Matthew 8:4

What was the gift the leper had to bring under the law? “Two little birds.” The priest slaughtered one “over living water,” took “cedar wood, twisted scarlet, and hyssop,” dipped the living bird “in the blood of the slaughtered bird over living water,” and anointed the right ear, hand, and foot of the leper being cleansed. The living bird he sent away outside the city “into the open country.”

Watch how through these things Christ is painted for us in full: living bird — the living and heavenly Word; slaughtered blood — the Lord’s precious blood in his own body; incorruptible cedar — incorruptible flesh that “did not see corruption”; hyssop — the Spirit’s fervor; scarlet — confession of the blood-covenant; living water — baptism’s life-giving grace; sending outside the city — departure from the world and ascent into the heavens; right anointings — that we must become people of contemplation, practice, and journey in the things of God.