Part 5.1- The Trespass Offering

CHAPTER V. THE TRESPASS OFFERING (Leviticus 5:1-19,Leviticus 6:1-7). IN the ordinances of the burnt offering, the meat offering, and the peace offering, the offerings are not specially of commandment, but voluntary. " If any man of you," &c. But in the sin offering, the occasion is declared. " If any soul shall sin .... and be guilty, then let him bring," or "then he shall bring," &c. For though that which was signified in the three former offerings was both needed, and to be desired ; yet in the two latter, the righteousness of God, as the just Judge and Avenger of wrong, made the requirement of positive necessity and commandment. For in these cases there was sin, and without shedding of blood there could be no remission; for the blood was given by God to make atonement (Leviticus 7:11). The details of the trespass offering are given in Leviticus 5:1-19, Leviticus 6:1-7 : while the general " law " may be found in Leviticus 7:1-7. A similar arrangement has been observed in the previous offerings. The general law is mostly in accordance with that for the sin offering that was to be eaten. The animal was to be killed where the burnt offering was slain, and the blood sprinkled round about the altar. This is an important link of connection both in place and circumstance, showing all the offerings united in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who was at once the altar, the priest, and the sacrifice; the antitypical and perfect fulfillment of all. The parts to be offered on the altar are the same as those of the lamb for the peace offering. It is an offering made by fire, and though not said to be a sweet savour, it is pronounced most holy.

Every male among the priests shall eat of it in the holy place, and, as before in the sin offering, " there is one law for them : the priest that maketh atonement therewith shall have it" (Leviticus 7:7).

Thus far as to the law specified in Leviticus 7:1-7. We have atonement for the trespass, acceptance of the offering, and participation in it, feeding upon it-upon that which had atoned, and had been accepted. In the special directions for the ordinance, and the occasions on which it is commanded to be offered, we have, in the first place, three instances given.

I. The hearing the voice of swearing, or the adjuration of the priest, as to the knowledge of some sin committed by another, and not uttering it.

II. The touching of any unclean thing.

III. Swearing, pronouncing with the lips to do good or evil.

I. The unrebuked observance of sin in others is sin and a trespass against the Lord. Therefore the Lord Jesus challenged the Jews who stood round about the woman taken in adultery, " Let him that is without sin cast the first stone." They did not dare to accept the challenge, and were thus. self-condemned; for He only bade them do what the law commanded. But He Himself, when brought before the high priest and council, stood unconvicted of sin even by false witnesses. Nor had He any sin to confess there, of His own or others, before those who, according to the law, were in God’s place to punish it; for He came to put away sin, and though He would bear it all, was Himself spotless. And so, to the adjuration of the high priest, the only one which could be presented to Him, He confesses Himself the Son of God. Nor was there ever another who could thus meet the adjuration by the living God.

II. The touching or coming in contact with defilement . Our condition in this respect is shown, as in the former, by contrast with the Lord Jesus Christ, Who alone could come into the midst of defilement, and live in daily contact with it, without pollution: but in our own case the pollution cleaves to us, and is a trespass in the sight of God, the Holy One.

III. Swearing, &c. In this third instance also, our condition is strongly marked by contrast with Him Who knew no sin, but perfectly understood and was conformed to the will of God in all things. Vows were appointed or permitted under the law; but the very principle of any vow is here shown to have sin, to come of evil, and to need atonement. To purpose to do evil is in itself sin. And so the swearing to do good by those who have no power to do it, and consequently fail in that which they have sworn, is also a trespass (Matthew 5:34). In such cases, then, the trespass offering was commanded as soon as the guilt was known, and confession of the sin was required. The trial of ourselves, in any one of these instances, by the Word of God will soon reveal to us our trespasses. And although in none of the examples given is the sin of a wilful or presumptuous character, yet it is actual sin; for it is the outworking of that which is within us. Thus, then, it is said that, for his sin which he hath sinned he shall bring his trespass offering, " a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering." The Church, as noticed before, is probably in question here. And so we have not the perfect sin offering, the bullock without blemish ; for this is an instance in which, not merely the sin in nature and in principle is in question (God only understands that fully; while we judge of it rather by that which was required to put it away-the precious blood of Christ), but the actual proof and experience of it. And now we have a distinct mention of that which has been implied before:-" If he be not able to bring a lamb," &c. This concession probably points to the effect of sin in debasing, enfeebling, and rendering dim, our very apprehension of its evil, as well as of the holiness of God, and the perfection of Christ. In case of poverty, then, it is permitted to bring two turtle-doves, or young pigeons, one for a sin offering, the other for a burnt offering. The sin offering was to be offered first, a hint by the way that atonement for sin must go before acceptance. As in other instances of this kind, there is implied a slight deficiency in the apprehension of the blessing. The blood in the general ordinance is to be sprinkled round about upon the altar, but here upon the side of the altar. So in other particulars. The bird is not to be divided asunder; it is a sin offering. Nor is it said where it should be offered; but none of it was placed upon the altar of burnt offering. The second bird is then offered, according to the manner (Leviticus 1:14) for a burnt offering: and then the atonement is made, and the sin forgiven. But further; if he be not able to bring these things, there is a provision made ; for God would not have the consciousness of unatoned sin remaining in any of His children. Therefore, he may bring "the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering;" but no oil or frankincense must be put on it. Of this a memorial is to be burnt for an offering by fire; and, the atonement being made, the remnant shall be the priest’s for a meat offering.

Thus the trespass offering might be of fine flour as the meat offering ; and the understanding of the weakest and the simplest was considered for the end proposed-that of removing the consciousness of guilt. There was no blood in this case; yet there was some, if but a very dim, understanding of the work of Christ: and this is also indicated by the specified quantity of flour to be used, viz., the tenth part of an ephah, which was merely the quantity requisite for daily food. The Israelites gathered each an omer of manna for the day, and the Lord tells us (Exodus 16:36) that " an omer is the tenth part of an ephah."

