L
E V I T I C U S
CHAP. XXII.
In
this chapter we have divers laws concerning the priests and sacrifices all for
the preserving of the honour of the sanctuary. I. That the priests should not
eat the holy things in their uncleanness, ver. 1-9. II. That no stranger who
did not belong to some family of the priests should eat of the holy things
(ver. 10-13), and, if he did it unwittingly, he must make restitution,, ver.
14-16. III. That the sacrifices which were offered must be without blemish,
ver. 17-25. IV. That they must be more than eight days old (ver. 26-28), and
that the sacrifices of thanksgiving must be eaten the same day they were
offered, ver. 29, &c.
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Laws
Concerning the Priests.
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B.
C. 1490.
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1 And the LORD
spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that
they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and
that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow
unto me: I am the LORD.
3 Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed among your
generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel
hallow unto the LORD,
having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence:
I am the LORD.
4 What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hath a running
issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he be clean. And whoso
toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose
seed goeth from him; 5 Or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing,
whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness,
whatsoever uncleanness he hath; 6 The soul which hath touched any
such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless
he wash his flesh with water. 7 And when the sun is down, he shall
be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things; because it is his
food. 8 That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts,
he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I am the LORD.
9 They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest they bear sin for it, and die
therefore, if they profane it: I the LORD
do sanctify them.
Those that had a natural blemish, though they were forbidden to do the
priests' work, were yet allowed to eat of the holy things: and the Jewish
writers say that "to keep them from idleness they were employed in the
wood-room, to pick out that which was worm-eaten, that it might not be used in
the fire upon the altar; they might also be employed in the judgment of
leprosy:" but,
I. Those that were under any ceremonial uncleanness, which possibly they
contracted by their own fault, might no so much as eat of the holy things
while they continued in their pollution. 1. Some pollutions were permanent, as
a leprosy or a running issue, v. 4. These separated the people from the
sanctuary, and God would show that they were so far from being more excusable
that really they were more abominable in a priest. 2. Others were more
transient, as the touching of a dead body, or any thing else that was unclean,
from which, after a certain time, a man was cleansed by bathing his flesh in
water, v. 6. But whoever was thus defiled might not eat of the holy
things, under pain of God's highest displeasure, who said, and ratified
the saying, That soul shall be cut off from my presence, v. 3.
Our being in the presence of God, and attending upon him, will be so far from
securing us that it will but the more expose us to God's wrath, if we dare to
draw nigh to him in our uncleanness. The destruction shall come from the
presence of the Lord (2 Thess. i. 9), as the fire by which Nadab and Abihu
died came from before the Lord. Thus those who profane the holy word of
God will be cut off by that word which they make so light of; it shall condemn
them. They are again warned of their danger if they eat the holy thing in
their uncleanness (v. 9), lest they bear sin, and die therefore.
Note, (1.) Those contract great guilt who profane sacred things, by touching
them with unhallowed hands. Eating the holy things signified an interest in
the atonement; but, if they ate of them in their uncleanness, they were so far
from lessening their guilt that they increased it: They shall bear sin.
(2.) Sin is a burden which, if infinite mercy prevent not, will certainly sink
those that bear it: They shall die therefore. Even priests may be
ruined by their pollutions and presumptions.
II. As to the design of this law we may observe, 1. This obliged the priests
carefully to preserve their purity, and to dread every thing that would defile
them. The holy things were their livelihood; if they might not eat of them,
how must they subsist? The more we have to lose of comfort and honour by our
defilement, the more careful we should be to preserve our purity. 2. This
impressed the people with a reverence for the holy things, when they saw the
priests themselves separated from them (as the expression is, v.
