Sacrifice

According to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, “Sacrifice is a complex and

comprehensive term. In its simplest form it may be defined as "a gift to God." It is a
presentation to Deity of some material object, the possession of the offerer, as an act of
worship. It may be to attain, restore, maintain or to celebrate friendly relations with the
Deity.” The purpose of sacrifice could be “total self-surrender” to God, thanksgiving or a
form of appeasement.
History of sacrifice in the Old Testament
The Offerings of Cain and Abel (Gen. 4:4): The account of the offerings of Cain and
Abel shows that the ceremony dates from almost the beginnings of the human race.
The custom of offering the firstlings and first-fruits had already begun. Arabian tribes
later had a similar custom. Cain's offering was cereal and is called minchah, "a gift" or
"presentation." The same term is applied to Abel's. There is no hint that the bloody
sacrifice was in itself better than the unbloody one, but it is shown that sacrifice without
a right attitude of heart is not acceptable to God. This same truth is emphasized by the
prophets and others, and is needed in this day as much as then. In this case the altars
would be of the common kind, and no priest was needed. The sacrifices were an act of
worship, adoration, dependence, prayer, and possibly propitiation (ISBE).
Noah (Gen 8:20): The sacrifices of Noah followed and celebrated the epochal and awe-
inspiring event of leaving the ark and beginning life anew. He offered burnt offerings of
all the clean animals. On such a solemn occasion only an ’olah would suffice. The
custom of using domestic animals had arisen at this time. The sacrifices expressed
adoration, recognition of God's power and sovereignty, and a gift to please Him, for it is
said He smelled a sweet savor and was pleased. It was an odor of satisfaction or
restfulness. Whether or not the idea of expiation was included is difficult to prove
(ISBE).
Abraham (Genesis 12:7): Abraham lived at a time when sacrifices and religion were
virtually identical. No mention is made of his offering at Ur, but on his arrival at
Shechem he erected an altar. At Beth-el also (12:8) and on his return from Egypt he
worshipped there (Genesis 13:4). Such sacrifices expressed adoration and prayer and
probably propitiation. They constituted worship, which is a complex exercise. At Hebron
he built an altar (Genesis 13:18), officiating always as his own priest. In Genesis 15:4
he offers a "covenant" sacrifice, when the animals were slain, divided, the parts set
opposite each other, and prepared for the appearance of the other party to the
covenant. The exact idea in the killing of these animals may be difficult to find, but the
effect is to give the occasion great solemnity and the highest religious sanction. Job
(Job 1:5): Whatever may be the date of the writing of the Book of Job, the saint himself
is represented as living in the Patriarchal age. He constantly offered sacrifices on behalf
of his children, "sanctifying" them. His purpose no doubt was to atone for possible sin.
The sacrifices were mainly expiatory. This is true also of the sacrifices of his friends
(42:7-9).
Isaac (Gen. 26:25): Isaac seems to have had a permanent altar at Beer-sheba and to
have regularly offered sacrifices. Adoration, expiation and supplication would constitute
his chief motives.
Jacob (Gen. 28:18): Jacob's first recorded sacrifice was the pouring of the oil upon the
stone at Beth-el. This was consecration or dedication in recognition of the awe-inspiring
presence of the Deity. After his covenant with Laban he offered sacrifices (zebhachim)
and they ate bread (Genesis 31:54). At Shechem, Jacob erected an altar (Genesis
33:20). At Beth-el (Genesis 35:7) and at Beer-sheba he offered sacrifices to Isaac's God
(Genesis 46:1).
Israel in Egypt: While the Israelites were in Egypt they would be accustomed to spring
sacrifices and spring feasts, for these had been common among the Arabs and Syrians,
etc., for centuries. Nabatean inscriptions testify to this. At these spring festivals it was
probably customary to offer the firstlings of the flocks (compare Exodus 13:15). At the
harvest festivals sacrificial feasts were celebrated. It was to some such feast Moses
said Israel as a people wished to go in the wilderness (Exodus 3:18; 5:3; 7:16). Pharaoh
understood and asked who was to go (Exodus 10:8). Moses demanded flocks and
herds for the feast (Exodus 10:9). Pharaoh would keep the flocks, etc. (Exodus 10:24),
but Moses said they must offer sacrifices and burnt offerings (Exodus 10:25).
