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Leviticus 11:44
Verse
Context
Clean and Unclean Animals
43Do not defile yourselves by any crawling creature; do not become unclean or defiled by them. 44For I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves by any creature that crawls along the ground.45For I am the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt so that I would be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.
Sermons







Summary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Ye shall - sanctify yourselves - Ye shall keep yourselves separate from all the people of the earth, that ye may be holy; for I am holy. And this was the grand design of God in all these prohibitions and commands; for these external sanctifications were only the emblems of the internal purity which the holiness of God requires here, and without which none can dwell with him in glory hereafter. See at the conclusion of this chapter. The contents of this chapter must furnish many profitable reflections to a pious mind. 1. From the great difficulty of ascertaining what animals are meant in this part of the law, we may at once see that the law itself must be considered as abrogated; for there is not a Jew in the universe who knows what the animals are, a very few excepted, which are intended by these Hebrew words; and therefore he may be repeatedly breaking this law by touching and being touched either by the animals themselves or their produce, such as hair, wool, fur, skin, intestines, differently manufactured, etc., etc. It therefore appears that this people have as little law as they have gospel. 2. While God keeps the eternal interests of man steadily in view, he does not forget his earthly comfort; he is at once solicitous both for the health of his body and his soul. He has not forbidden certain aliments because he is a Sovereign, but because he knew they would be injurious to the health and morals of his people. The close connection that subsists between the body and the soul we cannot fully comprehend; and as little can we comprehend the influence they have on each other. Many moral alterations take place in the mind in consequence of the influence of the bodily organs; and these latter are greatly influenced by the kind of ailment which the body receives. God knows what is in man, and he knows what is in all creatures; he has therefore graciously forbidden what would injure both body and mind, and commanded what is best calculated to be useful to both. Solid-footed animals, such as the horse, and many-toed animals, such as the cat, etc., are here prohibited. Beasts which have bifid or cloven hoofs, such as the ox and sheep, are considered as proper for food, and therefore commanded. The former are unclean, i. e., unwholesome, affording a gross nutriment, often the parent of scorbutic and scrofulous disorders; the latter clean, i. e., affording a copious and wholesome nutriment, and not laying the foundation of any disease. Ruminating animals, i. e., those which chew the cud, concoct their food better than the others which swallow it with little mastication, and therefore their flesh contains more of the nutritious juices, and is more easy of digestion, and consequently of assimilation to the solids and fluids of the human body; on this account they are termed clean, i. e., peculiarly wholesome, and fit for food. The animals which do not ruminate do not concoct their food so well, and hence they abound with gross animal juices, which yield a comparatively unwholesome nutriment to the human system. Even the animals which have bifid hoofs but do not chew the cud, such as the swine, and those which chew the cud but are not bifid, such as the hare and rabbit, are by Him who knows all things forbidden, because he knew them to be comparatively innutritive. In all this God shows himself as the tender Father of a numerous family, pointing out to his inexperienced, froward, and ignorant children, those kinds of aliments which he knows will be injurious to their health and domestic happiness, and prohibiting them on pain of his highest displeasure. On the same ground he forbade all fish that have not both fins and scales, such as the conger, eel, etc., which abound in gross juices and fat which very few stomachs are able to digest. Who, for instance, that lives solely on swine's flesh, has pure blood and healthy juices? And is it not evident, in many cases, that the man partakes considerably of the nature of the brute on which he exclusively feeds? I could pursue this inquiry much farther, and bring many proofs founded on indisputable facts, but I forbear; for he who might stand most in need of caution, would be the first to take offense. 3. As the body exists only for the sake of the soul, and God feeds and nourishes it through the day of probation, that the soul may here be prepared for the kingdom of heaven; therefore he shows in the conclusion of these ordinances, that the grand scope and design of all was that they might be a holy people, and that they might resemble him who is a holy God - God Is Holy; and this is the eternal reason why all his people should be holy - should be purified from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. No faith in any particular creed, no religious observance, no acts of benevolence and charity, no mortification, attrition, or contrition, can be a substitute for this. We must be made partakers of the Divine nature. We must be saved from our sins - from the corruption that is in the world, and be made holy within and righteous without, or never see God. For this very purpose Jesus Christ lived, died, and revived, that he might purify us unto himself; that through faith in his blood our sins might be blotted out, and our souls restored to the image of God - Reader, art thou hungering and thirsting after righteousness? Then blessed art thou, for thou shalt be filled.
