Tzav “command”
It is customary for religiously practicing Jews to read from an annual cycle of weekly Old Testament readings called Torah Portions. This is said to be the same reading schedule that was taught every Sabbath in the Synagogues during the times of Jesus in the first century.
As Christians exploring the Torah portion cycle we must maintain a balance of including the Old Testament, the prophets, and the gospels in our weekly bible study.
Torah Portion Name and Readings-
Tzav is the Hebrew word for “command”, this is the name for the weekly Torah Portion reading for the Leviticus starting in chapter 6 verse 8 and going through chapter 8 and verse 36.
Prophets and New Testament-
It is also important to point out that along with the Torah portion readings and teachings, there are what are called Haftarah portions which are readings from the Bible in the books of the prophets. This week’s haftarah readings come from the book of Malachi in chapter 3 verse 4 through chapter 4 verse 6.
The gospel readings incorporated with the weekly Torah portion readings come from the book of Matthew in chapter 17 with verses 9 through verse 13.
Torah Portion Overview-
In this torah portion, we get a reiteration of the instructions for the priesthood and how they were to handle the sacrifices. We get laws for the burnt offering and the altar, and the grain offering. We get instructions for the ordination of the priests, then more instructions for the purging or purification offering (sin offering). This is followed by the guilt offering, the well-being (peace) offering. It is specifically stated that only the clean may eat of the sacrifice. Once again it is stressed that the fat and blood belong to Yahweh and are not to be consumed. We get some specific instructions on parts that belong to the priests. This is all finished with he anointing of Aaron and his sons as priests.
Remember that the heart of the Torah was that God would dwell with Israel and be their God. The sacrifices were a part of that and were to keep table fellowship between God and man. The priests were anointed to serve in this and thus establish a connection between Yahweh and His people. However, just as all men fail, the priesthood failed. For they were faced with the very thing the people must be faced with, their own sin. They could not bring the people to a perfect knowledge of God because they were sinners. They could not cleanse the conscience of man and the people continued to sin. Thus their sacrifices were limited and were required to be offered over and over.
However, these sacrifices were not designed to be an eternal source of relationship with God but were instead a shadow of what was to come, that is, the sacrifices pointed at the work of Jesus Christ.
“Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered year after year, make perfect those who approach.”
Hebrews 10:1 (NRSVue)
The sacrifices were not perfect, yet, if the people were to have a perfect relationship with Yahweh then they must have a perfect sacrifice. However, the sacrifices could never be perfect, for the priests were not perfect. Thus, we see a requirement for not only a superior sacrifice, but also a better priest. A priest that could offer a perfect sacrifice and thus connect the people in a perfect relationship with Yahweh. This perfect priest was Jesus, our great High Priest in Heaven.
“Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are already those who offer gifts according to the law. They offer worship in a sanctuary that is a sketch and shadow of the heavenly one, just as Moses was warned when he was about to erect the tent. For, God said, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” But Jesus has now obtained a more excellent ministry, and to that degree he is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on the basis of better promises.”
Hebrews 8:4-6 (NRSVue)
We see also in Revelation that Jesus is operating in the heavenly temple as the Great Priest, being clothed with the golden sash just as the High Priest was clothed with a sash.
“Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.”
Revelation 1:12-13 (ESV)
But what of this High Priest. He was not a descendant of Levi! How can He be a priest? Well, it is important to understand that the law that appointed Levi was for the earthly tabernacle and temple, not for anything in heaven. The writer of Hebrews points out that Jesus was a priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Every high priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness, and because of this he must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not presume to take this honor but takes it only when called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest but was appointed by the one who said to him, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you”; as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered, and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrews 4:15-5:10 (NRSVue)
Melchizedek was a Canaanite King and Priest. There is much debate in scholarship about Melchizedek, his name, who he was, and what that means in Hebrews. There is much that we could say here but that would not add to the conversation of the meaning behind the statements in Hebrews. Therefore we will not enter into this conversation here. It is my opinion that the “order of Melchizedek” is a reference to a king and priest outside of the Levitical priesthood. Jesus is not Melchizedek, who was a real non-Hebrew king who ruled over Salem (Jerusalem) during the time of Abraham, who was also a priest. If we understand this “order” to mean that Jesus is a King and Priest like Melchizedek was, it is not important which god or God Melchizedek served, because it is the typology that we are using. It is my belief that this was exactly what the writer of Hebrews was doing. The statement about Melchizedek are used to show that Jesus is both a King and Priest (however, the focus was on His priesthood).
The earthly tabernacle was said to be a shadow, that is, the tabernacle or temple in heaven was the true image that the earthly tabernacle was trying to portray as an example. So too the earthly priesthood was only a shadow of the heavenly priesthood in Jesus Christ. Whereas the earthly priesthood brought temporary atonement and cleansing, Jesus Christ brought this forever, for all people, with a single sacrifice!
Furthermore, the earthly sacrifices were used to cleans the earthly tabernacle and temple, but could not cleanse the heavens. Thus the heavens remained uncleansed until the work of Jesus.
“Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Thus it was necessary for the sketches of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves need better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the holy place year after year with blood that is not his own, for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once and after that the judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”
Hebrews 9:22-28 (NRSVue)
Jesus was able to do what no priest could, He was able to cleans the heavens. Not only did He cleanse the heavens, but He also cleansed the earthly temple, in the form of His saints! We are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and thus, when we are cleansed, He is also cleansing the only remaining temple on earth, His people. Jesus’ completed work was to cleanse the heavens and earth! He did this, clearing a way for heaven and earth to be united once again in a cosmic temple! Thus, Jesus’ work as the Heavenly High Priest would pave the way for the completion of all things, for the final work, the creation of a new heaven and new earth as a new cosmic temple at the last days!
Torah Portion Scriptural Highlights-
Leviticus 6:8 More priestly instructions for burnt offerings and the altar.
Leviticus 6:14 More priestly instructions for grain offerings.
Leviticus 6:20 Priestly instructions for the offering of ordination.
Leviticus 6:24 More priestly instructions for the purging or purification offering (sin offering).
Leviticus 7:1 More priestly instructions for the guilt offerings.
Leviticus 7:11 More priestly instructions for well-being (peace) offerings.
Leviticus 7:19 Only clean may eat of the well-being (peace) offering.
Leviticus 7:22 The fat and blood belongs to Yahweh.
Leviticus 7:28 The part of the well-being (peace) offering that belongs to the priest.
Leviticus 8:1 Aaron and his sons anointed as priests.
Haftarah (Prophets) Scriptural Highlights-
Malachi 3:4 The Jews will please God.
Malachi 3:6 The children of Jacob rob from God by withholding the tithes.
Malachi 3:16 A book was written before Yahweh of those who feared the Lord.
Malachi 4:1 The day of the Lord is coming and Elijah will come.
Brit (Gospel) Scriptural Highlights-
Matthew 17:9 Elijah will come one day and Elijah did come as John the Baptist.
Further Study-
Naked Bible Podcast 166–168, 170 — Melchizedek
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvpCqgruSvg
The Bible Project - Jesus the Royal Priest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBr-blQxIm4
To Watch an overview of this week’s Torah Portion CLICK HERE