서론
無標題
英文原文
This chapter is only concerning the preparing and using of the ashes which were to impregnate the water of purification. The people had complained of the strictness of the law, which forbade their near approach to the tabernacle, Nu 17:13. In answer to this complaint, they are here directed to purify themselves, so as that they might come as far as they had occasion without fear. Here is, I. The method of preparing these ashes, by the burning of a red heifer, with a great deal of ceremony, Nu 19:1-10. II. The way of using them. 1. They were designed to purify persons from the pollution contracted by a dead body, Nu 19:11-16. 2. They were to be put into running water (a small quantity of them), with which the person to be cleansed must be purified, Nu 19:17-22. And that this ceremonial purification was a type and figure of the cleansing of the consciences of believers from the pollutions of sin appears by the apostle's discourse, Heb 9:13,14, where he compares the efficacy of the blood of Christ with the sanctifying virtue that was in "the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean."
1-22
The Ashes of Purification (1471 BC)
潔淨之灰（主前 1471 年）
¹ 耶和華曉諭摩西、亞倫說、 ² 耶和華所命定律法中的一條律例、乃是這樣說、你要吩咐以色列人、把一隻沒有殘疾、未曾負軛、純紅的母牛、牽到你這裏來。 ³ 交給祭司以利亞撒、人必把他牽到營外、宰在他面前。 ⁴ 祭司以利亞撒要用指頭蘸這牛的血、向會幕前面彈七次。 ⁵ 人要在他眼前將這母牛焚燒、牛的皮、肉、血、糞、都要焚燒。 ⁶ 祭司要把香柏木、牛膝草、朱紅色線、都丟在燒牛的火中。 ⁷ 祭司必洗衣服、用水洗身、然後可以進營、祭司必不潔淨到晚上。 ⁸ 燒牛的人必洗衣服、用水洗身、也必不潔淨到晚上。 ⁹ 必有一個潔淨的人收起母牛的灰、存在營外潔淨的地方、為以色列會眾調作除污穢的水、這是除罪的。 ¹⁰ 收起母牛灰的人必洗衣服、也必不潔淨到晚上、這要作以色列人、和寄居在他們中間的外人、作為永遠的定例。
此處記載了關於莊嚴地將一頭紅母牛焚燒成灰、並保存其灰的神聖定例，好從這灰製成——不是美化之水，而是潔淨之水，因為這已是律法所能達到的極致；律法不像福音那樣能作裝飾，只能作潔淨。焚燒這母牛雖然嚴格說來不是贖罪的祭牲（因不是在祭壇上獻的），卻預表了基督的死與受苦；藉此祂不僅要滿足神的公義，更要潔淨並安撫我們的良心，使我們既與神相和，也在自己心中得享平安——為預備這事，基督不僅像祭壇上的公牛山羊那樣而死，更是像營外的母牛那樣而死。
一、對於要焚燒的母牛，在揀選上費了極大的工夫，比揀選任何其他祭物都更嚴格，民 19:2。它不僅必須沒有殘疾，預表主耶穌毫無玷污的純潔與無罪的完全，而且必須是紅母牛，因其顏色罕見，更顯突出：猶太人說，「只要有兩根毛是黑的或白的，就不合律法。」基督作人，是亞當——「紅土」——的兒子，我們看見祂衣服紅，被自己的血染紅，也被仇敵的血染紅。它又必須是未曾負軛的，這在其他祭物中並不堅持，藉此預表主耶穌自願獻上自己，當祂說「看哪，我來了」之時，祂不是被別的繩索捆綁拘禁，乃是被自己的愛所繫。這母牛要由會眾出資預備，因為他們都要在其中同享利益；照樣，所有信徒也都在基督裏同享利益。