John Gill Bible Commentary
For I am the Lord your God,.... Their Lord, and therefore had a right to enjoin them what laws he pleased concerning their food; and their God, their covenant God, and therefore would consult their good, and direct them to what was most proper, convenient, and wholesome for them: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy, for I am holy; that is, separate themselves from all other people, and be distinct from them, by using a different diet from theirs, as their Lord and God was different from all others, so called; and thus by observing his commands, and living according to his will, and to his glory, they would be holy in a moral sense, as they ought to be, who were under the peculiar care and notice of a holy God, and so highly favoured by him; and particularly by attending to the above laws concerning food, they would be kept from mixing with, and having conversation with the Gentiles, and so be preserved from falling into idolatry, and continue a holy people, serving and worshipping the Lord their God, and him only; and which seems to be a principal view as to religion, in delivering out the above commands: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; which is repeated to keep them at the utmost distance from these things, and to fill them with an aversion to them, that they might be careful to avoid them. There is no penalty annexed to these laws, but the breach of them making them unclean, thereby they were debarred the use of the sanctuary, and of holy things, and of the conversation of men, for that day; but, according to the Jewish writers, such transgressions were punishable with stripes. Jarchi observes out of the Talmud (l), that he that eateth "putitha" (a small water reptile) was to be beaten four times, and if an ant or pismire five times, and if a wasp or hornet six times. (l) T. Bab. Erubin, fol. 28. 1. Pesachim, fol. 24. 1. Maccot, fol. 16. 2.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
11:44-45 I am the Lord your God: See study note on 18:2. • be holy, because I am holy: These words express the dominant theme of Leviticus: God is holy. He must be regarded and treated as holy, and he expects holiness from his people (10:3; 19:2). The profound teaching of this verse is that God’s own nature permeates those who covenant with him (see also 11:45; 20:7, 26; 21:8, 15; 22:9, 16, 32), and they become his holy people (Exod 22:31; Deut 28:9; cp. 1 Pet 1:16).
Leviticus 11:44
Clean and Unclean Animals
43Do not defile yourselves by any crawling creature; do not become unclean or defiled by them. 44For I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves by any creature that crawls along the ground.45For I am the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt so that I would be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Fourfold Challenge to Holiness
By Alan Redpath3.5K32:23HolinessLEV 11:44MAT 6:33ROM 7:24ROM 8:291CO 1:30EPH 1:4HEB 12:14In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of holiness in the lives of believers. He references Ephesians 1:4, which states that believers are chosen in Christ to be holy. He also discusses the resistance to holiness, using Romans 7:24 to highlight the struggle that believers face in overcoming sin. The speaker then points to 1 Corinthians 1:30, which describes Christ as the source of wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. He concludes by expressing his longing for a Holy Spirit revival in the church, as he believes that this is the only alternative to the ruin of Western civilization or the imminent return of Christ.
The Tabernacle of the Most High
By C.H. Spurgeon1.7K40:02LEV 11:44ZEP 3:17MAT 21:132CO 6:15EPH 2:22COL 1:131PE 2:5In this sermon, the speaker highlights the contrasting aspects of God's nature and how he reveals himself in different settings. The speaker uses examples such as a professor who is stern in the classroom but gentle with his child at home, and a king who appears majestic in public but is just like any other person at home. The speaker emphasizes that God also reveals different aspects of himself in different settings, particularly in his church. The speaker describes God's love and affection for his church, comparing it to a father with his children, and even mentions a passage in the Bible where God is represented as singing over his church.
(1 John #4) Since God Is Light
By J. Glyn Owen1.7K29:42God's HolinessLEV 11:44MAT 5:14MAT 5:48JHN 1:51PE 1:161JN 1:5In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of the message of Jesus Christ, which was taught by Him and received by the apostles. The preacher highlights that Jesus is not just the gentle and meek figure often portrayed, but also the Son of God and the source of the message of God's holiness. The preacher explains that fellowship with God can only be achieved through His holiness, and that growing spiritually involves relating our lives to His holiness. The sermon also touches on the concept of God's love, life, and His consuming fire, and raises questions about the necessity of repentance and being born again.
