申命记

Meditative Reflection
Every Day’s Holiness

“Do not eat any detestable thing." (Deut. 14:3)

The reason for the giving of dietary rules in Leviticus 11 and for repeating them in Deuteronomy 14 has  been the subject of many speculations even before the Christian era, and till today, there is no consensus among scholars even within the conservative camp. But in the search for possible reasons, I find it very disturbing to read, even from supposedly Evangelical scholars (whether in their endorsement or rejection of a certain view), words like, “according to the human authors of Scripture”. It is as if these words were human inventions and not those of divine inspiration.

In any case, allow me to share with you briefly some speculations by scholars over the years for your own consideration and for your reflection:

1. The more modern speculation is for hygienic reasons and the promotion of good health and the avoidance of  diseases. I have to agree that it makes a lot of sense. Pork carries trichinosis, and rabbit tularemia. According to some commentators, fish without fins and scales tend to burrow into the mud and become sources of dangerous bacteria. The types of birds that cannot be eaten are generally birds of prey that feed on carrion. Even the carcasses of so-classified clean birds should not be touched because of the avian flu. However, wild boars seldom carry trichinosis; pork properly cooked would do no harm and some animals which chew the cud “are a host for parasites” (Hartley, 142). To Christians, the New Testament has totally done away with such distinctions (Mk. 7:14-20; Acts 10:9-16).

2. The older speculation (as represented by Origen) is for a  cultic reason that seeks to separate Israel from its idol-worshipping neighbors in that many of the unclean animals were used in pagan worship. Such a speculation does not seem to be well-founded, as many of the Canaanites sacrificed very much the same kinds of animals as the Israelites. However, these dietary rules do separate the Israelites from the Canaanites and would virtually eliminate the likelihood of them socializing together over a meal.

3. An equally old speculation sees such laws as carrying symbolic meanings. Philo likens the cud-chewing animals as examples for pupils allowing the teachings they hear to pass into their hearts for further apprehension; and the split hoof symbolizes the need for discernment. While such interpretation carries spiritual merits, it certainly opens up the mind to all kinds of wild speculations that do not have textual support of any kind.

4. Hartley cites the opinion of J. Milgrom as “intriguing” in that Milgrom proposes that “the system of dietary laws was instituted to prevent human from degenerating into random killers. These laws ingrained in the covenant people a deep reverence of life by reducing the number of edible animals to a few, requiring humane manner of slaughter, and prohibiting the partaking of blood” (Hartley, 143, quoting from Milgram, SCTT, 104-18).

5. Modern Evangelical scholars appear to endorse the social anthropological view of Mary Douglas in that since holiness denotes wholeness, completeness and normality, animals so sacrificed have to be complete, without defects. Priests had to be free from physical deformity (Leviticus 21); the people have to maintain a way of life characterized by purity, integrity and thus holiness through a distinction between clean and unclean food. Such a distinction has to do with whether the creatures “use a means of propulsion appropriate to the sphere in which they live" (Douglas, Purity, 55), and thus, “Each sphere has a particular mode of motion associated with it. Birds have two wings with which to fly, and two feet for walking; fish have fins and scales with which to swim; land animals have hoofs to run with. The clean animals are those that conform to these standard pure types” (Wenham, 169).

6. Some rabbis opine that the reason of these laws is only known to God and it is futile for us to try to understand. It is simply a test of absolute obedience that God demands from His people. While I tend to agree with them, I tend to think that God has in mind all of the above for the benefits of His people for these reasons:

a. In ancient times, such dietary rules did much for the health and longevity of the people of Israel even if they did not understand them fully. Their obedience did them tremendous good. Such is still the case today, when we seek to defy the moral laws of God in so many ways, it is still to our own detriment.

b. These dietary laws, indeed, served to help the people avoid social contacts with pagan nations which was key for Israel to maintain their loyalty to Yahweh and His worship.

c. While symbolic interpretation of each rule might lead to a wild interpretation, the central spiritual implication is unmistakable: The people of God must do everything to maintain their separation unto God as His people, not just at the time of worship, but in their everyday life. That is the basic meaning of holiness which, unfortunately, is much watered down if not ignored by Christians today.

Meditative Reflection
A Powerful Witness

“Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: ‘The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near,’ so that you do not show ill will toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing.” (Deut. 15:9)

In reading Moses’ reiteration about the regulation of debt cancelling, I can see the heart of the Lord in that He desires that His people would become a community unlike others in that there will be no need to have poor people among them (v. 4).

