Chapter 21
Themes, discussion questions, Christ connections, and denomination lenses.
Just read this chapter →Scripture
KJV1And 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:
2But 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,
3And for his sister a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband; for her may he be defiled.
4But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
5They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.
6They 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.
7They 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.
8Thou 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.
9And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire.
10And 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;
11Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;
12Neither 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.
13And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
14A 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.
15Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the LORD do sanctify him.
16And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
17Speak 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.
18For 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,
19Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded,
20Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken;
21No 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.
22He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.
23Only 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.
24And Moses told it unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel.
“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.”
Overview
God gives special holiness requirements for the priests. Ordinary priests must not defile themselves for the dead except for close relatives, and must not shave their heads, mar their beards, or marry a woman who is profane or divorced. The high priest faces even stricter requirements — he must not uncover his head, tear his garments, or come near any dead body, even his father or mother. No descendant of Aaron with a physical defect may approach the altar to offer sacrifices.
Key Themes
Higher Standards for Spiritual Leaders
God holds priests to a higher standard than the general population, demonstrating that those who serve in positions of spiritual authority must exhibit greater holiness and discipline.
The High Priest's Supreme Separation
The high priest cannot mourn even for his parents and must never leave the sanctuary — his life is entirely consumed by his sacred office, symbolizing total consecration.
Physical Wholeness as a Symbol of Spiritual Perfection
The requirement that priests be without physical defect is not a judgment on the disabled but a typological picture — the one who represents the people before God must symbolize perfection.
Study Questions
Why does God impose stricter holiness standards on the priests than on ordinary Israelites, and what principle does this establish for spiritual leadership?
What is the significance of the high priest being forbidden to mourn even for his father and mother — what does this extreme restriction symbolize?
How should we understand the requirement that priests have no physical defects — is this a moral judgment or a typological picture?
What do the restrictions on priestly marriages teach about the importance of family life for those in ministry?
How do these priestly holiness codes prepare us to appreciate the perfect holiness of Christ, our ultimate High Priest?
Connection to Christ
Every requirement for priestly perfection points to Christ, the flawless High Priest without blemish or defect. Where Aaron's descendants could be disqualified by physical imperfection, Christ serves as High Priest in the power of an indestructible life (Hebrews 7:16), perfectly holy and wholly consecrated to God.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Leviticus 21. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?