Leviticus 22 Study Notes
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22:1-33 Since the priests led in corporate worship, they had to be ceremonially pure (vv. 1-16). The sacrifices they brought also had to be unblemished in order to be acceptable to the Lord (vv. 17-33).
22:1-3 Serving while unclean carried the most severe penalty short of execution, being permanently barred from temple service. On cut off, see 7:20-21.
22:4-5 The impurities that rendered a priest unclean are listed in descending order of severity. During the time of Jesus, the religious leaders were angry that Jesus touched what would render him as unclean, but when Jesus touched an unclean person, that person became clean.
22:8 This law is more strict for the priest than for the common people (cp. 17:15-16).
22:10-11 This law was consistent with the instruction given to Abraham to circumcise purchased slaves (Gn 17:12-13), thus making them part of the covenant community.
22:17-20 These instructions cover burnt offerings.
22:19 The word unblemished comes from a term that means “to be complete, perfect.” It conveys the idea that sacrifices must be without flaw. During the Second Temple period, the prophet Malachi spoke against the people’s bringing defective animals as sacrifices (Mal 1:8-14). The NT teaches that the covenant community must bring their best to God (2Co 8-9; Eph 5:2; Php 4:10-20; Heb 13:15-16; 1Pt 2:5). The ultimate perfect sacrifice was Jesus, the Messiah, through whose atoning death believers are forgiven of sin and granted eternal life (Jn 1:29; 1Pt 1:19; Rv 7:9; 12:11).
22:21-24 These instructions cover fellowship offerings.
22:25 According to John Hartley, this law prohibits “buying inferior animals from foreigners and offering them on the altar.”