Read Leviticus 13 at Bible Gateway.
Leviticus is continuing its Common Theme teaching of uncleanness that arises from death. Leprosy is a fatal disease, but it does not kill in one day. Where have we heard this before?
“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Gen 2:17
Adam died in the day that he ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but he did not die in one day. Instead, on that day he began dying until the day he died, and so the leprous man begins dying until the day he dies. Adam was a walking, breathing dead man, just as the leprous man is a walking, breathing dead man.
Leprosy is a Torah metaphor for mortality. And so, we are likewise walking, breathing dead men, who have inherited Adam’s mortality.
Why This Matters: What the foreshadow of the Aaronic priesthood could not do, Yeshua does.
Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. Mar 1:40-42
Yeshua, our merciful High Priest, not only cleanses us from pollutants that arise from death, and accelerates death, but reverses the very mortality curse of Eden, atoning once for all with His blood to restore us to abundant, eternal life (Heb 9:11-12).
The Hebrew paragraphs for this chapter:
13:1-8 {p} Distinguishing uncleanness in leprosy
13:9-17 {p} Distinguishing cleanness in leprosy
13:18-23 {s} Distinguishing leprosy in the scar of a boil
13:24-28 {p} Distinguishing leprosy in the scar of a burn
13:29-37 {s} Distinguishing leprosy in the scale of the head or beard
13:38-39 {s} Cleanness in white spots
13:40-46 {s} Distinguishing leprosy in baldness of the head
13:47-59 {p} Distinguishing leprosy in a garment
If there are questions, these are good resources:
Leviticus 13, Tsara’ath, the evil tongue – Christine Miller
Frequently asked questions about tsara’ath or “leprosy” – Ask Moses
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