Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 4:27
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;
27 35. The Sin-Offering for one of the common people (Heb. ‘people of the land’), a she-goat or a lamb
The she-goat ( Lev 4:28), according to Num 15:27, was to be of the first year. The lamb ( Lev 4:32) was also to be a female. The ritual is the same for both animals, and like that of the offering of the ruler. The reason for treating the two in separate paragraphs is the same as in the case of the Peace-Offering.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The common people – literally, as in the margin, the people of the land. Compare Lev 20:2, Lev 20:4; 2Ki 11:18. It was the ordinary designation of the people, as distinguished from the priests and the rulers.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Lev 4:27-31
If any one of the common people sin through ignorance.
The sin-offering for the common people
I. The person: a common person.
1. If a common person sin his sins will ruin him; he may not be able to do so much mischief by his sin as the ruler or a public officer, but his sin has all the essence of evil in it, and God will reckon with him for it. No matter how obscurely you may live, however poor and unlettered you may be, your sin will ruin you if not pardoned and put away. If one of the common people sin through ignorance, his sin is a damning sin, he must have it put away, or it will put him away for ever from the face of God.
2. A common persons sin can only he removed by an atonement of blood. In this case you see the victim was not a bullock, it was a female of the goats or of the sheep, but still it had to be an offering of blood, for without shedding of blood there is no remission. However commonplace your offences may have been, however insignificant you may be yourself, nothing will cleanse you but the blood of Jesus Christ.
3. But here is the point of joy, that for the common people there was an atonement ordained of God. Glory be to God, I may be unknown to men, but I am not unthought of by Him.
4. Observe with thankfulness that the sacrifice appointed for the common people was as much accepted as that appointed for the ruler. Of the ruler it is said, the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him. The same thing is said of the common person. Christ is as much accepted for the poorest of His people as for the richest of them.
II. The sacrifice: a kid of the goats, a female without blemish.
1. Observe that there is a discrepancy between the type and the reality, for first the sin-offering under the law was only for sins of ignorance. But we have a far better sacrifice for sin than that, for have we not read, The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin, not from sins of ignorance only, but from all sin.
2. Note another discrepancy, that the sinner of the common people in this case had to bring his sacrifice–he shall bring his offering. But our sin-offering has been provided for us.
3. Now let us notice that in the type the victim chosen for a sin-offering was unblemished; whether it was a goat or a sheep, it must be unblemished. How could Christ make an atonement for sins if He had had sins of His own?
4. But, the main point about the sacrifice was, it was slain as a substitute. There is nothing said about its being taken outside the camp–I do not think it was in this case: all that the offerer knew was, it was slain as a substitute. And everything that is essential to know in order to be saved is to know that you are a sinner and that Christ is your Substitute.
III. The after ceremonies.
1. In the case of one of the common people after the victim was slain, the blood was taken to the brazen altar, and the four horns of it were smeared, to show that the power of fellowship with God lies in the blood of substitution. There is no fellowship with God except through the blood, there is no acceptance with God for any one of us except through Him who suffered in our stead.
2. But then the blood was thrown at the feet of this same brazen altar, as if to show that the atonement is the foundation as well as the power of fellowship. We get nearest to God when we feel most the power of the blood, ay, and we could not come to God at all except it were through that encrimsoned way.
3. After this, a part of the offering was put upon the altar, and it is said concerning it, what is not said in any other of the cases, the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour to the Lord. This common person had, in most respects, a dim view of Christ, compared with the others, but yet there were some points in which he had more light than others, for it does not say of the priest that what he offered was a sweet savour; but, for the comfort of this common person, that he might go his way having sweet consolation in his soul, he is told that the sin-offering he has brought is a sweet savour unto God. And oh, what a joy it is to think not only has Christ put away my sin if I believe in Him; but now for me He is a sweet savour to God, and I am for His sake accepted, for His sake beloved, for His sake delighted in, for His sake precious unto God.
IV. I have purposely omitted an essential act in the sacrifice, in order to enlarge upon it now. Observe that in all four cases there was one thing which was never left out, He shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin-offering.
1. That act signified confession. Here I stand as a sinner, and confess that I deserve to die. This goat which is now to be slain represents in its sufferings what I deserve of God. Oh, sinner! confess your sin now unto your great God, acknowledge that He would be just if He condemned you. Confession of sin is a part of the meaning of laying on of the hand.
2. The next thing meant by it was acceptance. I accept this goat as standing for me. I agree that this victim shall stand instead of me. That is what faith does with Christ, it pats its hand upon the ever blessed Son of God, and says, He stands for me, I take Him as my Substitute.
3. The next meaning of it was transference. I transfer, according to Gods ordinance, all my sin which I here confess, from myself to this victim. By that act the transference was made. God did lay sin in bulk upon Christ when He-laid upon Him the iniquity of us all, but by an act of faith every individual in another sense lays his sins on Jesus, and it is absolutely needful that each man should do so, if he would participate in the substitution.
4. This was a personal act. Nobody could lay his hand upon the bullock, or upon the goat, for another; each one had to put his own hand there. A godly mother could not say, My graceless boy will not lay his hand upon the victim, but I will put my hand there for him. It could not be. He who laid his hand there had the blessing, but no one else, and had the godliest saint with holy but mistaken zeal said, Rebellious man, wilt thou not put thy hand there, I will act as sponsor for thee, it had been of no avail; the offender must personally come. And so must you have a personal faith in Christ for yourself. The word is sometimes interpreted to lean, and some give it the meaning of leaning hard. What a blessed view of faith that gives us!