二、焚燒時要有許多禮儀。辦理這事的責任交給了以利亞撒，而不是亞倫本人，因為他不該作任何使自己沾染禮儀上不潔的事，哪怕只是「到晚上」也不該（民 19:8）；但這事意義重大，尤其是在其象徵意義上，所以要由地位僅次於亞倫的人來執行。那時代的大祭司在基督的死上擔當了主要角色。如今，
-
母牛要在營外被宰，如同不潔之物，這說明了禮儀律所規定的除罪方法是不夠的。這些方法非但不能有效地潔淨，其本身反倒不潔；彷彿加在其上的污穢仍舊依附著它們。然而為應驗這預表，我們的主耶穌既為我們成了罪與咒詛，就「在城門外受苦」（來 13:12）。
-
以利亞撒要「將血彈在會幕的前面」，定睛向著會幕，民 19:4。這使它多少成了一種贖罪；因為在一切贖罪祭中，將血彈在耶和華面前乃是最重大的儀式；所以這事雖不在祭壇上作，卻既是向著聖所作的，就表明它的功效與有效性乃依賴於聖所、並從聖所而來。這象徵著基督——我們的大祭司——的死向神所獻上的滿足；祂「藉著永遠的靈」（而聖靈被稱為神的指頭，如 Ainsworth 所指出的，路 11:20）「將自己無瑕無疵地獻給神」；正對著聖所，當祂說「父啊，我將我的靈交在你手裏」之時。這也表明，要潔淨我們的心，向神的公義作出滿足是何等必要。這彈血之舉使灰有了功效。
-
母牛要「全然焚燒」，民 19:5。這預表了我們主耶穌在靈與肉身上所受的極大痛苦，如同火祭。祭司要在火燃燒時把香柏木、牛膝草、朱紅色線丟入火中——這些也是潔淨痲瘋患者所用的（利 14:6,7）——好叫這些東西的灰與母牛的灰相混，因為都是為潔淨而設的。
-
母牛的灰（盡可能與焚燒所用木頭的灰分開）要由一個潔淨的人用手仔細收起，（猶太人說）搗碎篩過，如此存留供會眾不時之需（民 19:9），不僅為那一代，也為後代；因為這一頭母牛的灰，足以調和以色列人許多世代所需的許多器皿之水。猶太人說這一頭母牛一直用到被擄，將近一千年，而直到以斯拉時代他們歸回之後才有另一頭母牛被焚；對他們這項傳統——我想只是根據他們古記錄的沉默——我們沒有理由置信，因為在他們教會後期的歷史中（他們有更完整的記錄），他們自己發現在以斯拉時代到第二聖殿被毀之間（約五百年），竟有八頭被焚。這些灰在此被稱為「除罪的」，因為它們雖只為潔淨禮儀上的不潔而設，卻是我們主耶穌藉著祂的死所作那除罪之潔淨的預表。灰攙水可用來洗滌，但這些灰的功效純粹來自神的設立，其應驗與完全則在於基督——祂是「律法的總結，使凡信祂的都得著義」。如今當注意：（1）潔淨之水因著一頭母牛的灰而成為潔淨之水，這母牛的血已在聖所前彈過；照樣，潔淨我們良心的，乃是基督之死長存的功效；是祂的血「洗淨我們一切的罪」（約壹 1:7）。（2）這些灰為所有百姓都夠用。不需要為每一個需要潔淨的人或家庭另殺一頭新的母牛，這一頭就為眾人——甚至為寄居在他們中間的外人——都夠了（民 19:10）；照樣，基督的血裏有足夠的功效，給一切悔改信福音的人，為每一個以色列人，不僅為他們的罪，也為「全世界人的罪」（約壹 2:2）。（3）這些灰能毫無損耗地保存許多世代。沒有任何身體之物像灰那樣不朽壞，這（正如 Patrick 主教所言）使灰成為基督之祭永遠功效的極合宜的象徵。祂能拯救，並為此能潔淨，直到極處，無論就人或就時間而言。（4）這些灰被當作庫藏或寶物存留，為要常作以色列人除污穢之用；照樣，基督的血也在聖道與聖禮中為我們存留，如同永不枯竭的功勞泉源，我們可以憑信心每日來到其中，潔淨我們的良心；見亞 13:1。
-
凡辦理這事的人，都因這事而在禮儀上成為不潔，連以利亞撒自己也一樣，雖然他不過是彈了血，民 19:7。「燒牛的人不潔淨」（民 19:8），「收起灰的人」也是（民 19:10）；照樣，凡有分於將基督處死的人，都因此擔了罪咎：出賣祂的、控告祂的、審判祂的、行刑的，都是用邪惡的手作了他們所作的事，雖然這是「按著神的定旨先見」（徒 2:23）；然而他們當中有些人已經，全部人都本可以因著那使他們自己招罪的同一血之功效得著潔淨。有人認為這象徵律法事奉的不完全，以及它不足以除罪，因為那些為潔淨別人而作預備的人，自己在預備過程中反被玷污了。猶太人說：這是所羅門自己也不明白的奧秘——同一物竟使潔淨的人變為污穢，卻使污穢的人得著潔淨。但（正如 Patrick 主教所言）對於思想到這一點的人並不奇怪：一切為罪而獻的祭物因此都被視為不潔，因為人的罪都歸在它們身上，正如我們一切的罪都歸在基督身上，所以祂被說成是「替我們成為罪」（林後 5:21）。
