Exodus 29:26Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Why does the law instruct the priest to receive the right shoulder and breast from every sacrifice made for salvation (Ex. 29:26-28)? The symbolism of the breast signifies that the priest is to lead a life of understanding and contemplation, representing a safeguard for the heart. Meanwhile, the metaphor of the right shoulder signifies the importance of righteous actions, as faith by itself is not adequate for salvation; it is essential to couple it with deeds for true fulfillment.

The portions designated for the priests who performed sacrifices included: 1) For the burnt offering, only the hide was allocated to the priest since the entire sacrifice was consumed by fire (Lev. 7:8; 2:8). 2) In the peace offering, the breast and the right shoulder were given to the priest (Lev. 7:30; 7:31-32). 3) Regarding the sin offering, all the meat belonged to the priests, but it was required to be eaten exclusively within the tabernacle (Lev. 6:26); the book of Leviticus refers to it as ‘the great sanctuary’ (Lev. 7:6; 2:6). During the consecration of Aaron and his sons, the sin sacrifice for the priests was to be incinerated outside the camp; those who had sinned were forbidden to partake of it.