Lesson&#2&

The&5&Great&Sacrifices,&Part&1&“Sweet&Savor&Offerings”&

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 1)

In#Lesson##1#we#laid#a#founda1on#for#our#study#of#Levi1cus,#a#founda1on#res1ng#firmly#on#the#tradi1onal#understanding#of#Scripture#as#a#1ghtly#knit#fabric,#a#unified#work#in#which#the#Old#Testament#preBfigures#the#New#and#the#New#Testament#fulfills#the#Old.##Such#an#understanding#begins#with#the#early#Church#Fathers,#is#developed#throughout#the#Middle#Ages,#and#finds#its#fullest,#most#nuanced#expression#in#the#postBVa1can#II#documents#of#the#Pon1fical#Biblical#Commission.#

In#addi1on,#we#reinforced#our#founda1on#by#incorpora1ng#the#ancient#world’s#understanding#of#the#tripar1te#nature#of#the#cosmos#and#how#the#cosmos#is#mirrored#in#God’s#theophany#at#Mt.#Sinai#and#in#the#structure#of#the#Tabernacle.#

Finally,#we#incorporated#Mary#Douglas’#brilliant#insight#developed#in#Levi>cus&as&Literature&(1999)#that#views#reality#in#Levi1cus#as#an#elaborate#system#of#correspondences#between#the#cosmos,#Mt.#Sinai#and#the#Tabernacle,#a#reality#that#expresses#itself#through#“analogical”#thinking.#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 2)

3)Sacrifice,)Part)1)

That’s#some#heavyBduty#

“hermeneu1cal”#stuff!#

I’ll#say!#

Lesson##2#presents#the#approach#to#God#through#sacrifice.##In#this#lesson,#we#introduce#the#“5#Great#Sacrifices”—the#burnt#offering,#grain#offering,#peace#offering,#sin#offering#and#guilt#offering—and#we#focus#on#the#first#three,#the#“Sweet#Savor”#offerings.#

Virtually#all#ancient#religions#prac1ced#animal#sacrifice#as#an#integral#part#of#their#worship.##The#dis1nguished#Assyriologist#A.#L.#Oppenheim#succinctly#characterized#such#religious#behavior#as#“the#care#and#feeding#of#the#god.”#The#five#great#sacrifices#prescribed#in#Levi1cus#depart#radically#from#this#idea,#however.##Rather#than#“the#care#and#feeding”#of#God,#the#five#great#sacrifices#in#Levi1cus#are#symbolic#acts#that#express#a#set#of#moral#and#ethical#values,#which#in#turn#provide#a#mechanism#for#all#Israelites,#regardless#of#wealth#or#social#status,#to#communicate#directly#with#God#and#to#par1cipate#in#the#spiritual#life#of#the#covenant#community.##

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 4)

The#early#Church#Fathers#viewed#the#five#great#sacrifices#in#Levi1cus#as#foreshadowing#the#person#and#work#of#Christ.##In#his#Homilies&on&Levi>cus#Origen#stresses#the#3Bfold#understanding#of#Levi1cus:##its#literal,#moral#and#spiritual#layers.##And#in#his#Summa&Theologiae#(q.#102#a.#3#co.)#St.#Thomas#Aquinas#states#succinctly:#

“The&ceremonies&of&the&Old&Law&had&a&twoGfold&cause,&namely,&a&literal&cause,&according&as&they&were&intended&for&divine&worship;&and&a&figura>ve&or&mys>cal&cause,&according&as&they&were&intended&to&foreshadow&Christ;&and&in&either&way&the&ceremonies&pertaining&to&the&sacrifices&can&be&assigned&to&a&fiLng&cause.”&

Read#through#such#a#Chris1an#interpre1ve#lens,#the#“sweet#savor”#offerings—the#burnt#offering,#grain#offering#and#peace#offering—speak#of#the#person#of#Christ:##1)#of#his#offering#himself#wholly#and#completely#to#God;#2)#of#his#perfect#humanity#and#3)#of#his#being#our#peace.#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 5)

