And Aaron shall lay both his hands— See Exodus 29:10 and, for the spiritual meaning of this ceremony, see Leviticus 16:10 of this chapter, and the reflections at the conclusion of it. Most other nations had their piacular sacrifices, to which they first transferred the sins of the public, imprecating upon them all the evils which might have befallen themselves, and then they put the victims to death. Many went so far as to offer human sacrifices to this effect; from a superstitious notion, that the more valuable the matter of the sacrifice was, the more acceptable it was to their gods. Thus we are told, that among the people of Marseilles, in time of a plague, one of their poor was accustomed to offer himself to be maintained for a twelvemonth at the public charge, upon some kind of food which they reckoned more pure and holy than ordinary; after which, being dressed up like a victim, he was led over all the town, amidst curses and solemn imprecations that upon him might fall all the evils of the whole community; and then he was thrown into the sea, or over a precipice. (See Petronius Arbiter, Sat. ad sin.) Justin tells us the same of the Carthaginians; see his 18th book, 6th chap. From Lactantius we learn, that Saturn was honoured in the same impious manner. (Instr. lib. i. c. 21.) And the case was the same in many other nations.* Who can fail discerning in all this a manifest reference to the desire of all nations, the grand piacular sacrifice for the sins of the whole world?
* See Herod. lib. ii. c. 39. and Plutarch de Isid. & Osir. p. 363.
By the hand of a fit man into the wilderness— A fit man signifies, a man who is fitted, ready, or appointed. The rabbins say it was one of the priests. This person was to convey the scape-goat into a land of separation, and there to dismiss him, according to the express letter of the law; Leviticus 16:22 though some say, it was usual to throw the goat down a rock; which, though it might be done in after-times, is in evident contradiction to the letter of this passage. Indeed, if we are to believe the accounts which the rabbins have given us, a multiplicity of ceremonies were added to this institution, for which there is no authority in the law: and, on that account, they claim not the attention of a commentator.