Dictionary of Bible Themes: 8325 purity, nature of

8325 purity, nature of

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Dictionary of Bible Themes » 8000 The life of the believer » 8200 The character of the believer » 8324 purity » 8325 purity, nature of

The OT recognises a close link between outer cleanliness and inner purity. In the NT, special emphasis is placed on inner purity resulting from spiritual renewal.

Physical cleansing from impurity by washing or refining

Genesis 18:4; Job 9:30; Psalm 12:6

Ritual impurity must be avoided or cleansed

Leviticus 10:10-11 See also Isaiah 35:8; Isaiah 52:1,11; Mark 7:2,4

Sexual sources of ritual impurity

Childbirth

Leviticus 12:2 See also Leviticus 12:5; Luke 2:22

Sexual intercourse

Exodus 19:15; Leviticus 15:18; 1 Samuel 21:4

Seminal emission

Leviticus 15:16-17; Deuteronomy 23:10-11; 1 Samuel 20:26

Menstruation

Leviticus 15:19-20; 2 Samuel 11:2-4; Ezekiel 18:6

Abnormal discharge

Leviticus 15:1-2,25-27; Matthew 9:20 pp Mark 5:25 pp Luke 8:43

Other sources of ritual impurity

Dead bodies

Numbers 19:11-16

Unclean creatures

Genesis 7:2 See also Leviticus 11:24,46-47; Deuteronomy 14:3; Hosea 9:3

Skin diseases

Leviticus 13:45 See also Matthew 8:2-4 pp Mark 1:40-44 pp Luke 5:12-14

Mildew

Leviticus 14:36

Contact with a sin offering

Leviticus 16:26

Cleansing from ritual impurity

Leviticus 14:8 See also Leviticus 16:26; Numbers 19:17-21,9,17-21; Numbers 31:22-23 Fire is also a purifying agent.

Contact with God demanded purity

Exodus 19:10 See also Exodus 19:14-15; Exodus 30:18-21; Hebrews 10:22

Ritual purity is not required under the new covenant

Matthew 15:11 pp Mark 7:15 What concerns God is moral impurity, associated with actions, not ritual impurity, associated with food, etc. See also Acts 10:12-15; Acts 21:26 Paul took part in Jewish purification rites in accordance with his Jewish heritage; Romans 14:14; Galatians 2:11-12 Peter temporarily relapsed into the habit of treating Gentiles as unclean; Galatians 2:14-15; 1 Timothy 4:4