SUBJECT:  Leviticus 15

QUESTION:  Please explain the subject of sin in both the physical and spiritual sense as it relates to what we read in Leviticus 15

ANSWER:

Below are some excerpts from the Matthew Henry Commentary on this chapter.  The chapter has a physical meaning for those back in the days of Moses and Aaron and a very spiritual meaning (as well as physical) for us today. 

First the Physical:  Clearly if we have a disease, we do two things (at least):  Stay away from the public and public areas and two, overcome the disease….get well.  This involves doing all the things we know about overcoming disease---eating well, cleaning the body, cleaning all surfaces we come in contact with (clothes, bedding, eating utensils, etc.) and getting plenty of rest.  It would include limiting contact with other family members so as to keep them clean from the disease.  It would also include praying and fasting.  Notice the references to cleaning ourselves with the running clean water…verse 13.

The chapter also speaks of not going near the tabernacle when one has these issues of disease.  Notice that after going through a period of cleansing…healing the person would bring a sacrifice to the tabernacle but stop at the door and give it to the priest---verse 14.  And notice too that the sacrifice given was a “sin” offering.  All these physical types have a spiritual meaning for us today.

The Spiritual Meaning for us today:  We can see it, somewhat, in the commentary.  We are unclean if we are living a life of sin………UNREPENTED OF SIN.  We are clean if we are living a life of REPENTANCE……..Constant, persevering repentance.

How do we know if we are unclean……sinning?

Psalm 26:2

Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

1 Corinthians 11:28-29

28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

Note:  This verse is spoken to those about to take the Passover symbols of the blood and body of Christ.  Clearly if you are “unclean” you would be taking the bread and wine unworthily.

2 Corinthians 13:5

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Note:  Can Christ reside in one that is constantly sinning and not repenting?

Remember the physical aspect where the person would offer a sin offering in the tabernacle?  This is a type of repentance; a symbol of repentance.  Going before God, confessing the sin, repenting and asking for forgiveness.  God makes us clean.  We cannot make anyone or ourselves clean but God can make us clean…

Isaiah 1:18-19

18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

Notice the reference to being willing and obedient to God.  If we are on a road of unrepented-of-sin, we are not of a willing and obedient attitude.  If we are on a road of overcoming and being repentant, then we move ever closer toward perfection…

Hebrews 6:1

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

This verse is saying that we should be on that road toward perfection and not having to lay the foundation of repentance again and again, that is, being on the road of sin with only faint attempts of getting on the road toward perfection.  It is saying that we must make a lasting commitment to God, not constantly wavering.  One cannot be clean one day and unclean the next and clean the next. 

The road toward perfection is a life-long PROCESS.  A process takes time.  We will never know or attain absolute perfection until we are changed.  Notice from the verse that God wants us going toward perfection; “on unto perfection”.   While on that road, WE WILL SIN, but we will not leave the road if we are constantly repenting and asking God for forgiveness.  We only leave it when we give up repentance in our life.

Psalm 24:3-5

3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?

4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Commentary on Leviticus 15:1-18

Ceremonial purification

            We have here the law concerning the ceremonial uncleanness that was contracted by running issues in men. It is called in the margin (v. 2) the running of the reins: a very grievous and loathsome disease, which was, usually the effect and consequent of wantonness and uncleanness, and a dissolute course of life, filling men's bones with the sins of their youth, and leaving them to mourn at the last, when all the pleasures of their wickedness have vanished, and nothing remains but the pain and anguish of a rotten carcass and a wounded conscience. And what fruit has the sinner then of those things whereof he has so much reason to be ashamed? <Romans 6:21>. As modesty is an ornament of grace to the head and chains about the neck, so chastity is health to the navel and marrow to the bones; but uncleanness is a wound and dishonour, the consumption of the flesh and the body, and a sin which is often its own punishment more than any other. It was also sometimes inflicted by the righteous hand of God for other sins, as appears by David's imprecation of a curse upon the family of Joab, for the murder of Abner. <2 Samuel 3:29>, let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or is a leper. A vile disease for vile deserts. Now whoever had this disease upon him,

1. He was himself unclean, v. 2. He must not dare to come near the sanctuary, it was at his peril if he did, nor might he eat of the holy things. This signified the filthiness of sin, and of all the productions of our corrupt nature, which render us odious to God's holiness, and utterly unfit for communion with him. Out of a pure heart well kept are the issues of life <Proverbs 4:23>, but out of an unclean heart comes that which is defiling, <Matthew 12:34-35>.

2. He made every person and thing unclean that he touched, or that touched him, v. 4-12. His bed, and his chair, and his saddle, and every thing that belonged to him, could not be touched without a ceremonial uncleanness contracted, which a man must remain conscious to himself of till sunset, and from which he could not be cleansed without washing his clothes, and bathing his flesh in water. This signified the contagion of sin, the danger we are in of being polluted by conversing with those that are polluted, and the need we have with the utmost circumspection to save ourselves from this untoward generation.

3. When he was cured of the disease, yet he could not be cleansed from the pollution without a sacrifice, for which he was to prepare himself by seven days' expectation after he was perfectly clear from his distemper, and by bathing in spring water, v. 13-15. This signified the great gospel duties of faith and repentance, and the great gospel privileges of the application of Christ's blood to our souls for our justification and his grace for our sanctification. God has promised to sprinkle clean water upon us, and to cleanse us from all our filthiness, and has appointed us by repentance to wash and make ourselves clean: he has also provided a sacrifice of atonement, and requires us by faith to interest ourselves in that sacrifice; for it is the blood of Christ his Son that cleanses us from all sin, and by which atonement is made for us, that we may have admission into God's presence and may partake of his favour.

Leviticus 15:19-33

And what duty must we learn from all this?

Let us carefully abstain from all sin, as defiling to the conscience, and particularly from all fleshly lusts, possessing our vessel in sanctification and honour, and not in the lusts of uncleanness, which not only pollute the soul, but war against it, and threaten its ruin.

Let us all see how indispensably necessary real holiness is to our future happiness, and get our hearts purified by faith, that we may see God. Perhaps it is in allusion to these laws which forbade the unclean to approach the sanctuary that when it is asked, Who shall stand in God's holy place? it is answered, He that hath clean hands and a pure heart <Ps. 24:3-4>; for without holiness no man shall see the Lord. ~from Matthew Henry's Commentary