Leviticus 26 brings God’s vision for a holy people to a close with a covenant agreement. It really begins in 25:55 and takes this form:
1. God’s identity and work on behalf of Israel (25:55)
2. The summation of God’s law: loyalty to God expressed in worship (26:1-2)
3. Blessings promised for obedience: fruitfulness, security and dwelling with God (26:3-13)
4. Curses promised for disobedience: destruction, exile and death (26:14-39)
5. Repentance, grace and restoration for the future (26:40-45)
Note before reading the chapter that the agreement ends (vv.44-45) with God’s promised grace: nothing Israel does will compel God to break the covenant that He made with their ancestors (Abraham).
Note: Read Lev. 26 in conjunction with Deuteronomy 28 and 30:1-10 if possible and consider how the passages are similar and different.
Some Notes:
Note that vv.1-2 summarize loyalty to God in terms of the first four commandments: no other gods, no idols, don’t take the Lord’s name in vain (related to reverencing the “sanctuary”), keeping the sabbath.
The blessings here point to the “dream” of Israel and God’s intention for creation: fruitfulness and security (vv.3-9).
The high point of these promises is for God’s presence to be with Israel (vv.11-12). When we think about God “walking” with humans we should think about the Garden of Eden where God “walked in the cool of the day” (Gen. 3:8).
Verse 13 is noteworthy because it points out that God’s desire for His people is for them to be entirely free and flourishing . . . to “walk erect” in God’s presence.
The curses listed in vv.14-39 are the undoing of the blessings God intended in creation: disease, loss of security, violent conquest, fruitlessness (crops, animals, humans), death and ultimately the withdrawal of God’s presence and exile.
Note that exile is the final and ultimate curse (v.33). This a striking theological statement . . . it seems it’s better to die in your own land than to lose the land and save your life.
Note also that exile will come at the hands of foreign armies (vv.28-33). Some of the ghastly punishments listed here, like cannibalism, were realities of ancient siege warfare. Along these lines, don’t miss the fact that Israel would be cursed to even be ruled by foreign powers (v.17). This is something to consider when reading the gospels and the thinking about the Jews and Romans.
God will use the Israelites' exile to heal the land of their defilement (v.34). Note the humor also of a “driven leaf putting you to flight” (v.36).
In spite of this God will allow the Israelites, in exile, to confess their sins and repent and God will restore them to His favor and to the land (vv.40-42). Note that this is not dependent upon any sacrifice (of their own) or ritual, but upon a transformation in their attitudes and God’s grace.
Finally, note that grace is the last word in vv.44-45 . . . whatever Israel winds up doing, God will not (on His part) break His covenant with them. This of course sets the stage for God’s activity in the New Testament.
Some Questions to Consider:
How might you summarize God’s blessings for obedience? What sort of world would Israel live in if they received all these blessings?
What do these blessings tell us about God’s desires for humans?
How would you summarize the curses? Why is exile the ultimate curse?
How do you see the curses connected with the Gen. 3 Garden of Eden story?
How might all these curses with regard to being ruled over by “enemies” frame how we think about the Jewish people in the New Testament? How might these verses have impacted people in Jesus’s time?
How do you see grace at work in this chapter? What would receiving this grace and "forgiveness" look like (in concrete terms) for the Israelites?
Thursday, March 16, 2017
Jubilee and Jesus
Some biblical scholars have suggested that we should interpret Jesus's ethics, particularly regarding money and possessions, in light of the Jubilee Code. I think this is a helpful suggestion. While Jesus was not declaring an "official" Jubilee (or at least we have no direct evidence of that), the values of Jubilee fill His teaching about money. Remember, both the Jubilee Code and Jesus take for granted that the people of God are supposed to be a family, and family members should (especially in the ancient world) care for each other with no concern for costs . . .
Consider these passages with Jubilee in the background:
Matthew 5:40-42
. . . and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41 and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. 42 Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
Luke 4:16-19
When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
Consider these passages with Jubilee in the background:
Matthew 5:40-42
. . . and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41 and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. 42 Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
Luke 4:16-19
When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Luke 14:12-14
He
said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a
dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives
or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would
be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Mark 10:29-30
“Truly I tell you,
there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or
father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good
news, 30 who
will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and
sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the
age to come eternal life.
