Leviticus 3:1-17

d. THE PEACE OFFERING 3:1-17
(1) ITS VARIETIES AND RITUAL 3:1-17
TEXT 3:1-17

1

And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace-offerings; if he offer of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before Jehovah.

2

And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his oblation, and kill it at the door of the tent of meeting: and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

3

And he shall offer of the sacrifice of peace-offerings an offering made by fire unto Jehovah; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

4

and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the caul upon the liver, with the kidneys, shall he take away.

5

And Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt-offering, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah.

6

And if his oblation for a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto Jehovah be of the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.

7

If he offer a lamb for his oblation, then shall he offer it before Jehovah;

8

and he shall lay his hand upon the head of his oblation, and kill it before the tent of meeting: and Aaron's sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about,

9

And he shall offer of the sacrifice of peace-offerings an offering made by fire unto Jehovah; the fat thereof, the fat tail entire, he shall take away hard by the backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

10

and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the loins, and the caul upon the liver, with the kidneys, shall he take away.

11

And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto Jehovah.

12

And if his oblation be a goat, then he shall offer it before Jehovah:

13

And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before the tent of meeting; and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about.

14

And he shall offer thereof his oblation, even an offering made by fire unto Jehovah; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

15

and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the loins, and the caul upon the liver, with the kidneys, shall he take away.

16

And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a sweet savor; all the fat is Jehovah'S.

17

It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that ye shall eat neither fat nor blood.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 3:1-17

39.

Who decides for the worshipper what type of offering he shall bring? How is such a decision reached?

40.

Please notice at least two differences in the offerings here and those of the burnt offering, What was meant by laying hands upon the head of the animal?

41.

Who was responsible for the death of the animal? Why?

42.

What was the purpose of sprinkling the blood?

43.

Specify just what parts were to be burned. Why give these parts to God?

44.

The senses of taste, touch, smell are all of interest to God. Why?

45.

What specifically is meant by the expression without blemish?

46.

How are we to understand the expression, before Jehovah in Leviticus 3:7?

47.

More fat is removed to be offered to Jehovah. Cf. Numbers 18:29-32 and notice how important or valuable such is to God. Why?

48.

Why not eat fat or blood? Does it apply today? Cf. Acts 15:29.

PARAPHRASE 3:1-17

When anyone wants to give an offering of thanksgiving to the Lord, he may use either a bull or a cow, but the animal must be entirely without defect if it is to be offered to the Lord! The man who brings the animal shall lay his hand upon its head and kill it at the door of the Tabernacle. Then Aaron's sons shall throw the blood against the sides of the altar, and shall burn before the Lord the fat that covers the inward parts, the two kidneys and the loin-fat on them, and the gall bladder. And it will give the Lord much pleasure. If a goat or sheep is used as a thank-offering to the Lord, it must have no defect and may be either a male or a femaleram or ewe, billy goat or nanny goat. If it is a lamb, the man who brings it shall lay his hand upon its head and kill it at the entrance of the Tabernacle; the priests shall throw the blood against the sides of the altar, and shall offer upon the altar the fat, the tail removed close to the backbone, the fat covering the internal organs, the two kidneys with the loin-fat on them, brings a goat as his offering to the Lord, he shall lay his hand upon its head and kill it at the entrance of the Tabernacle. The priest shall throw its blood against the sides of the altar, and shall offer upon the altar, as a burnt offering to the Lord, the fat which covers the insides, the two kidneys and the loin-fat on them, and the gall bladder. This burnt offering is very pleasing to the Lord. All the fat is Jehovah'S. This is a permanent law throughout your land, that you shall eat neither fat nor blood.

THE PEACE OFFERING

3:1-17

The Varieties Of Peace Offerings,

The Ritual Of The Peace Offering

The Work Of The Priest

Purpose: Assurance of acceptance with God. Atonement and acceptance.