¹¹ 摸了人死屍的、就必七天不潔淨。 ¹² 那人到第三天要用這除污穢的水潔淨自己、第七天就潔淨了、他若在第三天不潔淨自己、第七天就不潔淨了。 ¹³ 凡摸了人死屍、不潔淨自己的、就玷污了耶和華的帳幕、這人必從以色列中剪除、因為除污穢的水沒有灑在他身上、他就必不潔淨、他的污穢還在他身上。 ¹⁴ 人死在帳棚裏的條例乃是這樣、凡進那帳棚的、和一切在帳棚裏的、都必七天不潔淨。 ¹⁵ 凡敞口的器皿、沒有蓋蓋的、就不潔淨。 ¹⁶ 無論何人在田野摸了被刀殺的、或是死人、或是人的骨頭、或是墳墓、就必七天不潔淨。 ¹⁷ 要為這不潔淨的人、拿些贖罪祭燒成的灰、放在器皿裏、倒上活水。 ¹⁸ 必當有一個潔淨的人、拿牛膝草蘸在這水中、把水灑在帳棚上、和一切器皿並帳棚內的人身上、又灑在摸了骨頭、或摸了被殺的、或摸了自死的、或摸了墳墓的那人身上。 ¹⁹ 第三天、和第七天、潔淨的人要灑水在不潔淨的人身上、第七天就使他潔淨、他要洗衣服、用水洗澡、到晚上就潔淨了。 ²⁰ 但那污穢而不潔淨自己的、要將他從會眾中剪除、因為他玷污了耶和華的聖所、除污穢的水沒有灑在他身上、他是不潔淨的。 ²¹ 這要作你們永遠的定例、灑除污穢水的人、要洗衣服、凡摸除污穢水的、必不潔淨到晚上。 ²² 不潔淨的人所摸的一切物、就不潔淨、摸了這物的人、必不潔淨到晚上。
此處給出了關於所預備之灰的使用與應用的指示。這些灰存留是為要使用；所以，雖然如今以色列人如此緊密地紮營時，一個地方就足以保存，但日後他們到了迦南，每個城鎮很可能都存有這些灰，因為每日都要用到。當注意，
一、在哪些情形下需要用這些灰來潔淨。此處除了因觸碰死人屍體、或死人的骨頭墳墓、或身處停放死人屍體的帳棚房屋中而沾染的禮儀上的不潔之外，沒有提到別的，民 19:11,14-16。我認為這是禮儀律最沉重的擔子之一，也是最難以理解的一條。摸了不潔淨牲畜的屍體，或摸了處於最嚴重禮儀不潔中的活人，只「到晚上」就不潔淨，只需用普通的水潔淨自己；但摸了男人、女人或孩童的死人屍體的，卻要承當七天不潔淨的羞辱，必須兩次用除污穢的水潔淨——這水他不能不費周折花費而得——並且在未得潔淨之前，不可挨近聖所，違者處死。
-
這事看來奇特，若考慮到：（1）每逢有人死亡（我們常常面臨死亡），總有幾個人無可避免地染上這污穢，屍體要被脫衣、洗淨、包裹、抬出、埋葬，這一切都少不了許多人手，卻都因之而被玷污，這表明在我們敗壞墮落的境況中，沒有一個活著而不犯罪的；我們無法避免被所經過的這污穢的世界所玷污，我們每日都冒犯罪，然而我們不可能無罪，並不使罪的玷污減輕。（2）照顧死者、使他們得體地埋葬，不僅是必要的，更是極好的善舉，是一項恩慈之舉，既是為尊榮死者，也是為安慰生者，然而作這事卻會染上不潔，這暗示罪的污穢混入並依附於我們最好的事奉。「世上實在沒有行善而不犯罪的義人」；我們在自己行善的時候，也容易這樣或那樣地得罪。（3）這污穢是在自己家中私下作的，這暗示（正如 Patrick 主教所指出）神看見隱密處所作的事，沒有甚麼能向神的威嚴隱藏。（4）這污穢可能是在不知不覺中染上的，例如摸了不顯露的墳墓，論到這事，我們的救主說，那些「在上面走過的人並不知道」（路 11:44），這暗示良心因無知的罪而被玷污，也說明我們有理由呼喊「誰能知道自己的錯失呢？」並祈求「求你赦免我隱而未現的過錯——我們自己看不見自己有罪的過錯」。
-
但律法為何將人的屍體定為這樣污穢人之物？（1）因為死是「罪的工價」，由罪「進入了世界」，並因罪的權勢而作王。死對人類而言與對其他受造之物不同：它是咒詛，是律法的執行，所以死的污穢象徵罪的污穢。（2）因為律法不能征服死亡，也不能廢除它、改變它的性質，正如福音藉著把生命與不朽彰顯出來，從而引入更美的指望。自從我們的救贖主死了並被埋葬，死亡對神的以色列民不再有毀滅之力，所以死屍也不再污穢人；但教會在律法之下時，為要表明律法「不能叫近前來的人得以完全」，因死屍而染的污穢不能不在他們心中形成對死亡憂鬱而不安的觀念，而如今信徒因著基督可以勝過死亡。「死啊，你的勝利在哪裏？你的污穢又在哪裏？」
二、在這些情形下這些灰當如何使用應用。1. 要取少量的灰放進一杯泉水中，與水相和，這水因此被稱為「除污穢的水」，因為要灑在那些因不潔而被隔離、不得挨近聖所的人身上。母牛的灰象徵基督的功勞，活水則象徵蒙福聖靈的大能與恩典——聖靈被比作活水的江河；正是藉著聖靈的運行，基督的義才應用在我們身上，使我們得潔淨。因此我們被說成是奉主耶穌的名，並「藉著我們神的靈」洗淨了——就是成聖稱義了（林前 6:11；彼前 1:2）。那些指望從基督的義得益處、卻不順服聖靈的恩典與感動的人，不過是自欺，因為我們不能將神所配合的分開，也不能在活水之外憑灰得潔淨。2. 這水要用一束蘸了水的牛膝草來應用，待潔淨的人或物都要用這水灑（民 19:18），大衛就著這事禱告說：「求你用牛膝草潔淨我。」信心就是那束牛膝草，用以灑良心、潔淨人心。許多人可同時被灑，調和了灰的水也可供多次灑用，直到用盡；只要帶著這心意，極少的一點落在人身上就足以使他潔淨。因著這除污穢之水以灑的方式應用，基督的血被稱為「所灑的血」（來 12:24），我們也被說成是「心中天良的虧欠已經灑去」（來 10:22），即我們從罪咎之感所生的不安中得了釋放。