To understand the significance of this verse, we must research the origin and idea of filthy rags. In the Bible it can be traced to leprosy. Leprosy is extensively discussed in the Old Testament, particularly in the books of Leviticus and Numbers. The Hebrew term “tzaraath” is used to describe this condition, which could affect not only human skin but also clothing and houses. Leviticus 13 and 14 provide detailed laws concerning the diagnosis and purification of leprosy. The priests were responsible for examining individuals and determining their status. Leviticus 13:3 states, “The priest is to examine the sore on his skin, and if the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a leprous sore. When the priest examines him, he must pronounce him unclean.”
The process of examination and purification underscores the seriousness with which leprosy was treated. Those diagnosed with leprosy were required to live outside the camp or community, as seen in Numbers 5:2-3 : “Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone with a skin disease, anyone who has a discharge or anyone who is unclean because of a dead body. You must send away both male and female; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.”
The term “seepage” is not explicitly used in the Bible, but the condition could involve discharge, oozing, or spreading lesions that were visible and contagious. The victim used cloth to wipe away the seepage, making the cloth disgusting. Try to imagine the appearance and how revolting it was for these rags to be found anywhere near you. You would not want to even look at them. Certainly, you would not want to touch them. There is every possibility that the smell of the rags would make you nauseous.
Now imagine how clean and perfect the average person thinks of himself. Consider all his good works, all his efforts to be the best person possible. This type of person may pride himself as worthy of praise in the general community. In modern times, we think of people who are honest in paying their taxes, and treating their family kindly, and faithful in all his responsibilities. This is the type of person that we are tempted to look up to. We admire the person who has a great reputation and accomplishes much.
But my friend, no matter how good we are, no matter how we try to be an upstanding person, we still have unaddressed sin outside of the relationship with Jesus as our Savior. Looking at it from God’s point of view, sin left unaddressed, with no spiritual attention, without considering Jesus to be a savior from this, our best is horrible. This is not to say that anyone can say that another person is bad. It is to say from God’s point of view we are in a terrible spiritual state. The best we can do, as God sees it, is equal to filthy rags made such by the seepage from leprosy. When a person accepts Christ as Savior, that spiritual illness and the accompanying filth is done away. We have the option of remaining unclean or call on the cleanliness of Christ to wash the sin in our lives. It is our choice. It is our consequence.
Christian Writer 