What is the meaning of Leviticus 13:57? But if it reappears The priests had already isolated and washed the suspected cloth (Leviticus 13:54–55). If, after that careful process, the discoloration showed up again, it proved the first cleansing was only surface-deep. The verse reminds us that God’s Word never shrugs at partial remedies; what reappears must be faced, not ignored. Paul uses similar language when warning that false teaching “will spread like gangrene” (2 Timothy 2:17). in the fabric, weave, or knit Whether the material was woven from wool or linen, knitted, or simply a finished bolt of cloth, every variety came under the same inspection (Leviticus 13:47–49). God’s standard is consistent; no corner of life—work clothes, household linens, priestly garments—gets a pass. or on any leather article Leather goods were prized in the desert culture of Israel, yet even costly items could harbor infection. Verse 48 had already applied the rule to leather; verse 57 repeats it so no one confuses value with purity. Jesus echoes this principle: “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). it is spreading The key diagnostic word. If the mark grows, the object isn’t just stained; it is alive with corruption. Scripture treats unchecked corruption as active, never passive—“a little leaven leavens the whole batch” (1 Corinthians 5:6). Sin behaves the same way: left alone, it advances. You must burn the contaminated article No second chances. Destruction protected the camp physically and, by analogy, spiritually. Israel would later raze houses with persistent mildew (Leviticus 14:44–45). Jude urges believers to “snatch others from the fire and save them, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh” (Jude 1:23). Radical measures preserve holiness. summary Leviticus 13:57 commands Israel to recognize recurring contamination, judge it accurately, and remove it decisively—even at personal cost. The verse underscores God’s unwavering call to purity: when corruption resurfaces and spreads, it must be destroyed, not managed. In Christ we learn the deeper lesson—deal thoroughly with sin before it permeates every fabric of life. |
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