“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:”
Ignorance. To be ignorant of what we are bound to know is sinful: and for such culpable ignorance, these sacrifices, prescribed in this and the following chapter, were appointed. (Challoner) — Not to be done. Hence the Rabbins admit sins of ignorance, only against the negative precepts. But when God forbids one thing, he commands the contrary; and we may sin by ignorance against any of his ordinances. If the ignorance be voluntary, it enhances the crime; and Aristotle well observes that drunkards, who do an injury, are to be doubly punished, because their fault is voluntary in its cause, (ad Nicom. iii. 7). But if the ignorance were perfectly involuntary, and inculpable, no sacrifice was required; so that God here speaks only of that sort of ignorance which involved some degree of negligence. This fault could not be forgiven without interior good dispositions. The sacrifice only reached to the cleansing of the flesh, (Hebrews ix. 13,) or to screen the culprit from the severity of the law and of the magistrates; (Calmet) though they might help the inward dispositions of the heart, and thus contribute to obtain God’s pardon. (Origen; St. Augustine, q. 20) The difference between peccatum and delictum, is not perfectly ascertained. Some think the former word denotes sins of malice, and the latter those of ignorance. Tirinus maintains the contrary, as a more costly sacrifice, he says, is required for the latter. (Haydock)
“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.”
Calf. Hebrew par, does not specify the age. (Calmet)
“And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock's blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation:”
The blood. As the figure of the blood of Christ shed for the remission of our sins; and carried by him into the sanctuary of heaven.
“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.”
Seven. A number consecrated in Scripture, (Calmet) and not superstitious. (Worthington) — Apuleius (Met. xi.) mentions it. Septies submerso fluctibus capite. (Calmet) — Sanctuary, or most holy place. (Menochius)
“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. without: Heb. to without the camp where: Heb. at the pouring out of the ashes”
Ashes of the victims. They were first laid beside the altar of holocausts. By this ceremony, the priest begged that his sins might be removed from the sight of God, (Menochius) by virtue of Christ’s sacrifice, who suffered out of the gate of Jerusalem, Hebrews xiii. 13. The high priest was obliged to offer this sacrifice himself, to expiate his own sin, as well as that of the people, Hebrews ix. 7.
“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;”
Multitude assembled. Septuagint add, “be involuntarily ignorant, and no one of the congregation perceive the truth, (or word,) and shall transgress, by commission or omission, one of all the precepts of the Lord.” Such was the offence of Saul and the people, 1 Kings xiv. 33. On these occasions, the elders were to put their hands on the victim, to acknowledge the general offence, if it were not of too heinous a nature to be expiated by sacrifice. See Deuteronomy xiii. 12.
“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;”
A prince. King, magistrate, general, chief of a tribe, or great family; in a word, one elevated above the rest (Nasi), as appears, Numbers i. 4. and vii. 2.
“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.”
He. Samaritan and Septuagint read, “they shall have,” referring it to the priests.
“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.”
Him. Moses does not here specify what was to be done with the flesh. But (chap. vi. 26,) he commands it to be given to the priests. (Calmet) — In the sacrifices for the sins of the multitude, or of the priest, all was consumed; to express a greater detestation of such offences, (Tirinus) and that the priests might derive no benefit from them. (Theodoret, q. 3.; St. Thomas Aquinas i. 2, q. 102, a. 3.) (Worthington) — Those who offered these victims received no part of them again, nor were oil or incense used; as all delicacies must be rejected by penitents. (Tirinus)
“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; any one: Heb. any soul common: Heb. people of the land”
The land. A rustic or plebeian. (Menochius) — The offences of such might be expiated by the sacrifice of a goat, ewe, lamb, ram, two pigeons, or flour, chap. v. 7. and xi. 15. (Calmet)
“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.”
Of, &c. One Hebrew manuscript, the Septuagint, and Syriac read, “in the place in which he shall slay the holocaust.” The Samaritan has they slay, both here and ver. 24. and 33, which seems the truer reading. (Kennicott)
“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.”
For a. Hebrew may be “according to, like (Haydock) upon, besides, after the holocausts.” (Calmet) See chap. iii. 5.