Deeper Commentary
Lev 3:1 ‘If his offering is a sacrifice of
peace offerings; if he offers it from the herd, whether male or female, he
shall offer it without blemish before Yahweh-
This looked ahead to the unblemished character of the Lord Jesus. The
offering of sacrifices "without blemish" uses a word which is used about
Abraham and Noah being "without blemish" (AV "perfect") before God (Gen.
6:9; 17:1). Although the word is used about the sacrifices, it is really
more appropriate to persons- "you shall be perfect with Yahweh your God"
(Dt. 18:13), "serve Him in sincerity (s.w. "without blemish")" (Josh.
24:14). The idea, therefore, was that the offerer was invited to see the
animal as representative of himself. Our lives too are to be as "living
sacrifices" (Rom. 12:1). And yet in practical terms, no animal is without
blemish. They were to give the best they could, and God would count it as
without blemish; as He does with us.
David frequently uses the term in the Psalms about himself and the
"upright", even though he was far from unblemished in moral terms.
Lev 3:2 He shall lay his hand on the head of his offering-
An act of personal identity, looking
forward to our acts of identity with the representative sacrifice of the
Lord Jesus. Baptism, breaking bread and especially having His spirit and
living His kind of life are all the equivalent in our times.
And kill it at
the door of the Tent of Meeting: and Aaron’s sons, the priests shall
sprinkle the blood around on the altar-
To sprinkle
blood upon something didn't necessarily mean the object was forgiven.
For an inanimate altar didn't need forgiving. The blood of the covenant
was sprinkled (s.w.) upon the people as a sign of their involvement with
the covenant process of salvation, rather than as a statement of their
forgiveness (Ex. 24:8). Likewise with the sprinkling of the blood of the
Passover lamb (2 Chron. 35:11). This was an act of identification rather
than forgiveness of sin. The function of the altar was valid before God,
or efficacious, because of its association with the blood of Christ; for
the blood of the animals slain upon it couldn't bring salvation of itself,
but only through God's way of looking at that blood is looking ahead to
that of His Son (Heb. 10:4). And so the altar was associated with the
blood which represented His blood.
Lev 3:3 He shall offer of the sacrifice of peace offerings an offering
made by fire to Yahweh; the fat that covers the inner parts, and all the
fat that is on the inward parts-
There is huge emphasis upon the “inward parts” in the
regulations about sacrifices. Our inward parts and thoughts of the heart
are laid open before God and should be offered to Him, not just the
externalities which men see (Heb. 4:12). The same word is used of Sarah's
laughing "within herself" (Gen. 18:12). The sacrifice of Christ was so
perfect because His innermost thoughts were offered to God. And it is
our thoughts when nobody else is watching which are of the essence to God;
"to be spiritually minded", as the New Testament expresses it. This is why
Yahweh could not go up in "the midst" of Israel (Ex. 33:3; Num. 14:42; Dt.
1:42), because they didn't have Him in their midst. Thus to marry
unbelievers would be a snare "in the midst of you" (Ex. 34:12), right in
the inner mind which is what God seeks above all. David in the Psalms
speaks of the "inward parts" of the human mind, which are critical in
God's judgment of a person as wicked or righteous (e.g. Ps. 5:9; 36:1;
49:11 and Ps. 64:6, where "inward thought" is s.w. "inward parts"). It is
those inward parts which were to be washed (Lev. 1:13), just as our
innermost heart can be washed by the Spirit which is given at baptism. For
this is the gift of the Spirit in the new covenant, whereby God's law is
placed within our inward parts (s.w. Jer. 31:33; Ez. 36:26,27) by the God
who can form the spirit of man in man's inward parts, the God who can work
directly upon the human heart (Zech. 12:1).
Lev 3:4 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the
loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away-
"Take away" is the word usually used for declining, refusing etc. The
idea may be that these internal organs were not to be eaten by the
priests, but were to be wholly offered to God. For our inner things are to
be wholly His. See on :3.
Lev 3:5 Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar on the burnt offering,
which is on the wood that is on the fire-
The reference is to how the daily burnt offering was never to be
overlooked, this was to be offered first, and then the voluntary
peace offerings on top of that. Regular basic daily disciplines are so
important in spiritual life. Any extra activity must not be allowed to
take away from them.
It is an offering made by fire,
of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh-
“A pleasant aroma” is a very common phrase. This concept is important to
God. It first occurs in Gen. 8:21 where it means that God accepted Noah's
sacrifice and vowed that the pole of saving mercy in His character was
going to triumph over that of necessary judgment. Under the new covenant,
it is persons and not sacrifices or incense which are accepted as a
"pleasant aroma" (Ez. 20:41). The word for "pleasant" means strong
delight; this is how God's heart can be touched by genuine sacrifice.
