On the whole subject this must be added, that sacrifice is acceptable to God only in virtue of the spirit which lies behind it and which it expresses. It is never the outward value of the offering, never the amount of suffering it entails, that makes it precious in God's sight. The multiplicity and costliness of the sacrifices under the old ritual became hateful in His eyes whenever they became a mere attempt to bribe God's favour, and ceased to be the symbol of dependence and gratitude and obedience in man (cf.Ts V^- ^'^). Mercy toward man and love to God must always be the underlying, inspiring spirit of sacrifice, else even the minutest observance of ritual becomes worthless (Mt 23-^"'^ 9'^ 12''). Christ's sacrifice, then, was acceptable to God, not because of the amount of suffering or the shame of the death, — the Avillingness to undergo so much was but the revelation of the greatness of the love, — but because it manifested perfect obedience, perfect holiness, perfect Divine love. It is in the same way — it is in Christ only — that the sacrifices of Christians are a sweet incense unto God. Men no longer need offer sacrifice for sin, but the Father still asks of the believer burnt- offerings of self-dedication (Ro 12^), thank-offerings of grateful love. These are sacrifices which the love of God and the holiness for which the believer longs make it a joy to offer, because they are a revelation of the spirit which inspires his heart and works in his whole life — the spirit of Jesus Christ (Eph 5^^-'\ He 13^5- «, Ph 4"- 's, Mt S^s- 24). See also next art. and artt. Atonement and Pro- pitiation.
Literature. — Art. 'Sacrifice' in Hastings' DB and in Encyc. Bibl. ; Dorner, Syst. of Chr. Doct. iv. 1-124 ; Martensen, Chris- tian Dogmatics, 302-315 ; Clarke, Outline of Christian Thml. 308-368 ; Bushnell, Vicarious Sacrifice and Christ and His Salvation ; F. D. Maurice, Doctrine of Sacrifice ; Beyschlag', NT Theol. ; Weiss, do.; Cave, Script. Doct. of Sacrifice; Dale, Atonemf.nt; Dennev, Death of Christ; Fairbairn, Christ in Mod. Theol. 479-487'; Godet, NT Studies, 148-200.
W. J. S. Miller. SACRIFICES (of OT in relation to Christ).—
SACRIFICES
SACRIFICES
547
Sacrifice is an act of homage resulting in a degree of friendship witli God. So long as the creature is not incorporated into the Creator, homage must always be tlue from man to God. Not even under the gospel have we outgrown the attitude ex- presseil by sacrifice. We have passed away from animal sac-ritices, but we liave passed into the region of tlie sacrifice of Christ.
Tiie sacrifices of the OT may be divided into ritual or prescribed, and the spontaneous, primi- tive usages of which instances occur both before and after the time of Moses, and among heathen as well as in the direct line of revelation (Gn 4^ 8-" 12^ Ex 181^ Nu 2S\ Jg IF', 1 S 7», 1 K 3^ 18-^ 2 K 3^''). This distinction, however, is not dwelt upon in the NT, and is noteM'orthy only for tlie light which the older form of sacrifice throws upon the origin of the Mosaic sacrifices.
1. It is generally agreed that the sacred record represents sacrifice as a practice found already in existence among men, when the special revelation to Israel begins (Gn 4-''). A sense of dependence upon God, the need of His friendsiiip, and the duty of rendering homage to Him by gifts, are the universjil elements in sacrifice. It is not clear whether the friendship of God was taken to be assured, and the sacrificial meal only expressed it, or whether it was usually felt that there was some amends to be made, and the favour of God ob- tained, before His friendship could be enjoyed. But this matter was made clearer afterwards in the separate appointment of sin-offerings and peace- offerings in the Mosaic system. Meantime, we have here a universally implanted instinct in human nature that responds to the sovereignty of the Un- seen in homage, thankfulness, confidence, or fear. Thus there was in the Mosaic law of sacrifice a language being prepared that would be intelligible to all men, and that was fitted to be the vehicle of a world-wide revelation of God.
It is of importance to notice that the usage of sacrifice is not onlj' adopted and regulated in the OT, but is expressly com- manded by prophets of God from Moses to Malachi (Ex 2315, Mai l^-i-i). This fact makes the use of sacrificial language in regard to the death of Christ to be of very much greater signifi- cance than if sacrifice had merely provided Christ and His Apostles with an illustration that lay to hand. And it is the more to be attended to because so often the sacrifices of the Mosaic law seem to be disparaged by the prophets. What they found fault with was that the people complied with the outward rules of God's worship, and did not lay to heart the high require- ments of His law ; for if these sacrifices meant that they were in friendly relations with God, this ought to have carried with it a life and conduct consistent with so high a religious profes- sion (Is I'l-ifi, ,Jer 7"J). Since, therefore, sacrifice was undoubt- edly of Divine institution, through the prophets, we may take it that whatever feelings of confidence toward God, or of the consciousness of guilt, were expressed by sacrifice, these were not only Divinely allowed and sanctioned, but were required by- God on the part of His people towards Him.