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英文原文
This chapter might borrow its title from Mal 2:1, "And now, O you priests, this commandment is for you." It is a law obliging priests with the utmost care and jealousy to preserve the dignity of their priesthood. I. The inferior priests are here charged both concerning their mourning and concerning their marriages and their children, Le 21:1-9. II. The high priest is restrained more than any of them, Le 21:10-15. III. Neither the one nor the other must have any blemish, Le 21:16-24, etc.
1-24
Laws Concerning the Priests (1490 BC)
關於祭司的律例（主前1490年）
¹ 耶和華對摩西說：「你告訴亞倫子孫作祭司的說：祭司不可為民中的死人沾染自己，
² 除非為骨肉之親的父母、兒女、弟兄，
³ 和未曾出嫁、作處女的姐妹，才可以沾染自己。
⁴ 但祭司既在民中為首，不可褻瀆自己。
⁵ 不可使頭光禿，不可剃除鬍鬚的周圍，也不可用刀劃身。
⁶ 要歸神為聖，不可褻瀆神的名；因為耶和華的火祭，就是神的食物，是他們獻的，所以他們要成為聖。
⁷ 不可娶妓女或被玷污的女人為妻，也不可娶被休的婦人為妻，因為祭司歸神為聖。
⁸ 所以你要以他為聖，因為他奉獻你神的食物；你要以他為聖，因為我使你們成聖的耶和華是聖的。
⁹ 祭司的女兒若行淫有辱在身，就褻瀆了自己，她必用火焚燒。
從前已經指定祭司要教導百姓神所賜關於潔淨與不潔淨之分別的律例（Le 10:10,11）。如今這裏規定，他們自己也要遵守所要教導百姓的。注意，那些以教導為職分的人，必須以榜樣和教訓來教導（提前4:12）。祭司比任何百姓都更親近神，與聖物有更密切的接觸，因此對他們的要求是：比別人更遠離一切能玷污人、有損祭司尊嚴的事物。
I. 他們要小心，不可在哀悼死者的事上自貶身價。所有為死者哀悼的人都被認為要走近屍體，若不觸摸也要走近：猶太人說：「走到屍體六呎之內就使人禮儀上不潔」；不但如此，經上宣告（民19:14）凡進入有屍首的帳棚的人，必不潔七天。因此所有參加喪禮的弔喪者都難免沾染不潔，以至七天內不適合進入聖所：為此緣故，有這樣的規定：1. 祭司絕不可使自己陷入不能進入聖所的境地，除非是為至近的親屬（Le 21:1-3）。祭司可以為父母、為兒女、為弟兄、為未出嫁的姐妹如此行，因此無疑也可以（雖然未提及）為自己的妻子；因為以西結既是祭司，若非特別被禁止，原可為妻子哀悼（結24:17）。藉着這一許可，神尊崇了天然的情感，並如此恩待他的僕人，在他們為至親之死哀傷的七天內，豁免他們在聖所的供職；但過了這期限，流淚不可妨礙撒種，他們對親屬的情感也不可使他們放下聖所的事奉。除此之外，不論為誰——甚至為民中的首領——都一律不許。他們不可沾染自己，甚至不可為大祭司本人如此行，除非有上述親屬關係。雖然有一朋友比弟兄更親密，但祭司不可向他最好的朋友表示這種敬意，除非他是親屬，免得若允許為一人如此行，別人也期望如此，他們就常常被引離工作：這也暗示，對於這樣至親的人，我們當存特別的感情；當這樣的人被死亡取去時，我們當為之動心，認真思想，視之為死亡臨近我們自己的預兆，也是催促我們準備隨後而去的警鐘。2. 他們在哀悼的表達上不可放縱，即使為至親也不可（Le 21:5）。他們的哀悼不可：(1.) 迷信——照外邦人的樣式，他們為那些他們以為管轄亡者聚會的虛構神明而剃髮、放血，以求這些神明對他們已故的親友施恩。