Leviticus 5

Lev. 5 14 AND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, If any one commit a trespass, and sin unwittingly, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring his guilt offering unto the LORD, a ram without blemish out of the flock, according to thy estimation in silver by shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt offering: and he shall make restitution for that which he hath done amiss in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering, and he shall be forgiven.

17. And if any one sin, and do any of the things which the LORD hath commanded not to be

18 done; though he knew it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity. And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, according to thy estimation, for a guilt offering, unto the priest: and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning the thing wherein he erred unwittingly and knew it not, and he shall be forgiven. It is a guilt offering: he is certainly guilty before the LORD.

6 1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, If any one sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and deal falsely with his neighbour in a matter of deposit, or of bargain, or of robbery, or have oppressed his neighbour; or have found that which was lost, and deal falsely therein, and swear to a lie; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein: then it shall be, if he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took by robbery, or the thing which he hath gotten by oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found, or any thing about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in full, and shall add the fifth part more thereto: unto him to whom it appertaineth shall he give it, in the day of his being found guilty. And he shall bring his guilt offering unto the LORD, a ram without blemish out of the flock, according to thy estimation, for a guilt offering, unto the priest: and the priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD, and he shall be forgiven; concerning whatsoever he doeth so as to be guilty thereby.

7 1 And this is the law of the guilt offering: it is most holy. In the place where they kill the burnt offering shall they kill the guilt offering: and the blood thereof shall he sprinkle upon the altar round about. And he shall offer of it all the fat thereof: the fat tail, and the fat that covereth the inwards, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the caul upon the liver, with the kidneys, shall he take away: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar for an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a guilt offering. Every male among the priests shall eat thereof: it shall be eaten in a holy place: it is most holy.

Nu. 5 5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the LORD, and that soul be guilty; then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him in respect of whom he hath been guilty. But if the man have no kinsman to whom restitution may be made for the guilt, the restitution for guilt which is made unto the LORD shall be the priest’s; besides the ram of the atonement, whereby atonement shall be made for him.

The sin-offering was atonement proper, and is fulfilled in Jesus, who knew no sin, made sin for us—Jesus who did no sin, his own self bearing our sins in his own body on the tree. The blood of the sin-offering was the type of the blood of Christ, which cleanses us from all sin; and the body of the sin-offering, being burned without the camp, was the type of the body of Christ suffering for us without the gate. The trespass-offering adds the ideas of redemption and remedy. Our trespasses are our debts—i.e., definite acts of wrong or evil, which may be estimated. In the case of trespasses against God, sacrifice was required first, then reparation. In the case of trespasses against men (which are also counted as against the Lord, ch. 6:1), restitution was required first, then sacrifice. Evidently we are to see in the trespass-offering redemption and ransom by the precious blood of Christ. D. F.

The original word for trespass-offering is asham, from a root of the same letters asham, to fail in duty, to transgress, to be guilty, or, as it is for the most rendered in our version, to trespass. The leading idea is plainly that of guilt. Bush.

The trespass-offering (Heb. asham) is closely connected with the sin-offering in Leviticus, but clearly distinguished from it, being in some cases offered with it as a distinct part of the same sacrifice—e.g., in the cleansing of the leper (Lev. 14). At the time of offering, in all cases of damage to any holy thing or to any man, restitution was made with the addition of one fifth to the principal; the blood was sprinkled round about on the altar, as in the burnt-offering; the fat burned, and flesh disposed of as in the sin-offering. The Sin-offerings were—(A.) Regular: For the whole people, at the New Moon, Passover, Pentecost, Feast of Trumpets, and Feast of Tabernacles: besides the solemn offering of the two goats on the great Day of Atonement. For the priests and Levites at their consecration; besides the yearly sin-offering (a bullock) for the high-priest on the great Day of Atonement. (B.) Special: For any sin of “ignorance.” For refusal to bear witness. For ceremonial defilement not wilfully contracted. For the breach of a rash oath. The Trespass-offerings were always special, as—(1) For sacrilege “in ignorance.” (2) For ignorant transgression. (3) For fraud, suppression of the truth, or perjury. (4) For rape of a betrothed slave. (5) At the purification of the leper, and the polluted Nazarite, offered with the sin-offering. From this enumeration it will be clear that the two classes of sacrifices, although distinct, touch closely upon each other, as especially the special sin offerings and the trespass-offerings. Mr. Barry, original author of this article, draws the following conclusions: (a) That the sin-offering was far the more solemn and comprehensive of the two sacrifices. (b) That the sin-offering looked more to the guilt of the sin done, irrespective of its consequences, while the trespass-offering looked to the evil consequences of sin, either against the service of God, or against man, and to the duty of atonement as far as atonement was possible. (c) That in the sin-offering especially we find symbolized the acknowledgment of sinfulness as inherent in man, and of the need of expiation by sacrifice to renew the broken covenant between man and God. Rev. I. Jennings (in Kitto) says: “The sin-offering holds up sin as guilt needing expiation; the trespass offering as robbery demanding compensation.” Dic. B.

