Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Leviticus
Book: Leviticus
Chapter: 25
Overview:
The
Sabbath of
Rest for the land in the seventh
Year.
(1-7)
The
Jubilee of the fiftieth
Year, Oppression forbidden.
(8-22)
Redemption of the land and houses.
(23-34) Compassion towards
the
Poor.
(35-38) Laws respecting bondmen, Oppression forbidden.
(39-55)
1-7 All labour was to cease in the seventh
Year, as much as
daily labour
On the seventh
Day. These statues tell us to beware
of
Covetousness, for a
Man's
Life consists not in the abundance
of his possessions. We are to
Exercise willing dependence
On
God's
Providence for our support; to consider ourselves the
Lord's tenants or stewards, and to use our possessions
accordingly. This
Year of
Rest typified the spiritual
Rest which
all believers enter into through
Christ. Through Him we are
eased of the
Burden of worldly care and labour, both being
sanctified and sweetened to us; and we are enabled and
encouraged to live
By Faith.
8-22 The
Word "
Jubilee" signifies a peculiarly animated sound
of the
Silver Trumpets. This sound was to be made
On the
Evening of the great
Day of Atonement; for the proclamation of
Gospel liberty and
Salvation results from the
Sacrifice of the
Redeemer. It was provided that the lands should not be sold
away from their families. They could only be disposed of, as it
were,
By leases till the
Year of
Jubilee, and then returned to
the owner or his
Heir. This tended to preserve their tribes and
families distinct, till the coming of the
Messiah. The liberty
every
Man was born to, if sold or forfeited, should return at
the
Year of
Jubilee. This was typical of
Redemption By Christ
from the slavery of
Sin and
Satan, and of being brought again
to the liberty of the children of
God. All bargains ought to be
made
By this rule, "Ye shall not oppress one another," not take
advantage of one another's ignorance or necessity, "but thou
shalt fear thy
God." The fear of
God reigning in the
Heart,
would restrain from doing wrong to our neighbour in
Word or
deed.
Assurance was given that they should be great gainers,
By
observing these years of
Rest. If we are careful to do our
duty, we may trust
God with our comfort. They should not want
Food in that
Year in which they neither sowed or reaped. This
was a
Miracle for an encouragement to all
God's people, in all
ages, to trust him in the way of duty. There is nothing lost
By
Faith and self-denial in obedience. Some asked, What shall we
eat the seventh
Year? Thus many Christians anticipate evils,
questioning what they shall do, and fearing to proceed in the
way of duty.But we have
No right to anticipate evils,
So as to
distress ourselves about them. To
Carnal minds we may appear to
act absurdly, but the path of duty is ever the path of safety.
23-34 If the land were not redeemed before the
Year of
Jubilee,
it then returned to him that sold or mortgaged it. This was a
figure of the free
Grace of
God in
Christ;
By which, and not
By
any price or merit of our own, we are restored to the favour of
God. Houses in walled cities were more the fruits of their own
industry than land in the country, which was the direct
Gift of
God's bounty; therefore if a
Man sold a
House in a
City, he
might redeem it only within a
Year after the sale. This
encouraged strangers and proselytes to come and settle among
them.
35-38 Poverty and decay are great grievances, and very common;
the
Poor ye have always with you. Thou shalt relieve him;
By
sympathy, pitying the
Poor;
By service, doing for them; and
By
supply, giving to them according to their necessity, and thine
ability.
Poor debtors must not be oppressed. Observe the
arguments here used against extortion: "Fear thy
God." Relieve
the
Poor, "that they may live with thee;" for they may be
serviceable to thee. The rich can as ill spare the
Poor, as the
Poor can the rich. It becomes those that have received
Mercy to
show
Mercy.
39-55 A native Israelite, if sold for
Debt, or for a crime, was
to serve but six years, and to go out the seventh. If he sold
himself, through poverty, both his work and his usage must be
such as were fitting for a son of
Abraham. Masters are required
to give to their servants that which is just and equal, Col
4:1. At the
Year of
Jubilee the servant should go out free, he
and his children, and should return to his own family. This
typified
Redemption from the service of
Sin and
Satan,
By the
Grace of
God in
Christ, whose
Truth makes us free, Joh 8:32.
We cannot
Ransom our fellow-sinners, but we may point out
Christ
to them; while
By his
Grace our lives may adorn his
Gospel,
express our
Love, show our gratitude, and
Glorify his holy name.