Jethro (Exod. 18:12): As a priest of Midian, Jethro was an expert in sacrificing. On
meeting Moses and the people he offered both `olah and zebhachim and made a feast.
Moses onwards: The Levitical Priesthood instituted from the time of David herald a
new dispensation of sacrifice. At this time, sacrifice as worship requirement received a
legal backing and comprehensive regulations followed. The detail description of the
types of sacrifices in the Old Testament discussed below came from this period.
Types of Sacrifices
Two kinds of sacrifice are recognized and required of in the Old Testament, the bloody
and the unbloody.
Four types of bloody sacrifices are described:
1. Holocaust or whole-burnt offering (`Olah): a "burnt offering," sometimes whole
burnt offering is derived from the verb `alah, "to go up." It may mean "that which
goes up to the altar", or "that which goes up in smoke to the sky" (Bahr,
Delitzsch, Dillmann, etc.); sometimes used synonymously with kalil (which see).
The term applies to beast or fowl when entirely consumed upon the altar, the
hide of the beast being taken by the priest. This was perhaps the most solemn of
the sacrifices, and symbolized worship in the full sense, i.e. adoration, devotion,
dedication, supplication, and at times expiation (ISBE).
 2. Sin offering (Chota'ah, chatta'th): a "sin offering," a special kind, first mentioned
in the Mosaic legislation. It is essentially expiatory, intended to restore covenant
relations with the Deity. The special features were:
i. the blood must be sprinkled before the sanctuary, put upon the horns of
the altar of incense and poured out at the base of the altar of burnt
offering;
ii. The flesh was holy, not to be touched by worshipper, but eaten by the
priest only. The special ritual of the Day of Atonement centers on the sin
offering.
3. Guilt offering' (Asham): "guilt offering," "trespass offering" (King James Version;
in Isaiah 53:10, the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and
American) "an offering for sin," the American Revised Version margin "trespass
offering"). A special kind of sin offering introduced in the Mosaic Law and
concerned with offenses against God and man that could be estimated by a
money value and thus covered by compensation or restitution accompanying the
offering. A ram of different degrees of value, and worth at least two shekels, was
the usual victim, and it must be accompanied by full restitution with an additional
fifth of the value of the damage. The leper and Nazirite could offer he-lambs. The
guilt toward God was expiated by the blood poured out, and the guilt toward men
by the restitution and fine. The calling of the Servant an 'asham (Isaiah 53:10)
shows the value attached to this offering.
4. Peace offering) (Shelem, shelamim): "peace offering," generally used the plural,
shelamim, only once shelem (Amos 5:22). These were sacrifices of friendship
expressing or promoting peaceful relations with the Deity, and almost invariably
accompanied by a meal or feast, an occasion of great joy. They are sometimes
called zebhachim, sometimes zebhach shelamim, and were of different kinds,
such as zebhach ha-todhah, "thank offerings," which expressed the gratitude of
the giver because of some blessings, zebhach nedhabhah, "free-will offerings,"
bestowed on the Deity out of a full heart, and zebhach nedher, "votive offerings,"
which were offered in fulfillment of a vow (ISBE).
Unbloody sacrifices include:
1. Meal offering (Minchah): "meal offering" (the Revised Version), "meat offering"
(the King James Version), a gift or presentation, at first applied to both bloody
and unbloody offerings (Genesis 4:5), but in Moses' time confined to cereals,
whether raw or roast, ground to flour or baked and mixed with oil and
frankincense. These cereals were the produce of man's labor with the soil, not
fruits, etc., and thus represented the necessities and results of life, if not life itself.
They were the invariable accompaniment of animal sacrifices, and in one
instance could be substituted for them (see SIN OFFERING). The term minchah
describes a gift or token of friendship (Isaiah 39:1), an act of homage (1 Samuel
10:27; 1 Kings 10:25), tribute (Judges 3:15,17), propitiation to a friend wronged
 (Ge 32:13,18; Heb 14:19)), to procure favor or assistance (Genesis 43:11; Hosea
10:6).
2. Wave offering (Tenuphah): "wave offering," usually the breast, the priest's share
of the peace offerings, which was waved before the altar by both offerer and
priest together (the exact motion is not certain), symbolic of its presentation to
Deity and given back by Him to the offerer to be used in the priests' service.
