2利未记这卷书可分为两大段。头一段包括一至十章,说到供物与祭司体系。第二段包括十一至二十七章,说到神圣别子民的圣别生活。这第二段乃是说到祂整体子民的生活;不只祭司该有圣别的生活;祭司在其间所事奉之神的子民,也该是圣别的。利未记是一卷豫表的书。头七章说到的各种供物,全是豫表。八至十章的祭司体系,也该视为豫表。不仅如此,十一至二十七章所论到神圣别子民圣别生活的一切事,也该视为豫表。这些章节虽是说到神旧约的子民,以色列人的生活。然而,我们若对这些豫表有正确的领会,就会看见这一切都是豫表新约信徒的生活。利未记既是一卷豫表的书,就需要加以解释。没有正确的解释,就很难认识这卷书。但是有人宣称圣经不需要解释。按照他们的观念,我们读一段圣经若是不明白,就该一再的读,直到明白。然而,对于利未记这类的书却不是这样。我担保你即使将利未记读上百遍,仍然无法明白。我们若要认识这卷书,必须藉著正确的解释,使其向我们打开。因神子民集体努力,利未记已经被解开。这卷书是为著神的子民,也是被神的子民所解开的。首先解开的,是在使徒保罗,他写希伯来书时,解释了利未记。彼得也在行传十章里藉所给他的异象,对利未记有了一点领会。他看见有一器皿,好像一块大布,(徒十11,)里面有各样动物;这异象乃是利未记十一章的应验。所以,行传十章乃是利未记十一章的解释。我们由此看见,利未记这卷书的解释,是开始于使徒们。
2The book of Leviticus may be divided into two main sections. The first section, comprising chapters one through ten, covers the offerings and the priesthood. The second section, comprising chapters eleven through twenty-seven, covers the holy living of God’sho ly people. After God speaks in the first section concerning the offerings and the priesthood, He speaks in the second section concerning His people in their entirety. The priests are not the only ones who should have a holy life and a holy living. The people of God, among whom the priests serve, should also be holy. Leviticus is a book of types, a book of typology. In the first seven chapters we have the different kinds of offerings, all of which are types. The priesthood in chapters eight through ten should also be considered a type. Furthermore, all the matters in chapters eleven through twenty-seven concerning the holy living of God’s holy people should also be regarded as types. These chapters cover the living of the Israelites, God’s people in the Old Testament. However, if we have the proper understanding of the types, we shall realize that all the types in these chapters are types of the living of the New Testament believers. Because Leviticus is a book of types, there is the need for it to be expounded. Without the proper expounding, it is difficult for anyone to know this book. Nevertheless, some have claimed that there is no need for the exposition of the Bible. According to their concept, if we do not understand a certain portion of the Word the first time we read it, we should read it again and again until we do understand it. However, this is not true of a book like Leviticus. I assure you, even if you were to read Leviticus hundreds of times, you would still be unable to understand it. If we are to know this book, it must be opened to us through the proper expounding. The book of Leviticus has been opened by God’s people collectively. It has been opened by God’s people for God’sp eople. This opening began with the Apostle Paul, who expounded Leviticus while writing the Epistle to the Hebrews. Peter also received some understanding of Leviticus through the vision given to him in Acts 10. The vision of a “certain vessel like a great sheet” (v. 11) in which were all kinds of animals was a fulfillment of Leviticus 11. Acts 10, therefore, is an exposition of Leviticus 11. From this we see that the expounding of the book of Leviticus began with the apostles.