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.
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Day of Atonement and Christ's Death
As I mentioned yesterday, the Day of Atonement is one of the key Old Testament rituals (along with Passover) that the New Testament writers used to explain Christ's saving death. In this post I will highlight a few of the prominent verses that do this, and explain (in brief!) how they connect the Day of Atonement with Jesus's sacrifice.
John 1:29
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
Here we see John the Baptist combining symbols from Passover and the Day of Atonement. The Passover ritual involved the sacrificing of the lamb to protect God's people from "the Destroyer" and ultimately free them . . . but the Passover lamb was NOT a sacrifice for atonement or purification. So John brings in the Day of Atonement concept by saying "who takes away the sins of the world". We know from Leviticus 16:21 that this is a reference to the "scapegoat" who bears away Israel's sins into the wilderness. Jesus, according to Christian theology, bears our sins and burdens (1 Peter 2:24) in order that we might participate in the "new Passover". So Jesus is our "scapegoat" . . .
Romans 3:23-25
... since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed;
This passage is notoriously difficult to translate, because Paul does not say "sacrifice of atonement", but rather says "hilasterion", which is the Greek word used for the cover of the Ark (traditionally translated as "mercy seat"). But what does it mean to say that Jesus is a "mercy seat"? Well, we know from Leviticus 16 that the sins of all the people all cleansed (expiated) on the Day of Atonement by the priest sprinkling blood on the "mercy seat", and through this ritual the people were set right with God. So, Paul is saying that Jesus's body, through His death, became "the place" where people were (or could be) set right . . . His death had the same effect as when the blood was sprinkled on the "mercy seat" in the Tabernacle. So Jesus here is both the sacrificial goat and the "mercy seat" itself...
Hebrews 9:11-12, 23-26
But when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), 12 he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.... Thus it was necessary for the sketches of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves need better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own; 26 for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Hebrews offers the largest commentary on the Day of Atonement in the NT, and we'll only just touch on it here. Jesus is here portrayed, first of all, as the true High Priest. Jesus enters into the "Heavenly Temple" and removes the sin generated by humans. Obviously, this is metaphorical. The point is that Jesus has expiated and cleansed all the sin from the earth so that God can issue a pardon to those who repent and ask for it. Jesus though is also said to be the sacrifice (v.26), echoing the previous verses.
1 John 1:5-7
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; 7 but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
In our final passage drawing on the Day of Atonement ritual we see Jesus portrayed as the sacrificial goat. BUT, the big twist here is that now WE have taken the place of the Tabernacle. This is critical, and is the point of (almost) all the "washed" or "sprinkled" language in the NT. The import then is not merely that we have been forgiven (which is obviously important too) but that now we (the community of God's people) are the place where God's holiness and Spirit is to reside! We are to be the Tabernacle for the world! (And this, by the way, is also in the background of the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 . . . remember, the Holy Spirit was supposed to be over the "mercy seat" in the Holy of Holies. The point then again is that the disciples are now the "Holy of Holies", however we make sense of that.)
John 1:29
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
Here we see John the Baptist combining symbols from Passover and the Day of Atonement. The Passover ritual involved the sacrificing of the lamb to protect God's people from "the Destroyer" and ultimately free them . . . but the Passover lamb was NOT a sacrifice for atonement or purification. So John brings in the Day of Atonement concept by saying "who takes away the sins of the world". We know from Leviticus 16:21 that this is a reference to the "scapegoat" who bears away Israel's sins into the wilderness. Jesus, according to Christian theology, bears our sins and burdens (1 Peter 2:24) in order that we might participate in the "new Passover". So Jesus is our "scapegoat" . . .
Romans 3:23-25
... since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed;
This passage is notoriously difficult to translate, because Paul does not say "sacrifice of atonement", but rather says "hilasterion", which is the Greek word used for the cover of the Ark (traditionally translated as "mercy seat"). But what does it mean to say that Jesus is a "mercy seat"? Well, we know from Leviticus 16 that the sins of all the people all cleansed (expiated) on the Day of Atonement by the priest sprinkling blood on the "mercy seat", and through this ritual the people were set right with God. So, Paul is saying that Jesus's body, through His death, became "the place" where people were (or could be) set right . . . His death had the same effect as when the blood was sprinkled on the "mercy seat" in the Tabernacle. So Jesus here is both the sacrificial goat and the "mercy seat" itself...
Hebrews 9:11-12, 23-26
But when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), 12 he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.... Thus it was necessary for the sketches of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves need better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own; 26 for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Hebrews offers the largest commentary on the Day of Atonement in the NT, and we'll only just touch on it here. Jesus is here portrayed, first of all, as the true High Priest. Jesus enters into the "Heavenly Temple" and removes the sin generated by humans. Obviously, this is metaphorical. The point is that Jesus has expiated and cleansed all the sin from the earth so that God can issue a pardon to those who repent and ask for it. Jesus though is also said to be the sacrifice (v.26), echoing the previous verses.
1 John 1:5-7
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; 7 but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
In our final passage drawing on the Day of Atonement ritual we see Jesus portrayed as the sacrificial goat. BUT, the big twist here is that now WE have taken the place of the Tabernacle. This is critical, and is the point of (almost) all the "washed" or "sprinkled" language in the NT. The import then is not merely that we have been forgiven (which is obviously important too) but that now we (the community of God's people) are the place where God's holiness and Spirit is to reside! We are to be the Tabernacle for the world! (And this, by the way, is also in the background of the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 . . . remember, the Holy Spirit was supposed to be over the "mercy seat" in the Holy of Holies. The point then again is that the disciples are now the "Holy of Holies", however we make sense of that.)
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Day of Atonement (Purification)
Leviticus 16 is one of the most important chapters in the Old Testament for Christian theology, as it provides one of the two (along with Passover) primary symbols that the New Testament writers drew upon for describing and explaining Christ's death. Today, we'll focus on the ritual itself, and tomorrow we'll discuss its implications for understanding a couple of key passages in the NT.
Here are my notes on the chapter:
Aaron, or any future High Priest, can only enter the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement/Purification (I will say atonement, but remember that all these sacrificial rituals are ultimately about purifying the Tabernacle, 16:2).
Before Aaron can enter the Holy of Holies to perform the purification of the "mercy seat" (the cover of the Ark) he must be properly purified, in his priestly vestments, and must perform a purification (sin) offering for himself (blood to be sprinkled before the curtain). Also note that he must bring in a censer of incense (v.12), which we presume prevents him from having direct contact with God's glory (i.e. the "cloud" in v.2).
Note that there are two goats offered (16:7-10), one will be sacrificed and the other will be sent into the wilderness. The priest is to cast lots to determine which is which.
