OF THE THIRD BOOK OF MOSES, CALLED
L E V I T I C U S.
THERE is nothing historical in all this book of
Leviticus except the account which it gives us of the consecration of
the priesthood
(Leviticus 8:1-9:24),
of the punishment of Nadab and Abihu, by the hand of God, for offering
strange fire
(Leviticus 10:1-20),
and of Shelomith's son, by the hand of the magistrate, for blasphemy
(Leviticus 24:1-23).
All the rest of the book is taken up with the laws, chiefly the
ecclesiastical laws, which God gave to Israel by Moses, concerning
their sacrifices and offerings, their meats and drinks, and divers
washings, and the other peculiarities by which God set that people
apart for himself, and distinguished them from other nations, all which
were shadows of good things to come, which are realized and superseded
by the gospel of Christ. We call the book Leviticus, from the
Septuagint, because it contains the laws and ordinances of the
levitical priesthood (as it is called,
Hebrews 7:11),
and the ministrations of it. The Levites were principally charged with
these institutions, both to do their part and to teach the people
theirs. We read, in the close of the foregoing book, of the setting up
of the tabernacle, which was to be the place of worship; and, as that
was framed according to the pattern, so must the ordinances of worship
be, which were there to be administered. In these the divine
appointment was as particular as in the former, and must be as
punctually observed. The remaining record of these abrogated laws is
of use to us, for the strengthening of our faith in Jesus Christ, as
the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, and for the
increase of our thankfulness to God, that by him we are freed from the
yoke of the ceremonial law, and live in the times of reformation.
Matthew Henry "Verse by Verse Commentary for 'Leviticus' Matthew Henry Bible Commentary".
.