Matthew 6:24-33
“No one can
serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the
other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve
God and wealth.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look
at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into
barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more
value than they? 27 And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? 28 And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 30 But
if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and
tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you
of little faith? 31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Leviticus 25: Jubilee
Before launching into specifics on this chapter it may be important to think about the real end-game of this section of Leviticus. We’ve seen the ideal of holiness thus far in Leviticus in a place (Tabernacle), in rituals, in priests, and in the behavior of individual Israelites. I would contend that in Lev. 25 we arrive at a vision of a holy society. This chapter is the “fruit” which Israel was ultimately supposed to bear as a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:5-6). The values espoused in this chapter point to God’s desire for human society (or that’s at least my claim). And those values are what we need to focus on to read this chapter well. Don’t read this chapter thinking, “How could anyone ever pull this off in our world?”. Rather, read it thinking, “How can we faithfully pursue these values today?”. Furthermore, as Christian readers we need to ask another fundamental question: are we to pursue the values of this vision primarily for society, or primarily in the church? And what’s the relationship between the two?
Finally, I would suggest reading Acts 2:37-47 and considering how the first church lived “Jubilee” values.
Background:
Remember that in the ancient world the most powerful people were the large landowners (kings especially . . . and consider Pharaoh in the background of this passage as well). Nearly every one else was a small-scale, subsistence farmer who lived year to year. Over time (in all nations and also in Israel) small farmers invariably went into debt and were sold out to the large estate holders. This process effectively created an underclass of sharecroppers and slaves and impoverished the majority of the people. It is this issue which the prophets brought to the forefront against the kings, and which the laws of Lev. 25 are targeting.
Some Key Thoughts:
Every seven years the Israelites are to allow the land to “rest” (v.4). Note that this is not a cessation from all human labor, but a cessation from farming. Consider the implications of this not only for economics, but for the laborers and animals who would typically work the land.
Note that the trumpet announcing the coming year of Jubilee (the 50th year) is sounded on the Day of Atonement in the 49th year (v.9). That is a very significant symbol, bringing together God’s dealing of sin and a restoration of the land and people.
Note that everyone returns to their ancestral property for the Jubilee, and that land can only be sold and held until the Jubilee year when it automatically reverts to its original owners (vv.13-17).
Of course, this means that the “land shall not be sold in perpetuity” (v.23). All purchasing is only temporary.
The land cannot be sold in perpetuity because “the land is mine; with me you are but aliens and tenants” (v.23). I believe that this is one of the most important verses in the Old Testament with regard to the values it expresses about life, society and humanity. Furthermore, this verse alone provides a chunk of the theological background to Jesus’s teaching (and the early church’s) about money and possessions.
Note the requirement that other family members are free to purchase other family members’ land if they fall into debt (vv.25-28).
Note that property in cities may be sold in perpetuity (v.30) unless it is owned by a Levite.
Families are required to take in their own who become dependent (as “resident alients”, i.e. neighbors) and they cannot be loaned money with interest (vv.35-38).
If dependents become utterly impoverished they are to become servants or farmhands (v.39). Note that God claims every Israelite as His servant primarily (v.42), and therefore they must still be treated well (v.43).
If any Israelites become slaves of resident aliens they are to go free at the Jubilee (v.50).
Questions to Consider:
How do you see Jesus’s and the early church’s economic values reflected in this chapter?
What might God’s intentions be in forcing an entire year of Sabbath?
What is God’s attitude towards the land, it’s inhabitants and even their animals?
How would our lives and society look different if we believed that the land belonged to God and we were just His “tenants” or “resident aliens”?
How would our economics be impacted if we couldn’t own land in perpetuity?
What would you say this chapter teaches us about God’s intentions for His people?
How might these “Jubilee” values be implemented today?
Finally, I would suggest reading Acts 2:37-47 and considering how the first church lived “Jubilee” values.
Background:
Remember that in the ancient world the most powerful people were the large landowners (kings especially . . . and consider Pharaoh in the background of this passage as well). Nearly every one else was a small-scale, subsistence farmer who lived year to year. Over time (in all nations and also in Israel) small farmers invariably went into debt and were sold out to the large estate holders. This process effectively created an underclass of sharecroppers and slaves and impoverished the majority of the people. It is this issue which the prophets brought to the forefront against the kings, and which the laws of Lev. 25 are targeting.
Some Key Thoughts:
Every seven years the Israelites are to allow the land to “rest” (v.4). Note that this is not a cessation from all human labor, but a cessation from farming. Consider the implications of this not only for economics, but for the laborers and animals who would typically work the land.
