The details allow readers to understand and apply for themselves underlying principles and goals. Its purpose is theological and pedagogical rather than historical. The two parts of Leviticus 1—16 and 17—27 invite reflection on how worship and life are related in the present canonical book.
How Israel worships its God cannot be isolated from requirements to behave justly and compassionately in the land. In different but complementary ways worship and law seek to deal with sin and shape a generous and harmonious society. Because God is holy and righteous, Israel in Leviticus is both encouraged to obey and warned that the consequences of disobedience are catastrophic Lev 10, After the destruction of the temple in 70 CE the rabbis replaced the practice of sacrifice with the study of its laws.
Some of the laws regarding impurity were retained and developed, as in the dietary laws the practice of kashrut. In continuity with the approach of the New Testament book of Hebrews, Christian interpreters saw Jesus as the fulfillment and end of the sacrificial system. Elaborate systems of typology were developed. The comment by Jesus in Mark led to the setting aside of the purity rules of Lev and their interpretation as symbolizing ethical principles.
The emphasis on ethics and holiness in the Holiness Code was taken up and applied to the church. The interest in history from the 19th century led to intense discussion about sources and dating, although this was largely the preserve of earlier debates. The work of the anthropologist Mary Douglas inspired fresh interest in the meaning and rationale of the laws of impurity. Others have taken up her project and sought to explore the coherence and meaning of this unique book. That is, until the period of the Babylonian captivity.
Someone from the priestly class in Babylon found a way to encourage the Jewish people living in exile to take on these laws in order to keep them together as a community, Gnuse theorizes. This is also the view Mary Douglas took in her earlier works.
Keeping these customs would have given the Jewish people a unique identity that separated them from the non-Jews they were living among in Babylon, Gnuse explains. Elizabeth Sloane May. Get email notification for articles from Elizabeth Sloane Follow.
Open gallery view. Tattooing is a no-no in Leviticus, but for whom exactly? Follow us:. Listen Now. The content of Leviticus relates directly to Exodus, providing evidence that the same hand penned both books.
The word Leviticus derives from the tribe of Levi, whose members were set aside by the Lord to be His priests and worship leaders. Because God delivered these detailed laws after the original Ten Commandments, the most probable date for their revelation is BC. Whether every law was written down at that time is impossible to determine; it may be that they were codified progressively during the ensuing forty-year wandering.
God established the sacrificial system so that His covenant people might enjoy His fellowship through worship; it also allowed for repentance and renewal:. When an Israelite worshiper laid his hand on the animal victim, he identified himself with the animal as his substitute.
God then accepted the slaughter of the animal. Those suffering from skin disease or bodily discharge, as well as those guilty of grave moral sins, are barred from worship because their imperfections are incompatible with a holy and perfect God Leviticus 12— The symbols of Leviticus teach the universality of human sin, a doctrine endorsed by Jesus Mark —23 and Paul Rom.
Caught between divine holiness and human sinfulness, man's paramount need is for atonement. It is here that Leviticus has the most to teach the Christian, for its ideas are taken up and developed by the New Testament in describing the atoning work of Christ. He is the perfect sacrificial Lamb, who takes away the sin of the world John His death is the ransom for many Mark His blood cleanses us from all sin 1 John Above all, Jesus is the perfect High Priest who enters not the earthly tabernacle once a year on the Day of Atonement Leviticus 16 , but has ascended to the heavenly tabernacle forever, because He has not offered merely a goat for the sins of His people, but His own life Heb.
The rending of the temple veil when Jesus was crucified was a visible demonstration that His death opened up the way to God for all believers Matt. Furthermore, Leviticus restricts salvation to the old covenant community of Israel. The food laws ch. But the New Testament opens the kingdom to all nations and abrogates the food laws Mark —23; Acts 10 , while at the same time insisting on the separation of the church from the world John ; 2 Cor.
And while the Old Testament sufferer had to wait for God to heal him Leviticus 14 , in the Gospels God in Christ drew near and healed both lepers and those with discharges Luke —48; — Leviticus , the Latin form of the Greek title of the book, means "about Levites. The title is apt, because the book is primarily about worship and fitness for worship. However it is not addressed solely to priests or Levites, but also to lay Israelites, telling them how to offer sacrifices and to enter the presence of God in worship.
Leviticus speaks to humanity in every age, reminding us of the depth of our sin, but also pointing us to the sacrifice of Him whose blood is far more effective than the blood of bulls and goats. Own The Reformation Study Bible and have access to more than 20, study notes, 96 theological articles, contributions from 50 evangelical scholars, 19 in-text maps and 12 charts.
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