Commentaria in Leviticum
Chapter 3
The third species of sacrifice is described, namely the peace-victim; and it is threefold: first, of an ox, verse 1; second, of sheep, verse 6; third, of a goat, verse 12. Lastly, in the last verse, God demands for Himself all the fat and the blood.
1. And if his offering be a sacrifice of peace-offerings, and he will offer of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer them without blemish before the Lord. 2. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his victim, which shall be slain in the entry of the tabernacle of the testimony: and the sons of Aaron the priests shall pour the blood round about upon the altar. 3. And they shall offer of the sacrifice of peace-offerings, for an oblation to the Lord, the fat that covereth the entrails, and all that is within: 4. The two kidneys with the fat wherewith the loins are covered, and the caul of the liver with the little kidneys. 5. And they shall burn them upon the altar for a holocaust, the wood being put under the fire, for an oblation of most sweet savour to the Lord. 6. But if his oblation be of the sheep, and a sacrifice of peace-offerings, whether he offer a male or a female, they shall be without blemish. 7. If he offer a lamb before the Lord, 8. He shall put his hand upon the head of his victim, which shall be slain in the entry of the tabernacle of the testimony: and the sons of Aaron shall pour its blood round about the altar. 9. And they shall offer of the sacrifice of peace-offerings a sacrifice to the Lord, the fat and the whole rump, 10. With the kidneys, and the fat that covereth the belly and all the vitals, and both the little kidneys with the fat which is near the flanks, and the caul of the liver with the little kidneys: 11. And the priest shall burn them upon the altar, for the food of the fire and of the oblation of the Lord. 12. If his offering be a goat, and he offer it to the Lord, 13. He shall put his hand upon its head: and shall immolate it in the entry of the tabernacle of the testimony: and the sons of Aaron shall pour its blood round about the altar. 14. And they shall take of it, for the food of the Lord’s fire, the fat that covereth the belly, and that covereth all the vitals, 15. The two little kidneys with the caul which is upon them near the flanks, and the fat of the liver with the little kidneys; 16. And the priest shall burn them upon the altar, for the food of the fire, and of the most sweet savour. All the fat shall be the Lord’s, 17. By a perpetual law for your generations, and in all your habitations: neither blood nor fat shall you eat at all.
Verse 1. IF HIS OFFERING BE A SACRIFICE OF PEACE-OFFERINGS.—“A victim of peace-offerings,” understand, of animals, that is, of those which are offered for peace, that is, for safety, well-being and prosperity (for this is what peace means with the Hebrews), whether already obtained or to be obtained: for the peace-victim was twofold, one which was offered in thanksgiving for prosperity obtained; the other, which was offered to obtain prosperity or a benefit for someone, either for a man, or a family, or the commonwealth. The Septuagint translate, “victim of salvation,” that is, a victim offered for salvation; the Chaldee translates, “victim of sanctifications.” In Hebrew this victim is called zebach shelamim, which can be rendered in four ways: First, “victim of peace-offerings,” that is, pacific, for the cause already said, and because this victim as it were made peace between God, the priest and the offerers, in that in it a part of the victim was assigned to each. Secondly, it can be rendered “victim of tranquillities,” that is, a victim offered for quiet and tranquillity. Thirdly, it can be rendered “victim of retributions,” that is, a victim of thanksgiving, as Josephus renders it. Fourthly, it can be rendered “victim of perfections,” that is, a victim offered for the integrity and perfection of a man, or of a house and family. For the Hebrew shalam signifies, first, to make peace; secondly, to be quiet and tranquil; thirdly, to repay; fourthly, to finish, complete and perfect. Note: This peace-victim was offered not by precept but by vow, or freely; hence, at the pleasure of the offerer, it could be male or female. If anyone, however, had vowed a better beast from his flock, and therefore a male, he had to offer it, according to Malachias 1:14: “Cursed is the deceitful man that hath in his flock a male, and making a vow offereth in sacrifice that which is feeble to the Lord.”
Note second: The peace-victim was divided into three parts: the first, namely the fat and blood, was burnt to God; the second, namely the breast and right shoulder, fell to the sacrificing priest; the third, namely the rest of the flesh, fell to the laity offering it, of which chapter 7. In the holocaust, however, the whole victim fell to God; in the victim for sin part fell to God, part to the priest, but nothing to the offerer, as is plain from chapter 7, verse 6.
Hence note third: The peace-victim, like that for sin, had to be an ox, sheep or goat, not birds, such as the turtle-dove or pigeon, because these are too small to be conveniently divided into three portions. Birds, however, were offered for a holocaust, because that was wholly burnt to God.
Tropologically Radulphus and Hesychius: In the holocaust, they say, the life of the perfect is designated; in peace-victims the conduct of the middling, who though they do not fulfil the highest goods, yet avoid the greatest evils. These distribute some things to the altar, some to the priests, and grant the rest to the use of the body, says Theodoret, Question 1.
“He immolates an ox, therefore,” says Radulphus, “whoever in secular life, devoted to the actions of the world, ministers to God by those very labours. He offers a sheep who, not sufficient for labour, and recalled from works of mercy by infirmity and sorrow or poverty, pleases God by innocence alone. He offers a goat who changes his old manner of life by the chastisement of a better purpose. No mention is made here of birds, because the virtue of contemplation is wont to be assigned to the more perfect.”
Second, Rupert here, chapter 27, understands by the victim for sin faith; by the peace-victim, hope; by the holocaust, charity, which is the greatest of all; but this is accommodated rather than tropological.
The peace-victim, therefore, is continence and mercy. “He is truly continent who is superior to disturbance, and admits no incentive of pleasure, but is of a sober mind, and never yielding to pleasure,” says St. Basil, and from him Maximus, sermon On Continence.
Anacharsis ordered to be inscribed on his statues: “Restrain the tongue, the belly and the shameful parts”; because an unbridled tongue is the cause of the greatest evils, nothing is fouler than luxury, and lust turns man into a beast, says Laertius, book 1, chapter 9.
Socrates, being asked how one might become rich, said: “If he be continent and free of desires.”
Archidamus, when someone had promised him most delicious wine, said: “To what purpose is it needed? for the better it is, the more will be consumed, and it will render us less fit for what befits brave men.” Plutarch is witness in his Laconics.
Alcamenes, a rich man, living rather sparingly, when others wondered, said: “It becomes him who possesses much to live by reason, not by lust,” signifying that riches are pernicious unless there be a mind superior to them. Plutarch in the same place.