(A. A. Bonar.).

I. THE PEACE-OFFERING WAS A BLOODY OFFERING. Everything in Christian life, justification and sanctification, the forgiveness of our sins, and the acceptableness of our services, our hopes, and our spiritual festivities, run back into Christ's vicarious sufferings, as their fountain and foundation. This is the centre from which all Christian doctrine, and all Christian experience, radiates, and into which it ultimately resolves itself. Without this, Christianity dwindles down into a cold and powerless morality, with no warming mysteries, no animating sublimities, no melting affections, no transforming potencies. Without this, the soul languishes like a plant excluded from the sunshine, or flourishes only in its own disgrace. If we would have a feast of fat things, the provision must come from the altar of immolation.

II. THE PEACE-OFFERING COMES AFTER THE MEAT-OFFERING. We must present the "fine flour" of our best affections, and the fresh firstfruits of uncorrupted obedience, before we can come to feast upon the rich provisions of the altar. We mast surrender ourselves to God, and give up to Him in a "covenant of salt" before we can taste of the "peace-offering," or be happy in the Lord.

III. The peace-offering was so arranged that the most inward, the most tender, and the most marrowy part of THE SACRIFICE BECAME THE LORD'S PART. The inner fat of the animal, the kidneys, the caul of the liver, and, if a sheep, the great fatty outward appendage, were to be burned on the altar, a sweet savour unto the Lord. God must be remembered in all our joys. Especially when we come to praise and enjoy Him, and to appropriate to our hearts the glad provisions of His mercy, must we come offering to Him the inmost, tenderest, and richest of our soul's attributes. It was thus that Jesus was made a peace-offering for us. And as He devoted every rich thought, every strong emotion, for us, we must now send back the same to Him without stint or tarnish. We may love our friends; but we must love Christ more. We may feel for those united to us in the bonds of domestic life; but we must feel still more for Jesus and His Church. We may be moved with earthly passions; but the profoundest and best of all our emotions must be given to the Lord. The fat, the kidneys, and the most tender and marrowy parts are His.

IV. The peace. offerings were sacrifices of gratitude and PRAISE — a species of joyous, thankful banquetings. When the Jew came to make a peace-offering, it was with his heart moved and his thoughts filled with some distinguished mercy. The true Christian has been the subject of wonderful favours. He has had deliverance wrought for him, to which he may ever refer with joyful recollection. He considers the length, and breadth, and depth, and height of that love which thus interposed for his rescue — the mighty woes which the Lord endured for him — the secure ground upon which he now stands in Christ Jesus — and his soul overflows with tremulous gladness. He is melted, and yet is full of delight. He is solemnly joyous. What to say or do he hardly knows. He weeps, and yet exults while he weeps. The whole thing to him becomes a feast of profoundly solemn joy, in which he would gladly have all the world to participate.

V. But the feasting of the peace-offering was on SACRED FOOD. The people might have feasts at home, and have other banquets; but they were not peace-offerings. And so the Christian may have feasts and viands apart from the sacred food furnished directly from Christ. There is much virtuous enjoyment in this world of a merely secular sort, from none of which does Christianity exclude us. But all these are mere home-feasts on common viands. The food that was eaten in the joyous feast of the peace-offering fell from the altar. It was holy. No defiled person or stranger was allowed to touch it or to partake of it. And so, superadded to the common joys of ordinary life, the Christian has a feast with which the stranger dare not meddle — a feast of fat things, of which the pure only, can taste — a banquet of holy food proceeding directly from the altar at which His sacrifice was made. Let us briefly review some of the faithful Christian's peculiar joys. Let us follow him a little into the sources of his consolation, and see of what sort his feast is.

1. First of all is the great and cheering conviction of his heart that there is a God; that the universe is not an orphan, but has a righteous, almighty, and loving Father, who sees all, and provides for all, and takes care of all.

2. The next is the joyous light that shines upon him from God's revelation, relieving his native perplexities, comforting his heart, filling him with pleasant wisdom, and kindling radiance along all his path. Here the riddle of life is explained to him, his duty made plain, and his conscience put to rest.