V. The assured blessing: And it shall be forgiven him (Lev 4:31). Was not that plain speaking? There were no ifs, no buts, no peradventures; but it shall be forgiven aim. Now, in those days it was only one sin, the sin confessed, that was forgiven, but now all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men. In those days the forgiveness did not give the conscience abiding peace, for the offerer had to come with another sacrifice by and by; but now the blood of Christ blots out all the sins of believers at once and for ever, so that there is no need to bring a new sacrifice, or to come a second time with the blood of atonement in our hands. The sacrifice of the Jew had no intrinsic value. How could the blood of bulls and goats take away sin? It could only be useful as a type of the true sacrifice, the sin-offering of Christ. But in our Lord Jesus there is real efficacy, there is true atonement, there is real cleansing, and whosoever believeth in Him shall find actual pardon and complete forgiveness at this very moment. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Lay his hand upon the head.
Laying the hand on the sacrifice
The text gives us a pictorial answer to the question–How can Christs sacrifice become available for me?
I. The intent of the symbol.
1. It was a confession of sin: else no need of a sin-offering. To this was added a confession of the desert of punishment, or why should the victim be slain? There was also an abandonment of all other methods of removing sin.
2. It was a consent to the plan of substitution. If God is content with this method of salvation, surely we may be. Substitution exceedingly honours the law, and vindicates justice. No other plan meets the case, or even looks fairly at it
3. It was an acceptance of the victim. Jesus is the most natural substitute, for He is the Second Adam, the second head of the race; the true ideal man. He is the only Person able to offer satisfaction, having a perfect humanity united with His Godhead. He alone is acceptable to God; He may well be acceptable to us.
4. It was a believing transference of sin. By laying on of hands sin was typically laid on the victim. It was laid there so as to be no longer on the offerer.
5. It was a dependence-leaning on the victim. Is there not a most sure stay in Jesus for the leaning heart? Consider the nature of the suffering and death by which the atonement was made, and you will rest in it. Consider the dignity and worth of the sacrifice by whom the death was endured. The glory of Christs person enhances the value of His atonement (Heb 10:5-10).
II. The simplicity of the symbol.
1. There were no antecedent rites. The victim was there, and hands were laid on it: nothing more. We add neither preface nor appendix to Christ: He is Alpha and Omega.
2. The offerer came in all his sin. Just as I am. It was to have his sin removed that the offerer brought the sacrifice: not because he had himself removed it
3. There was nothing in his hand of merit or price.
4. There was nothing on his hand. No gold ring to indicate wealth; no signet of power; no jewel of rank. The offerer came as a man, and not as learned, rich, or honourable.
5. He performed no cunning legerdemain with his hand. By leaning upon it he took the victim to be his representative; but he placed no reliance upon ceremonial performances.
6. Nothing was done to his hand. His ground of trust was the sacrifice, not his hands. He desired his hand to be clean, but upon that fact he did not rest for pardon. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
All can lean on Christ
The Puritans speak of faith as a recumbency, a leaning. It needs no power to lean; it is a cessation from our own strength, and allowing our weakness to depend upon anothers power. Let no man say, I cannot lean; it is not a question of what you can do, but a confession of what you cannot do, and a leaving of the whole matter with Jesus. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
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Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 27. The common people] am haarets, the people of the land, that is, any individual who was not a priest, king, or ruler among the people; any of the poor or ordinary sort. Any of these, having transgressed through ignorance, was obliged to bring a lamb or a kid, the ceremonies being nearly the same as in the preceding cases. The original may denote the very lowest of the people, the labouring or agricultural classes.
The law relative to the general cases of sins committed through ignorance, and the sacrifices to be offered on such occasions, so amply detailed in this chapter, may be thus recapitulated. For all sins and transgressions of this kind committed by the people, the prince, and the priest, they must offer expiatory offerings. The person so sinning must bring the sacrifice to the door of the tabernacle, and lay his hands upon its head, as in a case already referred to, acknowledging the sacrifice to be his, that he needed it for his transgression; and thus he was considered as confessing his sin, and the sin was considered as transferred to the animal, whose blood was then spilt to make an atonement. See Clarke on Le 1:4.