並且預言說，基督要藉著祂的洗，「潔淨許多國民」（賽 52:15）。3. 不潔淨的人必須在染了污穢之後的「第三天」和「第七天」用這水被灑，民 19:12-19。這些日子（我們可以推想）是從他最後一次觸碰或挨近死屍算起；因為在他仍不得不重複沾染污穢之時，他不會開始計算潔淨的日子；但當屍體已經埋葬，不再有處理它的需要時，他才开始計算日子。那時，也惟有那時，我們才能帶著安慰將基督的功勞應用於我們的靈魂——當我們已經離棄了罪，並停止了一切與「死亡和黑暗不結果子的作為」的交往。重複的灑水教導我們要常常更新悔改與信心的行動，要如乃縵「洗七次」；我們需要常常作那必須作得好的事。4. 雖然所染的污穢不過是禮儀上的，但疏忽所定的潔淨就要變成道德上的罪咎：「那污穢而不潔淨自己的，那人必從民中剪除」，民 19:20。當知道，輕忽神的設立是危險的事，即使那些設立看來微小。一個小傷口若被忽略，也可能致命；一個我們稱為小的罪，若不悔改，就要成為我們的毀滅，而大罪人悔改卻要尋得憐憫。我們的不潔使我們與神隔絕，但使我們永遠與祂隔絕的，是我們不潔卻不潔淨自己：致命的不是傷口，而是輕忽醫治。5. 連那「灑除污穢之水的人」，或「摸了」這水的，或「摸了不潔淨之人」的，都「必不潔淨到晚上」，即在那日不可挨近聖所，民 19:21,22。神要藉此向他們顯明那些事奉的不完全，以及它們不足以潔淨良心，好使他們仰望彌賽亞，祂在時候滿足之時，要藉著永遠的靈將自己無瑕無疵地獻給神，從而「除去我們的死行」（即除去那像死屍一樣污穢人的罪，因此被稱為「取死的身體」），使我們得以坦然進入聖所，用活潑的祭物事奉永生的神。
英文原文
The Ashes of Purification (1471 BC)
¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
² This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke:
³ And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face:
⁴ And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times:
⁵ And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn:
⁶ And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.
⁷ Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even.
⁸ And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even.
⁹ And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin.
¹⁰ And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever.
We have here the divine appointment concerning the solemn burning of a red heifer to ashes, and the preserving of the ashes, that of them might be made, not a beautifying, but a purifying, water, for that was the utmost the law reached to; it offered not to adorn as the gospel does, but to cleanse only. This burning of the heifer, though it was not properly a sacrifice of expiation, being not performed at the altar, yet was typical of the death and sufferings of Christ, by which he intended, not only to satisfy God's justice, but to purify and pacify our consciences, that we may have peace with God and also peace in our own bosoms, to prepare for which Christ died, not only like the bulls and goats at the altar, but like the heifer without the camp.
