Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes… Give me understanding that I may observe your law and keep it with all my heart. Make me walk in the path of your commandments for I delight in it. Psalm 119:33-35
Leviticus 21:1 Yahweh said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them, ‘A priest shall not defile himself for the dead among his people, 2 except for his relatives that are near to him: for his mother, for his father, for his son, for his daughter, for his brother, 3 and for his virgin sister who is near to him, who has had no husband; for her he may defile himself. 4 He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
5 “‘They shall not shave their heads or shave off the corners of their beards or make any cuttings in their flesh. 6 They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God, for they offer the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, the bread of their God. Therefore they shall be holy.
7 “‘They shall not marry a woman who is a prostitute, or profane. A priest shall not marry a woman divorced from her husband; for he is holy to his God. 8 Therefore you shall sanctify him, for he offers the bread of your God. He shall be holy to you, for I Yahweh, who sanctify you, am holy.
9 “‘The daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by playing the prostitute, she profanes her father. She shall be burned with fire.
10 “”The high priest who is greater than his brothers, upon whose head the anointing oil is poured, and who is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not let the hair of his head hang loose, or tear his clothes. 11 He must not go in to any dead body, or defile himself for his father or for his mother. 12 He shall not go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him. I am Yahweh.
13 “‘He shall take a wife in her virginity. 14 He shall not marry a widow, or one divorced, or a woman who has been defiled, or a prostitute. He shall take a virgin of his own people as a wife. 15 He shall not profane his offspring among his people, for I am Yahweh who sanctifies him.’”
16 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 17 “Say to Aaron, ‘None of your offspring throughout their generations who has a defect may approach to offer the bread of his God. 18 For whatever man he is that has a defect, he shall not draw near: a blind man, or a lame, or he who has a flat nose, or any deformity, 19 or a man who has an injured foot, or an injured hand, 20 or hunchbacked, or a dwarf, or one who has a defect in his eye, or an itching disease, or scabs, or who has damaged testicles. 21 No man of the offspring of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall come near to offer the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. Since he has a defect, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. 22 He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy. 23 He shall not come near to the veil, nor come near to the altar, because he has a defect; that he may not profane my sanctuaries, for I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.’”
24 So Moses spoke to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel.
As Leviticus 20 explained, God set high moral standards for his children. They were not to live like their pagan neighbors. Continuing with that theme here in Leviticus 21 we see that God sets even higher standards for those who serve as leaders – the priest, who is greater than his brothers, in that he has been chosen to intercede before God on behalf of his brothers, must remain ritually pure.
God outlines three areas in which the priests must be holy, set apart.
First, as we saw in Genesis 3:19, because of sin, mankind is separated from God by the curse of death. However, because the priest represents life, he is not allowed to have any contact with death. A priest shall not defile himself for the dead among his people. Further he is forbidden from following the ancient pagan mourning rituals such as shaving his head or beard or cutting himself. When the priests were consecrated to God their hair was anointed with oil representing life. Because they represented life, they were not to mourn the dead by cutting their hair, allowing it to become unkempt, or by tearing their priestly clothes. That reflected the glory and holiness of God.
When Aaron’s sons were punished for their sin by God’s fire, Aaron was forbidden, under the threat of death, to publicly mourn the death of his sons. Why? God wanted the entire congregation to respect his judgments and to fear him because judgment begins with the household of God. 1 Peter 4:17. So great was Aaron’s fear of God that though he was entitled to eat meat of the purification offering he chose to burn the entire offering on the altar.
If we reflect how holy a thing God’s worship is, the enormity of the punishment will by no means offend us. Besides, it was necessary that their religion should be sanctioned at its very commencement; for if God had suffered the sons of Aaron to transgress with impunity, they would have afterwards carelessly neglected the whole law. This, therefore, was the reason for such great severity, that the priests should anxiously watch against all profanation. (John Calvin, Commentaries on the Last Four Books of Moses, Forgotten Books)
Similarly, in the New Covenant we do not grieve like the rest of mankind who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13. Yes, we grieve because death is the unnatural result of our rebellion. But because of the resurrection of Christ we have the sure hope of knowing that death is not the end of life. Rather death is a transition into eternity.
Second, the priest serving before the Lord must remain sexually pure. He is to marry a virgin and, unlike the pagan priests, he may not consort with temple prostitutes.
