Comentário do capítulo
Leviticus Capítulo 14
1
Le 14:1-57.
繁體中文
Original em inglês
Le 14:1-57.
THE RITES AND SACRIFICES IN CLEANSING OF THE LEPER.
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繁體中文
2, 3. 長大痲瘋得潔淨的日子的律例——痲瘋患者雖已痊癒，卻不能立即、也不能憑己意回到社會之中。其疾病的惡性質，使他重新被納入百姓之中時，必須採取最嚴格的防範措施。一位在疾病診斷上最精通的祭司[GROTIUS]被委派照料這樣的被逐者，痊癒的痲瘋患者便來到這官長面前，經過檢查、取得健康證明之後，便立即在營外舉行此處所描述的禮儀。
Original em inglês
2, 3. law of the leper in the day of his cleansing--Though quite convalescent, a leper was not allowed to return to society immediately and at his own will. The malignant character of his disease rendered the greatest precautions necessary to his re-admission among the people. One of the priests most skilled in the diagnostics of disease [GROTIUS], being deputed to attend such outcasts, the restored leper appeared before this official, and when after examination a certificate of health was given, the ceremonies here described were forthwith observed outside the camp.
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繁體中文
4. 兩隻鳥——字面作「麻雀」。然而七十士譯本譯作「小鳥」；顯然應取此泛義，因它們被指明為「潔淨」——若指麻雀，這條件便完全多餘。摩西在律法所定的一切祭中，只選用尋常易得的鳥；因此我們可推斷此處所指乃麻雀或鴿子之類的鳥，因在曠野要取得活的野鳥可能極其困難。
香柏木、朱紅色線和牛膝草——此處所說的香柏木，必然不是著名的利巴嫩香柏樹，一般認為是檜柏，因西奈山脈的裂縫和隙縫中長著幾種這類灌木。將這種灌木的一根枝條用朱紅色帶子綁在一束牛膝草上，活鳥便這樣附在其上，使他們將枝條蘸在水中時，鳥的尾巴也可沾濕，但頭和翅膀不沾濕，好叫它被釋放時飛行不受阻礙。
Original em inglês
4. two birds--literally, "sparrows." The Septuagint, however, renders the expression "little birds"; and it is evident that it is to be taken in this generic sense from their being specified as "clean"--a condition which would have been altogether superfluous to mention in reference to sparrows. In all the offerings prescribed in the law, Moses ordered only common and accessible birds; and hence we may presume that he points here to such birds as sparrows or pigeons, as in the desert it might have been very difficult to procure wild birds alive.
cedar-wood, and scarlet, and hyssop--The cedar here meant was certainly not the famous tree of Lebanon, and it is generally supposed to have been the juniper, as several varieties of that shrub are found growing abundantly in the clefts and crevices of the Sinaitic mountains. A stick of this shrub was bound to a bunch of hyssop by a scarlet ribbon, and the living bird was to be so attached to it, that when they dipped the branches in the water, the tail of the bird might also be moistened, but not the head nor the wings, that it might not be impeded in its flight when let loose.
5
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繁體中文
5-9. 祭司要吩咐……把一隻鳥宰在……活水上面——因為一隻鳥的血不足以浸沒另一隻鳥的身體，故與泉水混合，以增加所定灑禮所需的份量；灑禮要重複七次，表示完全的潔淨。（參
2Ki 5:10; Ps 51:2; Mt 8:4; Lu 5:14）。
活鳥隨後被釋放，作為痲瘋患者解除隔離的標記，祭司便宣佈他為潔淨；這官方的宣告以一切莊嚴的方式進行，為要使痲瘋患者的心對神聖的恩惠有適當的感銘，並使別人確信可以安全地與他交往。在七天之中還要經過幾樣其他的潔淨禮，整個過程要在第七天重複一次，他才獲准重新進入營中。由祭司主持這事，似乎暗示會給予新痊癒的痲瘋患者適當的教導，並會解釋潔淨痲瘋過程中所用的象徵禮儀。這些禮儀當時被明白到何種程度，我們不得而知。但我們可以追溯痲瘋與罪的疾病之間、以及潔淨痲瘋所守的禮儀與福音的預備之間，有一些有益的類比。這些類比中首要的是：正如痲瘋患者只有當他顯出某種狀態的改變時，祭司才下令獻祭；照樣，罪人必須處於信心與悔改的操練中，才能享受福音救恩的益處。被宰的鳥與被釋放的鳥據推斷分別預表基督的死與復活；而灑在痲瘋得潔淨之人身上所行的，則預表那些促使信徒潔淨自己一切肉體與心靈的污穢、並在敬畏主中成全聖潔的要求。
Original em inglês
5-9. the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed . . . over running water--As the blood of a single bird would not have been sufficient to immerse the body of another bird, it was mingled with spring water to increase the quantity necessary for the appointed sprinklings, which were to be repeated seven times, denoting a complete purification. (See
2Ki 5:10; Ps 51:2; Mt 8:4; Lu 5:14).