We must have a daily knowledge of our portion in Christ, however imperfect it may be in detail; or otherwise, there must remain the consciousness of guilt not put away, the terror of unpardoned sin. In this last offering, then, there is participation in Christ, and a knowledge of acceptance in the memorial burnt. But there is no frankincense; the fragrance that is entirely God’s is not there. Neither is there any oil, a deficiency which may perhaps point to the Holy Ghost grieved or quenched, so that there is no realizing sense of His presence remaining.

Thus, in the substitution of the meat offering for the sin offering, there is pardon known ; but many things are wanting, and the sense of forgiveness is feeble, no more than a daily portion.

Leviticus 5:14. We have then another case specified in which the trespass offering would be required, that of "sin through ignorance in the holy things of the Lord." This is marked as a special ordinance by the preface, " The Lord spake unto Moses." In Leviticus 22:14, the sin is explained to be the eating of holy things by one who is not a priest. Generally, it would be the doing anything unconsciously which was lawful only to the anointed priests. And the sin is probably manifested in us when we attempt to partake of the privileges which belong to us as priests only, and are not realizing the character in which we are permitted to do so, but have no remembrance or consciousness that the holy anointing oil of God is upon us. For this sin the trespass offering is a ram, a male of the flock, to be offered in the usual manner. But there were also amends to be made according to the estimation of the priest, by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary; and the fifth part was to be added thereto.

Probably this may show that there is no advantage, but rather loss, in our heedless and thoughtless assumption of the holy privileges to which we are called. For God has appointed that priests alone shall enjoy these, men upon whom both the cleansing blood and the holy oil have been placed. There is often a hasty freedom, a rashness, in our familiarity with holy things, which seems to be here rebuked; for a measure of it, perhaps, cleaves to all of us, and requires the special atonement of the trespass offering. In Leviticus 27:1-34 we learn that all estimations were to be by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary; and that, when a beast, house, or field, were to be redeemed, a fifth of the value should be added to the estimate.

It is said that a shekel is twenty gerahs. And in Exodus 30:1-38, the atonement for the soul, when the children of Israel were numbered, was half of this shekel.

Again, in Numbers 3:44, for the first born of the children of Israel, which were more than the Levites, the redemption was five such shekels. And we learn in Ezekiel 45:10-12, that these quantities are spoken of by the Lord as constituting just balances, &c.

Hence we may gather that, while the place of privilege and blessing into which the Lord has brought His people is altogether of grace, yet that He deals with them, when they are there, in righteousness. " The time is come when judgment must begin at the house of God." " The Father judgeth without respect of persons, according to every man’s work." " He that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption."

Leviticus 5:17. The next case is:-" If a soul sin, and commit any of those things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord." This seems to be, in some respects, a summary of the whole, and to show the general character of the trespass offering.

God has given directions for the walk of His people in all things; but there may be, and there is, ignorance of the mind of the Lord, so that " in many things we offend all." But, though a man wist it not, yet’he is guilty, and shall bear his iniquity. The atonement made for him is declared to be concerning his ignorance, and the offering is a ram, while the ordinance is general.

One perfect man there was Who could "bridle his tongue:" for in Him was no guile, and iniquity was not found in His mouth. He is our trespass offering (Leviticus 6:1-7). In the two former instances, the trespass against the Lord consisted in " sin through ignorance in the holy things of the Lord," and in " doing things forbidden by the commandments of the Lord." These are classed under one head. The next is the subject of a separate ordinance. In it the trespass against the Lord consists in a man’s lying to his neighbour, &c.; but the trespass is specially said to be against the Lord.

These, though not presumptuous sins, are manifest acts of sin, and on that account are, perhaps, specially said to be trespasses against the Lord. Consequently, this instance is a still further unfolding of the grace of God and the sufficiency of Christ, showing that His atoning and cleansing blood reaches in its effects to all sin. It is the refusal to bring the trespass-offering that would alone leave any in the awful condition of being unpardoned before God. This is the sacrifice; but there remaineth no other, and the entire disregard of this and continuing in sin would be treading under foot the blood of the Son of God, counting the blood of the covenant an unholy thing. The sins now mentioned are those natural workings of the evil and corruption within, against which we are warned in the preceptive portions of the epistles to the Churches. The imperfection of these offerings is shown in their having to be offered continually. But we know the one perfect offering, and are therefore in circumstances to understand what the Lord here sets before us concerning it in type. Moreover, we know that the sacrifice in which we are privileged to partake is of Him "which was dead and is alive, and behold! He liveth for evermore." And upon the ground of this knowledge it is said to us (Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:9), in immediate connection with our participation in the sacrifice death and resurrection of Christ, " Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour," "seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him." But generally in this offering, the sins specified seem to be the giving way to the natural evil and selfishness of the heart by acting on its suggestions. There is mention of falsehood, breach of trust, violence, and deception. The character of the sin is also shown in this, as in the two former cases, by the command that restitution be made by estimation, with the fifth part added, according to the estimation by the shekel of the sanctuary, which was just. The doing of such things is not only shown to be entirely unprofitable, but to be also attended with actual loss, and the loss in this ordinance is of silver, which is purity.

Through this offering the trespass against God is forgiven, but we are warned that he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done, and there is no respect of persons " (Colossians 3:24). The offering is " a ram without blemish .... with thy estimation." The latter direction must be diligently carried out. For otherwise the trespass would become persistent sin, wilful and presumptuous. The remainder of the ordinance is general.