Indeed, if every Israelite “fully” obeys the command of the Lord and is generous in lending to their own people (according to 23:19 such loans are interest-free as well), it will enable the debtor to repay without too heavy a burden, and even if they, for whatever reason, could not fully repay the loan, the balance will be cancelled completely by the 7^th year. As a result, everyone will be given a fresh start. Then Israel will not only become a community without abject poverty, but a community that bears witness to both the love of God as lived out among them, and the abundant provision of their God.

Such was not only the understanding of the first church as they shared all things in common, but it was also one of the marks of the early Christians (Acts 2:44). Obviously, by the time of the 1^st century, the Jews had stopped following this command of the Lord, and thus, with the followers of this new “Way” (Acts 9:2) re-establishing this practice among themselves, it created such a powerful witness that it contributed to “the Lord adding their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).

While understandably, this practice of sharing all things in common did not last for a very long time, the early church continued to seek to care and provide for the poor and needy among them (Acts 6:1-7; 2 Cor. 8:1ff). This continues to be one of the most practical expressions of loving one another in Christ, and one of the most important marks of being His disciples (Jn. 13:35).

Meditative Reflection
Setting Apart for the Lord

“Set apart for the LORD your God every firstborn male of your herds and flocks. Do not put the firstborn of your cows to work, and do not shear the firstborn of your sheep.” (Deut. 15:19)

In Exodus 13:11-16 the Lord has made it very clear the reason why the Israelites have to set apart to Him every firstborn male of their herds and flocks is to use it “as a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the Lord brought us out of Egypt with His mighty hand” (Exod. 13:16) in that “the Lord killed every firstborn in Egypt, both man and animal” (Exod. 13:15).

In other words, by setting apart every firstborn male of their herds and flocks, they would remember that they are so precious and honored in God’s sight and because He loves them so much that He has given “Egypt for their ransom” (Isa. 43:3-4)—their people in exchange for their life.

However, the true meaning of being set apart for the Lord is even more vividly portrayed by how these firstborn animals are treated before their actual sacrifice on the altar: The oxen are not to be used for work as other oxen; the sheep are not to be sheared. This is such a powerful reminder to us that we do not wait till we are called or put to use by God before we give ourselves fully for His service, we set ourselves apart to live for Him even in the here and now!

Meditative Reflection
No Empty-handed Worship

“Three times a year all your men must appear before the LORD your God at the place He will choose: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles. No one should appear before the LORD empty-handed.” (Deut. 16:16)

The Law of Moses has established regulations concerning offerings that are made by the priests on behalf of the people like their daily offerings, Sabbath offerings (Num. 28:1-15) and those made on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16). They were likely out of the provisions given by some of the people through their regular tithes and freewill offerings; but the three feasts mentioned in Deuteronomy 16, namely the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles, are meant for the people to bring forth their own sacrifices, to be made before the Lord and eaten before Him as a communal feast. If they come empty-handed, their celebration will lose its meaning to them:

- Without bringing their own Passover (lamb), the family could not even celebrate the Passover and the sacred assembly on the 7^th day (16:8) will be totally meaningless and hypocritical.

- Without bring their freewill offerings to the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles, there will not be a genuine heart of thanksgiving for the blessings God has bestowed upon their harvest (16:15), and the feast they eat together at the festivals will be most hypocritical.

However, why does Moses feel the need to remind the people not to come to these festivals empty-handed? The answer is obvious—there will be those who really come to join the parties and festivities without a genuine heart of thanksgiving. Looking at the financial picture in most churches, it is also obvious that many have come to worship empty-handed, or at best make a “token” sum of offering. There isn’t a genuine heart of thanksgiving, let alone a genuine spirit of worship!

Meditative Reflection
A Godly Leader

“When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests.” (Deut. 17:18)

It is interesting to read that the Lord gives instructions and guidelines for Israel to choose their future kings. On the one hand, we know that God does not desire that they would be a nation under a monarchy like the nations around them, because He is the only true King (1 Samuel 8:7). On the other hand, God knows that in reality, given the stiff-necked nature of His people, it would be only a matter of time before they would follow the footsteps of the surrounding nations and demand a king for themselves. This is the reason why He would have Moses give them instructions as to how to choose a king and how their kings should behave in order that it is not a monarchy after the secular model, but one that would still lead the nation of Israel under theocracy.

Although the instructions given have little relevance in our society governed by democracy, still they speak volumes about what a godly leader should be, whether in a secular setting, or within the church of Jesus Christ. Because of time, let’s apply only the negative principles (except the first one) expounded by Moses to leaders within the church:

- A leader must be of God’s choosing (17:15): It is sad that in most churches, they depend on voting to determine who their leaders should be. Although this kind of polity is almost unavoidable these days, it speaks to the need and urgency of leading the whole church through a process of praying, waiting and discernment, seeking the guidance and affirmation of the Holy Spirit.

