15 "Then he shall slaughter the goat of the sin offering which is for the people , and bring its blood inside e e the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull , and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat . 16 " He shall make atonement for the holy place, because of the impurities of the sons of Israel and because of their transgressions in regard to all their sins ; and thus he shall do for the tent of meeting which abides with them in the midst of their impurities . 17 "When he goes in to make atonement in the holy place, no one shall be in the tent of meeting until he comes out, that he may make atonement for himself and for his household and for all the assembly of Israel . 18 "Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the blood of the goat and put it on the horns of the altar on all sides . 19 " With his finger he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it seven times and cleanse it, and from the impurities of the sons of Israel consecrate it.
20 "When he finishes atoning for the holy place and the tent of meeting and the altar , he shall offer the live goat . 21 "Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat , and confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel and all their transgressions in regard to all their sins ; and he shall lay them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands in readiness . 22 "The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a solitary land ; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness . 23 "Then Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting and take off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there . 24 " He shall bathe his body with water in a holy place and put on his clothes , and come forth and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people and make atonement for himself and for the people . 25 "Then he shall offer up in smoke the fat of the sin offering on the altar . 26 "The one who released the goat as the scapegoat shall wash his clothes and bathe his body with water ; then afterward e he shall come into the camp . 27 "But the bull of the sin offering and the goat of the sin offering , whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall be taken outside e e the camp , and they shall burn their hides , their flesh , and their refuse in the fire . 28 "Then the one who burns them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body with water , then afterward e he shall come into the camp .
29 "This shall be a permanent statute for you: in the seventh month , on the tenth day of the month , you shall humble your souls and not do any work , whether the native , or the alien who sojourns among you; 30 for it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before the Lord . 31 "It is to be a sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your souls ; it is a permanent statute . 32 "So the priest who is anointed and ordained e to serve as priest in his father's place shall make atonement : he shall thus put on the linen garments , the holy garments , 33 and make atonement for the holy sanctuary , and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar . He shall also make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly . 34 "Now you shall have this as a permanent statute , to make atonement for the sons of Israel for all their sins once every year ." And just as the Lord had commanded Moses , so he did .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Leviticus 16:15-34
Commentary on Leviticus 16:15-34
(Read Leviticus 16:15-34)
Here are typified the two great gospel privileges, of the remission of sin, and access to God, both of which we owe to our Lord Jesus. See the expiation of guilt. Christ is both the Maker and the Matter of the atonement; for he is the Priest, the High Priest, that makes reconciliation for the sins of the people. And as Christ is the High Priest, so he is the Sacrifice with which atonement is made; for he is all in all in our reconciliation to God. Thus he was figured by the two goats. The slain goat was a type of Christ dying for our sins; the scape-goat a type of Christ rising again for our justification. The atonement is said to be completed by putting the sins of Israel upon the head of the goat, which was sent away into a wilderness, a land not inhabited; and the sending away of the goat represented the free and full remission of their sins. He shall bear upon him all their iniquities. Thus Christ, the Lamb of God, takes away the sin of the world, by taking it upon himself, Hebrews 9:7. The high priest was to come out again; but our Lord Jesus ever lives, making intercession, and always appears in the presence of God for us. Here are typified the two great gospel duties of faith and repentance. By faith we put our hands upon the head of the offering; relying on Christ as the Lord our Righteousness, pleading his satisfaction, as that which alone is able to atone for our sins, and procure us a pardon. By repentance we afflict our souls; not only fasting for a time from the delights of the body, but inwardly sorrowing for sin, and living a life of self-denial, assuring ourselves, that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. By the atonement we obtain rest for our souls, and all the glorious liberties of the children of God. Sinner, get the blood of Christ effectually applied to thy soul, or else thou canst never look God in the face with any comfort or acceptance. Take this blood of Christ, apply it by faith, and see how it atones with God.