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Leviticus iv.
Notes & Commentary:
Ver. 2. 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)
Ver. 3. Anointed.
That is, "the high priest," Septuagint. Inferior priests were not anointed, except the sons of Aaron, at the beginning. (Calmet)
--- Ignorance in such a one is greatly to be avoided, as it tends to scandalize the people. (Haydock) --- The same ceremonies
are prescribed, as on the day of expiation; only the priest did not enter the most holy place. --- Offend, in some
smaller matter. If he engaged his brethren in the crime of idolatry, he should die, Deuteronomy xiii. 15. (Calmet) --- Before
the solemn unction, he might be expiated, like one of the princes. (Menochius)
Ver. 3. Calf.
Hebrew par, does not specify the age. (Calmet)
Ver. 5. 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.
Ver. 6. 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)
Ver. 12. 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.
Ver. 13. 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.
Ver. 22. 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.
Ver. 24. He.
Samaritan and Septuagint read, "they shall have," referring it to the priests.
Ver. 26. 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)
Ver. 27. 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)
Ver. 29. 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)
Ver. 35. For
a. Hebrew may be "according to, like (Haydock) upon, besides, after the holocausts." (Calmet) See chap. iii. 5.
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Bible Text & Cross-references:
Of offerings for sins of ignorance.
1 And the Lord spoke to Moses,* saying:
2 Say to the children of Israel: The soul that sinneth through ignorance,
and doth any thing concerning any of the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded not to be done:
3 If the priest that is anointed shall sin, making the people to offend,
he shall offer to the Lord for his sin, a calf without blemish.
4 And he shall bring it to the door of the testimony before the Lord,
and shall put his hand upon the head thereof, and shall sacrifice it to the Lord.
5 He shall take also of the blood of the calf, and carry it into the
tabernacle of the testimony.
6 And having dipped his finger in the blood, he shall sprinkle with it
seven times before the Lord, before the veil of the sanctuary.
7 And he shall put some of the same blood upon the horns of the altar
of the sweet incense most acceptable to the Lord, which is in the tabernacle of the testimony. And he shall pour all the rest
of the blood at the foot of the altar of holocaust in the entry of the tabernacle.
8 And he shall take off the fat of the calf for the sin-offering, as
well that which covereth the entrails, as all the inwards:
9 The two little kidneys, and the caul that is upon them which is by
the flanks, and the fat of the liver, with the little kidneys,
10 As it is taken off from the calf of the sacrifice of peace-offerings,
and he shall burn them upon the altar of holocaust.
11 But the skin and all the flesh, with the head and the feet, and the
bowels, and the dung,
12 And the rest of the body, he shall carry forth without the camp into
a clean place, where the ashes are wont to be poured out: and he shall burn them upon a pile of wood, they shall be burnt
in the place where the ashes are poured out.
13 And if all the multitude of Israel shall be ignorant, and through
ignorance shall do that which is against the commandment of the Lord,
14 And afterwards shall understand their sin, they shall offer for their
sin a calf, and shall bring it to the door of the tabernacle.
15 And the ancients of the people shall put their hands upon the head
thereof before the Lord. And the calf being immolated in the sight of the Lord,
16 The priest that is anointed, shall carry of the blood into the tabernacle
of the testimony.
17 And shall dip his finger in it and sprinkle it, seven times before
the veil.
18 And he shall put of the same blood on the horns of the altar that
is before the Lord, in the tabernacle of the testimony: and the rest of the blood, he shall pour at the foot of the altar
of holocaust, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the testimony.
19 And all the fat thereof he shall take off, and shall burn it upon
the altar:
20 Doing so with this calf, as he did also with that before: and the
priest praying for them, the Lord will be merciful unto them.
21 But the calf itself he shall carry forth without the camp, and shall
burn it as he did the former calf: because it is for the sin of the multitude.
22 If a prince shall sin, and through ignorance do any one of the things
that the law of the Lord forbiddeth,
23 And afterwards shall come to know his sin, he shall offer a buck-goat
without blemish, a sacrifice to the Lord.
24 And he shall put his hand upon the head thereof; and when he hath
immolated it in the place where the holocaust is wont to be slain before the Lord, because it is for sin,
25 The priest shall dip his finger in the blood of the victim for sin,
touching therewith the horns of the altar of holocaust, and pouring out the rest at the foot thereof.
26 But the fat he shall burn upon it, as is wont to be done with the
victims of peace-offerings: and the priest shall pray for him, and for his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.
27 And if any one of the people of the land shall sin through ignorance,
doing any of those things that by the law of the Lord are forbidden, and offending,
28 And shall come to know his sin, he shall offer a she-goat without
blemish.
29 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the victim that is for
sin, and shall immolate it in the place of the holocaust.
30 And the priest shall take of the blood with his finger, and shall
touch the horns of the altar of holocaust, and shall pour out the rest at the foot thereof.
31 But taking off all the fat, as is wont to be taken away of the victims
of peace-offerings, he shall burn it upon the altar, for a sweet savour to the Lord: and he shall pray for him, and it shall
be forgiven him.
32 But if he offer of the flock a victim for his sin, to wit, an ewe
without blemish:
33 He shall put his hand upon the head thereof, and shall immolate it
in the place where the victims of holocausts are wont to be slain.
34 And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and
shall touch the horns of the altar of holocaust, and the rest he shall pour out at the foot thereof.
35 All the fat also he shall take off, as the fat of the ram that is
offered for peace-offerings is wont to be taken away: and shall burn it upon the altar, for a burnt-sacrifice of the Lord:
and he shall pray for him and for his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.
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1: Year of the World 2514.
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