3. Along with these are the gifts and graces of a present redemption.

4. And beyond all present experiences, he is authorised to look forward to still higher and greater things in the future,

(J. A. Seiss, D. D.)

II. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM AND OTHER SACRIFICES.

1. Generally they were thus distinguished from other sacrifices, which are afterward prescribed (Leviticus 4:5), because these were voluntary, the other necessary and commanded; and the peace-offerings were never offered alone, but always joined with other sacrifices, showing that the godly should begin always with giving of thanks.

2. Herein it also differs from the holocaust, which might be of birds; but so were not the peace-offerings, because they were to be divided; so could not the holocaust of birds (Leviticus 1:17).

3. The holocausts, which were of beasts, were only of the males, but the peace-offerings might be either males or females, because this kind of sacrifice was not so perfect as the other.

III. WHY THE PEACE-OFFERINGS WERE CONFINED TO THESE THREE KINDS — OXEN, SHEEP, GOATS.

1. All these were a figure of Christ, who indeed was that Peace-offering whereby God is reconciled to us: the ox resembled His fortitude; the sheep His innocence; the goat, because He took our flesh, like unto sinful flesh.

2. Some apply them to the divers qualities of the offerers: the ox signifying the workers and keepers of the law; the sheep, the simple; the goats, the penitent.

3. But the true reason why these beasts are prescribed only for peace-offerings, not turtledoves or pigeons, as in the burnt-offerings, is because they could not rightly declare their gratitude to God in giving things of no value.

IV. WHAT BLEMISHES AND OTHER IMPEDIMENTS WERE TO BE AVOIDED. The impediments which made the beasts unfit for sacrifice were either general in respect of the kind, or particular in regard of the thing offered.

1. For the kind. Some were both unlawful for meat and sacrifice (chap. Leviticus 11:3), others for sacrifice but not for meat (Deuteronomy 14:4).

2. The particular impediments were either intrinsical in the things themselves, or extrinsical without.(1) The inward defects were such as made them altogether unfit for any kind of sacrifice, as if they were blind, broken, scabbed, &c.(2) The external impediments were such as came by touching any unclean thing.

V. WHY THE FAT, AS OF THE BELLY, KIDNEYS, AND LIVER, WAS SET APART FOR SACRIFICE.

1. Generally hereby is signified that all our carnal desires are to be mortified by the fire of the Spirit.

2. More particularly by the fat which covereth the inward parts where the heart is, the seat of anger is insinuated, that we should temper our wrath; and by the kidneys and reins, wherein is the strength of lust, carnal concupiscence; and by the liver the fountain of heat, the gluttonous desire, may be understood all which must be sacrificed unto God. Hereunto the signification of the Hebrew word here used agreeth; for chelaioth, the kidneys, is derived of Calah, desire.

3. And further, because the fat is of its own nature, without sense, and so signifieth the hardness of the heart, which is the cause of unbelief: hereby they were admonished to remove and take away all hardness of heart.

VI. WHETHER IT WERE REQUIRED GENERALLY IN ALL SACRIFICES THAT BLOOD SHOULD BE SPRINKLED ON THE ALTAR. AS there was difference in the end, use, and manner of sacrifices, for some were only for the honour of God, as the burnt-offerings; some for the benefit of the offerer, either for obtaining of some benefit, or giving thanks for some benefit received, as the peace-offerings, or for expiation of sin, so there was difference in the sprinkling and offering of the blood; yet because in all sacrifices there was some relation unto the expiation of some sin, there was an oblation of blood in all sacrifices, &c.; and so the apostle saith that in the "law without effusion of blood, there was no remission," whereof this reason is given because the life is in the blood, and therefore the Lord gave the blood for the expiation of their souls (Leviticus 17:11), that whereas they themselves had deserved to die for their sins.

VII. OF THE MANNER AND ORDER OF THE PEACE-OFFERINGS.

1. The priest killed the beast, sprinkled the blood, flayed it, and took out the inwards.

2. Then he cut the flesh in pieces, and separated the breast and right shoulders with the inwards, and put them into the owner's hands.

