16:23 'put off' 'put on' also see Leviticus 6:11 This marks the change that should take place in our lives consequent on appreciating the requirements of the gospel. Romans 13:12 Ephesians 4:22 - 24 Colossians 3:9 - 10
The details of the day of atonement form a powerful pattern of the appointing of Jesus as priest and the effect of his sacrifice.

16:6 sin offering for himself Hebrews 5:2
16:11 for himself Hebrews 7:27
16:11 an atonement for himself Hebrews 9:7
16:12 censer Hebrews 9:4
16:14 blood of the bullock Hebrews 9:13
16:15 for the people Hebrews 5:3
16:15 within the vail Hebrews 6:19
16:15 sprinkle Hebrews 9:7
16:22 bear all their iniquities Hebrews 9:28 Isaiah 53:11
16:24 atonement for the people Hebrews 2:17
16:27 [details used] Hebrews 13:11
16:31 sabbath of rest Hebrews 4:9
16:34 once a year Hebrews 10:1

That the sacrifice was offered every year contrasts with the offering of Jesus once. The live goat bearing their iniquities patterns Jesus as shown in Isaiah 53:11. The 'sabbath of rest' speaks of the millennium and the reign of Jesus - see Hebrews 4:9 and the context in Hebrews. The 'rest' that remains for the servants of God is not a ceasing from labour but a keeping of the sabbath which Israel did not attain to.

The Day of Atonement sets the pattern for the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus.  However, we should note both the similarities and differences between Aaron and Christ in the role of High Priest.

Aaron could not approach Yahweh at all times (v.2).  Christ is constantly in the presence of His father (Heb 12:2, 1Pet 3:22)

Aaron had to wash and put on acceptable garments which covered his (sin in the) flesh before he could commune with Yahweh (v.4).  Christ does not need layers of garments because he has no (sin in the) flesh that separates Him from His father (1Cor 1:29).

Aaron offered a sacrifice for himself as well as his house (v.6).  Christ did likewise.  Although He was a sinless man, He was, nevertheless, of the corruptible seed of Adam.  He overcame all sin when He nailed His flesh to the cross. He did this both for Himself and for His house (ecclesia) (John 16:33).
 
The scapegoat (Heb. azazel) (v.10,21,22) illustrates both the taking away of sin and the need to keep separate from sin.  We can be forgiven our sins, but sin has a tendency to wander back into our camp.  We must be diligent not to allow it to creep back in but shoo it away.

V.4 Aaron was to make atonement for his own sins, as well as for those of the people, he was to appear in the humble character of a suppliant. That plain dress was more in harmony with a season of humiliation, than the robes of glory and beauty. It showed that when all appeared, the highest and lowest were then on a level, and that there is no distinction of persons with God. Acts 10:34

16:2      ‘Come not at all times’ is a consequence of Nadab and Abihu’s behaviour recorded in Lev 10. Israel by her repeated sinfulness separated herself more and more from God.  The golden calf incident – Exo 32 – was an earlier action which separated Israel from God.

V.9 On the release of the scapegoat, the high priest prepared for the important parts of the service that remained; for the performance of these he laid aside his plain linen clothes, and, having bathed himself in water, he assumed his holy attire. Thus attired, he was to present the burnt offerings which were prescribed for himself and the people, consisting of the two rams which had been brought with the sin offerings. The fat was ordered to be burnt upon the alter; the rest of the carcasses to be given to the attendants to be burnt without the camp, in conformity with the law for the sin offerings (Lev 4:8-12; , Lev 8:14-17)

16:29-30 Notice the association of ‘do no work at all’ and ‘the priest shall make an atonement for you’. The work was all ‘of God’ the congregation had no part in it, nor were even allowed to work. Thus the people were to learn that redemption was ‘of God’.

16:34    Notice the ‘once a year’ which is the detail picked up in Heb 10:1 which, in itself, highlights that the law of Moses could not bring everlasting salvation. In fact the Jew who felt the need to offer this sacrifice annually was highlighting that the law of Moses was lacking in that it could not bring eternal salvation.

16:14 When the record says that the blood should be sprinkled ‘eastward’ we should realise that if the priest is facing east he must have been standing behind the ark of the covenant.

