The Third Book of Moses, called Leviticus
Leviticus 2
Chapter II · Vol. I, pp. 364–366
1 The meat-offering of flour with oil and incense, 4 either baken in the oven, 5 or on a plate, 7 or in a frying-pan. 12 The oblation of the first-fruits not to be burnt. 13 The salt of the meat-offering. 14 The meat-offering of the first-fruits in the ear.
1 AND when any will offer a a meat-offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fineb flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon.1
a ch. 6.14; 9.17. Nu. 15.1-21; xxviii. xxix. Jn. 6.33-57. Mal. 1.11. Is. 66.20.
A.M. 2514. B.C. 1490.
b Ex. 29.2. Nu. 7.13, &c. Jn. 12.24; 6.35; 3.34. 1 Jn. 2.1. Re. 8.3.
1 The meat-offering had a symbolical signification altogether different from the sacrifice. The latter embodied the idea of sin, and typified a Saviour. The meat-offering on the other hand was a grateful acknowledgment that the offerer owed everything to God, dedicated to him all his goods, and thereby sought to secure his favour and blessing.—P.
2 And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the c memorial2 of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
c ver. 16; ch. 5.12; 6.15; 24.7; 23.24. Ex. 30.16; 28.12, 29. Nu. 5.18. Ps. 84.9; 20.3. Ep. 5.2. Ac. 10.4. Ne. 13.14,22.
2 That is, 'the handful,' which he had taken up, and which was dedicated to the Lord, and burned with the oil and frankincense. The rest of the meat-offering was the perquisite of the priests.—P.
3 And d the remnant of the meat-offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing e most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.
d Nu. 18.9, 10. ch. 6.16,17,26; 10.22; 7.6; 21.22. Is. 49.5,6. De. 32.9.
e Ex. 29.27, 37. ch. 6.17,29; 7.6; 21.22; ver. 10. Nu. 18.9.
4 And if thou bring an oblation of f a meat-offering baken in the oven, it shall be unleavenedg cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers h anointed with oil.
f 1 Ch. 23.28,29. Eze. 36.20. Ps. 22.14. Mat. 26.38. Jn. 12.27.
g Ex. 12.8. ver. 1, 11; ch. 6.17; 10.12. He. 7.26. 1 Co. 5.7,8. 1 Pe. 2.1,22.
5 And if thy oblation be a meat-offering baken in a pan,3 it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil.
3 Or, on a flat plate or slice.
6 Thou shalt i part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon: it is a meat-offering.
i ch. 1.6. Ps. 22.1-21. Mar. xiv. xv. Jn. xviii. xix.
7 And if thy oblation be a meat-offering baken in the frying-pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.
8 And thou shalt bring the meat-offering that is made of these things unto the LORD: and when it is presented unto the priest, he shall bring it unto the altar.
9 And the priest shall take from the meat-offering a memorial thereof, and shall burn it upon the altar: it is an k offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
k Ex. 29.18. ver. 2. Is. 53.10. Ps. 22.13, 14. Ep. 5.2. Zec. 13.7,9. Ro. 15.16.
10 And that which is left of the meat-offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': l it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.
l Ex. 29.18, 37. See ver. 3.
11 No meat-offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no m leaven, nor any honey,4 in any offering of the LORD made by fire.
m See ver. 4. Ex. 34.25. He. 7.26. Is. 53.3. 1 Pe. 2.1. 1 Co. 5.7,8. Ga. 5.9. Lu. 21.34, with Pr. 25.16.
4 The general command in the first clause of the verse, that no bloodless offering should be made fermented, affords a sufficient explanation of the prohibition of leaven and honey. Fermentation is the first stage of corruption; it was consequently a symbol of sin, 1 Co. 5.8. Both leaven and honey create fermentation, and hence they were forbidden.—P.
12 As for the n oblation of the first-fruits, ye shall offer them unto the LORD: but they shall not be burnt on the altar5 for a sweet savour.
n Ex. 22.29; 23.19. De. 26.9,10. Le. 23.17. 2 Ch. 31.5. 1 Co. 15.20. Re. 14.4.
5 It was not to be burnt on the altar, as there might be honey and leaven in it.
13 And every oblation of thy meat-offering shalt thou season with o salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat-offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.6
o Nu. 18.19. 2 Ch. 13.5. Ezr. 7.22. Mar. 9.49. Eze. 43.24. Jn. 1.14,16. Col. 4.6.
6 Salt was the very opposite of leaven. The latter was the emblem of corruption, and therefore of sin; whereas salt was the emblem of purity, permanence, and preservation of life. Salt was also employed in sealing those covenant relations which were intended to be binding and permanent. Hence it is called 'the salt of the covenant;' and any covenant intended to be emphatically enduring is called 'a covenant of salt.' Nu. 18.19; 2 Ch. 13.5. The custom still remains in force among the Arab tribes. In solemn contracts a piece of bread is sprinkled with salt, and each party says, 'There is peace between us.'—P.