Those pleasing offerings represented us, the living sacrifices (Rom.
12:1). And so it is applied to us in 2 Cor. 2:15- if we are in Christ, we
are counted as a pleasant aroma to God. The offering of ourselves to Him
is nothing of itself, but because we are in Christ and counted as Him, we
are a delight to God. Hence the colossal importance of being “in Christ”.
"Aroma" or "smell" is a form of the Hebrew word ruach, the word
for spirit or breath. God discerns the spirit of sacrifices, that was what
pleased Him rather than the burning flesh of animals. Our attitude of mind
in sacrifice can touch Him. Sacrifice is therefore accepted, Paul says,
according to what a person has to give, but the essence is the attitude of
mind behind it. We think of the two coins sacrificed by the widow.
Lev 3:6 If his offering for a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh is
from the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without blemish-
No animal actually is without blemish. God recognizes that we will not
attain perfection in this life, but we are to do our best towards it; and
His love imputes righteousness to us, counting us as unblemished because
of our status in Christ. For only Christ was the sacrifice totally without
moral blemish (1 Pet. 1:19).
Lev 3:7 If he offers a lamb for his offering, then he shall offer it
before Yahweh-
Although peace offerings were completely voluntary,
they were not to think that therefore they could not respect God’s
holiness and give Him that which was second best (:6) or offer it where
they liked. Many of the sacrifices we make to God are likewise not
compulsory, but the spirit of giving God the best which permeates the Law
of Moses should remain with us. We may be able to deduce that peace
offerings could be offered in other places, and there appear to be
examples of that in later scripture; but if a lamb was offered, it must be
"before Yahweh", seeing that the lamb particularly looked ahead to the
sacrifice of the Lord Jesus "before Yahweh".
Lev 3:8 and he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it
before the Tent of Meeting: and Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood
around on the altar-
To lay the hand upon is a phrase which
means more than merely touching the head, but implies leaning upon or
pushing upon. It is rendered "lean his hand [upon a wall]" (Am. 5:19). It
was an act of very conscious identity. The same phrase is used of how
God's hand upholds those who spiritually fall (Ps. 37:24). So we see the
mutuality of relationship between God and man. We strongly place our hand
upon the offering of the Lord Jesus, and God places His hand upon us. Paul
may have this idea in view when he speaks of how he grabs hold of Jesus
and is grabbed hold of by Jesus (Phil. 3:12); just as the Lord seized hold
of Peter drowning in the lake, as Peter grabbed hold of Him. That incident
surely was a mini parable of our redemption.
Lev 3:9 He shall offer from the sacrifice of peace offerings an offering
made by fire to Yahweh; its fat, the entire tail fat, he shall take away
close to the backbone; and the fat that covers the inwards, and all the
fat that is on the inwards-
The idea is as in LXX "the fat [even] the fat tail" (as Lev. 3:9;
7:3). There were species of sheep with a large fatty tail, which was
considered in their culture to be a great delicacy. We see here how the
law of Moses was limited in application to an immediate context, and was
simply not intended to be a global law for all time. But the take away
lesson is that we are to give to God whatever is for us, in our culture
and worldview, the best and most desirous.
Lev 3:10 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the
loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away-
"Take away" is the word usually used for declining, refusing etc. The
idea may be that these internal organs were not to be eaten by the
priests, but were to be wholly offered to God. For our inner things are to
be wholly His. David came to understand that all the Mosaic emphasis upon
the "kidneys" was because they represented the inner heart or mind. He
often uses the word to describe his innermost thoughts (Ps. 7:9; 16:7;
26:2; 73:21; 139:13). Jeremiah likewise (Jer. 11:20; 12:2; 17:10; 20:12).
The Hebrew for "kidneys" is a form of the word for "jewel"; for the
innermost core thoughts of a person are so precious to God. Likewise
the Hebrew for "liver" is literally 'that which he heaviest / most
valuable'. For the innermost thoughts are the weighty things to God. We
see here the supreme importance of being spiritually minded.
Lev 3:11 The priest shall burn it on the altar: it is the food of the
offering made by fire to Yahweh-
The metaphor invites us to see the altar as God’s
table, at which He as it were ate the sacrifices. At the breaking of bread
service, we come to the table of the Lord (1 Cor. 10:21); the offering we
bring is ourselves. And yet God has placed on the altar, on the table
before us, the sacrifice of His Son, and invites us to eat with Him there.
Eating with someone was understood as a sign of religious fellowship. At
the breaking of bread, we are therefore celebrating our living fellowship
with God Himself.