3. (Heave offering (Terumah): "heave offering," something lifted up, or, properly,
separated from the rest and given to the service of the Deity. Usually the right
shoulder or thigh was thus separated for the priest. The term is applied to
products of the soil, or portion of land separated unto the divine service, etc.
4. An Oblation (Qorban): "an oblation," or "offering"; another generic term for all
kinds of offerings, animal, vegetable, or even gold and silver. Derived from the
verb qarabh, "to draw near," it signifies what is drawn or brought near and given
to God.
The Aims of Sacrificial Act
1. Sacrifice as an expression of dependence: dependence implies vulnerability.
Survival and prosperity are precariously on the balance at all times. Sacrifice is a
ritual which attempts to stabilize the situation. It consists of a symbolic act of
subordination under the deity who believed to be in charge of the forces which
determine life. The primary motive is not the fulfillment of a divine demand, but
the acknowledgement of dependence through a sign of submission. Sacrifice
assumes that the deity might be disposed favourably by human gratitude and
servitude, and that the deity’s wrath may flare up if human acknowledgement of
dependence is not made manifest in some way.
2. Sacrifice as an acknowledgement of guilt: the awe associated with ultimate
dependence translates into trepidation when guilt comes into the picture. If
persons or communities have transgressed the values and norms laid down by
the deity, they expect the wrath of the deity in the form of punitive or destructive
events. Sacrifice now assumes the function of reconciling the deity to the
transgressor. As a sign of repentance and contrition, sacrifice can take the form
of self-mutilation – which does not seem to benefit the deity in any way. It is
clear, therefore, that the rationale is not to pay off a debt or make amends, but,
once again, to acknowledge one’s dependence and abandon the usurped
autonomy which the iniquity had manifested (Nurnberger 2004:144).
3. Covenant relationship: the covenant relationship with the LORD was the basis for
sacrifice in Deuteronomy. The people were chosen by the LORD out of all the
nations of the earth (Deut 10:15; 14:2). As a result they were expected to be a
holy nation, reverencing the LORD (14:1, 2, 23). The covenant ceremony in
Deuteronomy 26:16-19, which immediately follows the tithe declaration, and ends
the stipulation section of the book of Deuteronomy (12-26), makes the concept of
the uniqueness of the Israelite people obvious (Ajah 2010:133).
 4. Fellowship: another peculiar characteristics of the sacrificial system is the idea of
fellowship with the LORD and the community at the central sanctuary: “And you
shall eat there before the LORD your God, and rejoice with your household”
(Deut. 14:26). Merrill (1994:241) opines that this phrase strongly suggests that
the LORD was more than an interested observer in what was going on. The
LORD was a participant, for such was the nature of banquets that accompanied
the making and ratification of covenant relationships.
Human Sacrifice in the Old Testament
There are numerous forms of sacrifices mentioned in the Old Testament of which
human sacrifice is one.
Human sacrifice in the Old Testament could mean: (a) Self-dedication; (b) Dedication of
the first-born; and Child-sacrifice – holocaust. For one to ascertain whether or not it was
accepted by the LORD, the context should be taken into consideration. Some have
argued that if the near-sacrifice of Isaac was not actually intended by the LORD, that it
would negate the understanding that Christ was actually sacrificed for the salvation of
the world. But to insist that the LORD approved human sacrifice in the Old Testament in
the sense of holocaust, is at best an over assumption. However, acceptance or rejection
of this subject: human sacrifice (holocaust type) in the Old Testament remains
controversial. More research is required to know the best way to interpret it.
Hermeneutical Considerations in the New Testament
According Nurnberger (2004:166), “Sacrifice is unavoidable.” Sacrificial acts and actions
are rooted in feelings of dependence, guilt and indebtedness. The classical form is to
give to the deity a part of one’s substance as a symbol for one’s life as a whole. To
express one’s seriousness, this part must be one’s most treasured possession. In
patriarchal cultures the most treasured possession was the first-born son. In the course
of time, spontaneous and personal sacrifices were institutionalized and abused by kings
and priests to gain power, prestige and income. In the New Testament the paradigm
experienced a dramatic inversion: not humans sacrificed their first-born to reconcile
God, but sacrificed his only-born to reconcile humanity. Humans reconciled with God
are involved in the sacrifice of God on behalf of other creatures. This inversion is of
great importance for ecological survival in modern times. We cannot help but live off the
sacrifice of other creatures, thus of God, but we also have to take part in the sacrifice of
God to give other creatures a chance.