CALLED
Leviticus 1:1-2
1:1 Yahweh called to Moses, and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying,
2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When any man of you offers an offering to Yahweh, you shall offer your offering of the livestock, from the herd, and from the flock.
[Vayikra.] Both books open by identifying their authors and their respective missions. Moses is called to transmit the Torah to the people, while Paul is called as an apostle to proclaim the Good News of God’s Son. Vayikra, the Hebrew name for Leviticus, is divided into ten Jewish Torah portions, or Parshiyot, with the first portion bearing the same name as the book. The Echoes Bible follows these traditional divisions, marking them with brackets in the notes.
THE FIRST OFFERING
Leviticus 1:3-6
1:3 “‘If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without defect. He shall offer it at the door of the Tent of Meeting, that he may be accepted before Yahweh.
4 He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.
5 He shall kill the bull before Yahweh. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall present the blood and sprinkle the blood around on the altar that is at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
6 He shall skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces.
Romans 1:2-3
1:2 which he promised before through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,
3 concerning his Son, who was born of the offspring of David according to the flesh,
The burnt offering is formally introduced here within the tabernacle system of the Torah. However, the practice itself predates the tabernacle, having already been observed by Noah (Genesis 8:20), Abraham (Genesis 22:13), and the people of Israel in Exodus 10:25.
A PLEASANT AROMA IMPLIES HOLINESS
Leviticus 1:7-13
1:7 The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and lay wood in order on the fire;
8 and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall lay the pieces, the head, and the fat in order on the wood that is on the fire which is on the altar;
9 but its innards and its legs he shall wash with water. The priest shall burn all of it on the altar, for a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
10 “‘If his offering is from the flock, from the sheep or from the goats, for a burnt offering, he shall offer a male without defect.
11 He shall kill it on the north side of the altar before Yahweh. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar.
12 He shall cut it into its pieces, with its head and its fat. The priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is on the altar,
13 but the innards and the legs he shall wash with water. The priest shall offer the whole and burn it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
Romans 1:4
1:4 who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
God's son was holy before God and his death was a pleasant aroma, which went up to heaven, and was evidenced by God's resurrection of his Son.
THE OFFERING THAT BENEFITS THE NATIONS
Leviticus 1:14-17
1:14 “‘If his offering to Yahweh is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall offer his offering from turtledoves or of young pigeons.
15 The priest shall bring it to the altar, and wring off its head, and burn it on the altar; and its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar;
16 and he shall take away its crop and its feathers and cast it beside the altar on the east part, in the place of the ashes.
17 He shall tear it by its wings but shall not divide it apart. The priest shall burn it on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
Romans 1:5-7
1:5 through whom we received grace and apostleship for obedience of faith among all the nations for his name’s sake;
6 among whom you are also called to belong to Jesus Christ;
7 to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Traditional Jewish Commentaries (TJCs) describe the primary purpose of the burnt offering (Heb. olah) as expressing total devotion, a complete surrender to God’s will. In accordance with the command for newborn sons, on the fortieth day after His birth, Jesus’ parents present a burnt offering of turtledoves and young pigeons at the temple. Luke 2:22–32 records that Simeon immediately prophesies that this child would bring salvation to the Gentiles.
DRAWING NEAR TO GOD IN HUMILITY
Leviticus 2:1-3
2:1 “‘When anyone offers an offering of a meal offering to Yahweh, his offering shall be of fine flour. He shall pour oil on it and put frankincense on it.
2 He shall bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests. He shall take his handful of its fine flour, and of its oil, with all its frankincense, and the priest shall burn its memorial on the altar, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
3 That which is left of the meal offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. It is a most holy thing of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire.
Romans 1:8-9
1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, that your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world.
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the Good News of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers,
The general minchah described here is a voluntary offering brought when one seeks to draw near to God in humility or devotion. Paul likewise draws near to God through Jesus Christ in humility, acknowledging that although he has never visited them, they are having a worldwide impact. What a wonderful way to begin his letter!