“Azazel”, the goat which is to be sent into the wilderness, is traditionally rendered “scapegoat”, but the origins of this term are unknown. It is most likely that “Azazel” originally denoted a demon or demigod that the Israelites or their neighbors "appeased" (there is evidence of these 'scapegoat' rites amongst the Canaanites). However, in Leviticus "Azazel" refers to a geographic designation for a desolate place in the wilderness . . . think of this a term for “the middle of nowhere” . . . it would be a place of death far away from people, water and the things that make life possible. This is a very important theological transformation of the ritual. Instead of appeasing demigods, the Israelites are now symbolically sending their sins into the wilderness to deal with them. (In the Old Testament, sin is typically described as something that has to be borne or carried, like a weight or burden. This is where the language of Jesus "bearing our burdens" comes from, and this is exactly what this donkey demonstrates for the Israelites in this ritual.)
The priest uses incense to cover the “mercy seat” (the cover of the Ark) and then proceeds to make an atonement for his sin by sprinkling blood seven times onto the front of the Ark (16:1—14). He then repeats the process with the blood from the sacrificed goat to make atonement for all of Israel (vv.15-16).
Aaron then places both his hands on the live goat (note the distinction here from the sin/purification offering which only use one hand) and confesses the sins of Israel. The sins of Israel are transferred onto the goat, which is then lead away into a barren part of the wilderness (“Azazel”) and set free (vv.20-22).
Note that this last action deals with all the “iniquities, sins and transgressions”. These three Hebrew words deal with impurities, minor sins, and significant breaches of the covenant. This ritual is how the intentional of the people could be dealt with and the Tabernacle cleansed of them (v.21). After the Tabernacle is purified then God can restore/forgive the people (if they are contrite and repent, etc.). Note that this is a "corporate" forgiveness . . . it is not a transaction for individual Israelites, but a sacrifice that is given for all at the same time (important when we think about Christ's death).
Note that this is the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month. No one is to work, and everyone is to fast/deny oneself (vv.29-31). This is the most solemn day in the Israelites year, when their full attention is given to their sin and to God’s graciousness in removing it.
Here are my notes on the chapter:
Aaron, or any future High Priest, can only enter the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement/Purification (I will say atonement, but remember that all these sacrificial rituals are ultimately about purifying the Tabernacle, 16:2).
Before Aaron can enter the Holy of Holies to perform the purification of the "mercy seat" (the cover of the Ark) he must be properly purified, in his priestly vestments, and must perform a purification (sin) offering for himself (blood to be sprinkled before the curtain). Also note that he must bring in a censer of incense (v.12), which we presume prevents him from having direct contact with God's glory (i.e. the "cloud" in v.2).
Note that there are two goats offered (16:7-10), one will be sacrificed and the other will be sent into the wilderness. The priest is to cast lots to determine which is which.
“Azazel”, the goat which is to be sent into the wilderness, is traditionally rendered “scapegoat”, but the origins of this term are unknown. It is most likely that “Azazel” originally denoted a demon or demigod that the Israelites or their neighbors "appeased" (there is evidence of these 'scapegoat' rites amongst the Canaanites). However, in Leviticus "Azazel" refers to a geographic designation for a desolate place in the wilderness . . . think of this a term for “the middle of nowhere” . . . it would be a place of death far away from people, water and the things that make life possible. This is a very important theological transformation of the ritual. Instead of appeasing demigods, the Israelites are now symbolically sending their sins into the wilderness to deal with them. (In the Old Testament, sin is typically described as something that has to be borne or carried, like a weight or burden. This is where the language of Jesus "bearing our burdens" comes from, and this is exactly what this donkey demonstrates for the Israelites in this ritual.)
The priest uses incense to cover the “mercy seat” (the cover of the Ark) and then proceeds to make an atonement for his sin by sprinkling blood seven times onto the front of the Ark (16:1—14). He then repeats the process with the blood from the sacrificed goat to make atonement for all of Israel (vv.15-16).
Aaron then places both his hands on the live goat (note the distinction here from the sin/purification offering which only use one hand) and confesses the sins of Israel. The sins of Israel are transferred onto the goat, which is then lead away into a barren part of the wilderness (“Azazel”) and set free (vv.20-22).
Note that this last action deals with all the “iniquities, sins and transgressions”. These three Hebrew words deal with impurities, minor sins, and significant breaches of the covenant. This ritual is how the intentional of the people could be dealt with and the Tabernacle cleansed of them (v.21). After the Tabernacle is purified then God can restore/forgive the people (if they are contrite and repent, etc.). Note that this is a "corporate" forgiveness . . . it is not a transaction for individual Israelites, but a sacrifice that is given for all at the same time (important when we think about Christ's death).
Note that this is the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month. No one is to work, and everyone is to fast/deny oneself (vv.29-31). This is the most solemn day in the Israelites year, when their full attention is given to their sin and to God’s graciousness in removing it.
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Purification of Leprosy Tidbits
One of the strangest rituals we'll meet in Leviticus is the purification for "lepers" in 14:1-20. So, I'd like to give you just a few things to keep in mind as you read the passage. And remember, all of these ritual ingredients were culturally appropriate for the Israelites!
Random Aside: You might have noticed in 14:34 that God says "and I put a leprous disease in a house" . . . very interesting! Why are we told this? Is God behind all leprosy? No, at least there's nothing else in Leviticus to suggest that this would be the case. Israel's neighbors believed that mold and fungus were the result of demonic activity . . . this verse would counter those claims and place mold and fungus under God's sovereignty.
- Cedarwood and Red Yarn: Both are symbols of blood (i.e. life)
- "Fresh" water means running water . . . moving water or spring water is life giving, like the River in Eden, or like what Jesus offers to the Samaritan woman in John 4:14.
- "Seven" sprinkles: Returning to pristine state (seven days of creation)
- Freeing the "dipped" bird: The bird is symbolically carrying away the disease, or symbolically conquering
- The "leper" then waits seven days . . . again, a creational "reset"
- Note that the cleansed "leper" offers a "guilt" or reparation offering (v.12). This is interesting because these are the more serious offerings for wrongdoing. However, this sacrifice is probably used in recognition that communion was broken and needs to be repaired.
- Blood placed on "leper's" ear lobe, thumb and toe restores the "leper" legally and existentially to the community (the "leper" is clean and free of death)
- Oil was used as a sanctifying agent for the priest, but in this case it is most likely a symbol of blessing (Ps. 104:15, for example)
- Note then that the "sin" or purification offering (v.19) cleanses the Tabernacle, and finally the burnt offering (v.20) is a thanksgiving to God.
Random Aside: You might have noticed in 14:34 that God says "and I put a leprous disease in a house" . . . very interesting! Why are we told this? Is God behind all leprosy? No, at least there's nothing else in Leviticus to suggest that this would be the case. Israel's neighbors believed that mold and fungus were the result of demonic activity . . . this verse would counter those claims and place mold and fungus under God's sovereignty.
Leprosy and Purification
One of the things we keep reinforcing in class is that the Israelites were very different than us! In our reading this week we are discovering that they did not have modern medical ideas like we do, where death and life are two discrete states of being. For them, life and death existed on a spectrum. To be sick was to move, in a literal sense, closer to death or into the realm of death ("Sheol"). We see this concept frequently in the Psalms when the Psalmist laments going into "Sheol" or the "Pit":
Psalm 88:3-5
For my soul is full of troubles,
and my life draws near to Sheol.