Jap-04 True Fellowship
By Art Katz1.7K55:43JapaneseLEV 11:44PSA 24:7MAT 16:24JHN 4:241CO 14:262CO 3:18HEB 10:19JAS 5:161PE 4:171JN 1:7In this sermon, the speaker shares a personal experience of feeling burdened and convicted to confess their faults in church. They emphasize the importance of confession in building a true community and moving from an institutional mindset to a more authentic church experience. The speaker encourages everyone, including ministers, women, and single men, to form small groups and confess their faults to one another. The ultimate goal is to open the gates for the King of Glory to enter and bring about transformation and holiness in the church.
The Holiness of God
By J. Glyn Owen1.7K44:03Holiness Of GodEXO 15:11LEV 11:44LEV 19:2LEV 20:7ISA 40:25MAT 5:481PE 1:14In this sermon, the speaker discusses the topic of the holiness of God. He emphasizes that holiness is not just a characteristic of God, but it also represents His will for His creatures. The speaker highlights that holiness is mentioned in religious contexts and is connected to four aspects: the nature of God, the duty of man, the work of grace in the Christian and the church, and the state of future glory. The speaker encourages a deeper understanding of holiness and emphasizes the importance of seeing truth in its divine context.
Studies in 1 Peter-04 1 Peter 1:14-20
By Dwight Pentecost1.4K27:03EXO 12:13LEV 11:44MAT 6:33MAT 11:281PE 1:15In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of believers living a holy life, as God is holy. He highlights that many people struggle to accept the simplicity of the gospel message, which states that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone. The preacher urges the audience to personally receive Jesus Christ as their Savior, comparing it to receiving a gift. He then refers to the book of 1 Peter, where the apostle Peter reminds believers of their ancient history and the exodus from Egypt, using it as a lesson to teach them spiritual truths. The preacher concludes by emphasizing that believers have experienced the miracle of the new birth and therefore have an obligation to be like their heavenly Father.
Intoxicated With Babylon-Chapter Five
By Steve Gallagher1.3K09:42BabylonLEV 11:44MAT 5:482CO 7:1EPH 4:221TH 4:7HEB 12:141PE 1:15In this video, Steve Gallagher discusses the importance of holiness in the Christian life. He emphasizes that holiness is not a popular concept in today's society, but it is still a central requirement for believers. Gallagher explains that God calls us to strive towards holiness and to repent of sin. He also highlights the idea that our time on earth is a testing ground and a preparation for eternity, where we will be used by God in ways we cannot fully comprehend.
Making Fun of God
By Rolfe Barnard1.3K46:54Sinful NatureLEV 11:44MAT 6:33ROM 1:152CO 6:171PE 1:16In this sermon, the preacher tells a story about a man who had a problem and believed that only the President could help him. A little boy offers to lead him to the President, and they go through several doors until they finally reach him. The preacher uses this story to emphasize that just as the little boy led the man to the President, Jesus Christ is the only way to reach God. The sermon then focuses on the book of Romans, specifically chapter 1, which describes the actions of men and women in any day, including the present. The preacher highlights the sinful behaviors mentioned in the chapter and emphasizes that every generation is stuck with God and cannot get rid of Him.
The Holiness of God - Part 2
By Art Katz1.3K41:13Holiness Of GodLEV 11:44JHN 10:10ACT 17:28ROM 1:18ROM 11:33HEB 12:61PE 4:17In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of being still and knowing that God is in control. He encourages believers to eliminate distractions and seek the knowledge of the holy. The speaker emphasizes that holiness is our life and that we should strive to know God deeply and intimately. He challenges believers to meditate on the holiness of God and to reflect His purity in their actions. Ultimately, the speaker reminds listeners that the world needs the reality of God, and believers can mediate that reality by dwelling in it and knowing their God.