MEAL OFFERING IS A GIFT
Leviticus 2:4-10
2:4 “‘When you offer an offering of a meal offering baked in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.
5 If your offering is a meal offering made on a griddle, it shall be of unleavened fine flour, mixed with oil.
6 You shall cut it in pieces and pour oil on it. It is a meal offering.
7 If your offering is a meal offering of the pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.
8 You shall bring the meal offering that is made of these things to Yahweh. It shall be presented to the priest, and he shall bring it to the altar.
9 The priest shall take from the meal offering its memorial, and shall burn it on the altar, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
10 That which is left of the meal offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. It is a most holy thing of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire.
Romans 1:10-12
1:10 requesting, if by any means now at last I may be prospered by the will of God to come to you.
11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, to the end that you may be established;
12 that is, that I with you may be encouraged in you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.
This section describes the laws for the minchah, or grain offering. Unlike the olah (burnt offering), which is entirely burned, only a portion of the minchah is burned as a “memorial” on the altar. The remainder is eaten by the priests, Aaron and his sons. Thus, most of what is brought to the tabernacle is given to the priests for food. The section concludes with Paul’s statement that in community we are mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, echoing the priests gathering together to partake of the offering.
FRUIT OF OUR LABOR
Leviticus 2:11-16
2:11 “‘No meal offering which you shall offer to Yahweh shall be made with yeast; for you shall burn no yeast, nor any honey, as an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
12 As an offering of first fruits you shall offer them to Yahweh, but they shall not rise up as a pleasant aroma on the altar.
13 Every offering of your meal offering you shall season with salt. You shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your meal offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.
14 “‘If you offer a meal offering of first fruits to Yahweh, you shall offer for the meal offering of your first fruits fresh heads of grain parched with fire, crushed new grain.
15 You shall put oil on it and lay frankincense on it. It is a meal offering.
16 The priest shall burn as its memorial part of its crushed grain and part of its oil, along with all its frankincense. It is an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
Romans 1:13-15
1:13 Now I don’t desire to have you unaware, brothers, that I often planned to come to you, and was hindered so far, that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.
14 I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish.
15 So as much as is in me, I am eager to preach the Good News to you also who are in Rome.
THE POWER OF GOD TOWARDS PEACE
Leviticus 3:1-11
3:1 “‘If his offering is a sacrifice of peace offerings; if he offers it from the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without defect before Yahweh.
2 He shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and kill it at the door of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall sprinkle the blood around on the altar.
3 He shall offer of the sacrifice of peace offerings an offering made by fire to Yahweh. The fat that covers the innards, and all the fat that is on the innards,
4 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away.
5 Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar on the burnt offering, which is on the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
6 “‘If his offering for a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh is from the flock, male or female, he shall offer it without defect.
7 If he offers a lamb for his offering, then he shall offer it before Yahweh;
8 and he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and kill it before the Tent of Meeting. Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar.
9 Of the sacrifice of peace offerings he shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh: its fat, the entire tail fat, he shall take away close to the backbone; and the fat that covers the innards, and all the fat that is on the innards,
10 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away.
11 The priest shall burn it on the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire to Yahweh.
Romans 1:16-17
1:16 For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.
17 For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.”
The four mentions of “sacrifice of peace offerings” in this section echo Paul’s four main observations about the Gospel.
FROM SHEEP TO GOATS
Leviticus 3:12-17
3:12 “‘If his offering is a goat, then he shall offer it before Yahweh.
13 He shall lay his hand on its head and kill it before the Tent of Meeting; and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar.
14 Of it he shall offer his offering, an offering made by fire to Yahweh: the fat that covers the innards, and all the fat that is on the innards,
15 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away.
16 The priest shall burn them on the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma; all the fat is Yahweh’s.
17 “‘It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that you shall eat neither fat nor blood.’”
Romans 1:18-20
1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because that which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them.
20 For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity, that they may be without excuse.
The focus now begins to shift to man’s unrighteousness. After cattle and sheep are offered for peace offerings, the offering of goats follows. It is still acceptable, but of lesser value.
