Most of the ingredients were ordinary, from the daily stuff of life. They are listed in the first verse. Choice flour came from wheat (Exod 29:2) and not barley, the other main grain of the area. (According to 2 Kgs 7:16, the value of wheat was double that of barley.) Olive oil was obtained by crushing, pressing, or grinding the olives. It was a staple part of Israel’s diet (1 Kgs 17:12–16) as well as part of its rituals. It was a part of sacrifices such as this, though never offered on its own, and was also used for purification through anointing (see commentary on 8:10–13). The exception to common household products was the incense. It was made of a tree resin available to Israel only through trade with its source areas in southern Arabia (Jer 6:20) and Somalia. It was transported in dried form and was used not only with grain offerings (Neh 13:5, 9; Isa 43:23; Jer 17:26) but was also burnt on the inner incense altar (Exod 30:7–8, 34–36) to provide a sweet odor. It was very costly since it was imported.

Only a part of the offering was burnt, in contrast to the completely destroyed offerings of chapter 1. This was called a token portion since only a part, or token, of the whole was burnt. The Hebrew word (’azkarah [234, 260], 2:9) involves “remembrance,” though what was remembered is debated. Some suggest it was the goodness of God, especially in his provision of food, or that it serves as a prod to God to remember the offerer (Hartley 1992:30). More likely it was a reminder that this was just a token of all the offering, which in fact belonged completely to God (Milgrom 1991:182). The remainder was given to the priests for their use, since they were to be provided for from the people’s gifts instead of having to raise their own food (Num 18:8–32; cf. Deut 18:1–4). Just because they were dedicating themselves to God’s work, they should not miss out on his goodness. This has serious implications for today’s full-time religious workers, who are often expected by their congregations to exemplify sacrificial poverty rather than enjoying God’s providential bounty (see Luke 10:7; 1 Cor 9:3–14).

“I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.