甚至古時在喪禮中所用的迷信儀式，也表明了對靈魂不朽及其在脫離身體狀態中存在的古老信仰：雖然這些儀式本身因是向假神行的而被神的律法所禁止，但天然所教導的、律法所允許的對已故親友遺體的適當敬意，表明我們不當看他們為已經消滅。也不可(2.) 偏激或失度。注意，神的僕人當作別人在患難中忍耐的榜樣，尤其是那觸及最敏感之處的——近親的死亡。他們被認為比別人更明白我們不當像那些沒有指望的人一樣憂傷（帖前4:13）的理由，因此他們當格外鎮靜安詳，好能以自己從神所得的安慰去安慰別人。百姓被禁止以迷信儀式為死者哀悼（Le 19:27,28），對百姓不可的，對祭司就更不可了。關於他們格外小心不沾染自己的理由，記在Le 21:6：因為他們獻神的食物，就是耶和華的火祭，那是神殿中和桌上的食物。他們大蒙尊榮，因此不可因使自己成為情感的奴僕而玷污這尊榮；他們不斷從事聖潔的事奉，因此不可從所蒙召的事奉中被轉移或使之失去功效。他們若玷污了自己，就褻瀆了他們所事奉之神的名：僕人若粗魯無禮，就是對主人的羞辱，好像主人治家不嚴。注意，一切奉獻或吃神食物的人，都當在一切行事為人上聖潔，否則就是褻瀆他們所假裝分別為聖的名。
II. 他們要小心，不可在婚姻的事上自貶身價（Le 21:7）。祭司不可娶名聲不好的女人——無論是確實犯了不潔之罪的，還是被懷疑的。他不僅不可娶妓女——無論她如何深切悔改從前的淫行——也不可娶放蕩的女人，就是行為輕浮或不知檢點的。不但如此，他也不可娶被休的婦人，因為有理由認為她被休是因為犯了某種過錯。祭司被禁止這樣貶低自己——這樣的婚姻對別人是允許的——理由是：1. 免得這給他們的事奉帶來眼前的羞辱，使不敬虔的人更加剛硬，使虔誠人的心憂傷：新約也給牧師的妻子定了規條（提前3:11），要莊重謹守，免得事奉被毀謗。2. 免得將羞辱延及子孫；因為祭司的職分和尊榮要作為產業傳給後代。那些不設法娶有好名聲和好品德之人的，就沒有盡到當盡的對子孫後代的責任。想要尋求敬虔的後裔（瑪2:15）的人，必須先尋求敬虔的妻子，防備血脈的敗壞。這裏又加上（Le 21:8）：你要以他為聖，他向你當為聖的。「不僅你摩西要留心遵守這些律法，你以色列人也要盡力維護祭司的聲望，而祭司自己也不可做任何損害或喪失這聲望的事。他歸他的神為聖（Le 21:7），所以他向你當為聖的。」注意，我們當尊重神所尊重的人。照這條規則，福音的傳道人當因他們所作的工，用愛心格外尊重他們（帖前5:13），每個基督徒也當視自己為他們尊榮的護衛者。
III. 他們的兒女當懼怕做任何有辱父母的事（Le 21:9）：祭司的女兒若行淫，她的罪是大的；她不僅玷污了自己，更是褻瀆了自己：別的婦人沒有她那樣可失的尊榮，她既為祭司家中的人，吃過聖物，又被認為受了比別人更好的教育。不但如此，她褻瀆了她的父親；他被人非議，人人都會問：「他為甚麼沒有更好地教導她？」錫安中的罪人也要嘲笑說：「這就是你們祭司的女兒。」她的刑罰當與眾不同：她必用火焚燒，以警戒一切祭司的女兒。注意，牧者的兒女比任何人更當謹慎不做可恥的事，因為在他們身上這是雙重的羞辱，也必被那名為忌邪者的神按此追討。
¹⁰ 「在弟兄中作大祭司、頭上倒了膏油、又承接聖職、穿了聖衣的，不可蓬頭散髮，也不可撕裂衣服。
¹¹ 不可挨近死屍，甚至不可為父母沾染不潔。
¹² 不可出聖所，也不可褻瀆神的聖所，因為神膏油的冠冕在他身上。我是耶和華。
¹³ 他要娶處女為妻。
¹⁴ 寡婦或是被休的婦人，或是被玷污為妓的女人，都不可娶；只可娶本民中的處女為妻。
¹⁵ 不可在民中辱沒自己的兒女，因為我是使他成聖的耶和華。」
對祭司的要求比對別人高，對大祭司的要求比對一般祭司更高，因為他的頭上倒了膏油，又承接聖職、穿了聖衣（Le 21:10）——這兩樣都預表主耶穌受聖靈一切恩賜和恩膏的膏抹與裝飾，他是無限量地領受了的。這被稱為他神的膏油冠冕（Le 21:12）；因為聖靈的膏抹對一切擁有的人來說，是榮耀的冠冕和*華美的冕旒。*大祭司既如此尊貴：
