Wesley Corpus

Chapter XIV The manner of cleansing a leper, ver. 1 - 9. The sacrifices to be offered for him, ver. 10 - 32. The management of an house suspected of leprosy, ver. 33 - 53. The summary of the whole, ver. 54 - 57. He shall be brought to the priest - Not into the priest's house, but to some place without the camp or city, which the priest shall appoint. Healed by God - For God alone did heal or cleanse him really, the priest only declaratively. Two birds - The one to represent Christ as dying for his sins, the other to represent him as rising again for his purification or justification. Clean - Allowed for food and for sacrifice. Cedar - wood - A stick of cedar, to which the hyssop and one of the birds was tied by the scarlet thread. Cedar seems to be chosen, to note that the leper was now freed from that corruption which his leprosy had brought upon him, that kind of wood being in a manner incorruptible. Scarlet - A thread of wool of a scarlet colour, to represent both the leper's sinfulness, and the blood of Christ, and the happy change of the leper's colour and complexion, which before was wan and loathsome, now sprightly and beautiful. Hyssop - The fragrant smell of which, signified the cure of the leper's ill scent. Killed - By some other man. The priest did not kill it himself, because it was not properly a sacrifice, as being killed without the camp, and not in that place to which all sacrifices were confined. In an earthen - vessel - That is, over running water put in an earthen - vessel - Thus the blood of the bird and the water were mixed together, partly for the conveniency of sprinkling, and partly to signify Christ, who came by water and blood, 1John 5:6. The running water, that is, spring or river water by its liveliness and motion did fitly signify the restoring of liveliness to the leper, who was in a manner dead before. Into the open field - The place of its former abode, signifying the taking off that restraint which was laid upon the leper.