Note that the trumpet announcing the coming year of Jubilee (the 50th year) is sounded on the Day of Atonement in the 49th year (v.9). That is a very significant symbol, bringing together God’s dealing of sin and a restoration of the land and people.
Note that everyone returns to their ancestral property for the Jubilee, and that land can only be sold and held until the Jubilee year when it automatically reverts to its original owners (vv.13-17).
Of course, this means that the “land shall not be sold in perpetuity” (v.23). All purchasing is only temporary.
The land cannot be sold in perpetuity because “the land is mine; with me you are but aliens and tenants” (v.23). I believe that this is one of the most important verses in the Old Testament with regard to the values it expresses about life, society and humanity. Furthermore, this verse alone provides a chunk of the theological background to Jesus’s teaching (and the early church’s) about money and possessions.
Note the requirement that other family members are free to purchase other family members’ land if they fall into debt (vv.25-28).
Note that property in cities may be sold in perpetuity (v.30) unless it is owned by a Levite.
Families are required to take in their own who become dependent (as “resident alients”, i.e. neighbors) and they cannot be loaned money with interest (vv.35-38).
If dependents become utterly impoverished they are to become servants or farmhands (v.39). Note that God claims every Israelite as His servant primarily (v.42), and therefore they must still be treated well (v.43).
If any Israelites become slaves of resident aliens they are to go free at the Jubilee (v.50).
Questions to Consider:
How do you see Jesus’s and the early church’s economic values reflected in this chapter?
What might God’s intentions be in forcing an entire year of Sabbath?
What is God’s attitude towards the land, it’s inhabitants and even their animals?
How would our lives and society look different if we believed that the land belonged to God and we were just His “tenants” or “resident aliens”?
How would our economics be impacted if we couldn’t own land in perpetuity?
What would you say this chapter teaches us about God’s intentions for His people?
How might these “Jubilee” values be implemented today?
Thursday, March 9, 2017
Leviticus 24: Blasphemy and Holiness
Leviticus 24 has long been a mystery to students of the book. I have argued that the book is intentionally crafted to convey significance to particular themes, and yet this chapter seems to be entirely random, especially since we’ll see that chapter 25 is dealing with holy time again. So what’s the purpose behind chapter 24? Here are a few theories to chew on:
1. Just as the story of Nadab and Abihu marked a transition from priests and sacrifice to people and holiness, this story creates a break to alert readers that the text is going to change directions. In the final chapters we’ll be talking about God’s intentions and covenant with Israel as a whole, and the story given prepares us for that.
2. The story of Nadab and Abihu functions as the “first curtain” in the Tabernacle, and moves us into a higher degree of holiness (again, from priests to people). These rituals and story then function as the “second curtain”, as they draw our attention to the Holy Place, and then the Holy Name. That sets up the final chapters as the “Holy of Holies”, as they point to God’s ultimate intentions for Israel.
3. The story rounds out the discussion of a holy people, who function above all to bring glory to God’s name . . . the story underlines the theme of holiness that Israel is to pursue.
Here are notes for the Chapter 24:
Note that the core issue to be adjudicated in vv.10-12 is whether a half-Israelite and a non-Israelite should be punished for blasphemy. It goes without saying that the Israelites themselves would, but the people were unsure with foreigners.
Note the laying on of one hand (v.14) from the people who heard the blasphemy onto the persons to be killed. This gives clarity to the symbol of “one hand”, as taking ownership of the life to be destroyed (and not a transference of sin).
Note that the word “maim” here is the same as the word used for “blemish” with regard to sacrifices. The point may be that the person is now unable to experience the fullness of what God intended for his or her life.
Note the chiasm here with the sentencing and justification:
Aliens as well as citizens (v.16)
One who curses God shall bear the sin (v.15)
One who blasphemes God shall be put do death (v.16)
Anyone who kills a human (image of God) to be put to death (v.17)
Anyone who kills an animal shall make restitution (v.18)
Eye for an Eye, tooth for tooth, fracture for fracture (vv.18-20)
Anyone who kills an animal shall make restitution (v.21a)
Anyone who kills a human to be put to death (v.21b)
One law for aliens as well as citizens
Two Observations:
1. Blasphemy is equated here with murder, maiming and destroying animal life. It is fundamentally anti-life.
2. Blasphemy applies the “eye for eye” principle . . . as God is “defaced” by the blasphemer “hurling” insults at His name and image, so the blasphemer is “defaced” by the congregation “hurling” stones at his person and image.