Virtually#all#ancient#religions#prac1ced#animal#sacrifice.##In#Homer’s#Iliad,#for#example,#when#Achilles#learns#that#the#god#Apollo#has#brought#a#plague#on#the#Achaeans#because#Agamemnon#had#taken#cap1ve#the#daughter#of#a#priest#of#Apollo,#Achilles#returns#the#daughter#to#her#father#Chryses,#and#the#proper#sacrifices#are#offered#to#Apollo#in#recompense:#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 6)

7)Sacrifice,)Part)1)

“His prayer went up and Phoebus Apollo heard him and soon as the men had prayed and flung the barley, first they lifted back the heads of the victims, slit their throats, skinned them and carved away the meat from the thighbones and wrapped them in fat, a double fold sliced clean and topped with strips of flesh. And the old man [Chryses] burned these over dried split wood and over the quarters poured out glistening wine while young men at his side held five-pronged forks. Once they had burned the bones and tasted the organs they cut the rest into pieces, pierced them with spits, roasted them to a turn and pulled them off the fire. The work done, the feast laid out, they ate well and no man’s hunger lacked a share of the banquet . . . And all day long they appeased the god with song . . . and Apollo listened, his great heart warm with joy.”

(Iliad, Book 1, 545-566).)

In#this#scene#from#the#Iliad&we#see,#marked&in&orange:#• the#grain#offering,##• burnt#offering,##• drink#offering#and##• peace#offering.#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 8)

In#ancient#Egypt#we#also#witness#numerous#examples#of#animal#sacrifice#portrayed#in#temples#and#tombs,#such#as#this#one#of#bulls#being#prepared#for#sacrifice,#at#the#Temple#of#Karnak#in#Luxor.#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 9)

.&&Photography&by&Ana&Maria&Vargas&

Bulls&bound&and&prepared&for&sacrificial&slaughter.&&&Temple&of&Karnak,&Luxor,&Egypt.)

In#ancient#religion#and#in#literature#such#as#the#Iliad,#animal#sacrifices#were#meant#to#thank#the#gods,#to#make#atonement#for#wrong#doing#or#to#gain#favor—what#the#Assyriologist#A.#L.#Oppenheim#called#“the#care#and#feeding#of#the#god.”##

In#Levi1cus,#however,#animal#sacrifice#func1ons#quite#differently.##Scripture#is#very#clear#that#for#the#Israelites#sacrifice#can#only#be#made#at#one#loca1on:##the#Tabernacle.##Later,#when#Solomon#builds#the#Temple#in#Jerusalem#(959#B.C.),#the#Tabernacle#is#re1red,#and#sacrifice#is#then#made#only&at#the#Temple.###

For#over#1,000#years,#from#959#B.C.#un1l#A.D.#70#(when#the#Temple#was#destroyed),#animal#sacrifice#occurred#daily,#except#during#the#Babylonian#cap1vity,#586#–#516#B.C.,#and#during#a#brief#period#of#the#Maccabean#revolt,#167B160#B.C.#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 11)

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 12)

When#the#Temple#in#Jerusalem#was#destroyed#in#A.D.#70,#never#to#be#rebuilt,#animal#sacrifice#ended#for#the#Jews,#forever.#

Photography&by&Ana&Maria&Vargas&

To#understand#the#func1on#of#animal#sacrifice#for#the#Israelites,#we#need#to#review#the#structure#and#func1on#of#the#Tabernacle,#where#the#sacrifices#take#place.#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 13)

When#God#gave#Moses#the#blueprints#for#the#Tabernacle#in#Exodus#25:#1#–#31:#18,#he#was#told#to#build#it#exactly&as#instructed.##Hebrews#8:#1B5#tells#us#why:#