- A leader does not rely on or solicit support from people (17:16): Just as a godly king would not rely on the strength of horses for his battle (Ps. 20:7; 23:17; 147:10), a godly leader in the church does not solicit support from men, but solely relies on the power of the Holy Spirit.

- A leader does not follow the ways of the world (17:16b): Even Hezekiah was guilty of soliciting support from Egypt (Isa. 30:7) which really amounted to going back “that way again”. A godly leader will not lead his congregation using the way of the world. He or she will not seek to have their way through maneuvers, manipulations or any plots of their own.

- A leader must be sexually pure (17:17): The standards of some churches these days cannot even be compared to the those of secular societies, especially when it comes to the sexual purity of their leaders. This is really high time for the churches to repent or they will not only be a laughing stock to the world, but will have their golden lampstand removed from their midst (Revelation 2:5).

- A leader must not love money (17:17): This is echoed by the Apostle Paul as he sets out the basic qualifications for a church leader as one of the important characters of a leader beyond reproach (1 Tim. 3:3).

As much as these are mainly negative instructions, together they invariably point to someone whose life is so grounded in the words of God (17:18-20) that he or she certainly knows the Lord intimately.

Meditative Reflection
Is God Fair?

“He is to share equally in their benefits, even though he has received money from the sale of family possessions.” (Deut. 18:8)

Moses foresees that some Levites will serve right where the sanctuary will be located, whether in Shiloh or, later on, in Jerusalem, while others will be scattered around the Promised Land, serving individual communities across Israel. We know that the latter, like the rest of the Levites, will have “no allotment or inheritance” (18:1) but they would be given pasturelands outside the cities (Num. 35:2-3). While they do not own those lands, presumably they can build and own houses on these lands.

However, Moses also foresees that God will lay in the hearts of some of these Levites a desire (or earnestness) to move to serve in the sanctuary of the Lord. While the local Levites might see them as “outsiders”, Moses emphasizes that they are nonetheless, “fellow Levites” and they should therefore “share equally in their benefits” (18:7-8). However, if these migrating Levites have received money from the sale of their houses, that would mean they are likely more well-off than the local Levites, financially. But Moses essentially is saying that if one has more wealth than others is not the point, as they both minister “in the name of the Lord”, and thus they should all share equally in their rewards.

This reminds me of the question posed by Peter to Jesus in John 21. Jesus appeared to be foretelling that Peter would face persecution or even imprisonment (Jn. 21:18), and Peter seemed to feel that it was unfair that John might not have the same fate as his and so he asked, “Lord, what about him?” (Jn. 21:21). Jesus replied essentially with saying that it was really none of his business (Jn. 21:22).

Whether it is the reply by Jesus to Peter or the legislation that Moses has declared about the equal-sharing of benefits by all Levites, both are aimed to teach us that we should not envy other believers or servants of the Lord, whether financially or otherwise. We should only focus on our calling—the privilege of serving Him and following Him, and He will worry about the rest!

Meditative Reflection
Eye for eye?

“Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” (Deut. 19:21)

I have commented on this previously when we were going through the Book of Exodus, i.e. when Moses first declared this legislation in Exodus 21:24. Allow me to repeat part of it as follows from the context of the legislations on the cities of refuge and the need for two or more witness:

In reading the Law of Moses, many have come away with the feeling that our God is purely a God of vengeance, and those who believe in the Bible are war-mongers and people of hatred. To people like this, I would have to use what Jesus says in Matthew concerning the ignorance of the true intent of the Law of Moses (and thus the intent of God as well) by pointing out that what they think is purely “hearsay”, and not the Law itself.

Take for example the command of Deuteronomy 19:21 above. The instruction here is clearly given to the tribunal of judges that include “the priests and the judges who are in office at the time” (19:17) so that they may prevent the abuse of the legislation concerning the cities of refuge by real murderers, but it is never intended for any private execution or vengeance. The emphasis here is to make sure the judges would administer punishment commensurate with the severity of the crime, so that “the rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you.” (19:20).

However, this is also aimed to prevent the exacting of punishment beyond what the criminal deserved, thus the loss of tooth cannot be compensated with the loss of an eye, for example. Thus, Augustine says, “Moderation is signified by these words, so that the penalty may not be greater than the injury.” (On the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, 1.19.56)