The trespass, or as it should rather be called the guilt or debt-offering (asham), stood in a very near relation to the sin-offering. But what were distinctively called by the name of asham were offerings for sins in which the offence given or the debt incurred by the misdeed admitted of some sort of estimation and recompense; so that, in addition to the atonement required for the iniquity, there might be the exaction and payment of a restitution. That this is the real import of the asham, as distinguished from the hattath or sin, is clear from the passage (Nu. 5:5-8), where the former is marked as a consequence of the latter, and such a consequence as admitted and demanded a material recompense. It was a reckoning for sin with a predominant respect to the social and economical evils growing out of it, or to the violation of rights involved in its commission. P. F.

Lev. 6:1-7. This is the latter part of the Law of the trespass-offering: the former part, which concerned trespasses about holy things, we had in the close of the foregoing chapter; this concerns trespasses in common things. 2, 3. Though all the instances relate to our neighbor, yet it is called a trespass against the

Lord; because, though the injury be done immediately to our neighbor, yet it reflects upon that God who has made the command of loving our neighbor second to that of loving himself. The trespasses instanced are (1) Denying a trust; If a man lie unto his neighbor in that which was delivered him to keep; or, which is worse, which was lent him for his use. If we claim that as our own which is only borrowed, left in our custody, or committed to our care, this is a trespass against the Lord, who, for the benefit of human society, will have property and truth maintained. (2) Defrauding a partner; If a man lie in fellowship, claiming a sole interest in that wherein he has but a joint interest. (3) Disowning a manifest wrong; If a man has the front to lie in a thing taken away by violence, which ordinarily cannot be hid. (4) Deceiving in commerce; or, as some think, by false accusation; if a man have deceitfully oppressed his neighbor, as some read it, either withholding what is due, or extorting what is not. (5) Detaining what is found, and denying it (verse 3); if a man have found that which was lost, he must not call it his own presently, but endeavor to find out the owner, to whom it must be returned; this is doing as we would be done by: but he that lies concerning it, that says he knows nothing of it, when he does, especially if he back that lie with a false oath, he trespasseth against the Lord, who to everything that is said is a witness, but in an oath he is the party appealed to, and highly affronted when he is called to witness to a lie. H.

4-7. The trespass-offering appointed. In the day of his trespass-offering he must make satisfaction to his brother. This must be first done; if thy brother hath aught against thee (verses 4, 5). Because he hath sinned and is guilty—that is, is convicted of his guilt by his own conscience, and is touched with remorse for it; seeing himself guilty before God, let him faithfully restore all that he has got by fraud or oppression, with a fifth part added, to make amends to the owner for the loss and trouble he had sustained in the mean time; let him account both for debt and damages. Where wrong has been done, restitution must be made; and till it is made to the utmost of our power, or an equivalent accepted by the person wronged, we cannot have the comfort of the forgiveness of the sin: for the keeping of what is unjustly got avows the taking, and both together make but one continued act of unrighteousness. To repent is to undo what we have done amiss, which (whatever we pretend) we cannot be said to do, till we restore what has been got by it, as Zaccheus (Luke 19:8), and make satisfaction for the wrong done. He must then come and offer his gift, must bring his trespass-offering to the Lord whom he had offended; and the priest must make an atonement for him (verses 6, 7). The trespasses here mentioned are trespasses still against the Law of Christ, which insists as much upon justice and truth as ever the law of nature, or the law of Moses did: and though now we may have them pardoned without a trespass-offering, yet not without true repentance, restitution, reformation, and an humble faith in the righteousness of Christ; and if any make the more bold with their sins, because they are not now put to the expense of a trespass-offering for them, they turn the grace of God into wantonness, and so bring upon themselves a swift destruction. The Lord is the avenger of all such (1 Thes. 4:6). H.

