The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 157

:u:viil. 4 I, and still more imperatively in Vere. 22-29.-The ra.m offered o.s a. peace Exod. xl. 15. They are spokon or as offering is ea.lied the ram of consecration, or " anointed" in eh. vii. 36, and as having literally, of filling, because one of the means •• the anointing oil or the Lord upon them" by which the consecration wa.a effected a.nd in oh. x. 7. On the other hand, the high exhibited wa.s the filling the hands of those priest is speoio.lly designated o.s " the priest presented for consecration with the portion that is anointed" (oh. iv. 3). It is probable of the sacrifice destined for the a.lta.r, which that the persono.l anointing of the ordinary they waved for a wave offering before the priests was confined to their being sprinkled Lord, previous to its consumption by the with oil, as described below in ver. 30 ; but fire. This portion consisted of the interoe.l that they were regarded o.s virtually anointed fat and tail, which was mrna.lly burnt (eh. vii. in Aaron's o.nointing. The Levites ho.d no 81), a.nd the heave offering of the right special dress until they obtained permission shoulder, or hind leg, which genera.Uy went from Herod .Agrippa. II. to wear the priestly to the officiating priest (eh. vii. 32), and robes (Joseph., 'Ant.,' xx. 9, 6). one of each of the unleavened ca.kP.s. After Vere, 14-32.-After the bathing, the this special ceremony of waving, peculiar to robing, and the o.nointing, follow the sacri- the rite of oonsecra.tion, the usual wave fices of oonsecra.tion-the sin offering (vers. offering (the breast) wa.s waved by Moses 14-17), the burnt offering (vers. 18-21), and consumed by himself. Ordinarily it the peace offering (vers. 22-32). was for the priests in general (eh. vii. 31). Ver. 14.-The sin offering. This was the The blood was poured on the side of the first sin offering ever offered. There had altar, a.s was done in all peaoe offerings, but been burnt offerings and sacrifices akin to in addition, on the present occasion, it was peace offerings before, but no sin offerings. put upon the tip of the right ear, and upon At once the sin offering te.kes its place as the thumb of the right hand, a.nd upon the the first of the three sacrifices before the great toe of the right foot of the priests burnt offerings and peace offerings. Justifi- who were being consecrated, symbolizing cation comes first, then sanctification, and, that their senses and a.otive powers were following upon them, communion with God. being devoted to God's service. The some The victim offered by and for Aaron and ceremony is to be used in the restoration of his sons is a. bullook, the same animal that the leper (see oh. xiv. 14). is appointed for the offering of the high Ver. 80,-The sprinkling with oil and priest (eh. iv. 8). blood completes the ceremony of anointing, Vere. 15-17.-And Moses took the blood. and suffioes of itself for the sons of Ao.ron, Moses continues still to a.et a.s priest, a.nd the in addition to their virtual po.rticipa.tion in new saorifice is onoe offered by him. He the B11finting of their fo.ther ( ver. 12). " In performs the priestly e.ct of presenting the the mmgling of the blood cmd oil for the blood; but on this ocoasion, whioh is special, anointing seems to be tcmght that not the blood is not dealt with in the ma.oner sacrifice for sin a.lone suffices; but the.t prescribed for the high priest's offerings (oh. with this must be joined the unction of the 1v. 6). The reason or this is that Ao.ron Holy Spirit" (Go.rdiner). was not yet high p1iest, and also that the Vera. 81, 82.-The flesh of the peace offering was ma.de not only for Ao.ron, but offering iB given to Aaron o.nd his sons to also for his sons i._ and further, the blood as eat, not in the capacity of priests (for the well o.s the a.noiuting oil wo.s required to pea.oe offerings were not eo.ten by the purify the altar, and so.notify it (see He b. priests), but o.s the offerers of the sucriflce. ix. 21). Although the blood was not Vers. 83-36.-The sa.crificie.l ceremonies "brought into the te.berno.ole," yet the were repee.ted for seven days, during which bullock wo.s burnt with fire without the oamp, Ao.ron o.nd bis sons remo.ined in the court not ea.ten a.ooording to the rule of eh. vii. of the to.bernacle, but did not enter the 26, 30. This was necesea.ry, as there were holy place, e.bsto.ining throughout tho.t time as yet no priests to eo.t it. from ministering, a.s the o.postles did during Vere. 18-21.-There is no deviation on the interve.l between the Ascension and the the present occe.sion from the ritual ap- day of Pentecost. The words, Ye !!hell not pointed for the burnt offering. After the go ont of the door of the ta.berna.ole, should sin offering, righteousness is symbolically rather be, Ye shall not go away from the imputed to Aaron ; after the burnt offering, entrance of the tabernacle, and for seven holiness; then follows the peace offering of days aha.11 he oonseora.te you, shoulJ re.that the ram, which completes and sa.orifloially be, during aeven day, 11e 8hall be consecrated, effects the oonsecre.tion.  118 THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. [011. vw.1-38.