He can deny His people. It was hard for the prophet Hosea to feel this, but he, as a true prophet, should not have hidden Jehovah’s verdict. Now the mighty Assiah is preparing to devour Israel. The latter made an attempt to save himself from an imminent catastrophe by an alliance with her or with Egypt. But it's all in vain. The salvation of this people is impossible. The prophet Hosea speaks on behalf of God: “I am the Lord your God... and there is no Savior but Me (). Let the people return to their God, for He has struck us and will heal us,” exclaims the prophet, “he will wound us and heal us” ().

So, we have touched on a broad topic - the Old Testament shepherding, starting from the first man and ending with the prophetic ministry. Based on the material we have examined, we can say that the Old Testament priesthood has a Divine institution. The Old Testament priest was a person called to the highest service among the Jewish people by God Himself. The very position of the priest, as an intercessor between God and God's chosen Jewish people, obliged him to lead a highly moral lifestyle. The people of Israel could not otherwise look at the Levitical priesthood as their leader, teaching the true faith not only by word, but also by their personal example. Although there are also examples when the Levitical priesthood shied away from fulfilling its duties and did not listen to the voice of God; in such cases, the Lord, to admonish the lost, sent His prophets, who zealously and fearlessly exposed the shortcomings of the priests. Prophetic ministry was the noblest seed of his people. All the best that the chosen people could give in times of law was embodied in the personality of the true shepherd-prophet. The prophets in Old Testament times were in every respect an excellent example of a shepherd; and for us they are of great importance. As true shepherds, as the forerunners of the Good Shepherd - Christ, whose activity they prefigured, the Old Testament shepherds have significance for our time.

In world history, peoples have appeared and disappeared; The constantly moving wheel of time brings something new into human history with each century, but only one thing always remains the same, unchanged: the sinful, stubborn, ungrateful human heart. If the heart of man remains the same as it was several centuries before Christ, then it is natural that shepherding in its essence, in its principles, remains the same.

At least, the goal of the Old Testament shepherd - to educate, to bring a person into the Kingdom of God - and the means of achieving it (leading a person by personal example and the word of teaching) remained the same.

If all Scripture is useful for teaching a shepherd, then the prophetic books are especially useful. They offer a kind of mirror for pastoral self-examination.

The holistic image of a spiritual shepherd, offered to us in the Old Testament prophetic books, can be defined in the following terms. A shepherd is a person called by God to the highest ministry. First of all, he is a highly moral person. As God's messenger and His faithful servant, the shepherd is a person close to God, who knows the Lord's will and therefore mediates between the One who sent him and the people for whom he is sent. Therefore, the shepherd is the leader of the people, shepherding them, that is, teaching the true faith, teaching true morality by his personal example and word. Proclaiming the will of God, the shepherd heals the ailments of his flock with words of teaching and reproof.

The ministry of a shepherd must be imbued with the spirit of selfless love for God, whose representative he is, and for people - verbal sheep, whose spiritual well-being is dearer and higher than the personal interests of the shepherd. To clearly present the purpose of pastoral service to the chosen one of God during his calling, his most important duty is indicated: to teach the people the knowledge of God, to communicate to his flock the will of the Sender.

God's Prophet Moses and His Pastoral Ministry

When studying the pastoral ministry of the holy Old Testament prophets, it is necessary to dwell in more detail on the activities of the great prophet Moses, whose entire life was devoted entirely to serving God and his people.

The Prophet Moses becomes, by the command of God, the head of the Jewish people. On this responsible and difficult path, he did not show a shadow of fear for his personal safety. On the contrary, he humbly considers himself unworthy of this high appointment. He is ready to meet any difficulties, ready to undertake any feats, even death, for the sake of his idea, for the sake of the common good. Full of holy thoughts, holy faith, hope for the mercy of God, he says to the people: “Be bold, stand and see the salvation that comes from the Lord” (). To be calm is the first act of firm faith in the face of trials.

All the thoughts and feelings of the prophet of God were aimed at caring for the well-being of his people. Caring for his people always prevailed in him over caring for himself. At any moment he was ready to lay down his soul for his people. So, asking God for mercy for his people, he directly says: “I pray to You, Lord, these people have sinned great and created for themselves gods of gold. And now, even if you leave them with them, leave them, or else, blot me out of Your book, you have written it in the record” ().

The holy prophet Moses alone of all the people was honored to talk with God. Let us remember the events that took place at the foot of Mount Sinai; they clearly testify and indicate how close the prophet Moses stood to God. These events indicate that the prophet Moses was the only mediator between God and the entire people of Israel. Describing the events that took place at the foot of Mount Sinai, Saint Gregory of Nyssa says that all the people did not have enough strength to endure what they saw and heard, and therefore everyone brought a common petition to Moses so that he would become a mediator of the law; and the people do not refuse, as God commands, to believe everything that Moses proclaims according to the teaching from above.

