What connections exist between Leviticus 15:2 and New Testament teachings on purity? Setting the Scene: Leviticus 15:2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When any man has a bodily discharge from his flesh, the discharge is unclean.’” Why Bodily Discharges Mattered • The discharge rendered the man ritually unclean—unable to enter the tabernacle or share in corporate worship (Leviticus 15:3-13). • Uncleanness spread to everything and everyone he touched (Leviticus 15:4-12). • The law taught Israel that even the most private, natural bodily functions reminded them of the pervasive reach of sin and the need for cleansing before a holy God. Christ’s Fulfillment of Ritual Cleansing • Hebrews 9:13-14: animal blood and “ashes of a heifer” sanctified “for the cleansing of the flesh,” but “how much more will the blood of Christ… cleanse our consciences.” • Hebrews 10:1-4: Levitical rituals were “a shadow of the good things to come.” • Titus 3:5-6: “He saved us… by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” Jesus and the Unclean—Living Parables of Grace • Luke 8:43-48: a woman with a twelve-year hemorrhage (continuous discharge) touches Jesus. According to Leviticus 15 she should defile Him, yet power flows the opposite direction—He cleanses her. • Mark 1:40-42: Jesus touches a leper; again uncleanness is reversed. • In both cases, Jesus shows that the new covenant centers on His person, not on external barriers. Inner Purity Over External Regulations • Mark 7:18-23: “Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him… What comes out of a man, that is what defiles him.” • Matthew 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” • 1 John 1:7-9: cleansing now happens “by the blood of Jesus His Son,” coupled with confession. Sexual Integrity Still Matters • 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5: “This is the will of God—your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality.” • 1 Corinthians 6:18-20: believers are temples of the Holy Spirit; flee sexual immorality. • While ritual uncleanness no longer bars worship, its moral lesson endures: God calls His people to bodily holiness. Practical Takeaways • Approach God confidently because Christ’s blood provides complete cleansing (Hebrews 4:16). • Guard both heart and body—moral purity is still commanded, even if ritual purity laws are fulfilled in Christ. • Show compassion to those society labels “unclean”; Jesus moves toward them, not away. • Let the awareness of Christ’s cleansing spur gratitude and a lifestyle that reflects His holiness (2 Corinthians 7:1). |
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