The general requisites of all sacrifices were --that they should be brought of such

things, in such place and manner, and through such mediatorial agency, as God had

appointed. Thus the choice and the appointment of the mode of approaching Him, were

to be all of God. Then it was a first principle that every sacrifice must be of such things

as had belonged to the offerer. None other could represent him or take his place before

God. Hence the Pharisees were right when, in opposition to the Sadducees, they carried

it that all public sacrifices (which were offered for the nation as a whole) should be

purchased, not from voluntary contributions, but from the regular Temple revenues.

Next, all animal sacrifices were to be free of blemishes (of which the Rabbis enumerate

seventy-three), and all unbloody offerings to be without admixture of leaven or of

honey; the latter probably because, fro m its tendency to fermentation or corruption, it

resembled leaven. For a similar reason salt, as the symbol of incorruption, was to be

added to all sacrifices. 36

Hence we read in Mark 9:49--'For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice

shall be salted with salt'; that is, as the salt is added to the sacrifice symbolically to point

to its incorruption, so the reality and permanence of our Christian lives will be brought

out by the fire of the great day, when what is wood, hay, and stubble shall be

consumed; while that which is real shall prove itself incorruptible, having had the fire

applied to it.

In Scripture three kinds of four-footed beasts --oxen, sheep, and goats; and two of

birds--turtle -doves and young pigeons--are appointed for sacrifices. 37

The latter, except in certain purifications, are only allowed as substitutes for other

sacrifices in case of poverty. Hence also no direction is given either as to their age or

sex, though the Rabbis hold that the turtle -doves (which were the common birds of

passage) should be fully grown, and the domestic pigeons young birds. But, as in the

various sacrifices of oxen, sheep, and goats there were differences of age and sex, the

Jews enumerate twelve sacrifices, to which as many terms in Scripture correspond. The

Paschal lamb and that for the trespass-offerings required to be males, as well as all

burnt- and all public sacrifices. The latter 'made void the Sabbath and defilement,' i.e.

they superseded the law of Sabbath rest (Matt 12:5), and might be continued,

notwithstanding one kind of Levitical defilement--that by death.

The Rabbis, who are very fond of subtle distinctions, also speak of public sacrifices that

resembled the private, and of private sacrifices that resembled the public, in that they

also 'made void the Sabbath and defilement.' Altogether they enumerate eleven public

sacrifices, viz. the daily sacrifices; the additional for the Sabbath; for the New Moon; the

Passover sacrifices; the lamb when the sheaf was waved; the Pentecostal sacrifices;

those brought with the two first loaves; New Year's; Atonement Day sacrifices; those

on the first day of, and those on the octave of 'Tabernacles.' Private sacrifices they

classify as those on account of sins by word or deed; those on account of what

concerned the body (such as various defilements); those on account of property

(firstlings, tithes); those on account of festive seasons; and those on account of vows

or promises. Yet another division of sacrifices was into those due, or prescribed, and