The Lord said to Moses: 2 Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them: Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy. 3 Each of you revere your mother and father, and keep my sabbaths. I, the Lord, am your God. 4 Do not turn aside to idols, nor make molten gods for yourselves. I, the Lord, am your God. 5 When you sacrifice your communion sacrifice to the Lord, you shall sacrifice it so that it is acceptable on your behalf. 6 It must be eaten on the day of your sacrifice or on the following day. Whatever is left over until the third day shall be burned in fire. 7 If any of it is eaten on the third day, it will be a desecrated offering and not be accepted; 8 whoever eats of it then shall bear the penalty for having profaned what is sacred to the Lord. Such a one shall be cut off from the people. 9 When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not be so thorough that you reap the field to its very edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10Likewise, you shall not pick your vineyard bare, nor gather up the grapes that have fallen. These things you shall leave for the poor and the alien. I, the Lord, am your God. 11 You shall not steal. You shall not deceive or speak falsely to one another. 12 You shall not swear falsely by my name, thus profaning the name of your God. I am the Lord. 13 You shall not exploit your neighbor. You shall not commit robbery. You shall not withhold overnight the wages of your laborer. 14 You shall not insult the deaf, or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but you shall fear your God. I am the Lord. 15 You shall not act dishonestly in rendering judgment. Show neither partiality to the weak nor deference to the mighty, but judge your neighbor justly. 16 You shall not go about spreading slander among your people; nor shall you stand by idly when your neighbor’s life is at stake. I am the Lord. 17 You shall not hate any of your kindred in your heart. Reprove your neighbor openly so that you do not incur sin because of that person. 18 Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your own people. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
This passage presents a collection of moral, religious, and social precepts given by God to Israel through Moses. These laws emphasize holiness in everyday life, touching on social justice, honesty, care for the poor, and love for one’s neighbor. The section begins with the foundational command: "Be holy, for I, the LORD your God, am holy" (Lev 19:2), which sets the tone for the entire passage. This call to holiness is echoed in Matthew 5:48, where Jesus teaches, "So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."
The command to honor one's father and mother (v. 3) echoes Ex. 20:12 and is fundamental to maintaining social order. Keeping the Sabbath (v. 3) reflects trust in God's providence and recognition of divine authority (Ex. 31:13). The prohibition against turning to idols is central to Israel’s identity. Worship of false gods leads to moral corruption, as seen in Deut. 4:15-19 and Rom. 1:22-25.
The instructions about peace offerings (vv. 5-8) underscore the importance of proper worship and communion with God. This prefigures Christ’s perfect sacrifice (Heb. 10:1-10). Leaving portions of the harvest for the poor and the alien highlights God’s concern for the vulnerable. This anticipates Christ’s call to care for the least among us (Mt. 25:35-40).
The commands against theft, lying, and fraud (vv. 11-13) reinforce the principle that righteousness in personal conduct reflects God's holiness. These commands are fulfilled in Christ’s teaching about truthfulness and integrity (Mt. 5:37). The prohibition against defrauding the poor and withholding wages (v. 13) prefigures James 5:4, which condemns injustice against workers.
The ethical demands of Lev. 19 are taken up and intensified by Christ in Mt. 5, particularly in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus fulfills and perfects the Law, moving from external observance to internal transformation. In Mt. 5:48, Jesus calls His followers to be "perfect"—a perfection not of strict legalism but of divine love, a love that mirrors God's mercy (Lk. 6:36). The holiness required in Leviticus is now fulfilled in Christ, who enables believers to share in God's holiness through grace (1 Peter 1:15-16).
The laws in Lev. 19 point forward to the New Covenant, where holiness is written on the heart (Jer. 31:33). God's plan of salvation is ultimately fulfilled in Christ, who brings about a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17) and calls His followers to embody His holiness and love in the world. Jesus directly affirms this when He declares that the second greatest commandment is "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Lev 19:18; Mt. 22:39; Mk. 12:31). This love is not mere sentiment but is expressed in concrete acts of justice, forgiveness, and respect for others.
Thus, the moral principles of Leviticus find their fulfillment in Christ, who embodies perfect love and justice, inviting all to participate in the divine life through faith and obedience.
Almighty God, You have called us to be holy as You are holy. Through Your law, You have shown us the path of justice, mercy, and love. In Christ, You have fulfilled the law and invited us to share in Your divine life. Strengthen us by Your grace to love our neighbors as ourselves, to walk in truth and righteousness, and to reflect Your perfect love in the world. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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