I. 他不可為死人沾染自己，連為至近的親屬——他的父母——也不可，更不用說為他的兒女或弟兄了（Le 21:11）。1. 他在那些場合不可用一般表達悲傷的方式，如蓬頭散髮、撕裂衣服（Le 21:10），他要在今生一切的順境和逆境中表現得完全不動聲色：甚至他的天然感情也要被對無知者的憐憫、對他們軟弱的體恤、以及對他所治理的神家的深切關懷所吞沒。因此，他既是受託管烏陵和土明的聖者，就當不認父親和母親（申33:8,9）。2. 他不可挨近死屍（Le 21:11）。若一般祭司禮儀上不潔，還有別的祭司可以替代；但大祭司若沾染了不潔，他的缺失就更大。禁止他去任何哀悼之家或參加任何喪禮，也是向百姓表明他所升至的尊嚴何等重大。我們的大祭司、我們所信的大祭司耶穌，觸摸了睚魯女兒的遺體、寡婦獨子的棺槨、和拉撒路的墳墓，表明他來要改變死亡的屬性，要藉着敗壞死亡的權勢來除去死亡的恐怖。如今死亡既不能毀滅，也就不能玷污。3. 他不可出聖所（Le 21:12）；這就是說，每逢他在聖所供職或事奉的時候——他通常整日留在自己的居所——他不可為任何緣故出去，也不可縮短他對永生神的侍候，甚至不可向垂死的親屬致最後的敬意。在他必須在場的時候離開聖所去辦這類事，就是褻瀆聖所；因為這樣做就是把別的事放在神的事奉和他職分的事工之前——而他本當使一切別的事都讓位於此。照樣我們的主耶穌不肯停止傳道去和他的母親和弟兄說話（太12:48）。
II. 他不可娶寡婦（一般祭司可以），更不可娶被休的婦人或妓女（Le 21:13,14）。這理由是要在這件事上將他與一般祭司分別出來；並且（如有人所說）使他能作基督的預表——教會要如貞潔的童女獻給基督（林後11:2）。參結44:22。基督當得我們起初的愛、我們純潔的愛、我們完全的愛；照樣童女都愛你（歌1:3），也只有這樣的人才配跟隨羔羊（啟14:4）。
III. 他不可在民中辱沒自己的後裔（Le 21:15）。有人理解為禁止他與身份卑微的人通婚，這樣做會貶低他的家族。耶何耶大確實在自己本族中娶妻，但那是娶入王室（代下22:11）。這不是教他驕傲，而是教他純潔，不做任何有失職分和所稱之美名的事。或者這可能是提醒他在安排兒女的婚事上要謹慎；他不可因不當的婚姻而辱沒自己的後裔。牧者的兒女若與不信的人同負一軛，就是被辱沒了。
¹⁶ 耶和華對摩西說：
¹⁷ 「你告訴亞倫說：你世世代代的後裔中，凡有殘疾的，都不可近前來獻他神的食物。
¹⁸ 因為凡有殘疾的，都不可近前來：無論是瞎眼的、瘸腿的、塌鼻子的、肢體有餘的，
¹⁹ 折腳折手的，
²⁰ 駝背的、矮矬的、眼睛有毛病的、長癬的、長疥的，或是腎囊損壞的，
²¹ 祭司亞倫的後裔中，有殘疾的都不可近前來獻耶和華的火祭；他有殘疾，不可近前來獻他神的食物。
²² 神的食物，無論是至聖的或聖的，他都可以吃。
²³ 但他不可進到幔子前，也不可就近壇前，因為他有殘疾，免得褻瀆我的聖所。我是使他成聖的耶和華。」
²⁴ 於是，摩西把這些話告訴亞倫和他的兒子，並以色列眾人。
祭司的職分既限定在一個特定的家族中，又作為產業傳給那家族一切男性後裔，在以後的世代中很可能有的人生來就有天然的缺陷和殘疾：祭司的尊榮不能保護他們免受任何世人共有的災禍。此處列舉了多種缺陷；有些是終身的，如失明；有些可能是暫時的，如長癬或長疥，消失了之後限制也就解除了。如今，
I. 關於有殘疾之祭司的律法是：1. 他們可以靠祭壇為生（Le 21:22）：他可以吃祭物，和其他祭司一樣，甚至吃至聖之物，如陳設餅和贖罪祭，以及聖物，如十分之一和初熟之物，以及祭司所得的平安祭的分。這些殘疾是他們無能為力的，因此，他們雖然不能供職，卻不可挨餓。注意，不可因人的天然軟弱而苛待他們。家中畸形的孩童也當得他作為孩子的份。2. 然而他們不可在壇前供職——兩座壇都不可——也不可被接納協助其他祭司獻祭或燒香（Le 21:17,21,23）。偉人喜歡有體面的僕人在身邊，當偉大的神樂意以外在的彰顯來顯明他的榮耀時，他的殿中當有這樣的僕人，這也是合宜的。但選擇體面的人在聖物旁事奉尤其必要，這是為百姓的緣故——他們容易憑外貌判斷，若見事奉的人面目可憎或笨拙行事，無論那事奉因神的設立而多麼尊榮，他們都會輕看它。神如此安排是為了維護他祭壇的聲望，使其任何時候都不至於被輕視。聖所的體面要求在那裏出現的人無論因先天或意外，都不可有任何毀容。
