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The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 18:19-23
The preservation of the marriage relationship in its purity is the safeguard against sins of lust, which will be sure to invade a society wherever licentiousness or asceticism has dishonoured marriage.
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 18:19
The marriage restrictions having been laid down, there follows in the five next verses the prohibition of five sexual impurities unconnected with marriage except by their subject-matter. The first is to approach unto a…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 18:20
The second prohibition is, Thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour's wife—a prohibition already made in other words in the ten commandments. The punishment for adultery is death by stoning (Leviticus 20:10; Deute…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 18:21
The third prohibition is, Thou shall not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech. The words the fire are properly inserted, though not expressed in the original (cf. Deuteronomy 18:10; 2 Kings 22:10). What w…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 18:22
The fourth prohibition forbids the sin of Sodom (see Genesis 19:5; 11:22; Romans 1:27; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10). The penalty is death (Leviticus 20:13).
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 18:23
The fifth prohibition (see Herod; Leviticus 2:16). The penalty is death (Leviticus 20:15).
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 18:24-30
Dissolute morals in respect to the relations of the sexes is always a symptom which precedes the ruin of an empire or the fall of a nation. It is both a sign and a cause—a sign of a general corruption, which will show i…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 18:24-30
These verses contain a warning against the sins of incest and impurity already specified. The reason why the Canaanites were east out before the Israelites was that they were defiled in all these things,… and the land w…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 18:24-30
The penalty of sin. The disastrous consequences of iniquity are clearly and strongly expressed in these concluding words of the chapter. We have the truth brought out— I. THAT BY SIN WE CORRUPT OURSELVES. "Defile not ye…
Matthew Henry on Leviticus 19:1-37
There are some ceremonial precepts in this chapter, but most of these precepts are binding on us, for they are explanations of the ten commandments. It is required that Israel be a holy people, because the God of Israel…
Ceremonial and Moral Laws. (b. c. 1490.)
CEREMONIAL AND MORAL LAWS. (B. C. 1490.) Moses is ordered to deliver the summary of the laws to all the congregation of the children of Israel (Leviticus 19:2); not to Aaron and his sons only, but to all the people, for…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:1-37
EXPOSITION From the prohibition of moral uncleanness exhibiting itself in the form of incest and licentiousness, the legislator proceeds to a series of laws and commandments against other kinds of immorality, inculcatin…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:1
Morality has a basis of its own. The moral philosopher, if asked, "Why should I act morally?" replies, "Because it is right for you to do so." If asked further, "Why is it right for me to do so?" he replies, "Because yo…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:1-37
Social morality. cf. Matthew 22:35-40; Romans 12:1-21; James, passim. From the primary principle of unworldliness, we now have to proceed to sundry details about social morality. Although these details are given indiscr…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:1-8
Purity in worship. The laws set out in this chapter were before communicated to Aaron and his sons; now they are given to the people (Leviticus 19:1, Leviticus 19:2). It is the privilege and duty of God's people to acqu…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:2
Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy. The religious motive is put forward here, as in the previous chapter, as the foundation of all morality. It is God's will that we should be holy, and by being holy we.…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:3
Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father. The words fear and reverence are in this connection interchangeable. So Ephesians 5:33, "Let the wife see that she reverence her husband," where the word "reverence" w…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:3-37
The holy Law in the holy life. I. REVERENCE FOR PARENTS. True religion is seen in common, everyday life. If we love God, we love man. Family peace and order is best preserved by appeal to deep, religious motives. Natura…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:3
The laws of submission 1. The family is an institution of God's appointment (Genesis 1:28; Genesis 2:24). The command to children to honour their father and mother is distinguished in the Decalogue by a blessing attache…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:4
This verse contains the laws of piety and of faith. "Turn ye not unto idols" forbids the worship of false gods; "nor make to yourselves molten gods" forbids in addition the sin of worshipping the true God under the form…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:4
Turn ye not unto idols. The word used for idols, elilim, meaning nothings, is contrasted with Elohim, God. Psalms 115:1-18 exhibits this contrast in several of its particulars. Cf. St. Paul's statement, "We know that an…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:5-8
The unsystematic character of this chapter is indicated by prohibitions under the fifth, fourth, first, and second commandments (Leviticus 19:3, Leviticus 19:4) being succeeded by a ceremonial instruction respecting the…
The Pulpit Commentary on Leviticus 19:9-14
Kindliness. In the earlier portion of this chapter purity of worship, with its associated reverence for the authority of God, in his representatives, viz. natural parents, and his institutions, as the sabbath, are enjoi…
Matthew Henry on Leviticus 19:11-18
We are taught here, I. To be honest and true in all our dealings, Leviticus 19:11. God, who has appointed every man's property by his providence, forbids by his law the invading of that appointment, either by downright…