Lev 16:7-10 - the one goat would be sacrificed while the other goat, the scapegoat, would be freed to the wilderness. These two goats perhaps echo the death and resurrection of Christ. Scapegoat has come to mean a person, often innocent, who is blamed for the sins and crimes of others - Isa 53:4.

Lev 16:26-27 - Christ was taken outside the "camp" - Matt 27:33.

119:4   keeping the precepts ‘diligently’ catches the exhortation of Deut 6:7

119:11The way in which David ‘hid’ the word was not to disguise it. Rather it was to store it securely in his heart (mind). This is how he was able to be so focussed on God’s plan. He knew what God’s will was from knowing Scripture.

119:2 Service to God is not a ‘half hearted’ affair. It must be with all our being.

12:9 It is so hard to believe that God's strength is made perfect in weakness - but we must understand that it is so. It is so because it is only when we appreciate that we are weak and can achieve noting in our own strength are we willing to acknowledge that God is in control. Unless we get to the point that Paul did we will never truly trust that God will always keep His word.

13:5 In calling the Corinthians to 'examine yourselves ' we see that it is possible to evaluate our own spiritual development. We might think that doing this would be a dangerous activity as we might esteem ourselves higher than we ought however we know better than anyone what is going on in our hearts and minds - we manage to hide these things from those around us - Paul is calling for intellectual honesty in the Corinthians - and in us to. Are we up to the challenge?

The vision that Paul had was a glimpse into the future, beyond the kingdom period (12:2-4).  We live in the first heaven (dispensation); the kingdom period is the second; and the time when there will be true God-manifestation (1Cor 15:28) is the third.  This will be a time of great wonder (1Cor 2:9).
Although Paul had a brief view of the future, he was grounded in the present (12:7).  Could his thorn be the false leader who was described yesterday (2Cor 11:14)? (See my note).

2Cor 12:14 In saying 'I seek not yours' Paul is again attacking the accusation that has been made against him that he only wants to collect money for his own benefit.

2Cor 13:4 How was Jesus 'crucified through weakness'? Wherein is the weakness? Surely the weakness was the 'weakness and unprofitableness' of the law to take away sin Heb 7:18

12:1 ‘I will come to …’ is rather like the listing of matters concerning the Corinthians - 1Cor 7:1, 8:1, 12:1, 16:1, 2Cor 9:1,  However Paul’s approach here is as if he does not wish to give the matter the status that the Corinthians wanted to give it.

13:1 So, it seems, that Paul had been hindered in his attempt to go and see the brethren and sisters in Corinth. This raises the question ‘how much effort do we put into visiting when there seem to be obstacles to our visit?’

2Cor 12 is a difficult chapter to understand, but basically it divides into several sections. a) 2Cor 12:1-6 speaks of someone, probably Paul himself (but humility keeps him from claiming this honour), who had wonderful visions of the glory of God and of Christ. It possibly relates to the visions Paul had of Jesus when he visited Arabia (Gal 1:17). b) is 2Cor 12:7-13 where Paul speaks of the illness or problem which God gave him to keep him humble. “The thorn” is a very apt symbol, as it takes us right back to Gen 3:17-19 where the ground was cursed with thorns. Then c) 2Cor 12:14-21 in which Paul expresses his wish to come and visit the Corinthians again. He loves them, and will gladly “spend and be spent” for their benefit.

13:4There were some in Corinth who despised weakness. Greek culture and philosophy had no time for the weak. So Jesus’ sacrifice has no part in Greek culture and philosophy – but it was the ‘wisdom of God’ 1Cor 1:24

12:1-5  Again we return to the glorying of some n Corinth. Paul, whilst speaking of ‘a man in Christ’ is careful to point out that he might glory in another man’s vision he will not glory in his own – clearly a contrast with some in Corinth who, being puffed up -  1Cor 4:18, gloried in themselves.

12:6 Paul continues to reprove those brethren in Corinth who set themselves up as some sort of authority amongst the believers

12:12 Whilst we cannot be sure what the ‘signs of an apostle’ were we know that one of them was the ability to pass on the gift of the holy spirit - Acts 8:18 - so we can conclude that Paul had conferred the gift to believers in Corinth. That was something that the ‘false apostles’ 2Cor 11:13 - could not do.