As already stated, before Moses there was no hierarchical priesthood. In those days, the patriarchal priestly ministry was not and could not be a separate ministry, because it did not yet go beyond the boundaries of family life, and all the power associated with this ministry was concentrated in one person - the head of the family. But in the time of the prophet Moses, when the Church already represented the entire people of Israel, when believers formed a large religious society, a special pastoral ministry was allocated by the command of God. The Holy Prophet Moses establishes a new priestly class of servants of God at the Tabernacle - a hierarchical priesthood, which consists of three degrees. Fulfilling the will of God, the holy prophet of God Moses ordains his brother Aaron as high priest, and his sons as priests.

The exceptional pastoral qualities of the prophet Moses, his living faith in God, love for Him and His people, sacrifice, firmness and fidelity to duty make him the shepherd of the Old Testament priesthood and a shining example for the New Testament shepherds.

Last update:
04.December.2015, 12:58

Aaron (+ 1445 BC), the first Old Testament high priest.
Memorial Day: July 20
The son of Amram and Jochebed from the tribe of Levi, the elder brother of the prophet Moses, was born in Egypt.

He helped Moses in liberating the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery, appearing before Pharaoh as a representative prophet speaking for him (Ex. 4: 14-17). Aaron acted as the “mouth” of Moses before Israel and Pharaoh, performed miracles before Pharaoh (in particular, Aaron’s rod turned into a serpent, and then swallowed the serpents into which the rods of Egyptian wizards turned) and, together with Moses, participated in sending down some of the ten Egyptian plagues.

He was the first high priest and founder of the only legitimate line of kohen priests among the Jews (see Old Testament priesthood), and the priesthood became hereditary in his line - against which Korah, a representative of the Levites, and his accomplices unsuccessfully rebelled. God confirmed Aaron's election when his rod miraculously blossomed. During the service, Aaron and his sons gave the Aaronic blessing to the people. Aaron was also the chief judge of Israel and the teacher of the people. During Moses' stay at Sinai, Aaron, tempted by the people, made a golden calf for him.

Aaron then took part in the forty-year wandering of the Jews in the desert, where, at the command of God, he was appointed high priest.

The year of Aaron's birth should be dated to 1578 BC. The Lord called Aaron to ministry at the age of 83 years. Aaron died at the age of 123, in 1445 BC. on Mount Or in the desert (in the Arabian desert on Mount Or, located in the south of Palestine, near the ancient Idumean city of Petra, which area is still known to the Arabs under the name Jebl Nebi Haruna, i.e. Mountain of the Prophet Aaron.), also like Moses, not reaching the promised land, as punishment for murmuring against God (Numbers 20:10).

The entire clan of Aaron was chosen by God for priestly service in the Old Testament Church, and the title of high priest was retained by his descendants until the coming of Christ the Savior to earth, successively passing to the eldest in the clan.

The descendants of Aaron are called "the sons of Aaron" and "the house of Aaron" in the Holy Scriptures. According to the teaching of the Apostle Paul (Heb. 5:4-6), Aaron, as the High Priest of Israel, was a prototype of Jesus Christ, the High Priest of the New Israel, the New Testament Church.

A descendant of Aaron was Elizabeth (mother of John the Baptist) (Luke 1:5). The Apostle Paul says that the priesthood of Aaron is temporary, “for the law is associated with it” (Heb. 7:11), and is replaced by Jesus Christ, a priest according to the order of Melchizedek. In Orthodoxy, Aaron is remembered on the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers; a number of monthly calendars celebrate his memory on July 20, along with the day of Elijah the Prophet and a number of other Old Testament prophets. The Western memory of Aaron is July 1, the Coptic memory is March 28.

Aaron had four sons from his wife Elisabeth, the daughter of Abinadab, of whom the two eldest, Nadab and Abihu, died during the life of their father (they were incinerated by fire), disobeying God, and the high priesthood passed to his third son, Eleazar (Elazar); the youngest was called Ifamar.

The classical iconography of Aaron developed in the 10th century - a gray-haired, long-bearded old man, in priestly vestments, with a rod and censer (or casket) in his hands. The image of Aaron is in the altar part of the Kyiv Sophia; it is written in the prophetic row of the iconostasis.

In the New Testament, the image of Aaron's high priesthood is revealed from two sides.

First, the High Priesthood of Aaron is spoken of as a type of the High Priesthood of Jesus Christ. Like Aaron, Jesus Christ did not appropriate to Himself the office of high priest, but was called by God: “And no one of himself accepts this honor, but he who is called by God, like Aaron. So Christ did not appropriate to Himself the glory of being a high priest, but He who said to Him: You are My Son, today I have begotten You” (Heb. 5:4-5). Like Aaron, Jesus Christ had to offer a sacrifice for sins to propitiate: “For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed for the service of men to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins” (Heb. 5:1).

