Topical Bible: Defilement: Priests: To Decide in all Cases of

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Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical context, defilement refers to the state of being ceremonially unclean or impure, which can result from various actions, conditions, or contacts. The role of priests in determining and addressing defilement is a significant aspect of their duties as outlined in the Old Testament. Priests were entrusted with the responsibility of distinguishing between the clean and the unclean, ensuring that the community adhered to the laws of purity as commanded by God.

Biblical Foundation

The primary scriptural basis for the priestly role in deciding cases of defilement is found in the book of Leviticus. Leviticus 10:10-11 states, "You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean, and you must teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses." This passage underscores the priestly duty to educate and guide the Israelites in matters of purity and holiness.

Types of Defilement

Defilement could arise from various sources, including:

1. Contact with Dead Bodies: Numbers 19:11 declares, "Whoever touches any dead body will be unclean for seven days." Priests were responsible for overseeing the purification process for those who became unclean through such contact.

2. Skin Diseases: Leviticus 13 provides detailed instructions for priests to examine individuals with skin diseases, such as leprosy, to determine their status of cleanliness. Leviticus 13:3 states, "The priest shall examine the sore on his skin, and if the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a leprous sore. The priest shall examine him and pronounce him unclean."

3. Bodily Discharges: Leviticus 15 outlines the regulations concerning bodily discharges, which rendered a person unclean. Priests were tasked with ensuring that those affected followed the necessary purification rituals.

4. Dietary Laws: Leviticus 11 details the clean and unclean animals, and priests played a role in teaching and enforcing these dietary laws.

Priestly Authority and Responsibility

The priests, particularly those from the line of Aaron, were given the authority to make judgments in cases of defilement. This authority was not merely administrative but was seen as divinely ordained. The priests acted as mediators between God and the people, ensuring that the community remained in a state of ritual purity, which was essential for maintaining a proper relationship with God.

Ezekiel 44:23 further emphasizes the priestly role: "They shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the common, and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean." This highlights the educational aspect of the priestly function, as they were to instruct the people in understanding and observing God's laws.

Implications for Worship and Community Life

The state of being clean or unclean had significant implications for worship and community life. Those who were defiled were often excluded from participating in communal worship and had to undergo specific purification rites before being reintegrated into the community. The priests' decisions in these matters were crucial for maintaining the sanctity of the worship space and the community's overall spiritual health.

In summary, the priests' role in deciding cases of defilement was a vital aspect of their ministry, ensuring that the Israelites lived in accordance with God's commandments and maintained the purity required for worship and communal life.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Leviticus 10:10
And that you may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Leviticus 13:3
And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Christ Before Pilate.
... had taken to themselves the right to decide on all ... or to enter his house was a source
of defilement. ... Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/christ before pilate.htm

The Dialogue against the Luciferians.
... a bishop in the same faith causes no defilement to the ... Eucharist, for he has no bishops
or priests, nor can ... Antioch (264-269) which was held to decide upon the ...
/.../the principal works of st jerome/the dialogue against the luciferians.htm

Life and Works of Rufinus with Jerome's Apology Against Rufinus.
... but, "As to this or that I do not decide, I only ... myself whom alone he seeks to injure
by all that he ... myself, nor will I say that there are cases of necessity ...
/.../various/life and works of rufinus with jeromes apology against rufinus /