“The&main&point&of&what&has&been&said&is&this&[speaking#of#the#priest#Melchizedek#in#Hebrews#7]:&&we&have&such&a&high&priest,&who&has&taken&his&seat&at&the&right&hand&of&the&throne&of&the&Majesty&in&heaven,&a&minister&of&the&sanctuary&and&of&the&true&tabernacle&that&the&Lord,&not&man,&set&up.&&Now&every&high&priest&is&appointed&to&offer&giYs&and&sacrifices&.&.&..&&They&worship&in&a&copy&and&shadow&of&the&heavenly&sanctuary,&as&Moses&was&warned&when&he&was&about&to&erect&the&tabernacle.&&For&he&says,&‘See&that&you&make&everything&according&to&the&pa\ern&shown&you&on&the&mountain.’”&

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 14)

The#Tabernacle#is#a#“copy&and&shadow&of&the&heavenly&sanctuary,”&the#very#dwelling#place#of#God!#

Since#the#Fall#in#Genesis#3,#humanity#has#been#cut#off#from#direct#access#to#God,#but#with#the#Tabernacle#and#the#“5#Great#Sacrifices,”#mediated#by#the#priesthood,#God#invites#humanity#back#into#his#presence—albeit#in#a#carefully#controlled#fashion.#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 15)

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 16)

God#

Tabernacle#

Remember#the#tripar1te#vision#of#the#cosmos#that#is#mirrored#in#God’s#theophany#at#Mt.#Sinai#and#in#the#structure#of#the#Tabernacle#itself?)

The#Tabernacle#“a#copy#and#shadow#of#[God’s]#heavenly#sanctuary”#

The#Tent#Cloth,#4#layers## # # # # # # # # # # # ##

.#

! Linen#embroidered#with#######violet,#purple#&#scarlet#yarn##

!#White#goat#hair#

!#Ram#skins#dyed#red#“Tahash”#skins#(dolphin?)"#)

The#Tent## # # # # # # # # # # # ##

.#

! Holy#Place#######(God’s#“dining#room”)#

! Holy#of#Holies#######(God’s#private#residence)#

# # # # # # # # # # # # ##

.#

! Menorah#####(Light)#

! Incense######(Aroma)#

! Bread#&######Wine######(laden#dining#######table)#

The#Holy#Place#God’s#“dining#room”#

# # # # # # # # # # # # ##

.#

Ark#of#the#Covenant#God’s#“footstool”#in#his#private#residence,#the#Holy#of#Holies#

People# People#

People#

People##accompanied#by#

Priests#for#sacrifice#

!#####Priests#

!#####High#Priest/God#

Holy#Place#

Holy#of#Holies#

Courtyard#

Sacrifice,)Part)1)

I#think#I#get#it!##But#what#is#the#func1on#of#the#sacrifices#in#all#

this?#

23)

Ooooo!##I#know!#

Unlike#other#ancient#religions&that#understood#animal#sacrifice#as#“the#care#and#feeding#of#the#god,”#the#animal#sacrifices#in#Levi1cus#are#not#“food”#for#God.##Recall#Psalm#50!#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 24)

I do not ask more bullocks from your farms nor goats from among your herds. For I own all the beasts of the forest, beasts in their thousands on my hills. I know all the birds in the sky; all that moves in the field belongs to me. Were I hungry, I would not tell you, for I own the world and all it holds. Do you think I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?

(Psalm 50: 9-13)

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 25)

Indeed,#all#sacrifices#presented#at#the#Tabernacle#are#prepared#in#the#courtyard#by#the#persons#who#offer#them#and#by#the#priests.##Food#and#wine#are#explicitly#forbidden#inside#God’s#tent,#save#for#the#bread#and#wine#displayed#on#the#“table#of#showbread”#in#the#“dining#room.”##

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 26)

Rather,#the#sacrifices#create#a#sense#of#spiritual#connectedness#and#in1macy#with#God.##