I. There was a great deal of care employed in the choice of the heifer that was to be burnt, much more than in the choice of any other offering, Nu 19:2. It must not only be without blemish, typifying the spotless purity and sinless perfection of the Lord Jesus, but it must a red heifer, because of the rarity of the colour, that it might be the more remarkable: the Jews say, "If but two hairs were black or white, it was unlawful." Christ, as man, was the Son of Adam, red earth, and we find him red in his apparel, red with his own blood, and red with the blood of his enemies. And it must be one on which never came yoke, which was not insisted on in other sacrifices, but thus was typified the voluntary offer of the Lord Jesus, when he said, Lo, I come, He was bound and held with no other cords than those of his own love. This heifer was to be provided at the expense of the congregation, because they were all to have a joint interest in it; and so all believers have in Christ.
II. There was to be a great deal of ceremony in the burning of it. The care of doing it was committed to Eleazar, not to Aaron himself, because it was not fit that he should do any thing to render himself ceremonially unclean, no, not so much as till the evening (Nu 19:8); yet it being an affair of great concern especially in the significancy of it, it was to be performed by him that was next to Aaron in dignity. The chief priests of that time had the principal hand in the death of Christ. Now,
1. The heifer was to be slain without the camp, as an impure thing, which bespeaks the insufficiency of the methods prescribed by the ceremonial law to take away sin. So far were they from cleansing effectually that they were themselves unclean; as if the pollution that was laid upon them continued to cleave to them. Yet, to answer this type, our Lord Jesus, being made sin and a curse for us, suffered without the gate, Heb 13:12.