Two Questions:
Consider the story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery in John 8:1-11. How might these stories be connected? (Consider that blasphemy is ultimately about giving God a bad name . . . who in the story of the woman might Jesus ultimately accuse of giving God a bad name?)
If this section was all about holiness, what might this final lesson be regarding holiness and the protection of life?
1. Just as the story of Nadab and Abihu marked a transition from priests and sacrifice to people and holiness, this story creates a break to alert readers that the text is going to change directions. In the final chapters we’ll be talking about God’s intentions and covenant with Israel as a whole, and the story given prepares us for that.
2. The story of Nadab and Abihu functions as the “first curtain” in the Tabernacle, and moves us into a higher degree of holiness (again, from priests to people). These rituals and story then function as the “second curtain”, as they draw our attention to the Holy Place, and then the Holy Name. That sets up the final chapters as the “Holy of Holies”, as they point to God’s ultimate intentions for Israel.
3. The story rounds out the discussion of a holy people, who function above all to bring glory to God’s name . . . the story underlines the theme of holiness that Israel is to pursue.
Here are notes for the Chapter 24:
Note that the core issue to be adjudicated in vv.10-12 is whether a half-Israelite and a non-Israelite should be punished for blasphemy. It goes without saying that the Israelites themselves would, but the people were unsure with foreigners.
Note the laying on of one hand (v.14) from the people who heard the blasphemy onto the persons to be killed. This gives clarity to the symbol of “one hand”, as taking ownership of the life to be destroyed (and not a transference of sin).
Note that the word “maim” here is the same as the word used for “blemish” with regard to sacrifices. The point may be that the person is now unable to experience the fullness of what God intended for his or her life.
Note the chiasm here with the sentencing and justification:
Aliens as well as citizens (v.16)
One who curses God shall bear the sin (v.15)
One who blasphemes God shall be put do death (v.16)
Anyone who kills a human (image of God) to be put to death (v.17)
Anyone who kills an animal shall make restitution (v.18)
Eye for an Eye, tooth for tooth, fracture for fracture (vv.18-20)
Anyone who kills an animal shall make restitution (v.21a)
Anyone who kills a human to be put to death (v.21b)
One law for aliens as well as citizens
Two Observations:
1. Blasphemy is equated here with murder, maiming and destroying animal life. It is fundamentally anti-life.
2. Blasphemy applies the “eye for eye” principle . . . as God is “defaced” by the blasphemer “hurling” insults at His name and image, so the blasphemer is “defaced” by the congregation “hurling” stones at his person and image.
Two Questions:
Consider the story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery in John 8:1-11. How might these stories be connected? (Consider that blasphemy is ultimately about giving God a bad name . . . who in the story of the woman might Jesus ultimately accuse of giving God a bad name?)
If this section was all about holiness, what might this final lesson be regarding holiness and the protection of life?
Leviticus 23: Sabbath and Festivals
Well, we are crunched for time this week folks! So instead of giving you a theological discourse now, I'm going to again give you my notes to work with and save our discourse for class! Please do though consider the questions at the bottom of this blog as you read this week.
Leviticus 23:
Note that we’ve seen how the Tabernacle is made holy, how priests are made holy, how sacrifices are made holy, holy the Israelites are made holy, and now how time is made holy. Do you see a pattern here? (We'll talk about this Sabbath in class as a "Tabernacle in Time" . . . think about how the Tabernacle as holy sets the stage for all the land being holy, as the Sabbath being holy sets the stage for all time being made holy . . .)
Passover is celebrated in the first month (v.5) . . . this is a big-time symbol! Israel’s calendar- Israel’s counting of time- begins with God’s work to free them from slavery (We might then say all their time is derived from God's work and belongs to Him!). Every year they would be reminded that their time belongs to God because of His actions to free them. Note also that Passover begins (and is celebrated) at twilight . . . the Israelites counted days beginning at sundown. So Jesus is eating the Last Supper with His disciples at the transition between the Day of Passover and the first day of Unleavened Bread.
Festival of Unleavened bread (v.7): A reminder of God’s provision for Israel as they left Egypt.
