Essays on Religion

Topic 5: What's A Leviticus? And How Do I Deal With Old Testament Laws?

Ten years ago, many people would have summed up the first five books of the Bible like this:

Genesis: God creates the world. Adam and Eve. Cain and Abel, maybe?

Exodus: Moses. Leaving Egypt. Wandering around. Ten commandments.

Leviticus: Huh? That's a book?

Numbers: I don't know...The Christians have a book filled only with numbers? Weird.

Deuteronomy: No way, man. That's not even english.

The thing is, the first five books of the Bible are an interconnected set called “The Pentateuch” or “The Torah” or “The Books of Moses.”

It has a nickname among Christians and Jews that's very valuable for understanding how Christians read these books. “The Law.”

It's a common misconception to assume these are part of the “history” narratives just because they deal with things happening in ancient times. No, these books are the laws of God for his people, as well as the justification for them. (This is one of the reasons, by the way, it's illogical to believe in a literal Genesis. The focus is on not history but law).

Recently, there's been a shift in common perceptions of the Pentateuch:

Genesis: Evolution is false. Talking snakes (lol!).

Exodus: 10 plagues.

Leviticus: THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOK IN THE BIBLE IT SAYS “THOU MUST HATE GAYS”

Numbers: I don't know...The Christians have a book filled only with numbers? Weird.

Deuteronomy: No way, man. That's not even english.

The Gay rights movement has brought Leviticus into the limelight maybe for the first time since the Babylonian captivity of the Jews circa the sixth century BC.

And if you know of any old people, you must likely at some point received this:

FWD: FWD: FWD: FWD: FWD: ATHEIST DESTROYS DUMB CHRISTIAN:

Dear Lou-Anne,

I am writing you this because it's so funny...and so true. Is from Canadian radio show. Love, Richard.

1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can’t I own Canadians?

2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of Menstrual uncleanliness – Lev15: 19-24. The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord – Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

And on it goes.

These days, the Book of Leviticus is seen as the pinnacle of Christian irrationality. But that's because no one is teaching what Christian law means anymore. I can sympathize so much more today with the Catholic clergy who wanted to restrict Biblical access. I know it's ultimately a bad idea, but it stops morons from misinterpreting.

Okay, let's get down to Leviticus. The name comes from the Levites, also known as the priests in Israel (from the tribe of Levi). Their prototype is Aaron, Moses' right-hand man. So right off the bad let's see what the title tells us about Leviticus. “Code of the Jewish Priests.”

So far, so good. Now let's dive in to the structure. The first seven chapters deal largely with sacrificial laws. How to sacrifice animals to God. This idea was drilled into the heads of the Jews largely so that Jesus' sacrifice would make sense to everyone. It's one way of looking at the crucifixion. It basically tells us that the worse sin you commit, the bigger sacrifice you should make. Okay, fair enough. Nothing too odd there. Chapters 6-7 are instructions to the Priests, for how to be on the other end helping people sacrifice for forgiveness.

8-10 also deals with the Priesthood. How it should run, what it looks like under Aaron. What not to do. That sort of thing.

11-16 Focuses on cleanliness. Why? It isn't—as some may say—because God wanted to prevent people from getting sick. That may have been a side effect, but it wasn't the point of Leviticus. It was to teach that all of are unclean, and to remind everyone of their need to think about holiness and spiritual purity. One major theme of Leviticus is the transcendence of true religion. It isn't an hour on sunday but always, everywhere, for everything. This section concludes with how to purify from uncleanness, teaching us that every un-holy thing we do can be wiped clean.

We're now almost two-thirds into Leviticus, and so far no takeaway points should shock you too much. Far from irrationality, Leviticus is mystical and intense.

17-26 is rules for non-priests. The laity. “Practical holiness,” if you like. Here is what the text is supposed to impress upon you:

The rules of God are difficult. You must always be aware of them, and they will take all your energies.

The rules of God do not always make sense to you. You cannot perfectly follow of them. Try to follow them nonetheless.

Ritual connects mankind to God

Atonement is necessary

Now, keep those four points in the back of your head, because I'm about to surprise my Atheist readers.

Jesus Christ is the fulfillment (end) of the Levitican law. He is the atonement. The end of purity. The real thing that Leviticus hints at.

I'll give an example: In the Old Testament, children were expected to be circumcised. A sign that they were dedicated to God. In the New Covenant (the term for our relationship with God post-Jesus) we no longer need to do the physical thing (the accident in philosophical language) but only the spiritual (the real) part. Because Jesus perfectly fulfills the physical, while teaching us the spiritual.

So then, if you followed that, congratulations. The four major themes of Leviticus (above) still stand. But now we look for their Real meaning instead of their Accidental. Sacrifice is no longer bulls but the bloodless sacrifice of faith. And so on and so forth.

People who read Leviticus and scratch their heads over shellfish, or homosexuality, or cereal offerings aren't distinguishing between the Accident of the law and the Real of the law. 

In Plato's allegory they are looking at shadows, supposing them to be real people and animals and things.