Dealing With Dangerous Doctrines
By Greg Locke1.2K52:21LEV 11:44ISA 6:4MAT 6:33MRK 6:82TI 4:12TI 4:31PE 1:16In this sermon, the preacher discusses the concept of being saved by the grace of God. He emphasizes that being saved is not dependent on spooky stories or emotional experiences, but rather on the conviction of the Holy Spirit and the recognition of one's need for Christ. The preacher challenges the idea of a "Bible Belt" and asserts that salvation is not limited to a specific region or age group. He shares a personal conversation with someone who questioned the need for life change after being saved at a young age, and the preacher explains that while some may be saved from a life of sin and rebellion, others may be saved from different circumstances. The sermon concludes with a reference to 2 Timothy 4:1-6, urging believers to preach the word, endure afflictions, and fulfill their ministry.
Presenting Our Body First (Tamil)
By Zac Poonen1.2K1:00:06EXO 25:8LEV 11:44LUK 16:15ROM 12:11CO 6:19HEB 10:5This sermon delves into the importance of presenting our bodies as a holy dwelling place for God, drawing parallels between the Old Testament tabernacle and the New Testament call to offer our bodies as living sacrifices. Emphasizing the need for holiness and purity in our lives, it highlights the significance of God dwelling in a holy place and the consequences of neglecting holiness. The message stresses the need to learn from the mistakes of Israel and other churches to avoid spiritual decline and maintain God's presence in our midst.
Kingdom Righteousness
By Wingrove Taylor1.0K52:15GEN 12:2LEV 11:44LEV 20:26MAT 6:331TH 4:31TH 5:18In this sermon, the preacher begins by describing a scene where a little girl desperately wants a bag, highlighting the human tendency towards self-deification and the need for sanctification. He then references Romans chapter 1, explaining how the refusal to honor and glorify God leads to the degradation of the world. The preacher then shifts to the story of Abraham, emphasizing how God's pronouncements not only relate to behavior but also to blessings. He shares a personal experience of seeking God's guidance in his church and emphasizes the importance of doing God's will and recognizing that it is not severe but rather sweet.
Fruit of Unholiness
By Joe Focht84937:51LEV 11:44PRO 13:15MAT 5:13In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of holiness and the consequences of straying away from God. He highlights the prevalence of unholiness in the world, such as the high number of abortions, adult bookstores, and broken homes. The speaker then turns to Psalm 51, where David cries out to God for cleansing and restoration after his fall. The sermon concludes with a prayer for the pastors in attendance to examine their own lives and strive for holiness, recognizing their role as the salt and light of the world.
Attributes of God
By George Verwer84144:09Attributes of GodLEV 11:44ISA 6:3ISA 6:8EPH 1:12EPH 1:14In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of having a vision and praying big prayers. He warns against viewing missionary work as a game or a casual endeavor. The speaker emphasizes the need to seek God and go deeper into His heart and mind. He also highlights the importance of prayer, studying God's attributes, and having a strong relationship with Him. The sermon references biblical figures like Isaiah, Joseph, and Nehemiah to illustrate the challenges and rewards of following God's calling.
The Seven Levels of Judgment - Part 2
By Dan Biser71635:55LEV 11:44NUM 14:40JDG 10:10NEH 1:6JER 3:25JER 8:14JER 14:7LAM 5:16DAN 9:5JHN 3:361PE 1:16This sermon emphasizes the importance of recognizing and confessing our sins before the Lord, both individually and collectively as a church and nation. It delves into various Bible verses that highlight the consequences of sin, the need for repentance, and the call to live a holy and separated life. The message stresses the seriousness of continuing in sin as Christians and the urgency to turn away from sin and seek God's forgiveness and cleansing.
Freedom Through the Blood
By Michael Howard57248:50FreedomLEV 11:44MAT 6:332CO 3:18HEB 9:8HEB 9:141PE 1:16The video shown in the sermon was about the work being done in Malawi. It highlighted the tremendous stories of what God has been doing in the nation of Malawi this year. The speaker encouraged the audience to get excited about the increase in the number of people being supported and the impact being made in Malawi. The video showcased the glorious work of God and emphasized the importance of being a part of God's building, which is the believers themselves.
