Stay away from these bloody people

Welcome to the Daily Bible Chapter. My name is James Leroy Wilson and I invite you to join me as we discover new insights and new perspectives from a very old book.

I'm reading Young's Literal Translation (YLT) and the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Leviticus 6 and 7

We have a distinction between a sin-offering and a guilt-offering. A sin offering is for mistakes in obeying the LORD's often peculiar rules. A guilt-offering is for people who are actually guilty of something, like robbing others. You're guilty when you victimize others.

Restitution for the victim is required, but also a ram, "or its equivalent" (money?) is to be offered to the priest. When you do wrong, you not only harm the other person, you harm the entire community and must pay back the entire community by making an offering to the LORD (which is received by the priests).

I'm dubious about that logic, especially when Moses is announcing the laws and procedures, and his brother Aaron and his sons profit from all the sins everyone commits. 

We learn more about the offering of "well-being" which I speculated about a few days ago. Then there's more about touching unclean animals, and eating the fat and blood of sacrificed animals. The punishment is to be "cut off from your kin."

Such regulations sound like they could be matters of health and hygiene, and to cut off those who didn't follow the rules is for the protection of the rest.

I do think that symbolically, these commands are to avoid anything that you know, factually or intuitively, will taint one's soul or higher self. These are probably less about external behavior than the "unclean" thoughts within you that should be "cut off."

As within (clean thoughts), so without (clean bodies). 

James Leroy Wilson writes Daily Miracles, The Daily Bible Chapter, JL Cells, and The MVP Chase. Thanks for your subscriptions and support!

(Photo credit: TyshkunVictor)