mh_parser/vol_split/3 - Leviticus/Chapter 2.xml

<div2 id="Lev.iii" n="iii" next="Lev.iv" prev="Lev.ii" progress="51.33%" title="Chapter II">
<h2 id="Lev.iii-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.iii-p0.2">CHAP. II.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.iii-p1">In this chapter we have the law concerning the
meat-offering. I. The matter of it; whether of raw flour with oil
and incense (<scripRef id="Lev.iii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.1" parsed="|Lev|2|1|0|0" passage="Le 2:1">ver. 1</scripRef>), or
baked in the oven (<scripRef id="Lev.iii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.4" parsed="|Lev|2|4|0|0" passage="Le 2:4">ver. 4</scripRef>),
or upon a plate (<scripRef id="Lev.iii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.5-Lev.2.6" parsed="|Lev|2|5|2|6" passage="Le 2:5,6">ver. 5,
6</scripRef>), or in a frying pan, <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.7" parsed="|Lev|2|7|0|0" passage="Le 2:7">ver.
7</scripRef>. II. The management of it, of the flour (<scripRef id="Lev.iii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.2-Lev.2.3" parsed="|Lev|2|2|2|3" passage="Le 2:2,3">ver. 2, 3</scripRef>), of the cakes, <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.8-Lev.2.10" parsed="|Lev|2|8|2|10" passage="Le 2:8-10">ver. 8-10</scripRef>. III. Some particular
rules concerning it, That leaven and honey must never be admitted
(<scripRef id="Lev.iii-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.11-Lev.2.12" parsed="|Lev|2|11|2|12" passage="Le 2:11,12">ver. 11, 12</scripRef>), and salt
never omitted in the meat-offering, <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.13" parsed="|Lev|2|13|0|0" passage="Le 2:13">ver. 13</scripRef>. IV. The law concerning the offering
of firstfruits in the ear, <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p1.9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.14" parsed="|Lev|2|14|0|0" passage="Le 2:14">ver.
14</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom id="Lev.iii-p1.10" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2" parsed="|Lev|2|0|0|0" passage="Le 2" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Lev.iii-p1.11" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.1-Lev.2.10" parsed="|Lev|2|1|2|10" passage="Le 2:1-10" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.2.1-Lev.2.10">
<h4 id="Lev.iii-p1.12">The Law of the
Meat-Offering. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p1.13">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.iii-p2">1 And when any will offer a meat offering unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p2.1">Lord</span>, his offering shall be
<i>of</i> fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put
frankincense thereon:   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 memorial of it upon the
altar, <i>to be</i> an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p2.2">Lord</span>:   3 And the
remnant of the meat offering <i>shall be</i> Aaron's and his sons':
<i>it is</i> a thing most holy of the offerings of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p2.3">Lord</span> made by fire.   4 And if thou bring an
oblation of a meat offering baken in the oven, <i>it shall be</i>
unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened
wafers anointed with oil.   5 And if thy oblation <i>be</i> a
meat offering <i>baken</i> in a pan, it shall be <i>of</i> fine
flour unleavened, mingled with oil.   6 Thou shalt part it in
pieces, and pour oil thereon: it <i>is</i> a meat offering.  
7 And if thy oblation <i>be</i> a meat offering <i>baken</i> in the
fryingpan, it shall be made <i>of</i> fine flour with oil.   8
And thou shalt bring the meat offering that is made of these things
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p2.4">Lord</span>: 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 <i>it</i> upon the altar: <i>it is</i> an
offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p2.5">Lord</span>.   10 And that which is left of the
meat offering <i>shall be</i> Aaron's and his sons': <i>it is</i> a
thing most holy of the offerings of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p2.6">Lord</span> made by fire.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.iii-p3">There were some meat-offerings that were
only appendices to the burnt-offerings, as that which was offered
with the daily sacrifice (<scripRef id="Lev.iii-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.38-Exod.29.39" parsed="|Exod|29|38|29|39" passage="Ex 29:38,39">Exod.
xxix. 38, 39</scripRef>) and with the peace-offerings; these had
drink-offerings joined with them (see <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.4 Bible:Num.15.7 Bible:Num.15.9 Bible:Num.15.10" parsed="|Num|15|4|0|0;|Num|15|7|0|0;|Num|15|9|0|0;|Num|15|10|0|0" passage="Nu 15:4,7,9,10">Num. xv. 4, 7, 9, 10</scripRef>), and in these the
quantity was appointed. But the law of this chapter concerns those
meat-offerings that were offered by themselves, whenever a man saw
cause thus to express his devotion. The first offering we read of
in scripture was of this kind (<scripRef id="Lev.iii-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.3" parsed="|Gen|4|3|0|0" passage="Ge 4:3">Gen. iv.