2) so long as they were in their uncleanness. He is doubtless a God of
infinite purity who kept his immediate attendants under so strict a
discipline. 3. This teaches us carefully to watch against all moral
pollutions, because by them we are unfitted to receive the comfort of God's
sanctuary. Though we labour not under habitual deformities, yet actual
defilements deprive us of the pleasure of communion with God; and therefore he
that is washed needeth to wash his feet (John xiii. 10), to wash his
hands, and so to compass the altar, Ps. xxvi. 6. Herein we have
need to be jealous over ourselves, lest (as it is observably expressed here)
we profane God's holy name in those things which we hallow unto him, v.
2. If we affront God in those very performances wherein we pretend to honour
him, and provoke him instead of pleasing him, we shall make up but a bad
account shortly; yet thus we do if we profane God's name, by doing that in our
uncleanness which pretends to be hallowed to him.
10 There shall no
stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired
servant, shall not eat of the holy thing. 11 But if the
priest buy any soul with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is
born in his house: they shall eat of his meat. 12 If the priest's
daughter also be married unto a stranger, she may not eat of an
offering of the holy things. 13 But if the priest's daughter be a
widow, or divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto her father's
house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father's meat: but there shall no
stranger eat thereof. 14 And if a man eat of the holy thing
unwittingly, then he shall put the fifth part thereof unto it, and
shall give it unto the priest with the holy thing. 15 And
they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they
offer unto the LORD;
16 Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, when they eat their holy
things: for I the LORD
do sanctify them.
The holy things were to be eaten by the priests and their families. Now,
I. Here is a law that no stranger should eat of them, that is, no person
whatsoever but the priests only, and those that pertained to them, v.
10. The priests are charged with this care, not to profane the holy things
by permitting the strangers to eat of them (v. 15) or suffer them to
bear the iniquity of trespass (v. 16); that is, suffer them to
bring guilt upon themselves, by meddling with that which they have no right
to. Thus it is commonly understood. Note, We must not only be careful that we
do not bear iniquity ourselves, but we must do what we can to prevent others
bearing it. We must not only not suffer sin to lie upon our brother,
but, if we can help it, we must not suffer it to come upon him. But
perhaps there is another meaning of those words: the priests' eating the
sin-offerings is said to signify their bearing the iniquity of the
congregation, to make an atonement for them, ch. x. 17. Let not a
stranger therefore eat of that holy thing particularly, and so pretend to bear
the iniquity of trespass; for it is daring presumption for any to do that,
but such as are appointed to do it. Those that set up other mediators besides
Christ our priest, to bear the iniquity of trespass, sacrilegiously rob
Christ of his honour, and invade his rights. When we warn people not to trust
to their own righteousness, nor dare to appear before God in it, but to rely
on Christ's righteousness only for peace and pardon, it is because we dare not
suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, for we know it is too
heavy for them.
II. Here is an explanation of the law, showing who were to be looked upon as
belonging to the priest's family, and who not. 1. Sojourners and hired
servants abode not in the house for ever; they were in the family, but not of
it; and therefore they might not eat of the holy things (v. 10): but the
servant that was born in the house or bought with money, being a heirloom to
the family, though a servant, yet might eat of the holy things, v. 11.
Note, Those only are entitled to the comforts of God's house who make it their
rest for ever, and resolve to dwell in it all the days of their
life. As for those who for a time only believe, to serve a present turn.
They are looked upon but as sojourners and mercenaries, and have no part
nor lot in the matter. 2. As to the children of the family, concerning the
sons there could be no dispute, they were themselves priests, but concerning
the daughters there was a distinction. While they continued in their father's
house they might eat of the holy things; but, if they married such as were not
priests, they lost their right (v. 12), for now they were cut off from
the family of the priests. Yet if a priest's daughter became a widow, and had
no children in whom she might preserve a distinct family, and returned to her
father's house again, being neither wife nor mother, she should again be
looked upon as a daughter, and might eat of the holy things. If those whom
Providence has made sorrowful widows, and who are dislodged from the rest they
had in the house of a husband, yet find it again in a father's house, they
have reason to be thankful to the widows' God, who does not leave them
comfortless. 3. Here is a demand of restitution to be made by him that had no
right to the holy things, and yet should eat of them unwittingly, v.
