The Clothes Make the Man

Tetzaveh (Exodus 27:20 – 30:10)

“You are to summon your brother Aaron and his sons to come from among the people of Israel to you, so that they can serve me as cohanim (priests) – Aaron and his sons Nadav, Avihu, El’azar and Itamar. You are to make for your brother Aaron garments set apart for serving God, expressing dignity and splendor. Speaking to the craftsmen to whom I have given the spirit of wisdom, and have them make Aaron garments to set him apart for me, so that he can serve me in the office of cohan (priest)” (Exodus 28:1-3).

The garments worn by the priests of Israel were to typify the glory of the Living God and the humility of the wearer serving as priest. The Israelites were to see the purity of the Lord as he administered forgiveness and reconciliation through the priest; seeing in the component parts of the vestments, particularly of the high priest, that atonement and forgiveness could be extended to them, regardless of their sin.

The high priest of Israel was to be a vision of the Lord’s splendor. He was to reflect the glory of the Most High to Israel and the world. Dressed in ephod, breastplate, robe, tunic, turban, belt, crown, and pants he displayed the exalted holiness of the Living God, and according to traditional teaching, the children of Israel could look upon his glorious attire and see that they were forgiven and receive that forgiveness (Babylonian Talmud Zevachim 88b). Imagine, if you will, the vision of the high priests gleaming white garments adorned with stones reflecting the sunlight as he stood observing the ministry of the Tabernacle – and the awe his presence would inspire.

Still, as the centuries passed, many of the priests of Israel fell from their lofty positions as ministers of reconciliation. As an institution overseen by men, the ministry of the Tabernacle, and later the Temple in Jerusalem, became ensnared by sin. Be that as it may, the glory bestowed upon the high priest of Israel typified the glory of the high priest who was to come – Yeshua/Jesus.

Messiah Jesus would not accomplish his work of reconciliation adorned in garments of glory, as he stripped himself of glory in order to become like us (Phil. 2:7-8; Heb. 2:17-18); rather, he would suffer on the Cross at Golgotha adorned in naught but his flesh. As the Living God “made this sinless man be a sin offering on our behalf, so that in union with him we might fully share in God’s righteousness” (2 Cor. 5:21). His righteousness imputed to us by union with Yeshua/Jesus – in this union, those now made holy in Christ, would receive the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:19), “Be reconciled to God!” (2 Cor. 5:20).

There is a modern proverb that says, “The clothes make the man.” Think about this for a moment; many of us, especially in the western cultures of the world, have clothes for many occasions – yard work, formal wear, office attire, church clothes, pajamas, beach wear and exercise clothes. Each of these examples “make” us into what we desire for that moment in time – different attire helps us to achieve a desired end. There is, however, another proverb that is related to the one above, “The clothes fake the man;” meaning at times our attire can disguise who we are, or what our true intentions might be.

How should we dress in the Body of Messiah?

The apostle John gives us a heavenly revelation of Messiah Jesus as he appeared among the churches, “and among the Menorahs was someone like the Son of Man, wearing a robe down to his feet and a gold band around his chest” (Rev. 1:13). Jesus is dressed as a king at rest. His robe is not girded about his waist, as someone at work; but rather, he is girded with a gold band around his chest – the labor is complete, and he is at peace. He stands among his Body of congregations. The congregations are to do the first works, and make disciples from among the nations by spreading the message of reconciliation.

The apostle Paul exhorts us to “put on the Lord Jesus Messiah and make no provision for the lusts of the flesh” (Ro. 13:14). Similarly, he writes in Colossians, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with feelings of compassion and with kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; if anyone has a complaint against someone else, forgive him. Indeed, just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must forgive. Above all these, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together perfectly; and let the peace which comes from Messiah be your heart’s decision-maker, for this is why you were called to be part of a single Body” (3:12-15).

It would be, and it often is, easy for those born-again by grace through faith to lose sight of the humble Messiah entering Jerusalem upon a donkey and suffering upon the cross of a criminal. With so great an inheritance in Christ, we are continually at risk to making provision for the lusts of the flesh, and becoming haughty. The priesthood of Israel should be a reminder of the dangers of position and inheritance. Christ should remain the source of our imitation, as he said, “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve; and give his life as a ransom for the many.”

As we remind ourselves, by continual reflection upon the grace that brought so great a salvation, we clothe ourselves, as Paul exhorted, in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience – with an overcoat of love. In this attire there is no room for the man to be faked by garments; rather, our actions of agape, loving-kindness in action, with demonstrate how we are attired in the spiritual – in the garment of Christ himself.

The garment of Christ is what allows us to reach the unreachable, the undesirable, the inconvincible and those sitting in unapproachable darkness. When adorned in Christ, the clothes really do make the man – the new man – who ministers reconciliation in love that more would know Christ himself.

Shalom;
Dr. J.D. Elwell