(23) And he shall bring them on the eighth day.--This premises that the poor man is to go through the first stage of purification which is prescribed in Leviticus 14:3-6, and which admits him to social life, in exactly the same manner as the rich man, since the things prescribed for this stage are inexpensive.14:10-32 The cleansed leper was to be presented to the Lord, with his offerings. When God has restored us to enjoy public worship again, after sickness, distance, or otherwise, we should testify our thanksgiving by our diligent use of the liberty. And both we and our offerings must be presented before the Lord, by the Priest that made us clean, even our Lord Jesus. Beside the usual rites of the trespass-offering, some of the blood, and some of the oil, was to be put upon him that was to be cleansed. Wherever the blood of Christ is applied for justification, the oil of the Spirit is applied for sanctification; these two cannot be separated. We have here the gracious provision the law made for poor lepers. The poor are as welcome to God's altar as the rich. But though a meaner sacrifice was accepted from the poor, yet the same ceremony was used for the rich; their souls are as precious, and Christ and his gospel are the same to both. Even for the poor one lamb was necessary. No sinner could be saved, had it not been for the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God with his blood.And he shall bring them on the eighth day, for his cleansing,.... Which supposes him to have gone through all the rites and ceremonies of cleansing throughout the seven days, from his first appearance before the priest; such as his being sprinkled with the cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet, dipped in the blood of the slain bird, mixed with running water; the shaving off of his hair, and washing his flesh and clothes in water; all which being done, on the eighth day he was to bring his lamb for a trespass offering, and one tenth deal of fine flour, for a meat offering, and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering: unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord; where the rich man also and his offerings were presented; See Gill on Leviticus 14:11; and the same rites are enjoined for the cleansing of the poor leper as the rich one, in Leviticus 14:23, of which see the notes on Leviticus 14:12, signifying that they are not exempt from duty, or abridged of any privilege on account of poverty; the persons and services of the people of God being equally acceptable to him, whether rich or poor. |