II. 在福音之下，1. 那些有這類缺陷的人當感謝神，因為他們並不因此被排除在向神獻上屬靈祭物之外；也不（若其他條件具備）被排除在傳道的職分之外。許多健康美麗的靈魂住在衰殘畸形的身體裏。然而，2. 我們當由此推論：那些心靈被任何轄制人的罪惡所玷污和扭曲的人，是何等不能蒙悅納地事奉神。那些在屬靈上瞎眼、瘸腿、彎曲的人——他們的罪使他們成為可恥和畸形的，以至主的祭物因他們的緣故被憎惡——不配被稱為基督徒，也不配擔任牧職。何弗尼和非尼哈的畸形比這裏所提到的任何缺陷都更嚴重。因此，那些公然行惡的人當作被玷污的人從祭司中除出去；一切被我們的神作為屬靈祭司的人，當在他面前聖潔沒有瑕疵，並以此安慰自己：雖然在這不完全的狀態中有神兒女的斑點，但他們不久必出現在神寶座前，毫無玷污、皺紋等類的病。
英文原文
Laws Concerning the Priests (1490 BC)
¹ And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people:
² But for his kin, that is near unto him, that is, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother,
³ And for his sister a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband; for her may he be defiled.
⁴ But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
⁵ They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.
⁶ They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.
⁷ They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.
⁸ Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the LORD, which sanctify you, am holy.
⁹ And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire.
It was before appointed that the priests should teach the people the statutes God had given concerning the difference between clean and unclean, Le 10:10,11. Now here it is provided that they should themselves observe what they were to teach the people. Note, Those whose office it is to instruct must do it by example as well as precept, 1Ti 4:12. The priests were to draw nearer to God than any of the people, and to be more intimately conversant with sacred things, and therefore it was required of them that they should keep at a greater distance than others from every thing that was defiling and might diminish the honour of their priesthood.
