“The riddles of God are more satisfying than the solutions of man,” wrote Chesterton. Leviticus 11 stands as a lovely example of his sentiment. Designations of “clean” and “unclean” first appear in Genesis 7 with no explanation other than “clean” animals being later utilized as acceptable sacrifices to Yahweh (Gen 7:2; 8:20). While Leviticus 11 offers a great amount of detail and specificity as to what features identify “clean” or “unclean” animals, the connection between said features and holiness is glaringly absent (see Lev 11:42–44). It’s here where readers are intended to ponder and discover Yahweh’s answer to the riddle. How might “clean” features convey holiness to the worshipper—stressed so vehemently at the chapter’s end? This is the driving question behind Leviticus 11.
My hope is to provide an answer by offering interpretational rationale in light of the Torah’s earlier pages as well as Leviticus 11 itself. I will present this interpretation in four steps, followed by a brief application in Christ.
Step One: Day 6’s Fork
God created Man as a hybrid of Heaven and Earth. He’s an intermix of both realms. Made in God’s Image, with Yahweh’s own breath in him—Heaven. Yet he’s also made from dust and created on the same day as land creatures—Earth.
These features suspend Man between Heaven and Earth, creating a fork, as it were. Which way will he go? Ascend to be more like God? Or descend to become more like beasts? Heavenly or Earthly? This is the question Day 6 poses.
Step Two: Man’s Fall
As to which direction Man will go, the reader isn’t left wondering long. Initially, he clearly differentiates himself from the animals, naming/classifying them, which demonstrates distinction and dominion. Beyond this, he finds among them no helper like him, demonstrating further awareness of his uniqueness. Each distinction underscores Man’s recognition of his elevated class.
Yet soon thereafter he and Eve are led by a “beast of the field,” eat with him (an intimate act in the Bible), and bear offspring through him (see Gen 3:15). At this point, the fork chosen becomes clear. Man has gone down, the way of beast and field, versus up—the way of God’s image and realm.
From here, the text indicates a clear downward trajectory ending in death. The Serpent descends to its belly, eating dust as it goes—with a future involving certainty of a “downward” death (see Gen 3:14). Similarly, Man moves down. In its unyieldingness, the dust will become his greatest companion and warden, causing him to sweat “all the days of [his] life” (see Gen 3:17–18). Further, he’ll ultimately succumb to its rule, returning down to it in his death (see Gen 3:19). Beyond this, he and Eve are dressed as animals, their Day 6 counterparts, and driven out of Eden. This removal necessitated going down, as Eden was a high place (see Gen 2:10; 3:22; Eze 28:14). Additionally, they’re cut off from access to the Tree of Life whereby they would have lived forever(see Gen 3:22). Earthly elements of descension, dust, death, and beasts saturate the narrative.
Genesis 3’s conclusion: in response to the fork posed by Day 6, Man descended, becoming more Earthly than Heavenly, going the way of death versus life. Downward, deathly, and beastly—these have become man’s current dwelling and description.
Step 3: Leviticus’ Fall Replay & Redemption
Leviticus 10 picks up where Genesis 3 left off in offering a replay of Man’s Fall in the sin of Nadab and Abihu. Eden’s replanting takes form in the Tabernacle complex. As Eve, Adam’s helper, “took” and ate the fruit resulting in death, so Aaron’s helper(s) “took” their censors and offered foreignfire resulting in the same (see Gen 2:17; 3:6; Lev 10:1, 2). Each narrative features fruit as the means by which the “fall” takes place (see Gen 3:6; Lev 10:9). The phrase, “lest you die” is spoken in each narrative (Gen 3:3; Lev 10:6, 7, 8). Like Eden’s two trees offer polarities of life and death, Leviticus 10 offers two sets of similar distinctions: “holy” and “common,” “clean” and “unclean” (Lev 10:10). Further, after their sin and death, Nadab and Abihu are carried “out of the camp” from “the front of the sanctuary,” which in Tabernacle imagery and symbolism, was to go down, just as Adam and Eve were driven out and down from Eden’s lofty abode (Lev 10:4, 5; see Gen 2:10; Pss 15; 24; Eze 28:14). Without question, scenes of the original Fall recirculate in Leviticus 10, reminding the reader that Eden has not yet become home for God’s people.
