A COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS By ANDREW BONAR 1852 by James Nisbet and Company Digitally prepared and posted on the web by Ted Hildebrandt (2004) Public Domain. Please report any errors to: [email protected] PREFACE SOME years ago, while perusing the Book of Leviticus in the course of his daily study of the Scriptures, the author was arrested amid the shadows of a past dispensation, and led to write short notes as he went along. Not long after, another perusal of this inspired book--conducted in a similar way, and with much prayer for the teaching of the Spirit of truth--refreshed his own soul yet more, and led him on to inquire what others had gleaned in the same field. Some friends who, in this age of activity and bustle, find time to delight themselves in the law of the Lord, saw the notes, and urged their publication. There are few critical difficulties in the book; its chief obscurity arises from its enigmatical ceremonies. The author fears he may not always have succeeded in discovering the precise view of truth intended to be exhi- bited in these symbolic rites; but he has made the attempt, not thinking it irreverent to examine both sides of the veil, now that it has been rent. The Holy Spirit PREFACE surely wishes us to inquire into what He has written; and the unhealthy tone of many true Christians may be accounted for by the too plain fact that they do not meditate much on the whole counsel of God. Expe- rience, as well as the Word itself (Ps. i. 2, 3), might lead us to value very highly the habit of deeply pondering the discoveries of the mind of God given in all parts of Scripture, even the darkest. Throughout this Commentary, the truth that saves, and the truth that sanctifies, is set before the reader in a variety of aspects, according as each typical rite seemed to suggest. It may thus be useful to all classes of per- sons. And what, if even some of the house of Israel may have their eye attracted to the Saviour, while giving heed to the signification of those ceremonies which to their fathers were sign-posts (tOtOx, Ps. lxxiv. 9) in, the way of life? C0LLACE, May 5, 1846. PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION A FEW corrections have been made, and a few additional remarks introduced, in this edition. The subjects of the Book of Scripture briefly expounded in these pages are all of a vital nature, though the form in which they were presented by Moses is obsolete. A writer of the middle ages, Hildebert, suggests much by these few lines “Quis locus Aurora postduam Sol venit ad ortum? Quisne locus votis teneat cum navita portum? Leg Aurora fuit; bos et capra vota fuere; Crux Sol, Crux portus. Haec omnia praeteriere. Crux clausit templum, Crux solvit aenigmata legis. Sub Cruce cessat ephod, et deficit unctio regis." CONTENTS The Nature of the Book . 1 The Burnt Offering (Chapter 1) . 10 The Meat Offering (Chapter 2) . 31 The Drink Offering . 46 The Peace Offerings (Chapter 3) . 50 The Sin Offering (Chapter 4) . 62 Sin Offering for Sins of Inadvertency (Chapter 5) . 83 The Trespass Offering (Chapters 5 and 6) . 96 Special Rules for Priests Who Minister at the Altar of God (Chapters 6:8--7) . 109 The Priesthood Entering on Their Office (Chapter 8) . 144 Aaron's Entrance on His Office (Chapter 9) . 177 The Fencing of the Priestly Ritual (Chapter 10) . 187 Remembrances of the Broken Law - the Clean and the Unclean (Chapter 11) . 203 Original Sin - What Has Been Transmitted to Us (Chapter 12 . 228 The Leprosy. Indwelling Sin - Its Horrid Features (Chapter 13) . 232 The Leprosy Removed (Chapter 14) . 257 The Secret Flow of Sin from the Natural Heart, Typified in the Running Issue (Chapter 15) . 278 The Day of Atonement (Chapter 16) . 290 The Use of Animal Food Regulated (Chapter 17) . 311 Private and Domestic Obligations - Purity in Every Relation of Life (Chapter 18) . 319 Duties in the Every-Day Relations of Life (Chapter 19) . 334 Warnings Against the Sins of the Former Inhabitants (Chapter 20) . 351 Personal Duties of the Priests (Chapter 21) . 362 Household Laws Regarding Holy Things (Chapter 22) . 374 The Public Festivals, or Solemn Convocations (Chapter 23) . 386 Duty of Priests When Out of Public View in the Holy Place (Chapter 24) . 415 The Sabbatic Year, and the Year of Jubilee Millennial Times (Chapter 25) . 431 Israel's Temporal Blessings, in Contract to the Curse (Chapter 26) . 458 Entire Devotion to God, Induced by the Foregoing Views of His Character (Chapter 27) . 479 Index: Subject & Scripture . 