Leviticus 1:3 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

If his offering be a burnt-sacrifice This was called a holocaust by the Greeks, being wholly given to God and consumed upon his altar, the skin excepted, neither the priest nor offerer having any share of it, Leviticus 1:9, and 1 Samuel 7:9. It was the principal sacrifice, and is properly mentioned first, as being that which spoke most significantly the good-will of the offerer, and his enlargement of heart, 2 Chronicles 29:31. These sacrifices signified that the whole man, in whose stead the sacrifice was offered, was to be entirely and unreservedly offered or devoted to God's service; and that the whole man did deserve to be utterly consumed, if God should deal severely with him; and they direct us to serve the Lord with all singleness of heart, and to be ready to offer to God even those sacrifices or services wherein we ourselves have no part or benefit. A male As being more perfect than the female, (Malachi 1:14,) and more truly representing Christ. Without blemish To signify, 1st, That God must be served with the best of every kind. 2d, That man, represented by those sacrifices, must aim at all perfection of heart and life, and that Christians would one day attain to it, Ephesians 5:27. 3d, The spotless and complete holiness of Christ. Of his own will According to this translation, the place speaks only of free-will-offerings, or such as were not prescribed by God to be offered in course, but were offered by the voluntary devotion of any person, either by way of supplication for any mercy, or by way of thanksgiving for any blessing received. But it may seem improper to restrain the rules here given to free-will-offerings, which were to be observed in other offerings also. At the door In the court near the door, where the altar stood, Leviticus 1:5. For here it was to be sacrificed, and here the people might behold the oblation of it. And this further signified, that men could have no entrance, neither into the earthly tabernacle, the church, nor into the heavenly tabernacle of glory, but by Christ, who is the door, (John 10:7; John 10:9,) by whom alone we have access to God.