Aaron did not set a good example for his sons and did not instruct them in absolute obedience to the lord. What should we learn from the golden calf incident in exodus. The chapters 3234 form, in a sense, the lowest and the highest points of the whole book of exodus. Even worse, he is the one who actually cast the idol of gold into a calf. How aaron made a golden calf and what became of it from hurlbuts bible stories for children the bible story of golden calf this golden calf bible story was written in simple words by jesse lyman hurlbut and taken from hurlbuts bible stories for children which was published in 1904. When the people do so, aaron melts them down and makes a golden calf. The israelites are right where we left them in genesis, hanging out in egypt and multiplying. All kjv books old testament only new testament only. Exodus 32 commentary commentary critical and explanatory.
After aaron made the golden calf, his life included many. Once it was formed, aaron called for a feast and the people offered burnt offerings, feasted, and then rose up to play. God helps them solve basic food and water problems, and they set about coming up with rules for the new nation. Moses went to the root of the problem aaron, before he. Exodus 32 commentary commentary critical and explanatory on. It is ironic that while moses was on mount sinai, receiving the ten commandments from god, the israelites were breaking the very first commandment thou shall not have any gods before me. The golden calf sunday school lesson exodus 32 ministry. What is the archetype of the golden calf in the bible.
When aaron and miriam rebelled against moses, why was only miriam punished with leprosy. The main explanation seems to be that miriam was held more responsible because she instigated the challenge in the first place and then enlisted aaron to support her. Instead, god refuses to remove moses from the book of life, but. This paper has been written by me in the course of my theological studies at european nazarene college nc. Why wasnt aaron punished for making the golden calf. Read exodus 32 commentary using matthew henry commentary on the whole bible complete. Rolf jacobson, kathryn schifferdecker, and craig koester for i love to tell the story, a weekly conversation on the narrative lectionary. He aaron took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. His identity remains unclear in the torah itself, but it is elaborated in rabbinical commentary other individuals named hur are also mentioned in the bible. If thou wilt forgive their sin if not if the decree be gone forth, and there is no remedy but they must be ruined.
In addition, aaron builds an altar in front of the golden calf and then announces a festival will be held to make offerings to the calf. Oct 29, 2019 when moses saw the people worshipping the golden calf he threw down the tablets and they broke, symbolizing that the people had broken their covenant with god. The following photos may help the modern reader of the text to see these stories the way that the ancients saw them. The aftermath of the golden calf faithlife sermons. Aaron helped the israelites craft a golden calf and worshiped it with them. But then a new pharaoh comes to power, and he starts enslaving the israelites. The former contains references to animal sacrifices, levites, priestly rites of purification and ablution, concerns about seeing god and dying, and most notably, a reference to a golden calf, all of. The lord must be waited for till he comes, and waited for though he tarry. At the foot of mount sinai the israelites lose faith in moses and ask aaron to fashion a golden calf. Mount sinai, the people gathered themselves together to aaron, and said to him, up, make us gods, who shall go before us. Nachmanides explains that aaron let the people loose, and left them without any counsel or instruction, so that they became like sheep scattered among the mountains. Aaron perhaps was put upon in filling their wishes to furnish a visible god for them to follow.
Aaron first high priest of israel profile of aaron, spokesman and older brother of moses. Jan 12, 2015 aaron, instead of refusing the request of the people, makes an idol, in the shape of a calf, out of the gold earrings that they had received from the egyptians. Aaron called the people together and told them that the golden calf was the god who delivered them from egypt. Jul 24, 2019 aaron obliged them and made a golden calf out of the golden earrings they worewhich likely were the very same treasures the egyptians gave them after god rescued them out of egypt exodus 12. Many scholars, traditional and academic, believe the sin of the golden calf was the worship of another god, the first commandment in the decalogue, but what aaron actually claims about the calf points to a different collection of laws. Exodus 32 new international version niv the golden calf.
Two major stories in the old testament deal with golden calves and gods. Finally, some artists interested in validating later priesthoods have painted the ordination of aaron and his sons leviticus 8. In response to your second concern, i would suggest that aaron was not punished for making the golden calf because he did this only when he was pressured by the people. The golden calf by wayne blank when the people saw that moses delayed to come down from the mountain i. Plus, the golden calf was a pedestal to the lord, not to a different. We know he fashioned it with tools, and there must have been witnesses, so he wasnt exactly lying. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. He may even have feared for his own safety and life if he refused. Several homiletical interpretations of the red heifer are given, one being that it was to atone for the sin of the golden calf, so that the mother the red heifer should purify the defilement caused by her offspring, the golden calf pr 14. Commentary on exodus 32 golden calf tough questions answered. The episode concerning aaron and the golden calf see exodus 3234 comes as quite a shock. In addition, aaron builds an altar in front of the golden calf and then. Sep 12, 2007 theology papers the golden calf of israel and the true and false worship today.