3</scripRef>): <i>Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an
offering.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.iii-p4">I. This sort of offerings was appointed, 1.
In condescension to the poor, and their ability, that those who
themselves lived only upon bread and cakes might offer an
acceptable offering to God out of that which was their own coarse
and homely fare, and by making for God's altar, as the widow of
Sarepta for his prophet, a little cake first, might procure such a
blessing upon the handful of meal in the barrel, and the oil in the
cruse, as that it should not fail. 2. As a proper acknowledgment of
the mercy of God to them in their food. This was like a quitrent,
by which they testified their dependence upon God, their
thankfulness to him, and their expectations from him as their owner
and bountiful benefactor, who giveth to all life, and breath, and
food convenient. Thus must they honour the Lord with their
substance, and, in token of their eating and drinking to his glory,
must consecrate some of their meat and drink to his immediate
service. Those that now, with a grateful charitable heart, deal out
their bread to the hungry, and provide for the necessities of those
that are destitute of daily food, and when they eat the fat and
drink the sweet themselves send portions to those for whom nothing
is prepared, offer unto God an acceptable meat-offering. The
prophet laments it as one of the direful effects of famine that
thereby the <i>meat-offering and drink-offering were cut off from
the house of the Lord</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.iii-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Joel.1.9" parsed="|Joel|1|9|0|0" passage="Joe 1:9">Joel i.
9</scripRef>), and reckoned it the greatest blessing of plenty that
it would be the revival of them, <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Joel.2.14" parsed="|Joel|2|14|0|0" passage="Joe 2:14">Joel
ii. 14</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.iii-p5">II. The laws of the meat-offerings were
these:—1. The ingredients must always be fine flour and oil, two
staple commodities of the land of Canaan, <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.8" parsed="|Deut|8|8|0|0" passage="De 8:8">Deut. viii. 8</scripRef>. Oil was to them then in their
food what butter is now to us. If it was undressed, the oil must be
poured upon the flour (<scripRef id="Lev.iii-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.1" parsed="|Lev|2|1|0|0" passage="Le 2:1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>); if cooked, it must be mingled with the flour,
<scripRef id="Lev.iii-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.4" parsed="|Lev|2|4|0|0" passage="Le 2:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>, &amp;c. 2. If it
was flour unbaked, besides the oil it must have frankincense put
upon it, which was to be burnt with it (<scripRef id="Lev.iii-p5.4" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.1-Lev.2.2" parsed="|Lev|2|1|2|2" passage="Le 2:1,2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>), for the perfuming of the
altar; in allusion to this, gospel ministers are said to be <i>a
sweet savour unto God,</i> <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p5.5" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.2.15" parsed="|2Cor|2|15|0|0" passage="2Co 2:15">2 Cor. ii.
15</scripRef>. 3. If it was prepared, this might be done in various
ways; the offerer might bake it, or fry it, or mix the flour and
oil upon a plate, for the doing of which conveniences were provided
about the tabernacle. The law was very exact even about those
offerings that were least costly, to intimate the cognizance God
takes of the religious services performed with a devout mind, even
by the poor of his people. 4. It was to be presented by the offerer
to the priest, which is called <i>bringing it to the Lord</i>
(<scripRef id="Lev.iii-p5.6" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.8" parsed="|Lev|2|8|0|0" passage="Le 2:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), for the
priests were God's receivers, and were ordained to offer gifts. 5.
Part of it was to be burnt upon the altar, for a memorial, that is,
in token of their mindfulness of God's bounty to them, in giving
them all things richly to enjoy. It was <i>an offering made by
fire,</i> <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p5.7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.2 Bible:Lev.2.9" parsed="|Lev|2|2|0|0;|Lev|2|9|0|0" passage="Le 2:2,9"><i>v.</i> 2, 9</scripRef>.
