Lev 21:1-3 | KingComments | STEP | There are things an ordinary Israelite can do, but a priest cannot. Here it is about defilement by touching a dead person. Only in the case of close family members may the priest touch them. The high priest may not even touch his father or mother when they have died ( .11). We are both ordinary members of God’s people and priests. As ordinary members we spend every day in the world. As priests we serve in the sanctuary in the presence of God. In our priestly service we shall not allow things that do have a place in our lives as people of God. We can be so busy with our hobby or other forms of pastime that this occupies our thinking on Sunday morning. Then we will not be able to perform priestly service. There can also be all kinds of worries that absorb us so much that we are also hindered in our priestly service. (Pagan) custom of mourning is forbidden for priests. We may be sad, but not in the way of the world, which is without hope with respect to those who are asleep ( ). The natural feelings should not determine our priestly service. It is about bringing the food of God, what is due to Him. The place of every aspect of life is determined by God, whether it is joy or mourning. The Lord Jesus did not allow Himself to be guided by natural feelings in His service on earth. When His mother wants to interfere in His service, He reprimands her with the seemingly harsh words: “Woman, what does that have to do with us?” ( ). Yet He loves her and thinks of her in His most painful moments. When He hangs on the cross, He gives His mother over to the care of His disciple John with the words “behold, your mother” ( ). Our first responsibility is the service to God, only then that to our relatives and others ( ). Our service to God certainly includes caring for our relatives and especially for our parents ( ). To neglect that concern with a reference to our service to God is hypocrisy. But when it comes to the claim relatives want to make on our service to God, we must reject it.

‏ Leviticus 21:1-3

Regulations for Deaths

There are things an ordinary Israelite can do, but a priest cannot. Here it is about defilement by touching a dead person. Only in the case of close family members may the priest touch them. The high priest may not even touch his father or mother when they have died (Lev 21:10.11).

We are both ordinary members of God’s people and priests. As ordinary members we spend every day in the world. As priests we serve in the sanctuary in the presence of God. In our priestly service we shall not allow things that do have a place in our lives as people of God.

We can be so busy with our hobby or other forms of pastime that this occupies our thinking on Sunday morning. Then we will not be able to perform priestly service. There can also be all kinds of worries that absorb us so much that we are also hindered in our priestly service.

(Pagan) custom of mourning is forbidden for priests. We may be sad, but not in the way of the world, which is without hope with respect to those who are asleep (1Thes 4:13). The natural feelings should not determine our priestly service. It is about bringing the food of God, what is due to Him.

The place of every aspect of life is determined by God, whether it is joy or mourning. The Lord Jesus did not allow Himself to be guided by natural feelings in His service on earth. When His mother wants to interfere in His service, He reprimands her with the seemingly harsh words: “Woman, what does that have to do with us?” (Jn 2:4). Yet He loves her and thinks of her in His most painful moments. When He hangs on the cross, He gives His mother over to the care of His disciple John with the words “behold, your mother” (Jn 19:27).

Our first responsibility is the service to God, only then that to our relatives and others (Mk 3:31-35). Our service to God certainly includes caring for our relatives and especially for our parents (Mt 15:4-6). To neglect that concern with a reference to our service to God is hypocrisy. But when it comes to the claim relatives want to make on our service to God, we must reject it.