(Through the Bible) Leviticus
By Zac Poonen50858:27LEV 11:44LEV 13:2LEV 14:14LEV 23:1LEV 25:1LEV 27:32This sermon delves into the book of Leviticus, highlighting the importance of understanding God's heart behind the detailed instructions given. It emphasizes the themes of holiness, health, and the need for total surrender to God, drawing parallels between physical health and spiritual holiness. The sermon explores the significance of the five offerings in Leviticus, symbolizing different aspects of Jesus' life and death, and the need for confession, repentance, and restitution for sin. It also touches on the feasts of the Lord, showcasing spiritual meanings behind each feast and the importance of obedience to God's commands.
In the Hope of Eternal Life
By John Greene46600:00LEV 11:44PSA 116:7PSA 119:49PSA 119:81PSA 119:114PSA 130:5LAM 3:22LAM 3:24ROM 6:18ROM 16:19EPH 4:22COL 3:91PE 1:31PE 1:13In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of having a good hope of eternal life. He explains that a good hope must be based on God's Word, as God cannot lie. It must also be founded upon Jesus Christ and his work of obedience to the law and his sacrifice on the cross. The speaker further emphasizes that a good hope will be evident in a person's life, as they wait for the salvation of the Lord and seek Him. The sermon concludes with a reminder that the Gospel should not be taken for granted, as there will come a day when we will no longer hear it.
On Eagles' Wings Pt 520
By Don Courville37220:22Radio ShowLEV 11:44DEU 32:1ISA 40:28JHN 6:1REV 19:13In this sermon, the speaker begins by introducing the morning message, which will continue in the next week's program. He calls upon the heavens and the earth to listen to his words, comparing his doctrine to rain and dew that nourishes the land. The speaker emphasizes the greatness of God and encourages the audience to receive Jesus and become children of God. He emphasizes the importance of following God's instructions and being obedient, using an illustration of a child obeying commands. The sermon concludes with a reminder to seek salvation and thanks the audience for their support.
The Message of Leviticus
By G. Campbell Morgan0Sin and RedemptionHoliness Of GodLEV 11:44ROM 3:23HEB 9:22G. Campbell Morgan emphasizes the profound messages of Leviticus, focusing on the recognition of sin and redemption. He explains that sin is fundamentally a distance from God and a wrong done to Him, while redemption is rooted in God's righteousness and achieved through the sacrificial system, which foreshadows Christ's ultimate sacrifice. The book reveals the holiness of God and the necessity for man to be restored to communion with Him, highlighting that true worship is only possible through understanding these concepts. Morgan concludes that the living message of Leviticus is a call to recognize the seriousness of sin and the depth of God's love in providing a way for redemption and holiness.
Preach Holiness Scripturally
By Arthur Vess0LEV 11:44MAT 5:48ACT 2:4ACT 10:441CO 6:111TH 4:31TH 5:23HEB 10:141PE 1:16REV 20:6Arthur Vess passionately preaches about holiness, emphasizing its scriptural foundation as a Bible doctrine that stands alone without the need for additional doctrinal proof. He highlights holiness as a great privilege promised in the Scriptures and as an imperative commandment from God, rooted in both the Old and New Testaments. Vess connects holiness to various aspects of the Bible, including Types and Shadows, the moral law, the ceremonial law pointing to a 'better sacrifice,' the prophets' joyful fulfillment, and the radiance of the Holy of Holies. He also links holiness to the life, teachings, and mission of Jesus, as well as the miraculous works and parables of Jesus, presenting it as the essential preparation for the Bridegroom's return.
Not a Set of Rules
By Derek Prince0LEV 11:29LEV 11:44HEB 10:10HEB 13:121PE 1:2Derek Prince emphasizes the significance of being sanctified and made holy through the blood of Jesus, contrasting the complexities of attaining holiness under the old covenant with the simpler yet powerful method provided by God through Jesus. The sermon delves into the intricate regulations outlined in Leviticus 11 regarding cleanliness and holiness, highlighting the impossibility for sinful humans to achieve holiness through rule-keeping. Prince expresses gratitude for the blood of Jesus, declaring that God's plan is to sanctify believers not through adherence to rules but through the sanctifying power of Jesus' blood.
