sacrifice

All sacrifice involves offering something valuable to God, the object offered represents the self-offering of the worshiper. There are several sorts of sacrifice in the Bible:

• burnt offering (Lev 1) of an animal completely burned;
• cereal offering (Lev 2) of raw or prepared grain, as a memorial or as sign of the worshiper's faithfulness;
• sacrifice of peace or communion (Lev 3) part of the animal was taken by the priest in the LORD's name, the rest was eaten by the guests, so producing communion between humans and their God;
• reparation (Lev 4-5) made for involuntary faults;
• libation (Lev 23.13) spilling of wine or some other liquid which might accompany other sacrifices.

Jesus' death on the cross is understood as a sacrifice, made once for all, though linked with the offering of the Passover lamb.

This page is part of the Hypertext Bible Commentary - Amos,

© Tim Bulkeley, 1996-2005, Tim Bulkeley. All rights reserved.