Reference: Purity
Hastings
1. Ceremonial purity is acquired by the due observance of external rites. The Jewish law prescribed various regulations by means of which outward defilement might be removed and the 'unclean' person be restored to fellowship with God. But the OT recognizes that moral purity is essential to acceptable worship of the Holy God (Ps 24:4); the question of Eliphaz expresses the conviction of those who know how absolute is the Divine holiness: 'Shall a man be pure before his Maker?' (Job 4:17 Revised Version margin); only to the man who 'purifies himself' can such a God reveal His glory (Ps 18:26, the verb is reflexive). The writer of the Ep. to the Hebrews reminds Christians who were familiar with the OT ceremonial of purification that the voluntary sacrifice of the Son of God is the means of purification under the new and better Covenant; 'the blood of Christ' removes the inward defilement which unfits sinful men for the service of the living God (Ps 9:13 f.).
2. In the NT 'pure' has the more restricted meaning of 'chaste' in a few passages. Underlying the true reading of '/2-Corinthians/11/3/type/mstc'>2Co 11:3, 'the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ,' is the metaphor of 2Co 11:2 (RV), 'I espoused you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ' (cf. Tit 2:5; 1Pe 3:2). The same noun is tr 'pureness' in 2Co 6:8 (RV); cf. 1Ti 4:12; 5:2; also, for the wider meaning of the verb, Jas 4:8; 1Pe 1:22; 1Jo 3:3; and of the adjective, Php 4:8; 1Ti 5:22; Jas 3:17. See, further, art. Holiness.
J. G. Tasker.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
and commanded the people, saying, "When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests that are Levites bearing it: then depart ye from your places and follow after it.
'Shall man be more just than God? Or shall man be purer than his maker?
Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider the trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death.
With the clean thou shalt be clean, and with the froward thou shalt be froward. {TYNDALE: With the pure thou shalt be pure, and with the froward thou shalt be froward also.}
Even he that hath clean hands, and a pure heart, and that hath not lift up his mind unto vanity, nor sworn to deceive his neighbour.
in honour and dishonour, in evil report and good report, as deceivers and yet true,
For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy. For I coupled you to one man, to make you a chaste virgin to Christ: But I fear, lest as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, even so your wits should be corrupt from the singleness that is in Christ.
Furthermore brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things pertain to love, whatsoever things are of honest report, if there be any virtuous thing, if there be any laudable thing, those same have ye in your mind,
Let no man despise thy youth; but be unto them that believe, an example: in word, in conversation, in love, in spirit, in faith and in pureness.
the elder women as mothers, the younger as sisters, with all pureness.
to be of discreet, chaste, housewifely, good, and obedient unto their own husbands, that the word of God be not evil spoken of.
but the wisdom that is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without judging, and without simulation.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purge your hearts ye wavering minded.