Really! Leviticus 25:35-55

Several of you have asked how my class on Leviticus has been going. That's right, kids! I have spent an entire semester in a class studying the book of Leviticus. I will be honest. I did not go in with high expectations. I have been pleasantly surprised. It has been more interesting than I expected.

One of my assignments was to write a paper on a selected passage from the book. My passage, Leviticus 25:35-55, presents God's law for helping poor Israelites. Today, I have posted an exegetical outline of the passage. In the coming days, I will post my analysis of the passage, as well as some application for us today.

My encouragement to you is to read the passage. Open your heart and mind to what the Holy Spirit can teach you. I hope you enjoy the next few posts. If you learn or discover something new, please comment. Your new insight might prove helpful for someone else!

Exegetical Outline of Leviticus 25:35-55

Rather than a traditional outline, the three sections of this passage seem to answer the same series of problems or questions:

a. What is the problem? (Problem)

b. What is the solution? (Solution)

c. What conditions or obligations must be met? (Conditions/Obligations)

d. What is the goal or purpose? (Goal/Purpose)

e. What is the motivation? (Motivation)

I. Verses 35-38

a. Problem: Hebrew brother becomes poor, or experiences a “cash flow problem” (35).

b. Solution: Other Israelites are to loan him food and/or money (35, 37).

c. Conditions/Obligations: No interest or profit is to be made on these loans (36, 37).

d. Goal/Purpose: The brother is to continue to live in the land (35)

e. Motivation: Fellow Israelites are to be motivated by God’s deliverance from Egypt (38).

II. Verses 39-46

a. Problem: An Israelite brother falls into a more severe level of poverty (39).

b. Solution: He is to become the slave, or servant, or a fellow Israelite (39).

c. Conditions/Obligations: He is not to be treated harshly, but as a servant or day laborer. He is to be released at the year of jubilee (40, 43).

d. Goal/Purpose: He is to continue to live in the land (41).

e. Motivation: They are God’s servants, therefore they cannot be slaves of another (42).

III. Verses 47-55

a. Problem: An Israelite brother falls into a most severe level of poverty (47).

b. Solution: He can become the slave, or servant, or a stranger or sojourner living among them (47).

c. Conditions/Obligations: The Israelite servant retains the right to be redeemed, either by a family member or himself (48, 49). He is not to be treated harshly, but as a hired servant (53). He is to be released at the year of jubilee (54).

d. Goal/Purpose: He is to continue to live in the land. This is implied by the facts that he is to be able to be redeemed and is to be released at the year of jubilee (48, 54).

e. Motivation: They are to be motivated by the fact that they are God’s servants (55).