Matthew Poole and continuators on Leviticus 2

1 AND when any will offer a meat-offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour : and he shall pour oyl upon it , and put frankincense thereon .

This was of two kinds, the one joyned with other offerings, Numb. 15. 4, 7▪ 10. which was prescribed together with the measure of proportion of it: the other, of wh[illegible: 1+ letters]h this pla[illegible: 1+ letters] speaks, was a distinct and separate offering, and [illegible: 1+ letters]as [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1+ letters]o the offerers good will both for the thing, and for the [illegible: 1 word] And the matter of this offering wa[illegible: 1+ letters] [illegible: 1 word] without [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] ▪ corn, cakes, &c. Now this sort of sacrifices were appointed, 1. because these are things of greatest necessity and benefit to man, and therefore it is meet that God should be served with them and owned and praised as the giver of them. 2. in condescension to the poor, that they might not want an offering for God, and to shew that God would accept even the meanest services when offered to him with a sincere mind. 3. these were necessary provisions for the feast which was here to be represented to God, and for the use of the Priests▪ who were to attend upon these holy ministrations.

Searched or sifted, and purged from all bran▪ it being fit that the best things should be offered to the best being.

Which may note the graces of the Holy Ghost, which are compared to oyl and anointing with it, Psal. 45. 7. 1 Ioh. 2. 20. and which are necessary to make any offering acceptable to God.

Which manifestly designed Christs satisfaction and intercession, which is compared to a sweet odour, Eph. 5. 2. and to incense, Rev. 8. 3.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word].

2 And he shall bring it to Aarons sons the Priests: and he shall take thereout his handfull of the flour thereof, and of the oyl thereof with all the frankincense thereof, and the Priest shall burn the memorial of it , upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

(i. e.) That Priest to whom he brought it and who is appointed to offer it.

That part thus selected and offered, which is called a memorial, either 1. to the offerer, who by offering this part is minded, that the whole of that he brought and of all which he hath of that kind is Gods, to whom this part was paid as a quit-rent or acknowledgment. Or 2. to God, whom (to speak after the manner of men) this did put in mind of his gracious covenant and promises of favour and acceptance of the offerer and his offering. See Exod. 30. 16. Levit. 6. 15. Numb. 5. 26.

Marginal references: chap. 5. 12. & 6. 15.

3 And the remnant of the meat-offering shall be Aarons and his sons : it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.

To be eaten by them, Levit. 6. 16.

(i. e.) Most holy, or such as were to be eaten onely by the Priests, and that onely in the holy place near the Altar. See Levit. 6. 26. and 7. 6, 9. and 21. 22.

Marginal references: chap. 7. 6. Eccl. 7. [illegible: 1+ letters]1.; Num. 18. 9.

4 And if thou bring an oblation of a meat-offering baken in the oven , it shall be an unleavened cake of fine flour mingled with oyl, or unleavened wafers anointed with oyl.

Made in the Sanctuary for that use, as may seem from 1 Chron. 23. 28, 29. Ezek. 46. 20.

6 Thou shalt part it in pieces , and pour oyl thereon: it is a meat-offering.

Because part of it was offered to God, and part given to the Priest.

11 No meat-offering which he shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made with leaven : for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey in any offering of the LORD made by fire.

To wit▪ which is offered of free will, for in other offerings it might be used▪ Levit. 7. 13. and [illegible: 1 word]. 17.

This was forbidden, partly to mind them of their deliverance out of Egypt, when they were forced through haste to bring away their meal or dough (which was the matter of this oblation) unleavened; partly to signifie what Christ would be, and what they should be, pure and free from all errour in the faith and worship of God, and from all hypocrisie and malice or wickedness, all which are signified by leaven. Mat. 16. 12. Mark 8. 15 Luk. 12. 1. 1 Cor. 5. 8. Gal. 5. 9.

Either 1. because it hath the same effect with leaven in paste or dough making it sowr and swelling. Or 2. in opposition to the sacrifices of the Gentiles, in which the use of hony was most frequent or 3. to teach us, that Gods worship is not to be governed by mens fancies and appetites, to which hony might have been grateful, but by Gods will. The Iews conceive that under the name of h[illegible: 1+ letters]ny all sweet fruits, as figs, dates, &c. are contained and forbidden.

12 As for the oblation of the first fruits, ye shall offer them unto the LORD, but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet savour.

Or, The offering or For the offering of the first-fruits you shall or may offer them, or either of them, to wit, leaven or hony, which were offered and accepted in that case▪ Levit. 23. 17. 2 Chron. 31. 5.

But reserved for the Priests, Numb. 18. 13. Deut. 18. 4.

Marginal references: Or▪ of [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] ▪; Heb. [illegible: 1 word] Exod. 2[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪

13 And every oblation of thy meat-offering shalt thou season with salt , neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat-offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.

Either 1. for the decency and conveniency of the feast, which God would have here represented. Or 2. for the signification of that incorruption of mind and sincerity of grace, which in Scripture is signified by salt, Mark 9. 49. Col. 4. 6. and which is necessary in all them that would offer an acceptable offering to God. Or 3. in testimony of that communion which they had with God in these exercises of his worship: salt being the great symbol of friendship in all nations and ages.

So salt is called, either 1. because it fitly represented the durableness and perpetuity of Gods covenant with them, which is designed by salt, Numb. 18. 19. 2 Chron. 13. 5. Or 2. because it was so particularly and rigorously required as a condition of their covenant with God, this being made absolutely necessary in all their offerings, as it follows, and as the neglect of sacrifices was a breach of covenant on their part, so also was the neglect of salt in their sacrifices.

Not these onely, but all other, as appears from Eccl. 43. 24. Mark 9. 49.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 span]

14 And if thou offer a meat-offering of thy first-fruits unto the LORD, thou shalt offer for the meat-offering of thy first-fruits, green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears.

To wit, of thine own free-will: for there were other first-fruits, and that of several sorts, which were prescribed and the time, quality and proportion of them appointed by God. See Levit. 23. 10.