DOWNWARD TRAJECTORY OF SIN (1A)
Leviticus 4:1-7
4:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If anyone sins unintentionally, in any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and does any one of them,
3 if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin which he has sinned a young bull without defect to Yahweh for a sin offering.
4 He shall bring the bull to the door of the Tent of Meeting before Yahweh; and he shall lay his hand on the head of the bull and kill the bull before Yahweh.
5 The anointed priest shall take some of the blood of the bull and bring it to the Tent of Meeting.
6 The priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle some of the blood seven times before Yahweh, before the veil of the sanctuary.
7 The priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of sweet incense before Yahweh, which is in the Tent of Meeting; and he shall pour out the rest of the blood of the bull at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
Romans 1:21
1:21 Because knowing God, they didn’t glorify him as God, and didn’t give thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened.
Both Romans and Leviticus now begin a downward trajectory of sin in four stages. In Romans, it is the progression of the human heart. In Leviticus, it is the progression of levels of leadership in Israel, beginning with the anointed priest.
DOWNWARD TRAJECTORY OF SIN (1B)
Leviticus 4:8-12
4:8 He shall take all the fat of the bull of the sin offering from it: the fat that covers the innards, and all the fat that is on the innards,
9 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall remove,
10 as it is removed from the bull of the sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering.
11 The bull’s skin, all its flesh, with its head, and with its legs, its innards, and its dung,
12 he shall carry the whole bull outside of the camp to a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire. It shall be burned where the ashes are poured out.
Romans 1:22-23
1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things.
Paul begins with the idolatry of man and animals, while Leviticus addresses the animals that must be sacrificed for the priest’s sin.
DOWNWARD TRAJECTORY OF SIN (2)
Leviticus 4:13-21
4:13 “‘If the whole congregation of Israel sins, and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and are guilty;
14 when the sin in which they have sinned is known, then the assembly shall offer a young bull for a sin offering, and bring it before the Tent of Meeting.
15 The elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before Yahweh; and the bull shall be killed before Yahweh.
16 The anointed priest shall bring some of the blood of the bull to the Tent of Meeting.
17 The priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before Yahweh, before the veil.
18 He shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar, which is before Yahweh, that is in the Tent of Meeting; and the rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
19 All its fat he shall take from it and burn it on the altar.
20 He shall do this with the bull; as he did with the bull of the sin offering, so he shall do with this; and the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven.
21 He shall carry the bull outside the camp and burn it as he burned the first bull. It is the sin offering for the assembly.
Romans 1:24-25
1:24 Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves;
25 who exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Paul moves to the worship of the creature, while Leviticus shifts from the anointed priest to the congregation, who are generally less prone to sin because of collective wisdom (for example the people’s regard for John the Baptist).
DOWNWARD TRAJECTORY OF SIN (3)
Leviticus 4:22-26
4:22 “‘When a ruler sins and unwittingly does any one of all the things which Yahweh his God has commanded not to be done, and is guilty,
23 if his sin in which he has sinned is made known to him, he shall bring as his offering a goat, a male without defect.
24 He shall lay his hand on the head of the goat and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before Yahweh. It is a sin offering.
25 The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering. He shall pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering.
26 All its fat he shall burn on the altar, like the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin, and he shall be forgiven.
Romans 1:26-27
1:26 For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature.
27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error.
Paul descends to describe homosexuality while Leviticus descends to discuss individual leaders.
DOWNWARD TRAJECTORY OF SIN (4)
Leviticus 4:27–35
4:27 “‘If anyone of the common people sins unwittingly, in doing any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and is guilty,
28 if his sin which he has sinned is made known to him, then he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without defect, for his sin which he has sinned.
29 He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and kill the sin offering in the place of burnt offering.
30 The priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar.
31 All its fat he shall take away, like the fat is taken away from the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.
32 “‘If he brings a lamb as his offering for a sin offering, he shall bring a female without defect.
33 He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and kill it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering.
34 The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and all the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar.
