among the Hebrews, were presents made to God of part of
the fruits of the harvest, to express the submission, dependence, and
thankfulness of the offerers. They were offered at the temple, before
the crop was touched; and when the harvest was over, before any private
persons used their corn. The first of these first-fruits, offered in the
name of the nation, was a sheaf of barley, gathered on the fifteenth of
Nisan in the evening, and threshed in a court of the temple. After it
was well cleaned, about three pints of it were roasted and pounded in a
mortar. Over this was thrown a portion of oil, and a handful of incense.
Then the priest took this offering, waved it before the Lord toward the
four parts of the world, threw a handful of it into the fire upon the
altar, and kept the rest. After this, every one was at liberty to get in
his harvest. Beside these first-fruits, every private person was obliged
to bring his first-fruits to the temple. The Scripture prescribes
neither the time nor the quantity. The rabbins say, that they were
obliged to bring at least the sixtieth part of their fruits and harvest.
These first-fruits consisted of wheat, barley, grapes, figs, apricots,
olives, and dates. They met in companies of four-and-twenty persons to
carry their first-fruits in a ceremonious manner. The company was
preceded by an ox appointed for the sacrifice, with a crown of olives on
his head, and his horns gilded. There was also another sort of
first-fruits paid to God, Num. xv, 19, 20, when the bread in every
family was kneaded, a portion of it was set apart, and given to the
priest or Levite of the place. If there was no priest or Levite, it was
cast into the oven, and consumed by the fire. This is one of the three
precepts peculiar to the women; because they generally made the bread.
The first-fruits and tenths were the most substantial revenue of the
priests and Levites. St. Paul says, Christians have the first-fruits of
the Spirit, Rom. viii, 23, that is, a greater abundance of God’s Spirit,
more perfect and more excellent gifts than the Jews. Christ is called
the first-fruits of them that slept; for as the first-fruits were
earnests to the Jews of the succeeding harvest, so Christ is the
first-fruits or the earnest of the general resurrection.
the fruits of the harvest, to express the submission, dependence, and
thankfulness of the offerers. They were offered at the temple, before
the crop was touched; and when the harvest was over, before any private
persons used their corn. The first of these first-fruits, offered in the
name of the nation, was a sheaf of barley, gathered on the fifteenth of
Nisan in the evening, and threshed in a court of the temple. After it
was well cleaned, about three pints of it were roasted and pounded in a
mortar. Over this was thrown a portion of oil, and a handful of incense.
Then the priest took this offering, waved it before the Lord toward the
four parts of the world, threw a handful of it into the fire upon the
altar, and kept the rest. After this, every one was at liberty to get in
his harvest. Beside these first-fruits, every private person was obliged
to bring his first-fruits to the temple. The Scripture prescribes
neither the time nor the quantity. The rabbins say, that they were
obliged to bring at least the sixtieth part of their fruits and harvest.
These first-fruits consisted of wheat, barley, grapes, figs, apricots,
olives, and dates. They met in companies of four-and-twenty persons to
carry their first-fruits in a ceremonious manner. The company was
preceded by an ox appointed for the sacrifice, with a crown of olives on
his head, and his horns gilded. There was also another sort of
first-fruits paid to God, Num. xv, 19, 20, when the bread in every
family was kneaded, a portion of it was set apart, and given to the
priest or Levite of the place. If there was no priest or Levite, it was
cast into the oven, and consumed by the fire. This is one of the three
precepts peculiar to the women; because they generally made the bread.
The first-fruits and tenths were the most substantial revenue of the
priests and Levites. St. Paul says, Christians have the first-fruits of
the Spirit, Rom. viii, 23, that is, a greater abundance of God’s Spirit,
more perfect and more excellent gifts than the Jews. Christ is called
the first-fruits of them that slept; for as the first-fruits were
earnests to the Jews of the succeeding harvest, so Christ is the
first-fruits or the earnest of the general resurrection.