14. If he did it presumptuously, and in contempt of the divine institution, he
was liable to be cut off by the hand of God, and to be beaten by the
magistrate; but, if he did it through weakness in inconsideration, he was to
restore the value, adding a fifth part to it, besides which he was to bring an
offering to atone for the trespass; see ch. v. 15, 16.
III. This law might be dispensed with in a case of necessity, as it was when
David and his men ate of the show-bread, 1 Sam. xxi. 6. And our Saviour
justifies them, and gives a reason for it, which furnishes us with a lasting
rule in all such cases, that God will have mercy and not sacrifice,
Matt. xii. 3, 4, 7. Rituals must give way to morals.
IV. It is an instruction to gospel ministers, who are stewards of the
mysteries of God, not to admit all, without distinction, to eat of the
holy things, but to take out the precious from the vile. Those that are
scandalously ignorant or profane are strangers and aliens to the family of the
Lord's priests; and it is not meet to take the children's bread and to cast it
to such. Holy things are for holy persons, for those who are holy, at least,
in profession, Matt. vii. 6.
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Laws
Concerning Sacrifices.
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B.
C. 1490.
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17 And the LORD
spake unto Moses, saying, 18 Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons,
and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whatsoever he be
of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his
oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings, which they will
offer unto the LORD
for a burnt offering; 19 Ye shall offer at your own will a
male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats.
20 But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for
it shall not be acceptable for you. 21 And whosoever offereth a
sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD
to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it
shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.
22 Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye
shall not offer these unto the LORD,
nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the LORD.
23 Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in
his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a
vow it shall not be accepted. 24 Ye shall not offer unto the LORD
that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any
offering thereof in your land. 25 Neither from a stranger's
hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their
corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them: they
shall not be accepted for you. 26 And the LORD
spake unto Moses, saying, 27 When a bullock, or a sheep, or a
goat, is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam; and from
the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by
fire unto the LORD.
28 And whether it be cow or ewe, ye shall not kill it and her young
both in one day. 29 And when ye will offer a sacrifice of
thanksgiving unto the LORD,
offer it at your own will. 30 On the same day it shall be
eaten up; ye shall leave none of it until the morrow: I am the LORD.
31 Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the LORD.
32 Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the
children of Israel: I am the LORD
which hallow you, 33 That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to
be your God: I am the LORD.
Here are four laws concerning sacrifices:--
I. Whatever was offered in sacrifice to God should be without blemish,
otherwise it should not be accepted. This had often been mentioned in the
particular institutions of the several sorts of offerings. Now here they are
told what was to be accounted a blemish which rendered a beast unfit for
sacrifice: if it was blind, or lame, had a wen, or the mange (v.
22),--if it was bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut (v. 24), that
is, as the Jewish writers understand it, if it was, in any of these ways,
castrated, if bulls and rams were made into oxen and weathers, they might not
be offered. Moreover a difference is made between what was brought as a
free-will offering and what was brought as a vow, v. 23. And, though
none that had any of the forementioned blemishes might be brought for either,
yet if a beast had any thing superfluous or lacking (that is, as the Jews
understand it, if there was a disproportion or inequality between those parts
that are pairs, when one eye, or ear, or leg, was bigger than it should be, or
less than it should be)--if there was no other blemish than this, it might be
accepted for a free-will offering, to which a man had not before laid himself,
nor had the divine law laid him, under any particular obligation; but for a
vow it might not be accepted. Thus God would teach us to make conscience of
performing our promises to him very exactly, and not afterwards to abate in
quantity or value of what we had solemnly engaged to devote to him. What was,
before the vow, in our own power, as in the case of a free-will offering,
afterwards is not, Acts v. 4. It is again and again declared that no sacrifice
should be accepted if it was thus blemished, v. 20, 21. According to
this law great care was taken to search all the beasts that were brought to be
sacrificed, that there might, to a certainty, be no blemish in them. A
blemished sacrifice might not be accepted even from the hand of a stranger,
though to such all possible encouragement should be given to do honour to the
God of Israel, v. 25. By this it appears that strangers were expected
to come to the house of God from a far country (1 Kings viii. 41, 42),
and that they should be welcome, and their offerings accepted, as those of
Darius, Ezra vi. 9, 10; Isa. lvi. 6, 7. The heathen priests were many of them
not so strict in this matter, but would receive sacrifices for their gods that
were ever so scandalous; but let strangers know that the God of Israel would
not be so served. Now, 1. This law was then necessary for the preserving of
the honour of the sanctuary, and of the God that was there worshipped. It was
fit that every thing that was employed for his honour should be the best of
the kind; for, as he is the greatest and brightest, so he is the best of
beings; and he that is the best must have the best. See how greatly and justly
displeasing the breach of this law was to the holy God, Mal. i. 8, 13, 14. 2.
