Leviticus: An Introduction and Study Guide: The Priestly Vision of Holiness

Description

In this guide, Philip Peter Jenson provides an introduction to Leviticus, examining its structure, character, and content. In particular, he focuses on explaining the basic concepts that inform the rituals and ethics of Leviticus. This is especially the case for the pervasive and complex category of holiness, along with its antithesis, impurity. Overall, Jenson's emphasis is on the overarching coherence of the book and how it reached its present canonical form. Leviticus is a difficult book for most readers, describing rituals that are no longer practiced and reflecting a culture that is vastly different from that of the modern West. Yet it is the central book of the first section of the Bible of both Jews and Christians, and it is at the heart of the law revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai. It includes the foundational texts on matters such as sacrifice or love for one's neighbour. In this comprehensive introduction, Jenson offers extensive analysis, and concludes each chapter with reflections on the contemporary significance of the texts being discussed.

Philip Peter Jenson is Lecturer in Old Testament & Biblical Theology, Cambridge University, UK.

In this lucid introduction, Philip Peter Jenson takes us into the heart of the Torah. He convincingly demonstrates that the book is profoundly theological and of continued relevance to Jewish and Christian faith. * Nathan MacDonald, Reader in the Interpretation of the Old Testament and Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge University, UK *