The Three Perfections
By Daniel Steele0GEN 17:1LEV 11:44PSA 37:37PHP 3:12HEB 10:14JAS 3:21JN 4:18Daniel Steele delves into the concept of perfection as described in the Holy Scriptures, highlighting three distinct meanings: the perfection of the paradise of Eden, the perfection of the paradise above, and the perfection of the paradise of love. He explains how Adam was created perfect but had the potential to sin due to his finiteness, contrasting it with the perfection to be attained in the glorified state after the resurrection. Steele emphasizes that evangelical perfection is achieved through perfect love, fulfilling the law of Christ and reflecting the completeness found in Christ. He explores the idea that perfection is not merely about legal obedience but about inherent completeness in Christ, where every aspect of the soul is filled with love and devoted to serving the Savior.
Sanctification -- What It Is
By J.H. Collins0LEV 11:442CO 7:1EPH 5:251TH 5:232TI 3:16HEB 12:141JN 4:18REV 22:14J.H. Collins preaches about the importance of sanctification and holiness in the Christian journey, emphasizing that perfect love casts out fear and the need for believers to be fully consecrated and cleansed from all sin to experience Christian perfection. The sermon delves into the two-fold meaning of sanctification - consecration and purification - highlighting that God enables believers to become holy and fulfill His commandments. The Scriptures teach that holiness is attainable and essential for believers to see the Lord, presenting it as the heritage of God's people and emphasizing that human nature can exist without sin through Christ's cleansing power.
Section I. It Is Desirable to Be Holy
By Jesse T. Peck0LEV 11:44JOB 1:1EZK 36:25LUK 1:62CO 3:18PHP 1:211TH 5:23HEB 11:5JAS 2:23Jesse T. Peck preaches about the possibility and desirability of achieving holiness in the sight of God. He emphasizes that God's command to be holy is achievable, as evidenced by the lives of biblical figures like Enoch, Abraham, Job, and Paul, who walked with God, exhibited faith, and maintained blameless lives. The divine promises of cleansing and sanctification, along with the prayers for sanctification found in the Bible, further support the belief that it is possible for believers to attain complete holiness through the power of God's grace.
- Adam Clarke
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Ye shall - sanctify yourselves - Ye shall keep yourselves separate from all the people of the earth, that ye may be holy; for I am holy. And this was the grand design of God in all these prohibitions and commands; for these external sanctifications were only the emblems of the internal purity which the holiness of God requires here, and without which none can dwell with him in glory hereafter. See at the conclusion of this chapter. The contents of this chapter must furnish many profitable reflections to a pious mind. 1. From the great difficulty of ascertaining what animals are meant in this part of the law, we may at once see that the law itself must be considered as abrogated; for there is not a Jew in the universe who knows what the animals are, a very few excepted, which are intended by these Hebrew words; and therefore he may be repeatedly breaking this law by touching and being touched either by the animals themselves or their produce, such as hair, wool, fur, skin, intestines, differently manufactured, etc., etc. It therefore appears that this people have as little law as they have gospel. 2. While God keeps the eternal interests of man steadily in view, he does not forget his earthly comfort; he is at once solicitous both for the health of his body and his soul. He has not forbidden certain aliments because he is a Sovereign, but because he knew they would be injurious to the health and morals of his people. The close connection that subsists between the body and the soul we cannot fully comprehend; and as little can we comprehend the influence they have on each other. Many moral alterations take place in the mind in consequence of the influence of the bodily organs; and these latter are greatly influenced by the kind of ailment which the body receives. God knows what is in man, and he knows what is in all creatures; he has therefore graciously forbidden what would injure both body and mind, and commanded what is best calculated to be useful to both. Solid-footed animals, such as the horse, and many-toed animals, such as the cat, etc., are here prohibited. Beasts which have bifid or cloven hoofs, such as the ox and sheep, are considered as proper for food, and therefore commanded. The former are unclean, i. e., unwholesome, affording a gross nutriment, often the parent of scorbutic and scrofulous disorders; the latter clean, i. e., affording a copious and wholesome nutriment, and not laying the foundation of any disease. Ruminating animals, i. e., those which chew the cud, concoct their food better than the others which swallow it with little mastication, and therefore their flesh contains more of the nutritious juices, and is more easy of digestion, and consequently