4 I am counted among those who go down to the Pit;
I am like those who have no help,
5 like those forsaken among the dead,
like the slain that lie in the grave
Psalm 30:2-3
O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
3 O Lord, you brought up my soul (literally "my life") from Sheol,
restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.
To be sick, or as we saw in our reading this week, to be afflicted with skin disease, mold, fungus and the like was (in their eyes) to be touched existentially (or ontologically) by death. To be sick or a "leper" was to be in the power of death and therefore to move into the realm of death. This explains why "lepers" were to behave like people grieving, with disheveled hair and torn clothing (Lev. 13:45); they are grieving because they are touched by death. And because all human death was unclean those who were sick (bleeding, skin disease, etc.) were unclean. Thus, they required priestly restoration, and not just medical help. Their restoration by the priests brought them back into the community, and back into communion with God.
(Furthermore, there is evidence that in ancient Israel sick (contagious) people, along with those who had skin diseases, would be quarantined outside the city or village. Outside the city or village would also be the ancestral burial grounds (i.e. "the Pit"). So this was not just a symbolic way of thinking; "lepers" and some of the sick would literally be moving closer to the place of death.)
Note: While the different skin diseases dealt with in this section were traditionally translated as “leprosy”, they cover a wide variety of conditions which are not leprosy. This is important, because the Israelites certainly had some understanding of contagious diseases like leprosy spreading through touch, but the driven force behind these laws is not health consciousness. The driving force here is the appearance of death and disorder.
Bonus Note: I have not blogged about childbirth, but the mother becomes "unclean" during childbirth for the same reason that a "leper" does, in that she moves closer to death. The amount of blood and fluid lost in the birthing process, and of course the ancient mortality rates would make childbearing potentially fatal and result in ritual impurity.
Psalm 88:3-5
For my soul is full of troubles,
and my life draws near to Sheol.
4 I am counted among those who go down to the Pit;
I am like those who have no help,
5 like those forsaken among the dead,
like the slain that lie in the grave
Psalm 30:2-3
O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
3 O Lord, you brought up my soul (literally "my life") from Sheol,
restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.
To be sick, or as we saw in our reading this week, to be afflicted with skin disease, mold, fungus and the like was (in their eyes) to be touched existentially (or ontologically) by death. To be sick or a "leper" was to be in the power of death and therefore to move into the realm of death. This explains why "lepers" were to behave like people grieving, with disheveled hair and torn clothing (Lev. 13:45); they are grieving because they are touched by death. And because all human death was unclean those who were sick (bleeding, skin disease, etc.) were unclean. Thus, they required priestly restoration, and not just medical help. Their restoration by the priests brought them back into the community, and back into communion with God.
(Furthermore, there is evidence that in ancient Israel sick (contagious) people, along with those who had skin diseases, would be quarantined outside the city or village. Outside the city or village would also be the ancestral burial grounds (i.e. "the Pit"). So this was not just a symbolic way of thinking; "lepers" and some of the sick would literally be moving closer to the place of death.)
Note: While the different skin diseases dealt with in this section were traditionally translated as “leprosy”, they cover a wide variety of conditions which are not leprosy. This is important, because the Israelites certainly had some understanding of contagious diseases like leprosy spreading through touch, but the driven force behind these laws is not health consciousness. The driving force here is the appearance of death and disorder.
Bonus Note: I have not blogged about childbirth, but the mother becomes "unclean" during childbirth for the same reason that a "leper" does, in that she moves closer to death. The amount of blood and fluid lost in the birthing process, and of course the ancient mortality rates would make childbearing potentially fatal and result in ritual impurity.
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Dietary Laws
Okay, by now you might be trying to wrap your head around the dietary laws! We'll spend a fair amount of time talking about theories regarding the dietary laws in class, but I'll go ahead and give you three to chew on (pun intended!):
1. Covenant Theory: The Israelites are told to "be holy, for I am holy" (Lev. 19:2). They are to imitate God. Therefore, their diet (at least regarding meat) is connected to the Covenant they have with God. There are several places in Exodus where God gives directions to the Israelites regarding "their" animals: the animals are to receive a Sabbath (Ex. 20:10), firstborn animals are "given" to the Lord (Ex. 22:30), oxen are not to be muzzled while working (Deut. 25:4), etc. The point is, these animals really belong to God and not to the Israelites. God is the owner of the land, the people and all their resources. He is the King and the Israelites are His vassals. Therefore, God gives the Israelites "His food" (what is sacrificed to Him) for their own food. They eat what the King eats (symbolically), and they can only eat the animals which are included in the Covenant.
2. Ethical Theory: Here's an excerpt from Jewish scholar Jacob Milgrom:
“Humans will have meat for their food and will kill to get it. The Bible has therefore worked out a system of restrictions whereby humans may satiate their lust for animal flesh and yet not be dehumanized in the process. The basic rules are these: 1. The choice of animal food is severely limited. Considering the variety of fauna that roam the earth, it is startling to realize how few, comparatively, are for the table, and that these are of the domesticated-herbivorous species only. There is no restriction whatsoever on the vegetable and fruit kingdom. 2. Even the few permitted animals may not be killed by just anyone but only by those who can qualify by their skill and piety: skill in employing a hallowed technique of slaughtering that renders death painless, and piety in being aware of the divine sanction that has permitted such slaughter. These qualifications ensure that these few slaughterers themselves do not become brutalized though incessant killing. 3. Even the few permitted animals, though ritually slaughtered, are still not fit for consumption until their blood is drained. "You shall not partake of the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood. Anyone who partakes of it shall be cut off" (Lev 17:14). Humans have a right to nourishment, not to the life of others. Hence the blood, which is the symbol of life, must be drained and returned to the universe, verse, to God. By now it should be apparent that the Bible's method of taming the killer instinct in humans is none other than its system of dietary laws.”
Jacob Milgrom. Leviticus (Kindle Locations 1569-1577).
3. Order and Disorder Theory: Note that any animal who has characteristics of multiple zones of creation (land, water, sky) is unclean. Land animals with scales (reptiles, etc.), aquatic animals with legs (amphibians), land animals with four legs and wings (insects). This is a significant pattern!
1. Covenant Theory: The Israelites are told to "be holy, for I am holy" (Lev. 19:2). They are to imitate God. Therefore, their diet (at least regarding meat) is connected to the Covenant they have with God. There are several places in Exodus where God gives directions to the Israelites regarding "their" animals: the animals are to receive a Sabbath (Ex. 20:10), firstborn animals are "given" to the Lord (Ex. 22:30), oxen are not to be muzzled while working (Deut. 25:4), etc. The point is, these animals really belong to God and not to the Israelites. God is the owner of the land, the people and all their resources. He is the King and the Israelites are His vassals. Therefore, God gives the Israelites "His food" (what is sacrificed to Him) for their own food. They eat what the King eats (symbolically), and they can only eat the animals which are included in the Covenant.