14 And if thou offer a p meat-offering of thy first-fruits unto the LORD, thou shalt offer, for the meat-offering of thy first-fruits, green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears.
p ch. 22.29. Is. 53.2-10. 1 Co. 15.20. Mal. 1.11. Re. 14.4.
15 And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is a meat-offering.
Notes
[Ver. 1. The original word translated 'meat-offering,' applies to any solemn gift either to God or man. Of the meat-offerings to God three were congregational. (1) The waved sheaf, Le. 23. 10, 11. (2) Waved loaves, Le. 23. 17. (3) Show-bread, Le. 24. 5. Eight other meat-offerings were personal. (1) The poor man's, Le. 5. 11. (2) Of jealousy, Nu. 5. 15. (3) Of initiation of the priest, Le. 8. 26. (4) Daily offering of the high-priest, Le. 6. 20. (5) Of fine flour. (6) That baked on a plate. (7) That of the frying-pan. (8) That of the oven. The last five are prescribed in this chapter. The offering well represents him who alone could say, 'My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work,' Jn. 4. 34; 'I am the living bread which came down from heaven: the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world,' Jn. 6.51. Now, the burnt-offering was an acknowledgment of death deserved, the meat-offering an acknowledgment of life received, a visible enunciation of the prayer, 'Give us this day our daily bread.' This meat-offering must be fine flour, for the same reason that the burnt-sacrifice was without blemish. The oil commingled in the offering, or merely anointing it, represented both the external and internal work of the Spirit; and the odoriferous frankincense, the complete acceptableness of the sacrifice of Christ. Of this offering a memorial handful is burned on the altar, in witness of God's remembrance of the offerer, Ps. 20.4, and his remembrance of God, Ps. 106.4, 5; 20.7. C.]
Ver. 2. This memorial put God, as it were, in mind of his covenant, to accept Christ, and his people's services through him. And it put them in mind that all their store came from God, and ought to be dedicated to his service.
Ver. 3. The most holy provision allotted for the priests was to be eaten by themselves in the sacred courts; but the less holy things, as tithes, first-fruits, &c., might be eaten by them and their families elsewhere in Canaan, Nu. 18.9, 10; De. 12.5-7, &c.
Ver. 11. Leaven was forbidden in voluntary meat-offerings: (1) To put them in remembrance of their hasty redemption from Egypt; (2) To teach them to avoid human inventions in the worship of God; (3) To mark the perfect purity of Christ, and the sincerity of his people's services. Honey was prohibited for much the same reason; for it hath a leavening virtue, and may signify carnal pleasures.
Ver. 13. Salt was an emblem of sincerity and soundness in grace; purity, perseverance, and friendship; and of the perpetuity of God's covenant.—[Salt was an essential addition to every offering. Salt, either natural or artificial, may be described as the enemy of corruption in flesh, hence it becomes an expressive emblem of incorruption, not by inherent quality, but by addition of a preserving ingredient. The apostles were, and believers still are, 'the salt of the earth,' Mat. 5.13. Let them then beware lest they lose their savour, the savour of truth, sincerity, godliness, brotherly-kindness, and charity. Let these commingle with all their offerings as things 'most holy of the offerings of the Lord.' C.]
Ver. 14. [The offering of green ears of corn—is not this for you, 'both young men, and maidens, and children,' Ps. 148.12, saying, green and flourishing though ye be, as these shall ye be soon cut down, therefore 'remember now your Creator in the days of your youth,' Ec. 12.1. But these green ears are dried in the fire, by this process they have lost weight but not substance; they possess an artificial and premature ripeness, and are thus prepared to be converted into fine flour. Even so must 'the love of the world' be separated from the youthful heart, 1 Jn. 2.15; 2 Ti. 2.22, it may be by ostensible bereavements, by disappointment, or loss, or wasting disease, or pain, or sorrow, still, if the Spirit of God wake by these, they are separating a heart from the world, ripening its fruit for an earlier glory, and presenting its memorial before the Lord, a spiritual offering as made by fire. C.]
Reflections.—While in these meat-offerings I contemplate Jesus Christ as the fruit of the earth, prepared by the anointing influence of the Holy Ghost, and by dolorous sufferings to be, as Mediator, the eternal delight of JEHOVAH, and the delicate provision of his ransomed people, in a state of sacerdotal and holy fellowship with him, and the everlasting remembrancer of both, let me, receiving of the Spirit of Christ, with solemn prayer and heart-burning affection, surrender myself to God through him, as a memorial Christ, and their faith.—[The law against eat-nity? enjoy God as my ALL and IN ALL! Let me avoid infectious corruptions, carnal pleasures, and human inventions, in the worship of God; and have always my thoughts, my speech, and my practice seasoned with the purifying salt of spiritual grace! And, while I take care to allow the ministers of the Lord their due, let me in an especial manner consecrate the days of my youth, and the first-fruits of all my increase, unto Jesus Christ their Master!