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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
A burnt sacrifice, strictly so called, was such as was to be all burnt, the skin excepted, Lev_7:8 Gen_8:20 1Ki_3:15. For Otherwise every sacrifice was burnt, more or less. The sacrifices did partly signify that the whole man, in whose stead the sacrifice was offered, was to be entirely and unreservedly offered or devoted to God’s service; and that the whole man did deserve to be utterly consumed, if God should deal severely with him; and directed us to serve the Lord with all singleness of heart, without self-ends, and to be ready to offer to God even such sacrifices or services wherein we ourselves should have no part nor benefit.
A male, as being more perfect than the female, Mal_1:14, and more truly representing Christ.
Without blemish; of which see Exo_29:1 Lev_23:22, &c.; to signify,
1. That God should be served with the best of every kind.
2. That man, represented by these sacrifices, should aim at all purity and perfection of heart and life, and that Christians should one day attain to it, Eph_5:27.
3. The spotless and complete holiness of Christ, Heb_9:13,14 1Pe_1:18,19 2:22. Of his own voluntary will. According to this translation, the place speaks only of free-will offerings, or such as were not prescribed by God to be offered in course, but were offered at the pleasure and by the voluntary devotion of any person, either by way of supplication for any mercy which he needed or desired, or by way of thanksgiving for any favour or blessing received. But it may seem improper to restrain the rules here given to free will offerings, which were to be observed in other offerings also. And the Hebrew word is by the LXX. Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic, and others, rendered to this purpose, for his acceptation, or that he may be accepted with God, or that God may be atoned, as it is Lev_1:4. And so this phrase is used Lev_23:11. At the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; in the court near to the door, where the altar stood, Lev_1:5. For here it was to be sacrificed, and here also the people might behold the oblation of it. And this further signified, that men could have no entrance, neither into the earthly tabernacle, the church, nor into the heavenly tabernacle of glory, but by Christ, who is the door, Joh_10:7,9, by whom alone we have access to God.