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(Ex. 24:3) and they expressed their acceptance of them ( id. ). Then an altar was built ‘and twelve pillars.’ Burnt-offerings were offered and peace-offerings were sacrificed (Heb. 9:4, 5). Half the blood was sprinkled upon the altar: half was sprinkled over the people (vv. 6, 8).

These sacrifices were offered by young men of the children of Israel, representatives of the fulness of the people's life (Ex. 24:5). The ordinances of the Levitical priesthood were not yet given (Exod. 28); though some form of priesthood still remained (Ex. 19:22). Compare Ex. 19:6.

In this connexion Philo speaks of Moses as ajrciereuv" : Quis r. d. haer. § 38 (1.498 M.) qaumasth; mevntoi kai; hJ tw'n qusiw'n ai{mato" i[sh dianomhv, h}n oJ ajrciereu;" Mwu>sh'" fuvsei didaskavlw/ crhsavmeno" dievneime .

It is of interest to notice that ‘sprinkling of persons with blood’ is noticed in the O. T. only on one other occasion: Ex. 29:21 (the consecration of Aaron).

The words according to the law go with spoken. Every commandment was spoken by Moses

The word lalei'n is used frequently in the Epistle of divine communications: Heb. 1:1 f.; 2:2 f.; 3:5; 4:8; 5:5; 7:14; 11:18; 12:25.
l. to; ai|ma tw'n m. kai; tw'n t. ...] taking the blood of the calves and the
goats
... Goats are not directly spoken of in the Mosaic narrative (Ex. 24:5) and Philo notices the fact: Non autem agni neque haedi (offeruntur); quia hae bestiae vitulo debiliores sunt; sacrificium vero ex fortioribus videtur (velle) facere ( Quaest. in Ex. l. c.).

The addition is the more remarkable because the offering of a goat ( i.e. travgo" , see Dillmann on Lev. 1:10) is never prescribed in the Law except as a sin-offering; while the sacrifices in Ex. 24 are described as ‘burnt- offerings’ and ‘peace-offerings.’ Yet see Num. 7:17, 23, 29, 35, & c.

At the same time the use of the definite article ( tw'n m. kai; tw'n tr .) points distinctly to the sacrifices offered at the inauguration of the Law.

The explanation of the difficulty is probably to be found in the fact that these sacrifices were not made according to the Mosaic ritual. They were initiatory sacrifices offered not by priests but by the ‘young men,’ representing the people, and so partook of the patriarchal type. Under this aspect it is noticeable that in the record of the original covenant-sacrifice of Abraham ‘a heifer of three years old and a she goat of three years old’ are specially mentioned (Gen. 15:9).
to; ai|ma ] He used half the blood for the sprinkling: Ex. 24:6.
meta; u{d. ... kai; uJs". ] These details are not given in Exodus. Water is
mentioned in connexion with blood Lev. 14:5 f. (comp. Num. 19:9) in the purification of the leper, when also a sprinkler of ‘cedar wood and scarlet and hyssop’ was used (Lev. 14:4: comp. Num. 19:18).

Compare Philo de vict. offer. § 3, 2.252f. Barn. Ep. c. 8. For kovkkino" compare Clem. 1 Cor. c. 12 (in reference to Josh. 2:18 to; spartivon to; kovkkinon ), provdhlon poiou'ntes o{ti dia; tou' ai{mato" tou' kurivou luvtrwsi" e[stai ....See also Barn. Ep. c. 7. The significance of blood and
water is marked 1 John 5:6; John 19:34.
aujtov te to; bibl. ] i.e. the Book of the Covenant (Ex. 24:7). This detail also is an addition to the Mosaic narrative. Though ‘the Book’ was the record of the words of God it was outwardly the work of man, and so required the application of the purifying, vivifying, blood. Thus in a figure the ‘letter’


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