Bible Commentaries

Leviticus 22:2 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name [in those things] which they hallow unto me: I [am] the LORD.

Ver. 2. That they separate.] Though priests, yet they may not hold themselves privileged above others to commit sin, but are the rather obliged to duty. Why should any Chrysostom have cause to say, Non arbitror inter sacerdotes multos esse qui salvi fiant, I do not think that many of our ministers can he saved, it is well if any? or any Campian to exclaim, Ministris eorum nihil vilias?

Leviticus 22:3 Say unto them, Whosoever [he be] of all your seed among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I [am] the LORD.

Ver. 3. Cut off from my presence.] Who am omnipresent: Postea nullus erit. Where shall the ungodly and the wicked appear? Surely, nowhere.

Leviticus 22:4 What man soever of the seed of Aaron [is] a leper, or hath a running issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he be clean. And whoso toucheth any thing [that is] unclean [by] the dead, or a man whose seed goeth from him;

Ver. 4. Or hath a running issue.] Seminifluus: especially if it come by contemning that counsel of the wise man. [Proverbs 31:3]

Leviticus 22:5 Or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness he hath;

Ver. 5. Or a man.] Whether a leper, or a dead man.

Leviticus 22:6 The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water.

Ver. 6. Unless he wash his face with water.] Whereby he was led to the laver of Christ’s blood, which is opposed to legal washings. [Hebrews 9:9] Run we to that open fountain, [Zechariah 13:1] and be every day washing and cleansing ourselves therein from all filthiness of flesh and spirit. Every Jew had his water pots for daily purification. [John 2:6] We have a far better bath.

Leviticus 22:7 And when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things; because it [is] his food.

Ver. 7. ; Because it is his food.] Animantis cuiusque vita in fuga est, and must be preserved by food.

Leviticus 22:8 That which dieth of itself, or is torn [with beasts], he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I [am] the LORD.

Ver. 8. See on Leviticus 17:15, Exodus 22:31.

Leviticus 22:9 They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest they bear sin for it, and die therefore, if they profane it: I the LORD do sanctify them.

Ver. 9. And die therefore.] It is no dallying with God. Either do it we must, or die for it.

Leviticus 22:10 There shall no stranger eat [of] the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat [of] the holy thing.

Ver. 10. There shall no stranger.] The equity of all this was, that ministers should have a comfortable subsistence for them and theirs; and that the things that are appointed to that purpose should not be converted to other uses. [1 Corinthians 9:13] It is certainly a sad complaint that Luther ^(a) makes: Nisi superisset spolium Aegypti quod rapuimus Papae, omnibus ministris verbi fame pereundum esset, &c. Were it not for such spoils of Egypt as we have won from the Pope, God’s ministers might starve and perish. And if ever it come to that, that they must be maintained by the people’s benevolence, a miserable maintenance they are like to have of it. That little that we have now, diripitur a magistratu, is got from us by the great ones who rob our churches and schools, as if they meant to make an end of us with hard hunger. Thus he. See Haggai 2:14. All the water in Jordan, and the ceremonies in Leviticus, cannot cleanse a man so long as the polluted thing remains in his hand.

Leviticus 22:11 But if the priest buy [any] soul with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house: they shall eat of his meat.

Ver. 11. He shall eat.] As being a menial servant to the priest.

Leviticus 22:12 If the priest’s daughter also be [married] unto a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things.

Ver. 12. Unto a stranger.] That is not a priest, or of the family of the priests.

Leviticus 22:13 But if the priest’s daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto her father’s house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father’s meat: but there shall no stranger eat thereof.

Ver. 13. And have no child.] Nor is with child.

Leviticus 22:14 And if a man eat [of] the holy thing unwittingly, then he shall put the fifth [part] thereof unto it, and shall give [it] unto the priest with the holy thing.

Ver. 14. {See Trapp on "Leviticus 22:10"}

Leviticus 22:15 And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer unto the LORD

Ver. 15. Profane.] By suffering the holy things to be eaten of strangers.

Leviticus 22:16 Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, when they eat their holy things: for I the LORD do sanctify them.

Ver. 16. Or suffer them.] From my "other men’s sins," good Lord deliver me, said one: have we not enough of our own to answer for? See 1 Timothy 5:22, {See Trapp on "1 Timothy 5:22"} That cannot be wholesome meat that is sauced with the blood of souls, and spiced with the wrath of God.

Leviticus 22:19 [Ye shall offer] at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats.

Ver. 19. At your own will.] Yet observing strictly the law in that case provided, with all the rites appointed. Such will worship is very acceptable.

Leviticus 22:20 [But] whatsoever hath a blemish, [that] shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you.

Ver. 20. It shall not be acceptable.] Nay, it shall be abominable. [Malachi 1:7] God requires the best of the best, fine flour without bran, [Leviticus 2:1, &c.} and curseth that cheat, that having a sound or a fat male in his flock, bringeth to him a corrupt carrion, or a lean starveling, for sacrifice. {Malachi 1:14]

Leviticus 22:21 And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish [his] vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.

Ver. 21. It shall be perfect to be accepted.] Saints also are perfect in God’s acceptation, if harmless and blameless.

Leviticus 22:23 Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer [for] a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

Ver. 23. That mayest thou offer.] Though it have some kind of defect, yet, in free will offerings, it might pass. This was to signify that our imperfect obedience after that we are once in Christ, is accepted by Christ, who is without all blame and blemish.

Leviticus 22:24 Ye shall not offer unto the LORD that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make [any offering thereof] in your land.

Ver. 24. Neither shall you make any offering.] No, not a freewill offering. Religion loves to lie clean. God will take up with a poor, but it must be a pure sacrifice.

Leviticus 22:25 Neither from a stranger’s hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption [is] in them, [and] blemishes [be] in them: they shall not be accepted for you.

Ver. 25. Their corruption is in them.] As not having their hearts purified by faith; and therefore not in case to please God.

Leviticus 22:27 When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

Ver. 27. It shall be seven days.] As not being man’s meat, till then: but legally impure, and in their blood, as were likewise infants.

Leviticus 22:28 And [whether it be] cow or ewe, ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day.

Ver. 28. Ye shall not kill it and her young.] Because it bears a show of cruelty, and of adding affliction to the afflicted. See Genesis 32:11, Hosea 10:14.

Leviticus 22:29 And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer [it] at your own will.

Ver. 29. Offer it at your own will.] God strains upon no man. Virtus nolentium nulla est.

Leviticus 22:30 On the same day it shall be eaten up; ye shall leave none of it until the morrow: I [am] the LORD.

Ver. 30. On the same day.] {See Trapp on "Leviticus 7:15"}

Leviticus 22:31 Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I [am] the LORD.

Ver. 31. I am the Lord.] Your rightful Lord, and my reward is with me, to give unto every man according to his works.

Leviticus 22:32 Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I [am] the LORD which hallow you,

Ver. 32. My holy name.] "Holy, and" therefore "reverend." [Psalms 111:9] Holiness hath honour.