In this excellent commentary on Leviticus, Gordon Wenham takes with equal seriousness both the plain original meaning of the text and its abiding theological value. To aid in reconstructing the original meaning of the text, Wenham draws from the studies of Old Testament ritual and sacrifice that compare and contrast biblical customs with the practices of other Near Eastern cultures. He also closely examines the work of social anthropologists and expertly utilizes the methods of literary criticism to bring out the author's special interests.

In pursuit of his second aim, to illumine the abiding theological value of Leviticus, Wenham has included at the end of each chapter a discussion of the relation of the Old Testament passages to the New Testament and to contemporary Christianity. In doing so, Wenham shows how pervasive Levitical ideas are not only in the New Testament but also highlights in very practical ways the enduring claim of God's call to holiness on the lives of Christians today.