The consuming of it by fire might remind them that they deserved to
have all the fruits of the earth thus burnt up, and that it was of
the Lord's mercies that they were not. They might also learn that
as <i>meats are for the belly, and the belly for meats,</i> so
<i>God shall destroy both it and them</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.iii-p5.8" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.6.13" parsed="|1Cor|6|13|0|0" passage="1Co 6:13">1 Cor. vi. 13</scripRef>), and that <i>man lives not by
bread alone.</i> This offering made by fire is here said to be
<i>of a sweet savour unto the Lord;</i> and so are our spiritual
offerings, which are made by the fire of holy love, particularly
that of almsgiving, which is said to be <i>an odour of a sweet
smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.iii-p5.9" osisRef="Bible:Phil.4.18" parsed="|Phil|4|18|0|0" passage="Php 4:18">Phil. iv. 18</scripRef>), and <i>with such
sacrifices God is well pleased,</i> <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p5.10" osisRef="Bible:Heb.13.16" parsed="|Heb|13|16|0|0" passage="Heb 13:16">Heb. xiii. 16</scripRef>. 6. The remainder of the
meat-offering was to be given to the priests, <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p5.11" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.3 Bible:Lev.2.10" parsed="|Lev|2|3|0|0;|Lev|2|10|0|0" passage="Le 2:3,10"><i>v.</i> 3, 10</scripRef>. <i>It is a thing most
holy,</i> not to be eaten by the offerers, as the peace-offerings
(which, though holy, were not most holy), but by the priests only,
and their families. Thus God provided that those who served at the
altar should live upon the altar, and live comfortably.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Lev.iii-p5.12" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2" parsed="|Lev|2|0|0|0" passage="Le 2" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Lev.iii-p5.13" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.11-Lev.2.16" parsed="|Lev|2|11|2|16" passage="Le 2:11-16" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.2.11-Lev.2.16">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.iii-p6">11 No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p6.1">Lord</span>, shall be made with leaven:
for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p6.2">Lord</span> made by fire.   12 As for
the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer them unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p6.3">Lord</span>: but they shall not be burnt on the
altar for a sweet savour.   13 And every oblation of thy meat
offering shalt thou season with 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.   14
And if thou offer a meat offering of thy firstfruits unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p6.4">Lord</span>, thou shalt offer for the meat
offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire,
<i>even</i> corn beaten out of full ears.   15 And thou shalt
put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it <i>is</i> a meat
offering.   16 And the priest shall burn the memorial of it,
<i>part</i> of the beaten corn thereof, and <i>part</i> of the oil
thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: <i>it is</i> an
offering made by fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p6.5">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.iii-p7">Here, I. Leaven and honey are forbidden to
be put in any of their meat-offerings: <i>No leaven, nor any honey,
in any offering made by fire,</i> <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.11" parsed="|Lev|2|11|0|0" passage="Le 2:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. 1. The leaven was forbidden in
remembrance of the unleavened bread they ate when they came out of
Egypt. So much despatch was required in the offerings they made
that it was not convenient they should stay for the leavening of
them. The New Testament comparing pride and hypocrisy to leaven
because they swell like leaven, comparing also malice and
wickedness to leaven because they sour like leaven, we are to
understand and improve this as a caution to take heed of those sins
which will certainly spoil the acceptableness of our spiritual
sacrifices. Pure hands must be lifted up without wrath, and all our
gospel feasts kept with the unleavened bread of sincerity and
truth. 2. Honey was forbidden, though Canaan flowed with it,
because <i>to eat much honey is not good</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.iii-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.25.16 Bible:Prov.25.27" parsed="|Prov|25|16|0|0;|Prov|25|27|0|0" passage="Pr 25:16,27">Prov. xxv. 16, 27</scripRef>); it turns to choler and
bitterness in the stomach, though luscious to the taste. Some think
the chief reason why those two things, leaven and honey, were
forbidden, was because the Gentiles used them very much in their
sacrifices, and God's people must not learn or use the way of the
heathen, but his services must be the reverse of their idolatrous
services; see <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.30-Deut.12.31" parsed="|Deut|12|30|12|31" passage="De 12:30,31">Deut. xii. 30,
31</scripRef>. Some make this application of this double
prohibition: leaven signifies grief and sadness of spirit
(<scripRef id="Lev.iii-p7.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.73.21" parsed="|Ps|73|21|0|0" passage="Ps 73:21">Ps. lxxiii. 21</scripRef>), <i>My
heart was leavened;</i> honey signifies sensual pleasure and mirth.
In our service of God both these must be avoided, and a mean
observed between those extremes; for the sorrow of the world
worketh death, and a love to the delights of sense is a great enemy
to holy love.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.iii-p8">II. Salt is required in all their
offerings, <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.13" parsed="|Lev|2|13|0|0" passage="Le 2:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. The
altar was the table of the Lord; and therefore, salt being always
set on our tables, God would have it always used at his. It is
called <i>the salt of the covenant,</i> because, as men confirmed
their covenants with each other by eating and drinking together, at
all which collations salt was used, so God, by accepting his
people's gifts and feasting them upon his sacrifices, supping with
them and they with him (<scripRef id="Lev.iii-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Rev.3.20" parsed="|Rev|3|20|0|0" passage="Re 3:20">Rev. iii.
