Interpreting Leviticus

"In interpreting Leviticus, and especially in seeking to apply it to the modern situation, the historical context of the laws should be borne in mind. They are not timeless universal precepts such as are found in the book of Proverbs. The laws of Leviticus were revealed to the covenant nation at a particular phase of their history. They were designed to mold Israel into a holy people in a particular historical environment. Though God's holiness is unchanging, its expression may vary from age to age."

- Gordon Wenham

Source: Hubbard, Robert L., and R. K. Harrison. The New International Commentary on the Old Testament: The Book of Leviticus. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994. 50. Print.