Leviticus 19

Chapter 19 Some ceremonial precepts there are in this chapter, but most of them are moral. One would wonder that when some of the lighter matters of the law are greatly enlarged upon (witness two long chapters concerning the leprosy) many of the weightier matters are put into a little compass: divers of the single verses of this chapter contain whole laws concerning judgment and mercy; for these are things which are manifest in every man’s conscience; men’s own thoughts are able to explain these, and to comment upon them. I. The laws of this chapter, which were peculiar to the Jews, are, 1. Concerning their peace-offerings (v. 5-8). 2. Concerning the gleanings of their fields (v. 9, 10). 3. Against mixtures of their cattle, seed, and cloth (v. 19). 4. Concerning their trees (v. 23–25). 5. Against some superstitious usages (v. 26–28). But, II. Most of these precepts are binding on us, for they are expositions of most of the ten commandments. 1. Here is the preface to the ten commandments, "I am the Lord," repeated fifteen times. 2. A sum of the ten commandments. All the first table in this, "Be you holy," (v. 2). All the second table in this, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour" (v. 18), and an answer to the question, "Who is my neighbour?" (v. 33, 34). 3. Something of each commandment. (1.) The first commandment implied in that which is often repeated here, "I am your God." And here is a prohibition of enchantment (v. 26) and witchcraft (v. 31), which make a god of the devil. (2.) Idolatry, against the second commandment, is forbidden, (v. 4). (3.) Profanation of God’s name, against the third (v. 12). (4.) Sabbath-sanctification is pressed (v. 3, 30). (5.) Children are required to honour their parents (v. 3), and the aged (v. 32). (6.) Hatred and revenge are here forbidden, against the sixth commandment (v. 17, 18). (7.) Adultery (v. 20–22), and whoredom (v. 29). (8.) Justice is here required in judgment (v. 15), theft forbidden (v. 11), fraud and withholding dues (v. 13), and false weights (v. 35, 36). (9.) Lying (v. 11). Slandering (v. 14). Tale-bearing, and false-witness bearing (v. 16). (10.) The tenth commandment laying a restraint upon the heart, so does that (v. 17), "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart." And here is a solemn charge to observe all these statutes (v. 37). Now these are things which need not much help for the understanding of them, but require constant care and watchfulness for the observing of them. "A good understanding have all those that do these commandments."Verses 1-10 Moses is ordered to deliver the summary of the laws to all the congregation of the children of Israel (v. 2); not to Aaron and his sons only, but to all the people, for they were all concerned to know their duty. Even in the darker ages of the law, that religion could not be of God which boasted of ignorance as its mother. Moses must make known God’s statutes to all the congregation, and proclaim them through the camp. These laws, it is probable, he delivered himself to as many of the people as could be within hearing at once, and so by degrees at several times to them all. Many of the precepts here given they had received before, but it was requisite that they should be repeated, that they might be remembered. Precept must be upon precept, and line upon line, and all little enough. In these verses,I. It is required that Israel be a holy people, because the God of Israel is a holy God, v. 2. Their being distinguished from all other people by peculiar laws and customs was intended to teach them a real separation from the world and the flesh, and an entire devotedness to God. And this is now the law of Christ (the Lord bring every thought within us into obedience to it!) You shall be holy, for I am holy, 1 Pt. 1:15, 16. We are the followers of the holy Jesus, and therefore must be, according to our capacity, consecrated to God’s honour, and conformed to his nature and will. Israel was sanctified by the types and shadows (ch. 20:8), but we are sanctified by the truth, or substance of all those shadows, Jn. 17:17; Tit. 2:14.II. That children be obedient to their parents: "You shall fear every man his mother and his father, v. 3. 1. The fear here required is the same with the honour commanded by the fifth commandment; see Mal. 1:6. It includes inward reverence and esteem, outward expressions of respect, obedience to the lawful commands of parents, care and endeavour to please them and make them easy, and to avoid every thing that may offend and grieve them, and incur their displeasure. The Jewish doctors ask, "What is this fear that is owing to a father?" And they answer, "It is not to stand in his way nor to sit in his place, not to contradict what he says nor to carp at it, not to call him by his name, either living or dead, but ’My Father,’ or ’Sir;’ it is to provide for him if he be poor, and the like." 2. Children, when they grow up to be men, must not think themselves discharged from this duty: every man, though he be a wise man, and a great man, yet must reverence his parents, because they are his parents. 3. The mother is put first, which is not usual, to show that the duty is equally owing to both; if the mother survive the father, still she must be reverenced and obeyed. 4. It is added, and keep my sabbaths. If God provides by his law for the preserving of the honour of parents, parents must use their authority over their children for the preserving of the honour of God, particularly the honour of his sabbaths, the custody of which is very much committed to parents by the fourth commandment, Thou, and thy son, and thy daughter. The ruin of young people has often been observed to begin in the contempt of their parents and the profanation of the sabbath day. Fitly therefore are these two precepts here put together in the beginning of this abridgment of the statutes: "You shall fear, every man, his mother and his father, and keep my sabbaths.