Such institutions as these could not be considered as terminating in themselves, they necessarily had reference to something of infinitely higher moment; in a word, they typified Him whose soul was made an offering for sin, Isa 53:10. And taken out of this reference they seem both absurd and irrational. It is obviously in reference to these innocent creatures being brought as sin-offerings to God for the guilty that St. Paul alludes 2Co 5:21, where he says, He (God) made him to be sin (, a sin-offering) for us WHO KNEW NO SIN, that we might be made the righteousness of God – holy and pure by the power and grace of God, in or through him. And it is worthy of remark, that the Greek word used by the apostle is the same by which the Septuagint, in more than fourscore places in the Pentateuch, translate the Hebrew word hattaah, sin, which in all those places our translation renders sin-offering. Even sins of ignorance cannot be unnoticed by a strict and holy law; these also need the great atonement: on which account we should often pray with David, Cleanse thou me from secret faults! Ps 19:12. How little attention is paid to this solemn subject! Sins of this kind – sins committed sometimes ignorantly, and more frequently heedlessly, are permitted to accumulate in their number, and consequently in their guilt; and from this very circumstance we may often account for those painful desertions, as they are called, under which many comparatively good people labour. They have committed sins of ignorance or heedlessness, and have not offered the sacrifice which can alone avail in their behalf. How necessary in ten thousand cases is the following excellent prayer! “That it may please thee to give us true repentance; to forgive us all our sins, negligences, and ignorances; and to endue us with the grace of thy Holy Spirit, to amend our lives according to thy HOLY WORD.” – Litany.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The common people, whether Israelites, or strangers embodied with them and proselytes; for both were under one and the same law, Exo 12:49; Num 15:16.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
27-34. if any one of the commonpeople sin through ignoranceIn this case the expiatoryoffering appointed was a female kid, or a ewe-lamb without blemish;and the ceremonies were exactly the same as those observed in thecase of the offending ruler [Le4:22-26]. In these two latter instances, the blood of the sinoffering was applied to the altar of burnt offeringthe place wherebloody sacrifices were appointed to be immolated. But thetransgression of a high priest, or of the whole congregation,entailing a general taint on the ritual of the tabernacle, andvitiating its services, required a further expiation; and therefore,in these cases, the blood of the sin offering was applied to thealtar of incense [Lev 4:6;Lev 4:17].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And if anyone of the common people sin through ignorance,…. Or, “if one soul of the people of the earth”: that is, a single person, and so is distinguished from the congregation, one of the common sort of people; however is neither an high priest, nor a prince, or king, but either a common priest, or Levite, or Israelite; no man is free from sin; all sorts of persons, of all ranks and degrees, high and low, rich and poor, men in office, civil or ecclesiastical, or in whatsoever state of life, are liable to sin, and do sin continually, either ignorantly or willingly; and Christ is a sacrifice for all sins and for all sorts of sinners:
whilst he doeth somewhat; &c. [See comments on Le 4:2] [See comments on Le 4:13] [See comments on Le 4:22].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
In the case of the sin of a common Israelite (“of the people of the land,” i.e., of the rural population, Gen 23:7), that is to say, of an Israelite belonging to the people, as distinguished from the chiefs who ruled over the people (2Ki 11:18-19; 2Ki 16:15), the sin-offering was to consist of a shaggy she-goat without blemish, or a ewe-sheep (Lev 4:32). The ceremonial in both cases was the same as with the he-goat (Lev 4:23.). – “ According to the offerings made by fire unto the Lord ” (Lev 4:35): see at Lev 3:5.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
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, Lev 4:31; Lev 4:35. 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 (1Jn 2:1; 1Jn 2:2), 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.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Verses 27-35:
In the event the one bringing the Sin Offering was of the “common people,” the sacrificial animal was to be a young she-goat, or a young ewe lamb.
The ritual was the same as for the ruler (verses 22-26).
One lesson the Israelite learned from the Sin Offering was the terrible nature of sin, and the necessity for a cleansing for sin, in addition to penitence.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
4. THE SIN OFFERING FOR INDIVIDUALS 4:2735
TEXT 4:2735
27
And if any one of the common people sin unwittingly, in doing any of the things which Jehovah hath commanded not to be done, and be guilty;
28
if his sin, which he hath sinned, be made known to him, then he shall bring for his oblation a goat, 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 kill the sin-offering in the place of 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 all the blood thereof shall he pour out at the base of the altar.
31
And all the fat thereof shall he take away, as the fat is taken away from the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savor unto Jehovah; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.
32
And if he bring a lamb as his oblation 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 kill 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 all the blood thereof shall he pour out at the base of the altar.
35.
And all the fat thereof shall he take away, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the priest shall burn them on the altar, upon the offerings of Jehovah made by fire; and the priest shall make atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned, and he shall be forgiven.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 4:2735
76.
Is there a question about the guilt of the individual? What is meant by the word if in Lev. 4:27?
77.
Why a female, since Christ is typified by these offerings?
78.
No sin is trifling and no sinner is ignored, but there is hope in this fact. Where?
79.
This offering is called a sweet savor unto the Lord. When and why?
80.
What is the meaning of the expression in Lev. 4:35 of according to the offerings made by fire ?
PARAPHRASE 4:2735
If any one of the common people sins and doesnt realize it, he is guilty. But as soon as he does realize it, he is to bring as his sacrifice a nanny goat without defect to atone for his sin. He shall bring it to the place where the animals for burnt offerings are killed, and there lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering and kill it. And the priest shall take some of the blood with his finger and smear it upon the horns of the burnt offering altar. Then the priest shall pour out the remainder of the blood at the base of the altar. All the fat shall be taken off, just as in the procedure for the thank-offering sacrifice, and the priest shall burn it upon the altar; and the Lord will appreciate it. Thus the priest shall make atonement for that man, and he shall be forgiven. However, if he chooses to bring a lamb as his sin offering, it must be a female without physical defect. He shall bring it to the place where the burnt offerings are killed, and lay his hand upon its head and kill it there as a sin offering. The priest shall take some of the blood with his finger and smear it upon the horns of the burnt offering altar, and all the rest of the blood shall be poured out at the base of the altar. The fat shall be used just as in the case of a thank-offering lambthe priest shall burn the fat on the altar as in any other sacrifice made to Jehovah by fire; and the priest shall make atonement for the man, and his sin shall be forgiven.
COMMENT 4:2735
Lev. 4:27-28 No one is excluded from Gods love and grace, and no one is exempt from the penalty of sin. There would seem to be two ways a poor man or a common man would know of his sin: (1) he would be reminded by his own consciencehow often do we fall into the habit of negligence until a commandment of our God comes to mind and we are reminded of our lack and sin; (2) Someone could bring his sin to his attentionwe take the little expression come to his knowledge to be information brought to him by someone else. We like the thought that in the female goat or lamb we have the passive nature of our Lord represented. The male animal characterizing His active, volitional choicesthe female His perfect submissiveness to the Fathers will. Someone has suggested that the female animals were used to indicate to the women of Zion that they were not forgotten, or that they too were represented in the offerings.
