L
E V I T I C U S
CHAP. IV.
This
chapter is concerning the sin-offering, which was properly intended to make
atonement for a sin committed through ignorance, I. By the priest himself,
ver. 1-12. Or, II. By the whole congregation, ver. 13-21. Or, III. By a ruler,
ver. 22-26. Or, IV. By a private person, ver. 27, &c.
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Law
of the Sin-Offering.
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B.
C. 1490.
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1 And the LORD
spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel,
saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments
of the LORD
concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any
of them: 3 If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the
sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a
young bullock without blemish unto the LORD
for a sin offering. 4 And he shall bring the bullock unto the door
of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD;
and shall lay his hand upon the bullock's head, and kill the bullock before
the LORD.
5 And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock's blood, and bring
it to the tabernacle of the congregation: 6 And the priest shall
dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the
LORD,
before the vail of the sanctuary. 7 And the priest shall put some
of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD,
which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the
blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is
at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 8 And he
shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the
fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the
inwards, 9 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon
them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the
kidneys, it shall he take away, 10 As it was taken off from the
bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn them
upon the altar of the burnt offering. 11 And the skin of the
bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards,
and his dung, 12 Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth
without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn
him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.
The laws contained in the first three chapters seem to have been delivered to
Moses at one time. Here begin the statutes of another session, another day.
From the throne of glory between the cherubim God delivered these orders. And
he enters now upon a subject more strictly new than those before.
Burnt-offerings, meat-offerings, and peace-offerings, it should seem, had been
offered before the giving of the law upon mount Sinai; those sacrifices the
patriarchs had not been altogether unacquainted with (Gen. viii. 20; Exod. xx.
24), and in them they had respect to sin, to make atonement for it, Job i. 5.
But the law being now added because of transgressions (Gal. iii. 19),
and having entered, that eventually the offence might abound (Rom. v.
20), they were put into a way of making atonement for sin more particularly by
sacrifice, which was (more than any of the ceremonial institutions) a
shadow of good things to come, but the substance is Christ, and that one
offering of himself by which he put away sin and perfected for ever those
who are sanctified.
I. The general case supposed we have, v. 2. Here observe, 1. Concerning
sin in general, that it is described to be against any of the commandments
of the Lord; for sin is the transgression of the law, the divine
law. The wits or wills of men, their inventions or their injunctions, cannot
make that to be sin which the law of God has not made to be so. It is said
likewise, if a soul sin, for it is not sin if it be not some way or
other the soul's act; hence it is called the sin of the soul (Mic. vi.
7), and it is the soul that is injured by it, Prov. viii. 36. 2. Concerning
the sins for which those offerings were appointed. (1.) They are supposed to
be overt acts; for, had they been required to bring a sacrifice for every
sinful thought or word, the task had been endless. Atonement was made for
those in the gross, on the day of expiation, once a year; but these are said
to be done against the commandments. (2.) They are supposed to be sins of
commission, things which ought not to be done. Omissions are sins, and must
come into judgment; but what had been omitted at one time might be done at
another, and so to obey was better than sacrifice: but a commission was past
recall. (3.) They are supposed to be sins committed through ignorance. If they
were done presumptuously, and with an avowed contempt of the law and the
Law-maker, the offender was to be cut off, and there remained no sacrifice
for the sin, Heb. x. 26, 27; Num. xv. 30. But if the offender were either
ignorant of the law, as in divers instances we may suppose many were (so
numerous and various were the prohibitions), or were surprised into the sin
unawares, the circumstances being such as made it evident that his resolution
against the sin was sincere, but that he was overtaken in it, as the
expression is (Gal. vi. 1), in this case relief was provided by the remedial
law of the sin-offering. And the Jews say, "Those crimes only were to be
expiated by sacrifice, if committed ignorantly, for which the criminal was to
have been cut off if they had been committed presumptuously."