The living bird being then set free, in token of the leper's release from quarantine, the priest pronounced him clean; and this official declaration was made with all solemnity, in order that the mind of the leper might be duly impressed with a sense of the divine goodness, and that others might be satisfied they might safely hold intercourse with him. Several other purifications had to be gone through during a series of seven days, and the whole process had to be repeated on the seventh, ere he was allowed to re-enter the camp. The circumstance of a priest being employed seems to imply that instruction suitable to the newly recovered leper would be given, and that the symbolical ceremonies used in the process of cleansing leprosy would be explained. How far they were then understood we cannot tell. But we can trace some instructive analogies between the leprosy and the disease of sin, and between the rites observed in the process of cleansing leprosy and the provisions of the Gospel. The chief of these analogies is that as it was only when a leper exhibited a certain change of state that orders were given by the priest for a sacrifice, so a sinner must be in the exercise of faith and penitence ere the benefits of the gospel remedy can be enjoyed by him. The slain bird and the bird let loose are supposed to typify, the one the death, and the other the resurrection of Christ; while the sprinklings on him that had been leprous typified the requirements which led a believer to cleanse himself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and to perfect his holiness in the fear of the Lord.
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10-20. 到了第八天，他要取兩隻無瑕疵的公羊羔，和一隻一歲無瑕疵的母羊羔——痲瘋患者的潔淨直到七天期滿才完成，這是在行鳥之禮
[Le 14:4-7]
之後，在此期間他雖獲准進入營中，卻要留在帳棚外
[Le 14:8]，
每日從那裡來到會幕門口，帶著所要求的祭物。使他潔淨的祭司將他帶到耶和華面前。因此敬虔之人一向認為，久病初癒的病人第一個本分就是到教會獻上感恩，在那裡他的身體與靈魂要由我們的大祭司獻上，才能成為蒙悅納的祭物——唯有他的血能使人潔淨。祭物包括兩隻羊羔，一隻作贖罪祭，加伊法十分之二的細麵（二品脫等於十分之一），和一羅革（半品脫）油
(Le 2:1)。
一隻羊羔作贖愆祭，這是因他本性中固有的罪，或因他被逐之前因痲瘋而玷污了營；值得注意的是，贖愆祭的血塗在痊癒的痲瘋患者的肢體末端，其方式與膏立祭司時公綿羊的血完全相同
[Le 8:23]。
灑了血的部位再抹上油——這禮儀據推測帶有這樣的屬靈含義：血為赦免的記號，油為醫治的表徵——正如基督的血使人稱義，聖靈的感動使人成聖。其餘兩隻羊羔，一隻作贖罪祭，另一隻作燔祭，也帶有為神在他痊愈之事上的憐憫而感恩的性質。這被視為「為他」贖罪；即：它除去了那使他不能享受宗教典禮的禮儀污染，正如基督的贖罪使一切因信他的祭而得潔淨的人，恢復神兒女的權利。
Original em inglês
10-20. on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe-lamb of the first year without blemish--The purification of the leper was not completed till at the end of seven days, after the ceremonial of the birds
[Le 14:4-7]
and during which, though permitted to come into the camp, he had to tarry abroad out of his tent
[Le 14:8],
from which he came daily to appear at the door of the tabernacle with the offerings required. He was presented before the Lord by the priest that made him clean. And hence it has always been reckoned among pious people the first duty of a patient newly restored from a long and dangerous sickness to repair to the church to offer his thanksgiving, where his body and soul, in order to be an acceptable offering, must be presented by our great Priest, whose blood alone makes any clean. The offering was to consist of two lambs, the one was to be a sin offering, and an ephah of fine flour (two pints equals one-tenth), and one log (half pint) of oil
(Le 2:1).
One of the lambs was for a trespass offering, which was necessary from the inherent sin of his nature or from his defilement of the camp by his leprosy previous to his expulsion; and it is remarkable that the blood of the trespass offering was applied exactly in the same particular manner to the extremities of the restored leper, as that of the ram in the consecration of the priests
[Le 8:23].
The parts sprinkled with this blood were then anointed with oil--a ceremony which is supposed to have borne this spiritual import: that while the blood was a token of forgiveness, the oil was an emblem of healing--as the blood of Christ justifies, the influence of the Spirit sanctifies. Of the other two lambs the one was to be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering, which had also the character of a thank offering for God's mercy in his restoration. And this was considered to make atonement "for him"; that is, it removed that ceremonial pollution which had excluded him from the enjoyment of religious ordinances, just as the atonement of Christ restores all who are cleansed through faith in His sacrifice to the privileges of the children of God.
