Exodus 28:31

31 And thou shalt make the tunic of the ephod all of violet,

Exodus 28:31 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 28:31

And thou shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue.
] This was a different garment from the ephod, was longer than that, and was under it, and of different materials: that was made of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen; this only of linen, and wholly of a blue colour, without any curious figures upon it, as were on that: in ( Exodus 39:22 ) , it is said to be of woven work; it was woven from top to bottom, and had no seam in it: so Josephus says F2,

``the coat did not consist of two parts, nor was it sewed upon the shoulder, nor on the side, but was one long piece of woven work;''

and such was the seamless coat our Lord Jesus Christ wore, literally understood, ( John 19:23 ) and both were an emblem of his perfect righteousness, which has nothing of the works of men joined to it, to justify them before God, and make them acceptable to him: for this robe signifies the robe of Christ's righteousness, the best robe; it has its name from a word which signifies prevarication or sin, because it covers the sins of God's people; the matter of it was linen, and so fitly points at the fine linen, that is the righteousness of the saints, and being blue or sky coloured may denote heaven and happiness, which that entitles to, see ( Matthew 5:20 ) , the Septuagint version calls it a garment down to the feet, using the same word as in ( Revelation 1:13 ) and fitly agrees with that righteousness with which all Christ's members are covered and justified, ( Isaiah 45:24 Isaiah 45:25 ) ( Romans 3:22 Romans 3:23 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F2 Antiqu. l. 3. c. 7. sect. 4.

Exodus 28:31 In-Context

29 And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the rational of judgment upon his breast, when he shall enter into the sanctuary, a memorial before the Lord for ever.
30 And thou shalt put in the rational of judgment doctrine and truth, which shall be on Aaron’s breast, when he shall go in before the Lord: and he shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel on his breast, in the sight of the Lord always.
31 And thou shalt make the tunic of the ephod all of violet,
32 In the midst whereof above shall be a hole for the head, and a border round about it woven, as is wont to be made in the outmost parts of garments, that it may not easily be broken.
33 And beneath at the feet of the same tunic, round about, thou shalt make as it were pomegranates, of violet, and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, with little bells set between:
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.