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R. K. Harrison
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Leviticus (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries) Paperback – May 7, 2008

by R. K. Harrison (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 11 ratings
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Levitical rules and regulations regarding blood and sacrifice, offerings and priests, cleanness and uncleanness at first appear irrelevant to twentieth century Christians. Yet large portions of the New Testament can hardly be understood at all apart from some understanding of these Old Testament concepts. What does it mean for believers to be a royal priesthood? A holy nation? For Christ to be our great high priest? Our passover lamb? R.K. Harrison illuminates these ideas within their Old Testament context, thus providing the needed background for their New Testament development. The original, unrevised text of this volume has been completely retypeset and printed in a larger, more attractive format with the new cover design for the series.
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  1. Print length
    254 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    IVP Academic
  4. Publication date
    May 7, 2008
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.72 x 8.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0830842039
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0830842032
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Tyndale volumes have long been the premier shorter-length commentary series on both Testaments throughout the English-speaking world." (Craig Blomberg, Denver Seminary)

"Tyndale commentaries are always useful, not least because they focus so clearly on the text of Scripture, and do not fall into the trap of paying too much attention to other commentaries and not enough to the scriptural text they are intended to expound and explain. So they retain their usefulness for preachers, Bible study leaders and for all readers of the Bible." (Peter Adam, principal, Ridley College, Melbourne, Australia)

"Within its constraints, this series includes some outstanding volumes." (D. A. Carson, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School)

"There simply is no series of medium-length commentaries that approaches the excellence of the Tyndale commentaries." (Donald A. Hagner, Fuller Theological Seminary)

About the Author

The late R. K. Harrison was professor of Old Testament at Wycliffe College, University of Toronto.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ IVP Academic (May 7, 2008)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 254 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0830842039
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0830842032
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.72 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 11 ratings

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R. K. Harrison

R. K. Harrison

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
11 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Charles D.
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2014
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Excellent commentary
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P. Ursery
5.0 out of 5 stars A great study guild
Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2008
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I purchase this book and was turely blessed. This is a great study guild to study the word of God by.
2 people found this helpful
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S. Thompson
3.0 out of 5 stars A too-simple interpretation of a hard book
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2024
I like the TOTC series - the commentaries in this series do a great job of skipping the extraneous details of Old Testament scriptures and zero in on the heart of the text. I own many volumes in this series (and it's NT counterpart). This is the first volume in the series that I simply did not like.

To Harrison's credit, he accepts Moses as the author of Leviticus and rejects the documentary hypothesis. Overall, he doesn't say anything that a typical evangelistic reader should appreciate.

My frustration with this commentary was how often he settled for what seem like very simplistic understandings of the law. For example, in the discussions of the dietary laws in chapter 11, the laws boil down to scientific and practical reasons. A few examples might help. Harrison is very careful to point out that the rock badger (v5) is Hyrax syriacus. The meat of a camel is dry and tough. The rabbit's diet "provides the rabbit with 100% more riboflavin, 80% more niacin, 160% more pantothenic acid, and a little in excess of 40% more of vitamin B12." (121). That is all very interesting, but ... those sound like reasons why rabbit should be permitted in the Hebrew diet. However, 11:6 says exactly the opposite - the rabbit is forbidden.

Harrison presents all of this information. His intention is to show that modern nutrition science has validated the dietary laws that God gave. But there is no serious discussion of why God gave these laws in the first place.

I'm looking specifically at his treatment of this chapter, but it's an exemplar of why I found this commentary frustrating.

For one more example, let's consider the controversial prohibition of homosexuality in Lev 18:22. Harrison points out that there was a great deal of concern of how homosexuality was a part of pagan worship, especially of Ishtar. He explains laws among the Assyrians, the Hittites, the Egyptians, and the Ugarites. There is a meandering discussion of Sodom and Gibeah and even suggestions that Potiphar was hot for Joseph. But missing from all of this is why God put this prohibition in Leviticus and what its enduring significance for Christians is.

You have a limited book budget and a limited time to read. I would pass on this one.
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Richard J. Grebenc
5.0 out of 5 stars Leviticus dull, plodding, and irrelevant? Not anymore.
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2014
Excellent volume from the Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries series. As I make my way through the Bible in a year, I am not simply working through the scripture text but I am also reading associated notes and commentary. R. K. Harrison's "Leviticus" was on the shelf so I thought I would use it as a companion through a biblical book that is notoriously thought of us as dull, plodding, and irrelevant. I was not disappointed.

A lengthy Introduction explains the title, nature, authorship, dating, purpose, theology, and more of the third book of the Torah, thus preparing the reader well for the actual text. The commentary explains in significant detail the context, history, and culture (Jewish and otherwise) of the times. The importance of rituals for purposes of hygiene and overall health, anticipating much later understanding of the contraction and spread of disease is fascinating and enlightening. Details about fauna and flora are also interesting. All of this shows the author's interest in the scientific basis for the many laws in Leviticus.

All of this is done in light of the New Testament. The reader will find very few pages go by until Christ is mentioned once again. Seeing how the Old is fulfilled in the New (including practical application to us today) should be a joy to Christian readers and certainly does not take away from the impressive historical and scientific scholarship found here.

The book concludes with two appendices (no explanation as to why the author felt compelled to include these): a translation of Lev 13 and "Sex and its theology" that focuses on male and female differences and homosexuality.

This book deepened my understanding and appreciation of a particularly challenging book of the Bible. Highly recommended for anyone, but especially those who have grudgingly worked their way through Leviticus in the past with little understanding of it or those who have avoided it entirely due to its reputation. Remember, it is the Word of God which, in the words of "Dei Verbum," "remain[s] permanently valuable" (no. 14) Don't miss out on any part of it.
One person found this helpful
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Ken Claar
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Single book commentary
Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2014
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This commentary has a lot of good information about the Old Testament times, and it adds the tie in to the New Testament, but sometimes it talks too much about the NT and not enough about the OT
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Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in India on December 19, 2018
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Received in good condition
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