The High Priest’s Atoning Death

According to the Torah, if a person accidentally, unintentionally kills another s/he is allowed to flee from the avenger of blood to a designated place called a city of refuge. The individual is to remain there until the death of the high priest, since his death absolves the person from any responsibility and prevents the avenger of blood from killing him/her:

“But if he pushed him suddenly without enmity or threw something at him without lying in wait, or with any stone—by which one might die, yet without seeing—and it fell upon him, and he died, but he was not his enemy nor seeking his injury, then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the blood avenger according to these legal judgments. And the congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the blood avenger, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he fled; and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. But if the manslayer at any time goes beyond the border of his city of refuge to which he may flee, and the blood avenger finds him outside the border of his city of refuge, and the blood avenger kills the manslayer, he will not be guilty of blood because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest the manslayer shall return to the land of his possession.” Numbers 35:22-28

Jewish tradition states that the reason why the high priest’s death releases the involuntary man-slayer is because it serves as an atonement for that unintentional sin: 

death of the high priest The term kohen gadol, "High Priest," is found in Leviticus 21:10 and Joshua 20:6 (also 2 Kings 2:11; 22:4; Hag. 1:1, 12; Zech. 3:1; Neh. 3:1). As the High Priest atones for Israel's sins through his cultic service in his lifetime (Exod. 28:36; Lev. 16:16, 21), so he atones for homicide through his death. Since the blood of the slain, although spilled accidently, cannot be avenged through the death of the slayer, it is ransomed through the death of the High Priest, which releases homicides from cities of refuge. That is not the exile of the manslayer but the death of the high Priest that expiates his crime is confirmed by the Mishnah: "If, after the slayer has been sentenced as an accidental homicide, the High Priest dies, he need not go into exile."³⁵ The Talmud, in turn, comments thereon: "But is it not the exile that expiates? It is not the exile that expiates, but the death of the High Priest."³⁶ For details see Excursus 76. (Jacob Milgrom, The JPS Torah Commentary: Numbers (English and Hebrew Edition) (JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY, 2003), p. 294; emphasis mine) 

2. Involuntary homicide. Since involuntary homicide also results in bloodguilt, the manslayer may be slain with impunity by the go'el (Num. 35:26-27; Deut. 19:4-10). However, as the act was unintentional, the natural death of the High Priest is allowed to substitute for the death of the manslayer (Numb. 35:25, 28; Josh. 20:6). In the interim, he is confined to a city of refuge to protect him from the go'el (Num. 35:9-15; Deut. 4:41-43; 19:1-13; Josh. 20:1-9). The deliberate homicide is deliberately put to death; the involuntary homicide who took life by chance must await the chance of the High Priest's death in order to be released from the asylum city.¹ In the interim the refuge offered by the city is a form of exile. The homicide, uprooted from his family, home, and livelihood, is thereby punished for his crime, with full expiation available to him only upon the death of the High Priest. Until then he remains under the sentence of death, as is demonstrated by the contingency that if he leaves the city of refuge the go'el may kill him with impunity. No wonder that, according to the Mishnah, the mother of a High Priest would personally supply food and clothing to the residents of the cities of refuge so that they should not pray for the death of her son (Mish. Mak. 2:6). In any event, there must be responsibility for murder. If the slayer is unknown, the community nearest the corpse must disavow complicity and, by means of a ritual, symbolically wash away the blood of the slain (Deut. 21:1-9).  (Ibid., p. 510; emphasis mine)

Here are the rabbinic traditions mentioned by Milgrom:

גְּמָ׳ מַאי טַעְמָא? אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: קַל וָחוֹמֶר, וּמָה מִי שֶׁגָּלָה כְּבָר – יָצָא עַכְשָׁיו, מִי שֶׁלֹּא גָּלָה – אֵינוֹ דִּין שֶׁלֹּא יִגְלֶה? וְדִלְמָא: הַאי דִּגְלָה אִיכַּפַּר לֵיהּ, הַאי דְּלָא גְּלָה לָא! מִידֵּי גָּלוּת קָא מְכַפְּרָא? מִיתַת כֹּהֵן הוּא דִּמְכַפְּרָא! 

GEMARA: The mishna teaches: If after the unintentional murderer’s verdict was decided and he was sentenced to exile, the High Priest died, the unintentional murderer is not exiled. The Gemara asks: What is the reason for this? Abaye says: It is derived through an a fortiori inference: If one who was already exiled now emerges with the death of this High Priest, with regard to one who was not yet exiled, is it not right that he should not be exiled? The Gemara rejects this reasoning: And perhaps with regard to this one, who was already exiled, his sin was atoned for by his exile, and therefore the death of the High Priest facilitates his return, but that one, who was not yet exiled, no, his sin was not atoned for and the death of the High Priest should not prevent his exile. The Gemara rebuts: Is it his exile that atones for his sin? It is the death of the High Priest that atones for his sin, and the High Priest died. (Makkot 11b, The William Davidson Talmud (Koren - Steinsaltz); emphasis mine)

רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, בַּתְּחִלָּה, אֶחָד שׁוֹגֵג וְאֶחָד מֵזִיד מַקְדִּימִין לְעָרֵי מִקְלָט, וּבֵית דִּין שׁוֹלְחִין וּמְבִיאִין אוֹתוֹ מִשָּׁם. מִי שֶׁנִּתְחַיֵּב מִיתָה בְּבֵית דִּין, הֲרָגוּהוּ. וְשֶׁלֹּא נִתְחַיֵּב מִיתָה, פְּטָרוּהוּ. מִי שֶׁנִּתְחַיֵּב גָּלוּת, מַחֲזִירִין אוֹתוֹ לִמְקוֹמוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר לה) וְהֵשִׁיבוּ אֹתוֹ הָעֵדָה אֶל עִיר מִקְלָטוֹ וְגוֹ'. אֶחָד מָשׁוּחַ בְּשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה וְאֶחָד הַמְרֻבֶּה בִבְגָדִים וְאֶחָד שֶׁעָבַר מִמְּשִׁיחָתוֹ, מַחֲזִירִין אֶת הָרוֹצֵחַ. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, אַף מְשׁוּחַ מִלְחָמָה מַחֲזִיר אֶת הָרוֹצֵחַ. לְפִיכָךְ אִמּוֹתֵיהֶן שֶׁל כֹּהֲנִים מְסַפְּקוֹת לָהֶן מִחְיָה וּכְסוּת, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִתְפַּלְּלוּ עַל בְּנֵיהֶם שֶׁיָּמוּתוּ. מִשֶּׁנִּגְמַר דִּינוֹ מֵת כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, הֲרֵי זֶה אֵינוֹ גוֹלֶה. אִם עַד שֶׁלֹּא נִגְמַר דִּינוֹ מֵת כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל וּמִנּוּ אַחֵר תַּחְתָּיו, וּלְאַחַר מִכֵּן נִגְמַר דִּינוֹ, חוֹזֵר בְּמִיתָתוֹ שֶׁל שֵׁנִי:  

Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda says: Initially, either one who killed another unintentionally or one who killed another intentionally would hurry and flee to the cities of refuge, and the court in his city would send for him and would bring him from there to stand trial. For one who was found liable to receive the death penalty in court for intentional murder, the court would execute him, and for one who was not found liable to receive the death penalty, e.g., if they deemed that the death occurred due to circumstances beyond his control, they would free him. For one who was found liable to be exiled, the court would restore him to his place in the city of refuge, as it is stated: “And the congregation shall judge between the murderer and the blood redeemer…and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, that he fled there” (Numbers 35:24–25), indicating that he had been in a city of refuge before his trial. The Torah states that an unintentional murderer is required to remain in the city of refuge to which he fled until the death of the High Priest. The mishna elaborates: With regard to High Priests, who were appointed in several different manners, one anointed with the anointing oil, which was the method through which High Priests were consecrated until the oil was sequestered toward the end of the First Temple period; and one consecrated by donning multiple garments, the eight vestments unique to the High Priest, which was the practice during the Second Temple period; and one who received a temporary appointment due to the unfitness of the serving High Priest, who departed from his anointment with the restoration of the serving High Priest to active service, their deaths facilitate the return of the murderer from the city of refuge to his home. Rabbi Yehuda says: Even the death of a priest anointed for war to address the soldiers (see Deuteronomy 20:1–7) facilitates the return of the murderer. The mishna continues: Therefore, the mothers of High Priests would provide those exiled to cities of refuge with sustenance and garments so that they would not pray that their sons would die. The more comfortable their lives in the city of refuge, the less urgency they would feel to leave, and the less likely it would be that they would pray for the death of the High Priests. If, after the unintentional murderer’s verdict was decided and he was sentenced to exile, the High Priest died, he is not exiled, as the death of the High Priest exempts him from exile. If it was before his verdict was decided that the High Priest died and they appointed another in his place, and thereafter his verdict was decided, he returns from exile with the death of the second High Priest. (Mishnah Makkot 2:6, Koren - Steinsaltz)

These traditions again confirm that the New Testament teaching concerning Christ’s vicarious death is just thoroughly Jewish and is anchored in the inspired message of the Hebrew Bible.

Christ is our High Priest whose death releases us from the penalty of our sins, provided that repent and turn to him in loving faithfulness. The difference is that the death of our risen Lord cleanses us from all our sins, both intentional and unintentional ones:

“Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, He had to be made like His brothers in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to help those who are tempted.” Hebrews 2:14-18

“Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession—Jesus,” Hebrews 3:1

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us take hold of our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things like we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16

“And the former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, who has been made perfect forever.” Hebrews 7:23-28

“Now the main point in what is being said is this: we have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the holy places and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.” Hebrews 8:1-2

“And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter holy places made with hands, mere copies of the true ones, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy places year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” Hebrews 9:22-28

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh,” Hebrews 10:19-20

All scriptural citations taken from the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB).

Further Reading

Judaism on the Atoning Death of the Righteous

Can Human Death Atone for Sins?