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27,299 commentary entries
The Pulpit Commentary
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:19-28
Fidelity to God. In the verses before us we note the injunction— I. THAT THE STATUTES OF THE LORD MUST BE KEPT. These require: 1. That there be no unnatural mixtures. (a) Cattle which God ordered "after their kind" (Gen…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:20-22
A distinction is drawn between adultery with a free woman, or a betrothed free virgin, which was punishable with death (Leviticus 20:20; Deuteronomy 22:23), and with a slave betrothed to another man (probably a slave al…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:23-25
The eating of the fruit of young trees by their owners for five years is forbidden, on the principle that such fruit is unclean until it has been sanctified by the offering of a crop as firstfruits to the Lord for the u…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:23-25
The range of sin and the rule of God. There is much uncertainty as to the intention of the Lord in this prohibition. I regard it as a lesson concerning— I. THE DEPTH AND BREADTH OF THE TAINT OF SIN. The Israelites were…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:26-28
After a repetition of the fundamental ceremonial law against eating things which have the blood in them (the LXX. rendering, ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων, "upon the mountains," arises from a mistaken reading), follow prohibitions
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:29-37
The fear of God. Of this excellent things are spoken by Solomon. It is the "beginning of knowledge," "hatred to evil," "strong confidence," a "fountain of life," "prolongs days," and "gives riches and honour." So here—…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:29
Do not prostitute thy daughter. This is a peremptory prohibition, applying to every Jewish maiden, introduced in this place with a primary relation to the sanctification of lust by the dedication of young girls at some…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:30
The command in this verse differs from that in Leviticus 19:3 by adding the injunction to reverence my sanctuary to that requiring the observance of the sabbath. It is a matter of experience that where the sabbath is no…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:30
Three helps to spiritual progress. "There are many adversaries," it is true; many drawbacks, hindrances, difficulties in the way of spiritual advancement. But there are these three powerful aids. I. ONE SACRED DAY IN EV…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:31
This verse contains a prohibition of all dealings with those that have familiar spirits or are wizards. The punishment of such persons is appointed in the next chapter. Both in the Old and the New Testament, the real ex…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:32
Reverence for the old is inculcated as being a part, not merely of natural respect, but of the fear of God. In the East this virtue, implying deference on the part of the strong to the weak, and of the inexperienced to…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:32
Respect for old age is not only inculcated as a preservative against the rule of brute force, but as a part of the fear of God, the parent's relation to the child representing that of God to his creature.
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:37
Moral precepts are rested on their right foundation—the command of God and the religious motive. HOMILETICS
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:37
Moral commandments have a double sanction. They are to be obeyed In the latter respect all Divine injunctions stand on a level. All transgressions of what is commanded are equally sin, but they are not equal sins. A man…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 21:1-24
The perfection of the priesthood. The priests, when officiating, and eminently so the high priest, were types of Christ. It was, therefore, needful that they should be holy and without blemish. They were also types of C…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 21:1-24
PART III. SECTION IV. THE UNCLEANNESS AND DISQUALIFICATION OF PRIESTS. EXPOSITION The two remaining chapters of this division of the book (Leviticus 21:1-24, Leviticus 22:1-33) deal with the ease of defilements attachin…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 21:1-6
The first paragraph refers to ceremonial uncleanness derived to the priest from his family relations. The priest may not take part in any funeral rites, the effect of which was legal defilement, except in the case of th…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 21:1-24
Priestly qualifications. cf. Hebrews 7:26-28; 1 Timothy 3:1-12. From the moralities of the common people we have now to pass to the morality of the priestly class. As special officers, they require special qualification…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 21:1-24
Law of holiness for the priests. In all circumstances and relations of life the priests must be an example of purity. The higher the office, the more conspicuous the example, and therefore the more solemn the duty of pr…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 21:1-15
Distinctions and degrees in obligation. In the kingdom of God there is, as a rule, but one law for all subjects. What applies to one applies to another. The same principles of righteousness are obligatory on both sexes,…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 21:7-9
Moral uncleanness or defilement passes to the husband and father kern an immoral wife or daughter, and therefore the priest is to be specially careful in the selection of his wife; and his daughter, if she leads a licen…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 21:7-9
The marriage of the clergy, according to the discipline of the reformed Churches, is one of the points on which the latter bear a marked superiority to the Latin Church, which forbids its bishops and priests to marry; a…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 21:10-15
The high priest, upon whose head the anointing off was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, symbolizing in his person the Holy One in a more special manner than the other priests, has to aim so much t…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 21:16-24
Perfection of the body being typical of perfection of the mind and of the whole man, and symbolical perfection being required of the priest of God, none may be admitted to the priesthood with bodily defects, or excresce…