Priesthood and the Priestly Source
Golden calf - Why was God so upset?
The wrong god?
Is making a graven image a sin?
The wrong temple?
- North: calves
- South: cherubim
The wrong priests?
- Aaron
- Levites
- In most of Bible (all of P) Aaronites are above Levites
Leviticus 10 as interpreted by “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981)
The Temple according to P
Like a nuclear power plant
Images (PPTX)
Three major types of sacrifices
- Burnt
- Well-being
- Purification of sanctuary
Context of Priestly Source
Response to Babylonian Exile (597/587 - 539)
An ideal plan for an orderly society, to keep exile from happening again
After exile, priests became major leaders (no king, decline of prophets)