11. Lampstand, or candlestick, showing its lamps, cups, knops, and flowers.

12. Altar of incense

13. Table of showbread with its double crown and loaves.

14. The Ark of the Covenant and the mercy-seat with cherubim

COMMENT 3:1-17

The more closely we contemplate the offerings, the more fully do we see how that no one offering furnishes a complete view of Christ. It is only by putting all together that anything like a just idea can be formed. Each offering, as might be expected, has features peculiar to itself. The peace offering differs from the burnt offering in many points, and a clear understanding of the points in which one type differs from the others will be found to help much in the apprehension of its special import. (C. H. Macintosh) We shall be concerned about these distinctions. Let us first understand the content of each verse:

Leviticus 3:1 The word oblation needs clarification. It means approach offering. All offerings were an approach to God. This then is a generic term applied to all offerings. If the approach to God had the intentions or purpose of being a peace offering a certain ritual was to be followed. If the oblation was to be a burnt offering or a sin offering another ritual was to be followed.

In the peace or thank offering both male or female from either the herd or flock and from either sheep or goats could be used. The offerer must be careful that it is without blemish.
In chapter one the question was one of acceptance; here it is peace. There can be no peace with God until we are first accepted by Him. It is of interest to notice that the word peace is plural in the Hebrew text. Since our Saviour is also our peace with God perhaps we could find various applications of His peace: (1) peace of mind; (2) peace with our neighbor; (3) peace of conscience. He has come to proclaim peace, peace, peaceperfect peace.
What shall we say of the fact that these animals could be either male or female? The purpose of the sacrifice decides the type of offering. This offering was going to be a food for the priests and the worshipper. This sacrifice was not primarily for acceptance (only a male, without blemish could provide our acceptance before God) but for the enjoyment of such acceptance. For these same reasons fowls were not used. Such would hardly be adequate for food (at least in these circumstances).
Can we see our Lord in His active obedience (male) and passive obedience (female) as our peace offering before Jehovah? Jesus walked the path of active fulfillment of the Divine will and at the same time He was submissive even when it cost Him the blood-sweat of Gethsemane.

The seventh chapter of Leviticus discusses this sacrifice again, as well as the twenty-second chapter. Leviticus 22:21 emphasizes the need of physical perfectness. He who was without sin was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Cf. Numbers 18:29-32.

Leviticus 3:2 The chastisement of my peace was laid on Him (Isaiah 53:5). In the placing of hands upon the head of the victim we see once again the transference of sin and the making of peace; not only between Jew and Gentile, but between God and man. Hands upon the head is full of meaningbut hands are not enoughfor He made peace through the blood of His cross Colossians 1:20. We do indeed have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have found Him and personally identified with Him and died with Him. We have found peace with God through Him.

At the door of the tabernacle the victim is slain by the offerer. He declares in this act that he is responsible. This is a confession of his own sinfulness that caused the death of this innocent sufferer. We can indeed identify ourselves, our sin and our Saviour in this action.
The blood must be applied to be efficacious. It is in the washing of our bodies that we have the promise of the sprinkling of blood (Hebrews 10:22).

Leviticus 3:3-4 The instructions concerning the removal of the fat to be offered to God by fire are very specific: (1) the fat which covered the entrails or the fat in the area from the stomach down to the bowels; (2) all the fat on the entrails, i.e. all the fat attached to the entrails; (3) the two kidneys, and the fat upon them, and the fat in the region of the kidneys or any and all fat in the loins; (4) the fat upon the liver. All fat in the animal is contained in a net or film-like substance. All nets of fat were to be removed, along with the kidneys. These were offered to Jehovah. How strange all this sounds to Christians several thousand years removed from the action. Upon a closer examination of these verses some of the strangeness will turn to beauty. The fat is designated by Moses as the best portion of the animal. The fat with the kidneys are offered to God. The word kidneys is perfection. The word for flanks or loins is confidences. The fat upon the liver is also translated the super-abundance of the glory. It is with these internal or hidden portions of man that God has a special interest and on which He places a special value. It has always been so, i.e. God looketh not on the outward appearance or as man looketh. God wants our thoughts, feelings, purposes, desires. We could surely say that all the fat was offered by our Saviour to God on the cross, i.e. all his inward being was given to God to make peace for us. At the same time we cannot ignore our response to His mercies. Our reasonable service is the presenting of our total inward being to Him. It does seem significant that the only organs presented to God are the kidneys. Perhaps it could be true that if He truly has them He will have claimed all the rest.

