A Journey through the World of Leviticus
Holiness, Sacrifice, and the Rock Badger
Imprint: Cascade Books
Leviticus is often seen as one of the most uninviting books of the Old Testament. Who wants to read about blood sacrifice, infectious diseases, or ancient dietary restrictions? Yet like visiting any foreign country, to truly appreciate its culture one must become familiar with the language, customs, and ways of the people. This book guides the perplexed reader through the foreign signs, symbols, and beliefs of the ancient Israelites. From blood and atonement to the loveable rock badger, we begin to discover the sacred world of Leviticus and its relationship to a holy God who dwells with his people. The rituals and commands God gave to Israel form the deep roots of the biblical tradition that were not meant to be left in the past. Tapping into these roots helps us understand the life and ministry of Christ and how we might pursue holiness today. Each chapter surveys key aspects of Leviticus and then explores how these relate to the New Testament and the life of faith in the twenty-first century. In this accessible and engaging travel log, Scarlata introduces the depth and beauty of Israelite practices prescribed by God that were further revealed in Christ and continue to speak to the life and faith of Christians today.
Mark W. Scarlata is lecturer in Old Testament at St. Mellitus College, London. His previous works include The Abiding Presence: A Theological Commentary on Exodus (2017) and Sabbath Rest: The Beauty of God’s Rhythm for a Digital World (2019). He is also the vicar-chaplain of St. Edward, King and Martyr in Cambridge.
“Scarlata proves himself a gifted and insightful guide as he carefully unpacks the meaning and significance of Leviticus in its ancient context, in light of the New Testament and Christian faith, and for contemporary realities. . . . In the end, Scarlata’s book achieves what the book of Leviticus itself wants to achieve: a re-sacralization of our world, which is indeed ‘crammed with heaven.’ Take and read!”
—Brent A. Strawn, Duke University
“In this unlikely yet thoroughly engaging book, Scarlata refocuses us on holiness as the heartbeat of community life, in contemporary society no less than in the world of the Bible. Scarlata sees the crucial point that most Christian biblical scholars and readers of the Bible have missed: that the embodied theology of Leviticus is indispensable for making a living connection between the reality of God and our concrete human lives.”
—Ellen F. Davis, Duke Divinity School
“‘God in everything.’ Mark Scarlata calls for a re-sacralization of the world in this Christian reading of Leviticus. He shows how features of the book that have led it to be neglected by Christians—purity, food laws, sacrifice, and holiness—are central to the religion of ancient Israel. They can also inform a modern Christian attitude to the created world.”
—John Barton, University of Oxford, emeritus
“Leviticus attests to an alternative world that has God’s holiness at its center. Scarlata . . . shows us why attentiveness to an alternative world of holiness is urgent among us. . . . It is clear enough now that our present path of technological exploitation, predatory debt, and individualistic consumerism is not sustainable. If you may be wondering about a very different way to live well, free, and responsibly in the world, you may indeed find Scarlata’s wise discussion particularly helpful and illuminating.”
—Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary
“Scarlata has made Leviticus great again—making it plainly understandable and relevant to everything we care about and do today. With scholarly insight and pastoral wisdom, he unlocks confusing and cliché concepts, and helps the average person to see how rich and necessary Leviticus is for Christian life and theology. I especially appreciated how effortlessly Scarlata shows how the New Testament weaves Jesus’ teaching with Leviticus, then connects both to ordinary life today!”
—Dru Johnson, The King’s College
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