I. They must take care not to disparage themselves in their mourning for the dead. All that mourned for the dead were supposed to come near the body, if not to touch it: and the Jews say, "It made a man ceremonially unclean to come within six feet of a dead corpse;" nay, it is declared (Nu 19:14) that all who come into the tent where the dead body lies shall be unclean seven days. Therefore all the mourners that attended the funeral could not but defile themselves, so as not to be fit to come into the sanctuary for seven days: for this reason it is ordered, 1. That the priests should never put themselves under this incapacity of coming into the sanctuary, unless it were for one of their nearest relations, Le 21:1-3. A priest was permitted to do it for a parent or a child, for a brother or an unmarried sister, and therefore, no doubt (though this is not mentioned) for the wife of his bosom; for Ezekiel, a priest, would have mourned for his wife if he had not been particularly prohibited, Eze 24:17. By this allowance God put an honour upon natural affection, and favoured it so far as to dispense with the attendance of his servants for seven days, while they indulged themselves in their sorrow for the death of their dear relations; but, beyond this period, weeping must not hinder sowing, nor their affection to their relations take them off from the service of the sanctuary. Nor was it at all allowed for the death of any other, no, not of a chief man among the people, as some read it, Le 21:4. They must not defile themselves, no, nor for the high priest himself, unless thus akin to them. Though there is a friend that is nearer than a brother, yet the priests must not pay this respect to the best friend they had, except he were a relation, lest, if it were allowed for one, others should expect it, and so they should be frequently taken off from their work: and it is hereby intimated that there is a particular affection to be reserved for those that are thus near akin to us; and, when any such are removed by death, we ought to be affected with it, and lay it to heart, as the near approach of death to ourselves, and an alarm to us to prepare to follow. 2. That they must not be extravagant in the expressions of their mourning, no, not for their dearest relations, Le 21:5. Their mourning must not be either, (1.) Superstitious, according to the manner of the heathen, who cut off their hair, and let out their blood, in honour of the imaginary deities which presided (as they thought) in the congregation of the dead, that they might engage them to be propitious to their departed friends. Even the superstitious rites used of old at funerals are an indication of the ancient belief of the immortality of the soul, and its existence in a separate state: and though the rites themselves were forbidden by the divine law, because they were performed to false gods, yet the decent respect which nature teaches and which the law allows to be paid to the remains of our deceased friends, shows that we are not to look upon them as lost. Nor, (2.) Must it be passionate or immoderate. Note, God's ministers must be examples to others of patience under affliction, particularly that which touches in a very tender part, the death of their near relations. They are supposed to know more than others of the reasons why we must not sorrow as those that have no hope (1Th 4:13), and therefore they ought to be eminently calm and composed, that they may be able to comfort others with the same comforts wherewith they are themselves comforted of God. The people were forbidden to mourn for the dead with superstitious rites (Le 19:27,28), and what was unlawful to them was much more unlawful to the priest. The reason given for their peculiar care not to defile themselves we have (Le 21:6): Because they offered the bread of their God, even the offerings of the Lord made by fire, which were the provisions of God's house and table. They are highly honoured, and therefore must not stain their honour by making themselves slaves to their passions; they are continually employed in sacred service, and therefore must not be either diverted from or disfitted for the services they were called to. If they pollute themselves, they profane the name of their God on whom they attend: if the servants are rude and of ill behaviour, it is a reflection upon the master, as if he kept a loose and disorderly house. Note, All that either offer or eat the bread of our God must be holy in all manner of conversation, or else they profane that name which they pretend to sanctify.
