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Introduction
to Leviticus
INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS
This book is commonly called by the Jews
Vajikra, from the first word with which it begins, and sometimes תורת כהנים,
"the law of the priests"F1T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 103. 2.
; and this is its name in the Syriac and Arabic versions: by the Septuagint
interpreters it is called λευιτικον, and by the Latins, Leviticus, or the
Levitical book, because it gives an account of the Levitical priesthood, as the
apostle calls it, Hebrews 7:11. It treats of the sacrifices under the Levitical
dispensation, and of the priests concerned in them, and of the times and
seasons in which they were offered, and of many other rites and ceremonies.
That it was wrote by Moses is not only generally believed by the Jews, but is
affirmed in the New Testament; see Matthew 8:4 compared with Leviticus 14:2
from whence, as well as from other citations out of it in other places, the
authority of it may be concluded. The matter of it was delivered to Moses, and
very likely by him then written upon the erection of the tabernacle, which was
in the second year of the Israelites coming out of Egypt, in the first month,
and the first day of the month, Exodus 40:17 and it was on the same day that
the Lord spake to Moses out of it, and delivered to him the laws concerning
sacrifices, recorded in the first seven chapters; see Numbers 1:1 compared with
Leviticus 1:1 and on the eighth day of the same month, and some following days,
the remainder of it was given to him, and written by him, see Leviticus 8:1 to
which agrees the Targum of Jonathan on Leviticus 1:1.
"when Moses had made an end of erecting
the tabernacle, Moses thought and reasoned in his heart, and said, Mount Sinai,
its excellency was the excellency of an hour, and its holiness the holiness of
three days, it was not possible for me to ascend unto it, until the time that
the Word was speaking with me; but this tabernacle of the congregation, its
excellency is an excellency for ever, and its holiness an holiness for ever, it
is fit that I should not enter into it, until the time that be speaks with me
from before the Lord; and therefore the Word of the Lord called to Moses, and
the Word of the Lord spake with him out of the tabernacle of the congregation,
saying;'
and to the same purpose the Jerusalem Targum.
It was written in the year from the creation of the world 2514, and about 1490
years before the coming of Christ. The various sacrifices, rites, and
ceremonies made mention of in it, were typical of Christ, and shadows of good
things to come by him: there are many things in it, which give great light to
several passages in the New Testament, and it is worthy of diligent reading and
consideration.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James Version
Bible, NKJV
The
NKJV was commissioned in 1975 by Thomas Nelson Publishers.
One-hundred-and-thirty respected Bible scholars, church leaders, and lay
Christians worked for seven years with the goal of updating the vocabulary and
grammar of the King James Version, while preserving the classic style of the of
the 1611 version.
The
task of updating the English of the KJV involved many changes in word order,
grammar, vocabulary, and spelling. One of the most significant features of the
NKJV was its removal of the second person pronouns "thou",
"thee", "ye," "thy," and "thine." Verb
forms were also modernized in the NKJV (for example, "speaks" rather
than "speaketh").
Young’s
Literal Translation was completed in 1898 by Robert Young, who also compiled
Young’s Analytical Concordance. It is an extremely literal translation that
attempts to preserve the tense and word usage as found in the original Greek
and Hebrew writings. The online text is from a reprint of the 1898 edition as
published by Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Obvious errors in
spelling or inconsistent spellings of the same word were corrected in the
online edition of the text. This text is Public Domain in the United States.
Commentator
John Gill (November 23, 1697-October 14,
1771) was an English Baptist, a biblical scholar, and a staunch Calvinist.
Gill's relationship with hyper-Calvinism is a matter of academic debate.
He was born in Kettering, Northamptonshire.
In his youth, he attended Kettering Grammar School, mastering the Latin
classics and learning Greek by age eleven. The young scholar continued
self-study in everything from logic to Hebrew. His love for Hebrew would follow
Gill throughout his life.
At the age of about twelve, Gill heard a
sermon from his pastor, William Wallis, on the text, "And the Lord called
unto Adam, and said unto him, where art thou?" (Genesis 3:9). The message
stayed with Gill and eventually led to his conversion. It was not until seven
years later that young John made a public profession when he was almost
nineteen years of age.
His first pastoral work was as an intern
assisting John Davis at Higham Ferrers in 1718 at age twenty one. He was
subsequently called to pastor the Strict Baptist church at Goat Yard Chapel,
Horsleydown, Southwark in 1719. In 1757, his congregation needed larger
premises and moved to a Carter Lane, St. Olave's Street, Southwark. His
pastorate lasted 51 years. This Baptist Church was once pastored by Benjamin
Keach and would later become the New Park Street Chapel and then the
Metropolitan Tabernacle pastored by Charles Spurgeon.
During Gill's ministry the church strongly
supported the preaching of George Whitefield at nearby Kennington Common.
In 1748, Gill was awarded the honorary degree
of Doctor of Divinity by the University of Aberdeen. He was a profound scholar
and a prolific author. His most important works are:
John Gill is the first major writing Baptist
theologian. His work retains its influence into the twenty-first century.
Gill's relationship with hyper-Calvinism in English Baptist life is a matter of
debate. Peter Toon has argued that Gill was himself a hyper-Calvinist, which
would make Gill the father of Baptist hyper-Calvinism. Tom Nettles has argued
that Gill was not a hyper-Calvinist himself, which would make him merely a
precursor and hero to Baptist hyper-Calvinists.