2. Ethical Theory: Here's an excerpt from Jewish scholar Jacob Milgrom:
“Humans will have meat for their food and will kill to get it. The Bible has therefore worked out a system of restrictions whereby humans may satiate their lust for animal flesh and yet not be dehumanized in the process. The basic rules are these: 1. The choice of animal food is severely limited. Considering the variety of fauna that roam the earth, it is startling to realize how few, comparatively, are for the table, and that these are of the domesticated-herbivorous species only. There is no restriction whatsoever on the vegetable and fruit kingdom. 2. Even the few permitted animals may not be killed by just anyone but only by those who can qualify by their skill and piety: skill in employing a hallowed technique of slaughtering that renders death painless, and piety in being aware of the divine sanction that has permitted such slaughter. These qualifications ensure that these few slaughterers themselves do not become brutalized though incessant killing. 3. Even the few permitted animals, though ritually slaughtered, are still not fit for consumption until their blood is drained. "You shall not partake of the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood. Anyone who partakes of it shall be cut off" (Lev 17:14). Humans have a right to nourishment, not to the life of others. Hence the blood, which is the symbol of life, must be drained and returned to the universe, verse, to God. By now it should be apparent that the Bible's method of taming the killer instinct in humans is none other than its system of dietary laws.”
Jacob Milgrom. Leviticus (Kindle Locations 1569-1577).
3. Order and Disorder Theory: Note that any animal who has characteristics of multiple zones of creation (land, water, sky) is unclean. Land animals with scales (reptiles, etc.), aquatic animals with legs (amphibians), land animals with four legs and wings (insects). This is a significant pattern!
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
One last point on Nadab and Abihu, Dietary Restrictions and Creation
There was one point I meant to make last night concerning Nadab and Abihu that I want to get in before moving on today. We, the church, the disciples of Jesus, are the now the Tabernacle according to the New Testament (1 Cor. 3:16). One of the New Testament's key symbols (and facts) that point to this reality is the presence of the Holy Spirit within the church (Acts 2). The Holy Spirit functions inside the church as God's presence functioned within the Tabernacle: as a means of purifying God's people of sin and corruption. The Spirit is working within our community (and within us individually) to "consume" our impurities that we might be sanctified for service to God. We might therefore look at the story of Nadab and Abihu and symbolic of God's work to rid us of impurity that we might ultimately live in communion with Him. 1 Peter 1:6-7 speaks of this dynamic:
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Finally, I last night we discussed the priests eating the sin offerings as a symbol of sin being consumed by holiness. Ultimately, we said this was a symbol of life consuming death and the powers of evil. This corresponds to our ultimate hope, of which the Apostle Paul speaks in 1 Cor. 15:51-54 (note how Paul uses this same language of eating or consuming sin/death):
Now . . . moving on! This week we will be looking at some of the "Purity System"; at least the parts concerning dietary restrictions, childbirth, skin disease and genital discharges (sounds fun, right?). Before we tackle any of the specifics, it's important to note from the outset that we should not view these codes as fundamentally different than the sacrificial system. That is, they too carry symbolic meanings greater than what they say at face value. Embedded within this system are Israelite values, norms, and worldview. And those are the things we want to discover.
I would like you to consider two questions as you read over the dietary restrictions in Lev. 11:
1. What is the status of predators? Why might this be the case?
2. Consider the divisions of creation (land animals, water animals, air animals) and the characteristics of each division (land animals don't have wings, water animals don't have legs, etc.). How do these divisions affect what is clean and unclean? Notice the status of animals that seem to have characteristics from multiple divisions of creation.
One final note: the words "detestable" and "abomination" with regard to animals or impurity do not imply that God doesn't care for those animals or beings. These are technical terms about purity . . . to "detest" or treat as an "abomination" means to reject and not make use of. Remember, in Genesis 1 God refers to all of creation as "good" . . . even the "swarmers"!
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Finally, I last night we discussed the priests eating the sin offerings as a symbol of sin being consumed by holiness. Ultimately, we said this was a symbol of life consuming death and the powers of evil. This corresponds to our ultimate hope, of which the Apostle Paul speaks in 1 Cor. 15:51-54 (note how Paul uses this same language of eating or consuming sin/death):
Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, 52 in
a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the
trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we
will be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When
this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts
on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
Now . . . moving on! This week we will be looking at some of the "Purity System"; at least the parts concerning dietary restrictions, childbirth, skin disease and genital discharges (sounds fun, right?). Before we tackle any of the specifics, it's important to note from the outset that we should not view these codes as fundamentally different than the sacrificial system. That is, they too carry symbolic meanings greater than what they say at face value. Embedded within this system are Israelite values, norms, and worldview. And those are the things we want to discover.
I would like you to consider two questions as you read over the dietary restrictions in Lev. 11:
1. What is the status of predators? Why might this be the case?
2. Consider the divisions of creation (land animals, water animals, air animals) and the characteristics of each division (land animals don't have wings, water animals don't have legs, etc.). How do these divisions affect what is clean and unclean? Notice the status of animals that seem to have characteristics from multiple divisions of creation.
One final note: the words "detestable" and "abomination" with regard to animals or impurity do not imply that God doesn't care for those animals or beings. These are technical terms about purity . . . to "detest" or treat as an "abomination" means to reject and not make use of. Remember, in Genesis 1 God refers to all of creation as "good" . . . even the "swarmers"!
Thursday, February 9, 2017
The Priests: Then and Now
As you’ve read Leviticus 8-9 this week you might be thinking, “This has no relevance to my faith today.” On the surface, this is a fair assessment. Ancient ordination rites are not our usual “go to” for learning to follow Jesus. However, it is my goal to prove that there is relevant, even critical, theological material in these chapters. So today we’re going to consider what the ordination of Aaron and his sons might tell us about our vocation as disciples of Christ.
I will start from the assumption of 1 Peter 2:9:
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Peter refers to us, the church corporate, as a “royal priesthood”. This is what informs the Protestant belief of the “priesthood of all believers”. We all now have a priestly vocation; What is true for Aaron is true for all of us who are in Christ.
So from that starting point, what can we say about God’s intentions for Aaron in Exodus 28 and Leviticus 8-9 that point to His intentions for us?
1. Priests are transformed into “heavenly” people.
If you read carefully, you’ll notice that Aaron’s priestly attire parallels the coloring of the Holy Place and Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle. Aaron wears gold, blue, purple and crimson clothing (Exodus 28:4-5); these are the colors of “heaven” (both in the sky and in the Israelites conception of God’s invisible heaven). Aaron also has jewels on his ephod and the breastplate (Exodus 28:6-25) and a crown (Leviticus 8:9). Jewels were, and still are, associated with heaven (think streets of gold). The point is, Aaron is being clothed for service in the heavenly realm. In his vestments Aaron would look like one of God’s servants in the eyes of the Israelites.
Likewise, the New Testament assumes that we have to be transformed into “heavenly” people. Only for us it’s not about clothing, but about being “clothed with Christ” (Romans 13:14). This means that we are to have the same character that Jesus did. Jesus is the image of God’s perfect heavenly servant, and God wants to transform our character to reflect His (fruit of the Spirit! Gal. 5:22-23).