Lev. 4:29-31 The expression for a sweet savor unto the Lord is reserved for the sacrifice of the common man. We are sure that the other sin sacrifices were also a sweet savor after the fat was burned. The sin offering itself was not for this purpose, but the peace-offering portion or the fat became the sweet savor unto God. Atonement or forgiveness was the major point or the distinctive message of the sin offering.
The hands of the worshipper were on the head of the animal for this purpose. The blood was on the horns of the altar of burnt offering with this intentionthe largest quantity of blood was poured out at the base of the altar for this reason. Somewhat in contrast: the fat upon the altar was a sweet and satisfying fragrance to the Lord. Could we say that once atonement or forgiveness was made it became as represented in the Lords portion or the fat a sweet savor unto God?
Lev. 4:32-34 How glad we are for all of Gods alternates! There are always circumstances (most of them of our own making) that seem to prevent us from being able to fulfill this requirement or thatbut God has another way which will also accomplish His will in our lives. If you do not have a goat you can also bring a lamb (and we shall learn later that even a handful of flour for a sin offering is acceptable if it is given out of the right attitude). The same actions are taken in each offering. They need not become monotonousour sins are many and often each is in need of forgiveness and each is in every sacrifice.
Lev. 4:35 The expression, according to the offerings made by fire should be in addition to the daily sacrifices, morning and eveningupon the offerings, i.e. over the very remnants of the daily sacrifices. It is exactly like Lev. 3:5. We are there taught that particular sins must be cast upon the one great atonement; and the cases that occur in this chapter of special guilt are just specific applications of the great truth taught in the daily sacrifices.
Israel was taught that their different offerings were all of one nature in the main with the general burnt offering; one Saviour only was prefigured, and one atonement. These sin-offerings, presented upon the daily sacrifices, resemble tributary streams pouring in their waters into one great ocean. Christ once for all suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, to bring us unto God. (1Pe. 3:18) O how anxious is our God to purge us from every stain! The priests hyssop is introduced into every corner of the building that we may be altogether pure. Well may we join the seraphim in their song, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts. (Bonar)
FACT QUESTIONS 4:2735
100.
No one is excluded either from grace or forgiveness. Show how this is typified.
101.
What are the two ways a poor man would know of his sin?
102.
How do we relate to these two thoughts?
103.
Why a female goat or lamb? (Two possible answers.)
104.
Show the meaning of: a sweet savor unto the Lord. When did it become such?
105.
Why were the hands of the worshipper upon the head of the animal?
106.
How glad we are for Gods alternateswhat are they here?
107.
The actions taken in offering the sacrifices need not become monotonoushow avoided?
108.
What is meant by the expression, according to the offerings made by fire?
109.
How do daily sacrifices and specific sacrifices relate? How does this apply to us?
4. SPECIAL APPLICATIONS OF SIN OFFERINGS
(a)
THREE SPECIFIC SINS
(1)
THE WITNESS WHO REFUSED TO TESTIFY (Lev. 5:1)
(2)
ACCIDENTAL CEREMONIAL DEFILEMENT (Lev. 5:2-3)
(3)
IDLE SWEARING (Lev. 5:4)
(b)
SPECIFIC OFFERINGS PRESCRIBED IN SUCH CASES
(1)
FEMALE SHEEP OR GOAT (Lev. 5:6)
(2)
Two TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS (Lev. 5:7)
(3)
THE TENTH PART OF AN EPHAH OF FINE FLOUR (Lev. 5:11-13)
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(27) And if any one of the common people.The fourth instance adduced (Lev. 4:27-35) is that of any one of the people of the land, as this phrase is rendered in Lev. 20:2; Lev. 20:4; 2Ki. 9:18-19; 2Ki. 16:15. That is, any member of the congregation, whether he be a private Israelite, ordinary priest, or Levite, in contradistinction to the afore-mentioned high priest and ruler.
And be guilty.Rather, and acknowledges his guilt. (See Lev. 4:22.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
SIN OF A PRIVATE PERSON, Lev 4:27-35.
The only difference between the method of expiating the sin of a private person and that of a ruler is, that the offering of the former being a female kid is supposed to be inferior to that of the ruler.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Purification for Sin Offering For The Common People ( Lev 4:27-35 ).
This is of either a female goat or a female sheep. It is thus of lower rank than that of the ruler, which was male, but may be of either kind. By having the two dealt with separately we have five different types of purification for sin offerings described, the bull ox for the priest, the bull ox for the community, the he-goat for the ruler, the female goat for the commoner, or the female sheep for the commoner. This thus makes five types of offering, and five is the number of covenant. It may be no coincidence in that this offering deals with breaches of the covenant. Compare how the whole burnt offering and the peace offering were in threes (and how the writer groups two or three together as one or makes them separate as he wishes).
Lev 4:27
‘And if any one of the common people sin unwittingly, in doing any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and be guilty;’
Finally we have the offering for any of the common people who sin ‘unwittingly’, and thus not in open rebellion against Yahweh. It is for those who sin against the ‘you shall not’ commands. They have sinned against God’s direct command. If they have done so they are guilty and must go through the atoning procedures.
Lev 4:28-30
‘If his sin, which he has sinned, be made known to him, then he shall bring for his oblation a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has sinned. And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin-offering, and kill the sin-offering in the place of whole burnt-offering. And the priest shall take of its blood with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of whole burnt-offering; and all its blood shall he pour out at the base of the altar.’
Exactly the same procedure occurs here as for the ruler, except that the offering is a lesser one, a female goat. But it is still to be without blemish. Only as such will it make a perfect representative and substitute. The commoner presses his hand on it, and slays it, and then some of its blood is put on the horns of the altar and the remainder at the foot of the altar. His sin results in death and is therefore neutralised by God acting in mercy, and his offering becomes holy. He is in process of being accepted by God and atoned for.
