Exodus 28:3, commentary and pictures

God commanded that those who were wise-hearted, whom He had filled with the spirit of wisdom, should make Aaron's garments to consecrate him to minister in the priest's office. The garments were to be whole and without blemish, made exactly after the pattern shown in the mount, and when worn they covered Aaron with glory and beauty and fitted him as a representative character to bear Israel before God. God gave special directions about everything connected with His service, requiring those who ministered to wear dress of a particular style suited to their work and distinct from common labor, and to maintain order and cleanliness by washing before coming into His presence. The care and appearance of that apparel could honor or dishonor Him, teaching the people reverence for God and the holiness of His work. Aaron's robes were symbolic of the character of Jesus Christ, so that to officiate in a rent robe was to sever that representation, and for the same reason the dress of Christ's followers is to be symbolic of Him in neatness, modesty, and purity rather than in fashion, costliness, or display like the world.

Wise Makers, Holy Garments

The verse is a command to speak to all who are wise in heart, whom God has filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron's garments to consecrate him to minister in the priest's office. Those makers were people specially endowed and appointed with wisdom and skill for this sacred work, and the garments they made were prescribed for that service, set apart for holy use, with appearance suited to ministry in God's presence. The specified clothing marked the priestly office as sacred and distinguished its work from ordinary labor, and care in its making and use helped show that God's work is holy and that those who approach Him must put away impurity and uncleanness. That care belongs with washing before entering the holy place, for every particle of dust was to be removed because God is so high and holy that coming into His presence required obedience to His conditions, and the priests' careful appearance was to teach the people reverence for God and the holiness of His service. The very specific, detailed directions show God has a preference and care concerning the dress of those who serve Him.

This instruction for the priestly garments belongs to the education given to Israel in the wilderness and conveys lessons about God's will and the education of greatest value. The garments were to be whole and without blemish, made exactly after the pattern shown in the mount with every article specified, and consecrated to a most solemn purpose.

Through these garments God conferred the priesthood upon Aaron's family and honored Aaron himself with sacred consecration as high priest to minister in that holy office. He had called Aaron at eighty-three to unite with Moses in leading Israel from Egypt, and He sustained Aaron in that office by terrible divine judgment in the destruction of Korah and his company. When clothed in them Aaron was covered with glory and beauty and fitted for his holy work as a representative character bearing Israel before God. The garments filled the people with awe at the dignity of the office and displayed the glory Israel as God's chosen people was to reveal to the world.

Holiness Order and Reverence

God gave special directions about everything connected with His service, including specifying the dress that those who minister in His service should wear. The priests were required to do service in the holy place and minister in the priest's office in garments of a particular style, suited to their work and distinctly specified by God. That specified clothing marked the priestly office as sacred and distinguished its work from ordinary labor.

Those who ministered were to maintain order in everything, and especially to preserve cleanliness. This exact requirement for dress was joined with washing of hands and feet at the laver placed between the altar and the congregation in sight of the people. The garments were prescribed for that sacred work, showing that the priests' appearance was to suit their service in God's presence. Together they taught that every particle of dust must be put away before coming into the presence of God, because He is so high and holy that failure to comply would bring death, and that approaching Him required obedience to His conditions.

The apparel of those who officiate before God can honor or dishonor Him. Care in the making and use of the garments helped show that God's work was holy and that those who approached Him must put away impurity and uncleanness. The priests' careful appearance was to teach the people reverence for God and the holiness of His service, forming part of God's care for order and cleanliness in worship. Ministers' appearance should likewise show reverence for their sacred calling and avoid dishonoring God or weakening their ministry.

Symbolism and Christian Dress

Aaron's robes were symbolic, representing the character of Jesus Christ, the great antitype. They were to be whole and without blemish, and a high priest who officiated in a rent robe severed himself from God and cut himself off from being a representative character. Such a one was no longer accepted as an officiating priest, and displayed only human passion and imperfection.

The very specific, detailed directions given for those robes teach that God has a preference concerning the dress of those who serve Him. Therefore the dress of Christ's followers should also be symbolic, showing in all things that they are representatives of Christ whose witnesses they are. For His sake they are to make the best of their appearance without carelessness, with appearance in every respect characterized by neatness, modesty, and purity. They are to make no changes in apparel merely for the sake of fashion to appear like the world, and are to decorate the person with no costly array or expensive ornaments.