2. Priests are made holy.
As simply as this it, this is something we cannot miss. Aaron is given new clothing, is purified (Lev. 8:22-24, note the blood goes on Aaron!) and anointed. Aaron is holy! And so are we. All who are in Christ share in His holiness and have been cleansed by His blood. All of us, as hard as it is to believe sometimes, are in fact “saints”. The Apostle Paul regularly refers to Christians as “saints” or “holy ones” in the New Testament (Phil. 4:21).
3. Priests are set apart for exclusive service to God.
We discussed this at length in the last blog, but note again that once Aaron is consecrated he cannot simply choose when to serve and when not to. He is expected to be serving in the Tabernacle and cannot do anything to jeopardize his holiness (Lev. 10:6-7). All who are in Christ are set apart for God’s Kingdom work in this way. While we have many tasks and duties all of it must be submitted to Him and if He calls us to something else we are obligated to go.
4. Priests have the power to consecrate and to bless.
Aaron and his sons are given the power to carry out the sacrifices that purify and consecrate the Tabernacle and future priests. And, they have the power to pronounce God’s blessing over His people (Lev. 9:22). Likewise, all who are in Christ have the power to make holy and to bless. We have this power through the indwelling Holy Spirit, and it is through our prayers, words and deeds that God’s blessing and holiness can be extended into the world.
5. Priests live in God’s presence and can intercede for others.
Aaron and the priests minister in God’s presence (Lev. 9:23-24). To enter the Holy Place and Holy of Holies is to come before God. As they do this they represent the rest of Israel before God, which is seen in the symbols in Aaron’s breastplate (Exodus 28:12-29). Likewise, all who are in Christ have been brought into Christ’s presence. To receive the Holy Spirit is to receive the same Spirit that filled the Tabernacle (hence the connection between the fire that comes from the altar and the “tongues of fire” in Acts 2). We now live and move and minister in God’s presence. And as such, we too can intercede by prayer for others and God hears us just as he received the priests’ sacrifices on behalf of Israel.
6. Priests mediate between God and the world.
This is the sum total of all the previous points. To be a priest is to mediate between people and their God. Aaron and his sons do this through sacrifice, by representing the people before God, and by blessing the people in God’s name and making the Tabernacle a place where they can encounter God (by maintaining its holiness). Our call is the same! We are to mediate between God and the world by representing God to the world (through our lifestyle, i.e “heavenly clothing”), by connecting people with the sacrifice that can bring them into communion with God (Christ), and by sharing God’s blessing with them (the Holy Spirit they encounter in our fellowship) and interceding on their behalf through prayer.
A final note: all that we are saying about priests is true about Jesus (and more!). But we’ll save that for a later post!
I will start from the assumption of 1 Peter 2:9:
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Peter refers to us, the church corporate, as a “royal priesthood”. This is what informs the Protestant belief of the “priesthood of all believers”. We all now have a priestly vocation; What is true for Aaron is true for all of us who are in Christ.
So from that starting point, what can we say about God’s intentions for Aaron in Exodus 28 and Leviticus 8-9 that point to His intentions for us?
1. Priests are transformed into “heavenly” people.
If you read carefully, you’ll notice that Aaron’s priestly attire parallels the coloring of the Holy Place and Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle. Aaron wears gold, blue, purple and crimson clothing (Exodus 28:4-5); these are the colors of “heaven” (both in the sky and in the Israelites conception of God’s invisible heaven). Aaron also has jewels on his ephod and the breastplate (Exodus 28:6-25) and a crown (Leviticus 8:9). Jewels were, and still are, associated with heaven (think streets of gold). The point is, Aaron is being clothed for service in the heavenly realm. In his vestments Aaron would look like one of God’s servants in the eyes of the Israelites.
Likewise, the New Testament assumes that we have to be transformed into “heavenly” people. Only for us it’s not about clothing, but about being “clothed with Christ” (Romans 13:14). This means that we are to have the same character that Jesus did. Jesus is the image of God’s perfect heavenly servant, and God wants to transform our character to reflect His (fruit of the Spirit! Gal. 5:22-23).
2. Priests are made holy.
As simply as this it, this is something we cannot miss. Aaron is given new clothing, is purified (Lev. 8:22-24, note the blood goes on Aaron!) and anointed. Aaron is holy! And so are we. All who are in Christ share in His holiness and have been cleansed by His blood. All of us, as hard as it is to believe sometimes, are in fact “saints”. The Apostle Paul regularly refers to Christians as “saints” or “holy ones” in the New Testament (Phil. 4:21).
3. Priests are set apart for exclusive service to God.
We discussed this at length in the last blog, but note again that once Aaron is consecrated he cannot simply choose when to serve and when not to. He is expected to be serving in the Tabernacle and cannot do anything to jeopardize his holiness (Lev. 10:6-7). All who are in Christ are set apart for God’s Kingdom work in this way. While we have many tasks and duties all of it must be submitted to Him and if He calls us to something else we are obligated to go.
4. Priests have the power to consecrate and to bless.
Aaron and his sons are given the power to carry out the sacrifices that purify and consecrate the Tabernacle and future priests. And, they have the power to pronounce God’s blessing over His people (Lev. 9:22). Likewise, all who are in Christ have the power to make holy and to bless. We have this power through the indwelling Holy Spirit, and it is through our prayers, words and deeds that God’s blessing and holiness can be extended into the world.
5. Priests live in God’s presence and can intercede for others.
Aaron and the priests minister in God’s presence (Lev. 9:23-24). To enter the Holy Place and Holy of Holies is to come before God. As they do this they represent the rest of Israel before God, which is seen in the symbols in Aaron’s breastplate (Exodus 28:12-29). Likewise, all who are in Christ have been brought into Christ’s presence. To receive the Holy Spirit is to receive the same Spirit that filled the Tabernacle (hence the connection between the fire that comes from the altar and the “tongues of fire” in Acts 2). We now live and move and minister in God’s presence. And as such, we too can intercede by prayer for others and God hears us just as he received the priests’ sacrifices on behalf of Israel.
6. Priests mediate between God and the world.
This is the sum total of all the previous points. To be a priest is to mediate between people and their God. Aaron and his sons do this through sacrifice, by representing the people before God, and by blessing the people in God’s name and making the Tabernacle a place where they can encounter God (by maintaining its holiness). Our call is the same! We are to mediate between God and the world by representing God to the world (through our lifestyle, i.e “heavenly clothing”), by connecting people with the sacrifice that can bring them into communion with God (Christ), and by sharing God’s blessing with them (the Holy Spirit they encounter in our fellowship) and interceding on their behalf through prayer.
A final note: all that we are saying about priests is true about Jesus (and more!). But we’ll save that for a later post!
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Contagious Holiness and Vocation
Last week we spent a lot of time talking about the contagious nature of sin. We said that sin was like a pollutant, that when released defiled everything around it. One of the interesting details though in last week's and this week's reading is that holiness can be "contagious" as well. There are objects that are so holy that they make holy everything they come in contact with. Here are two examples:
Exodus 29:36-37
Also every day you shall offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. Also you shall offer a sin offering for the altar, when you make atonement for it, and shall anoint it, to consecrate it. 37 Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar, and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy; whatever touches the altar shall become holy.