Lev 4:31
‘And all its fat shall he take away, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace-sacrifices; and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a pleasing odour to Yahweh; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.’
The fat and all connected with it is then burnt on the altar and rises as ‘a pleasing odour to Yahweh’. We may probably assume that this is true of all the offerings of fat from the purification for sin offerings, although previously the emphasis has been on the need for forgiveness and atonement and it has not been specifically brought out. The priest has thus made atonement for him and he is forgiven.
(Some have suggested that this is burning as a pleasing odour to Yahweh is out of place, but you will note that in the next summary the conception of the ‘offering made by fire’ is brought in. It is therefore clear that the writer is bringing in different ‘secondary’ aspects to this offering as we go along, to remind us that they still apply. In the whole burnt offering all was a pleasing odour to Yahweh. Here it is only the offering of the fat and the innards ).
Again no mention is made of the skin or the meat. Attention is rather on dealing with the sin. But in Lev 6:26-29 we learn that all the priests may eat of the meat, (even those excluded from priestly service by blemishes (Lev 21:21), but only in the tabernacle precincts because it is holy.
Lev 4:32-34
‘And if he bring a lamb as his oblation for a sin-offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish. And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin-offering, and kill it for a sin-offering in the place where they kill the whole burnt-offering. And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin-offering with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt-offering; and all its blood shall he pour out at the base of the altar:’
The procedure is exactly the same as for the female goat. This may appear redundant to us, but for the Israelite the fivefold description was fully meaningful. Without its fivefold nature it would not have had the same impact.
Lev 4:35
‘And all its fat thereof shall he take away, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the priest shall burn them on the altar, on the offerings of Yahweh made by fire; and the priest shall make atonement for him as touching his sin that he has sinned, and he shall be forgiven.’
In this end description there is an addition to what has gone before, the fat and the innards are ‘an offering made by fire’ to Yahweh. This is almost certainly intended to be applied to all the purification for sin offerings apart from the two where the burning was outside the camp in a clean place, and even then it applied to the fat. The fat and innards of all as offered up are both a pleasing odour to Yahweh (Lev 4:31) and are an offering made by fire. The writer has so written it that without the fivefold description, the picture would not have been complete. The whole is skilfully and cleverly composed, introducing all the elements in the offerings while keeping attention focused on the main one, the purification for sin.
These sacrifices for the common people, offered one by one, remind us of God’s interest and concern for each of us, however lowly, and that His full provision is there on our behalf when we come to Him in faith and trust.
So the great importance of properly dealing with sin has been brought out, and our need for purification and atonement, and the sacrifices are copies and shadows of the work of our Great High Priest Jesus, illustrating the work that He finally accomplished when He offered Himself up to God once-for-all for our sins as the perfect purification for sin offering, and the perfect atonement offering, sweeping up into His work all the offerings and sacrifices which had been offered from true hearts throughout all ages. Their effectiveness came from Him.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
For the Common People
v. 27. And if any one of the common people, v. 28. or if his sin which he hath sinned come to his knowledge, v. 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, v. 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.
v. 31. And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace-offerings, v. 32. And if he bring a lamb for a sin-offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish; v. 33. And he (the worshiper) 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.
v. 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; v. 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,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
There is but little alteration here again, in the provision, made for the sin of the common people, from that for the ruler; only in an humbler oblation. Eze 18:4 . Hence, one common salvation is alike needed for all: and that can only be found in the redemption by CHRIST. 1Jn 2:1-21Jn 2:1-2 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Lev 4:27 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;
Ver. 27. And if any soul sin. ] As there is none that liveth and sinneth not. 1Ki 8:46 Triste mortalitatis privilegium est licere aliquando peccare. a
a Ephor. Augusta nimis res est, et nulli mortalium concessa nuspiam errare. – Amama.
one = soul. Hebrew. nephesh. See App-13.
be guilty = acknowledges his guilt, as in Lev 4:22.
any one: Heb. any soul, Lev 4:2, Num 15:27
common people: Heb. people of the land, Amos haaretz; that is, any individual who was not a priest, king, or ruler among the people; an ordinary person. Any of these having transgressed, was obliged to bring a lamb or kid, the ceremonies being nearly the same as in the preceding cases. Lev 4:2, Lev 4:13, Exo 12:49, Num 5:6, Num 15:16, Num 15:29
Reciprocal: Gen 34:7 – thing Lev 5:17 – a soul sin Lev 9:15 – General Num 6:14 – one ewe Num 15:22 – General Num 18:9 – every sin Eze 45:20 – every one
Lev 4:27-35. The Laymens Sin Offering.The victim is here either a goat or a lambthe offerer could apparently choose which, and in each case a female. In other points the ritual is the same. For common people RVm is better. The phrase is used in the histories for the people as a whole or the popular party in opposition to the court. In Ezra it denotes the semi-heathen population surviving after the return from exile. Cf. Joh 7:49.
ete_me Lev 4:13-14
GRADED RESPONSIBILITY
Lev 4:3; Lev 4:13-14; Lev 4:22-23; Lev 4:27-28
“If the anointed priest shall sin so as to bring guilt on the people; then let him offer for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the Lord for a sin offering And if the whole congregation of Israel shall err, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done any of the things which the Lord hath commanded not to be done, and are guilty; when the sin wherein they have sinned is known, then the assembly shall offer a young bullock for a sin offering, and bring it before the tent of meeting When a ruler sinneth, and doeth unwittingly any one of all the things which the Lord his God hath commanded not to be done. and is guilty; if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, be made known to him, he shall bring for his oblation a goat, a male without blemish And if any one of the common people sin unwittingly, in doing any of the things which the Lord hath commanded not to be done, and be guilty; if this sin, which he hath sinned, be made known to him, then he shall bring for his oblation a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned.”