However, only aaron is mentioned in the later account of events during moses absence and the creation of the golden calf. The golden calf as a symbol of desire for a knowable god. It hardly seems fair that he should escape punishmenthe was the one who made the idol, after allwhile others were judged. What is going on with the golden calf in exodus 32. What should we learn from the golden calf incident in.
Helene turstens the golden calf is the fifth book in this swedish series of crime novels, inspector irene huss. In addition, in exodus the people are punished for the golden calf, but in deuteronomy they suffer no punishment at all. Aaron took their gold belongings and fashioned them into a molten calf, and the. The people offered sacrifices and then engaged in pagan rituals, including orgies exodus 32. May 03, 2019 why mosess brother worshipped a golden calf although aaron induced plagues against pharaoh, his weak faith led to the death of 3,000 men and the destruction of the original ten commandments. Aaron crafted a golden calf, which the israelites then claimed had delivered them from egypt. A chapter from an angel called truth, a new book which tells a story from each weeks sidrah for prebnei mitzvah children. Focusing on this latter difference, why doesnt deuteronomy portray god punishing israel. Exodus 32 bible commentary matthew henry concise christianity. In egypt, people made molten idols to worship, so the israelites asked aaron to make one. Guilt, shame and blaming others are three results of sin that came to us from the garden of eden by whom. Aaron, jeroboam, and the golden calves moses aberbach and leivy smolar baltimore hebrew college t he connection between the golden calf episode in the wilderness exod 32 and jeroboams erection of two golden calves at bethel. Aaron and the golden calf in the rhetoric of the pentateuch jstor.
Aaron fails to exert decisive leadership to prohibit this blatant act of idolatry. They confront aaron, who has been left in charge, and. Do you think aaron intended for us to believe that god or some other deity created this golden calf. The worship of the golden calf is not presented as the worship of another deity but rather of yhwh himself, and the theological assertion seems to be that since god is heard, not seen, he is not to be worshipped in any physical, visual form see deut 4. Aaron says after melting down the peoples jewelry and coins to make the calf. Complying, aaron collected the golden ornaments of the people and fashioned the gold into the shape of a calf the image was immediately hailed by the people as a representation of the god who had brought israel out of egypt. It shows how even the righteous could felt but find forgiveness. As for this fellow moses who brought us up out of egypt, we dont know what has happened to him. A lot goes down in exodus, so lets break it down into five sections.
Having set up an image before them, and so changed the truth of god into a lie, their sacrifices were abomination. Paul may also have been thinking of the time when aaron made the golden calf at israels request when they rebelled against god. In the books of chronicles hur is either the son or the father of caleb. Aaron also endured the loss of two of his adult sons in a judgment from god. The golden calf story is an alternate tradition, and the material in exodus chapter 24 is contradictory. Then the israelites have a big party, and worship the golden calf. Aaron and the rest of israel probably thought that they could give honor to the lord through the golden calf. Do aaron s actions seem to be a natural byproduct of a tense situation. First, one could make a strong case that aaron was punished. In fact, partly because of what aaron says after melting down the peoples jewelry and coins to make the calf tomorrow will be a feast to yahweh 32. Aaron made a single golden calf, and presented it to the people saying, here are your gods plural, who brought you up from egypt, exodus chapter 32 verse 4 the exact words ascribed to jeroboam in the book of kings. David guzik commentary on exodus 32, where the israelites sin against god by.
The story of the golden calf, the greatest scandal of the wilderness period, is recalled in deuteronomy 9. The golden calf of israel and the true and false worship today. And aaron said to them, break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of. The meaning of the golden calf israel institute of. He aaron took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf. The golden calf and moses intercession exodus 3234. By the time moses descended mount sinai, the israelites had sacrificed to this idol and indulged in revelries. Aaron was not crass enough to say, lets do away with the lord god. When aaron built a golden calf for the israelites to worship in exodus 32, severe judgment came upon the people. Aaron built a golden calf that became their new god. He was speaking of a complex symbolic process in simple metaphoric terms. The sin of israel, and of aaron particularly, in making the golden calf for a god v. This makes it very evident why the commandments were needed as people.
