Augustine of Hippo : And when Aaron has begun to carry out his priestly ministry, his voice will be heard (tinkling), as he enters the sanctuary in the presence of the Lord and when he goes out, so that he does not die. The Scripture says that upon entering and leaving the voice of the bells will be heard, and puts so much emphasis on this detail, that it comes to say: so that it does not die. He wanted to signify that in the priestly dress there are certain data that certainly allude to the Church through these bells, so that the behavior that the priest should observe is known, as the Apostle says: Show yourself an example of good works for all. (Tt 2,7) Or that other text: What you have heard me in the presence of many witnesses confide everything to faithful men and to those who are capable, in turn, of teaching it to others (2Tm 2,2). Is there something else? Whatever that is, it's something big. When entering and leaving, it is equivalent to (the voice) "of the one that comes out" and "of the one who enters". The voice is by the tinkle, because, being bells, it is more a tinkle than a voice. 120 (Exodus 28.36-38). And you will make a sheet of pure gold and engrave on it the shape of a seal, the holiness of the Lord. And you will put it on a double hyacinth twine cord, and it will be on the miter; It will be in the front of the miter. And it shall be on the forehead of Aaron, for Aaron shall blot out the sins concerning holy things, whatsoever things the children of Israel shall sanctify, to every offering of holy things that they do. I do not see how "the holiness of the Lord" can be engraved on a sheet, unless it is done through letters. Some say they were four Hebrew letters, which, it is believed, formed and still form the ineffable name of God, which the Greeks call tetragrámmaton. But whatever those letters may be or whatever they may be, as I said, I would be inclined to think that only the sanctity or sanctification of the Lord could have been formed with golden letters if the Greek word agiasma is to be translated. The text says that the priest clears the sins related to holy things: whatever the children of Israel will sanctify, every offering of the holy things they do. I believe that it refers to the sacrifices they offer for their sins. We should not think that it refers to holy men, but to holy things, because the things that are offered for sins are holy. Speaking of the picture, he added these words: For Aaron will blot out the sins concerning the holy things, whatever the children of Israel will sanctify, every offering of the holy things that they do. This means that the priest will carry everything they offer for their sins. And these things are called holy, because they are sanctified, and they are called sins, because they are offered for sins, as the Scripture clearly remembers in many places. He then says: And it will be on the forehead of Aaron always as a thing favorable to them in the presence of the Lord. This refers to that plate that is considered ornament of the forehead, trust in a holy life that only the priest who leads that life truly and perfectly, not in a symbolic way, but in reality, only he can erase the sins, without having need to offer sacrifices for their own. 121 (Exodus 28.37). When the Scripture speaks of Aaron and the sons of Aaron and commands Moses how they should dress and anoint, what does it mean by saying: And will you fill their hands to exercise my priesthood? Is it perhaps the offerings you have to present to God? 122 (Exodus 28.38). And you will make them linen breeches to cover the nakedness of their color, which will reach them from the waist to the thighs. Since such a large dress covers the whole body, what do the words mean: You will make them linen breeches to cover the nakedness of their color, as if that nakedness could appear wearing such a large dress? I see no other reason but that the author wanted there to be a sign of chastity or continence here. And the dress indicates precisely that this virtue should not be understood as possessed by oneself, but granted by God. 123 (Exodus 29.8.9). Speaking of the sons of Aaron, the Scripture says: And you shall clothe them with tunics and gird them with sashes and surround them with "cidaras." It is not known what the cidarim or cidaras script calls, because the latin translators have not translated that word and it is not currently used. I think that it is not something to cover the head, as some have said, because in that case it would not say: You will surround them. It should be something that was used for the body, not for the head. 124 (Exodus 29.9). And they will possess my priesthood forever. We have already said many times before why it is said forever (in sempiternum) about these significant things. This priesthood was actually changed, so that they would have it forever according to the order of Melchizedek, not according to Aaron's. For there is an oath, without any repentance from God, that indicates the change. The Lord swore and did not repent; you are, he says, an eternal priest according to the order of Melchizedek (Sal 109,4). From the order of Aaron it is said that it will be forever (in sempiternum) either because the time of its validity was not limited or because it meant eternal things. But nowhere has it been said of the priesthood of Aaron that the Lord swore and would not have repented. And for that reason, in that priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek it was said: He will not repent. With this he indicates that he repented concerning Aaron's priesthood, that is, that he changed it. 125 (Exodus 29.9). What does it mean: And consecrate the hands of Aaron and the hands of his sons? Does the power perhaps mean by the hands in such a way that they too could consecrate something, but indicating that their own power was consecrated with the sanctification with which they were to be sanctified by Moses according to the divine mandate? — QUESTIONS ON EXODUS, Q. 119 (tr. J. Litteral, draft)