The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 106

weakness was no frustration of God's purposes, for he never intended that sin shoulcl be condemned in such flesh as theirs (Ps. lxix. 30, 31; Ii. 16; Heb. x. 4). He intended these to foreshadow something better, viz. : 3. TIUJ Sin Offering of Cal.vary. (1) This wae made in a human body. Being in the" likeness of sinful flesh;" there was no con- stitutional weakness here (Heb. x. 5-10). (2) The glorious Person who assumed the "likeness of sinful flesh" was God's" own Son." Thus by virtue of his Divinity not only has he condemned sin in the flesh, but he enables us to fulfil the righteousness of the Le.w in the spirit of the gospel. II. IT IS EVINCED m 2 Coa. v. 21: "He was made sin," i.e. a sin offering, "for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 1. His righteousness is the righteousness of God. (1) Ilecause he is God himself. The Father was in him. Whoever failed to discern the Father in him did not comprehend him, did not know him (John xiv. 7-11). (2) He was approved of God (Matt. iii. 1,; xvii. 5). His resurrection placed this beyond question (Acts ii. 22-24). 2. This we receive, by imputation, in exchange for our sin. (l) The transfer of the sin was set forth in the laying on of the hand of the offerer upon the bullock at the altar, while it was yet a.live. The Jews give us these as the words uttered by the offerer, "I have sinned; I have done perversely; I have rebelled, e.nd done (here specifying men- tally or audibly the cause of his offering). But I return by repentance before thee, and let this be my expiation." (2) The substitute is then condemned while the offerer is justified. Not only is he released from the obligation to die, but is taken into fellow- ship with God, and feasts with him upon the meat and drink offerings accompanying (Numb. xv. 24). III. IT Is EVINCED m HEIi. IX. 28 : " Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin," i.e. without a sin offering," unto salvation." The allusions here are to the sin offering of the Law. The teaching is that, whereas at his first advent he appeared in the similitude of sinful flesh for the purposes foreshadowed in the sin offering, when he comes the ,econd time it will be in the glorious similitude of humanity, in innocence and holiness, to effect in us all the glories destined to follow upon his former meritorious sufferings (1 Pet. i. 11). IV. IT IB EVINCED ni HEn. :un. 10-13: "We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forlh, therefore, unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach." 1. This passage, like those already cited, asserts generally the fact that the sin offering was e. type of the sacrifice of Christ. 2. But it also points out the typical import of the burning of the body in the place of ashes without the camp. What is this place of ashes but Calvary, _Golgotha, the place of e. skull, which was outside the gate of Jerusalem? 3. It furthermore proves that the consumption of the body of the beasts in the fire, viz. after they had been bled e.t the side of the altar, foreshadowed the" suffering" of Christ. "He suffered without the camp." 'l'his suffer- ing then being distinguished from that represented by the bleeding, it must refor to that agony of soul which Jesus suffered from the fire of God's wrath against sin. 4. Since the altar which supplies our Eucharistic feast is that of Calvary; and sinco the priests under the Law did not eat of the bodies of those beasts which wero burnt without the camp, which were types of Christ, those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat of our altar. 'l'herefore those who embrace Christ and rejoice in his fellowship must, in the first place, renounce the ceremonial law of Moses (Gal. ii. 19-21; iii. 1-3).-J. A. M. Vers. 13-21.-Sin offering for the C011gregtition. The congregation of Isrnel sustained e. twofold character, viz. a political and an ecclesiastical; for it WILS e.t once a Nation e.nd a Church. Here we he.ve- I. THE sm OF A NATION. Ver. 13. l. Tl1t1 commandments of the Lord concern nations. (1) Nations are constituted under the control of his providence. We see this in the account of their origin at Dabel (Gen. :x.i. 6-8). In the teaching of prophecy (Gen. ix. 25-27; xviL 4, 6, 16). In the inspired review of their hiijtory (Acts :x.vii.  THE BOOK OI<' LEVITICUS. [cu. 1v. 1-35.