THEOSISJerome of Stridon
When the leader presents a willing burnt offering or well-pleasing peace offerings to the Lord, the eastern gate will be opened for him, and he will carry out his burnt offering and peace offerings as is the practice on the Sabbath: he will exit, and the gate will be closed after he has left. Each day, he shall present a flawless yearling lamb as a burnt offering to the Lord, offering it each morning. Alongside the lamb, he should bring a flour offering in the morning—a sixth of an ephah and a third of a hin of oil to mix with the flour offering; this is the ongoing decree of the Lord. The lamb, the flour offering, and the oil are to be offered each morning continually as a burnt offering. The term without blemish, where the Hebrew uses thamim, is rendered perfect by Akilah.
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The LXX translates mana'ah as offering, while Theodotion calls it a gift. The term voluntary is translated as δμολογε'αν, meaning confession, and rather than prince, nasi is rendered as chief. This refers to the leader who Isaiah foretold, stating: “Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people” (Isaiah 55:4), and Ezekiel notes: “And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be their prince among them” (Ezek. 34:24). Thus, when that prince offers his voluntary sacrifice, he must say, “O Lord, let my freewill offerings be acceptable” (Ps. 118:108), presenting a burnt offering that signifies giving his entire self as a sacrifice to God, along with peace offerings of goodwill, which were not previously mentioned. It is written, “The priests shall carry out his burnt offerings and peace offerings” (Ezek. 46:2), yet the voluntary offerings just described should not arise from obligation but from a willing heart; hence, the peace offerings follow the burnt offerings as a means of reconciliation with God. Accordingly, virginity is esteemed above marriage (1 Cor. 7), as it is neither demanded nor rewarded but instead freely given. In lieu of peace offerings, referred to in Hebrew as selamim, the LXX uses the term salvation offerings, reflecting the notion that the reconciliation brought by peace offerings serves to save the one presenting them. When the leader performs this act, the gate shall be opened for him, or, according to the LXX, he will open it for himself towards the east, the same gate that is proclaimed: “This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous will enter through it” (Psalm 117:20) and from which the Sun of righteousness rises. He shall offer his burnt offering and peace offerings, as previously stated, but these offerings stem from his own volition, and not by others on his behalf; this mirrors the practices observed on the Sabbath. Thus, the voluntary burnt offering and peace offering perpetually open the gates of the Lord, making every day rest for him, not just on the Sabbath. Immediately following the burnt and peace offerings, he exits, and the door is shut behind him, preserving the distinction of his offerings from those of the people. Because it specifies only a voluntary burnt offering or quality peace offerings without mentioning oxen, rams, or goats for sin, it clarifies that this burnt offering is a yearling lamb without blemish, to be offered daily, not occasionally, but specifically in the morning—indeed, every morning after dawn marks the onset of light. David expresses this morning devotion: “In the morning you will hear my voice; in the morning I will present my prayers” (Psalms 5:4). He further states: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 29:6), and once more: “My God, my God, I cry out to You” (Psalms 62:2). This description of the lamb without blemish, young and perfect, is elaborated by Isaiah, who conveys, “Like a sheep led to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer, so He opened not His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). Jeremiah similarly states, “But I was like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, unaware” (Jeremiah 11:19). John the Baptist proclaims, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). This lamb mirrors the one sacrificed in Egypt, whose blood secured the doorways of faith, protecting the faithful from destruction (Ex. 12). The reference to a yearling symbolizes the preaching of the favorable season of the Lord and the day of His vengeance (Isaiah 61:2). It may seem puzzling that the one and the same is called prince, priest, bull, ram, and lamb, as in Holy Scripture he appears under various titles: Lord, God, man, prophet, rod, root, flower, chief, judge, king, righteous one, apostle, bishop, servant, anointed one, shepherd, son, only begotten, firstborn, door, way, angel, arrow, and wisdom, among others. To cite evidence for every designation would necessitate a separate volume. Therefore, as part of the daily offering, the spotless yearling lamb, presented each morning, involves the leader performing the offering of flour or gift in the morning, additionally delivering the sixth part of the ephah, denoting the flour. If the ephah represents a tenth of the kor, namely three modiyah, then undoubtedly the sixth part of the ephah equals half a modiyah. The oil, measured as a third of the hin, is intended to be offered as a sacrifice, ensuring that the flour offering is compounded or presented to God; this is a perpetual and unwavering ordinance, not to be neglected, but continually observed daily at sunrise, fulfilling the command that the lamb be sacrificed along with the oil each morning as a continual burnt offering.