The Festival of First Fruits begins the day after the day after the final day of Unleavened bread (v.11). So you have nine festival days consecutively which marks the beginning of Israel’s calendar, and also marks the preparation for the harvest season agriculturally. (Note that this is not coincidental . . . the two “beginnings” are aligned to communicate something to Israel!)
Note the drink offering of wine here in v.13 . . . the symbol here of God drinking wine with the people!
The Festival of Weeks (v.15-21) is celebrated 50 days (7 weeks, an important symbol!) after First Fruits and that is why it’s called “Pentecost” in Greek and now English. This festival marks the beginning of the harvest season for grain.
Note the connection between the celebration of the Lord’s generosity with the Israelites and the injunction for them to be generous to the poor who live among them (v.22).
Don't miss that it’s the SEVENTH month which is the holiest month! This is not a coincidence!
Festival of Trumpets (v.23-25): Note that trumpets were primarily used for military purposes in the ancient world (the Israelites called themselves and God into battle with trumpets). The Israelites also used trumpets to call for the camp to move in the wilderness.
Note the Day of Atonement (vv.26-32) here is the tenth day of the seventh month. We’ve covered already but again you see the warnings against failure to participate in it in verses 29-30.
The Festival of Booths (vv.33-36, 39-43) is the final festival in the ancient Hebrew calendar and in terms of agriculture would come after crops were planted and before the fall rains. Booths lasts eight days (again, in the seventh month). The Israelites are commanded to build “booths” (literally “Tabernacles”) out of “majestic” trees to live in for a week. This is to remind the Israelites of the days when they lived in the wilderness and God provided for them.
Some Questions to Ponder:
How might Sabbath keeping change the way we keep time? What would we have to do to ensure we had one full day apart from “work”? (think first-fruits!)
How might the Sabbath form us as God’s people?
How would the festivals have formed Israel? Why were the festivals so important?
Do our Christian holidays function as formative to our faith? Or are they a distraction? In general, do we use the calendar to form us well?
How do we see the relationship between God and our time?
Leviticus 23:
Note that we’ve seen how the Tabernacle is made holy, how priests are made holy, how sacrifices are made holy, holy the Israelites are made holy, and now how time is made holy. Do you see a pattern here? (We'll talk about this Sabbath in class as a "Tabernacle in Time" . . . think about how the Tabernacle as holy sets the stage for all the land being holy, as the Sabbath being holy sets the stage for all time being made holy . . .)
Passover is celebrated in the first month (v.5) . . . this is a big-time symbol! Israel’s calendar- Israel’s counting of time- begins with God’s work to free them from slavery (We might then say all their time is derived from God's work and belongs to Him!). Every year they would be reminded that their time belongs to God because of His actions to free them. Note also that Passover begins (and is celebrated) at twilight . . . the Israelites counted days beginning at sundown. So Jesus is eating the Last Supper with His disciples at the transition between the Day of Passover and the first day of Unleavened Bread.
Festival of Unleavened bread (v.7): A reminder of God’s provision for Israel as they left Egypt.
The Festival of First Fruits begins the day after the day after the final day of Unleavened bread (v.11). So you have nine festival days consecutively which marks the beginning of Israel’s calendar, and also marks the preparation for the harvest season agriculturally. (Note that this is not coincidental . . . the two “beginnings” are aligned to communicate something to Israel!)
Note the drink offering of wine here in v.13 . . . the symbol here of God drinking wine with the people!
The Festival of Weeks (v.15-21) is celebrated 50 days (7 weeks, an important symbol!) after First Fruits and that is why it’s called “Pentecost” in Greek and now English. This festival marks the beginning of the harvest season for grain.
Note the connection between the celebration of the Lord’s generosity with the Israelites and the injunction for them to be generous to the poor who live among them (v.22).
Don't miss that it’s the SEVENTH month which is the holiest month! This is not a coincidence!
Festival of Trumpets (v.23-25): Note that trumpets were primarily used for military purposes in the ancient world (the Israelites called themselves and God into battle with trumpets). The Israelites also used trumpets to call for the camp to move in the wilderness.
Note the Day of Atonement (vv.26-32) here is the tenth day of the seventh month. We’ve covered already but again you see the warnings against failure to participate in it in verses 29-30.
