Leviticus 14 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes

He shall be brought to the priest — Not into the priest's house, but to some place without the camp or city, which the priest shall appoint.

Healed by God — For God alone did heal or cleanse him really, the priest only declaratively.

Two birds — The one to represent Christ as dying for his sins, the other to represent him as rising again for his purification or justification. Clean — Allowed for food and for sacrifice. Cedar — wood — A stick of cedar, to which the hyssop and one of the birds was tied by the scarlet thread. Cedar seems to be chosen, to note that the leper was now freed from that corruption which his leprosy had brought upon him, that kind of wood being in a manner incorruptible. Scarlet — A thread of wool of a scarlet colour, to represent both the leper's sinfulness, and the blood of Christ, and the happy change of the leper's colour and complexion, which before was wan and loathsome, now sprightly and beautiful. Hyssop — The fragrant smell of which, signified the cure of the leper's ill scent.

Killed — By some other man. The priest did not kill it himself, because it was not properly a sacrifice, as being killed without the camp, and not in that place to which all sacrifices were confined. In an earthen — vessel — That is, over running water put in an earthen — vessel — Thus the blood of the bird and the water were mixed together, partly for the conveniency of sprinkling, and partly to signify Christ, who came by water and blood, 1 John 5:6. The running water, that is, spring or river water by its liveliness and motion did fitly signify the restoring of liveliness to the leper, who was in a manner dead before.

Into the open field — The place of its former abode, signifying the taking off that restraint which was laid upon the leper.

All his hair — Partly to discover his perfect soundness; partly to preserve him from a relapse through any relicks of it which might remain in his hair or in his clothes. Out of his tent — Out of his former habitation, in some separate place, lest some of his leprosy yet lurking in him should break forth to the infection of his family.

All his hair — Which began to grow again, and now for more caution is shaved again.

Oil is added as a fit sign of God's grace and mercy, and of the leper's healing. A log is a measure containing six egg — shells full.

Maketh him clean — The healing is ascribed to God, Leviticus 14:13, but the ceremonial cleansing was an act of the priest using the rites which God had prescribed.

A trespass — offering — To teach them, that sin was the cause of leprosy, and of all diseases, and that these ceremonial observations had a farther meaning, to make them sensible of their spiritual diseases, that they might fly to God in Christ for the cure of them.

The priest shall put it — To signify, that he was now free to hear God's word in the appointed places, and to touch any person or thing without defiling it, and to go whither he pleased.

The oil — As the blood signified Christ's blood by which men obtained remission of sins, so the oil noted the graces of the spirit by which they are renewed.

Before the Lord — Before the second veil which covered the holy of holies.

Upon the blood — Upon the place where that blood was put.

The priest shall put the blood — Upon the extremities of the body, to include the whole. And some of the oil was afterwards put in the same places upon the blood. That blood seems to have been a token of forgiveness, the oil of healing: For God first forgiveth our iniquities, and then healeth our diseases. When the leper was anointed, the oil must have blood under it, to signify that all the graces and comforts of the spirit, all his sanctifying influences are owing to the death of Christ. It is by his blood alone that we are sanctified.

That all be not made unclean — It is observable here, that neither the people nor the household stuff were polluted till the leprosy was discovered and declared by the priest, to shew what great difference God makes between sins of ignorance, and sins against knowledge.

In the walls of the house — This was an extraordinary judgment of God peculiar to this people, either as a punishment of their sins, which were much more sinful and inexcusable than the sins of other nations; or as a special help to repentance, which God afforded them above other people; or as a token of the mischievous nature of sin, typified by leprosy, which did not only destroy persons, but their habitations also: Hollow streaks — Such as were in the bodies of leprous persons.

An unclean place — Where they used to cast dirt and filthy things.

To teach — To direct the priest when to pronounce a person or house clean or unclean. So it was not left to the priests power or will, but they were tied to plain rules, such as the people might discern no less than the priest.