Yet within Leviticus 11, redemption is also afoot. In the original Fall, handling of food resulted in sin. In Leviticus 11, handling of food conveys holiness to the worshipper (see Lev 11:44–45). In Genesis 3, a beast is utilized to bring humanity down. In Leviticus 11, animals are used to build him up. Man being dressed as an animal instructed Mankind in Genesis 3. In Leviticus 11 thoughtful engagement with animals instructs him in the ways of God. This is additionally seen in the Flood Narrative where the first distinction between “clean” and “unclean” is introduced, as well as the sanctioning of Man’s eating meat. There, like here, Yahweh is redeeming significant features of the Fall, eating (between two choices), and the presence of animals for Man’s upward calling.
Step 4: Coalescence of the Torah’s Storyline & “Clean/Unclean”
In Leviticus 11, Yahweh offers a route from the “base” of Eden’s mountain to the holiness of its summit through meditating upon “clean” animals. Discerning the relationship between “clean” and “holiness” (encouraged as the result of abiding such a diet) rests in Yahweh’s emphasis that He is “the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy” (Lev 11:45, emphasis added). Here, “up” is equated with “hol[iness].” This mustn’t be missed, for it is the interpretive key to understanding the features of “clean” and “unclean.” Having stressed Israel’s focus on “clean” animals, He gives the reason why: “For I am the Lord who brought you up.” Israel being brought “up” out of Egypt unto Yahweh serves as His guiding rationale for choosing the animals He chose. Something about them propels the idea of ascension unto God, and ascension unto Him equals holiness.
First, it must be noted that within the Torah, going to Egypt is to go down and to be affiliated with death (see Gen 12:10; 26:2; 42:3; 43:15; 46:3–4; Num 20:15; Deu 10:22). This is intimated by Joseph being purchased by “a caravan of Ishmaelites…with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt” (Gen 37:25). Gum, balm, and myrrh were embalming materials.1 Genesis doubles-down on Egypt’s deathly identity in that both Jacob and Joseph are embalmed there (Gen 50:3, 26). Further, the Exodus event reveals the nation as a place of darkness with locusts blackening the ground, three days of utter darkness, and Israel coming out of the Red Sea at the light of day, leaving darkness and death behind them (Exo 10:15, 22; 14:20). This emphasis furthers features of the Fall that apart from Yahweh is to go down toward darkness and death. But to go up to Him is to become holy, as will be seen in Sinai and Jerusalem being high places. It’s in this sense that the reader is meant to anticipate an upward trajectory in the “clean” animals, prompting Yahweh to parade them before Israel. They’re meant to mirror Israel’s ascension.
In what way do “clean” animals feature this upward trajectory? They feature qualities of the creature above them: Mankind, in his most idilic state. Consider that parting the hoof gives toe-like, human-like features to an animal. Hooves offer a shoe-like element to animals as humans have footwear. As humans wear clothes, so a fish has scales.2 Chewing the cud features an animal which chews its food in thoughtful fashion like a human, yet also lifts it back up after digesting it as Man is meant to do with prayer and thanksgiving. These animals are vegetarian like Man initially was in his idyllic state on Day 6. Further, in their diet, “clean” animals rely very little on their own strength or cunning in contrast to those who hunt, stalk, attack, and kill their prey. Their eating, in comparison, is restful and leisurely as Man also was meant to both reside and work in a state of rest, indicated by Day 7 having no ending formula. Notorious carnivores such as bears and lions will reflect these very characteristics in their habits and diets in the new Earth (see Isa 11:7). In summary, Yahweh features animals exhibiting numerous similarities to their higher contemporary (Man) as he was before he went the way of the beast.
In this sense, Yahweh is utilizing “clean” animals as an object-lesson of sorts, calling Man up out of darkness and death toward his higher contemporary: Yahweh Himself. He calls His people to set their eye on “graduate-level animals” in order to be like them, trending toward their higher contemporary. Being liberated up out of Egypt unto Yahweh upon Sinai, so Man was to continue in this trajectory. As “clean” animals reflect features of their higher counter-part—Mankind (being created on the same day)—so Man is called to feature aspects of God in whose image he is made. To be in the world, yet not of it (see Joh 17:15–16). The thought: “Like these animals feature human qualities in an upward trajectory, so you should feature the divine.”