This law made all the legal sacrifices the fitter to be types of Christ, the
great sacrifice from which all these derived their virtue. In allusion to this
law, he is said to be a Lamb without blemish and without spot, 1
Pet. i. 19. As such a priest, so such a sacrifice, became us, who was harmless
and undefiled. When Pilate declared, I find no fault in this man, he
did thereby in effect pronounce the sacrifice without blemish. The Jews say it
was the work of the sagan, or suffragan, high priest, to view the sacrifices,
and see whether they were without blemish or no; when Christ suffered, Annas
was in that office; but little did those who brought Christ to Annas first, by
whom he was sent bound to Caiaphas, as a sacrifice fit to be offered (John
xviii. 13, 24), think that they were answering the type of this law. 3. It is
an instruction to us to offer to God the best we have in our spiritual
sacrifices. If our devotions are ignorant, and cold, and trifling, and full of
distractions, we offer the blind, and the lame, and the sick, for
sacrifice; but cursed be the deceiver that does so, for, while he thinks
to put a cheat upon God, he puts a damning cheat upon his own soul.
II. That no beast should be offered in sacrifice before it was eight days old,
v. 26, 27. It was provided before that the firstlings of their cattle,
which were to be dedicated to God, should not be brought to him till after the
eighth day, Exod. xxii. 30. Here it is provided that no creature should be
offered in sacrifice till it was eight days old complete. Sooner than that it
was not fit to be used at men's tables, and therefore not a God's altar. The
Jews say, "It was because the sabbath sanctifies all things, and nothing
should be offered to God till at least one sabbath had passed over it."
It was in conformity to the law of circumcision, which children were to
receive on the eighth day. Christ was sacrificed for us, not in his infancy,
though then Herod sought to slay him, but in the prime of his time.
III. That the dam and her young should not both be killed in one day, whether
in sacrifice or for common use, v. 28. There is such a law as this
concerning birds, Deut. xxii. 6. This was forbidden, not as evil in itself,
but because it looked barbarous and cruel to the brute creatures; like the
tyranny of the king of Babylon, that slew Zedekiah's sons before his eyes, and
then put out his eyes. It looked ill-natured towards the species to kill two
generations at once, as if one designed the ruin of the kind.
IV. That the flesh of their thank-offerings should be eaten on the same day
that they were sacrificed, v. 29, 30. This is a repetition of what we
had before, ch. vii. 15; xix. 6, 7. The chapter concludes with such a
general charge as we have often met with, to keep God's commandments,
and not to profane his holy name, v. 31, 32. Those that profess
God's name, if they do not make conscience of keeping his commandments, do but
profane his name. The general reasons are added: God's authority over them--I
am the Lord; his interest in them--I am your God; the title he had
to them by redemption--"I brought you out of the land of Egypt, on
purpose that I might be your God;" the designs of his grace concerning
them--I am the Lord that hallow you; and the resolutions of his
justice, if he had not honour from them, to get himself honour upon
them--I will be hallowed among the children of Israel. God will be a
loser in his glory by no man at last; but sooner or later will recover his
right, either in the repentance of sinners or in their ruin.
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