Leviticus 14:3

_AND THE PRIEST SHALL GO FORTH OUT OF THE CAMP; AND THE PRIEST SHALL LOOK, AND, BEHOLD, IF THE PLAGUE OF LEPROSY BE HEALED IN THE LEPER;_ The priest shall go forth out of the camp. The person infected, having been separated from the worship of God and from communion with His people, could not be restored until the appointed rites had been performed for him; and it was necessary therefore for the priest to go out of the camp or city to meet him. BEHOLD, IF THE PLAGUE OF LEPROSY BE HEALED IN THE LEPER. In the event of his receiving a bill of health, a twofold ceremony was enjoined, at an interval of seven days. Each of these ceremonies was sacrificial, and the victims prescribed in each, though differing from one another, represented the same spiritual benefit in different aspects. In the several acts of purification there were more victims required than one, because the thing signified...

3_And the priest shall go forth. _This is the examination, which was more fully treated of in the last chapter, without which it was not lawful to receive him who had been once rejected. The priest’s command, which is mentioned immediately afterwards, I refer to the Levites, some one of whom probably accompanied the priest to prepare the sacrifice, that thus the priests might only discharge the principal duty. The sum of the rite respecting the two birds tends to this, that the cleansing from leprosy was a kind of resurrection Two birds were placed before their eyes; the liberty of one was purchased by the blood of the other; because the former was not let go until it had been first dipped in the blood and the water; and thus the matter of sprinkling was prepared for the man’s purification. The sevenfold repetition was intended to impress more deeply on men’s memories a continual meditat...

1-9 The priests could not cleanse the lepers; but when the Lord removed the plague, various rules were to be observed in admitting them again to the ordinances of God, and the society of his people. They represent many duties and exercises of truly repenting sinners, and the duties of ministers respecting them. If we apply this to the spiritual leprosy of sin, it intimates that when we withdraw from those who walk disorderly, we must not count them as enemies, but admonish them as brethren. And also that when God by his grace has brought to repentance, they ought with tenderness and joy, and sincere affection, to be received again. Care should always be taken that sinners may not be encouraged, nor penitents discouraged. If it were found that the leprosy was healed, the priest must declare it with the particular solemnities here described. The two birds, one killed, and the other dipped...

Verse Leviticus 14:3. _THE PRIEST SHALL GO FORTH OUT OF THE CAMP_] As the leper was separated from the people, and obliged, because of his uncleanness, to dwell without the camp, and could not be admitted till the priest had declared that he was clean; hence it was necessary that the priest should go out and inspect him, and, if healed, offer for him the sacrifices required, in order to his re-admission to the camp. As the priest alone had authority to declare a person _clean_ or _unclean_, it was necessary that the healed person should show himself to the _priest_, that he might make a declaration that he was clean and fit for civil and religious society, without which, in no case, could he be admitted; hence, when Christ cleansed the lepers, Matthew 8:2, he commanded them to go...

EXPOSITION THE FORM OF PURIFICATION OF THE LEPER (Leviticus 14:1). This is the most minute of all the forms of purification, those for purification from contact with a dead body (Numbers 19:1) and for the cleansing of a defiled Nazarite (Numbers 6:1) being alone to be compared with it in this respect. Some purifications were accomplished, as we have seen, in a very summary manner: one who touched the carcass of a beast that had died a natural death had only to wash his clothes (Leviticus 11:40). The

AND THE PRIEST SHALL GO FORTH OUT OF THE CAMP,.... A little without the camp, as Ben Gersom notes. There have been several goings forth of Christ our High Priest; first in the council and covenant of grace and peace, when he became the surety of his people; then in time by the assumption of human nature, when he came forth from his Father, and came into the world to save them; next, when he went forth out of the city of Jerusalem to suffer for them; and also, when, at the time of conversion, he goes forth in quest of them, and looks them up, and finds them, and brings them home, which may answer to the type here; and all shows the great readiness of Christ to receive sinners: AND THE PRIEST SHALL LOOK, AND, BEHOLD, [IF] THE PLAGUE OF LEPROSY BE HEALED IN THE LEPER; that all the signs of uncleanness are removed, the swelling, the scab, or bright spot, and the white hair in them, and, ins...

GO FORTH As a type of Gospel salvation the points are: 1. The leper does nothing (Romans 4:5); (Romans 4:5). 2. the priest seeks the leper, not the leper the priest (Luke 19:10). 3. "with-out shedding of blood is no remission" (Hebrews 9:22). 4. "and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain" (1 Corinthians 15:17)....

4. THE CLEANSING OF THE LEPER CHAPTER 14 _ 1. The cleansing of the leper (Leviticus 14:1)_ 2. Leprosy in the house and its purification (Leviticus 14:33) The cleansing and restoration of the leper is full of significance, foreshadowing once more the blessed work of our Saviour. Two parts in this ceremonial are to be noticed first of all. The first thing done was to restore the leper among the people from whom he had been put away. The second part of the ceremony restored him fully to communion with God. The first part was accomplished on the first day; the second part on the eighth day. A careful distinction must be made between the healing and the cleansing. All the ceremonies could not heal the leper. Jehovah alone could heal that loathsome disease. But after the

NORMAL LAW OF CLEANSING after the disease has disappeared. The patient brings to the priest two birds, and he is sprinkled with the blood of one of them, killed in an earthenware (and therefore cheap) bowl, for mixing the blood, over running (and therefore pure) water, along with cedar wood (perhaps because of its supposed healing properties), scarlet wool, and hyssop (_cf._ Numbers 19:6 *). The other bird carries away the pollution. He then removes his hair and washes himself and his clothes (_cf._ Deuteronomy 21:12; Numbers 6:18 *). In the second part of the rite, next day, the semi-magical elements (except perhaps in Le

The priest goes outside to meet the leper; probably signs of convalescence have already been notified to the priest, which have satisfied him, and he now declares the plague to be healed....