After restoration and the addition of the fifth part thereto, then the man was to go and see the pontiff of Israel and arrange about the offering of the ram. The process was not complete until the ram had been offered. Every social offence has a religious bearing; every wrong done in the market-place reports itself in heaven. Thus life is solemn: actions have rebounds and throbs and issues, often incalculable, often infinite. Nothing is settled until the root is made right, the fountain is purified, restoration is completed, compensation is effected, and prayer is said over the blood that atones. J. P.

The burnt-offering, the most ancient and extensive in its import of all, consumed wholly upon the altar, represented the general conviction of sinfulness, and the felt duty of a complete surrender of all the powers and faculties to God. In the peace or thank-offering, under its various forms, the feeling of sin is expressed in connection with particular mercies vouchsafed by, or expected from, God; in accordance with a deep and true sentiment pervading both the Old and New Testaments, that the loving-kindness of God awakens in the true Israelite a sense of his own unworthiness. In this species of sacrifice, after atonement is made man is seen in the enjoyment of perfect fellowship with God. The sin and trespass-offerings had reference to particular sins by which, though committed inadvertently (for wilful transgression no atonement was provided), fellowship with God had been interrupted, and by sacrificial cleansing must be restored. To all the atoning property belongs: in all the victim is slain, the blood is sprinkled by the priest: and only after this preliminary process, by which the person of the offerer was rendered acceptable, is communion with God enjoyed or recovered. Litton.

You will now perceive the reason for the great variety of the ancient sacrificial ritual. While the fundamental idea was the substitution of the life of the innocent victim for the forfeited life of the sinner, it was needful to provide many things of a collateral kind to bring out all the great truths that encircle the one central truth—the truths that are connected with the sinner’s reconciliation and restored fellowship with God. So also it was needful to give expression to the diversified phases of feeling which a sinner must embody in his worship. In the New Testament it was needful that the evangelists and apostles must set forth not only the great truth of the sacrificial death of Christ, but also develop something of the vast subjective theology that stands related to that great central truth—as, for instance, the actings of penitence and faith in the soul moved upon by the Holy Ghost, and the new ties and relations that grow out of the connection with Christ as a Saviour. So this ancient worship by ritual must, besides holding forth the atoning Christ in the burnt-offering, represent in a variety of offerings, purifications, and ritual provisions not only the various phases of the sinner’s views in relation to the great sacrifice, the different degrees of his guilt, the sense entertained by him of his sinfulness and his own relation to God, but also of his obligations to the mercy of God for restored peace, and all the glorious results flowing from his justification and his acceptable approach to God. Now this could not be done except by the institution of this great variety of sacrifices and purifications, suited to the ever-varying circumstances of the worshipper; or by the kinds of victims employed in the same sacrifice, and the particular ceremonies connected with the several parts of the offering. By this means opportunity was given to represent by symbols a great variety of states of soul and phases of feeling. Instead, therefore, of wondering at this variety of detail we should wonder at and adore the infinite wisdom and love which provided thus for teaching by symbols the way of salvation, adapted to the wants of every soul and to all classes and conditions of men. Just as rationally may we find fault with the details of the New Testament, which not only presents Christ crucified as the great objective truth, but brings out so fully every variety of views and feelings that arise in the soul viewing Christ crucified, as find fault with the details of the old ritual. The Gospel according to Moses differs from the Gospel according to the evangelists and the apostles not in theology, either objective or subjective, but only in presenting pictorially in its symbols and by type instead of historically the same great truth of salvation by a mediator and substitute, and the same phases of human need and experience in relation to this mediator, so that the exulting disciple, Philip, might well say to Nathaniel, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” S. R.

APPOINTED TIMES FOR WORSHIP, A COMPLETE AND SYMMETRICAL SCHEME. FEASTS AND HOLY CONVOCATIONS. THREE HISTORICAL FESTIVALS: THEIR DESIGN, EFFECTS, CHARACTERISTICS, AND SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS. EIGHTH-DAY SERIES. FOUR MARKS OF AUTHENTICITY.