3. Then the priest put his hands under the owner's, and waved all before the Lord; if many Joined in one oblation, one waved for all, the women waved not, but the priest, unless in the offering of jealousy (Numbers 5.), and of a Nazarite (Numbers 6:4). After he salted the inwards, and laid them on the altar, and the priest had the breast and right shoulder, the owner the rest; but the priest was not to have his part until the Lord were first served and the inwards burnt.

VIII. WHAT BECAME OF THE REMAINDER OF THE PEACE-OFFERINGS WHICH WAS NOT BURNT ON THE ALTAR. Though it be not here expressed, yet it may be gathered out of other places that the priests had part, and the offerer that brought it had his portion also, so then some sacrifices there were of the which nothing remained, as the burnt-offerings.

1. In some other, the part which remained was to be eaten only among the males of the children of Aaron; and they were the sin-offerings (Leviticus 6:18).

2. But the heave-offerings and shake-offerings, as the shoulder and breast, were lawful to be eaten, not only by the males and sons of the priests, but by their daughters also (Numbers 18:17).

3. But in the peace-offerings there was greater liberty, for of them they which brought the offering might eat (Proverbs 7:14).

(A. Willet, D. D.)

II. MALE OR FEMALE (Leviticus 3:1, 6) were permitted in peace-offering, not male only, as in burnt-offering, which, pertaining to God alone, must be what was esteemed the highest order of offering; while in peace-offering man had a large portion, and this may account for the distinction. Some think the alternative of "male or female" indicates greater or less appreciation, estimation, or enjoyment of Christ by the worshipper; female perhaps implying deeper love, male stronger devotion. Others take it as showing how God, in His grace and love, would give every facility for approaching Him in and through Christ. And again, as the laying on of offerer's hand (vers. 2, 8, 13) tells of identification of offerer and offering, the thoughts are led to Galatians 3:28, where we read, "There is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Jesus Christ." Under the Levitical dispensation the "males" only were to go up at stated periods to worship (Exodus 23:17; Exodus 34:23); but the mention of "male or female" in the type before us seems to point onward to this dispensation, in which such distinction no longer exists; for each one, whether "male or female," who is "justified by faith," has "peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1).

III. THE BLOOD SPRINKLED by Aaron's sons, the priests (vers. 2, 8, 13), tells of the worshipper approaching God on the ground of reconciliation made (Romans 5:11, mar.). Jesus "made peace..." (Colossians 1:20). God calls His people to peace (1 Corinthians 7:15). He fills with (Romans 15:13), and keeps in "perfect peace" the trusting one (Isaiah 26:30). Jesus gives peace (John 14:27), for He "gave Himself" (Titus 2:14); and if we have Christ as "our life" (Colossians 3:4), "He is our Peace" (Ephesians 2:14) likewise; and dwelling in us by His Spirit, peace is "the fruit" (Galatians 5:22).

IV. THE LORD'S PORTION is — not the whole, as in burnt-offering, but — the choicest parts. "The fat" with portions of inwards (Leviticus 3:3-5, 9-11, 14-16), representing the rich excellences or preciousness of the Lord Jesus (see Psalm 37:20, mar., same word as Isaiah 43:4), His truth, purity, wisdom, &c. (Psalm 51:6; John 14:6; Job 38:36; 1 Corinthians 1:24). This was typified by the burning on the altar, called "the food of the offering made..." (Leviticus 3:5, 11, 16). The burnt-offering was "continual" (Exodus 29:42; Numbers 28:6); and the peace-offering being burnt upon it tells of virtue of former, possessed by latter. The meat-offering also was offered with peace-offering, the three sweet-savour offerings together, to the full satisfaction of the Father; and giving solid ground for —

