The Way

The priest shall put [the blood] on the tip of the right ear of [the leper] who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.... [And] the priest shall put some [oil] on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.
~ Leviticus 14:14,17 (NKJV)

"Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,
'This is the way, walk in it,'
Whenever you turn to the right hand
Or whenever you turn to the left."
~ Isaiah 30:21 (NKJV)

"Lord ... how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
~ John 14:5-6 (NKJV)

The ritual for cleansing one healed of leprosy involved putting blood then oil on the leper's right ear, thumb and big toe. The instructions in Exodus 29:20 for anointing the priests likewise required putting sacrificial blood on the right ear lobe, thumb and big toe.

It is thought that for the priests this represented the ability to hear the Lord's Word, touch the holy things, and walk into the holy place. Another thought—for the priest, leper, or follower of Christ cleansed by blood—is that a person demonstrates being cleansed by heeding God, which comes by hearing the command, acting upon it, and continuing to walk in the way of the Lord.

Jesus declared Himself to be The Way to the Father. Then—in case we missed the way to walk demonstrated by His actions—Jesus spoke clearly: "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."

Lord Jesus, Your perfect love is our perfect example. We struggle to love the annoying, the offensive and the wicked as You did. Please enable such love. Please lead us to seek out Your Word, Your Spirit and Your saints that we might be encouraged to walk in Your way.

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