Leviticus 18 – Chapters 18-26 are known as the “Holiness Code.” The Schocken Bible editor points out that beyond
the “heightened moments” of perception that make human beings feel linked to the “primal powers of
existence,” the Jews also longed for a
perfection and completeness in behavior
“in all areas of life, personal and communal (593).
The people are warned
NOT to conform to the customs of the people among whom they are settling. “You must not imitate
their way of life. You must obey all my regulations and be careful to obey my
decrees, for I am the Lord your God. If you obey my decrees and my regulations,
you will find life through them” (18:3-5).
Among
the many rules are the following:
“You
must never have sexual relations with a close relative” (18:6). Close relatives
here include your mother, any of your father’s wives, your sister or half
sister, your granddaughter, your stepsister, your aunt, your daughter-in-law or
sister-in-law. You should have no sex with both a woman and her daughter or
granddaughter (18:17-18).
No sex with menstruating women (18:19). It is kind of interesting
that the “holiness rules” seem to be addressed only to the men. I guess women
were expected to extrapolate from their rules, the rules they should follow.
“Do
not permit any of your children to be offered as a sacrifice to Molech, for you
must not bring shame on the name of your God” (18:21). Canaanite youth were
sacrificed in this way - first killed then immolated.
“Do
not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is
a detestable sin” (18:22).
And
there must be no sex with animals. Here there is a specific rule for women as
well.
“So
obey my instructions, and do not defile yourselves by committing any of these
detestable practices that were committed by the people who lived in the land
before you” (18:30).
Early Christian
Writers
Justin Martyr (100-165
AD) – First Apology
Christian Baptism
61 – So how do
Christians dedicate themselves to God once they’ve been made new? They “undertake to .
. . live according (to what they’ve been taught]”; they pray and fast for the
remission of the sins in their lives that are past; then they “receive the washing with water” [baptism].
“For Christ also said, ‘Except ye be born again, ye shall not enter into the
Kingdom of heaven.’” They try to put away evil doings from their souls and do
good things: care for the orphans and widows.
As to why this rite of
baptism is so central, “we have learned from the apostles [that] since at our
birth we were born without our own knowledge or choice, by our parents coming
together, and were brought up in bad
habits and wicked training; in order that we may not remain the children of
necessity and of ignorance, but may become the children of choice and
knowledge, and may obtain in the water the remission of sins formerly
committed, there is pronounced over him who chooses to be born again, and has
repented of his sins, the name of God the Father and Lord of the universe. . .
the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and the name
of the Holy Ghost, who through the prophets foretold all things about Jesus, he
who is illuminated is washed.”
Its Imitation by
Demons
62 – The devils “having
heart this washing published by the prophet” have imitated these rites as well.
They also make people wash themselves before they enter shrines where their
images are set up. And they ask them to remove their shoes. This Justin Martyr
also believes is something copied from the teachings of Moses. The removal of
shoes is from the story of Moses approaching the fire, “mighty power from
Christ,” in the bush.
How God Appeared to
Moses
63 – He tells how even the
Jews themselves accept the accusation of Isaiah the prophet that they do not
“know” God. The Spirit of prophesy in Moses said, “’The ox knoweth his owner,
and the ass his master’s crib; but Israel doth not know Me, and My people do
not understand.’”
And
Jesus too said, “’No one knoweth the Father, but the Son; nor the Son, but the
Father, and they to whom the Son revealeth Him.’” (citing Matthew 11:27).
“[S]o
much is written for the sake of proving that Jesus the Christ is the Son of God
and His Apostle, being of old the Word, and appearing sometimes in the form of
fire, and sometimes in the likeness of angels; but now, by the will of God,
having become man for the human race, He endured all the sufferings which the
devils instigated the senseless Jews to inflict upon Him.”
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