The Festival of Booths (vv.33-36, 39-43) is the final festival in the ancient Hebrew calendar and in terms of agriculture would come after crops were planted and before the fall rains. Booths lasts eight days (again, in the seventh month). The Israelites are commanded to build “booths” (literally “Tabernacles”) out of “majestic” trees to live in for a week. This is to remind the Israelites of the days when they lived in the wilderness and God provided for them.
Some Questions to Ponder:
How might Sabbath keeping change the way we keep time? What would we have to do to ensure we had one full day apart from “work”? (think first-fruits!)
How might the Sabbath form us as God’s people?
How would the festivals have formed Israel? Why were the festivals so important?
Do our Christian holidays function as formative to our faith? Or are they a distraction? In general, do we use the calendar to form us well?
How do we see the relationship between God and our time?
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Leviticus 21 and 22 Notes
Hey friends, we're back in business! Here are some of my notes from Leviticus 21 and 22. And I have one question at the bottom I'd like you to think about as you read . . .
Leviticus 21
The mourning of priests is limited because they must limit their interaction with death (21:1-4). Some of the culturally appropriate mourning rituals are off limits because it would make the priests unable to serve God during that time (or even suggest that there is something more important), and they have been set aside for that purpose alone. Some of the mourning rites here (shaving, cutting the flesh) were common amongst Israel’s neighbors and are off-limits for all Israelites (as they were involved in worshipping the dead). Note that the wife is missing from the list of people who they can mourn; this is offensive to modern people but it must be recalled that marriage was not an institution built on romantic love in ancient Israel. Even into the Roman world siblings were generally closer and was a more important relationship than the husband-wife relationship.
Note that in 21:6 sacrifice is referred to as “the food of their God”, linking it with the worldview of the ancient world and giving credence to our notion of sacrificial feasts as sharing God’s table.
The priestly line is to be closely guarded and symbolic for holiness and purity, hence the stipulations about who priests can marry (21:8).
The High Priest who is consecrated is not allowed to mourn anyone outwardly (21:10-12). Note that the High Priest cannot leave the Tabernacle while he has his vestments on, which points to the threat of being in a land contaminated by sin.
Note that in vv.16-23 that while a “blemished” priest cannot serve in the Tabernacle, he is still entitled to eat from what is sacrificed. These people with biological handicaps or injuries are not rejected by God or not cared for, but they are not “whole” symbolically . . . there is disorder which cannot interact safely with order.
Note also that the list of “blemishes” for priests is exactly the same as the “blemishes” for animals. There is a connection here . . . the lists mirror each other because the priests themselves are in some sense the “first-fruits” of the people who are offered to God for His service.
Leviticus 22
Leviticus 22 functions as the counterpart to Leviticus 21. We first dealt with what is the acceptable behavior of priests, and now we deal with the acceptable sacrifice that priests are to offer.
The first “offering” we deal with is that of the priests themselves (really this begins in 21:16, but continues here in 22:3-9). Leviticus conceives of the priests and Levites themselves as the “first-fruits” of Israel which are given to the Lord. This concept is confirmed by Deut. 10:8-9, which explains that God Himself is their “inheritance” as a reward for their service. Because they are a sacrifice, all the rules of purity and order follow.
22:10-16 essentially functions to protect the priests’ and Levites’ share of the sacrifices. Note also the injunction for daughters who lose their husband and have no children- they are allowed to essentially become daughters again and to be cared for (an example of God’s mercy trumping ritual concern). If they have children then the deceased father’s household has the responsibility to care for them.
Note the concern for creational order in 22:26-28. If an animal is killed prior to the first week of life ending it is as if the parents “fruitfulness” is jeopardized, and any death or disorder in reproduction is a curse. I think the same considerations hold true for sacrificing an animal with its young on the same day- that would extinguish a family line and threaten “fruitfulness” as well.
Again, thanksgiving sacrifices are meant to be shared (22:29-30).
BIG QUESTION:
If the priests and Levites are the "first-fruits" of Israel who are "offered" to God in the OT, who are the "priests and Levites" who are offered to God in the New Testament?
Leviticus 21
The mourning of priests is limited because they must limit their interaction with death (21:1-4). Some of the culturally appropriate mourning rituals are off limits because it would make the priests unable to serve God during that time (or even suggest that there is something more important), and they have been set aside for that purpose alone. Some of the mourning rites here (shaving, cutting the flesh) were common amongst Israel’s neighbors and are off-limits for all Israelites (as they were involved in worshipping the dead). Note that the wife is missing from the list of people who they can mourn; this is offensive to modern people but it must be recalled that marriage was not an institution built on romantic love in ancient Israel. Even into the Roman world siblings were generally closer and was a more important relationship than the husband-wife relationship.
