There are times when you can be amazed at the depth of meaning which a Biblical word can have. Purity/cleanliness is one of those words. The Reformed (liberated) minister Melle H. Oosterhuis from Ede (Neth.), dedicated research to the meaning of clean and unclean in the Old Testament. His aim is to come to a new appreciation of this biblical concept that has, unfortunately, fallen into disuse in our theological and spiritual thinking and speaking.

‘A clean heart. Ritual cleansing terminology in spiritual contexts in the Old Testament’ – that is the name of Oosterhuis’ thesis. He wishes to offer a contribution to the discussion about cleansing regulations in the Old Testament and their relevance to Christian theology (p. 11). With this Oosterhuis touches on a theme which is worthwhile, interesting and important enough to be researched. As far as I am concerned, the results of his research deserve broad attention. Clean and unclean are, indeed, Biblical concepts which, as Oosterhuis rightly states – play next to no role in today’s spiritual life – (p. 9).

Jesus Christ is the fulfilment also of the cleansing regulations in the Old Testament. But this does not mean that we should lose sight of the concept and the issue at hand. On the contrary, it holds its place in Jesus’ ministry and that of his apostles (see e.g. Matth.5:8; Mark 7:1-23; John 15:3; Eph.5:26-27; 1 Pet.1:22). Although the connection with the New Testament falls outside Oosterhuis’ research area (he conferred his doctor’s degree in Old Testament studies), it is all the more reason to take note of the contents of his thesis.

A Clean Heart⤒🔗

Oosterhuis chose an unusual approach, i.e. a study of the words and terms used for clean and unclean (cleansing idiom). In the Old Testament, cleanness is a concept which is connected to the worship service of God in the temple or tabernacle. Nevertheless, in some cases the Hebrew words for ritual cleanness and uncleanness (tahor and tame respectively) are used in a context within which there appears to be no connection with the temple or tabernacle. One example of this is Psalm 51:12.

When one of Oosterhuis’ daughters played the song “Create in me a clean heart” in the living room, Oosterhuis was touched by the wonder of this text. Here you see how the living room can dictate the agenda for your study and how the one can influence the other... Psalm 51:10 says:

Create in me a clean heart, o God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me, do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me (NKJV).

According to Oosterhuis, a word which is characteristic for the ritual context of Old Testament cleansing regulations (i.e. ‘pure’, ‘clean’) is used here in a prayer for complete spiritual good: a new heart, renewal of David’s spirit (p. 8). And this while there seems to be no connection with cleansing rituals in the holy tabernacle. This stimulated Oosterhuis’ thought process. Why does David use this word here? Does the same thing happen elsewhere in the Old Testament? And what is the connection with the cult, with the temple rituals? And what influence does this have ultimately on the meaning of clean and unclean? (p. 10) Hence this inquiry: ‘A clean heart. Ritual cleansing terminology in spiritual contexts in the Old Testament’.

Clean and Unclean←⤒🔗

It is not so easy to define the exact meaning of clean and unclean. According to Leviticus, a person can become unclean, e.g. by touching a corpse (Lev.11:24) or when a woman has born a child (Lev.12:1-5). But what exactly is it in the touching of a corpse or the bearing of a child that makes a person unclean? What is meant by clean and what by unclean? Oosterhuis ultimately wants to work towards an answer to these questions.

To start with, he gives an overview of answers which have already been given. I name a few to illustrate this. Clean and unclean is the contrast between safe and dangerous (whether or not under the influence of demonic powers e.g.), or between that which confirms God’s order or disturbs it. Or is clean and unclean a question of hygiene, whereby clean equals ‘healthy’ and unclean ‘unhealthy’? The majority of exegetes assume it has to do with the contrast between that which pleases God and that which dishonours Him. Clean and unclean indicate that which does, or does not, suit God’s holiness. In this last distinction another question plays a role: whether cleanness or uncleanness is in the things themselves or whether it is a value which God can award to those things.

Partners in Discussion←⤒🔗

Old Testament scholars have brought forward many explanations for the use of ritual cleansing idiom in spiritual contexts. According to some, we can speak of a metaphorical use of the concepts of clean and unclean. Righteousness/holiness or just plain guilt/sin is what is to be emphasised (by a prophet or Psalm poet). But, via metaphor – borrowed from the cult rituals in the tabernacle – these are referred to as clean or unclean. Also indicated is that in Israel there were two systems of defilement existing alongside each other: the ritual and the moral-spiritual. Both make use of the ritual cleansing idiom, but in themselves, they have nothing to do with each other. This way of thinking comes originally from Jonathan Klawans. Another explanation is that, in the Old Testament, we find a development process which has led to the application of the cleansing idiom in a non-ritual context. In other words: the ritual idiom was disconnected more and more from its original and actual context and took on spiritual meaning. This means that, where it is a case of ritual cleansing idiom in spiritual contexts, it is no longer about cleansing as such but about forgiveness, for example. This is brought to the fore, amongst others by H.J. Hermisson. Clean and unclean would then be primarily ritual concepts and spiritual only on a secondary level.