In#sacrificing,#people#communicated#directly#with#God#in#a#very#physical,#visceral#way.##Bringing#the#best#of#your#herd#or#flock;#laying#your#hand#on#the#animal’s#head,#a#gesture#of#offering#your#most#valuable#property#to#God;#slaying#the#animal#with#one’s#own#hands;#smelling#the#sweet#aroma#of#the#meat#as#it#roasted#on#the#altar;#and#watching#the#smoke#ascend#toward#heaven,#a#symbol#of#one’s#prayers#and#desires#ascending#to#God,#evoked#a#powerful,#primal#connec1on#with#God.##

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 27)

And#by#allowing#laypersons#to#make#their#own#sacrifices,#under#the#auspices#of#the#priests,#the#sacrifices#gave#people#a#degree#of#control#over#their#spiritual#lives#and#their#rela1onship#with#God.#

By#invi1ng#people#into#the#sanctuary#to#offer#sacrifice,#people#felt#personally#invited#into#God’s#earthly#home,#where#they#would#engage#in#that#most#in1mate#act#of#sharing#a#meal.#

Indeed,#the#Hebrew#word#for#“sacrifice”#comes#from#the#verb#meaning#“to#bring#near”;#and#the#word#“sacrifice”#itself#comes#from#the#La1n#word#meaning#“to#make#sacred.”#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 28)

Sacrifice,)Part)1)

Wow!##That#is#powerful#

stuff!#

29)

So,#let’s#turn#now#to#the#“5#Great#Sacrifices”#and#look#at#each#one#in#turn.##In#this#lesson#we’ll#focus#on#the#first#three,#the#“Sweet#Savor”#offerings:#

1.   Burnt#offering#2.   Grain#offering#3.   Peace#offering#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 30)

All#three#of#the#“Sweet#Savor”#offerings#are#voluntary,#expressions#of#gra1tude#and#thanksgiving#toward#God,#and#they#are#listed#and#described#from#the#point#of#view#of#the#donor.#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 31)

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 32)

The#Burnt#Offering#(1:#1B17)#

“If&a&person’s&offering&is&a&burnt&offering&from&the&herd,&the&offering&must&be&a&male&without&blemish”#(Levi1cus#1:#3).#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 33)

Photography&by&Ana&Maria&Vargas&

The#“burnt#offering”#follows#a#very#specific#ritual#procedure:#• #The#donor#brings#his#offering#to#the#entrance#of#the#tent#of#mee1ng;#• #The#donor#places#one#hand#(not#two)#on#the#head#of#the#animal,#symbolically#offering#his#property#to#God;#

• #The#priest#then#invites#the#donor#into#the#courtyard,#where#he#stands#with#his#offering#on#the#north#side#of#the#altar;#

• #The#donor#then#slaughters#the#animal;#

• #The#priest#dashes#the#animal’s#blood—collected#by#his#fellow#priests—on#the#sides#of#the#altar;#• #The#donor#then#skins#and#quarters#the#animal,#washing#its#entrails#and#skins;#

• #The#priest#stokes#the#altar#fire,#lays#new#wood#upon#it,#places#the#animal#parts#on#the#altar#and#supervises#its#incinera1on.#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 34)

There#are#several#important#things#we#should#note#about#the#procedure:#

• #All#the#preliminary#rites#are#performed#by#the#donor:##hand#leaning,#slaughtering,#flaying,#quartering#and#washing;#• #The#priest#takes#over#at#the#altar#and#con1nues#the#sacrificial#ritual.###

• ##The#altar#is#the#province#of#the#priest,#who#acts#as#mediator#between#the#donor#and#God;#all#other#rituals#are#performed#by#the#donor,#so#the#donor#is#ac>vely&engaged&in#the#sacrificial#process;#• #The#blood#of#the#animal#is#dashed#on#the#sides#of#the#altar#by#the#priest.##Levi1cus#17:#14#says,#“the&life&of&all&flesh&is&its&blood.”##The#giving#and#taking#of#life#is#the#sole#province#of#God;#blood#is#sacred,#the#vessel#of#life,#so#the#animal’s#blood#is#returned#to#God#and#only#the#flesh#is#offered;#• ##The#flesh#is#then#wholly#consumed#on#the#altar.#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 35)

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 36)

