It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
6. Let the Psalm tell us what they are like. "As the ointment on the head, which descended to the beard, to Aaron's beard, which descended to the fringe of his garment" (ver. 2). What was Aaron? A priest. Who is a priest, except that one Priest, who entered into the Holy of Holies? Who is that priest, save Him, who was at once Victim and Priest? save Him who when he found nothing clean in the world to offer, offered Himself? The ointment is on his head, because Christ is one whole with the Church, but the ointment comes from the head. Our Head is Christ crucified and buried; He rose again, and ascended into heaven; and the Holy Spirit came from the head. Whither? To the beard. The beard signifies the courageous; the beard distinguishes the grown men, the earnest, the active, the vigorous. So that when we describe such, we say, he is a bearded man. Thus that ointment descended first upon the Apostles, descended upon those who bore the first assaults of the world, and therefore the Holy ...
Precious. Is expressed in Hebrew. The name of Aaron would sufficiently denote that it was of this nature. (Berthier) See Exodus xxx. 23.
Moses poured it on his head, with such profusion that it ran upon all his beard, and even be the skirt, or neck, as the Septuagint insinuate, though the Hebrew means "the mouth "or orifice, through which the head entered, (Calmet) as the robes resembled our sacred vestments. (Haydock)
The union of priests is no less sweet. (Calmet)
Of this we need no other proof than to behold the advantages of concord in every community, and especially in the Church of God. The unction of Aaron denoted grace and unity descending from the head of the Church, to the other priests, and to the meanest of the faithful; (Worthington) or that which Hebrew, "of Hermon descending on the mountains of Sion "Tsiyon. (Haydock)
There is a hill written Ssiyon at the foot of Hermon, Exodus iv. 48., and Ecclesiasticus xxiv. 17. It is not probable that dew should flow 50 leagues a...