V. COMMUNION OR FELLOWSHIP, to which God calls those who are "accepted in the Beloved" (1 Corinthians 1:9; Ephesians 1:6). Fellowship signifies partnership, companionship; and what treasures and blessings does this ensure (Isaiah 45:3; Colossians 2:3), as portrayed by the portions assigned to priest and offerer, graciously permitted to partake of what delights the Father's heart! This is the striking feature of peace-offering. "Breast" waved may tell of "risen with Christ" (Colossians 3:1); "shoulder" heaved, that He, who is the strength of our life (Psalm 27:1), is on high; breast representing affection, and shoulder strength of Him whose love is strong ... which many waters cannot quench" (Song of Solomon 8:6); for He is"everlasting Strength" (Isaiah 26:4). "Upon His heart" and "shoulders" Jesus bears His people (as typified in high priest's dress, Exodus 28:12, 29), now, "in the presence of God" (Hebrews 9:24), while they feast in His banqueting house under His banner "love" (Song of Solomon 2:4), and are "strengthened with might by..." (Ephesians 3:16).

VI. UNLEAVENED CAKES — offered with peace-offering when for a thanksgiving (Leviticus 7:12) — tell of holy life of Jesus as inseparably connected with His death, for had He not magnified "the law and..." (Isaiah 42:21), He could not have atoned for the sins of those who had broken it. They tell also of "holiness" needed in offerer (Hebrews 12:14), and for such holiness and "fellowship" there must be abiding and walking "in the light" (John 15:4, 6; 1 John 1:6, 7; 1 John 2:6). This is further seen in what is said of —

VII. LEAVEN AND UNCLEANNESS (chap. Leviticus 7:13, 20, 21). The "leavened bread" offered "besides the cakes" betokens "sin" in the offerer, never wholly eradicated while life lasts. Our best efforts are tainted by sin (Isaiah 64:6), and need the cleansing blood; but though sin is within, it is not to reign or "have dominion" over those "under grace," who, "being justified by faith in the precious blood..." (sprinkled in type by priest, chap. Leviticus 3:13), are reckoned "dead" to sin, and risen with Christ to "newness of life" (Romans 5:1, 9; Romans 6:1, 2, 4-7, 11, 12).

(Lady Beaujolois Dent.)

1. It was a sweet-savour offering; and —

2. The offerer, God, and the priest were fed by it.(1) In the peace-offering the offerer feasts, in other words, finds satisfaction, and feeds upon the same offering of which a part has already satisfied God: for a part of the peace-offering, "the fat, the blood, the inwards," before the offerer can touch his part, must have already been consumed on the altar. I fear that there are but too many saints who never realise this aspect of the offering, and therefore never fully experience that satisfaction which the offering has purchased for them. Thank God, the sufficiency of His work does not depend upon our apprehension of it. But our satisfaction depends much on our apprehension. It is because we apprehend so little that we have so little comfort. And our strength particularly depends on our apprehension of that view of Christ which the peace-offering teaches; for strength is sustained by food, and the peace-offering shows man fed by the sacrifice. Yet how little is this view of Christ apprehended! Am I asked the cause? It is because so few really know acceptance.(2) The offerer feasts with God. Man (in Christ) and God find common food. The offering is shared between them. The thought here is not, as in the burnt-offering, merely that God finds satisfaction in the offering. It includes this, but it goes further. It shows communion; for God and man share together.(3) But further, in the sacrifice of peace-offerings, the offerer feasts with the priest. The sacrificing Priest, as I have already observed, is always Christ, viewed in His official character as Mediator. We learn here how the offering, which He offered as man, feeds, that is, satisfies Him, not only as man, but also as Mediator. To understand this we must recollect and apprehend the varied relations in which Christ stands connected with the offering; for He appears for us in many offices, in more than one relation. In connection with the offering alone we see Him, as I have said, in at least three characters. Now, if this simple distinction be apprehended, it will be manifest that there are things true of Christ in one relation which are by no means true of Him in another. For instance, His intercession for us is as Priest. As the Offering, He does not intercede; as Lamb, He dies for us. So again as Priest and Offerer, He is fed; as the Lamb, as the Offering, He is not fed. Now there are offerings in which the priest finds food, but from participating in which the offerer is excluded: some of the sin-offerings are of this latter character, for in them the priest is fed, while the offerer has nothing. The sin-offerings, as we shall see more fully in the sequel, are man satisfying offended justice. They are not man giving something sweet to God, but man receiving from God in iris offering the penalty of sin. These sin-offerings supply food to the priest, that is, Christ as Mediator finds satisfaction in them, but they afford Him no food as man the offerer: as man in them He only confesses sin. The priest, God's official servant, is satisfied, because offended justice is vindicated: but man, who pays the penalty in his offering, finds no satisfaction in the act.(4) But the type takes us further still, and shows us the priest's children also sharing with the offerer in the peace-offering. They, too, as well as the offerer, the priest, and God, find satisfaction in this blessed offering. Our first question here, of course, must be, Who are represented by the priest's children? We have already seen that the Priest is Christ — Christ viewed in His official character as Mediator. His children, that is, His family, are therefore the Church. Just as of old he that really feasted with God in the peace-offering could not do so without sharing with Clod's priests, so now communion with God, if enjoyed at all, must be shared with all in communion with Him. There is no question of choice: it cannot be otherwise; for he that is in communion with God must be in communion also with all whom He communes with.

