Big Idea: The basis of biblical ethics is God’s holiness and love.

Understanding the Text

Leviticus 19:2 emphasizes the theme that gives the laws of holiness (Lev. 17–27) their name: “Be holy, because I, the Lord your God, am holy” (v. 2). Leviticus 19 marks a conceptual center of Leviticus. It is surrounded by chapters with similar themes (Lev. 18; 20) to highlight the centrality of this passage.1

It is hard to see an organizing principle in the disparate laws of this chapter, save that each encourages Israel to live a holy lifestyle ethically and religiously. This chapter covers a gamut of concerns, overlapping with the Ten Commandments, ritual laws, and concerns for the poor and helpless. Holiness applies in all these areas.

Historical and Cultural Background

Neither a loving God n…