Day 3 -- Friday
The Book of Leviticus
The Book of Leviticus
The word Leviticus refers to the Levites. From the tribe of
Levi come the priests. This book is concerned with sacrifices, rituals, purity,
and cleanliness; dealing with diseases, and maintaining distinctiveness.
There are many laws about purity. Chapters 17-26 are called
the Holiness Code. God wants the Jews to be a holy (qadosh) people—different from and separate from other people. At
this stage in Israel’s history there is a need to form a separate identity in
order to be an “advertisement” for the One true God. It is part of God’s
marketing plan. Israel is to be God’s avant-garde for his dream for the world.
According to Jesus, the second most important verse in the
Bible is in Leviticus:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (19.18)
The whole verse says: You shall not take vengeance or bear a
grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as
yourself. In the context of Leviticus one’s “neighbor” is a fellow Jew. But
centuries later Jesus expanded the meaning of “neighbor” to include all races
and nationalities, and even “enemies.” A good point to remember is that the
Bible is always expanding our
understanding of God, neighbor, and morality.
The very next verse says: yourself: You shall not let your animals breed with a different kind; you shall
not sow your field with two kinds of seed; nor shall you put on a garment made
of two different materials.
Obviously, that is a verse most of us ignore. And we should.
It is important to be able to distinguish which verses in the Bible are ongoing
and which are temporary. Many parts of our Scriptures were written for a
particular time or situation, not intended to be set in stone. If we do not
separate out those verses that are not intended for us in our time, we create
an irrational, oppressive, and, quite frankly, an immoral religious mindset.
A wonderful idea is set forth in Leviticus 25 – the Jubilee
Year – when all debts are cancelled, land is returned to its original owners,
and indentured servants are set free. Could such a principle inform the way a
democracy works?
Here is a point to ponder: It doesn’t say “Love your
neighbor instead of yourself.” It says,
“as [much as] yourself.” But could it
also mean, “Love your neighbor as part of
yourself”?
Finish this sentence: The
person I have the most trouble loving is…..