Similarly in the New Covenant leaders must live exemplary lives, above reproach. 1 Timothy 3:2. And their wives must be worthy of respect. 1 Timothy 3:11. Leaders must abstain from all impure behaviors such as fornication, adultery, effeminacy, homosexuality, greed, drunkenness, and obscenity. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Ephesians 5:3-5
Third, as we saw in Leviticus 8 & 9 priests had to go through an ordination process. Just like the lambs brought to sacrifice were to be without defect. The priests who served before God were to be without physical defect. The priests could not bring physical defects into the presence of God. Disqualified priests could serve in other ways but defects, brought about by the fall and the resulting curse of death, were barred from the presence of God.
In the New Covenant, all of God’s children are clothed in the righteousness of Christ and filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:11. Believers are invited to come before their Father in heaven.
Leviticus 22:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Tell Aaron and his sons to separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, which they make holy to me, and that they not profane my holy name. I am Yahweh.
3 “Tell them, ‘If anyone of all your offspring throughout your generations approaches the holy things which the children of Israel make holy to Yahweh, having his uncleanness on him, that soul shall be cut off from before me. I am Yahweh.
4 “‘Whoever of the offspring of Aaron is a leper or has a discharge shall not eat of the holy things until he is clean. Whoever touches anything that is unclean by the dead, or a man who has a seminal emission, 5 or whoever touches any creeping thing whereby he may be made unclean, or a man from whom he may become unclean, whatever uncleanness he has— 6 the person that touches any such shall be unclean until the evening, and shall not eat of the holy things unless he bathes his body in water. 7 When the sun is down, he shall be clean; and afterward he shall eat of the holy things, because it is his bread. 8 He shall not eat that which dies of itself or is torn by animals, defiling himself by it. I am Yahweh.
9 “‘They shall therefore follow my commandment, lest they bear sin for it and die in it, if they profane it. I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.
10 “‘No stranger shall eat of the holy thing: a foreigner living with the priests, or a hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing. 11 But if a priest buys a slave, purchased by his money, he shall eat of it; and those who are born in his house shall eat of his bread. 12 If a priest’s daughter is married to an outsider, she shall not eat of the heave offering of the holy things. 13 But if a priest’s daughter is a widow, or divorced, and has no child, and has returned to her father’s house as in her youth, she may eat of her father’s bread; but no stranger shall eat any of it.
14 “‘If a man eats something holy unwittingly, then he shall add the fifth part of its value to it, and shall give the holy thing to the priest. 15 The priests shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer to Yahweh, 16 and so cause them to bear the iniquity that brings guilt when they eat their holy things; for I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.’”
17 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 18 “Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘Whoever is of the house of Israel, or of the foreigners in Israel, who offers his offering, whether it is any of their vows or any of their free will offerings, which they offer to Yahweh for a burnt offering: 19 that you may be accepted, you shall offer a male without defect, of the bulls, of the sheep, or of the goats. 20 But you shall not offer whatever has a defect, for it shall not be acceptable for you. 21 Whoever offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh to accomplish a vow, or for a free will offering of the herd or of the flock, it shall be perfect to be accepted. It shall have no defect. 22 You shall not offer what is blind, is injured, is maimed, has a wart, is festering, or has a running sore to Yahweh, nor make an offering by fire of them on the altar to Yahweh. 23 Either a bull or a lamb that has any deformity or lacking in his parts, that you may offer for a free will offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted. 24 You must not offer to Yahweh that which has its testicles bruised, crushed, broken, or cut. You must not do this in your land. 25 You must not offer any of these as the bread of your God from the hand of a foreigner, because their corruption is in them. There is a defect in them. They shall not be accepted for you.’”
26 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 27 “When a bull, a sheep, or a goat is born, it shall remain seven days with its mother. From the eighth day on it shall be accepted for the offering of an offering made by fire to Yahweh. 28 Whether it is a cow or ewe, you shall not kill it and its young both in one day.
29 “When you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to Yahweh, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted. 30 It shall be eaten on the same day; you shall leave none of it until the morning. I am Yahweh.
31 “Therefore you shall keep my commandments, and do them. I am Yahweh. 32 You shall not profane my holy name, but I will be made holy among the children of Israel. I am Yahweh who makes you holy, 33 who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. I am Yahweh.”