Leviticus 3:5 The instructions for burning the fat of the peace offering is a little confusing because it is associated with the burnt offering. There is no need for confusion. The explanation is that the daily burnt offering was made before any peace offering, and by the nature of the burnt offering it must remain on the altar all day. The fire was continually burning upon the altarthe carcass of the burnt offering would be slow in being consumed. While the remaining portion of the victim was still burning, the priests were to burn upon the altar the fat of the peace offering. The highly inflammable nature of fat would hasten the burning,

While we yet are contemplating the acceptance offering of the lamb of God, we remember He is also our peace offering. The overlapping qualities and values of our Lord's sacrifice on our behalf is a wonder to behold!

Leviticus 3:6-7 There was room for a large gradation in the animals used in the sacrifice. It could be of the flock male or female, of the herd male or female, and even a lamb could be offered. The one static quality was that each offering be without blemish or perfect. Who will decide as to its perfectness? Was there certain standards of perfection for such animals? Sharp-eyed and well experienced priests no doubt were able to examine each victim as he was brought through the gate of the outer court. (See exceptions to this in Leviticus 5:12-13).

Our peace offering was examined by both men and God and He was found to be without fault. I find no fault in Him has been the verdict of 2,000 years of examination.
Conscious as we must be of our imperfections in character, active and passive, in our spirit, temper, and disposition, it is well for us that we can present and plead for our acceptance the name of Him who was altogether perfectthe Lamb of God without blemish and without spot. (Newberry)

Leviticus 3:8-11 The additional information in these verses has reference to a certain specie of sheep used in the East at the time of Moses. Indeed such species are still in use today. Information given by Keil and Delitzsch is of real interest here:

The fat tails which the sheep have in Northern Africa and Egypt, also in Arabia, especially Southern Arabia, and Syria, often weigh 15 lbs. or more, and small carriages on wheels are sometimes placed under them to bear their weight (Sonnini, R. ii. p. 358; Bochart, Hieroz. i. pp. 556 sqq.). It consists of something between marrow and fat. Ordinary sheep are also found in Arabia and Syria; but in modern Palestine all the sheep are -of the broad-tailed species.-' The broad part of the tail is an excrescence of fat, from which the true tail hangs down (Robinson, Pal. II. 166). -Near the rump-bone shall he (the offerer) take it (the fat tail) away,-' i.e. separate it from the body. We find nothing in these verses upon which we have not already commented.

Leviticus 3:12-16 These verses discuss the goat as a victim for the peace offering. The instructions are identical for: (1) the presentation; (2) the laying on of the hands; (3) the killing of the victim; (4) the sprinkling of the blood; (5) the burning of the fat; and (6) the meal (although the last is not mentioned in this chapter) to the previous instructions for other victims of the peace offerings. Perhaps it is here that we should call attention to Leviticus 7:11-34; Leviticus 19:5-8; Leviticus 22:21-25, where further instructions are given concerning the peace offering. Since we are studying the text verse by verse we shall consider these verses when we have progressed to such in order of our study. Suffice it to say here that the culmination of the peace offering was the festive-sacred meal the worshippers and the priests held together before and with the Lord. We appreciate so very much the words of S. H. Kellogg on the beautiful symbolism of the peace offering:

We can now perceive the teaching of the peace-offering for Israel. In Israel, as among all the nations, was the inborn craving after fellowship and friendship with God. The ritual of the peace-offering taught him how it was to be obtained, and how communion might be realized. The first thing was for him to bring and present a divinely-appointed victim; and then the laying of the hand upon his head with confession of sin; then, the slaying of the victim, the sprinkling of its blood, and the offering of its choicest parts to God in the altar fire. Till all this was done, till in symbol expiation had been thus made for the Israelite's sin, there could be no feast which would speak of the friendship and fellowship with God. But this being first done, God now, in token of His free forgiveness and restoration to favour, invites the Israelite to a joyful feast in His own house.
What a beautiful symbol! Who can fail to appreciate its meaning when once pointed out? Let us imagine that through some fault of ours a dear friend has become estranged; we used to eat and drink at his house, but there has been none of that now for a long time. We are troubled, and perhaps seek out the one who is our friend's friend and also our friend, to whose kindly interest we entrust our case, to reconcile to us the one we have offended. He has gone to mediate; we anxiously await his return; but before ever he has come back again, comes an invitation from him who was estranged, just in the old loving way, asking that we will eat with him at his house. Any one of us would understand this; we should be sure at once that the mediator had healed the breach, and that we were forgiven, and were welcome as of old to all that our friend's friendship had to give.
But God is the good Friend whom we have estranged; and the Lord Jesus, His beloved Son, and our own Friend as well, is the Mediator; and He has healed the breach; having made expiation for our sin in offering His own body as a sacrifice; He has ascended into heaven, there to appear in the presence of God for us; He has not yet returned. But meantime the message comes down from Him to all who are hungering after peace with God: -The feast is made; and ye all are invited; come! all things are now ready!-' And this is the message of the Gospel. It is the peace-offering translated into words. Can we hesitate to accept the invitation? Or, if we have sent in our acceptance, do we need to be told, as in Deuteronomy, that we are to eat -with rejoicing.-'

Leviticus 3:17 Mention is here made of prohibitions concerning fat and blood. Because of the oft discussion of this subject as related to the New Testament text of Acts 15:28-29 we offer S. H. Kellogg's discussion of this subject:

The chapter concerning the peace-offering ends (Leviticus 3:16-17) with these words: -All the fat is the Lord'S. It shall be a perpetual statute for you throughout your generations, that ye shall eat neither fat nor blood.-'

To this prohibition so much importance was attached that in the supplemental -law of the peace-offering-' (Leviticus 7:22-27) it is repeated with added explanation and solemn warning, thus: -And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat. And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts may be used for any other service: but ye shall in no wise eat of it. For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people. And ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. Whosoever it be that eateth any blood, that soul shall be cut off from his people.-'

From which it appears that this prohibition of the eating of fat referred only to the fat of such beasts as were used for sacrifice. With these, however, the law was absolute, whether the animal was presented for sacrifice, or only slain for food. It held good with regard to these animals, even when, because of the manner of their death, they could not be used for sacrifice. In such cases, though the fat might be used for other purposes, still it must not be used for food.

The prohibition of the blood as food appears from Leviticus 17:10 to have been absolutely universal; it is said, -Whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among them, that eateth any manner of blood, I will set My face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people.-'

The reason for the prohibition of the eating of blood, whether in the case of the sacrificial feasts of the peace-offerings or on other occasions, is given (Leviticus 17:11-12), in these words: -For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh atonement by reason of the life. Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood.-'

And the prohibition is then extended to include not only the blood of animals which were used upon the altar, but also such as were taken in hunting, thus (Leviticus 3:13): -And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among them, which taketh in hunting any beast or fowl that may be eaten, he shall pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust,-' as something of peculiar sanctity; and then the reason previously given is repeated with emphasis (Leviticus 3:14): -For as to the life of all flesh, the blood thereof is all one with the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof; whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.-'

And since, when an animal died from natural causes, or through being torn of a beast, the blood would be drawn from the flesh either not at all or but imperfectly; as further guarding against the possibility of eating blood, it is ordered (Leviticus 3:15-16) that he who does this shall be held unclean: -Every soul that eateth that which dieth of itself, or that which is torn of beasts, whether he be home-born or a stranger, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. But if he wash them not nor bathe his flesh, then he shall bear his iniquity.-'