The law concerning the sin offering is given in four sections, of which the last, again, is divided into two parts, separated by the division of the chapter. These four sections respectively treat of-first, the law of the sin offering for the “anointed priest” (Lev 4:3-12); secondly, the law for the offering for the whole congregation (Lev 4:13-21); thirdly, that for a ruler (Lev 4:22-26); and lastly, the law for an offering made by a private person, one of “the common people”. {Lev 4:27-35; Lev 5:1-16} In this last section we have, first, the general law, {Lev 4:27-35} and then are added {Lev 5:1-16} special prescriptions having reference to various circumstances under which a sin offering should be offered by one of the people. Under this last head are mentioned first, as requiring a sin offering, in addition to sins of ignorance or inadvertence, which only were mentioned in the preceding chapter, also sins due to rashness or weakness (Lev 4:1-4): and then are appointed, in the second place, certain variations in the material of the offering, allowed out of regard to the various ability of different offerers (Lev 4:5-16).
In the law as given in chapter 4, it is to be observed that the selection of the victim prescribed is determined by the position of the persons who might have occasion to present the offering.
For the whole congregation, the victim must be a bullock, the most valuable of all; for the high priest, as the highest religious official of the nation, and appointed also to represent them before God, it must also be a bullock. For the civil ruler, the offering must be a he-goat-an offering of a value less than that of the victim ordered for the high priest, but greater than that of those which were prescribed for the common people. For these, a variety of offerings were appointed, according to their several ability. If possible, it must be a female goat or lamb, or, if the worshipper could not bring that, then two turtledoves, or two young pigeons. If too poor to bring even this small offering, then it was appointed that, as a substitute for the bloody, offering, he might bring an offering of fine flour, without oil or frankincense, to be burnt upon the altar.
Evidently, then, the choice of the victim was determined by two considerations: first, the rank of the person who sinned, and, secondly, his ability. As regards the former point, the law as to the victim for the sin offering was this: the higher the theocratic rank of the sinning person might be, the more costly offering he must bring. No one can well miss of perceiving the meaning of this. The guilt of any sin in Gods sight is proportioned to the rank and station of the offender. What truth could be of more practical and personal concern to all than this?
In applying this principle, the law of the sin offering teaches, first, that the guilt of any sin is the heaviest, when it is committed by one who is placed in a position of religious authority. For this graded law is headed by the case of the sin of the anointed priest, that is, the high priest, the highest functionary in the nation.
We read (Lev 4:3): “If the anointed priest shall sin so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin which he hath committed, a young bullock without blemish, unto the Lord, for a sin offering.”
That is, the high priest, although a single individual, if he sin, must bring as large and valuable an offering as is required from the whole congregation. For this law there are two evident reasons. The first is found in the fact that in Israel the high priest represented before God the entire nation. When he sinned it was as if the whole nation sinned in him. So it is said that by his sin he “brings guilt on the people”-a very weighty matter. And this suggests a second reason for the costly offering that was required from him. The consequences of the sin of one in such a high position of religious authority must, in the nature of the case, be much more serious and far-reaching than in the case of any other person.
And here we have another lesson as pertinent to our time as to those days. As the high priest, so, in modern time, the bishop, minister, or elder, is ordained as an officer in matters of religion, to act for and with men in the things of God. For the proper administration of this high trust, how indispensable that such a one shall take heed to maintain unbroken fellowship with God! Any shortcoming here is sure to impair by so much the spiritual value of his own ministrations for the people to whom he ministers. And this evil consequence of any unfaithfulness of his is the more certain to follow, because, of all the members of the community, his example has the widest and most effective influence; in whatever that example be bad or defective, it is sure to do mischief in exact proportion to his exalted station. If then such a one sin, the case is very grave, and his guilt proportionately heavy.
This very momentous fact is brought before us in an impressive way in the New Testament, where, in the epistles to the Seven Churches of Asia {Rev 2:1-29; Rev 3:1-22} it is “the angel of the church,” the presiding officer of the church in each city, who is held responsible for the spiritual state of those committed to his charge. No wonder that the Apostle James wrote: {Jam 3:1} “Be not many teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment.” Well may every true-hearted minister of Christs Church tremble, as here in the law of the sin offering he reads how the sin of the officer of religion may bring guilt, not only on himself, but also “on the whole people”! Well may he cry out with the Apostle Paul: {2Co 2:16} “Who is sufficient for these things?” and, like him, beseech those to whom he ministers, “Brethren, pray for us!”
With the sin of the high priest is ranked that of the congregation, or the collective nation. It is written (Lev 4:13-14): “If the whole congregation of Israel shall err, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done any one of the things which the Lord hath commanded not to be done, and are guilty, then the assembly shall offer a young bullock for a sin offering.”
Thus Israel was taught by this law, as we are, that responsibility attaches not only to each individual person, but also to associations of individuals in their corporate character, as nations, communities, and-we may add-all Societies and Corporations, whether secular or religious. Let us emphasise it to our own consciences, as another of the fundamental lessons of this law: there is individual sin; there is also such a thing as a sin by “the whole congregation.” In other words, God holds nations, communities-in a word, all associations and combinations of men for whatever purpose, no less under obligation in their corporate capacity to keep His law than as individuals, and will count them guilty if they break it, even through ignorance.