II. They must take care not to degrade themselves in their marriage, Le 21:7. A priest must not marry a woman of ill fame, that either had been guilty or was suspected to have been guilty of uncleanness. He must not only not marry a harlot, though ever so great a penitent for her former whoredoms, but he must not marry one that was profane, that is, of a light carriage or indecent behaviour. Nay, he must not marry one that was divorced, because there was reason to think it was for some fault she was divorced. The priests were forbidden to undervalue themselves by such marriages as these, which were allowed to others, 1. Lest it should bring a present reproach upon their ministry, harden the profane in their profaneness, and grieve the hearts of serious people: the New Testament gives laws to ministers' wives (1Ti 3:11), that they be grave and sober, that the ministry be not blamed. 2. Lest it should entail a reproach upon their families; for the work and honour of the priesthood were to descend as an inheritance to their children after them. Those do not consult the good of their posterity as they ought who do not take care to marry such as are of good report and character. He that would seek a godly seed (as the expression is, Mal 2:15) must first seek a godly wife, and take heed of a corruption of blood. It is added here (Le 21:8), Thou shalt sanctify him, and he shall be holy unto thee. "Not only thou, O Moses, by taking care that these laws be observed, but thou, O Israel, by all endeavours possible to keep up the reputation of the priesthood, which the priests themselves must do nothing to expose or forfeit. He is holy to his God (Le 21:7), therefore he shall be holy unto thee." Note, We must honour those whom our God puts honour upon. Gospel ministers by this rule are to be esteemed very highly in love for their works' sake (1Th 5:13), and every Christian must look upon himself as concerned to be the guardian of their honour.
III. Their children must be afraid of doing any thing to disparage them (Le 21:9): If the daughter of any priest play the whore, her crime is great; she not only polluteth but profaneth herself: other women have not that honour to lose that she has, who, as one of a priest's family, has eaten of the holy things, and is supposed to have been better educated than others. Nay, she profaneth her father; he is reflected upon, and everybody will be ready to ask, "Why did not he teach her better?" And the sinners in Zion will insult and say, "Here is your priest's daughter." Her punishment there must be peculiar: She shall be burnt with fire, for a terror to all priests' daughters. Note, The children of ministers ought, of all others, to take heed of doing any thing that is scandalous, because in them it is doubly scandalous, and will be punished accordingly by him whose name is Jealous.
¹⁰ And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes;
¹¹ Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;
¹² Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD.
¹³ And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
¹⁴ A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.
¹⁵ Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the LORD do sanctify him.
More was expected from a priest than from other people, but more from the high priest than from other priests, because upon his head the anointing oil was poured, and he was consecrated to put on the garments (Le 21:10), both which were typical of the anointing and adorning of the Lord Jesus, with all the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, which he received without measure. It is called the crown of the anointing oil of his God (Le 21:12); for the anointing of the Spirit is, to all that have it, a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty. The high priest being thus dignified,
I. He must not defile himself at all for the dead, no, nor for his nearest relations, his father or his mother, much less his child or brother, Le 21:11. 1. He must not use the common expressions of sorrow on those occasions, such as uncovering his head, and rending his clothes (Le 21:10), so perfectly unconcerned must he show himself in all the crosses and comforts of this life: even his natural affection must be swallowed up in compassion to the ignorant, and a feeling of their infirmities, and a tender concern for the household of God, which he was made the ruler of. Thus being the holy one that was entrusted with the thummim and the urim he must not know father or mother, De 33:8,9. 2. He must not go in to any dead body, Le 21:11. If any of the inferior priests were under a ceremonial pollution, there were other priests that might supply their places; but, if the high priest were defiled, there would be a greater want of him. And the forbidding of him to go to any house of mourning, or attend any funeral, would be an indication to the people of the greatness of that dignity to which he was advanced. Our Lord Jesus, the great high priest of our profession, touched the dead body of Jairus's daughter, the bier of the widow's son, and the grave of Lazarus, to show that he came to altar the property of death, and to take off the terror of it, by breaking the power of it. Now that it cannot destroy it does not defile. 3. He must not go out of the sanctuary (Le 21:12); that is, whenever he was attending or officiating in the sanctuary, where usually he tarried in his own apartment all day, he must not go out upon any occasion whatsoever, nor cut short his attendance on the living God, no, not to pay his last respects to a dying relation. It was a profanation of the sanctuary to leave it, while his presence was requisite there, upon any such occasion; for thereby he preferred some other business before the service of God and the business of his profession, to which he ought to make every thing else give place. Thus our Lord Jesus would not leave off preaching to speak with his mother and brethren, Mt 12:48.