Note that in 21:6 sacrifice is referred to as “the food of their God”, linking it with the worldview of the ancient world and giving credence to our notion of sacrificial feasts as sharing God’s table.
The priestly line is to be closely guarded and symbolic for holiness and purity, hence the stipulations about who priests can marry (21:8).
The High Priest who is consecrated is not allowed to mourn anyone outwardly (21:10-12). Note that the High Priest cannot leave the Tabernacle while he has his vestments on, which points to the threat of being in a land contaminated by sin.
Note that in vv.16-23 that while a “blemished” priest cannot serve in the Tabernacle, he is still entitled to eat from what is sacrificed. These people with biological handicaps or injuries are not rejected by God or not cared for, but they are not “whole” symbolically . . . there is disorder which cannot interact safely with order.
Note also that the list of “blemishes” for priests is exactly the same as the “blemishes” for animals. There is a connection here . . . the lists mirror each other because the priests themselves are in some sense the “first-fruits” of the people who are offered to God for His service.
Leviticus 22
Leviticus 22 functions as the counterpart to Leviticus 21. We first dealt with what is the acceptable behavior of priests, and now we deal with the acceptable sacrifice that priests are to offer.
The first “offering” we deal with is that of the priests themselves (really this begins in 21:16, but continues here in 22:3-9). Leviticus conceives of the priests and Levites themselves as the “first-fruits” of Israel which are given to the Lord. This concept is confirmed by Deut. 10:8-9, which explains that God Himself is their “inheritance” as a reward for their service. Because they are a sacrifice, all the rules of purity and order follow.
22:10-16 essentially functions to protect the priests’ and Levites’ share of the sacrifices. Note also the injunction for daughters who lose their husband and have no children- they are allowed to essentially become daughters again and to be cared for (an example of God’s mercy trumping ritual concern). If they have children then the deceased father’s household has the responsibility to care for them.
Note the concern for creational order in 22:26-28. If an animal is killed prior to the first week of life ending it is as if the parents “fruitfulness” is jeopardized, and any death or disorder in reproduction is a curse. I think the same considerations hold true for sacrificing an animal with its young on the same day- that would extinguish a family line and threaten “fruitfulness” as well.
Again, thanksgiving sacrifices are meant to be shared (22:29-30).
BIG QUESTION:
If the priests and Levites are the "first-fruits" of Israel who are "offered" to God in the OT, who are the "priests and Levites" who are offered to God in the New Testament?
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Leviticus 18-20: Maintaining the Land, Holiness by Analogy and Chiasm
By now you've probably realized there is A LOT to cover in these chapters! So in this post I am going to give you three things to notice that will hopefully help sort all the rest.
1. Don't defile the land!
In the first 16 chapters of Leviticus our primary concern was to keep the Tabernacle pure. In the second half of Leviticus our primary concern is to keep the land pure. There is a connection here: the Tabernacle is to the land of Israel (the holy place) what the land of Israel is to be to the world (that's an analogy . . . which we'll see more of shortly!). Notice in 18:1-5 God tells Moses that Israel should be distinct from Egypt and Canaan. If Israel is not distinct, and follows in the ways of the nations then the land itself will be defiled (18:24-28) and Israel will be "vomited" out of the land. THIS IS A MAJOR POINT in the the theology of Leviticus- do not forget this! Sin defiles the land, and this is God's special land, therefore the future of the Israelites depends upon keeping the land holy and pure. (By the way, this should remind you of Genesis 3 and Adam and Eve's expulsion from the Garden . . . but more on that later!)
2. Holiness by Analogy
Leviticus 19 is a tremendously important chapter in the Old Testament, if for nothing else than it provides the second greatest commandment of Christ ("love your neighbor as yourself", Mark 12:31). Unfortunately, Bible translators frequently label chapter 19 as “miscellaneous” laws or something similar, which implies that it is not an important chapter. This is a big error! This whole chapter is an analogy about holiness. You can think about the analogy in this manner:
To be holy is to be like God (19:2 . . . “be holy for I am holy”)
To be like God is to __________ (fill in the laws from the rest of the chapter)
The big point of this chapter is that holiness touches on all aspects of life. Holiness has to do with family relationships, proper rituals and worship, caring for the poor, sexuality, administering justice . . . and whatever else from life we can name. This is an absolutely critical lesson for us to learn! There is no aspect of life which God is not concerned about, and no area where we can just live as we please without considering how our faith in God should impact it. Holiness is for the "whole" life!
