Leviticus 2 — Church Fathers

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Exodus

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Numbers

Chapter 2

Leviticus 2:1-16

CEREAL OFFERINGS

7 entries

1 When a soul shall offer an oblation of sacrifice to our Lord, fine flour shall be his oblation, and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense,

2 and shall carry it to the sons of Aaron the Priests: of whom one shall take a handful of the flour, and the oil, and all the frankincense, and shall put it a memorial upon the Altar for a most sweet savour to our Lord.

3 And that which shall be left of the sacrifice, shall be Aaron's, & his sons', Holy of holies among the oblations of our Lord.

4 But when thou offerest a sacrifice baked in the oven: of flour, to wit, loaves without leaven, tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened laid over with oil.

5 If thine oblation be of the frying pan, of flour tempered with oil, and without leaven,

6 thou shalt divide it into little pieces, and shalt pour oil upon it.

7 And if the sacrifice be from the gridiron, in like manner the flour shall be tempered with oil,

8 which offering to our Lord, thou shalt deliver to the hands of the Priest.

9 Who having offered it shall take a memory of the sacrifice, and burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour to our Lord,

10 and whatsoever is left, shall be Aaron's, and his sons, Holy of holies among the oblations of our Lord.

11 Every oblation that is offered to our Lord, shall be made without leaven, neither shall any leaven and honey be burned in the sacrifice of our Lord. 2 notes

12 The first fruits only of them and the gifts you shall offer: but upon the altar they shall not be put, for a savour of sweetness.

13 What sacrifice soever thou offerest, thou shalt season it with salt, neither shalt thou take away the salt of the covenant of thy God from thy sacrifice. In every oblation thou shalt offer salt. 4 notes

14 But if thou offer a gift of the first fruits of thy corn to our Lord, of the ears being yet green, thou shalt dry it at the fire, and bruise it in manner of meal, and so shalt thou offer thy first fruits to our Lord, 1 note

15 pouring oil upon it, and putting on frankincense, because it is the oblation of our Lord.

16 Whereof the Priest shall burn for memory of the gift, part of the meal bruised, and of the oil, and all the frankincense.

7 entries

Leviticus 2:1-16 7 entries

CEREAL OFFERINGS

HONEY AND WAX NOT OFFERED TO GOD.

St. Jerome (c. 347–420) verse 11

They quote the passage which says that the lips of a strange woman drop as honeycomb,^[1] which is sweet indeed in the eater’s mouth but is afterward found more bitter than gall.^[2] This, they argue, is the reason that neither honey nor wax is offered in the sacrifices of the Lord, and that oil, the product of the bitter olive, is burned in his temple.^[3]

Letter 128.2

HONEY IS A SIGN OF PLEASURE.

St. Jerome (c. 347–420) verse 11

Under no circumstances is there an offering of honey. Whatever happens, it says, will be impure. Honey is a sign of pleasure and sweetness, and believe me, sensual pleasure always brings death; sensuality as such is never pleasing to God.

Homily 75

THE SALT OF TEMPTATION STRENGTHENS THE SOUL.

Origen of Alexandria (c. 185–c. 254) verse 13

Just as meat, if it is not sprinkled with salt, no matter how great and special it is, becomes rotten, so also the soul, unless it is somehow salted with constant temptations, immediately becomes feeble and soft. For this reason the saying is established that every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.

Homilies on Numbers 27.12

THE SALT OF SCRIPTURE STINGS.

St. Methodius of Olympus (d. 311) verse 13

Hence in Leviticus every gift, unless it is seasoned with salt, is forbidden to be offered as an oblation to the Lord God. Now the whole spiritual meditation of the Scriptures is given to us as salt which stings in order to benefit and which disinfects. Without [this] it is impossible for a soul, by means of reason, to be brought to the Almighty; for you are the salt of the earth,^[1] said the Lord to the apostles.

Banquet of the Ten Virgins 1.1

THE GOODNESS OF SALT.

St. Jerome (c. 347–420) verse 13

Salt is good, and every offering must be sprinkled with it. Therefore also the apostle has given the commandment: Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt.^[1] But if the salt have lost his savor, it is cast out.^[2]

Letter 125.1

SALT CLEANSES THE SOUL.

St. Macarius of Egypt (c. 300-c. 390) verse 13

If indeed the soul takes refuge in God, believes and seeks the salt of life which is the good and person-loving Spirit, then the heavenly salt comes and kills those ugly worms. The Spirit takes away the awful stench and cleanses the soul by the strength of his salt. Thus the soul is brought back to health and freed from its wounds by the true salt in order to be again useful and ordered to serve the heavenly Lord. That is why even in the law God uses this example when he ordered that all sacrifices be salted with salt.

Homily 1.5

THE FIRST FRUITS ARE THE NEWLY BAPTIZED.

St. Ambrose of Milan (c. 333–397) verse 14

The sacrifice should consist of a gift, the newest of the new, or it should be dried or broken into pieces, or it should be unbroken. The newest of the new belongs to the early season of the year and is consistent with the nature of first fruits. Now it has been made clear to us that this refers to those who are renewed by the sacrament of baptism.

Cain and Abel 2.6.19