Special regulations for the priests, who were required to live by even higher standards than 'ordinary' people. They were leaders among the people (v4 margin). This standard was perfectly fulfilled by Christ.

v1-6: The priest was required to offer the offerings of the Lord (v6,8), so they were forbidden from defiling themselves for the dead, by having contact with dead bodies.

v10-11: The priest had been anointed for serving God. He must therefore keep himself from all uncleanness. Even his appearance had to be consistent with this anointing. He could not tear his clothes in sorrow, as was common practice; Christ's character remained unspoiled through all the variety and circumstances of life. He did minister to the 'unclean,' yet remained clean and undefiled.

v13-15: The priest could only marry a virgin, otherwise he would defile his offspring. His children, who were called to continue his work, must remain pure also.

v16-20: No man with any defect could come near to make offerings; again pointing us to the perfection of Christ; further, He bore in Himself our defects.

Lame or deformed or crippled; out of balance; Christ was in perfect balance, of comfort and rebuke; of words and silence; of goodness and severity; of holiness and compassion, etc.

Christ was not unable, crippled or restricted in any way (v19). Nothing was beyond His power; except He could not sin.

The Lord's eye was perfect (v20), always seeing the real situation, never deceived. He would never say, "The Lord has hidden it from me" (See 2 Kings 4.27); the sole exception being that the day of His return was kept from the Son of Man (Mark 13.32).

v21-23: The grace of God was such that the priest who could not approach to make offerings, by reason of a defect, could receive from the offerings.

v24: These instructions were made known to Aaron and his sons, and also to the whole nation. The priests remained before them as a testimony, and as God's provision for them.