However, we must not enter too minutely into the detail of this burnt offering, and there are just two points further to which I will refer. The first is presented to us in ver. 6: "And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces." Here we see at once to what a process of strict, jealous and uncompromising scrutiny the Lord Jesus exposed Himself in offering Himself before God. It was not enough that the animal should be APPARENTLY "without blemish," for the skin, or _outward surface_, might look very well, and at the same time the offering be not at all fit for God's altar; therefore the _outward surface_ must be removed, in order that this offering may be examined in all its sinews, joints and veins, and thus be found, as to _the springs of action_, _the structure of his frame_, and the source and channels of the life that animated him, a perfectly unblemished offering. But further, "_he shall cut it into his pieces_," i.e., take the offering asunder, and examine its various parts, in order that it may not only form a perfect whole, but that each distinct joint may be found perfect. Thus, in whatever aspect we look at the Lord Jesus, we get divine perfection. He could say to God, "Thou hast tried Me, and shalt find nothing;" and God could answer, "I am well pleased." He could say of the devil, "The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing _in Me_;" and the devil could reply, "I know Thee, who thou art, the _Holy One of God_." He could say to men, "Which of you convinceth Me of sin?" and man could answer, "Truly this was a _righteous man_." Thus, I say, our divine burnt-offering, who voluntarily presented Himself at God's altar, and there poured forth His most precious blood, was found, in every feature and in every aspect, pure and perfect in the very highest sense of the word, and confessed so by heaven, earth, and hell.[8]
[8] We may also observe, in the act of cutting the offering into his pieces, this important truth, that in whatever relationship of life we contemplate the Lord Jesus, we find the same unsullied perfection; whether we consider Him as a public or as a private character, in one position or another, all is alike. Not so with man--here there must be failure in one way or another. If a man is a good public character, he may be the very plague of the family circle, and _vice versa_. And, surely, in all this we learn the glorious truth which shall shortly be owned by all created intelligences, that "He _alone_ is worthy."