Leviticus 21:16-24

PRIESTS WITH BLEMISHES 21:16-24
TEXT 21:16-24

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And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

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Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed throughout their generations that hath a blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.

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For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or anything superfluous,

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or a man that is broken-footed, or broken-handed,

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or crook-backed, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or is scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken;

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no man of the seed of Aaron the priest, that hath a blemish, shall come nigh to offer the offerings of Jehovah made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.

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He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy:

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only he shall not go in unto the veil, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I am Jehovah who sanctifieth them.

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So Moses spake unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 21:16-24

485.

Why were those who were unfortunate in birth to be shut out from service? (Birth-defects are not moral.)

486.

Name the eleven disfigurements that shut a son of Aaron out of service at the altar. Is there any related moral reason or principle behind this?

487.

Such a Levite could serve in a limited sense. What was it?

PARAPHRASE 21:16-24

And the Lord said to Moses, Tell Aaron that any of his descendants from generation to generation who have any bodily defect may not offer the sacrifices to God. For instance, if a man is blind or lame, or has a broken nose or any extra fingers or toes, or has a broken foot or hand, or has a humped back, or is a dwarf, or has a defect in his eye, or has pimples or scabby skin, or has imperfect testiclesalthough he is a descendant of Aaronhe is not permitted to offer the fire sacrifices to the Lord because of his physical defect. However, he shall be fed with the food of the priests from the offerings sacrificed to God, both from the holy and most holy offerings. But he shall not go in behind the veil, nor come near the altar, because of the physical defect; this would defile My sanctuary, for it is Jehovah who sanctifies it. So Moses gave these instructions to Aaron and his sons and to all the people of Israel.

COMMENT 21:16-24

Leviticus 21:16-21 During our research in preparation for the writing of this BIBLE STUDY TEXTBOOK we have found some splendid material in both the PULPIT COMMENTARY under the HOMILIES by Various Authors and in THE BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATOR. We recommend these books to our readers who want to teach and preach from LEVITICUS. Here is an example from THE PULPIT COMMENTARY:

Leviticus 21:16-24Unblemished service. We gain three truths from these verses.

I. THE PRIMARY TRUTH, INTENDED FOR THE HEBREW NATION. The special instruction contained in this passage is that the altar of God was to be honoured in every possible way; therefore to be preserved from everything that would bring it into disregard; and therefore to be unapproached by any priest who had a bodily blemish. It was impossible for the people to dissociate the altar itself from those who ministered thereat; if, therefore, any physical disfigurement had been allowed, and those who were uncomely or misshapen had been permitted to officiate, the sacred ordinances of God would have suffered, in some degree, from the association in thought of the man with the thing. The priest with a blemish might not come nigh unto the altar,... that he profane not my sanctuaries (Leviticus 21:23). We may learn, in passing, that it is almost impossible to overestimate, the influence for good or ill which is unconsciously exerted by those who minister, in any function, in the Church or Christ on the popular estimate of their office.

II. THE SECONDARY TRUTH, APPLICABLE TO us ALL. In a typical system it is necessary that the body should frequently represent the soul, the organs of the one picturing the faculties of the other. The requirement of a perfect bodily frame on the part of those who approached to offer the bread of their God (Leviticus 21:17), intimated to them, and now indicates to us, the essential and eternal truth that the best is to be brought to the service of God: not that with which we can most easily part, but the very best that we can bring. 1. Not the unattractive service (flat nose, scabbed, etc.), but that which is as beautiful and inviting in its form as we can make it. 2. Not unacquaintance with our subject (a blind man), but the fullest possible acquisition and understanding. 3. Not an example which is defective, a walking which is irregular (a lame man, crookbacked), but an upright, honourable demeanour, walking in the commandments of the Lord blameless. 4. Not a feeble and faltering delivery (brokenhanded), but a facile, skilful handling of the Word of God. We may note, before we pass, that the God whom we serve is expectant, but is not inconsiderate. He who refuses to allow a priest with any blemish to approach to offer the bread of his God, expressly desired that such priest should eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy (Leviticus 21:22); he might not serve, but he should not suffer, on account of a bodily misfortune. God requires of us that, in approaching him, we should bring not our exhaustion but our freshness, not our hurried but our patient preparation, not our remnants but our substance, not our worthless belongings but our worthiest self; at the same time, he makes every allowance for our weakness, our infirmity, our human feebleness and frailty: he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

III. A FURTHER TRUTH, RELATING TO THE FUTURE LIFE. We dare not hope to render to God any absolutely unblemished service here. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves (1 John 1:8). Here our holiest services are marred by spiritual imperfection. It should be our aim, our prayer, our endeavour, to make our worship, our work, and our life as little blemished as may be; to make all our service as elevated in spirit and motive as may be; and doing this, we may look confidently and joyously onward to the time when his servants shall serve him in the very fulness of their strength and joy, and when their service shall be not only undimmed by any gathering tear, but unstained with any rising thought of sin.

FACT QUESTIONS 21:16-24

499.

In what way was the altar of God honored by a priest without a bodily blemish?

500.

How is the altar and the priest inseparably associated?

501.

Show four analogous comparisons of the thought that the best must be brought to the service of God.

502.

After having done all we are yet unprofitable servants. We cannot after all offer to God any truly unblemished service. What application was made in this point?