II. THE DIFFERENT GRADES OR VARIETIES WHICH ARE OBSERVED IN THIS OFFERING. These show us the different measures of intelligence with which this view of Christ's offering may be apprehended. And here, as there are several distinct sharers in the offering — for God, man, and the priest, have each a portion — it may be well to consider each portion separately with its particular differences, since in each portion there are distinct varieties observed.

1. First, then, as to God's part in the peace-offering. In this certain varieties at once present themselves; some of them relating to the value of the offering, others connected with the offerer's purport in the oblation.(1) To speak first of the varieties touching the value of the offering. We have here, just as in the burnt-offering, several different grades. There is the "bullock," "the lamb," "the goat'; and these respectively represent here what they do in the burnt-offering. Each gives us rather a different thought as to the character of Christ's blessed offering.

2. But there are other varieties noticed in the type, as to that part of the peace-offering which was offered to God, which are connected, not with the value of the offering, but with the offerer's purport in bringing the oblation. If we turn to the seventh chapter, where the distinction I refer to is mentioned, it will be seen that the peace-offering might be offered in two ways. It might be offered either as a thanksgiving, that is for praise, or as a vow or voluntary offering, that is for service. If it were seen to be offered "for thanksgiving," many particulars are noticed respecting man's share in it, which are entirely lost sight of and omitted when it is seen to be offered "for a vow." And most of the varieties in the peace-offering (I may say all the varieties touching the priest's and offerer's part in it) depend upon the view which may be taken of the general character of the offering, whether it were offered "for thanksgiving," or whether it were offered "for a vow."(2) The priest's and offerer's part, and the varieties which are observable here. It will be found that the particulars respecting this portion of the peace-offering differ very much according as the offering is apprehended "for praise" or "for service."(a) In the offering "for praise," a meat-offering is offered of which the offerer as well as the priests partake. The purport of the meat-offering is the fulfilment of the second table of the Decalogue; man offering to God as a sweet savour the perfect accomplishment of his duty towards his neighbour. The peculiarity here is that the offerer partakes of this meat-offering — a thing not permitted in the common meat-offering. The common meat-offering shows us the fulfilment of the law, simply with reference to God, to satisfy Him. But that same fulfilment of the law has other aspects, one of which is, that it satisfies the offerer also. This is the truth brought out in the peace-offering, in which the offerer, as well as God, finds satisfaction in the fulfilment of all righteousness. And this satisfaction is not only in the fulfilment of that part of the law which had reference to God, and which was represented by the offering of a life, but in that part also which referred to man, and was represented by the unleavened cakes of the meat-offering. The latter part of this appears to be quite lost sight of, unless the peace-offering is apprehended as offered "for praise."(b) But further, in the offering "for praise" leavened cakes also are seen to be offered with the sacrifice. Those cakes represent the offering of the Church. When Christ's work is seen merely as "the vow," as a matter of service, the Church's offering does not come into sight: but when His offering is seen "for praise," that is for God's glory, the Church is seen united with Him.