In the mind of israel aaron didnt take away the lord god, he simply added the golden calf. An enigmatic rabbi told a story of the golden calf. Pink arthur gleanings from exodus theword commentaries. On the contrary, stephen says that when they made a calf, and offered sacrifice to the idol, god turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven acts. Why aaron, mosess brother, worshiped a canaanite god. I dont think the people were dumb enough to think that yaweh didnt exist and that a golden calf led them out of egypt. Exodus 32 commentary matthew henry commentary on the. The responses of aaron and moses to the incident of the golden calf are strikingly different. Actually who created the golden calf not moses brother aaron but he is a man called samiri. The story of aaron and the golden calf idols is told in a manner that is intended to make idol worship appear ridiculous. Nov 05, 2014 incredibly, aaron not only didnt stand up for the true god but he even asked for donations to make them a golden image.
Commentary on exodus 32 golden calf tough questions. Explain that were going to start learning the books of the bible. Discuss how silly it is for us to worship something we made with our own hands. Images of bulls and calves were common in near eastern religions.
The incidents related in this chapter disclose a state of popular sentiment and feeling. Exodus 32 relates that the israelites, anxious about moses prolonged absence, demanded that provide a god to lead them. This giddy multitude were weary of waiting for the return of moses. Aaron, the traditional founder and head of the israelite priesthood, who, with his brother moses, led the israelites out of egypt. Why did the people demand aaron make them a golden calf. Aaron and the golden calf the firstcontinue reading. Illustrations of the golden calf story usually include him as wellmost notably in nicolas poussins the adoration of the golden calf ca. Study the bible online using commentary on exodus 32 and more. Book of exodus, session 8 the golden calf exodus 32 34. Because moses is not permitted to enter into the land of canaan, joshua is chosen to be the leader in moses place. For example, deuteronomy describes god as angry at aaron for his involvement in fashioning the calf 9.
But much more famous than these living calves are two biblical examples of statues of calves made of gold. Why was only miriam punished with leprosy when she and. He still should not have made the idol, but the responsibility was much more with the people than with him. The sin of israel, and of aaron particularly, in making the golden calf for a god, and worshipping it v. With the golden calf narrative, preachers have an opportunity to explore with their. Irene is married to krister who is a chef in a high end restaurant. The tradition in chapter twenty four presents an alternative to the so familiar golden calfaccount of moses and the mountain. It seems the people who worshiped the idol did not repent, while others did not worship like them, including aaron. Moses then turns to aaron, whom he left in command before he went up on the mountain. So aaron does, he fashions an idol of gold made from the earrings of the people and in the image a calf, like one of the egyptian gods.
What did the books of exodus do for the israelites. You may use this text as a part of your work provided that you give credits to its author petar neychev. The bible story of the golden calf is very revealing of human nature and the tendency of people to stray away from devotion to god. Exodus 32 niv the golden calf when the people saw bible. The five books of the nepotistic should not be studied by billions of people.
This weeks reading is on the golden calf, exodus 32. Aaron produced the shape of an ox or calf, giving it some finish with a graving tool. Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and aaron s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant. Nevertheless, the rabbis of the talmudic period never really solved. Hur is also mentioned as the grandfather of bezaleel, designated by god to be the principal creator of the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant. Look what aaron says in verse 5, tomorrow shall be a festival to the lord. Jan 02, 2020 aaron called the people together and told them that the golden calf was the god who delivered them from egypt. Exodus 32 commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. Moses breaks the tables of the law, he destroys the golden calf.
Even its position in the scripture record adds to the sense of disbelief as the narrative could be entirely removed without disturbing the flow, with exodus 31 merging almost seamlessly into exodus chapter 35. God gives moses the ten commandments, but moses smashes the tablets when he sees that the israelites have been worshipping a golden calf on aaron s permission while moses was chatting with god. Aarons calf was a god the people could identify with, a god that reminded them of themselves, a vulnerable, comfortable, available god, rather than moses difficult, remote, normally. Book of exodus, session 8 the golden calf exodus 3234 with moses on top of the mountain for forty days and forty nights to receive the inscribed tablets of the ten commandments and the instructions for the building of the tabernacle, the israelites get restless. And aaron said unto them, break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears. Oct 09, 2011 aaron s blunders are a bit more subtle. When moses returned to find them worshiping the calf, he got angry. If not, i pray, blot me out of your book which you have written. While moses was in the mount, receiving the law from god, the people made a tumultuous address to aaron. The figure of aaron as it is now found in the pentateuch, the first five books of the bible, is built up from several sources of traditions. When moses saw the people worshipping the golden calf he threw down the tablets and they broke, symbolizing that the people had broken their covenant with god. Why did aaron tell moses he threw the gold in the fire and a calf jumped out. This is a contrast of leaders the hopelessness of aarons statement, the calf came out and the magnificence of moses intercession on behalf of the people.
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