Who was Aaron in the Bible?
Aaron stands at the start of Israel's priesthood: the elder brother of Moses, the first man to wear the high priest's robes, and also the man who made the golden calf. His life holds together two things that seem impossible together — a divine calling that never failed, and a human record that failed badly.
Brother First, Spokesman Second
Aaron enters the story when Moses hesitates to speak for God before Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. God's answer was to send him a mouthpiece — but the office rested on something older than the office.
William John HockingAaron was formally appointed to the office of an intermediary between Moses and the people, and was therefore Moses' spokesman. But his original personal relationship to Moses was that of brother, and Jehovah described him as "Aaron the Levite your brother." Aaron was first brother, then spokesman.
Called, Not Self-Appointed
The priesthood was not something Aaron reached for. It was handed to him on the mountain, before he knew anything about it.
C E StuartOn the mountain with God, Moses first heard who were to be the holy priesthood. Aaron, his elder brother, his mouthpiece before Pharaoh, was to have the privilege of being God's High Priest. "No one," we read (Heb. 5:4), "takes this honour for himself, but only when called by God."
Israel Carried on Shoulders and Heart
Aaron's robes were not decoration. Every tribe's name was engraved and worn into God's presence, in two places, and writers see two different comforts in that.
Michael HardtThe words "Aaron shall bear their names on his two shoulders in remembrance before the LORD" illustrate the first point: Christ has the power to help. Then Aaron should also wear the breastplate. Here, the names of the sons of Israel appear as well, but with two differences. First, they were individually engraved here on one of the twelve stones each, and second, they were worn "on Aaron's heart"… Christ has compassion, He "is able to have compassion". We have a place on his heart.
The Golden Calf
While Moses was receiving God's pattern on the mountain, Aaron was below shaping an idol out of the people's gold. One writer traces the collapse to where each man was standing.
Morrish Bible DictionaryMoses was with God — Aaron with the people. The stability of Moses was dependent on the fact that he was sustained by sovereign grace in communion with the thoughts of God, while Aaron below fell in with the thoughts of the people.
Challenged afterwards, Aaron shifted the blame onto the people and claimed the calf simply emerged from the fire.
The Bible TreasuryHe, as the man left in charge while Moses was up on the mountain, ought to have resisted, even to the point of being stoned… Not that he made the calf, but it came out of the fire! How flimsy the excuses man makes for sin until by grace he is delivered from deceit!
Grace That Outran the Sin
The timing is striking. At the very hour Aaron was making the calf, God was naming him priest — and the appointment was never withdrawn.
Morrish Bible DictionaryHe was busy with this while God was directing Moses about the tabernacle and its offerings, and declaring that Aaron and his sons were to be the appointed priests. Their appointment stood, showing how wonderfully God's grace abounds over sin, and that no one is chosen because of any goodness in himself.
Between the Dead and the Living
When a plague broke out after the people rebelled, Aaron did the one thing that could stop it — he ran into the crowd with fire from the altar and burning incense.
Samuel RidoutFaith recognizes here the Great High Priest, infinitely above us, who with the sweet savour of His person and the memorial of His sacrifice, steps in on behalf of His people in the fragrance that sets Him forth.
The Rod That Budded
When rivals disputed his right to the office, God settled it not by argument but by life appearing in dead wood.
Samuel RidoutIt was a rod cut off, its life taken away, and then in the presence of God it budded and brought forth fruit; a beautiful figure of how Christ, cut off in death, in resurrection brings forth much fruit — and is thus marked out as the true Priest.
The End of the Man, the Point of the Type
Aaron sinned with Moses at the waters of Meribah and never crossed into the land. His robes went to his son Eleazar.
Morrish Bible DictionaryHe was stripped of his robes, which were put on Eleazar his son, and he died and was buried on Mount Hor. Viewed officially, Aaron is a striking type of Christ.
The comparison, though, has limits, and writers are careful to say where it applies.
Hamilton SmithWhen it is a question of the order or rank of priesthood, Melchizedek is the fitting type of the priesthood of Christ. When it is a question of the exercise of His work as Priest on behalf of Christians, Aaron is the type that very largely prefigures the work of Christ… Thus we are reminded that no single person can, even typically, set forth the glories of Christ.
Summary
- Brother — the relationship came before the role; Aaron was Moses' brother first, then his spokesman.
- Called — the honour was given, not taken; no one takes this honour for himself.
- Carried — the tribes' names rode on his shoulders for strength and on his heart for compassion.
- Compromised — Moses was with God, Aaron with the people, and the calf followed.
- Confirmed — the appointment still stood, and a dead rod budded, showing that grace abounds over sin and that resurrection, not merit, secures the priesthood.