Research←⤒🔗

Oosterhuis has chosen a simple but effective method of testing the tenability of the above theories: an exegetical research into some twenty texts using ritual cleansing idiom in a spiritual context, spread through the whole Old Testament. This is in fact the backbone of the book (pp. 90-225). In this, Oosterhuis shows what he prefers to be: an interpreter of the Bible.

On the one hand, this is gratifying to behold because everything which can be said or claimed about the Bible stands or falls with the answer to the question: what does it actually say? Oosterhuis certainly aims at a faithful and careful treatment of the texts. On the other hand, it calls for patience, perseverance and certain knowledge of Hebrew in order to follow all of Oosterhuis’ steps. But, in the end, you certainly gain results.

Exegetical research demonstrates that there is no question of two distinct, but closely associated, systems of defilement. The ritual and the moral-spiritual are not two separate worlds, so to speak. Nor do the researched Bible texts give any room to the theory of a development process from ritual to spiritual. To reconstruct such a development you have to ignore certain texts or use a challengeable dating of these texts as starting point. You also do the texts no credit by assuming metaphorical use of language.

In some cases there is an actual ritual context of a sin which has ritual implications. Oosterhuis speaks in this connection of a ‘cultic ambiance’. To mention two examples: Isaiah says ‘Woe is me because I am a man of unclean lips’ (Is.6:5) - confronted with Jhwh’s holiness in the temple. And in Psalm 51 David makes the connection with a concrete ritual of cleansing, purification and forgiveness in the tabernacle.

Characteristic Meaning←⤒🔗

How can ritual cleansing idiom in spiritual contexts then be explained? According to Oosterhuis, from the broad spectrum of meaning that this idiom already has in itself (p. 241). Clean and unclean indicate a broad scale of moral iniquities and virtues. And in this the ritual and spiritual aspects do not replace or exclude each other, but overlap each other and support each other.

A clear example of this now is exactly Psalm 51: the context of the Psalm can be marked as ritual, but the content is completely spiritual (p. 237). In short, purity or cleanness is not a strict spiritual or ritual concept, but a concept in its own character (next to holiness, righteousness), with ritual and spiritual elements. Cleansing rituals in the Old Testament do, in themselves, have an unavoidable spiritual character.

But what then is the characteristic meaning of clean and/or unclean? According to Oosterhuis, cleanness refers to the ‘exclusive intrinsic quality of Jhwh’s creation work’ (p. 244, with reference to Job 4:17; 14:15). Cleanness points to the original quality of created reality: pure, sound, perfect, clean, spotless. Unclean is that which does not have that original quality of creation and has traces of decay and mortality or is reminiscent of sin and the curse on sin. For this reason a woman can become unclean through birth of a child, because it is reminiscent of the curse in Genesis 3:16. And if David, in Psalm 51 prays for a clean heart, then he is asking for a complete renewal of life – he is truly defiled and longs for the purity and soundness which God originally gave to mankind.

Appreciation←⤒🔗

Clean and unclean, it is not metaphorical, neither a literary-poetical way of speaking, nor a purely spiritual happening. No, it is about true defilement and true re-cleansing, becoming pure (again). Clean refers to how God originally made man and the world and can make it again, or: it makes God’s salvation tangible and real. Unclean has to do with the just as tangible marks of the curse upon sin which creation and people’s lives show. In this way Oosterhuis brings no longer current words close to us again.

Not that there are no questions left. For example: as cleanness/purity refers to the quality of God’s original creation work, then it is understandable that someone like David longs for it and prays for it in Psalm 51. But does he actually become clean after confessing his guilt and undergoing a cleansing ritual? You could say: impossible, because he is and remains a sinful man; a return to the situation of before Genesis 3 is not (yet) an option. Or: can people actually become truly clean in the Old Testament or can they only be called clean thanks to God’s promise and pledge?

Next to this, Oosterhuis rightly advocates a new assessment of ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’ in the actual life before God and theological reflection on this. He gives an impetus to it in the last pages of his book. In dogmatics clean and unclean belong in the chapters on creation, salvation, sin and eschatology. This makes me curious! I look forward to a further working-out of this!

‘Clean’ and ‘unclean’ affect the New Testament. This gives rise to the question: in what way is Jesus Christ the fulfilment of prayer for, or the promise of, purity in the Old Testament? Or, to mention something else, what happens if you think about baptism not only from the angle of the covenant, but also from the ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’ angle? Also at baptism, the cleansing idiom is used in a context in which the ritual and spiritual do not exclude each other, but complement and strengthen each other. All in all, Oosterhuis’ study gives rise to thought and offers more than enough to truly give the word-pair ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’ the place it deserves: right in the middle of a faithful life close to God!