Leviticus 6:26-28
The priest who offers it as a sin offering shall eat of it; it shall be eaten in a holy place, in the court of the tent of meeting. 27 Whatever touches its flesh shall become holy; and when any of its blood is spattered on a garment, you shall wash the bespattered part in a holy place. 28 An earthen vessel in which it was boiled shall be broken; but if it is boiled in a bronze vessel, that shall be scoured and rinsed in water.
So anything that touches or is touched by the altar of burnt offerings or the "sin" offering becomes holy. A similar dynamic of course is at work with the oil of anointing for the priests (8:30); whoever is anointed is now "holy". This "contagious holiness" has some important implications for our theology and how we think about our mission as God's people:
1. God gives His servants the ability to make things holy. Our job therefore is not to simply hide from sin and impurity (a route some have gone), but rather to use the tools God has given us to purify and make holy the world around us. We are to consecrate our lives and the world around us by aligning them with God's order and by inviting His Spirit to move through us into the world through our words and deeds. Because we have been purified by Christ's blood (like the altar) and filled with the Holy Spirit (anointed) we do not need to fear being "polluted" by the world but are rather sent to extend God's holiness into the world. We do this of course by sacrificially loving our neighbors and calling them into God's family.
2. Our model in doing this is of course Jesus. Jesus was the ultimate sin offering; He is the one who purified each of us who believes in Him and atoned for the sins of the world. Furthermore, Jesus was literally "the" anointed one (that's what "Christ" means!). So, He is our pattern for how holiness is taken to the world. This also provides insight as to why Jesus did not worry about being made impure in the manner His opponents did. It's not that He had no regard for God's word about purity and sacrifice, but because He was holy in such a manner that it overwhelmed sin and impurity. His holiness trumped any impurity He encountered.
3. Contagious holiness also helps us understand what holiness is and how that factors into our vocation as God's people. You might have noticed the detail about pottery that is made holy in Leviticus 6:28:
An earthen vessel in which it (the sin offering) was boiled shall be broken; but if it is boiled in a bronze vessel, that shall be scoured and rinsed in water.
Why would you break the earthen vessel that's been made holy? Because it's no longer acceptable to use if for everyday affairs. In fact, it would be a sacrilege to now use it for "normal" activities. Whatever is made holy is now strictly to be used for God's purposes; this is what we mean when we say that to be holy is to be "set aside". To be holy then is to be God's property, and to be used solely for His purposes. This is a big deal because as Christians we are a "holy nation" (1 Peter 2:9). Therefore we are to serve God's purposes alone. None of us who are in Christ are intended for "ordinary" purposes; we all have a vocation to serve God's purposes in the world. Now this might very well happen in the "ordinary" circumstances of everyday life, but it is our job to never forget that there is nothing ordinary about our "Boss" and His plans for us. It is His work and purpose to use us, the ordinary earthen pots, into vessels that show His glory to the world (2 Cor. 4:1-10).
***Interpretive Aside:
When you read the Nadab and Abihu story, this concept of holiness (as being set-apart exclusively for God's use) is why God forbids Aaron from grieving. Someone who is in mourning is ceremonially impure according to Leviticus (because death is impure . . . more on this later). Because Aaron has been made holy and set apart to serve in the Tabernacle at the moment he cannot do anything to jeopardize His holiness. His calling supersedes everything else. While this seems harsh to us, this points us to Jesus' hard words about calling (being set aside for God) and other duties in life:
Luke 9:59- 60
He said to another man, "Follow me." But he replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
Exodus 29:36-37
Also every day you shall offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. Also you shall offer a sin offering for the altar, when you make atonement for it, and shall anoint it, to consecrate it. 37 Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar, and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy; whatever touches the altar shall become holy.
Leviticus 6:26-28
The priest who offers it as a sin offering shall eat of it; it shall be eaten in a holy place, in the court of the tent of meeting. 27 Whatever touches its flesh shall become holy; and when any of its blood is spattered on a garment, you shall wash the bespattered part in a holy place. 28 An earthen vessel in which it was boiled shall be broken; but if it is boiled in a bronze vessel, that shall be scoured and rinsed in water.
So anything that touches or is touched by the altar of burnt offerings or the "sin" offering becomes holy. A similar dynamic of course is at work with the oil of anointing for the priests (8:30); whoever is anointed is now "holy". This "contagious holiness" has some important implications for our theology and how we think about our mission as God's people:
1. God gives His servants the ability to make things holy. Our job therefore is not to simply hide from sin and impurity (a route some have gone), but rather to use the tools God has given us to purify and make holy the world around us. We are to consecrate our lives and the world around us by aligning them with God's order and by inviting His Spirit to move through us into the world through our words and deeds. Because we have been purified by Christ's blood (like the altar) and filled with the Holy Spirit (anointed) we do not need to fear being "polluted" by the world but are rather sent to extend God's holiness into the world. We do this of course by sacrificially loving our neighbors and calling them into God's family.
2. Our model in doing this is of course Jesus. Jesus was the ultimate sin offering; He is the one who purified each of us who believes in Him and atoned for the sins of the world. Furthermore, Jesus was literally "the" anointed one (that's what "Christ" means!). So, He is our pattern for how holiness is taken to the world. This also provides insight as to why Jesus did not worry about being made impure in the manner His opponents did. It's not that He had no regard for God's word about purity and sacrifice, but because He was holy in such a manner that it overwhelmed sin and impurity. His holiness trumped any impurity He encountered.
3. Contagious holiness also helps us understand what holiness is and how that factors into our vocation as God's people. You might have noticed the detail about pottery that is made holy in Leviticus 6:28:
An earthen vessel in which it (the sin offering) was boiled shall be broken; but if it is boiled in a bronze vessel, that shall be scoured and rinsed in water.
Why would you break the earthen vessel that's been made holy? Because it's no longer acceptable to use if for everyday affairs. In fact, it would be a sacrilege to now use it for "normal" activities. Whatever is made holy is now strictly to be used for God's purposes; this is what we mean when we say that to be holy is to be "set aside". To be holy then is to be God's property, and to be used solely for His purposes. This is a big deal because as Christians we are a "holy nation" (1 Peter 2:9). Therefore we are to serve God's purposes alone. None of us who are in Christ are intended for "ordinary" purposes; we all have a vocation to serve God's purposes in the world. Now this might very well happen in the "ordinary" circumstances of everyday life, but it is our job to never forget that there is nothing ordinary about our "Boss" and His plans for us. It is His work and purpose to use us, the ordinary earthen pots, into vessels that show His glory to the world (2 Cor. 4:1-10).
