The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 25

the !!eneric term "qorban." After what has been already said upon the meaning anr} Biblical usage of this term for all forms of sacrifice, whether bloodless or marked by tho effusion of blood, whether presented at the altar or without discrimination of place, little further need be added. All the Levitical sacrifices were gifts to Jehovah. They gave tangible expression to the innate sentiments of every worshipper down to the lowest grade of the fetichist, that it is necessary to attest the self-denial of his soul by some gift which the hand can bring; a sentiment which Jehovah not only sanctioned in the Jew, but demanded when he said," Thou shalt not appear before me empty." He who brought a qorban made a presentatwn. Undoubtedly the problem of the Levitical sacrifices is like one of those intricate locks which only a combination of keys can open. One master-key has been discovered in this idea of qorban. What- ever else the Levitical sacrillces were, they were presentations to Jehovah, &.'\crlfices symbolic of self-sacrifice. The idea underlying the term" kiP'[JM' "and it, 1everal form& This technical term and its derivatives are translated in the Authorized Version by atone and its derivatives. Without discussing the primary significance of the word,1 suffice it to say that" atone'' in its scriptural sense means" to cover sin," in other words, to neutralize or conceal sin so that it should not offend the Deity-to render the Divine wrath inoperative. To make an atonement, if we probe the Hebrew figure, "_was to throw, so to speak, a veil over sin so dazzling that the veil and not the sin was visible, or to place side by side with sin something so attractive as to completely engross the eye. The figure which the New Testament uses when it speaks of the 'new robe,' the Old Testament uses when it speaks of atonement. When an atonement was made under the Law, it was as though the Divine eye, which had been kindled at the sight of sin and foulness, was- now quieted by the garment thrown around it; or, to use a figure much too modern,. yet equally appropriate, it was as if the sinner, who had been exposed to the lightning. of the Divine wrath, had been suddenly wrapped round and insulated. n So much for the idea of the word. In addition, let the precise association of the idea be remembered. This idea of atonement is expressly associated with the blood of the sacrifices in an important passnge: " For the soul,• it is said, in eh. :z:vii. 11, "of the flesh is in the blood, and I (the Lord) have given it you upon the altar to be an atonement for your souls: for the blood it atones by the sou].• In other words, to avoid the lengthy controversy connected with this passage, it is at least alleged that the blood of every animal sacrifice has been appointed by God, for some reason of his own, as a means 01 neutralizing the sin of the Jew, because the blood is the life of the animal sacrificell. Four truths thus emerge, viz. first, the Levitical sacrifices bad a power of atonement; secondly, that atonement was connected only with the blood sacrifices; thirdly, it was the effusion or blood which was declared to be a neutralizing of sin; and fourthly, this act or atonement was an act of substitution, that is to say, a forfeited human life was spared becaWle of an animal life surrendered. Of course, we are not arguing either the reasonableness or irrationality of this fact; it is our present purpose simply to state it. Thus the second master-key to the Levitical sacrifices has been obtained. But although, to continue the figure, the door into the mysterious chamber is opened, the only available light is that which hos followed our entrance ; there are many windows to be unbarred and bliuds to be lifted before the entire chamber is visible to its remotest corner and most secret recess. To this unbarring and illuminating we must now proceed. The significance of the materials med in sacrifice. As our previous classification has- nbown, these materials were divisible into animal and son-animal offerings, or, to adopt. ~ • Scripture! Doctrine or Saorillce,' pp. 482-486.  :xiv 'fIIE LEVITICAL SACRIFICES LITERALLY CONSIDERED.