The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 228

Vers. 1-8.-The purification of the (Jhurck. At the commencement of his treatise on this Book of Leviticus, Cyril of Alexandria truly says, that as the Word of God came into the world arrayed in flesh, in which bodily appearance he was seen of all, while his divinity was seen only by the elect; so has the written Word a letter, or -outward sense, which is obvious to ordinary perception, and an inward meaning which must be spiritually discerned. According to this rule, the purification of the Church is the subject of the text, which is presented under two aspects. It is- L DrsTBIBUTIVELY CONSIDERED. The necessity of the spiritual birth may be col- lected : 1. From the impurity of the natural. (1) This is expressed in the ceremonial uncleanness of the mother. In case of the birth of a son, she had to remain forty days in a state of impurity. During this period she must not touch any hallowed thing, ~lse it became polluted; and she must not enter the holy place of the temple. In case her child were a daughter, the term of this uncleanness was doubled. "Who can bring .a clean thing out of an unclean?" (2) Her uncleanness is in her blood, which Is the same as saying it is in her nature. To be" born of blood" is therefore a periphrasis for a natural birth in depravity, and it is consequently opposed to the spiritual birth {see John L 13). (3) This maternal uncleanness is also described as her'' infirmity," in allusion to the pain, sorrow, and weakness through which she passes; and calls to remembrance the curse upon the original offence (Gen. iii. 16). The birth amidst this "infirmity" shows the utter helplessness and sorrowfulness of our moral state by nature. (4) No wonder, then, that the child also should be accounted unclean. Until the eighth day he had no sign of the covenant upon him. But an infant could not have "sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression;" therefore this exclusion from the covenant from the birth evinces hereditary depravity and guilt (Ps. Ii. 5; Eph. iL 3). 2. From the rite of circumcision. (1) It was the sign of introduction foto the covenant of God (Gen. xvii. 9-14). This supposes a spiritual birth, since the }Ollutions of the natural birth excluded the chi_ld from the favour of God .. (2) The sign expressed this moral change to be the cuttmg off all that was forward 1n fleshly desires (see Deut. x. 16; Rom. ii. 28, 29; Phil. iii. 3). 'l'hese, however necessary to the natural man, must not rule Ill' here· for whe1:1 the seven days of the world a1e ,CH, Xll, 1-8,] THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 191