The#“burnt#offering”#may#be#one#of#three#types#of#animals,#listed#in#value#from#greatest#to#least:#

• #A#bull,#an#offering#of#the#herd;#• #A#sheep#or#goat,#an#offering#of###########

#the#flock;#or#• #a#bird,#a#turtledove#or#a#pigeon#

• If#the#offering#is#a#bird,#the#sacrificial##process#is#somewhat#different,#given#the##small#size#of#the#animal.#

The#burnt#offering#is#“a&sweetGsmelling&obla>on&to&the&Lord”#(1:#14);#hence,#it#is#called#as#a#“Sweet#Savor”#offering.#

In#Chris1an#typology,#the#“burnt#offering”#foreshadows#Christ#offering#himself#wholly#and#without#blemish#to#God.#• ##the#bull#speaks#of#his#strength#and#perfec1on;#• ###the#sheep#speaks#of#his#pa1ence#and#unresis1ng#abandonment#to#death—[He#was#led]#“like&a&lamb&to&the&slaughter”#(Isaiah#53:#7);##

SacrifiPart)1) 37)

• ##the#goat#typifies#the#sinner#and,#when#used#of#Christ,#it#speaks#of#he#who#was#“counted&among&the&transgressors”#(Isaiah#53:#12).##As#St.#Paul#says,#“For&our&sake&he&[God]&made&him&to&be&sin&who&did&not&know&sin,&so&that&we&might&become&the&righteousness&of&God&in&him”#(2#Corinthians#5:#21);#

• ###the#turtledove#or#pigeon#speaks#of#mourning#innocence#(Isaiah#38:#14)#and#the#poverty#of#the#one#who#“for&your&sake&.&.&.&became&poor&although&he&was&rich,&so&that&by&his&poverty&you&might&become&rich”#(2#Corinthians#8:#9).##

SacrifiPart)1) 38)

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 39)

The#Grain#Offering#(2:#1B16)#

God#invites#all#Israelites,#regardless#of#their#wealth#or#social#status,#to#par1cipate#in#an#in1mate#rela1onship#with#him#through#the#Tabernacle#and#the#sacrificial#system.#• ##Bulls,#lambs,#goats#and#even#birds#are#expensive;#thus#the#grain#offering#provides#those#who#are#poor#an#opportunity#to#make#a#“sweet#savor”#offering#to#the#Lord.#

• ##Levi1cus#5,#which#deals#with#sin#and#guilt#offerings,#the#“nonBsweet#savor”#sacrifices,#states#that#“if&a&person&cannot&afford&an&animal&of&the&flock,&that&person&shall&bring&&.&.&.&two&turtledoves&or&two&pigeons&.&.&..&&If&the&person&is&unable&to&afford&even&two&turtledoves&or&two&pigeons,&that&person&shall&bring&as&an&offering&.&.&.&one&tenth&of&an&ephah&of&bran&flour.”#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 40)

The#“grain#offering”#is#the#poor#man’s#surrogate#for#the#“burnt#offering.”#We#should#note#several#things#about#it:#

• #It#is#a#“sweetGsmelling&obla>on&to&the&Lord”#(2:2),#a#“sweet#savor”#offering;#• #It#is#not#offered#wholly#to#God;#a#por1on#is#reserved#for#the#priest;#

• #It#can#be#baked,#fried#or#prepared#in#a#pan;#• #It#contains#no#yeast;#yeast#is#the#archBsymbol#of#fermenta1on,#deteriora1on#and#death,#and#hence#taboo#on#the#altar#of#blessing#and#life;#

• #It#contains#no#honey#(made#from#dates#or#figs);#

• #It#is#seasoned#with#salt,#the#preserva1ve#par&excellence#in#the#ancient#world,#and#hence#a#symbol#of#God’s#eternal#covenant#with#his#people;#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 41)