II. The law begins with the case of the anointed priest, that is, the high
priest, provided he should sin through ignorance; for the law made men
priests who had infirmity. Though his ignorance was of all others least
excusable, yet he was allowed to bring his offering. His office did not so far
excuse his offence as that it should be forgiven him without a sacrifice; yet
it did not so far aggravate it but that it should be forgiven him when he did
bring his sacrifice. If he sin according to the sin of the people (so
the case is put, v. 3), which supposes him in this matter to stand upon
the level with other Israelites, and to have no benefit of his clergy at all.
Now the law concerning the sin-offering for the high priest is, 1. That he
must bring a bullock without blemish for a sin-offering (v. 3), as
valuable an offering as that for the whole congregation (v. 14);
whereas for any other ruler, or a common person, a kid of the goats
should serve, v. 23, 28. This intimated the greatness of the guilt
connected with the sin of a high priest. The eminency of his station, and his
relation both to God and to the people, greatly aggravated his offences; see
Rom. ii. 21. 2. The hand of the offerer must be laid upon the head of the
offering (v. 4), with a solemn penitent confession of the sin he had
committed, putting it upon the head of the sin-offering, ch. xvi. 21.
No remission without confession, Ps. xxxii. 5; Prov. xxviii. 13. It signified
also a confidence in this instituted way of expiating guilt, as a figure of
something better yet to come, which they could not stedfastly discern. He that
laid his hand on the head of the beast thereby owned that he deserved to die
himself, and that it was God's great mercy that he would please to accept the
offering of this beast to die for him. The Jewish writers themselves say that
neither the sin-offering nor the trespass-offering made atonement, except for
those that repented and believed in their atonement. 3. The bullock must be
killed, and a great deal of solemnity there must be in disposing of the blood;
for it was the blood that made atonement, and without shedding of
blood there was no remission, v. 5-7. Some of the blood of
the high-priest's sin-offering was to be sprinkled seven times before the
veil, with an eye towards the mercy-seat, though it was veiled: some of it
was to be put upon the horns of the golden altar, because at that altar the
priest himself ministered; and thus was signified the putting away of that
pollution which from his sins did cleave to his services. It likewise serves
to illustrate the influence which Christ's satisfaction has upon the
prevalency of his intercession. The blood of his sacrifice is put upon the
altar of his incense and sprinkled before the Lord. When this was done the
remainder of the blood was poured at the foot of the brazen altar. By this
rite, the sinner acknowledged that he deserved to have his blood thus poured
out like water. It likewise signified the pouring out of the soul before God
in true repentance, and typified our Saviour's pouring out his soul unto
death. 4. The fat of the inwards was to be burnt upon the altar of
burnt-offering, v. 8-10. By this the intention of the offering and of
the atonement made by it was directed to the glory of God, who, having been
dishonoured by the sin, was thus honoured by the sacrifice. It signified the
sharp sufferings of our Lord Jesus, when he was made sin (that is, a
sin-offering) for us, especially the sorrows of his soul and his inward
agonies. It likewise teaches us, in conformity to the death of Christ, to
crucify the flesh. 5. The head and body of the beast, skin and all, were to be
carried without the camp, to a certain place appointed for that
purpose, and there burnt to ashes, v. 11, 12. This was very
significant, (1.) Of the duty of repentance, which is the putting away of sin
as a detestable thing, which our soul hates. True penitents say to their
idols, "Get you hence; what have we to do any more with idols?" The
sin-offering is called sin. What they did to that we must do to our
sins; the body of sin must be destroyed, Rom. vi. 6. (2.) Of the privilege of
remission. When God pardons sin he quite abolishes it, casts it behind his
back. The iniquity of Judah shall be sought for and not found. The
apostle takes particular notice of this ceremony, and applies it to Christ
(Heb. xiii. 11-13), who suffered without the gate, in the place of a skull,
where the ashes of dead men, as those of the altar, were poured out.
13 And if the whole
congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the
eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the
commandments of the LORD
concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty;
14 When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the
congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the
tabernacle of the congregation. 15 And the elders of the
congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the LORD:
and the bullock shall be killed before the LORD.