503 COMMENTARY ON LEVITICUS THE NATURE OF THE BOOK. THERE is no book, in the whole compass of that inspired Volume which the Holy Ghost has given us, that con- tains more of the very words of God than Leviticus. It is God that is the direct speaker in almost every page; his gracious words are recorded in the form wherein they were uttered. This consideration cannot fail to send us to the study of it with singular interest and attention. It has been called "Leviticus," because its typical institutions, in all their variety, were committed to the care of the tribe of Levi, or to the priests, who were of that tribe. The Greek translators of the Pentateuch devised that name. The Talmud, for similar reasons, calls it MynihEKioha traOt, “the law of the priests.” But Jewish writers in general are content with a simpler title; they take the first words of the book as the name, calling it xrAq;yiva,"Vayikra,” q. d. the book that begins with the words, “And the Lord called.” 2 THE NATURE OF THE BOOK It carries within itself the seal of its Divine origin. As an internal proof of its author being Divine, some have been content to allege the prophecy contained in chap. xxvi., the fulfilment of which is spread before the eyes of all the earth. But if, in addition to this, we find every chapter throughout presenting views of doctrine and practice that exactly dovetail into the unfigurative statements of the New Testament, surely we shall then acknowledge that it bears the impress of the Divine mind from beginning to end. The Gospel of the grace of God, with all that follows in its train, may be found in Leviticus. This is the glorious attraction of the book to every reader who feels himself a sinner. The New Testament has about forty references to its various ordinances. The rites here detailed were typical; and every type was designed and intended by God to bear resemblance to some spiritual truth. The likeness between type and antitype is never accidental. The very excellency of these rites consists in their being chosen by God for the end of shadowing forth "good things to come" (Heb. x. 1). As it is not a mere accidental resemblance to the Lord's body and blood that obtains in the bread and wine used in the Lord's supper, but on the contrary, a likeness that made the symbols suitable to be selected for that end; so is it in the case of every Levitical type. Much of our satisfaction and edification in tracing the correspondence between type and antitype will depend on the firmness with which we hold this principle. If it be asked why a typical mode of shewing forth truth was adopted to such an extent in those early days, it may be difficult to give a precise answer. It is plain, such a method of instruction may answer many purposes. THE NATURE OF THE BOOK 3 It may not only meet the end of simplifying the truth, it may also open the mind to comprehend more, while it deepens present impressions of things known. The existence of a type does not always argue that the thing typified is obscurely seen, or imperfectly known. On the contrary, there was a type in the garden of Eden--the tree of life,--while life, in all its meaning, was fully com- prehended by Adam. In all probability, there will be typical objects in the millennial age; for there is to be a river which shall flow from Jerusalem to water the valley of Shittim (Joel iii. 18), the same of which Ezekiel (xlvii. 1) and Zechariah (xiv. 8) speak. This river is said to be for the healing of the Dead Sea, while on its banks grow majestic trees, whose leaves are for the heal- ing of the nations. No doubt a spiritual significance lies hid in these visible signs; the visible symbol seems to be a broad seal and sign of the peculiar truth manifested in these days, viz. the overflowing stream of the Holy Spirit (who shall be poured out at Jerusalem on the house of David first), winding its course over earth to convey saving health to all nations. Certain it is that types do not necessarily imply that the antitype is dimly known. The Lord may use them as he uses Gospel ordinances at present, to convey light to us, and leave more indelible impressions. A German writer (Hahn) has said, "Types were institutions intended to deepen, expand, and ennoble the circle of thoughts and desires, and thus heighten the moral and spiritual wants, as well as the intelligence and susceptibility of the chosen people."* And not less truly is this point touched upon by the Reformer Tyndale, in * Southey says of Laud: "He began his dying address in that state of calm but deepest feeling, when the mind seeks for fancies, types, and dim similitudes, and extracts from them consolation and strength."--(Book of the Church.) 4 THE NATURE OF THE BOOK his Prologue into the Third Book of Moses:--"Though sacrifices and ceremonies can be no ground or foundation.