Leviticus 1:9
But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
But the inwards and his legs shall he wash in water,.... This was first done in a room in the court of the temple, called
Nyxdmh tkvl, "the room of the washers", or the washing room, where they washed the inwards of the holy things {a}; and after that they washed them upon the marble tables between the pillars, where they washed them three times at least {b}; and whereas this is said to be done "in water"; Maimonides {c} observes,
"not in wine, nor in a mixture of wine and water, nor in other liquids:''
the washing of the inwards and legs denoted the internal purity of Christ's heart, and the external holiness of his life and conversation, and the saints' purification by him both in heart and life: with Philo the Jew {d} these things had a mystical meaning; by the washing of the inwards was signified that lusts were to be washed away, and such spots removed as were contracted by surfeiting and drunkenness, very harmful to the lives of men; and by the washing of the feet was signified that we should no more walk upon the earth, but mount up to the air, and pass through that, even to heaven:
and the priest shall burn all on the altar; all the other pieces, as well as the inwards and legs, excepting the skin, which denoted the painful sufferings of Christ, and the extent of them to all parts of his body; and indeed his soul felt the fire of divine wrath, and became an offering for sin:
to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire; that is, all the parts of the bullock were burnt on the altar, that it might appear to be a whole burnt offering consumed by fire:
of a sweet savour unto the LORD: he accepting of it, and smelling a sweet savour of rest in it, as an atonement for sin, typical of the sacrifice of Christ, which is to God for a sweet smelling savour, Ephesians 5:2 the Jewish doctors {e} gather from hence, that whether a man offers much or little, it matters not, if his heart is but directed to God; which Maimonides explains thus {f}, he that studies in the law, it is all one as if he offered a burnt offering, or a meat offering, or a sin offering, concerning which this phrase is used.
{a} Misn. Middot, c. 5. sect. 2. Maimon Beth Habechirah, c. 5. sect. 17.
{b} Ib. c. 3. sect. 5. & Tamid, c. 4. sect. 2. Piske, Tosaphot Middot, Art. 23.
{c} Hilchot Hakorbanot, c. 6. sect. 6. Vid. T. Bab. Zebachim, fol. 22. 1.
{d} De Victimis, p. 839.
{e} Misn. Menachot, c. 13. sect. 11. T. Bab. Shebuot, fol. 15. 1.
{f} In Misn. ib.