What Is Impurity in the Bible?
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “What is impurity in the Bible?”, then you’re not alone. Many Bible verses about impurity are related to sexual immorality and sex. Others deal with being unclean, or living an unholy lifestyle.
Unclean or unholy living
Several passages in the Bible discuss the idea of unclean or unholy living. In the gospels and the gospel of Luke, Jesus is accused of casting out unclean spirits. Luke 3:11 and Mark 1:13 mention this. Jesus also heals a leper. He was also in contact with a woman who was a public sinner in Luke 7:39. Moreover, in Mark 5:24-35, Jesus comes into contact with a menstruating woman, which would have made her unclean. A paralytic would have been unclean and should live in a separate home from a healthy person.
Bible scholars have focused on interpreting the laws of cleanliness, particularly in the Old Testament. They argue that there is a great difference between what is holy and what is profane. Clean living in the Bible includes staying away from impure people, things, and behaviors.
Transferrable impurity
According to the Bible, the sins of sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery and homosexuality render one ceremonially impure. As a result, such people are cast out from the community for life. They are not allowed to associate with others because they are contagious. In addition, they are required to shout “unclean!” whenever they are in public.
In addition, certain animals defile by touch and ingestion. Transferrable impurity is also possible through a corpse. While a corpse cannot infect a living person, it can be transferred from one person to another. This condition can only occur between Israelites and non-Israelites. Food can also become impure if it has come into contact with water.
Contagious impurity
The Bible describes impurity in several ways. For example, certain heinous sins generate moral impurity. In these cases, the victim is required to atone for the sin and abstain from other immoral acts. However, the sinner is not necessarily contagious. In some cases, he must bring a sacrificial offering to the sanctuary to remove the impurity.
Biblical scholars have compared these laws to those of the ancient Near East. The Bible teaches that a person must wash his or her body after cohabitation and for six days after a woman gives birth. The Babylonians also declared a pig to be unclean, and Egyptian priests and kings bathed twice daily.
Natural impurity
The Bible discusses various ways to deal with natural impurity. Some impurities are related to death. Others are related to the land. Several commentaries have explored the connection between impurity and death in the Bible. In each case, it is imperative to keep certain things separate in order to avoid contamination.
Natural impurity can be either physical or moral. Leviticus 18:20 outlines three classes of impurity. They include defilement of the land, a person’s body, and genital discharge.
Prohibited acts
Prohibited acts in the Bible are the behaviors that God forbids us to engage in. These behaviors may include blasphemy, idolatry, and crimes against humans. They may also involve burning human remains. In the Bible, there are several examples of prohibited acts that have been carried out as punishment for these behaviors.
The seventh commandment prohibits extramarital intercourse between a man and an unmarried woman. This act was punished by stoning. This punishment was based on the fact that both a man and a woman were liable to death when they committed such a crime. The Bible also specifies that it is forbidden to have extramarital intercourse before marriage.