These passages explicitly state the reason for the prohibition by God of the use of blood for food to be the fact that, as the vehicle of the life, it has been appointed by Him as the means of expiation for sin upon the altar. And the reason for the prohibition of the fat is similar; namely, its appropriation for God upon the altar, as in the peace-offerings, the sin-offerings, and the guilt-offerings; -all the fat is the Lord'S.-'
Thus the Israelite, by these two prohibitions, was to be continually reminded, so often as he partook of his daily food, of two things: by the one, of atonement by the blood as the only ground of acceptance; and by the other, of God's claim on the man redeemed by the blood, for the consecration of his best. Not only so, but by the frequent repetition, and still more by the heavy penalty attached to the violation of these laws, he was reminded of the exceeding importance that these two things had in the mind of God. If he eat the blood of any animal claimed by God for the altar, he should be cut off from his people; that is, outlawed, and cut off from all covenant privilege as a citizen of the kingdom of God in Israel. And even though the blood were that of the beast taken in the chase, still ceremonial purification was required as the condition of resuming his covenant position.
Nothing, doubtless, seems to most Christians of our day more remote from practical religion than these regulations touching the fat and the blood which are brought before us with such fullness in the law of the peace-offering and elsewhere. And yet nothing is of more present-day importance in this law than the principles which underlie these regulations. For as with type, so with antitype. No less essential to the admission of the sinful man into that blessed fellowship with a reconciled God, which the peace-offering typified, is the recognition of the supreme sanctity of the precious sacrificial blood of the Lamb of God; no less essential to the life of happy communion with God, is the ready consecration of the best fruit of our life to Him.

Surely, both of these, and especially the first, are truths for our time. For no observing man can fail to recognize the very ominous fact that a constantly increasing number, even of professed preachers of the Gospel, in so many words refuse to recognize the place which propitiatory blood has in the Gospel of Christ, and to admit its pre-eminent sanctity as consisting in this, that it was given on the altar to make atonement for our souls. Nor has the present generation out-grown the need of the other reminder touching the consecration of the best to the Lord. How many there are, comfortable, easy-going Christians, whose principleif one might speak in the idiom of the Mosaic lawwould rather seem to be, ever to give the lean to God, and keep the fat, the best fruit of their life and activity, for themselves! Such need to be most urgently and solemnly reminded that in spirit the warning against the eating of the blood and the fat is in full force. It was written of such as should break this law, -that soul shall be cut off from his people.-' And so in the Epistle to the Hebrews (Hebrews 10:26-29) we find one of its solemn warnings directed to those who -count this blood of the covenant,-' the blood of Christ, -an unholy (i.e. common) thing,-' as exposed by this, their undervaluation of the sanctity of the blood, to a -sorer punishment-' than overtook him that -set at naught Moses-' law,-' even the retribution of Him who said, -Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.-'

And so in this law of the peace-offerings, which ordains the conditions of the holy feast of fellowship with a reconciled God, we find these two things made fundamental in the symbolism: full recognition of the sanctity of the blood as that which atones for the soul; and the full consecration of the redeemed and pardoned soul to the Lord. So was it in the symbol; and so shall it be when the sacrificial feast shall at last receive its most complete fulfillment in the communion of the redeemed with Christ in glory. There will be no difference of opinion then and there, either as to the transcendent value of that precious blood which made atonement, or as to the full consecration which such a redemption requires from the redeemed.

FACT QUESTIONS 3:1-17

51.

The more fully or closely we contemplate the offerings, the more fully do we see what?

52.

What does the word oblation mean?

53.

What is another designation for the peace offering?

54.

Name three animals that could be used in the peace offering.

55.

The major emphasis or meaning of the burnt offering was one of _____; in this offering the emphasis is one of _____.

56.

What meaning can we give to the fact that the Hebrew word for peace is in the plural form?

57.

What significance is there in the offering of either a male or female?

58.

Name the six steps in the total ritual of the peace offering.

59.

Discuss the beautiful symbolism in the laying on of hands and the shedding of blood.

60.

Show how Hebrews 10:22 relates to this chapter in Leviticus.

61.

Name the four areas where fat was to be found and removed.

62.

What words or designations indicate the value of the fat and the kidneys? Explain.

63.

What is meant in Leviticus 3:5 in the reference to the burnt offering?

64.

The one static quality to be found in all the varieties of sacrifices was what?

65.

The particular breed of sheep had a meaning in this sacrifice. What was it?

66.

Can we learn anything typical from the offering of a goat as a peace offering?

67.

Describe the symbolism of the meal eaten in connection with the peace offering.

68.

Is it all right to eat blood or fat today?