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繁體中文
21-32. 他若貧窮不能預備夠數，就要取一隻羊羔——對較貧窮階層的痲瘋患者延展此權利的一項仁慈而周到的安排。他們較小祭物的血要以同樣的潔淨程序來使用，他們也像帶來較貴祭物的人一樣，被公開而完全地宣佈為潔淨
(Ac 10:34)。
Original em inglês
21-32. if he be poor, and cannot get so much; then he shall take one lamb--a kind and considerate provision for an extension of the privilege to lepers of the poorer class. The blood of their smaller offering was to be applied in the same process of purification and they were as publicly and completely cleansed as those who brought a costlier offering
(Ac 10:34).
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34-48. 房屋中的痲瘋——這條律法是前瞻性的，要到以色列人在迦南定居之後才生效。「我使……痲瘋」這話使許多人認為這災病是因業主的罪而從天降的司法刑罰；另有人則不這樣看，因為在聖經中，將神僅在護理中允許發生的事說成神所作的，是常見的。假設它是一種天然的疾病，又產生一個新的難題：我們是否應認為房屋因痲瘋患者的傳染而被感染；還是痲瘋就在房屋本身。顯然後者才是真相，因為在牆上初次出現病症的可疑時，家具便被搬出屋外。有人推測希伯來人是類比地將痲瘋之名用於此病，正如我們稱樹木上類似該病在人體上所產生的腐蝕效果為癌；另有人則斷定它是牆上的風化物或一種黴菌，易在極潮濕的地方產生，其後果對健康和房屋的穩固都有害——特別在溫暖的國家——值得立法者關注。摩西吩咐祭司遵循與人體痲瘋相同的程序和時期來查明這病的真實性質。若發現為痲瘋，受感染的部分要被拆下。若其後傳染有蔓延的危險，整座房屋要被拆毀，材料搬到遠處。那些石頭可能是粗糙未經斧鑿的石頭，不用灰泥砌成，正如今日籬笆常用的方式，然後抹灰，或用灰漿鋪砌。最古老的建築例子都有這特徵。如今被牆鹽感染的房屋仍要這樣處理。覆有硝酸鹽結皮的石頭必須拆除，若受感染的牆被允許留下，必須重新全面抹灰。
Original em inglês
34-48. leprosy in a house--This law was prospective, not to come into operation till the settlement of the Israelites in Canaan. The words, "I put the leprosy," has led many to think that this plague was a judicial infliction from heaven for the sins of the owner; while others do not regard it in this light, it being common in Scripture to represent God as doing that which He only permits in His providence to be done. Assuming it to have been a natural disease, a new difficulty arises as to whether we are to consider that the house had become infected by the contagion of leprous occupiers; or that the leprosy was in the house itself. It is evident that the latter was the true state of the case, from the furniture being removed out of it on the first suspicion of disease on the walls. Some have supposed that the name of leprosy was analogically applied to it by the Hebrews, as we speak of cancer in trees when they exhibit corrosive effects similar to what the disease so named produces on the human body; while others have pronounced it a mural efflorescence or species of mildew on the wall apt to be produced in very damp situations, and which was followed by effects so injurious to health as well as to the stability of a house, particularly in warm countries, as to demand the attention of a legislator. Moses enjoined the priests to follow the same course and during the same period of time for ascertaining the true character of this disease as in human leprosy. If found leprous, the infected parts were to be removed. If afterwards there appeared a risk of the contagion spreading, the house was to be destroyed altogether and the materials removed to a distance. The stones were probably rough, unhewn stones, built up without cement in the manner now frequently used in fences and plastered over, or else laid in mortar. The oldest examples of architecture are of this character. The very same thing has to be done still with houses infected with mural salt. The stones covered with the nitrous incrustation must be removed, and if the infected wall is suffered to remain, it must be plastered all over anew.
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48-57. 祭司就要定那房子為潔淨，因為災病已經好了——此處所描述的防備措施表明，在溫暖的國家中房屋痲瘋有很大的危險，而在以色列歷史的早期，房屋狹小而建築簡陋，更易加劇此病。房屋既不能在神眼中染上任何不潔，祭司為它所作的「贖罪」，要麼是指其住客的罪，要麼是指為其潔淨所定的禮儀程序——與為痲瘋患者所守的完全相同。這莊嚴的「潔淨」宣告，連同當時所獻的祭，極巧妙地能將這事實公諸於世，消除公眾心中的疑慮，也使業主免於住在受感染房屋中的痛苦疑懼。
Original em inglês
48-57. the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed--The precautions here described show that there is great danger in warm countries from the house leprosy, which was likely to be increased by the smallness and rude architecture of the houses in the early ages of the Israelitish history. As a house could not contract any impurity in the sight of God, the "atonement" which the priest was to make for it must either have a reference to the sins of its occupants or to the ceremonial process appointed for its purification, the very same as that observed for a leprous person. This solemn declaration that it was "clean," as well as the offering made on the occasion, was admirably calculated to make known the fact, to remove apprehension from the public mind, as well as relieve the owner from the aching suspicion of dwelling in an infected house.
Le 14:1-57.
潔淨痲瘋患者之禮儀與祭物