The breastplate and clothing of the High Priest (image from the Temple Institute)
The next portion of the High Priest clothing that I have completed is the breastplate. The Bible teaches that the breastplate was to be made of a similar fabric as the ephod, being made of purple, blue and red wool with white linen and gold threads (see Exodus 28:15). It is one of the few pieces of clothing that actually has a dimension, "Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof" (Exodus 28:16). A span is about 9" long, so it was about 9" square doubled over (so actually 9" x 18" folded in half to make 9" x 9"). The folded portion created a pocket where the urim and thummim could be stored (more pictures to follow).
Looming the breastplate fabric
The end of the fabric just before I cut it off the loom
Closeup of the fabric showing the purple, red, blue, white and gold thread
The 9" x 18" piece of fabric before finishing and tying off the ends
The breastplate fabric folded in half with the un-set 12 stones
The Bible teaches that the breastplate was to be attached by two chains (at the top) which were hooked to two straps that ran down the back, and two blue ties, which were tied to the ephod. The chains were to be of "wreathen work" or braided, and attached to golden rings (see Exodus 28:22-25).
Gold chains of "wreathen work" or braided
The bottom of the breastplate was attached by tieing the blue straps to the ephod. This was so that the breastplate would not swing up or out while the high priest was working. This blue strap was to be the same color as the blue strap of the crown. (See Exodus 28:26-29).
Fish-eye view of our Triclinium Passover (one triclinium table and two round tables not shown)
Below are a few pictures from my second Triclinium Passover dinner this year. This was by far the largest I have hosted, having around 150 people in attendance. It was actually the first where most of my family was able to attend (which was fun). A special thanks to a good friend of mine who took the photos (he has a great blog with some amazing photos about what it would be like to live in a world with zero gravity). Hope you enjoy!
Giving instructions to everyone on how to fill the food baskets
Giving the final touch to the food baskets
Endless baskets of food
Various meat dishes (lamb, chicken and beef) for the Passover dinner
Various dishes, including entire fish, lentils and hummus
Cheese and hummus bowls and a biblical dip
Instructing the 'servants' on how to serve the guests
Triclinium table and an oil lamp
Servants placing the food baskets out on the tables
Sometime, well into the night of Thursday of Holy Week, the Savior was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, brought in chains down through the Kidrom Valley, and then up to the upper city to the home of the high priest. The time is not recorded, but it is most likely sometime between 2-4 AM in the morning. At this point Jesus has been awake for at least 20 hours, and will not sleep again. To this point He has prepared for the Passover, had his Last Supper with his disciples, suffered in Gethsemane, and then has been arrested by an angry mob. To say He is exahausted is putting it mildly.
The scene of Jesus before the high priest and the Sanhedrin is a vivid image. Here the true High Priest (Jesus) stands before the earthly established high priest Caiaphas. This same High Priest was in charge of all temple activity, in particular to this week of Passover was the choosing and judging of the lambs to be slaughtered for the Passover Feast. Each lamb had to be brought to the priest (which was overseen by the high priest Caiaphas) to be inspected so as to ensure that the lamb was "without blemish." How ironic that the True Lamb of God, who would be slain for the sins of the world, was now being judged by this same high priest, who for days now has been judging to determine if literally thousands of lambs were without blemish.
Now before Caiaphas stood the True Lamb, who prior to being scarified, was subject to that same law that prescribed the election of lambs for Passover. Yet, though He was truly the "unspotted lamb," He was judged as being spotted. Though He was the very One who gave the Law of Moses, He was now subject to His own law under the hands of wicked men.
What great self-control Jesus showed. Here was true humility. He who was the Creator of mankind, now was mocked, spat upon, and buffeted by His very creations. Yet the scriptures state that He held His peace. When most men would revile against false accusations, Jesus held back. He knew that this was required so that we might be freed from spiritual bondage. For our sakes He was bruised and scorned.
How grateful I am that during all of these false accusations, Jesus did not think of Himself, but of us. How grateful I am that He went through what He did so that I might have life eternal. How grateful I am for the True Lamb of God, who on this night was judged of man as spotted, though He was perfectly unspotted in every way.