2. Eleazar was to sprinkle the blood directly before the door of the tabernacle, and looking steadfastly towards it, Nu 19:4. This made it in some sort an expiation; for the sprinkling of the blood before the Lord was the chief solemnity in all the sacrifices of atonement; therefore, though this was not done at the altar, yet, being done towards the sanctuary, it was intimated that the virtue and validity of it depended upon the sanctuary, and were derived from it. This signified the satisfaction that was made to God by the death of Christ, our great high priest, who by the eternal Spirit (and the Spirit is called the finger of God, as Ainsworth observes, Lu 11:20) offered himself without spot unto God; directly before the sanctuary, when he said, Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit. It also signifies how necessary it was to the purifying of our hearts that satisfaction should be made to divine justice. This sprinkling of the blood put virtue into the ashes.
3. The heifer was to be wholly burnt, Nu 19:5. This typified the extreme sufferings of our Lord Jesus, both in soul and body, as a sacrifice made by fire. The priest was to cast into the fire, while it was burning, cedarwood, hyssop, and scarlet, which were used in the cleansing of lepers (Le 14:6,7), that the ashes of these might be mingled with the ashes of the heifer, because they were designed for purification.
4. The ashes of the heifer (separated as well as they could from the ashes of the wood wherewith it was burnt) were to be carefully gathered up by the hand of a clean person, and (as the Jews say) pounded and sifted, and so laid up for the use of the congregation, as there was occasion (Nu 19:9), not only for that generation, but for posterity; for the ashes of this one heifer were sufficient to season as many vessels of water as the people of Israel would need for many ages. The Jews say that this one served till the captivity, nearly 1000 years, and that there was never another heifer burnt till Ezra's time, after their return, to which tradition of theirs, grounded (I suppose) only upon the silence of their old records, I see no reason we have to give credit, since in the later times of their church, of which they had more full records, they find eight burnt between Ezra's time and the destruction of the second temple, which was about 500 years, These ashes are said to be laid up here as a purification for sin, because, though they were intended to purify only from ceremonial uncleanness, yet they were a type of that purification for sin which our Lord Jesus made by his death. Ashes mixed with water are used in scouring, but these had their virtue purely from the divine institution, and their accomplishment and perfection in Christ, who is the end of this law for righteousness. Now observe, (1.) That the water of purification was made so by the ashes of a heifer, whose blood was sprinkled before the sanctuary; so that which cleanses our consciences is the abiding virtue of the death of Christ; it is his blood that cleanses from all sin, 1Jo 1:7. (2.) That the ashes were sufficient for all the people. There needed not to be a fresh heifer slain for every person or family that had occasion to be purified, but this one was enough for all, even for the strangers that sojourned among them (Nu 19:10); so there is virtue enough in the blood of Christ for all that repent and believe the gospel, for every Israelite, and not for their sins only, but for the sins of the whole world, 1Jo 2:2. (3.) That these ashes were capable of being preserved without waste to many ages. No bodily substance is so incorruptible as ashes are, which (says bishop Patrick) made these a very fit emblem of the everlasting efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ. He is able to save, and, in order to that, able to cleanse, to the uttermost, both of person and times. (4.) These ashes were laid up as a stock or treasure, for the constant purification of Israel from their pollutions; so the blood of Christ is laid up for us in the word and sacraments, as an inexhaustible fountain of merit, to which by faith we may have recourse daily for the purging of our consciences; see Zec 13:1.
5. All those that were employed in this service were made ceremonially unclean by it; even Eleazar himself, though he did but sprinkle the blood, Nu 19:7. He that burned the heifer was unclean (Nu 19:8), and he that gathered up the ashes (Nu 19:10); so all that had a hand in putting Christ to death contracted guilt by it: his betrayer, his prosecutors, his judge, his executioner, all did what they did with wicked hands, though it was by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God (Ac 2:23); yet some of them were, and all might have been cleansed by the virtue of that same blood which they had brought themselves under the guilt of. Some make this to signify the imperfection of the legal services, and their insufficiency to take away sin, inasmuch as those who prepared for the purifying of others were themselves polluted by the preparation. The Jews say, This is a mystery which Solomon himself did not understand, that the same thing should pollute those that were clean and purify those that were unclean. But (says bishop Patrick) it is not strange to those who consider that all the sacrifices which were offered for sin were therefore looked upon as impure, because the sins of men were laid upon them, as all our sins were upon Christ, who therefore is said to be made sin for us, 2Co 5:21.
¹¹ He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days.
¹² He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean.
¹³ Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.
¹⁴ This is the law, when a man dieth in a tent: all that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.
¹⁵ And every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean.
¹⁶ And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.
¹⁷ And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:
¹⁸ And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave:
¹⁹ And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.
²⁰ But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.
²¹ And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even.
²² And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even.
Directions are here given concerning the use and application of the ashes which were prepared for purification. they were laid up to be laid out; and therefore, though now one place would serve to keep them in, while all Israel lay so closely encamped, yet it is probable that afterwards, when they came to Canaan, some of these ashes were kept in every town, for there would be daily use for them. Observe,
I. In what cases there needed a purification with these ashes. No other is mentioned here than the ceremonial uncleanness that was contracted by the touch of a dead body, or of the bone or grave of a dead man, or being in the tent or house where a dead body lay, Nu 19:11,14-16. This I look upon to have been one of the greatest burdens of the ceremonial law, and one of the most unaccountable. He that touched the carcase of an unclean beast, or any living man under the greatest ceremonial uncleanness, was made unclean by it only till the evening, and needed only common water to purify himself with; but he that came near the dead body of man, woman, or child, much bear the reproach of his uncleanness seven days, must twice be purified with the water of separation, which he could not obtain without trouble and charge, and till he was purified must not come near the sanctuary upon pain of death.
1. This was strange, considering, (1.) that whenever any died (and we are in deaths oft) several persons must unavoidable contract this pollution, the body must be stripped, washed, wound up, carried out, and buried, and this could not be done without many hands, and yet all defiled, which signifies that in our corrupt and fallen state there is none that lives and sins not; we cannot avoid being polluted by the defiling world we pass through, and we offend daily, yet the impossibility of our being sinless does not make sin the less polluting. (2.) that taking care of the dead, to see them decently buried, is not only necessary, but a very good office, and an act of kindness, both to the honour of the dead and the comfort of the living, and yet uncleanness was contracted by it, which intimates that the pollutions of sin mix with and cleave to our best services. There is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not; we are apt some way or other to do amiss even in our doing good. (3.) That this pollution was contracted by what was done privately in their own houses, which intimates (as bishop Patrick observes) that God sees what is done in secret, and nothing can be concealed from the divine Majesty. (4.) This pollution might be contracted, and yet a man might never know it, as by the touch of a grave which appeared not, of which our Saviour says, Those that walk over it are not aware of it (Lu 11:44), which intimates the defilement of the conscience by sins of ignorance, and the cause we have to cry out, "Who can understand his errors?" and to pray, "Cleanse us from secret faults, faults which we ourselves do not see ourselves guilty of."
2. But why did the law make a dead corpse such a defiling thing? (1.) Because death is the wages of sin, entered into the world by it, and reigns by the power of it. Death to mankind is another thing from what it is to other creatures: it is a curse, it is the execution of the law, and therefore the defilement of death signifies the defilement of sin. (2.) Because the law could not conquer death, nor abolish it and alter the property of it, as the gospel does by bringing life and immortality to light, and so introducing a better hope. Since our Redeemer was dead and buried, death is no more destroying to the Israel of God, and therefore dead bodies are no more defiling; but while the church was under the law, to show that it made not the comers thereunto perfect, the pollution contracted by dead bodies could not but form in their minds melancholy and uncomfortable notions concerning death, while believers now through Christ can triumph over it. O grave! where is thy victory? Where is thy pollution?