Secondly, it points to the advantage of the high priesthood of Jesus Christ, Who, Himself being perfect God and perfect man, once offered the perfect Sacrifice for sins - Himself. As the Son of God He is: “A High Priest: holy, free from evil, without blemish, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens, who does not need to offer sacrifices daily, like those high priests, first for his own sins, then for the sins of the people, for He has done this one day, sacrificing Himself. For the law appoints as high priests those who have infirmities; and the word of the oath, after the law, established the Son, perfect forever” (Heb. 7:26-28).

In the New Testament, the high priesthood of Christ is compared to the high priesthood of Melchizedek, which is given precedence over the high priesthood of Aaron.
Melchizedek (“King of Righteousness”) is the king and high priest of Salem, identified in Ps. 75.3 with Jerusalem, who came out with gifts to meet Abraham after his victory and blessed him. As a priest, Melchizedek is superior to the Levitical priests, for in the person of their ancestor Abraham, the sons of Levi respectfully bowed before him, received his blessing and brought him tribute. He is a prototype of the gracious High Priesthood of Jesus Christ, superior to the Old Testament priesthood according to the order of Aaron. Like Melchizedek, the Lord Jesus Christ is King and High Priest (Zech. VI, 12, 13). Like Melchizedek, the Lord Jesus Christ is incomparably higher than Abraham or his descendants. Like Melchizedek, the Lord Jesus Christ appears without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither the beginning of days nor the end of life (Heb. VII, 3).

“For it is known that our Lord arose from the tribe of Judah, about which Moses said nothing regarding the priesthood. And this is even more clearly seen from the fact that in the likeness of Melchizedek another Priest arises, who is such not according to the law of the carnal commandment, but according to the power of unceasing life. For it is testified: You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. The abolition of a former commandment occurs because of its weakness and uselessness, for the law did not bring anything to perfection; but a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. And since this was not without an oath, for these were priests without an oath, but this one was with an oath, because it was said of Him, “The Lord has sworn, and will not repent, You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek,” so Jesus became the surety of a better covenant” (Hebrews 7:14-22).

+ additional material:

5:1-10 Just as the Old Testament high priests were identified with the people on whose behalf they spoke (vv. 1-3) and served according to the election of God (v. 4), Christ also became the High Priest by determination of the Father (vv. 5 and 6) and identified Himself with His people through His sufferings (vv. 7-10).

5:1 to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. The expression “gifts and sacrifices” implies various offerings that were made by the Old Testament priests (8:3; Lev. ch. 1-7). But the main interest in this case is the fact that the various sacrifices were united by one characteristic feature - they were sacrifices for sins.

5:2 able to endure. The weakness of the Old Testament high priest, caused by his own sins, forced him to be lenient towards the sins of others. Jesus' forbearance is motivated by His identification with His people, although He Himself was never tempted by sin (4:15).

5:3 The Old Testament High Priest himself needed atonement and forgiveness of sins (7.27; 9.7; Lev. 16.11), in contrast to the sinless High Priest of the New Testament.

5:5 You are My Son. See 1.5 and com.

5:6 Melchizedek. Melchizedek is a mysterious person who is mentioned only twice in the Old Testament (Gen. 14:18; Ps. 109:4). However, the words “a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek,” together with the words “My Son” (v. 5), indicate the exclusive nature of his priestly ministry.

5:7 with a strong cry...offered prayers. See Mark. 14.33-36; In. 12.27.

was heard. Jesus was heard in the sense that God accepted His work of redemption, as evidenced by His resurrection from the dead.

5:8 He learns obedience through suffering. Although Jesus was free from sin (4:15), His struggle with the tempter was hard and real (2:18).

5:9 being finished, he was made. These words do not mean that Jesus, only having perfected himself, became sinless - He was always like that (4:15). Here we are talking about the fact that He became the Redeemer after His suffering on the cross and death. Having accepted this, He was “made perfect,” i.e. fully accepted the ministry of the High Priest.

5:10 Melchizedek. See com. to Art. 6.

5:11 unable to listen. Those. have become spiritually lazy and unresponsive.

5:12 the first principles of the word of God. See 6.1.2.

milk... solid food. Wed. 1 Cor. 3,1,2.

5:14 perfect. This does not mean intellectual superiority, but perfection as the ability to perceive the word of God and, delving into it and obeying it, grow in faith and righteousness.

5:1 to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. The expression “gifts and sacrifices” refers to the various offerings that the Old Testament priests made (8:3; Lev. ch. 1-7). But the main interest in this case is the fact that the various sacrifices were united by one characteristic feature - they were sacrifices for sins.