What is the meaning of Leviticus 6:28? The clay pot “The clay pot … must be broken” (Leviticus 6:28). • Clay is porous; once blood or fat from the sin offering soaks in, the vessel is permanently marked as holy to the LORD (Leviticus 6:25; Exodus 29:37). • Breaking it prevents the pot from ever being used for anything common, guarding Israel from treating the holy as ordinary (Leviticus 10:1–3). • God’s concern for purity reaches even kitchenware, foreshadowing His call that every part of life belong to Him (1 Corinthians 10:31). in which the sin offering is boiled Only the priestly family ate this meat, and only inside the tabernacle court (Leviticus 6:26). • By boiling it, the fat is rendered away, leaving flesh that symbolizes sin carried away on behalf of the people (Hebrews 13:11–12). • The cooking vessel, therefore, shares in the sacrifice’s holiness and must be treated accordingly (Haggai 2:12–13). must be broken Breaking renders the earthen pot unusable, picturing how sin’s penalty is final once atoned for (Isaiah 53:5). • It points ahead to Christ’s body, “broken” for us (1 Corinthians 11:24). • The shattered vessel also warns against re-contamination—there is no going back to the old life after forgiveness (Romans 6:1–4). if it is boiled in a bronze pot, Bronze, a durable metal, does not absorb the sacrifice. • Bronze items were common in tabernacle service—altar, basin stands (Exodus 27:2; 30:18). • The use of bronze allows reuse once cleansed, showing God provides practical means for ongoing ministry (Numbers 31:22). the pot must be scoured and rinsed with water Though less porous, the bronze still contacts what is holy. It must be purified. • Scouring removes residue; water symbolizes cleansing (Exodus 30:20–21; Ephesians 5:26). • Fire and water together were God’s chosen agents for purifying metal (Numbers 31:23). • The step emphasizes vigilance: holiness demands continual cleansing before service (2 Timothy 2:21). summary Leviticus 6:28 teaches that everything touched by the sin offering becomes holy and must be treated with reverence. Porous clay pots are broken so nothing profane ever mingles with what belonged exclusively to God, while bronze pots may be cleansed and reused, depicting practical stewardship married to uncompromising holiness. The principle reaches beyond ancient cookware: sin’s penalty is final, God’s cleansing is thorough, and those who serve Him must keep their “vessels” pure for ongoing use in His service (2 Corinthians 4:7; 1 Thessalonians 4:4). |
    |