Never has a generation needed this reminder more than our own. The political and social principles which, since the French Revolution in the end of the last century, have been, year by year, more and more generally accepted among the nations of Christendom, are everywhere tending to the avowed or practical denial of this most important truth. It is a maxim ever more and more extensively accepted as almost axiomatic in our modern democratic communities, that religion is wholly a concern of the individual; and that a nation or community, as such, should make no distinction between various religions as false or true, but maintain an absolute neutrality, even between Christianity and idolatry, or theism and atheism. It should take little thought to see that this modern maxim stands in direct opposition to the principle assumed in this law of the sin offering; namely, that a community or nation is as truly and directly responsible to God as the individual in the nation. But this corporate responsibility the spirit of the age squarely denies.
Not that all, indeed, in our modern so-called Christian nations have come to this. But no one will deny that this is the mind of the vanguard of nineteenth century liberalism in religion and politics. Many of our political leaders in all lands make no secret of their views on the subject. A purely secular state is everywhere held up, and that with great plausibility and persuasiveness, as the ideal of political government; the goal to the attainment of which all good citizens should unite their efforts. And, indeed, in some parts of Christendom the complete attainment of this evil ideal seems not far away.
It is not strange, indeed, to see atheists, agnostics, and others who deny the Christian faith, maintaining this position; but when we hear men who call themselves Christians-in many cases, even Christian ministers-advocating, in one form or another, governmental neutrality in religion as the only right basis of government, one may well be amazed. For Christians are supposed to accept the Holy Scriptures as the law of faith and of morals, private and public; and where in all the Scripture will anyone find such an attitude of any nation or people mentioned, but to be condemned and threatened with the judgment of God?
Will anyone venture to say that this teaching of the law of the sin offering was only intended, like the offering itself, for the old Hebrews? Is it not rather the constant and most emphatic teaching of the whole Scriptures, that God dealt with all the ancient Gentile nations on the same principle? The history which records the overthrow of those old nations and empires does so, even professedly, for the express purpose of calling the attention of men in all ages to this principle, that God deals with all nations as under obligations to recognise Himself as King of nations, and submit in all things to His authority. So it was in the case of Moab, of Ammon, of Nineveh, and Babylon; in regard to each of which we are told, in so many words, that it was because they refused to recognise this principle of national responsibility to the one true God, which was brought before Israel in this part of the law of the sin offering, that the Divine judgment came upon them in their utter national overthrow. How awfully plain, again, is the language of the second Psalm on this same subject, where it is precisely this national repudiation of the supreme authority of God and of His Christ, so increasingly common in our day, which is named as the ground of the derisive judgment of God, and is made the occasion of exhorting all nations, not merely to belief in God, but also to the obedient recognition of His only-begotten Son, the Messiah, as the only possible means of escaping the future kindling of His wrath.
No graver sign of our times could perhaps be named than just this universal tendency in Christendom, in one way or another, to repudiate that corporate responsibility to God which is assumed as the basis of this part of the law of the sin offering. There can be no worse omen for the future of an individual than the denial of his obligations to God and to His Son, our Saviour; and there can be no worse sign for the future of Christendom, or of any nation in Christendom, than the partial or entire denial of national obligation to God and to His Christ. What it shall mean in the end, what is the future toward which these popular modern principles are conducting the nations, is revealed in Scripture with startling clearness, in the warning that the world is yet to see one who shall be in a peculiar and eminent sense “the Antichrist”; {1Jn 2:18} who shall deny both the Father and Son, and be “the Lawless One,” and the “Man of Sin,” in that He shall “set Himself forth as God”; {2Th 2:3-8} to whom authority will be given “over every tribe, and people, and tongue, and nation.” {Rev 13:7}
The nation, then, as such, is held responsible to God! So stands the law. And, therefore, in Israel, if the nation should sin, it was ordained that they also, like the high priest, should bring a bullock for a sin offering, the most costly victim that was ever prescribed. This was so ordained, no doubt, in part because of Israels own priestly station as a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation,” exalted to a position of peculiar dignity and privilege before God, that they might mediate the blessings of redemption to all nations. It was because of this fact that, if they sinned, their guilt was peculiarly heavy.
The principle, however, is of present day application. Privilege is the measure of responsibility, no less now than then, for nations as well as for individuals. Thus national sin, on the part of the British or American nation, or indeed with any of the so-called Christian nations, is certainly judged by God to be a much more evil thing than the same sin if committed, for example, by the Chinese or Turkish nation, who have had no such degree of Gospel light and knowledge.
And the law in this case evidently also implies that sin is aggravated in proportion to its universality. It is bad, for example, if in a community one man commit adultery, forsaking his own wife; but it argues a condition of things far worse when the violation of the marriage relation becomes common; when the question can actually be held open for discussion whether marriage, as a permanent union between one man and one woman, be not “a failure,” as debated not long ago in a leading London paper; and when, as in many of the United States of America and other countries of modern Christendom, laws are enacted for the express purpose of legalising the violation of Christs law of marriage, and thus shielding adulterers and adulteresses from the condign punishment their crime deserves. It is bad, again, when individuals in a State teach doctrines subversive of morality; but it evidently argues a far deeper depravation of morals when a whole community unite in accepting, endowing, and upholding such in their work.
Next in order comes the case of the civil ruler. For him it was ordered: “When a ruler sinneth, and doeth unwittingly any of the things which the Lord his God hath commanded not to be done, and is guilty: if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, be made known to him, he shall bring for his oblation a goat, a male without blemish” (Lev 4:22). Thus, the ruler was to bring a victim of less value than the high priest or the collective congregation; but it must still be of more value than that of a private person; for his responsibility, if less than that of the officer of religion, is distinctly greater than that of a man in private life.
