Seder 84: Some Academic Questions about Ritual Purity

 After Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary went to the Temple at the appropriate time to carry out the sacrifices called for in Lev 12:6-8---see Luke 2:22-24.  

The wording of Luke 2:22 has raised questions.  The verse begins, "And when the time came from their purification...."  To whom does "their" refer?  And were newborn babies considered to be ritually impure?

Leviticus 12 does not address directly the question of whether a newborn baby was considered to be ritually impure.  There was no reason to address this question, since newborn babies would not be going to the Temple on their own to offer sacrifices.  

One could argue that the baby would pick up ritual impurity during the birth process, much as a man picks up ritual impurity from a woman if her menstrual period begins during sexual intercourse (Lev 15).  This assumes that the baby is already a separate individual---and not just an extension of the mother---before the birth.  

There is evidence that at least some Jews in Jesus' day believed that a newborn baby was ritually impure.  For example, Jubilees 3:8-14 (considered in the previous post), which said that Adam and Eve were only allowed in the sacred space of the Garden of Eden after waiting periods of 40 and 80 days, is treating the couple as "newborns" and assuming that they initially were ritually impure.  

Some commentators have accused Luke of being ignorant of Jewish law when he speaks of "their" purification, but a study of the evidence vindicates Luke, as Matthew Thiessen has pointed out. 

All of this leads to another interesting academic question:  Was Jesus ever ritually impure?  

There are two schools of thought on this question.  Some argue that since Jesus was fully human and gave up many divine prerogatives in becoming human (Phil 2:5-11), and since occasional ritual impurity is not sinful but just a part of being human, then Jesus did at times become ritually impure.  This could have happened at birth, for example, or when he reached puberty and had a nocturnal emission of semen.  

Another view is that since Jesus was a powerful source of purity that conquered impurities, he would not have become ritually impure.  One can base this view on passages like Lev 11:36, which show that living water, a source of purity, did not become ritually impure when a carcass came in contact with it.  

Both schools of thought are based on important truths about Jesus, so there is something to learn from discussing this academic question.

In a sermon at Church of the Messiah on Dec 25, 2021, Rob Wilson reflected on the importance of the Incarnation as described in Phillipians 2, where Christ voluntarily relinquished divine prerogatives and  became a human being on our behalf.  

Seder 84: Lev 12---Ritual Impurity after Childbirth

After an Israelite mother gave birth, she went through a short time of ritual impurity, similar to that associated with menstruation (Lev 15:19-24).  During that time those who touched her would pick up a minor ritual impurity.  After that there was a longer time (33 days after the birth of a son, 66 after the birth of a daughter) when the mother could not go to the tabernacle or temple but faced no other restrictions.

At the conclusion of her ritual impurity, the mother would give a burnt offering---expressing gratitude, dedication to God, and prayer for the child's protection---followed by a purification offering that restored her to  fellowship with the congregation.  

I have mentioned previously that all of the sources of ritual impurity are connected in some way with death.  How is the birth of a baby related to death?

One connection to death was the loss of blood.  Also, in the ancient world the time of birth was a dangerous time for the mother and child, with both of their lives hanging in the balance.  

The period of impurity was a quiet time for the mother and baby, a time for them to recover and be free from public responsibilities. 

Why was the length of time of ritual impurity different for daughters than for sons?  Several ideas have been proposed, including:  

• There was a widespread belief in the past that a mother tended to lose more blood at the birth of a girl.  There is no proof, however, that such a thing is true. 
• The book of Jubilees (2nd century BC) says that the reason for the different lengths of time goes back to creation (3:8-14).  Jubilees claims that Adam was created during the first week and was allowed in the Garden of Eden after a total of 40 days, while Eve was created in the second week and was allowed in the Garden of Eden after a total of 80 days.  
• Some claim that a female baby might also bleed, and the time is doubled for that reason.
• Some say that with a female baby, there is more potential future life at stake, calling for extra care and protection for the mother and baby.

Whatever the reason, the time of ritual impurity was not some kind of punishment.