|
|
Leviticus 22 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
As do many of the chapters in Leviticus, there is a background painted in order to better understand the NT teachings. An emphasis is continually placed on holiness. This was achieved by the law in the OT, but the NT makes it clear that true holiness cannot be accomplished without redemption. In many ways, Christ becomes our bride, our high priest, and our sacrifice.
Though redemption, we are enabled to live out the moral character standards that are set here in Leviticus 21. Metaphorically, we are all priests with a physical body (temple) and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the moral prescriptions of the NT would have made sense in the context of what’s mentioned here in Leviticus 21 for the priests.
We often forget that we each have a responsibility to love Christ above all things – including family. In the same way that priests were not to defile themselves by burying a family member, Jesus challenged a disciple to let the dead bury the dead.
Another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus *said to him, “Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.”
Matthew 8:21-22 NASB
Jesus was not saying that burying your family member is wrong. He was comparing it to following Him. It was an issue of allegience. Furthermore, this man’s father had not died yet (Jewish law would have prohibited him from being out and about) and so he was essentially asking permission to go home and care for his father until he died. This could have taken years. Jesus wanted people to know that the time to follow is now. Today is the best day to intensely go “all in” with Jesus.