Under the Law covenant, places and things that were contaminated had to be cleansed. If a murder was committed by an unknown assailant, it was first determined by measurement which was the nearest city to the crime. The elders of that city then had to take a young unworked cow (as a substitute for the murderer) and break its neck in a torrent valley with running water, and over the animal they had to cleanse themselves symbolically of any responsibility by washing their hands in innocence, pleading that the charge of guilt be not laid to their account.—Deut. 21:1-9.

Garments and vessels that came in contact with dead bodies or were polluted in other ways had to be cleansed according to prescribed formulas. (Lev. 11:32-35; 15:11, 12) The development of leprosy in a garment or in the walls of a house was a much more serious matter, for if it could not be contained and seemed to spread, it was necessary to destroy the garment or tear down the house completely.—Lev. 13:47-59; 14:33-53.

Spoils of war had to be cleansed before they could be brought in. Combustible articles were washed with water, but metal objects had to pass through the fire.—Num. 31:21-24.

Christian cleanness

Christians are not under the Law and its cleansing requirements even though such Law and its customs were still in force in the days when Jesus was on earth. (John 11:55) The Law had “a shadow of the good things to come”; ‘the reality belongs to Christ.’ (Heb. 10:1; Col. 2:17) Hence, Paul wrote concerning these purification matters: “Yes, nearly all things are cleansed with blood according to the Law [Moses sprinkled the book, the people, the tent and the vessels with blood], and unless blood is poured out no forgiveness takes place. Therefore it was necessary that the typical representations of the things in the heavens should be cleansed by these means.” “For if the blood of goats and of bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who have been defiled sanctifies to the extent of cleanness of the flesh, how much more will the blood of the Christ, who through an everlasting spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works that we may render sacred service to the living God?”—Heb. 9:19-23, 13, 14.

So it is the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that cleanses Christians from all sin and unrighteousness. (1 John 1:7, 9) Christ “loved the congregation and delivered up himself for it, that he might sanctify it, cleansing it with the bath of water by means of the word” in order for it to be spotless, holy and without blemish, “a people peculiarly his own, zealous for fine works.” (Eph. 5:25-27; Titus 2:14) Every member of this Christian congregation, therefore, should not “become forgetful of his cleansing from his sins of long ago,” but should continue to manifest the fruitage of God’s spirit (2 Pet. 1:5-9), remembering that “every one bearing fruit he [God] cleans, that it may bear more fruit.”—John 15:2, 3.

Christians must, therefore, maintain a high standard of physical, moral and spiritual cleanness, guarding against “every defilement of flesh and spirit.” (2 Cor. 7:1) Placing the greater emphasis on spiritual cleanliness, in view of what Jesus said, that it is ‘not what enters a man but what comes forth from him that defiles,’ these beneficiaries of the cleansing blood of Christ maintain “a clean heart” and “a clean conscience” before God. (Mark 7:15; 1 Tim. 1:5; 3:9; 2 Tim. 1:3) To such ones with a clean conscience “all things are clean,” in contrast with faithless persons who are defiled in conscience, to whom “nothing is clean.” (Titus 1:15) Those who want to remain clean and pure in heart heed the counsel of Isaiah 52:11, which says: “Touch nothing unclean; . . . keep yourselves clean, you who are carrying the utensils of Jehovah.” (Ps. 24:4; Matt. 5:8) Doing this, their “hands” in a figurative sense are cleansed (Jas. 4:8), and God deals with them as clean persons.—2 Sam. 22:27; Ps. 18:26; see also Daniel 11:35; 12:10.

Notwithstanding all that Paul wrote on these matters and the spiritual application that they bear, yet on one occasion he observed the old Law’s requirements by ceremonially cleansing himself at the temple. However, he did so that the Jews might not find any excuse to mob him except for the name of Christ; in this Paul proved himself innocent of charges of being a ‘Lawbreaker.’ (Acts 21:23, 24; 24:18) In a similar vein the apostle also argued that food in itself may be clean, but if his eating of it stumbled his brother, then he would refrain from eating. (Rom. 14:14, 15, 20, 21; 1 Cor. 8:13) In all of this Paul showed a great concern for the salvation of others and did everything in his power to bring this about. He therefore could say: “I am clean from the blood of all men.”—Acts 20:26; 18:6.

CLEMENT

(Clemʹent) [mild, merciful].

A faithful Christian who fought side by side with the apostle Paul, presumably at Philippi, for the sake of the “good news.” (Phil. 4:3) The name “Clement” was quite common and therefore provides no valid basis for connecting him with Clement of Rome, as is done by Origen.

CLEOPAS

(Cleʹo·pas) [renowned father, perhaps a contraction of Cleopatros].

One of the two disciples, neither of whom were apostles, who traveled to Emmaus on Jesus’ resurrection day. When Jesus joined them as a stranger and asked what they were debating, Cleopas replied: “Are you dwelling as an alien by yourself in Jerusalem and so do not know the things that have occurred in her in these days?” After Jesus explained many scriptures to them and then identified himself, Cleopas and his companion, instead of staying overnight in Emmaus, hastened back to Jerusalem and reported these things to the others. (Luke 24:13-35) This Greek name Cleopas should not be confused with the Aramaic name Clopas.—John 19:25.

CLOPAS

(Cloʹpas).

The husband of one of the Marys that stood beside Jesus as he hung on the torture stake. (John 19:25) Presumably he was the husband of “the other Mary,” and father of the apostle James the Less and his brother Joses. (Matt. 27:56; 28:1; Mark 15:40; 16:1; Luke 24:10) It is quite probable and generally recognized that Clopas was the same person that was called Alphaeus (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13), the difference being explained either as a variation in the pronunciation of the Aramaic root or because the same individual had two names used interchangeably, a practice not uncommon at the time. That Clopas was a brother of Joseph, the foster father of Jesus, is a conjecture based entirely on tradition.

CLOTH

While little is known about the spinning and weaving processes used by the Israelites, it is evident that they were well acquainted with these crafts. In Egypt, archaeologists have unearthed wall paintings with illustrations of women weaving and spinning, showing the kind of loom that was used. An Egyptian model of a weaving shop with a horizontal loom was found near Girgeh, Upper Egypt.—See WEAVING.

The robe of fine white linen worn by the Aaronic high priest was to be woven in checker work, evidence that the Israelites were well acquainted with the art, being able to weave patterns into their fabrics.—Ex. 28:39.

In the construction of the tabernacle Bezalel and Oholiab were experts and their ability was increased and sharpened by God’s holy spirit, so that they could do the required work exactly according to the pattern given by Jehovah. (Ex. 35:30-35) Also, there were women with fine ability in this direction, spinning