Levítico 21

Levítico 21

William MacDonald - Chapter Summary Leviticus 21 and 22, along with 16 and 17, are addressed to Aaron and his sons. Priests were not to defile themselves by touching the dead except in the case of near kin. Even entering the tent of the dead defiled a person for seven clays (Num. 19:14). This would disqualify a priest from serving the Lord during that time, so he was forbidden to make himself unclean for any but his nearest relatives. Lev 21:4 is obscure. It probably means that he must take special precaution to guard against defilement because of his high rank. Practices of the heathen in defacing their bodies with signs of mourning for the dead were forbidden (Lev 21:5). The priest was not permitted to marry a woman profaned by harlotry or a divorced woman (Lev 21:7). However, he could marry a widow. A priest’s daughter who became a harlot was burned to death (Lev 21:9). A high priest was not permitted to mourn in the customary ways or leave the sanctuary to show honor to the dead (Lev 21:10-12). He was to marry a virgin from his own people, and his married life was to be above reproach (Lev 21:13-15). Physical defects barred a man from the service of the priesthood—blindness, lameness, facial deformities, extra fingers or toes (deformed limb, NASB), foot or hand injuries, hunchbackedness, dwarfism, defective eyes, itching diseases, scabs, or injured sex organs. Any son of Aaron who was defective in any of these ways could share the food of the priests, but he could not serve actively as a priest before the Lord (Lev 21:22, 23). The priests who offered the sacrifices must be without defect because they portrayed Christ as our unblemished High Priest. (Summary of Every Chapter of Leviticus) Today in the Word Leviticus 21–22 Responsibilities of Leadership: Holiness of Priests Every time a well-known evangelical leader with public testimony or ministry falls into ethical and moral failure, we all regret the shadows that are cast over the church and the gospel. Christian leaders are accountable to God. That is why the qualifications for pastors and elders in the New Testament are so stringent and also why it’s insisted upon in Leviticus that priests stay morally and ceremonially clean. If they were unclean in any way, they could not be permitted to continue serving in their priestly role and offering daily sacrifices. The old covenant, unlike the new, was dependent upon the priests to represent the nation to God. The priests were not perfect, sinless men. They had to offer sacrifices on their own behalf, needing atonement just as much as any other member of the community. They were as likely to face the possibility of ritual contamination. As was true for others, certain foods were forbidden for consumption by the priests, and they had to maintain separation from anything and anyone unclean. Unlike for other Israelites, stricter regulations were instituted for the priests and especially for the high priest. They were permitted no contact with the dead, except in the case of the death of an immediate family member. The high priest was not even allowed to bury a mother or father. Even in the case of choosing whom they would marry, priests could not marry divorced women or women who had been scandalized by engaging in prostitution. The high priest could not marry a widow: his future wife must be a virgin. Unfortunately, it’s not long after the Jews enter the Promised Land that even the priests would be guilty of betraying God’s commands. Apply the Word - If you have the responsibilities for Bible teaching or any other type of spiritual leadership, you know how much your example means. Do you live the words that you proclaim? Is there integrity to be found in what you say and what you do? While you’re not expected to be perfect, it’s still a sobering truth that you’ll be judged more strictly. Leviticus 21:2 except for his relatives who are nearest to him, his mother and his father and his son and his daughter and his brother, Leviticus 21 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries R C