The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 121

eary conviction and punishment of crime. When solemnly summoned to state what we know, and especially when an oath of the Lord is upon us, we are not free to keep back evidence, but are bound to disclose it. 3, It may be our duty to the offender himself. For it is better for him that he should bear the penalty due to his crime than that he should elude justice and be encouraged in transgression. 4. It is further our duty to ourselves, for if we are called on to bear witness, and if we undertake, or are even sup- posed to undertake, to speak all we know, and if then we suppress important testimony, ·we are consciously misleading those who hear; we are not" doing the truth," but are acting falsely, and are injuring our own soul thereby. IV. THAT NEGLIGENCE IN SUCH SOCIAL OBLIGATIONS IS A SERIOUS OFFENCE IN THE BIGHT OF GOD, It is sin. It is a thing to be repented of and to be forgiven.-C. Vera. 2, 3.-Shunning the impure. We naturally ask, Why such stringent regula- tions as to everything of man or beast that was " unclean"? We may understand- I. THE EXPLANATION (THE :RATIONALE) OF THESE BEQUIBEMENTB. 1. The two main truths God was teaching his people were the divine unity, and purity of heart and life. The state of surrounding heathendom made these two lessons emphatically and particularly necessary. 2. God's method of teaching was pictorial: it was by rite, symbol, illustration. The world was in its religious childhood. 3. Under this method bodily ills naturally stood for spiritual evils; as wholeness of the body stood for health of the soul, so the sickness of the body answered to the malady of the soul, and the un- cleanness of the one to the impurity of the other. 4. Hence would result the fact that the careful avoidance of the one would be an instructive lesson in the shunning of the other. .Associating the two things so closely in their minds, commanded to shun most scrupulously all bodily uncleanness, taught to look at the least defilement as a trans- gression of the law, they would necessarily feel, with all desirable intensity, that every moral and spiritual impurity must be most sensitively avoided. Therefore such enact- ments as those of the text. II. THEm MORAL SIGNIFICANCE. They say to us: 1. That we should avoid all that is suggestive of impurity. 2. '!'hat we should shun everything which can, in any way or in the least degree, be communicative of spiritual evil. 3. That a stain upon the soul may be contracted without our own knowledge; "if it be hidden from him." This may be through books, friends, habits of speech. 4. That we should point out to the un- wary their danger or their error. 6. That on the first intimation of error we should penitently return on our way.-C. Ver. 4.-Redeemi11g promises. The reference in the text is to inconsiderate oaths: the hasty undertaking, before God, to do some act of piety or kindness on the one hand wearing" to do good"), or of retribution and permissible punishment on the other swearing "to do evil"). It is contemplated that such pledges into which the Divine ~ eing is introduced, rashly and thoughtlessly taken, may be overlooked and remain unfulfilled. We learn- I. THAT THE FORMAL ASSOCIATION OF THE DIVINE BEING WITH ANY ACT LENDS ro IT AN INVIOLABLE SACREDNESS. That which is done before God, or with which his holy name is intentionally associated, must be regarded as peculiarly sacred: even if done impulsively and without due deliberation, an obligation is thereby incurred : '' God's vows are upon us." II. THAT IT IS WISE ON ORDINARY OCOASIONS NOT TO INCUR BUCH MULTIPLIED BEBPONSIIIILITY. Better to use the yea, yea, or nay, nay; the simple affirmation or denial with the lesser obligation than to strengthen our utterance with an oath, and so run the risk of more serious sin in non-fulfilment. Calm, quiet, unimpassioned words are best for daily use. Reserve oaths for large occasions. Ill. THAT SUCH BEBPONSIIIILITY AS WE DO INCUR WE lfll'BT RELIOIOUBLY DISCHARGE. If we only affirm in our own name, but far more if we introduce the Divine name, we must see to it that we redeem our word. Negligence, on whatever grounds, though it be through sheer inadvertence-if" it be hid " from us-is culpable in the sight of God. Wherefore: 1. Study to avoid promising without a due sense of the bond that is entered into. 2. Take the earliest opportunity of redeeming your word, for good or evil. 3. Make an opportunity, if one dl'es not soon offer. 4. Take necessary means of 78 THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. [oJJ. v. 1-13.