II. He might not marry a widow (as other priests might), much less one divorced, or a harlot, Le 21:13,14. The reason of this was to put a difference between him and other priests in this matter; and (as some suggest) that he might be a type of Christ, to whom the church was to be presented a chaste virgin, 2Co 11:2. See Eze 44:22. Christ must have our first love, our pure love, our entire love; thus the virgins love thee (So 1:3), and such only are fit to follow the Lamb, Re 14:4.
III. He might not profane his seed among his people, Le 21:15. Some understand it as forbidding him to marry any of an inferior rank, which would be a disparagement to his family. Jehoiada indeed married of his own tribe, but then it was into the royal family, 2Ch 22:11. This was not to teach him to be proud, but to teach him to be pure, and to do nothing unbecoming his office and the worthy name by which he was called. Or it may be a caution to him in disposing of his children; he must not profane his seed by marrying them unsuitably. Ministers' children are profaned if they be unequally yoked with unbelievers.
¹⁶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
¹⁷ Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.
¹⁸ For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous,
¹⁹ Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded,
²⁰ Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken;
²¹ No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.
²² He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.
²³ Only he shall not go in unto the vail, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the LORD do sanctify them.
²⁴ And Moses told it unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel.
The priesthood being confined to one particular family, and entailed upon all the male issue of that family throughout their generations, it was very likely that some or other in after-ages that were born to the priesthood would have natural blemishes and deformities: the honour of the priesthood would not secure them from any of those calamities which are common to men. Divers blemishes are here specified; some that were ordinarily for life, as blindness; others that might be for a time, as a scurf or scab, and, when they were gone, the disability ceased. Now,
I. The law concerning priests that had blemishes was, 1. That they might live upon the altar (Le 21:22): He shall eat of the sacrifices with the other priests, even the most holy things, such as the show-bread and the sin-offerings, as well as the holy things, such as the tithes and first-fruits, and the priests' share of the peace-offerings. The blemishes were such as they could not help, and therefore, though they might not work, they must not starve. Note, None must be abused for their natural infirmities. Even the deformed child in the family must have its child's part. 2. Yet they must not serve at the altar, at either of the altars, nor be admitted to attend or assist the other priests in offering sacrifice or burning incense, Le 21:17,21,23. Great men choose to have such servants about them as are sightly, and it was fit that the great God should have such in his house then, when he was pleased to manifest his glory in external indications of it. But it was especially requisite that comely men should be chosen to minister about holy things, for the sake of the people, who were apt to judge according to outward appearance, and to think meanly of the service, how honourable soever it was made by the divine institution, of those that performed it looked despicably or went about it awkwardly. This provision God made for the preserving of the reputation of his altar, that it might not at any time fall under contempt. It was for the credit of the sanctuary that none should appear there who were any way disfigured, either by nature or accident.
II. Under the gospel, 1. Those that labour under any such blemishes as these have reason to thank God that they are not thereby excluded from offering spiritual sacrifices to God; nor, if otherwise qualified for it, from the office of the ministry. There is many a healthful beautiful soul lodged in a crazy deformed body. Yet, 2. We ought to infer hence how incapable those are to serve God acceptably whose minds are blemished and deformed by any reigning vice. Those are unworthy to be called Christians, and unfit to be employed as ministers, that are spiritually blind, and lame, and crooked, whose sins render them scandalous and deformed, so as that the offerings of the Lord are abhorred for their sakes. The deformities of Hophni and Phinehas were worse than any of the blemishes here mentioned. Let such therefore as are openly vicious be put out of the priesthood as polluted persons; and let all that are made to our God spiritual priests be before him holy and without blemish, and comfort themselves with this, that, though in this imperfect state they have spots that are the spots of God's children, yet they shall shortly appear before the throne of God without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.
本章的標題可以借用Mal 2:1的話：「眾祭司啊，這誡命是傳給你們的。」這是一條律法，要求祭司以最大的謹慎和執著來維護他們祭司職分的尊嚴。一、普通祭司在此受命，包括關於他們的哀悼、婚姻和兒女的條例，Le 21:1-9。二、大祭司所受的限制比其他人更嚴格，Le 21:10-15。三、無論是普通祭司還是大祭司，都不可有殘疾，Le 21:16-24等。