3. Another Big "Chiasm"
When you read chapter 20 you might think, "Didn't we just read this in chapter 18?!" Yes you did, but there's a reason you are reading it again! In our last class we talked about "chiasm", which is an ancient literary device in which we see a parallel structure which points to the center. Leviticus 18-20 more or less forms a giant chiasm that looks like this:
A: I am the Lord your God (18:1-5)
B: Sexual purity laws (18:6-20)
C: Molech sacrifice (18:21)
D: Holiness (19:1-35)
C: Molech Sacrifice (20:1-5)
B: Sexual Purity (20:10-21)
A: I am the Lord your God (20:22-26)
The point of this is to highlight chapter 19; it sits at the center of the chiasm because it is the critical piece. If you take care of what chapter 19 says, 18 and 20 fall into place. Chiasm was used (and is used) primarily by oral cultures. You can imagine a village story-teller or priest using vocal tones and volume to bring out the chiasm, and the repetition makes it easy to remember what is different. You might think about some nursery rhymes like "Hickory Dickory Dock" or "Old McDonald" that teach children by changing one detail in each stanza . . . they are essentially chiasms.
1. Don't defile the land!
In the first 16 chapters of Leviticus our primary concern was to keep the Tabernacle pure. In the second half of Leviticus our primary concern is to keep the land pure. There is a connection here: the Tabernacle is to the land of Israel (the holy place) what the land of Israel is to be to the world (that's an analogy . . . which we'll see more of shortly!). Notice in 18:1-5 God tells Moses that Israel should be distinct from Egypt and Canaan. If Israel is not distinct, and follows in the ways of the nations then the land itself will be defiled (18:24-28) and Israel will be "vomited" out of the land. THIS IS A MAJOR POINT in the the theology of Leviticus- do not forget this! Sin defiles the land, and this is God's special land, therefore the future of the Israelites depends upon keeping the land holy and pure. (By the way, this should remind you of Genesis 3 and Adam and Eve's expulsion from the Garden . . . but more on that later!)
2. Holiness by Analogy
Leviticus 19 is a tremendously important chapter in the Old Testament, if for nothing else than it provides the second greatest commandment of Christ ("love your neighbor as yourself", Mark 12:31). Unfortunately, Bible translators frequently label chapter 19 as “miscellaneous” laws or something similar, which implies that it is not an important chapter. This is a big error! This whole chapter is an analogy about holiness. You can think about the analogy in this manner:
To be holy is to be like God (19:2 . . . “be holy for I am holy”)
To be like God is to __________ (fill in the laws from the rest of the chapter)
The big point of this chapter is that holiness touches on all aspects of life. Holiness has to do with family relationships, proper rituals and worship, caring for the poor, sexuality, administering justice . . . and whatever else from life we can name. This is an absolutely critical lesson for us to learn! There is no aspect of life which God is not concerned about, and no area where we can just live as we please without considering how our faith in God should impact it. Holiness is for the "whole" life!
3. Another Big "Chiasm"
When you read chapter 20 you might think, "Didn't we just read this in chapter 18?!" Yes you did, but there's a reason you are reading it again! In our last class we talked about "chiasm", which is an ancient literary device in which we see a parallel structure which points to the center. Leviticus 18-20 more or less forms a giant chiasm that looks like this:
A: I am the Lord your God (18:1-5)
B: Sexual purity laws (18:6-20)
C: Molech sacrifice (18:21)
D: Holiness (19:1-35)
C: Molech Sacrifice (20:1-5)
B: Sexual Purity (20:10-21)
A: I am the Lord your God (20:22-26)
The point of this is to highlight chapter 19; it sits at the center of the chiasm because it is the critical piece. If you take care of what chapter 19 says, 18 and 20 fall into place. Chiasm was used (and is used) primarily by oral cultures. You can imagine a village story-teller or priest using vocal tones and volume to bring out the chiasm, and the repetition makes it easy to remember what is different. You might think about some nursery rhymes like "Hickory Dickory Dock" or "Old McDonald" that teach children by changing one detail in each stanza . . . they are essentially chiasms.
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