Leviticus 17:15

_AND EVERY SOUL THAT EATETH THAT WHICH DIED OF ITSELF, OR THAT WHICH WAS TORN WITH BEASTS, WHETHER IT BE ONE OF YOUR OWN COUNTRY, OR A STRANGER, HE SHALL BOTH WASH HIS CLOTHES, AND BATHE HIMSELF IN WATER, AND BE UNCLEAN UNTIL THE EVEN: THEN SHALL HE BE CLEAN._ Every soul that eateth that which died of itself - (Exodus 22:31; Leviticus 14:39; Acts 15:20.) AND BE UNCLEAN UNTIL THE EVEN - i:e., from the moment of his discovering his fault until the evening. This law, however, was only binding on an Israelite. (Deuteronomy 14:21.)...

10-16 Here is a confirmation of the law against eating blood. They must eat no blood. But this law was ceremonial, and is now no longer in force; the coming of the substance does away the shadow. The blood of beasts is no longer the ransom, but Christ's blood only; therefore there is not now the reason for abstaining there then was. The blood is now allowed for the nourishment of our bodies; it is no longer appointed to make an atonement for the soul. Now the blood of Christ makes atonement really and effectually; to that, therefore, we must have regard, and not consider it as a common thing, or treat it with indifference....

Verse Leviticus 17:15. _THAT WHICH DIED_ OF ITSELF, _OR THAT WHICH WAS TORN_] Because, in both cases, the blood was retained in the body; hence the council at Jerusalem forbade _things strangled_ as well as _blood_, because in such beasts the blood was coagulated in the veins and arteries. See Acts 15:28. Every thing considered, surely there is as little _propriety_ in eating of blood as there is necessity to do it. They who will do otherwise must bear their iniquity. If blood eating be no offence, then they have no sin to answer for. The principal subjects of this chapter have been already so amply handled in the notes, that there is no need to add any thing by way of reflection or improvement....

This law appears to be grounded on the fact that the body of an animal killed by a wild beast, or which has died of itself, still retains a great portion of its blood. The importance ascribed to this law in later times may be seen in 1 Samuel 14:32; Ezekiel 4:14; Ezekiel 44:31, and still more in the apostolic decision regarding “things strangled,” which are pointedly connected with blood Acts 15:20....

EXPOSITION This chapter finds its natural place here as the supplement of all that has gone before. The first part of the book contains the institution or regulation of the sacrificial system (chapters 1-7). This chapter, therefore, which gives injunctions as to the place where all sacrifices are to be offered, might well, as Knobel has remarked, have taken its place as Leviticus 8:1. The second part contains the institution of the hereditary priesthood (chapters 8-10). This chapter, therefore, which forbids for the future all offering of sacrifices in the open fields, and commands that they shall be brought "unto _the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation," _would still more fitly find its place after Leviticus 10:1. But the first two sections of the third

AND EVERY SOUL THAT EATETH THAT WHICH DIED [OF ITSELF],.... Through any disease upon it, or by means of any other creature seizing upon it and worrying it, or was not lawfully killed; if a man ate ever so little of it, even but the quantity of an olive, it was a breach of this law; which is connected with the preceding, there being a similarity between them, because such creatures must have their blood in them, not being regularly let out, and so eating of them would offend against the above law. It is very probable, as Grotius thinks, that Pythagoras took his notion from hence, and strictly enjoined his followers to abstain from all animals that died of themselves, as Laertius n and Aelianus o relate, and which Porphyry p suggests, was what universally obtained among men: OR THAT WHICH WAS TORN [WITH BEASTS]; though not dead, yet ready to die, and so unfit for food; Exodus 22

2. THE TESTIMONY CONCERNING THE BLOOD CHAPTER 17 _ 1. Concerning slain animals (Leviticus 17:1)_ 2. Concerning the eating of blood (Leviticus 17:10) This chapter needs little comment. Everything in this chapter speaks of the sanctity of the blood, what great value God, to whom life belongs, places upon the blood and with what jealous care He watches over it. The center of all is verse 11: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” Every slain animal had to bear witness to this fact. Even the hunter had to pour out the blood and cover it with dust. No blood was to be eaten. But in the New Testament we are commanded to eat spiritu

LEVITICUS 17-26. THE HOLINESS CODE (see Introd. § 2). LEVITICUS 17. RESTRICTIONS ON SACRIFICE. The whole chapter recalls P, yet there are differences of phrase (_e.g._ what man soever, Leviticus 17:3) and of tone (_e.g._ the giving of a reason for a command, Leviticus 17:11) and of contents (_e.g._ the explicit prohibition of slaughter except at the central sanctuary). Of the four sections of the chapter, each with its introductory phrase, the second is an extension of the first, the fourth of the third....

BATHE. See note on Leviticus 14:9. The rigour of this law seen from 1 Samuel 14:32....

THE -LAW OF HOLINESS 1 [53] " [53] It should be noted that the -Law of Holiness" denoted by His sometimes used to mean the _whole_of chs. 17 26, sometimes the old laws embedded in these chs., and sometimes again these laws together with their hortatory settings. The leading features of this code, the probable date of its compilation, and an explanation of its origin and development, are discussed in _Introd_. The Law of Holiness, pp. 22 ff., and in App. I, pp. 167 ff. It is there shewn that laws drawn from various sources have been collected by an editor (R h [54]), and this collection has been revised by a later writer (R p [55]). The analysis of the separate Chapter s which follows will shew their composite character; in drawing the distinction between R h [56] and R p [57] the inferences that these represent two stages in the composition of the code will be further illustrated; with...