In biblical terms, the concept of an "unclean person" is primarily rooted in the ceremonial laws given to the Israelites in the Old Testament. The term "unclean" refers to a state of ritual impurity, which could result from various causes, including certain diseases, contact with dead bodies, or specific bodily discharges. This state of impurity required specific rites of purification before an individual could participate in communal worship or enter the sanctuary.

Old Testament Context

The laws concerning uncleanness are extensively detailed in the books of Leviticus and Numbers. Leviticus 11-15 outlines various sources of uncleanness, including dietary laws, skin diseases (often translated as "leprosy"), and bodily discharges. For instance, Leviticus 11:24-25 states, "These will make you unclean. Whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean until evening, and whoever picks up one of their carcasses must wash his clothes, and he will be unclean until evening."

Leviticus 13-14 provides detailed instructions for diagnosing and cleansing skin diseases. A person with a skin disease was to be examined by a priest and, if found unclean, was required to live outside the camp until healed and ritually purified (Leviticus 13:45-46).

Contact with a corpse also rendered a person unclean. Numbers 19:11-13 explains, "Whoever touches any dead body will be unclean for seven days. He must purify himself with the water on the third day and the seventh day; then he will be clean. But if he does not purify himself on the third and seventh days, he will not be clean."

New Testament Perspective

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ's ministry often challenged the traditional views of cleanliness and uncleanness. He emphasized the importance of inner purity over ritualistic observance. In Mark 7:14-15, Jesus taught, "Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him, but the things that come out of a man, these are what defile him."

The Apostle Paul further expounded on this theme, teaching that believers are cleansed through faith in Christ. In 1 Corinthians 6:11, Paul writes, "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

Spiritual Implications

The concept of uncleanness in the Bible serves as a metaphor for sin and the need for spiritual purification. The Old Testament rituals foreshadowed the ultimate cleansing from sin provided through Jesus Christ. Hebrews 9:13-14 explains, "For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to serve the living God?"

Practical Application

For Christians, the focus is on maintaining spiritual purity and holiness. While the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament are not binding on New Testament believers, the principles of holiness and separation from sin remain relevant. Believers are called to live lives that reflect the purity and righteousness of Christ, as stated in 1 Peter 1:15-16: "But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'"