How does Leviticus 21:13 connect to New Testament teachings on marriage? Leviticus 21:13—A Call to Pure Marriage “He must marry a woman who is a virgin.” (Leviticus 21:13) • Given to the high priest, this command protected both ritual purity and the picture of Israel’s covenant with a holy God. • The verse underscores three themes that reappear in the New Testament: purity, covenant exclusivity, and representative witness. Purity—From Priesthood to Every Disciple • Jesus deepens the call to purity by addressing the heart, not merely outward acts (Matthew 5:27-28). • Paul echoes the same standard: “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4) • Hebrews reminds believers, “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept undefiled.” (Hebrews 13:4) • The high priest’s requirement becomes a pattern: followers of Christ, now called a “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9), are to guard moral purity before and within marriage. Covenant Faithfulness—One Flesh, One Partner • Jesus cites Genesis and affirms: “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate.” (Mark 10:9) • The exclusivity demanded of Israel’s high priest foreshadows the New Testament insistence on lifelong, faithful union between one man and one woman (Matthew 19:4-6). • Leviticus’ concern for an unblemished union hints at the “one-flesh” mystery Paul celebrates in Ephesians 5:31. A Priestly Picture of Christ and His Church • The high priest prefigures Christ, our great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14). • Just as the priest’s bride was to be pure, Jesus “loved the church and gave Himself up for her… to present her to Himself… holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:25-27) • Revelation presents the consummation: “The marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.” (Revelation 19:7) • Leviticus 21:13 therefore foreshadows the spotless, eternal union between Christ and redeemed believers. Leadership Standards—Echoes in Pastoral Qualifications • Spiritual leaders are still called to exemplary marriages: “An overseer… must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife.” (1 Timothy 3:2; cf. Titus 1:6) • The principle established for ancient priests—marriages that model holiness—remains a requirement for New Testament shepherds. Putting It All Together Leviticus 21:13 sets a high bar for the priest’s marriage to reflect God’s holiness. The New Testament broadens that bar: • Every believer is invited into priest-like purity. • Every marriage is to mirror God’s unwavering covenant love. • Church leaders, like Israel’s priests, must embody these truths publicly. Thus, the single Old Testament verse becomes a seed that blossoms into the New Testament’s rich, Christ-centered vision of marriage—pure, faithful, and gospel-proclaiming. |
    |