The peace offering was the "food (also translated "bread") of the
offering made... unto the Lord" (Lev. 3:11). The peace offering was
therefore God's food, or bread. Yet the offerer was invited to eat the
bread of God. This implied that when the offerer sat down to eat the food,
as it were, God was sitting with him, also eating of it. This was
symbolized in human terms by the fact that the priest, as God's
representative, ate part of the peace offering, while the offerer ate the
other part. Presumably they sat down together to do this. The closeness of
God which this implies is almost beyond our comprehension. We are invited
to see the exquisite beauty of true fellowship with God. The idea of eating the bread of God, the sacrifice which represents His
son, and thereby having fellowship with Him, should send our minds forward
to John 6. "The bread of God is He which comes down from heaven", i.e.
our Lord Jesus (Jn. 6:33). Not for nothing do some Rabbis speak of 'eating
Messiah' as an expression of the fellowship they hope to have with Him at
His coming.
Lev 3:12 If his offering is a goat, then he
shall offer it before Yahweh-
God is eager for fellowship with man, and wanted by all means to eat
with man through the peace offerings. It seems there were various kinds of
animals which could be used, in accordance with the possibilities of the
offerer. The goat appears to be the lowest rank. The various
possible levels within God's law reflect our opportunities to serve on
different levels, just as the good soil of the sower parable brings forth
different amounts. Some will make more of God's truth than others. The
very existence of these levels, rather than a simple binary demand of
obedience / disobedience, pass / fail, of itself inspires us to serve God
as extensively as we can. For who can be a minimalist in response to His
love.
Lev 3:13 and he shall lay his hand on its head, and kill it before the
Tent of Meeting; and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle its blood around on
the altar-
David rejoiced in God's mercy to him, perhaps in the context of his
sin with Bathsheba. He asks: "What shall I render unto the Lord for all
his (spiritual) benefits toward me?". He decides that he will offer a
peace offering: "I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving (the
peace offering; Lev. 7:12)... I will take the cup of salvation... I will
pay my vows... in the presence of all his people... in the courts of the
Lord's house". As we sit "before the Lord" at the memorial meeting,
beholding the cross of Christ and the blood of Calvary, we should be
intensely aware of God's great benefits towards us: our salvation assured,
sin forgiven, peace with God. Our response should be to renew our vows
joyfully, in the ecclesia, God's house, in the presence of His people, as
we eat the peace offering, the sacrifice of thanksgiving. As the peace
offering was to be offered publicly, "before the tabernacle of the
congregation" (Lev. 3:13), so in the sight of each other we too renew our
vows and express our peace with God. And if we are all at peace with God,
we should therefore be at peace with each other.
Lev 3:14 He shall offer from it as his offering, an offering made by fire
to Yahweh; the fat that covers the inward parts, and all the fat that is
on the inward parts,-
The inward man of Rom. 7:22 is what is so important; yet the LXX in Lev.
3:14-16 uses the same word to describe the fat surrounding the intestines,
which God appeared to so value in the sacrifices. It was not that He wanted
that fat in itself; but rather He saw that fat as representing a man's
essential spirituality, that which is developed close to the heart, unseen
by others, but revealed after death.
Lev 3:15 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the
loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away-
See on :10; the legislation is identical.
Lev 3:16 The priest shall burn them on the altar: it is the food of the
offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma; all the fat is Yahweh’s-
The offerer put his hand on its head, thereby associating himself
with it. In a sense, the animal therefore represented the offerer. But it
had to be "without blemish" (Lev. 3:1), and to produce a "sweet savour"
when burnt (Lev. 3:16). But how are we to offer ourselves as an
unblemished sacrifice? We are surely each aware of our desperate
sinfulness. The answer is in the fact that the language of the peace
offering sacrifice is applied to Jesus. "He is our peace" (Eph. 2:14), our
peace offering by metonymy (in the same way as Christ was made "sin" for
us, i.e. a sin offering). He is the unblemished animal (1 Pet. 1:19), and
if we are in Christ, we too will be counted as being without spot and
blemish (Eph. 5:27). We ought to know whether we are in Christ. If we are,
we will be seen by God as just as pure as He is.
Lev 3:17 It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in
all your dwellings, that you shall eat neither fat nor blood’-
The fat was understood as the best part of the
animal, although today for health reasons we tend to consider the meat to
be of more interest than the fat. They were to give to God that which they
perceived to be the most valuable and not keep it for themselves, within the frames of understanding and
perception within which they then lived. They were not to indulge
themselves on what seemed best to them, but to offer it to God. And that principle applies to us.
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