***Interpretive Aside:
When you read the Nadab and Abihu story, this concept of holiness (as being set-apart exclusively for God's use) is why God forbids Aaron from grieving. Someone who is in mourning is ceremonially impure according to Leviticus (because death is impure . . . more on this later). Because Aaron has been made holy and set apart to serve in the Tabernacle at the moment he cannot do anything to jeopardize His holiness. His calling supersedes everything else. While this seems harsh to us, this points us to Jesus' hard words about calling (being set aside for God) and other duties in life:
Luke 9:59- 60
He said to another man, "Follow me." But he replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Sin in Leviticus and Christians Today
In this point I want to follow up a discussion we had in our group last night. We were talking about how Leviticus conceptualizes Sin as a corrosive power or agent (and not just a legal issue with God) and Lucy asked how that theology should influence how we live as followers of Jesus today. Since I believe that this issue is critical to both Leviticus and our calling as disciples I want to try and lay out why it matters with some more clarity (and brevity!).
What we learn from Leviticus 4-5 about sin and discipleship for today . . .
1. All our sin is deforming and corrosive to our being. Sin is like poison; any amount of it has serious consequences for our spiritual health. There are no "victimless" sins. Anytime we move away from God's will we are changed into a more toxic person, and this will affect every aspect of our lives and relationships (And if fact it will break our relationship with God). C.S Lewis sums this up well:
What we learn from Leviticus 4-5 about sin and discipleship for today . . .
1. All our sin is deforming and corrosive to our being. Sin is like poison; any amount of it has serious consequences for our spiritual health. There are no "victimless" sins. Anytime we move away from God's will we are changed into a more toxic person, and this will affect every aspect of our lives and relationships (And if fact it will break our relationship with God). C.S Lewis sums this up well:
“[E]very time you make a choice you are turning
the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a
little different than it was before. And taking your life as a whole,
with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly
turning this central thing into a heavenly creature or a hellish
creature: either into a creature that is in harmony with God, and with
other creatures, and with itself, or else into one that is in a state of
war and hatred with God, and with its fellow creatures, and with
itself."
Therefore we can't wink at any of our sin; anything that is not aligned with God is a significant problem.
2. Sin is a community problem. We see in Leviticus that sin from the countryside winds up poisoning the Tabernacle. This means that sin affects all the area and relationships where it is active. This means that we cannot turn a blind eye to sin and presume we will not be touched by it. If our community is filled with neglected children, injustice, fraud, selfishness, adultery and all the rest we will all suffer for it. God is not just concerned for individuals, but for societies and creation as well. Sin is a threat to all of these and God is working to redeem all of these.
3. God has given His people a way to deal with the power of sin, be restored and make life holy again. In Leviticus this is the sacrificial system at the Tabernacle, and for us this is repentance and faith in Christ. God doesn't just want to pardon our sins (though He does do that!), but He wants to transform us and make us holy. Our calling as disciples is not simply to be on good legal terms with God but to live in a manner that is entirely aligned to His purposes. Discipleship then is about this process of being re-formed (God comes to us when we are deformed) into the people God intends us to be . . . people who look like Jesus!
4. Finally, this points us to our larger mission in the world: we (the church and individuals) are to be like the Tabernacle. We are sent into the world as a sign of God's intentions for the world. We are to be the place where people can get a glimpse of restored relationships with God and others, holiness and flourishing as God intended it. Furthermore, we are to use God's power to help others receive restoration as well. (This is where Leviticus is headed . . . more details when we get there!)
There is more we could say here about repentance preceding restoration, about the need to make things right with others and not just God . . . but I think this is plenty for now!
Thursday, February 2, 2017
Leviticus: Sin as a Power
One last brief post for the week!
One of the very interesting and very important theological issues in Leviticus 4-5 is how sin and impurity are implicitly described. Almost none of the sins or impurities listed along with these sacrifices actually happen in the Tabernacle, yet the Tabernacle itself (and not the "sinner") is what is purified with the blood from the purification ("sin") and reparation ("guilt") offerings. So what does it tell us about sin?
Sin and impurity are described by Leviticus as though they have real being. Sin is not simply breaking one of God's laws, but Sin is a power and force at work in the world. We can almost think about sin like air pollution or radiation; it's released by sinners and then goes into the Tabernacle and defiles it. Sin is not just a legal issue between an individual and God, but something that has spiritual existence and power to corrupt. This is right in line with what the Apostle Paul describes in Romans, where he talks about Sin as a power or being:
Romans 3:9
What then? Are we any better off? No, not at all; for we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin.
Romans 5:12-13
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned— 13 sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law.
Romans 6:12
Therefore, do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions.
Romans 7:11
For sin, seizing an opportunity in the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.
All of this has big implications for how we think about Christ's atoning death, God's judgment and God's work to make us holy!
One of the very interesting and very important theological issues in Leviticus 4-5 is how sin and impurity are implicitly described. Almost none of the sins or impurities listed along with these sacrifices actually happen in the Tabernacle, yet the Tabernacle itself (and not the "sinner") is what is purified with the blood from the purification ("sin") and reparation ("guilt") offerings. So what does it tell us about sin?
Sin and impurity are described by Leviticus as though they have real being. Sin is not simply breaking one of God's laws, but Sin is a power and force at work in the world. We can almost think about sin like air pollution or radiation; it's released by sinners and then goes into the Tabernacle and defiles it. Sin is not just a legal issue between an individual and God, but something that has spiritual existence and power to corrupt. This is right in line with what the Apostle Paul describes in Romans, where he talks about Sin as a power or being:
Romans 3:9
What then? Are we any better off? No, not at all; for we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin.
Romans 5:12-13
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned— 13 sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law.
Romans 6:12
Therefore, do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions.
Romans 7:11
For sin, seizing an opportunity in the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.
All of this has big implications for how we think about Christ's atoning death, God's judgment and God's work to make us holy!
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Leviticus 4-7 Notes
Hey Class,
Here are the notes I'll be giving out next week in class. Feel free to use them to supplement your reading this week . . .
Leviticus 4:1-5:13
-Most translations call these “sin” offerings. This is misleading translation, and this issue takes us into an area of lots of complexity. First, you saw that these offerings do not deal with intentional sins, but with mistakes or errors that people make against God. Second, you see that these offerings also deal with issues of purity or order, and not just with “illegal” behaviors. These offerings then are expiatory- they remove impurities generated by the listed actions. Therefore the offerings can’t force God to forgive sins, but they remove the consequences of sin, impurity or disorder, which then “allows” God to forgive. For this reason I will refer to these offerings as “Purification Offerings”.
The world for “sin” here (“chatah”) means, “to do wrong, to miss the mark, to make an error, to miss the way” . . . the key is you don’t intend to “miss the mark”.
Note what is done with the blood from the sacrifice- this is the critical point of the ritual. The blood is NOT sprinkled on the offending party but on the Tabernacle “furniture”: before the curtain, or onto the horns of the altar of incense, or on the altar of burnt offering.
The offerer is not allowed to eat from the purification offering. You don’t get any “benefit” from a purification offering in that manner.
Note how the place of purification varies: the priest’s sin requires everything sprinkled, the whole people’s sin requires the curtain and burnt offering altar sprinkled, the ruler’s sin requires the altar of burnt offering sprinkled, and an individual’s sin requires the altar of burnt offering sprinkled.