35 He shall remove all its fat, like the fat of the lamb is removed from the sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest shall burn them on the altar, on the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. The priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin that he has sinned, and he shall be forgiven.
Romans 1:28-31
1:28 Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers,
30 backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful;
Paul descends to a list of “all unrighteousness,” while Leviticus descends to the sins of the common people.
THREE SINFUL RESPONSES TO UNRIGHTEOUSNESS
Leviticus 5:1-6
5:1 “‘If anyone sins, in that he hears a public adjuration to testify, he being a witness, whether he has seen or known, if he doesn’t report it, then he shall bear his iniquity.
2 “‘Or if anyone touches any unclean thing, whether it is the carcass of an unclean animal, or the carcass of unclean livestock, or the carcass of unclean creeping things, and it is hidden from him, and he is unclean, then he shall be guilty.
3 “‘Or if he touches the uncleanness of man, whatever his uncleanness is with which he is unclean, and it is hidden from him; when he knows of it, then he shall be guilty.
4 “‘Or if anyone swears rashly with his lips to do evil or to do good—whatever it is that a man might utter rashly with an oath, and it is hidden from him; when he knows of it, then he will be guilty of one of these.
5 It shall be, when he is guilty of one of these, he shall confess that in which he has sinned;
6 and he shall bring his trespass offering to Yahweh for his sin which he has sinned: a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin.
Romans 1:32
1:32 who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.
The Leviticus passage addresses three sins: knowing yet withholding, willing contact with impurity, and rash utterance of oaths. These correspond to Paul’s three responses of unrighteousness. While TJCs treat them as distinct sins, Paul presents them as a sequence.
YOU ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE
Leviticus 5:7-13
5:7 “‘If he can’t afford a lamb, then he shall bring his trespass offering for that in which he has sinned, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, to Yahweh; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering.
8 He shall bring them to the priest, who shall first offer that which is for the sin offering. He shall wring off its head from its neck but shall not sever it completely.
9 He shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering.
10 He shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the ordinance; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin which he has sinned, and he shall be forgiven.
11 “‘But if he can’t afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, then he shall bring as his offering for that in which he has sinned, one tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering. He shall put no oil on it, and he shall not put any frankincense on it, for it is a sin offering.
12 He shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it as the memorial portion, and burn it on the altar, on the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. It is a sin offering.
13 The priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin that he has sinned in any of these things, and he shall be forgiven; and the rest shall be the priest’s, as the meal offering.’”
Romans 2:1-3
2:1 Therefore you are without excuse, O man, whoever you are who judge. For in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things.
2 We know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.
3 Do you think this, O man who judges those who practice such things, and do the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?
Traditional Jewish Commentaries (TJCs) connect these verses in Leviticus to the principle that no person has an excuse not to confess and repent, since the Torah provides opportunities for people in every financial condition to bring a sin offering. TJCs also affirm the principle that as one judges others, so one will be judged, as Christ teaches in the New Testament. Paul brings these two concepts together.
GOD'S GOODNESS SEEN IN A SACRIFICED RAM
Leviticus 5:14-19
5:14 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
15 “If anyone commits a trespass, and sins unwittingly regarding Yahweh’s holy things, then he shall bring his trespass offering to Yahweh: a ram without defect from the flock, according to your estimation in silver by shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering.
16 He shall make restitution for that which he has sinned in the holy thing, and shall add a fifth part to it, and give it to the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and he shall be forgiven.
17 “If anyone sins, doing any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, though he didn’t know it, he is still guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.
18 He shall bring a ram without defect from of the flock, according to your estimation, for a trespass offering, to the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning the thing in which he sinned and didn’t know it, and he shall be forgiven.
19 It is a trespass offering. He is certainly guilty before Yahweh.”
Romans 2:4
2:4 Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
[Vayikra ends.] The final verse of the sectional pairing above (Lev 5:19) is the last verse of the Torah portion of Vayikra. God provided a ram in the thicket for Abraham to sacrifice. In this, God both spared Isaac and demonstrated His goodness, which leads the world to repentance.