of assimilation to the solids and fluids of the human body; on this account they are termed clean, i. e., peculiarly wholesome, and fit for food. The animals which do not ruminate do not concoct their food so well, and hence they abound with gross animal juices, which yield a comparatively unwholesome nutriment to the human system. Even the animals which have bifid hoofs but do not chew the cud, such as the swine, and those which chew the cud but are not bifid, such as the hare and rabbit, are by Him who knows all things forbidden, because he knew them to be comparatively innutritive. In all this God shows himself as the tender Father of a numerous family, pointing out to his inexperienced, froward, and ignorant children, those kinds of aliments which he knows will be injurious to their health and domestic happiness, and prohibiting them on pain of his highest displeasure. On the same ground he forbade all fish that have not both fins and scales, such as the conger, eel, etc., which abound in gross juices and fat which very few stomachs are able to digest. Who, for instance, that lives solely on swine's flesh, has pure blood and healthy juices? And is it not evident, in many cases, that the man partakes considerably of the nature of the brute on which he exclusively feeds? I could pursue this inquiry much farther, and bring many proofs founded on indisputable facts, but I forbear; for he who might stand most in need of caution, would be the first to take offense. 3. As the body exists only for the sake of the soul, and God feeds and nourishes it through the day of probation, that the soul may here be prepared for the kingdom of heaven; therefore he shows in the conclusion of these ordinances, that the grand scope and design of all was that they might be a holy people, and that they might resemble him who is a holy God - God Is Holy; and this is the eternal reason why all his people should be holy - should be purified from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. No faith in any particular creed, no religious observance, no acts of benevolence and charity, no mortification, attrition, or contrition, can be a substitute for this. We must be made partakers of the Divine nature. We must be saved from our sins - from the corruption that is in the world, and be made holy within and righteous without, or never see God. For this very purpose Jesus Christ lived, died, and revived, that he might purify us unto himself; that through faith in his blood our sins might be blotted out, and our souls restored to the image of God - Reader, art thou hungering and thirsting after righteousness? Then blessed art thou, for thou shalt be filled.
John Gill Bible Commentary
For I am the Lord your God,.... Their Lord, and therefore had a right to enjoin them what laws he pleased concerning their food; and their God, their covenant God, and therefore would consult their good, and direct them to what was most proper, convenient, and wholesome for them: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy, for I am holy; that is, separate themselves from all other people, and be distinct from them, by using a different diet from theirs, as their Lord and God was different from all others, so called; and thus by observing his commands, and living according to his will, and to his glory, they would be holy in a moral sense, as they ought to be, who were under the peculiar care and notice of a holy God, and so highly favoured by him; and particularly by attending to the above laws concerning food, they would be kept from mixing with, and having conversation with the Gentiles, and so be preserved from falling into idolatry, and continue a holy people, serving and worshipping the Lord their God, and him only; and which seems to be a principal view as to religion, in delivering out the above commands: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; which is repeated to keep them at the utmost distance from these things, and to fill them with an aversion to them, that they might be careful to avoid them. There is no penalty annexed to these laws, but the breach of them making them unclean, thereby they were debarred the use of the sanctuary, and of holy things, and of the conversation of men, for that day; but, according to the Jewish writers, such transgressions were punishable with stripes. Jarchi observes out of the Talmud (l), that he that eateth "putitha" (a small water reptile) was to be beaten four times, and if an ant or pismire five times, and if a wasp or hornet six times. (l) T. Bab. Erubin, fol. 28. 1. Pesachim, fol. 24. 1. Maccot, fol. 16. 2.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
11:44-45 I am the Lord your God: See study note on 18:2. • be holy, because I am holy: These words express the dominant theme of Leviticus: God is holy. He must be regarded and treated as holy, and he expects holiness from his people (10:3; 19:2). The profound teaching of this verse is that God’s own nature permeates those who covenant with him (see also 11:45; 20:7, 26; 21:8, 15; 22:9, 16, 32), and they become his holy people (Exod 22:31; Deut 28:9; cp. 1 Pet 1:16).