God’s appointed leaders are to teach the people in the ways and the knowledge of God. Leviticus 10:11. Teaching is an awesome responsibility that God expects his appointed leaders, priests in the Old Covenant and pastors and elders in the New Covenant Church, to fearfully and faithfully fulfill. The lips of the priest should preserve knowledge. Malachi 2:7. God’s appointed teachers must never disrespect or dishonor God.
After God sent fire to devour Nadab and Abihu for their sin, he explained, “I will show myself holy to those who come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified.” Leviticus 10:3. This is why Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead when they lied to the Holy Spirit. Acts 5:3. This is why Paul urges the Corinthians to approach the communion table of the Lord in a worthy manner.
For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 1 Corinthians 11:29-30
This is why James writes,
Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. James 3:1
Just like Nadab and Abihu, because teachers represent God to their congregations and to the world, leaders in the church are held to very high standards so as not to publicly profane [God’s] holy name. Leviticus 22:2. In addition to the standards that God has prescribed for worship, God has established very strict moral standards for those who would serve as priests. You shall keep my commandments and do them. Leviticus 22:31.
The high standards that God established for priests in the Old Covenant church are also to be applied to those who serve as elders and deacons in Christ’s New Covenant church:
Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.
8 In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.
11 In the same way, the deacon’s wives are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. 12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well. 13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 3:2-13
First, in both the Old Covenant and in the New Covenant, God expects those who serve him to demonstrate leadership in their families as a prerequisite to being approved for leadership in the church.
Very awful is your responsibility if you diminish your zeal, love, spirituality, by marrying one who has more of earth and a present world in her person and spirit, than of heaven and a coming eternity… The conduct of the family is noticed by the world, and they lay blame of their misdeeds at the door of the parents… Children hinder the usefulness of their father, who loses influence in the eyes of the world if his counsels and walk have not succeeded in drawing his own family to God. (Andrew Bonar, Leviticus, Banner of Truth Trust)
Second, in other places Scripture warns of men, described as wolves disguised as sheep, who become leaders in the church for purely selfish reasons such as financial gain, power, sex, and political influence. In contrast elders and deacons are to be men who are above reproach, faithful, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, and able to teach. In fact, because idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, the effeminate, greedy, drunkards, slanderers, and the dishonest, will not inherit the kingdom of God, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, there must not be even a hint of sexual morality, or any kind of impurity, or of greed, Ephesians 5:3, among those leading God’s church. In other words pastors, elders, deacons, and leaders who are guilty of such behaviors profane [God’s] holy name. Leviticus 22:32. That is why God insists that pastors, elders, deacons, and leaders are to be men of high moral character, graciously hospitable, willing to open their homes, willing to share their time and possessions.
Third, pastors, elders, deacons, and leaders are to have both the desire and the ability to teach God’s Word. The Apostle Paul commended teaching the whole counsel of God, Acts 20:27, meaning teaching all of the Word of God without ignoring or glossing over the Words that our culture finds offensive and objectionable. In fact, Christ stated that it would be better to have a millstone tied around your neck and cast into the sea, Luke 17:2, then to teach falsehoods that cause people to stumble by believing lies. God takes his Word seriously and those who teach in God’s holy name must do the same so as not to defame, misrepresent, disrespect or, in any way profane the holy name and character of God. This is the essence of the Third Commandment. We are never to take, misrepresent, misuse, or carry the Lord’s name in vain. Exodus 20:7
Words are important because God speaks to us in words. God created the universe with words. The Word was God” (John 1:1). Salvation is communicated with words. The Bible’s use of the word “Word” isn’t incidental. God’s words have power to create reality. Humans think with words. Words are the building blocks of theology. Therefore, manipulating words to distort truth is a serious issue because it’s an attempt to tinker with reality. Paul spoke about this in 2 Corinthians. It says, “We have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s Word. But by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.” This verse has a negative statement and a positive statement. Negatively, Paul says he’s “renounced” any tactic of salesmanship, verbal manipulation, or deceit to try to win converts. He refused to “tamper with God’s Word” in any way. Positively, Paul was simply committed to an “open statement of the truth.” Paul refused to employ spiritually manipulative salesmanship tactics because he was an ambassador for the truth, not a peddler of propaganda. (Michael Clary, American Reformer, 5-2-2023)
If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very Words of God. 1 Peter 4:11
When this Word of God is now preached in the church… the very Word of God is proclaimed… (Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 1)
God’s Word must be taught with both clarity and conviction.