Though it is impossible to know for sure how the Last Supper took place, it seems that likely the setting was at a Triclinium table. Each year I host a dinner to help guests better understand the Last Supper, with the hope that they can better appreciate this most significant event. Below are some pictures for a Triclinium Passover dinner I held last month.
After nearly 10 months of work (off and on), I have finally finished the ephod (the apron-like part) and girdle (or waistband) of the high priest. This was one of the most challenging aspects of the priestly clothing because of the unique aspect of the fabric. According to the Bible, the cloth was to be made of red, purple, blue, white, and gold threads (see Exodus 28:6-8). Needless to say, you don't just walk into Jo-Ann Fabrics and ask for Jewish High Priest cloth! Below are a few pictures of the various parts of the project.
Loomed fabric for the high priest ephod
Closeup of the loomed fabric of the ephod
The belt tassels and ephod of the high priest
High priest belt (or girdle) which is sewn to the ephod
Along the bottom hem of the Jewish high priest's blue robe was a row of pomegranates and bells (see Exodus 28:33-35 and Exodus 39:24-26). The pomegranates were to be made of purple, blue and scarlet wool (similar to the ephod and breastplate, except without the thread of gold). Though the Bible does not tell us how many bells or pomegranates were to be included, Jewish tradition states that there were to be 36, 70, or 72 pomegranates in total (Temple Institute). As I was more interested in the look (and as the Bible does not actually prescribe the number), I included 17 pomegranates and 17 bells.
The pomegranate is a symbol of the promised land,as it was one of the fruits brought back by the spies when they entered Canaan (see Numbers 13:23). It is also a symbol of posterity or prosperity, as there are literally hundreds of seeds in each fruit. The pomegranate is also a symbol of royalty and the temple,as the fruit has a small crown on the top, and as the design was used on the pillars of Solomon's temple (see 1 Kings 7:18-20).
Thus, as the high priest walked around, he carried on him the signs of the promised land, great posterity, royalty, and temple blessings. All blessings promised to those who truly understood and apply in their lives the sacrifice of the Great High Priest, even Jesus Christ.
The Jewish high priest wore a golden crown with the words "Holiness to the Lord" engraven upon it (see Exodus 28:36-38). The crown was not like a traditional royal crown (going all the way around the head and covering the top) but instead was a small plate that was held on by two blue straps tied in the back. According to Jewish tradition, the crown was two fingerbreadths wide and went from ear to ear (Temple Institute).
The Bible states, "It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall bear any guilt from the holy things that the people of Israel consecrate as their holy gifts. It shall regularly be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD." (Exodus 28:38 ESV).
From this verse it seems to indicate that the crown made the high priest holy, or "set apart" so that he could bear the guilt of the people upon himself. Aaron (and the later high priests) were all sinful (as Christ is the only sinless man ever to live), thus the crown only seems to symbolize that it is through a holy life that one can approach God. Because the high priest was considered "holy" he hallowed, or made holy, the gifts (sacrifices) brought forth by the children of Israel.
From the Bible we learn that Jesus Christ is the true "great High Priest" (see Hebrews 4:14). Just as the high priest went before the Lord to intercede before God, so Jesus the Messiah goes before God and intercedes on our behalf. Jesus was of royal blood (of the lineage of King David), thus the crown represents the royal lineage of Christ as the true King of kings. The words "holiness to the Lord" represent the life the Savior lived. Because of his sinless life, he makes our gifts (or our sacrifices that we bring to the altar of God) become holy, or acceptable to God.
Engraving the Hebrew letters on the back of the crown
The crown of the Jewish high priest
Wearing the crown of the Jewish high priest
The crown with the words, "Holiness to the Lord"
The back with the blue ribbons tied, holding the crown on the head
Breeches of the high priest from Vestitus Sacerdotum Hebraeorum
The first piece of clothing of the Jewish high priest outfit that I have finished is the undergarments, pants, or breeches. We learn about the pants in Exodus 28:42, which reads: "And thou shalt make them [the priests] linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach."
According to the Talmud, the pants are described as the following: "We were taught: To what can the priests' pants be likened? To the knee breeches (riding pants) worn by horsemen; wide from the hips to the thighs, tied with a lace, and without an opening-neither in back nor in front" (as quoted on the Temple Institute website).
Below are a few pictures of the pants or breeches I completed:
