This chapter is one of the high points in Scripture, but it is one of the most ignored chapters by Christianity. In Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, Elohim gives us explicit orders as to what is considered food and what is not considered food. Christians for some 1600 years have thought this chapter doesn’t apply anymore and can and should be ignored. This chapter describes what has been called the “Levitical Diet.” But nowhere in this chapter are Levites even mentioned.
This text and the other three Gospels state that they came to the tomb early on Sunday morning. It does not state that Yeshua resurrected on Sunday morning. He likely resurrected on what we know as Saturday night after the sun went down on the Sabbath Day, not on Sunday morning. When they arrived at the break of dawn, He was already gone.
The book of Leviticus contains very little action. This chapter includes a change of pace in this book of instruction, but it is not a happy change of pace. This chapter involves the death of two of Aaron’s sons.
There are some logistical problems in sorting through the different Gospel accounts of the timing of these events. These problems are easily solved because the problems occur through translational nuances.
According to the Talmud, the treasury is a reference to 13 trumpet-shaped treasure boxes into which the money was thrown. They were located in the Court of the Women in the temple.
The first five chapters in Leviticus detailed the mechanics of the five offerings. These next two chapters emphasize the ritual of the sacrifices. They detail the care the priests must take in handling the offerings.
Those religious leaders who were given authority by the traditions of men came to Yeshua and asked Him if He has the credentials to teach the people. They want to expose Him as one who has not authority to teach and to say that the Kingdom of Elohim is at hand.
As Yeshua was passing through Jericho, there was a little guy who was a chief tax-gatherer who wanted to see Yeshua. And, as the story goes, he climbed a sycamore tree so he could see Him.
Yeshua just told them in the previous chapter about His return in judgement and that things will be very difficult. He says they are to pray and not lose heart. He tells them this parable concerning their heavenly Father and His provisions for them.
This chapter on the sin offering is much longer than any of the others. There must be much importance here.
This offering became the most important of all the offerings because it points to the fact that man is unclean because of his unintentional sin. The next offering is the trespass offering and speaks of the sin that man does. The sin offering speaks of what man is because of sin, not what man does.
This offering is called the “shelamim” offering. It is translated as “peace offering.” The word “shelamim” is related to the word “shalom,” which means “well-being.”
All the offerings in Leviticus speak of Messiah Yeshua and our relationship with the Father. This offering is called the “meat offering” in the King James Version because all food was referred to as meat in that day. But this is the only offering that involved no meat whatsoever. It reads very much like a bread recipe. Most modern translations refer to this as the grain offering or meal offering.