20</scripRef>), did confirm his covenant with them. Among the
ancients salt was a symbol of friendship. The salt for the
sacrifice was not brought by the offerers, but was provided at the
public charge, as the wood was, <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p8.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.7.20-Ezra.7.22" parsed="|Ezra|7|20|7|22" passage="Ezr 7:20-22">Ezra vii. 20-22</scripRef>. And there was a chamber
in the court of the temple called <i>the chamber of salt,</i> in
which they laid it up. <i>Can that which is unsavoury be eaten
without salt?</i> God would hereby intimate to them that their
sacrifices in themselves were unsavoury. The saints, who are living
sacrifices to God, must have salt in themselves, for <i>every
sacrifice must be salted with salt</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.iii-p8.4" osisRef="Bible:Mark.9.49-Mark.9.50" parsed="|Mark|9|49|9|50" passage="Mk 9:49,50">Mark ix. 49, 50</scripRef>), and our speech must be
<i>always with grace</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.iii-p8.5" osisRef="Bible:Col.4.6" parsed="|Col|4|6|0|0" passage="Col 4:6">Col. iv.
6</scripRef>), so must all our religious performances be seasoned
with that salt. Christianity is the salt of the earth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.iii-p9">III. Directions are given about the
first-fruits. 1. The oblation of their first-fruits at harvest, of
which we read, <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.2" parsed="|Deut|26|2|0|0" passage="De 26:2">Deut. xxvi.
2</scripRef>. These were offered to the Lord, not to be burnt upon
the altar, but to be given to the priests as perquisites of their
office, <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.12" parsed="|Lev|2|12|0|0" passage="Le 2:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. And
<i>you shall offer them</i> (that is, leaven and honey) in the
oblation of the first-fruits, though they were forbidden in other
meat-offerings; for they were proper enough to be eaten by the
priests, though not to be burnt upon the altar. The loaves of the
first-fruits are particularly ordered to be <i>baked with
leaven,</i> <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p9.3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.17" parsed="|Lev|23|17|0|0" passage="Le 23:17">Lev. xxiii. 17</scripRef>.
And we read of the first-fruits of honey brought to the house of
God, <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p9.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.31.5" parsed="|2Chr|31|5|0|0" passage="2Ch 31:5">2 Chron. xxxi. 5</scripRef>. 2. A
meat-offering of their first-fruits. The former was required by the
law; this was a free-will offering, <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p9.5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.14-Lev.2.16" parsed="|Lev|2|14|2|16" passage="Le 2:14-16"><i>v.</i> 14-16</scripRef>. If a man, with a thankful
sense of God's goodness to him in giving him hopes of a plentiful
crop, was disposed to bring an offering in kind immediately out of
his field, and present it to God, owning thereby his dependence
upon God and obligations to him, (1.) Let him be sure to bring the
first ripe and full ears, not such as were small and half-withered.
Whatever was brought for an offering to God must be the best in its
kind, though it were but green ears of corn. We mock God, and
deceive ourselves, if we think to put him off with a corrupt thing
while we have in our flock a male, <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p9.6" osisRef="Bible:Mal.1.14" parsed="|Mal|1|14|0|0" passage="Mal 1:14">Mal. i. 14</scripRef>. (2.) These green ears must be
dried by the fire, that the corn, such as it was, might be beaten
out of them. That is not expected from green ears which one may
justly look for from those that have been left to grow fully ripe.
If those that are young do God's work as well as they can, they
shall be accepted, though they cannot do it so well as those that
are aged and experienced. God makes the best of green ears of corn,
and so must we. (3.) Oil and frankincense must be put upon it. Thus
(as some allude to this) wisdom and humility must soften and
sweeten the spirits and services of young people, and then their
green ears of corn shall be acceptable. God takes a particular
delight in the first ripe fruits of the Spirit and the expressions
of early piety and devotion. Those that can but think and speak as
children, yet, if they think and speak well, God will be well
pleased with their buds and blossoms, and will never forget the
kindness of their youth. (4.) It must be used as other
meat-offerings, <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p9.7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.16" parsed="|Lev|2|16|0|0" passage="Le 2:16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>, compare <scripRef id="Lev.iii-p9.8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.9" parsed="|Lev|2|9|0|0" passage="Le 2:9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>. He shall <i>offer all the frankincense; it is an
offering made by fire.</i> The fire and the frankincense seem to
have had a special significancy. [1.] The fire denotes the fervency
of spirit which ought to be in all our religious services. In every
good thing we must be zealously affected. Holy love to God is the
fire by which all our offerings must be made; else they are not of
a sweet savour to God. [2.] The frankincense denotes the mediation
and intercession of Christ, by which all our services are perfumed
and recommended to God's gracious acceptance. Blessed be God that
we have the substance of which all these observances were but
shadows, the fruit that was hid under these leaves.</p>
</div></div2>