In#Chris1an#typology,#the#“grain#offering”#foreshadows#the#perfec1on#of#Christ’s#humanity.#• ##the#bran#flour#speaks#of#his#even#personality,#of#the#loveliness#of#Jesus;##• ##the#bread#without#yeast#speaks#of#his#total#lack#of#corrup1on;##• ##the#bread#mingled#with#oil#speaks#of#his#being#anointed#by#the#Holy#Spirit;##• ##the#lack#of#honey#speaks#of#his#honesty#and#forthrightness;#there#is#no#“sweetness”#in#him;#• ##the#salt#speaks#of#his#faithfulness.##Salt#preserves;#the#“salt#of#the#covenant”#binds#one’s#word#to#an#agreement.##

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 42)

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 43)

The#Peace#Offering#(3:#1B17)#

The#“peace#offering”#falls#into#three#categories:##freewill,#vow#and#thanksgiving.###• ##The#freewill#offering#is#the#spontaneous#byproduct#of#one’s#happiness,#whatever#its#cause;#• ##The#vo1ve#offering#is#brought#following#the#successful#fulfillment#of#a#vow;#• ##Psalm#107#suggests#that#the#thanksgiving#offering#is#made#on#four#occasions:##1)#the#safe#return#from#a#desert#journey,#2)#release#from#prison,#3)#recovery#from#an#illness,#and#4)#the#safe#return#from#a#sea#voyage.#• ##The#common#denominator#of#all#three#is#joy.##As#we#read#in#Deuteronomy#27:#7,#“You&shall&also&offer&communion&sacrifices&[peace#offerings]&and&eat&them&there,&rejoicing&in&the&presence&of&the&Lord,&your&God.”#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 44)

As#Levi1cus#7:#11B37#makes#clear,#the#“peace#offering”#is#the#only#offering#that#is#eaten#by#the#donor,#those#with#him#and#the#priests.##It#is#a#“communion#meal,”#shared#with#God.#• #The#Hebrew#word#shelamim&(“peace#offering”)#is#variously#translated#as#“communion,”#“fellowship”#or#“wellBbeing”;#• #Unlike#the#burnt#offering,#the#peace#offering#can#be#either#a#male#or#a#female#from#the#herd#or#flock;#

• #Although#eaten#as#a#“communion#meal”#by#the#donor,#those#with#him#and#the#priests,#“all&the&fat&belongs&to&the&Lord”#(3:#16),#that#is,#the#best#por1ons#of#the#sacrifice.#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 45)

In#Chris1an#typology,#the#“peace#offering”#portrays#Christ#as#our#peace,#and#it#foreshadows#the#Eucharist,#the#body#and#blood#of#Christ,#our#“fellowship#meal”#with#God.#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 46)

I#told#you#this#would#be#fun!#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 47)

It#sure#is!#

1.   How#does#animal#sacrifice#at#the#Tabernacle#differ#from#that#of#other#ancient#religions?###

2.   Why#do#Jews#not#offer#animal#sacrifice#today?#3.   How#do#the#“sweet#savor”#sacrifices#

foreshadow#the#person#of#Christ?#

4.   What#is#the#only#sacrifice#that#is#shared#as#a#meal?#

5.   How#is#one’s#rela1onship#with#God#enhanced#by#animal#sacrifice?#

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 48)

Copyright#©#2015#by#William#C.#Creasy#

# All# rights# reserved.# No# part# of# this# course—audio,# video,#photography,# maps,# 1melines# or# other# media—may# be#reproduced#or#transmited#in#any#form#by#any#means,#electronic#or# mechanical,# including# photocopying,# recording# or# by# any#informa1on# storage# or# retrieval# devices# without# permission# in#wri1ng#or#a#licensing#agreement#from#the#copyright#holder.#

[All#Tabernacle#illustra1ons#in#these#lectures#are#taken#from:###

Paul#F.#Kiene.# #The&Tabernacle&of&God&in&the&Wilderness&of&Sinai,#trans.# by# John# S,# Crandall.# Grand#Rapids,#Michigan:# # Zondervan#Publishing#House,#1977.##Used#by#permission.]##

Sacrifice,)Part)1) 49)