16 And the priest that is anointed shall bring of the bullock's blood to the
tabernacle of the congregation: 17 And the priest shall dip his
finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before
the LORD,
even before the vail. 18 And he shall put some of
the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the LORD,
that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all
the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at
the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 19 And he shall
take all his fat from him, and burn it upon the altar. 20
And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin
offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for
them, and it shall be forgiven them. 21 And he shall carry forth
the bullock without the camp, and burn him as he burned the first bullock: it is
a sin offering for the congregation.
This is the law for expiating the guilt of a national sin, by a sin offering.
If the leaders of the people, through mistake concerning the law, caused them
to err, when the mistake was discovered an offering must be brought, that
wrath might not come upon the whole congregation. Observe, 1. It is possible
that the church may err, and that her guides may mislead her. It is here
supposed that the whole congregation may sin, and sin through ignorance. God
will always have a church on earth; but he never said it should be infallible,
or perfectly pure from corruption on this side heaven. 2. When a sacrifice was
to be offered for the whole congregation, the elders were to lay their hands
upon the head of it (three of them at least), as representatives of the people
and agents for them. The sin we suppose to have been some common custom, taken
up and used by the generality of the people, upon presumption of its being
lawful, which afterwards, upon search, appeared to be otherwise. In this case
the commonness of the usage received perhaps by tradition from their fathers,
and the vulgar opinion of its being lawful, would not so far excuse them from
sin but that they must bring a sacrifice to make atonement for it. There are
many bad customs and forms of speech which are thought to have no harm in
them, and yet may bring guilt and wrath upon a land, which therefore it
concerns the elders both to reform and to intercede with God for the pardon
of, Joel ii. 16. 3. The blood of this sin-offering, as of the former, was to
be sprinkled seven times before the Lord, v. 17. It was not to
be poured out there, but sprinkled only; for the cleansing virtue of the blood
of Christ was then and still is sufficiently signified and represented by
sprinkling, Isa. lii. 15. It was to be sprinkled seven times. Seven is a
number of perfection, because when God had made the world in six days he
rested the seventh; so this signified the perfect satisfaction Christ made,
and the complete cleansing of the souls of the faithful by it; see Heb. x. 14.
The blood was likewise to be put upon the horns of the incense-altar, to which
there seems to be an allusion in Jer. xvii. 1, where the sin of Judah is said
to be graven upon the horns of their altars. If they did not forsake
their sins, the putting of the blood of their sin-offerings upon the horns of
their altars, instead of taking away their guilt, did but bind it on the
faster, perpetuated the remembrance of it, and remained a witness against
them. It is likewise alluded to in Rev. ix. 13, where a voice is heard from
the four horns of the golden altar; that is, an answer of peace is given
to the prayers of the saints, which are acceptable and prevalent only by
virtue of the blood of the sin-offering put upon the horns of that altar;
compare Rev. viii. 3. 4. When the offering is completed, it is said, atonement
is made, and the sin shall be forgiven, v. 20. The promise of
remission is founded upon the atonement. It is spoken here of the forgiveness
of the sin of the whole congregation, that is, the turning away of those
national judgments which the sin deserved. Note, The saving of churches and
kingdoms from ruin is owing to the satisfaction and mediation of Christ.
22 When a ruler hath
sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the
commandments of the LORD
his God concerning things which should not be done, and is
guilty; 23 Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his
knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without
blemish: 24 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat,
and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the LORD:
it is a sin offering. 25 And the priest shall take of the
blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of
the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the
altar of burnt offering. 26 And he shall burn all his fat upon the
altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall
make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.
