Tyndale Open Study Notes

Verse 1

4:1–5:13 The sin offering (Hebrew khatta’t, from the root khata’, meaning “to lack, fall short, miss, fail”) was for specific unintentional violations of God’s commands (see also Num 15:22-29), intended to repair a loss or remedy a failure (e.g., Lev 5:1-4). Although we all sin, God will forgive us if we confess it (Gal 6:1; 1 Jn 1:8-9). But we are warned against sinning “brazenly” or “deliberately” (Num 15:30-31; Heb 6:4-6; 10:26-29).

Verse 3

4:3-21 These verses distinguish two types of sin offerings: (1) the offering given for the sin of the high priest (4:3, 20) and the entire Israelite community (4:13), and (2) the offering given for one of Israel’s leaders (4:22) and any of the common people (4:27). The former case required offering a bull, a large, expensive animal. It was not to be eaten (6:30) but was completely burned (4:12, 21), and some of its blood was presented in the Holy Place (4:6-7, 17-18). The latter case required a lesser animal—a male goat for a lay leader or a female sheep or goat for a common person. The priest ate a portion of the layperson’s offering (6:24-29), and the blood was presented at the bronze altar in the courtyard (4:25, 30). The distinction stresses the responsibilities of leaders. The offering was the same for the priest as for the entire people, and the lay leader’s offering was more than that of a common person. The New Testament also emphasizes the responsibility of religious leaders; those who teach (Jas 3:1) and those who serve as religious leaders (Matt 23:1-33; Luke 20:47) are judged more severely than those who follow them.

4:3 The high priest was designated by God and “anointed” (Hebrew mashiakh, “set apart by the ritual of anointing”) for a particular service. In 1 Sam 1:1—2 Kgs 25:30, anointing most often refers to Israel’s king (see 1 Sam 24:6; 2 Sam 1:14; 19:21). While all priests were anointed (Exod 40:13-15), here the term probably refers to the high priest because he was specially anointed for service in the Tabernacle (Lev 6:20; 8:12). Since the high priest was mediator for all of Israel, including lesser priests, his sin would bring guilt on the entire assembly (see “Community Identity” Theme Note). • Guilt results from violating God’s will; it is not just perceived or psychological guilt (see study note on 5:17-19).

Verse 5

4:5-6 The Tabernacle complex had a tent (sometimes called the “Tent of Meeting”; see study note on 1:1) at the west end of the courtyard. Inside the tent, the inner curtain divided the first room, the Holy Place, from the second, the Most Holy Place. The Most Holy Place contained the Ark of the Covenant (Exod 26:31-33) and was God’s throne room (see study note on Lev 1:1). Sprinkling the animal’s blood before the curtain (4:6, 17) and applying it to the horns of the incense altar (4:7, 18) was done to atone for the anointed priest or for the entire congregation. This action demonstrated the gravity of the offenses being atoned for (cp. 4:25, 30-35).

Verse 7

4:7 The altar for fragrant incense stood in front of the inner curtain, just outside the Most Holy Place (4:6). It had four protrusions resembling horns, as did the altar for burnt offerings (see study note on Exod 27:2). The priests burned incense on this altar to the Lord each morning and evening (Exod 30:1-10).

Verse 11

4:11-12 Only the offerings for the priest or the entire community were burned outside the camp. Perhaps this was commanded because the offering had figuratively absorbed the contamination of the high priest or the community and therefore had to be disposed of outside the camp. Those guilty were not to partake of or reap any benefit from their own sin offerings, even if they were priests (6:19-23).

Verse 15

4:15 The Hebrew term for elders is related to the word for beard. It implies mature but not necessarily elderly individuals. They were leaders of the community—typically, heads of families and tribes (cp. Exod 18:21-26; Deut 22:15-19). For this offering, the elders represented the entire people, as they would later in anointing David as king (2 Sam 5:3).

Verse 20

4:20 A similar form of the phrase they will be forgiven appears frequently in passages dealing with atonement (4:26, 31, 35; 5:10, 13, 16, 18; 6:7; 19:22; Num 15:25, 26, 28). God is willing to forgive a repentant person’s sin and restore him or her to the community of faith.

Verse 22

4:22-35 The sin offerings described in this passage atoned for laypersons, whether leaders or other Israelite citizens. These offerings could be eaten (contrast 4:3-21), and they involved lesser animals. The blood of the offering was disposed of in the courtyard of the Tabernacle and not carried to the Holy Place. As with the peace offering (ch 3), the fat and certain internal organs were burned on the altar. However, the rest of the meat from these offerings was given to the priest as food for himself and the males in his family (6:29), and it was to be eaten in a holy place (6:26; cp. 10:16-20). A lay leader was to offer a male goat (4:23), while a common layperson could offer a female goat or lamb. The animal’s lesser size and cost reflected the lesser influence of the common Israelite and, probably, their financial situation. Economic considerations allowed those who were poor to bring a pair of doves or young pigeons (5:7-8; 12:6, 8; cp. Luke 2:24). The desperately poor could offer two quarts of flour (Lev 5:11).

4:22 Israel’s leaders included the elders (see 4:15), tribal heads, and family heads (see Num 1:16, 44; 1 Kgs 8:1).

Verse 23

4:23 The male goat offered by a lay leader was a lesser offering than was required for the priest (a bull) but more than was required for a common person (4:28, 32). However, like all offerings used for securing atonement, the animal could have no defects (see 1:3).

Verse 24

4:24 at the place where burnt offerings are slaughtered: See 1:3-5.

Verse 25

4:25 blood . . . horns of the altar: Unlike the blood of the bull for the priest, the blood of the offering of a leader (4:25) or a common Israelite (4:30, 34) was not to be carried into the Holy Place. Also, a portion of the meat was to be eaten by the priest who offered it (6:24-29).

Verse 27

4:27-35 The common people, who had less responsibility than a priest or leader, were permitted the lesser offering of a female sheep or goat. A greater position brings greater responsibility (cp. Amos 3:2; Matt 25:14-30; Jas 3:1).