Conversely, animals which have greater contact with the ground and death are not moving up like their higher contemporary but further down to the Earth—their lesser contemporary. It’s these animals, wild versus domestic, ferocious versus peaceful, living according to their strength versus in ease, greatly affiliated with the earth, carnivorous versus herbivore, who are more Earthly than Human. They are more downward oriented than upward. While one experiences a Heavenly-oriented evolution, the other experiences an Earthly-oriented de-evolution.3
Application & Summary
Chesterton explained, “People who get too far from fundamental things, from ploughing and reaping and rearing children, lose something that is never restored by any progress or civilization.” As such, Yahweh utilized core elements of Israel’s existence—animals which were not just part of the warp and woof of their daily existence, but also those deeply interwoven with Mankind’s Creation, Fall and destiny to educate and tutor them toward their truest calling.
As such, the above interpretation may better position the reader to discern subsequent texts and personages like John the Baptist. As other prophets, John wore animal skins (see 2 Kin 1:8; Zec 13:4). In John’s case, though, the reader is given greater detail, “Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey” (Mat 3:4). Leviticus 11 comments on both the camel and the locusts. The Holy Spirit’s mention of them through Matthew merits consideration. While the camel is “unclean,” according to Leviticus 11, locusts are “clean,” given their upward trajectory (see Lev 11:4; 21:11). Could these details be meant to offer a peek at John’s personal movement? That he is one “of whom the world was not worthy,” pursuing an upward calling toward the Heavenly Promised Land of milk and honey—moving from “unclean” to “clean” in Heavenly trajectory?
Finally, the offered interpretation may shed further light on the work Christ who compares Himself to an “unclean” serpent in His salvific work—so low He ventured to save (Joh 3:14; Lev 11:42). Of whom Paul writes, “He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things” (Eph 4:10). Christ ventured so low (as in Egypt) in order to lead “on high…a host of captives” (Eph 4:8). It’s in this sense that those in Christ have been raised and like Israel must “seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Col 3:1–2). It’s for this reason Paul can personally say, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus,” in contrast to those like “dogs…who mutilate the flesh” (Phi 3:14, 2, emphasis added). Going further, he juxtaposes the “fork” between them: “Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body” (Phi 3:19–21). Christ reorients our downward trajectory to that which is up, as “clean” animals display so well.
In summary, the interpretational data for discerning Leviticus 11 begins in Genesis 1. Properly assessing, evaluating, and meditating upon the distinctions of “clean” and “unclean” must be seen in light of the “fork” provided in Day 6. Discerning upward and downward trajectories thereafter poise the reader to not be shocked by what may appear to be bizarre distinctions. Ultimately, the small insertion of “up” in Leviticus 11 provides the interpretational rationale and key to understand the passage. Yahweh’s desire and emphasis has never changed: that His people may continually be drawn up unto Himself which is to be holy, of which “clean” animals offer a glimmer in their relation to Man. Ultimately, this is fulfilled for Mankind in Christ, the second Adam, who in obedience ventured into the dust in order to ascend on high, leading with Him a host of captives.
Ben Lovelady (M.A., MTS) serves as a pastor in northwestern Illinois, where he and his wife live with their six children.
NOTES
- Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis: The Traditional Hebrew Text with New JPS Translation (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1989), 260. ↩︎
- These human comparisons were first introduced to me by Alastair Roberts in a class lecture offered by Theopolis Institute. ↩︎
- The “swarmers” of Lev 11:29–38 may serve as helpful commentary on Nadab and Abihu’s offense. While clean animals exhibit “upward” features in a positive way, the swarmers go too far in actually entering Mankind’s domain as transgressors. Peter Leithart draws attention to their invasion-like characteristics. Just so, Nadab and Abihu being like God transgressed in playing God in offering, in some way, foreign fire from the fire Yahweh originally ignited. ↩︎