Observe here, 1. That God takes notice of and is displeased with the sins of
rulers. Those who have power to call others to account are themselves
accountable to the ruler of rulers; for, as high as they are, there is a
higher than they. This is intimated in that the commandment transgressed is
here said to be the commandment of the Lord his God, v. 22. He
is a prince to others, but let him know the Lord is a God to him. 2. The sin
of the ruler which he committed through ignorance is supposed afterwards to
come to his knowledge (v. 23), which must be either by the check of his
own conscience or by the reproof of his friends, both which we should all,
even the best and greatest, not only submit to, but be thankful for. What we
have done amiss we should be very desirous to come to the knowledge of. That
which I see not, teach thou me, and show me wherein I have erred, are
prayers we should put up to God every day, that though through ignorance we
fall into sin we may not through ignorance lie still in it. 3. The
sin-offering for a ruler was to be a kid of the goats, not a bullock,
as for the priest and the whole congregation; nor was the blood of his
sin-offering to be brought into the tabernacle, as of the other two, but it
was all bestowed upon the brazen altar (v. 25); nor was the flesh of it
to be burnt, as that of the other two, without the camp, which intimated that
the sin of a ruler, though worse than that of a common person, yet was not so
heinous, nor of such pernicious consequence, as the sin of the high priest, or
of the whole congregation. A kid of the goats was sufficient to be offered for
a ruler, but a bullock for a tribe, to intimate that the ruler, though major
singulis--greater than each, was minor universis--less than the whole.
It is bad when great men give bad examples, but worse when all men follow
them. 4. It is promised that the atonement shall be accepted and the sin
forgiven (v. 26), that is, if he repent and reform; for otherwise God
swore concerning Eli, a judge in Israel, that the iniquity of his house should
not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever, 1 Sam. iii. 14.
27 And if any one of the
common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against
any of the commandments of the LORD
concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty; 28 Or if
his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his
offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he
hath sinned. 29 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering,
and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering. 30 And the
priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon
the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood
thereof at the bottom of the altar. 31 And he shall take away all the fat
thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings;
and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the
LORD;
and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.
32 And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female
without blemish. 33 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin
offering, and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the
burnt offering. 34 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering
with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt
offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar:
35 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken
away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them
upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD:
and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and
it shall be forgiven him.
I. Here is the law of the sin-offering for a common person, which differs from
that for a ruler only in this, that a private person might bring either a kid
or a lamb, a ruler only a kid; and that for a ruler must be a male, for the
other a female: in all the circumstances of the management of the offering
they agreed. Observe, 1. The case supposed: If any one of the common people
sin through ignorance, v. 27. The prophet supposes that they were
not so likely as the great men to know the way of the Lord, and the
judgment of their God (Jer. v. 4), and yet, if they sin through ignorance,
they must bring a sin-offering. Note, Even sins of ignorance need to be atoned
for by sacrifice. To be able to plead, when we are charged with sin, that we
did it ignorantly, and through the surprise of temptation, will not bring us
off if we be not interested in that great plea, Christ hath died, and
entitled to the benefit of that. We have all need to pray with David (and he
was a ruler) to be cleansed from secret faults, the errors which we
ourselves do not understand or are not aware of, Ps. xix. 12. 2. That the sins
of ignorance committed by a single person, a common obscure person, did
require a sacrifice; for, as the greatest are not above the censure, so the
meanest are not below the cognizance of the divine justice. None of the common
people, if offenders, were overlooked in a crowd. 3. That a sin-offering was
not only admitted, but accepted, even from one of the common people, and an
atonement made by it, v. 31, 35. Here rich and poor, prince and
peasant, meet together; they are both alike welcome to Christ, and to an
interest in his sacrifice, upon the same terms. See Job xxxiv. 19.
II. From all these laws concerning the sin-offerings we may learn, 1. To hate
sin, and to watch against it. That is certainly a very bad thing to make
atonement for which so many innocent and useful creatures must be slain and
mangled thus. 2. To value Christ, the great and true sin-offering, whose blood
cleanses from all sin, which it was not possible that the blood of bulls
and of goats should take away. Now, if any man sin, Christ is the
propitiation (1 John ii. 1, 2), not for Jews only, but for Gentiles. And
perhaps there was some allusion to this law concerning sacrifices for sins of
ignorance in that prayer of Christ's, just when he was offering up himself a
sacrifice, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
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