3. One cake out of all the oblation is given to the priest who sprinkles the blood, while the remainder, belongs to him who brings the offering. Christ, as Priest, finds food and satisfaction not only in His own blessed and perfect offering: He feeds also on "the leavened cake": the offering of His Church, with all its failings, satisfies Him.

4. The last particular noticed respects the period during which the peace-offering was to be eaten. The time for eating the offering "for praise" was "the same day," or "until the morning": in the "vow-offering" there is a little difference; it might be eaten "the same day and on the morrow," or "until the third day." Now the "morning" and the "third day" are sufficiently common types, and are both constantly used, I believe, to denote the resurrection: but I am not so certain as to the different aspect of the resurrection represented by each of them. I am disposed, however, to think that "the morning" represents the resurrection as the time of Christ's appearing, while the thought connected with "the third day" is simply deliverance from the grave. In either case the main truth remains the same — that the peace-offering is our food until the resurrection: but in the one case we eat as those whose time is short, in the night it may be, but in hope of the morning; in the other the thought of the morning is lost, and instead of it we see days of labour to intervene. I need not say that the first is the higher and happier view.

(A. Jukes.)

2. Do not defer the eating of your peace-offerings. Take heed of a procrastinating spirit.

3. Let all your peace-offerings be seasoned with the new leaven of grace and holiness; get this blessed leaven of the kingdom of God into your hearts.

4. Give God the fat, the strength, the vigour of your spirits, the best of your endeavours; do not leave the worst you have to Him, the very dregs of time at night, when you are all sleepy, for prayer and family duties, when you have spent the strength of your time in your callings.

5. Take heed of accounting the blood of the peace-offering a common thing. But, as the typical blood might not be eaten, but was sacred to the Lord, let the blood of Christ be sacred and precious to you.

6. To you that believe, let Christ be precious. There is a reverential esteem of Him in the hearts of all that are His.

(S. Mather.)

1. God claims His share. All which seems rich and precious is first brought to Him. The holy fire reduces it to dust.

2. Provision is then made for those who ministered. The altar-servant never wants. They who leave all for God have all in God.

3. The offerer then takes his part and eats. We see the essence of true faith. It finds soul-sustenance in Jesu's work.

(Dean Law.)

2. That the best things are to be offered to God. Especially in spiritual duties "the fat" must be offered, that is, the heart and inward affection. well says, "Thy affection gives a name to thy work."

3. To abstain from all kinds of cruelty (ver. 17).

4. That all the parts and members of our body should be dedicated to God's service.

(A. Willet, D. D.)

(J. Cumming, D. D.)

(F. H. White.)

(S. H. Kellogg, D. D.) .

(J. Cumming, D. D.)

(A. A. Bonar.)

(Christian Age.)

(S. S. Chronicle.)

"I went to Jesus as I was,

Weary and worn and sad;

I found in Him a resting-place,

And He has made me glad."

(T. De Witt Talmage.)

(Great Thoughts.)

(Bp. Babington.)

(A. A. Bonar.).

     5157   head
     5268   cooking
     5282   crushing

Leviticus 2:1-16

     4456   grain

Leviticus 2:8-16

     7422   ritual

Leviticus 2:11-16

     4442   firstfruits

Leviticus 2:13-16

     7368   grain offering

In Death and after Death
A sadder picture could scarcely be drawn than that of the dying Rabbi Jochanan ben Saccai, that "light of Israel" immediately before and after the destruction of the Temple, and for two years the president of the Sanhedrim. We read in the Talmud (Ber. 28 b) that, when his disciples came to see him on his death-bed, he burst into tears. To their astonished inquiry why he, "the light of Israel, the right pillar of the Temple, and its mighty hammer," betrayed such signs of fear, he replied: "If I were …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

Leviticus
The emphasis which modern criticism has very properly laid on the prophetic books and the prophetic element generally in the Old Testament, has had the effect of somewhat diverting popular attention from the priestly contributions to the literature and religion of Israel. From this neglect Leviticus has suffered most. Yet for many reasons it is worthy of close attention; it is the deliberate expression of the priestly mind of Israel at its best, and it thus forms a welcome foil to the unattractive …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament