Leviticus 13:47-59 - Mildew

13:47-59

Attention now turns to moulds. While moulds are quite different from skin diseases, the pattern of the treatment here is very similar. There is a distinction between clean and unclean. There is an ordered method of dealing with outbreaks, with an unhurried approach to determining whether or not a particular case is unclean. The grounds for determining whether something is clean or unclean do seem rather opaque, though how pervasive something is seems to be a key criteria.

But let’s be honest, this doesn’t make a lot of sense to us, and  some aspects are downright abhorrent, such as the instructions in 13:45,46 where someone who is unclean is cast outside the camp. So what are we to make of all this? The first thing to note is that Jesus did not reject anyone on the grounds of their uncleanness, nor was that the teaching of the New Testament. I don’t imagine to give a complete answer, but will venture a couple of comments which may or may not be helpful. The first is that the Law deals with all aspects of life, including mildew! Likewise the gospel is a whole life gospel, encompassing absolutely everything. But what about the seemingly heartless aspects, such as casting out the “unclean” when it was through no fault of their own? The Law is presenting a picture of a perfect society. There is perfection in that everyone obeys God completely, and there is perfection in that everyone is perfect in every way. There is nothing “unclean” , nothing that has been rendered imperfect by sin, including the general effects of the fall, not just the direct result of an individual's sin. Now this produces the heartless aspects. But the Law was never intended as the means of salvation. It points to how things should be, but cannot get a sinful people and a sinful world there. The gospel deals with our sin, and when its work is brought to completion there will be no “unclean” people or things. Everyone and everything will be perfect. There will be no more dying, mourning, crying or pain , for the old order of things has passed away (Rev 21:4). These are just thought for you to ponder.