And here is a lesson for modern politicians, no less than for rulers of the olden time in Israel. While there are many in our Parliaments and like governing bodies in Christendom who cast their every vote with the fear of God before their eyes, yet, if there be any truth in the general opinion of men upon this subject, there are many in such places who, in their voting, have before their eyes the fear of party more than the fear of God; and who, when a question comes before them, first of all consider, not what would the law of absolute righteousness, the law of God, require, but how will a vote, one way or the other, in this matter, be likely to affect their party? Such certainly need to be emphatically reminded of this part of the law of the sin offering, which held the civil ruler specially responsible to God for the execution of his trust. For so it is still; God has not abdicated His throne in favour of the people, nor will He waive His crown rights out of deference to the political necessities of a party.
Nor is it only those who sin in this particular way who need the reminder of their personal responsibility to God. All need it who either are or may be called to places of greater or less governmental responsibility; and it is those who are the most worthy of such trust who will be the first to acknowledge their need of this warning. For in all times those who have been lifted to positions of political power have been under peculiar temptation to forget God, and become reckless of their obligation to Him as His ministers. But under the conditions of modern life, in many countries of Christendom, this is true as perhaps never before. For now it has come to pass that, in most modern communities, those who make and execute laws hold their tenure of office at the pleasure of a motley army of voters, Protestants and Romanists, Jews, atheists, and what not, a large part of whom care not the least for the will of God in civil government, as revealed in Holy Scripture. Under such conditions, the place of the civil ruler becomes one of such special trial and temptation that we do well to remember in our intercessions, with peculiar sympathy, all who in such positions are seeking to serve supremely, not their party, but their God, and so best serve their country. It is no wonder that the temptation too often to many becomes overpowering, to silence conscience with plausible sophistries, and to use their office to carry out in legislation, instead of the will of God, the will of the people, or rather, of that particular party which put them in power.
Yet the great principle affirmed in this law of the sin offering stands, and will stand forever, and to it all will do well to take heed; namely, that God will hold the civil ruler responsible, and more heavily responsible than any private person, for any sin he may commit, and especially for any violation of law in any matter committed to his trust. And there is abundant reason for this. For the powers that be are ordained of God, and in His providence are placed in authority; not as the modern notion is, for the purpose of executing the will of their constituents, whatever that will may be, but rather the unchangeable will of the Most Holy God, the Ruler of all nations, so far as revealed, concerning the civil and social relations of men. Nor must it be forgotten that this eminent responsibility attaches to them, not only in their official acts, but in all their acts as individuals. No distinction is made as to the sin for which the ruler must bring his sin offering, whether public and official, or private and personal. Of whatsoever kind the sin may be, if committed by a ruler, God holds him specially responsible, as being a ruler; and reckons the guilt of that sin, even if a private offence, to be heavier than if it had been committed by one of the common people. And this, for the evident reason that, as in the case of the high priest, his exalted position gives his example double influence and effect. Thus, in all ages and all lands, a corrupt king or nobility have made a corrupt court; and a corrupt court or corrupt legislators are sure to demoralise all the lower ranks of society. But however it may be under the governments of men, under the equitable government of the Most Holy God, high station can give no immunity to sin. And in the day to come, when the Great Assize is set, there will be many who in this world stood high in authority, who will learn, in the tremendous decisions of that day, if not before, that a just God reckoned the guilt of their sins and crimes in exact proportion to their rank and station.
Last of all, in this chapter, comes the law of the sin offering for one of the common people, of which the first part is given Lev 4:27-35. The victim which is appointed for those who are best able to give, a female goat, is yet of less value than those ordered in the cases before given; for the responsibility and guilt in the case of such is less. The first prescription for a sin offering by one of the common people is introduced by these words: -” If any one of the common people sin unwittingly, in doing any of the things which the Lord hath commanded not to be done, and be guilty; if his sin, which he hath sinned, be made known to him, then he shall bring for his oblation a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned” (Lev 4:27-28).
In case of his inability to bring so much as this, offerings of lesser value are authorised in the section following, {Lev 5:5-13} to which we shall attend hereafter.
Meanwhile it is suggestive to observe that this part of the law is expanded more fully than any other part of the law of the sin offering. We are hereby reminded that if none are so high as to he above the reach of the judgment of God, but are held in that proportion strictly responsible for their sin; so, on the other hand, none are of station so low that their sins shall therefore be overlooked. The common people, in all lands, are the great majority of the population; but no one is to imagine that, because he is a single individual, of no importance in a multitude, he shall therefore, if he sin, escape the Divine eye, as it were, in a crowd. Not so. We may be of the very lowest social station; the provision in Lev 5:11 regards the case of such as might be so poor as that they could not even buy two doves. Men may judge the doings of such poor folk of little or no consequence; but not so God. With Him is no respect of persons, either of rich or poor. From all alike, from the anointed high priest, who ministers in the Holy of Holies, down to the common people, and among these, again, from the highest down to the very lowest, poorest, and meanest in rank, is demanded, even for a sin of ignorance, a sin offering for atonement.
What a solemn lesson we have herein concerning the character of God! His omniscience, which not only notes the sin of those who are in some conspicuous position, but also each individual sin of the lowest of the people! His absolute equity, exactly and accurately grading responsibility for sin committed, in each case, according to the rank and influence of him who commits it! His infinite holiness, which cannot pass by without expiation even the transient act or word of rash hands or lips, not even the sin not known as sin by the sinner; a holiness which, in a word, unchangeably and unalterably requires from every human being, nothing less than absolute moral perfection like His own!
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
Fuente: Expositors Bible Commentary