The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 393

were immediately led out of Egypt, and set on their way to Canaan. So those justified throu~h the blood of Christ are delivered also from the bondage of COrruJ>tion, and set on therr way to heaven. 2. Remarkable cir~stances claim attention. (1) The lamb was to be "of the first year," i.e. in its prime. So was Christ in the prime of his man- hood when he was offered. (2) It was to,be offered "in the place which the Lord should choose" (Deut. xvi. 5-7). That place was J er11Salem (2 Kin"S xxi. 7; Ps. cxnii. 13, 14). There also "our Passover was sacrificed for us." (3) "In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's Passover" (ver. 5). Some think that our Lord, in accordance with the usage of the Ke.mites, or Scriptia.rii, killed and ate the Passover a day earlier than the Pharisees, and that he expired on the cross at the time when the Traditionarii were employed in killing their Paschal lambs (see Ikenii, 'Dissert. Theolog.,' tom. ii. chs. ix., L, xi.). Be this as it may, the word in the text translated "at even" is literally between the evenings; that is, between the chronological and ecclesiastical, which would be at the "ninth hour," or three p.m. This was the very hour at which Jesus expired (Luke xxili. 44-46). (4) It was ordered that no bone of the Paschal lamb should be broken. And whereas the legs of the malefactors were broken, the soldiers, seeing that Jesus was dead already, brake not his legs (see John xix. 31-36). Such things could not have been ordered by cha.nee. III. THE FEAST CORRESPONDED TO THE CmlISTIAN EuCllARIST. 1. The latter wa, accommorlated to the former. (1) This is evident from the history of the institution. For the cup of the Eucharist Christ used that cup of the Passover, which was called by the Jews the" cup of blessing," and which description Paul applies to the Christian cup (1 Cor. x. 16). For the bread of the Supper he used that of the Passover (Luke xxiL 15-20). (2) So when Paul speaks of Christ as " our Passover sacrificed for us," he adds, "let us keep the feast," meaning, allwively, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and really that which replaces it in the Church, 2. Both are retrospective and anticipative. (1) The Hebrews co=emorated the tYPe, viz. the deliverance from the destroying angel and from Egypt. The Christians commemorate the antitype, viz. the deliverance of souls from the anger of God and from the tyranny of sin. (2) The Hebrews antici- pated their entrance into Canaan. The Christians anticipate the joys of heaven; the new wine of the kingdom. 3. Both are tokens of Ohurch communion. (1) The Passover was not the rite initiatory into the Church of Israel. Circumcision was that rite. To this, baptism, under the gospel, corresponds, and is therefore called the circumcision o! Christianity (Col. ii. 11, 12). (2) But it was the rite continuative of such communion. Exclusion from the Passover was excommunication under the Law. So is the Eucharist the sign amongst Christians of a continued Church communion. "On the morrow after the sabbath," viz. of the Paschal week, the sheaf of the first- fruits was waved before the Lord (vers. 10, 11). This was a type of Christ in his resur- rection ns the Firstfruits of the great harvest (see 1 Cor. xv. 20-23). But when Christ died, the sabbath of the Paschal week happened upon the day in which he lay in the tomb (comp. John xix. 31; Luke vi. 1). 'l'hus the morrow after this sabbath was precisely that first day of the week on which our Lord arose (Mark xvi. 9). How strengthening to faith are all these correspondences 1-J. A. M. Vers. 15-22.-The Feast of Harvest. This was the second of the three great festivals upon which all the males of Israel were required to assemble at Jerusalem (see Exod. xxiii. 14-17; Deut. xvi. 16). Let us consider- !. THE DUTIES THEN ENJOINED UPON THE WORSHIPPERS. 1. They wers to meet in holy convocation. (1) This was intended to keep alive their interest in the service of God. Were sabbaths and public services of religion to cease, men would soon forget God. (2) All Israel looked each other in the face. Religion is eminently socio.I. And as these convocations were types of heavenly things, this suggested the recognitions and greetings of the future (see Heb. xii. 22, 23). (3) On this day servile work was to cease. 'l'he teaching here is that when we congregate in heaven we shall be emancipated from the curse of toil (comp. Gen. iii. 17 ; Rev. xxii. 3). 2. They were to present two wave loaves. (1) These were composed of two tenth-deals of fine flour. They were to sanctify the wheat-harvest as the sheaf of the firstfruits sanctified tho barley harvest. Hence these also are called "firstfruits" (vers. 17, 20; Exod. xxxiv. 22). (2) 'l'heJ were to be baken with leaven. As the unleavened bread of the Passover was a memoriO.: S58 THE BOOK OF LEVI'l'ICUS. [ea. :um. 6-H