II. How the ashes were to be used and applied in these cases. 1. A small quantity of the ashes must be put into a cup of spring water, and mixed with the water, which thereby was made, as it is here called, a water of separation, because it was to be sprinkled on those who were separated or removed from the sanctuary by their uncleanness. As the ashes of the heifer signified the merit of Christ, so the running water signified the power and grace of the blessed Spirit, who is compared to rivers of living water; and it is by his operation that the righteousness of Christ is applied to us for our cleansing. Hence we are said to be washed, that is, sanctified and justified, not only in the name of the Lord Jesus, but by the Spirit of our God, 1Co 6:11, 1Pe 1:2. Those that promise themselves benefit by the righteousness of Christ, while they submit not to the grace and influence of the Spirit, do but deceive themselves, for we cannot put asunder what God has joined, nor be purified by the ashes otherwise than in the running water. 2. This water must be applied by a bunch of hyssop dipped in it, with which the person or thing to be cleansed must be sprinkled (Nu 19:18), in allusion to which David prays, Purge me with hyssop. Faith is the bunch of hyssop wherewith the conscience is sprinkled and the heart purified. Many might be sprinkled at once, and the water with which the ashes were mingled might serve for many sprinklings, till it was all spent; and a very little lighting upon a man served to purify him, if done with that intention. In allusion to this application of the water of separation by sprinkling, the blood of Christ is said to be the blood of sprinkling (Heb 12:24), and with it were are said to be sprinkled from an evil conscience (Heb 10:22), that is, we are freed from the uneasiness that arises from a sense of our guilt. And it is foretold that Christ, by his baptism, shall sprinkle many nations, Isa 52:15. 3. The unclean person must be sprinkled with this water on the third day after his pollution, and on the seventh day, Nu 19:12-19. The days were reckoned (we may suppose) from the last time of his touching or coming near the dead body; for he would not begin the days of his cleansing while he was still under a necessity of repeating the pollution; but when the dead body was buried, so that there was no further occasion of meddling with it, then he began to reckon his days. Then, and then only, we may with comfort apply Christ's merit to our souls, when we have forsaken sin, and cease all fellowship with the unfruitful works of death and darkness. The repetition of the sprinkling teaches us often to renew the actings of repentance and faith, wash as Naaman, seven times; we need to do that often which is so necessary to be well done. 4. Though the pollution contracted was only ceremonial, yet the neglect of the purification prescribed would turn into moral guilt: He that shall be unclean and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off, Nu 19:20. Note, It is a dangerous thing to contemn divine institutions, though they may seem minute. A slight wound, if neglected, may prove fatal; a sin we call little, if not repented of, will be our ruin, when great sinners that repent shall find mercy. Our uncleanness separates us from God, but it is our being unclean and not purifying ourselves that will separate us for ever from him: it is not the wound that is fatal, so much as the contempt of the remedy. 5. Even he that sprinkled the water of separation, or touched it, or touched the unclean person, must be unclean till the evening, that is, must not come near the sanctuary on that day, Nu 19:21,22. Thus God would show them the imperfection of those services, and their insufficiency to purify the conscience, that they might look for the Messiah, who in the fulness of time should by the eternal Spirit offer himself without spot unto God, and so purge our consciences from dead works (that is, from sin, which defiles like a dead body, and is therefore called a body of death), that we may have liberty of access to the sanctuary, to serve the living God with living sacrifices.
本章專論那要用來使潔淨之水具備功效之灰的製備與使用。百姓先前曾抱怨律法嚴苛，禁止他們靠近會幕，民 17:13。為回應這怨言，此處指示他們如何潔淨自己，使他們能按需要毫無懼怕地進到當進之地。內容包括：一、製備這些灰的方法，即以極多禮儀焚燒一頭紅母牛，民 19:1-10。二、使用的方法。1. 這些灰是為了潔淨因觸碰死屍而染污穢的人，民 19:11-16。2. 要取少量的灰放進活水裏，待潔淨的人就用這水得著潔淨，民 19:17-22。而這禮儀上的潔淨乃是信徒良心從罪的污穢中得潔淨的預表與影像，這事從使徒的論述中可以看出：來 9:13,14，他將基督之血的功效，與那在「灑在不潔之人身上的母牛的灰」裏所有的成聖之力相比擬。