“Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.”
Offer, voluntarily, without any command. Some sacrifices were of precept, Exodus xxii. 29. (Menochius) — These first chapters are addressed to the people; the 6th [chapter] from ver. 9, to the priests. Oxen, goats, and sheep, pigeons, and turtles, were to be offered in sacrifice, and small birds also, in the purification of lepers, (chap. xiv. 4,) as they might easily be procured. (Calmet) — By sacrifice, we testify the dominion of God over all. They were offered by the patriarchs, and by all nations. God requireth that the victim should be without blemish, and slain with certain ceremonies wisely ordained, Psalm ciii. 24. (Worthington) — A sacrifice. Hebrew korban, a present of any sort, Mark vii. — Sheep and goats, ver. 10. The same term, tson, signifies both. (Menochius)
“If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.”
A holocaust. That is, a whole burnt-offering; (olocauston) so called, because the whole victim was consumed with fire; and given in such manner to God as wholly to evaporate, as it were, for his honour and glory; without having any part of it reserved for the use of man. The other sacrifices of the Old Testament were either offerings for sin, or peace-offerings: and these latter again were either offered in thanksgiving for blessings received, or by way of prayer for new favours or graces. So that sacrifices were then offered to God for four different ends or intentions, answerable to the different obligations which man has to God: 1. By way of adoration, homage, praise, and glory, due to his divine Majesty. 2. By way of thanksgiving for all benefits received from him. 3. By way of confessing and craving pardon for sins. 4. By way of prayer and petition for grace and relief in all necessities. In the New Law we have but one sacrifice, viz. that of the body and blood of Christ: but this one sacrifice of the New Testament perfectly answers all these four ends; and both priests and people, as often as it is celebrated, ought to join in offering it up for these four ends. (Challoner) (St. Augustine, City of God viii. 17.; St. Chrysostom in Psalm xcv.) — We have an altar, (Hebrews xiii. 10,) on which the unbloody sacrifice is offered, (Matthew xxvi. 25,) as the blood of Christ was on the cross, Hebrews ix. 25. (Worthington)
“And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.”
Victim. To transfer all the curses due to him upon it, (Eusebius, Demon. i. 10,) and to testify that he gives it up entirely for the honour of God. (Lyranus) — The Egyptians cut off the head of the victim, and vented upon it imprecations, begging that the gods would discharge upon it all the evils which they had deserved. Then they sold it to some foreigner, or threw it into the Nile. (Herodotus ii. 39.) All nations seem to have acknowledged, that life should be given for life. Hanc animam vobis pro meliore damus: (Ovid, Fast. i.) and they had holocausts, in imitation of the Hebrews. (Bochart) — Expiation. Hebrew, “it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him,” provided he be in proper dispositions. (Menochius) — The primary intention of the holocaust was to honour God: but this insured his favour also, and pardon. (Du Hamel)
“And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.”
He, by the hands of the priests, (chap. x. 1,) as the Septuagint express it, “they shall immolate;” (Menochius) though we might infer from this text, that the person who offered the victim, had to slay it; (Calmet) while the priests alone could pour the blood upon and around the altar. Without the effusion of blood remission is not made, Hebrews ix. 22. (Haydock)
“And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces.”
They. Regularly the Levites performed this office. The skin belonged to the priest, chap. vii. 8. (Calmet)
“And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire:”
Fire. Hebrew and Septuagint place the fire first, then the wood. It was the sacred fire which was never extinguished, but removed from the altar in marches, (chap. iv. 13,) perhaps in a censer or pan. (Haydock)
“And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:”
All things, &c. Hebrew pador, may signify the fat, or the trunk of the animal. (Calmet)
“But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.”
Sweet. Not that the Deity can take delight in sweet odours: but he is pleased with the devotion of men. For their advancement in piety, he required these sacrifices; 1. to keep the people from idolatry; 2. to teach them to consecrate their body and effects to him, as well as their souls, to serve justice unto sanctification; (Romans vi. 19; John iv. 24) as without the help of exterior observances, the mind will hardly rise to the contemplation of truth; 3. to prefigure the greater mysteries of the Christian religion, of which the law was only a shadow, incapable of conferring justifying grace. (John i. 17; Galatians iii. 11.) (Worthington) — The law was our pedagogue, in Christ, that we might be justified by faith, Galatians iii. 24.
“And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish.”
Male. Lyranus seems to have read “a year old,” in the Vulgate. But it is not found in the Hebrew or in any version. It may have been taken from Exodus xii. 5, where the paschal lamb must be a male of one year. — Blemish. The Septuagint add, “and he shall put his hand upon its head.” (Haydock)
“And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons.”
Pigeons. Hebrew and Septuagint say nothing about the age; though the Rabbins assure us, that old turtles and young pigeons were to be immolated, as being more excellent. God requires only what each person may easily procure. This third species of holocaust was chiefly intended for the poor, chap. xii. 8. But if they could not afford even this, they might offer flour, chap. ii.
“And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar: wring: or, pinch off the head with the nail”
The neck. Some say, without pulling the head off (Grotius); which the Rabbins deny. (Calmet)
“And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes: his feathers: or, the filth thereof”
Throat. Hebrew mierath, is rendered “the crop and its contents,” by the Chaldean, Syriac, and Samaritan.
“And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.”
Pinions, as if it were to be roasted. Eusebius remarks, that the pagans plunged their birds into the sea, then poured the blood round the altar, and afterwards burnt them. Abram did not divide the birds, Genesis xv. 10. (Calmet) — Oblation. Hebrew, “made by fire;” or which must be all consumed, except the crop and feathers. (Haydock)