In the Old Testament, the role of the priest was central to the religious life of Israel, with one of their primary duties being the offering of sacrifices. This sacred responsibility was established by God and detailed in the Mosaic Law, serving as a means for the people to maintain a right relationship with Him.

Biblical Foundation

The duty of priests to offer sacrifices is rooted in the instructions given to Moses on Mount Sinai. The Book of Leviticus provides comprehensive guidelines for various types of sacrifices, which the priests were to perform on behalf of the people. Leviticus 1:5-9 describes the burnt offering, stating, "Then he shall slaughter the young bull before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall present the blood and sprinkle it on all sides of the altar at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting."

Types of Sacrifices

1. Burnt Offerings: These were offerings of unblemished animals, wholly consumed by fire, symbolizing the worshiper's complete surrender to God (Leviticus 1:3-17).

2. Grain Offerings: These offerings consisted of fine flour, oil, and frankincense, representing the fruits of human labor and thanksgiving to God (Leviticus 2:1-16).

3. Peace Offerings: Also known as fellowship offerings, these were voluntary acts of worship, expressing gratitude and communion with God (Leviticus 3:1-17).

4. Sin Offerings: These were mandatory sacrifices for atonement of unintentional sins, emphasizing the need for purification and forgiveness (Leviticus 4:1-35).

5. Guilt Offerings: Similar to sin offerings, these were required for specific transgressions, particularly those involving restitution (Leviticus 5:14-19).

Priestly Responsibilities

The priests, primarily from the tribe of Levi and descendants of Aaron, were consecrated for their sacred duties. They were responsible for ensuring that the sacrifices were conducted according to divine instructions. This included the proper handling of sacrificial animals, the sprinkling of blood, and the burning of offerings on the altar. Leviticus 6:9-13 instructs, "Command Aaron and his sons, ‘This is the law of the burnt offering: The burnt offering shall remain on the hearth on the altar all night until morning, and the fire on the altar must be kept burning on it."

Symbolism and Significance

The sacrificial system was a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). The priests' role in offering sacrifices underscored the holiness of God and the seriousness of sin, while also pointing to the need for a mediator between God and humanity.

New Testament Perspective

With the advent of Christ, the sacrificial system was fulfilled and transformed. Hebrews 10:11-12 states, "Day after day every priest stands to minister and to offer again and again the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God." This highlights the transition from the Old Covenant practices to the New Covenant established through Jesus' atoning work.

The duty of priests to offer sacrifices was a profound aspect of their service, reflecting the covenant relationship between God and His people, and ultimately pointing to the redemptive work of Christ.Leviticus 1:4-17
And he shall put his hand on the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.
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Leviticus 2:2,16
And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests: and he shall take out of there his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it on the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet smell to the LORD:
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Leviticus 3:5,11,13,16
And Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar on the burnt sacrifice, which is on the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet smell to the LORD.
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Leviticus 4:5-12,17,25,26,30-35
And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock's blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation:
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1 Chronicles 16:40
To offer burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the law of the LORD, which he commanded Israel;
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2 Chronicles 13:11
And they burn to the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the show bread also set they in order on the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but you have forsaken him.
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2 Chronicles 29:34
But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: why their brothers the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.
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2 Chronicles 35:11-14
And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood from their hands, and the Levites flayed them.
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Ezra 6:20
For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brothers the priests, and for themselves.
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Hebrews 10:11
And every priest stands daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
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High Priest
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The Only Atoning Priest
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priest standeth daily ... too, for they did not offer sacrifices according to ...
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Whether the Consecration of this Sacrament Belongs to a Priest ...
... 1:Pet.2:5): "A holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual ... is, upon the Church; but the
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/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the consecration of this.htm

Obedience
... has one foot shorter than the other; so these are shorter in some duties than in ...
As, when king Uzziah would offer incense without a priest, God was ...
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And Forgive us Our Debts as we Also have Forgiven Our Debtors
... We owe therefore in having certain duties not only ... priests according to the Great
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First Sunday after Epiphany
... 4. Men universally consider the title of priest glorious and ... But the duties and the
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Service a Gift
... I have given your priest's office unto you as ... All Christians are priests"to offer
sacrifices, alms, especially prayers ... apt to think of our duties as burdensome ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/service a gift.htm

Acts XIII
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a priest until after ... as is here argued, no longer offer sacrifices for those ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xiii.htm

The Priesthood of Christ
... to Adam their father, that he might offer them to ... peculiar to that period, that all
the duties of the ... in due form executed these functions, the priest, in the ...
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Of the Subject to whom the Key of Authority is Committed.
... Amos was forbidden by the high Priest of Bethel ... the Prophets themselves, were wont
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/.../the keyes of the kingdom of heaven and power thereof/chap v of the subject.htm

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