Introduction to Leviticus

Leviticus nowhere contains a claim of authorship. However, the book consists of God’s personal revelations to Moses, which strongly implies that Moses wrote the book. Elsewhere, the Old Testament refers to Moses’ authorship of the Law, which includes Leviticus (e.g., 1 Chr 15:15; 22:13; 2 Chr 23:18; Ezra 3:2; Neh 1:7; Mal 4:4). All four of the Gospel writers refer to Moses’ authorship of the Old Testament Law (e.g., Matt 8:4; Mark 12:26; Luke 24:27; John 1:17). The Gospel of Luke refers specifically to a passage in Leviticus and states that it is from Moses (Luke 2:22). The apostle Paul quoted Leviticus 18:5 and wrote that it was from Moses (Rom 10:5). All four of the Gospels record that Jesus Himself referred to Moses’ authorship of the Law (Matt 19:7-8; Mark 10:3,5; Luke 24:44; John 5:46-47; 7:19), and Jesus specifically referred to laws in Leviticus as from Moses (Matt 8:4; Mark 1:44; Luke 5:14). Since Jesus is omniscient and spoke infallibly, for followers of Jesus the identity of the author of Leviticus is settled: Moses wrote the book.

Interpreting and Applying Old Testament Law

One challenge in applying the book of Leviticus in practical ways is that we do not know how to interpret it well. A brief description of a Christian method of interpreting Old Testament law could be helpful. Many Christians divide the laws in the Old Testament into three categories: ceremonial laws, civil laws, and moral laws. Ceremonial laws have to do with rituals regarding worship, leadership of worship, and preparation for worship. Jesus made the Old Testament ceremonial system obsolete when He became our high priest and the final sacrifice for sin (Heb 8:13; 9:11–10:18). Also, the civil laws no longer apply to us in the new covenant age, since their purpose was to govern the society of Israel during the period of the old covenant. It is clear, however, that the moral laws of the Old Testament still apply to us, since most or all of them are repeated in the New Testament.

Thus, such a division of Old Testament laws into three categories can be helpful. However, we must admit that such categories are extraneous to the Bible. Furthermore, even though new covenant believers are not required to obey old covenant ceremonial and civil laws, can’t such laws teach us something about God? God gave the laws, after all. He gave them to His people in a specific place for a specific time, but they are in the Bible and the whole Bible is important. So what do they mean to us today? The following is a simple seven-step method that I have found helpful for interpreting and applying the law.

First, affirm inspiration and helpfulness. Second Timothy 3:16 says,

All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness.

“All Scripture is inspired by God.” When the apostle Paul wrote that, the New Testament did not exist. He was writing about the Old Testament Scripture that includes Leviticus, and he wrote, “All Scripture is inspired by God.” “All Scripture,” including the books of law like Leviticus. So we affirm inspiration—God breathed out, inspired, Leviticus. Also we affirm its helpfulness. What does 2 Timothy 3:16 state next? “All Scripture is . . . profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness.” So all Scripture is not only inspired; all of it is also helpful, profitable. In the new covenant period the Old Testament ceremonial and civil laws are not law for us; our disobedience to individual laws is not punished as was the case in ancient Israel. However, they are profitable in that they teach us about God, His will, and how to live for Him in today’s world (Guthrie, Read the Bible for Life, 95–108).

Second, affirm fulfillment in Jesus. The whole Old Testament is fulfilled in Jesus, even the legal sections like Leviticus. After the resurrection of Jesus, He met a few of His disciples on the road to Emmaus. He told them that His life, death, and resurrection were prophesied in the Old Testament. He said in Luke 24:44,

Everything written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.

“Everything written about Me in the Law of Moses.” The law of Moses, including Leviticus, is somehow about Jesus. Jesus said, “Don’t assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matt 5:17). Jesus said that He came to fulfill the Law. How does Jesus fulfill the Law? We’ll see that as we go through Leviticus, but for now let’s affirm Jesus’ statement that He fulfills it.

Third, determine what the law/text meant in its original context. We study what originally happened. What does the Bible say about how a particular sacrifice was offered, or how the Day of Atonement was observed? The contemporary meaning is based on the original meaning; the contemporary application is based on the original application. It’s often been said that a text in the Bible cannot mean what it never meant. How would this passage have been understood and applied in its original setting? We base our interpretation on that.

Fourth, note the similarities with today’s context. For example, Leviticus 11:7 directs God’s people to refrain from eating pork. I like pork. Barbequed pork is so common in North Carolina that if I did not eat it I would likely be breaking some state law. However, I would not be breaking any law in the new covenant. Evidently some people were pressuring Christians in Colossae to follow the dietary regulations of the old covenant. The apostle Paul wrote to them: “Don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink. . . . These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is the Messiah” (Col 2:16-17). So the Old Testament dietary laws no longer apply in the age of the new covenant; faith in Jesus the Messiah makes them obsolete and supersedes them.

But what did the command against eating pork mean in its original context? The pagan peoples around Israel ate pork. In commanding His people not to eat pork God was creating a distinction between His people and other peoples. God’s people were to observe that distinction; they were to be different, separate. What is the similarity with today’s context? People still do things God forbids, and God’s people are to be different. That’s the connection to today’s context.

Fifth, identify principles that apply to both ancient and modern contexts. With respect to refraining from eating pork, what’s the principle? God still doesn’t want His people to be exactly like the people around them. That principle applies today, so we’ve identified a principle that applies to both ancient and modern contexts. Walter Kaiser refers to this as “principlization” (Toward an Exegetical Theology, 150–63). What is the underlying principle(s) communicated by this law? Answering that question is fundamental in the task of interpreting and applying old covenant laws.

Sixth, consider what the New Testament teaches about each principle. Does the New Testament teach anything, for example, about the separation of God’s people from those who don’t know and love God? It does. Did Jesus say anything about that? He did, and He fulfills that part of the Law because He lived separate from the sin of the world, He empowers His followers to be different, and He is the difference between His followers and those who don’t know and love God.

Seventh, apply the principle to your life. The principle is that God wants us to be different from those who don’t know Him. I apply that principle by rejecting the sinful practices of the world and separating myself from them and to Jesus.