Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

These are the commandments - This conclusion is very similar to that at the end of the preceding chapter. I have already supposed that this chapter should have followed the 25th, and that the 26th originally terminated the book. Mr. Ainsworth, the whole of whose writings are animated with the spirit of piety, concludes this book with the following excellent remarks: - "The tithes in Israel being thus sanctified by the commandment of God to his honor, the maintenance of his ministers, and the relief of the poor, it taught them and teaches us to honor the Lord with our substance, (Pro 3:9), acknowledging him to be the author of all our increase and store; (Deu 8:13-18; Hos 2:8); to honor his Ministers, and to communicate unto them in all good things, (Ti1 5:17, Ti1 5:18; Gal 6:6), that they who sow unto us spiritual things should reap our carnal things, (Co1 9:11), and to give Alms of such things as we have, that all things may be clear unto us, (Luk 11:41), yea, even to sell that we have, and give alms; to provide ourselves bags that wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not. Luk 12:33." They who forget their Maker, his ministers, and the poor, are never likely to hear that blessed word in the great day: "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you; for I was hungry, and ye gave me meat; thirsty, and ye gave me drink; naked, and ye clothed me; sick and in prison, and ye came unto me." Reader, thou hast now gone through the whole of this most interesting book; a book whose subject is too little regarded by Christians in general. Here thou mayest discover the rigid requisitions of Divine justice, the sinfulness of sin, the exceeding breadth of the commandment, and the end of all human perfection. And now what thinkest thou of that word, "Whatsoever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law?" Rom 3:19. But who are under the law - the condemning power of the pure, rigid, moral law of God? Not the Jews only, but every soul of man: all to whom it is sent, and who acknowledge it as a Divine revelation, and have not been redeemed from the guilt of sin by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; for "cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them." By this law then is the knowledge, but not the cure, of sin. Here then what God saith unto thee: "If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law), what farther need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law; Heb 7:11, Heb 7:12. Now of the things which we have spoken, this is the sum: We have such a high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man; Heb 8:1, Heb 8:2. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins; Heb 10:4. But Christ being come a high priest of good things to come, - neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament, that, by means of death, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. And without shedding of blood is no remission. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time, without sin, unto salvation;" Heb 9:11, Heb 9:12, Heb 9:15, Heb 9:22, Heb 9:28. We see then that Christ was the End of the law for righteousness (for justification) to every one that believeth. "Unto him, therefore, who hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." Rev 1:5, Rev 1:6. Sections in the Book of Leviticus, carried on from Exodus, which ends with the Twenty-Third. The Twenty-Fourth, called ויקרא valyikra, begins Lev 1:6, and ends Lev 6:7. The Twenty-Fifth, called צו tsav, begins Lev 6:8, and ends Lev 8:36. The Twenty-Sixth, called שמיני shemini, begins Lev 9:1, and ends Lev 11:47. The Twenty-Seventh, called תזריע tazria, begins Lev 12:1, and ends Lev 13:59. The Twenty-Eighth, called מצרע metsora, begins Lev 14:1, and ends Lev 15:33. The Twenty-Ninth, called אחרי מות acharey moth, begins Lev 16:1, and ends Lev 18:30. The Thirtieth, called קדשים kedoshim, begins Lev 19:1, and ends Lev 20:27. The Thirty-First, called אמר emor, begins Lev 21:1, and ends Lev 24:23. The Thirty-Second, called בהר סיני behar Sinai, begins Lev 25:1, and ends Lev 26:2. The Thirty-Third, called בחקתי bechukkothai, begins Lev 26:3, and ends Lev 27:34. These sections, as was observed on Exodus, have their technical names from some remarkable word, either in the first or second verse of their commencement.