Note how the priest’s sin and all the congregation’s sin requires blood being sprinkled seven times . . . that an important symbol! Why seven times? (4:6, 17).
In 5:1-6 we see that Leviticus sees moral, legal and ritual disorder as one “whole” complex of “disorders”. To neglect to do one’s duty legally is the same as neglecting to maintain personal purity is the same as neglecting to fulfill an oath: they all bring, invite or prolong disorder in(to) the community. This is an example of Leviticus teaching by analogy- disorder is not to be treated casually.
All of the issues in 5:1-6 are issues of neglect- they are sins of omission, not commission.
Confession is to precede the sacrifice in 5:5 . . . God forgives, then expiates or purifies the consequences of the action.
Leviticus 5:14-6:7
The word for sin here is “ma’al”, which is a serious offense. It is a breach of covenant, or an act of treachery and not simply an error that needs to be corrected.
The “holy things of the Lord” (5:15) refers to whatever might be set aside for use in the Tabernacle, or potentially funds (converted from sacrifice) that would be used in connection to the Tabernacle.
Restitution for the offense takes place either simultaneously or before the sacrifice offered to remove the sin against the Tabernacle (5:16).
In 5:17-19 the situation appears exactly the same as in 4:27-31, but notice that the passage does not mention the offender knowing or realizing what the sin is.
6:1-7 covers the only intentional sins of commission which can be dealt with by individual sacrifice. Note that the offender is to make things right with the injured party prior to offering sacrifice in the Tabernacle (v.5). The question remains though, why are these intentional sins pardonable?
Leviticus 6:8-7:38
All the portions of the sacrifice which the priests eat must be eaten in the Tabernacle (courtyard). If the blood from the sacrifice is to go into the Holy Place or Holy of Holies it cannot be eaten.
The fire of the Tabernacle is not allowed to go out- maintaining it is a priestly duty. This is a ritual of perpetuity. (6:9-12)
Another ritual of perpetuity is the anointed priest offering a grain offering in the morning and evening of each day (6:20).
Holiness (and not just impurity) can be contagious! In 6:27 we see that whatever touches the sin (“purification”) offering becomes holy.
Note that priests can eat of grain offerings (6:16), sin/purification offerings (6:26), guilt offerings (7:7), a cake with well-being offerings (7:14) and meat with any well-being offering (7:32-34).
Offerings of well-being must be eaten the day of the sacrifice; votive offerings (vow) can be eaten the following day. After that period what is let must be burned entirely (7:15-18).
No one is allowed to eat from offerings while in a state of impurity (7:20-21).
Note the emphasis on the the offerer bringing and preparing the sacrifice of well-being (7:28-30).
Where is God speaking to Moses? Sinai, or the Tabernacle (7:38, contrast to 1:1)? This is a small piece of evidence for viewing Leviticus as a compilation, and not a dictation.
Here are the notes I'll be giving out next week in class. Feel free to use them to supplement your reading this week . . .
Leviticus 4:1-5:13
-Most translations call these “sin” offerings. This is misleading translation, and this issue takes us into an area of lots of complexity. First, you saw that these offerings do not deal with intentional sins, but with mistakes or errors that people make against God. Second, you see that these offerings also deal with issues of purity or order, and not just with “illegal” behaviors. These offerings then are expiatory- they remove impurities generated by the listed actions. Therefore the offerings can’t force God to forgive sins, but they remove the consequences of sin, impurity or disorder, which then “allows” God to forgive. For this reason I will refer to these offerings as “Purification Offerings”.
The world for “sin” here (“chatah”) means, “to do wrong, to miss the mark, to make an error, to miss the way” . . . the key is you don’t intend to “miss the mark”.
Note what is done with the blood from the sacrifice- this is the critical point of the ritual. The blood is NOT sprinkled on the offending party but on the Tabernacle “furniture”: before the curtain, or onto the horns of the altar of incense, or on the altar of burnt offering.
The offerer is not allowed to eat from the purification offering. You don’t get any “benefit” from a purification offering in that manner.
Note how the place of purification varies: the priest’s sin requires everything sprinkled, the whole people’s sin requires the curtain and burnt offering altar sprinkled, the ruler’s sin requires the altar of burnt offering sprinkled, and an individual’s sin requires the altar of burnt offering sprinkled.
Note how the priest’s sin and all the congregation’s sin requires blood being sprinkled seven times . . . that an important symbol! Why seven times? (4:6, 17).
In 5:1-6 we see that Leviticus sees moral, legal and ritual disorder as one “whole” complex of “disorders”. To neglect to do one’s duty legally is the same as neglecting to maintain personal purity is the same as neglecting to fulfill an oath: they all bring, invite or prolong disorder in(to) the community. This is an example of Leviticus teaching by analogy- disorder is not to be treated casually.
All of the issues in 5:1-6 are issues of neglect- they are sins of omission, not commission.
Confession is to precede the sacrifice in 5:5 . . . God forgives, then expiates or purifies the consequences of the action.
Leviticus 5:14-6:7
The word for sin here is “ma’al”, which is a serious offense. It is a breach of covenant, or an act of treachery and not simply an error that needs to be corrected.
The “holy things of the Lord” (5:15) refers to whatever might be set aside for use in the Tabernacle, or potentially funds (converted from sacrifice) that would be used in connection to the Tabernacle.
Restitution for the offense takes place either simultaneously or before the sacrifice offered to remove the sin against the Tabernacle (5:16).
In 5:17-19 the situation appears exactly the same as in 4:27-31, but notice that the passage does not mention the offender knowing or realizing what the sin is.
6:1-7 covers the only intentional sins of commission which can be dealt with by individual sacrifice. Note that the offender is to make things right with the injured party prior to offering sacrifice in the Tabernacle (v.5). The question remains though, why are these intentional sins pardonable?
Leviticus 6:8-7:38
All the portions of the sacrifice which the priests eat must be eaten in the Tabernacle (courtyard). If the blood from the sacrifice is to go into the Holy Place or Holy of Holies it cannot be eaten.
The fire of the Tabernacle is not allowed to go out- maintaining it is a priestly duty. This is a ritual of perpetuity. (6:9-12)
Another ritual of perpetuity is the anointed priest offering a grain offering in the morning and evening of each day (6:20).
Holiness (and not just impurity) can be contagious! In 6:27 we see that whatever touches the sin (“purification”) offering becomes holy.
Note that priests can eat of grain offerings (6:16), sin/purification offerings (6:26), guilt offerings (7:7), a cake with well-being offerings (7:14) and meat with any well-being offering (7:32-34).
Offerings of well-being must be eaten the day of the sacrifice; votive offerings (vow) can be eaten the following day. After that period what is let must be burned entirely (7:15-18).
No one is allowed to eat from offerings while in a state of impurity (7:20-21).
Note the emphasis on the the offerer bringing and preparing the sacrifice of well-being (7:28-30).
Where is God speaking to Moses? Sinai, or the Tabernacle (7:38, contrast to 1:1)? This is a small piece of evidence for viewing Leviticus as a compilation, and not a dictation.
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