Bible references

Key NT Scriptures

• 1 Corinthians 11:27-29
• Matthew 5:23-24

Key OT Scriptures

• Genesis 4:3-7
  Jewish Commentary
• Leviticus 16:11
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 66:16-18
  Jewish Commentary

Supportive NT Scriptures

• 1 Corinthians 3:16-17
• 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
• James 5:16

Supportive OT Scriptures

• Isaiah 1:15-19
  Jewish Commentary
• Isaiah 59:1-2
  Jewish Commentary
• Proverbs 15:29
  Jewish Commentary

Bible verses copyright: PUBLIC DOMAIN except in the United Kingdom, where a Crown Copyright applies to printing the KJV. See http://www.cambridge.org/about-us/who-we-are/queens-printers-patent

Commentary

Rabbi Michael Rudolph

In the Mosaic Covenant, an Israelite would bring his animal sacrifice to the Temple (or the Tabernacle), and a Levitical cohen would assist him by slaying it, placing it on an altar, and offering it up to God in his behalf. The Israelite had to be ceremonially clean (i.e. ritually pure) to even enter the Temple's sanctuary, but whether or not he was actually repentant (i.e. the condition of his heart was right) when he offered his sacrifice was known only to God. There is another Mosaic Covenant example of the need to approach God only when repentant, and that is Leviticus 16:11 's requirement that the High Priest sacrifice a bull for himself prior to sacrificing a goat for the sins of Israel on Yom Kippur . We also assume that the ten days between Yom T'ruah and Yom Kippur was for the purpose of all Israelites examining themselves and repenting of their sins (committed during the previous year) prior to their coming before the Lord on Yom Kippur . The various commandments requiring that the worshiper be ceremonially clean in order to enter the Holy Temple were, no doubt, given in order to remind him of God's holiness, and that the house in which God chose to put His Name (i.e. where the Sh'khinah dwelt) must not be defiled. One thing is certain however - the worshipper's sacrifice was only acceptable if his heart was repentant before God ( Genesis 4:3-7 ; Isaiah 1:15-19, 59:1-2 ; Matthew 5:23-24 ). The Temple that stood in Jerusalem was built of brick and mortar but, in this era of the New Covenant, God's presence (The Holy Spirit) lives in Temples made of flesh (the "bodies" of believers) and, therefore, in the "bodies" of each and every one of us who will have Him ( 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:19-20 ). That gives new meaning to the requirement that God's Temple be undefiled. Today, the commandment has not to do with entering a physical Temple while in an unclean state; rather, it is allowing the Temple of our bodies to fall into a spiritually unclean state, thereby making it uninhabitable by the Holy Spirit. Spiritual uncleanliness is caused by sin, and it persists if there is no repentance. Our need for spiritual cleanness and repentance is illustrated by several Scriptures (listed above) that essentially state that God does not have fellowship with, nor does He even hear, those who are unrepentant of their sin (see Proverbs 15:29 ; Isaiah 59:1-2 ; 1 Corinthians 11:27-29 ; and James 5:16 ).

Classical commentators

Maimonides and HaChinuch wrote mitzvot #RN77 and #C363 respectively, which state that no person who is ceremonially unclean is to enter the Sanctuary. Maimonides and HaChinuch do not offer mitzvot on spiritual cleanness broadly, and Meir is silent on both subjects.

Copyright © Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster, The Law of Messiah, Torah from a New Covenant Perspective, Volume 1 & 2

Source and License

Based on The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective by Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster.

Volume 1 & 2 | Volume 3

License: CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution required, NoDerivatives). CC BY-ND 4.0

Disclaimer: the original content is authored by Rabbi Michael Rudolph and Rabbi Daniel Juster; additional notes or implementation details on this website are not part of their original work and do not represent their views.

Record source: The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective - Volume 1 & 2

Copyright note: Copyright © Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster, The Law of Messiah, Torah from a New Covenant Perspective, Volume 1 & 2