What connections exist between Leviticus 2:3 and New Testament teachings on holiness? Leviticus 2:3 – A Snapshot of Holiness “ ‘The remainder of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the offerings made by fire to the LORD.’ ” • The leftover portion is called “most holy,” a unique status in Leviticus reserved for objects and people wholly set apart to God. • Only the priests—already consecrated—may eat it, and they must consume it in a holy place (Leviticus 6:16). • Holiness here is both positional (set apart by God) and practical (handled in a prescribed, pure manner). Why “Most Holy” Matters • Signals God’s absolute purity and His right to dictate how His gifts are used. • Highlights separation from common use; nothing about the offering is ordinary. • Establishes a pattern: whatever touches the “most holy” must itself be holy (Exodus 29:37). Priestly Participation Foreshadowing Believers • Priests feed on what is dedicated to God; the people’s offering becomes their sustenance. • In Christ, every believer is now “a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9) and may “draw near” (Hebrews 10:22). • Eating the holy portion prefigures communion with God and sharing in what is devoted to Him (1 Colossians 10:16-17). Christ, the True Grain Offering • Fine flour without leaven (Leviticus 2:1) pictures Jesus’ sinless humanity. • Oil and frankincense point to His Spirit-filled life and fragrant devotion (John 1:32; Ephesians 5:2). • Through His death we receive “the bread of God…giving life to the world” (John 6:33). • Because He is the consummate offering, believers partake of Him and become holy through Him (Hebrews 10:10, 14). New Testament Echoes of Levitical Holiness • Romans 12:1 — “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” • 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 — God’s temple is holy, “and that temple is you.” • 1 Peter 1:15-16 — “Be holy, because I am holy.” • 2 Corinthians 7:1 — “perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” • Hebrews 13:15-16 — offer continual “sacrifice of praise… for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” (The Levitical pattern of set-apart offerings becomes the NT call for wholehearted, set-apart lives.) Links Between Leviticus 2:3 and NT Holiness • Set-Apart Portion → Set-Apart People: just as only priests could consume the most holy portion, only those made holy in Christ can truly fellowship with God (1 Peter 2:5). • Holy Consumption → Holy Conduct: the priests’ act of eating affects how they live; believers who “feed” on Christ show His life in practical holiness (Galatians 2:20). • Divine Ownership → Total Surrender: the grain offering belonged to God first; likewise, believers “are not [their] own… bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). • Sacred Space → Sacred Heart: the offering was eaten “in a holy place”; now the believer’s body is that place (1 Corinthians 6:19). Living Out the Priesthood Today • Nourish yourself daily on Christ through Scripture and fellowship (Matthew 4:4). • Guard what you allow into your “holy place” (Philippians 4:8). • Offer continual praise and acts of mercy as spiritual sacrifices (Hebrews 13:15-16). • Pursue purity in thought, speech, and action, remembering “without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). |
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