The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 342

(:l) To return to the legal dispensation is now to provoke the e.nger of the Lord. Cyril of Alexandria argu~s t_hat those who fail to see any spiritual meaning in the Law are still bound to keep 1t. m the letter. But even that could do them no good, for according to the text, "If it be eaten at all on the third day, it is e.bominable • it shall not be accepted.. Therefore every one that eateth it shall bear his iniquity " etc. (vers. 7, 8). To rejecters of the gospel now there is nothing but hopeless excU:ion.- J. A. M. Vers. 9-H.-Kindliness. In the earlier portion of this chapter purity of worship with its associated. reverence for the authority of God, in his representatives viz: natural pa.rents, and his institutions, as the sabbatb, are enjoined. In the verses f~llow- ing onr duties towards our fellows come more prominently before us, and in the text that class of those duties whose spirit is kindliness. Charity is sister to piety. We have here enjoined- !. A GENEBOUS CONSIDERATION FOB THE POOB. 1. The need, of the gleaner are to be respected. (1) In reaping the harvest, owners are instructed to spare the corners of their crops for the poor. What falls from the hand of the reaper is not to be gathered np again. but left to the gleaner. So in gleaning the vintage, the loose branches must be left to the poor and the stranger. (2) We must not consider that to be wasted which goes to the poor. (3) The harvest and vintage are seasons of joy. Such seasons should be seasons also of charity. Kindliness purifies and so heightens joy. 2. The authority of God must be remembered. (1) "I am Jehovah thy Elohim." This gives the poor and the stranger a Divine right in the gleanings, which now to disregard becomes impiety and injustice. Those who refuse their rights to the poor will have to answer for it to God (Ps. ix. 18; xii. 5; lx.xxii.; Isa. x. 1-4). (2) The Divine example should inspire and guide us. "He openeth his hand, and satisfieth every living thing." Man must not attempt to close the hand of God by refusing to the poor their due. (3) The blessing of God is promised to those who consider the poor (see Deut. xxiv. 19; Ps. xii. 1; Prov. xiv. 21). IL A CAREFUL A VOID.ANOE OF INJUBTIOE. 1. Wrong mu,t not be practised stealthily. (1) " Ye shall not steal "-ye shall not injure your neighbour in a concealed way. To r~p the harvest tpo narrowly would be to filch from the poor his due. (2) "Neither 11hall ye deal falsely." Thus there must be no concealing of faults in.articles offered for sale. There must be no false representation of values either in vending or pur- chasing. 2. Lies must not be uttered. (1) "Neither lie one to another." When a. lie is acted in false dealing, the next thing is to utter a lie to cover the wrong. One falsehood calls up another to keep it in conntenance. (2) " And ye shall not swear by my Name falsely." Upon the principle that lies are called in -to countenance tho concealment of a wrong, oaths are suborned to countenance lies. Thus sin begets sin; and sin, in its offspring, becomes increasingly degenerate. (3) This last is frightful wickedness. "Neither shalt thou profane the Name of thy God," It is appealing to the God of truth to confirm a lie I 3. Nor must wrong be openly perpetrated. (1) "Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him." Power must ljLOt be abused in oppression. Many of the forms in which this was done are described by Job (eh. :nlv.). (2) "The wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.' It is the means of bis living; and once earned, no more belongs to the employer than does the property of any other person. Huge injustice is practised by those who take long credit from tradesmen, who thereby are put to the utmost straits to meet their business claims and those of their families. Ill. A TENDER RESPECT FOil THE CONDITION OF 'l'HE AFFLIOTED. 1. " Thou shalt riot curse the deaf." (1) Thou shalt not be enraged should a deaf man be unable to render the service of one who has his hearing. So it is unreasonable to Llame for not having rendered service those who were not informed that such service was expected. (2) Thou she.It not curse, in his presence, a man that is deaf, because he is deaf and eannot hear it. So neither in bis absence must a man be cursed, who is in the same case with the deaf, and cannot defend himself. 2. "Nor put a atumblingblock before the Llind." (1) To do this literally would be a wanton cruelty. (2) Traps 111Ust not be laid for the unwary to their hurt, viz. in things material or in things spiritual (see :Bom. xiv. 13). 3. "But thou shalt fear thy God.'' (1) Afflictions do not epnng from 'OR. XIX. 1-37.) THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 307