Topical Bible: Priest: To offer for his own Sins of Ignorance

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In the Old Testament, the role of the priest was central to the religious life of Israel, serving as a mediator between God and the people. One of the critical responsibilities of the priest was to offer sacrifices for sins, including his own sins of ignorance. This aspect of the priestly duty underscores the holiness required of those who serve in the presence of God and the need for atonement even for unintentional transgressions.

Biblical Foundation

The requirement for priests to offer sacrifices for their own sins of ignorance is rooted in the Levitical law. Leviticus 4:3-12 outlines the procedure for a priest who has sinned unintentionally, thereby bringing guilt upon the people. The passage states:

"If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the LORD a young bull without blemish as a sin offering for the sin he has committed. He is to present the bull at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting before the LORD, lay his hand on its head, and slaughter it before the LORD. Then the anointed priest shall take some of the bull’s blood and bring it into the Tent of Meeting. He is to dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD in front of the veil of the sanctuary. The priest must then apply some of the blood to the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the LORD in the Tent of Meeting. The rest of the bull’s blood he is to pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. He must remove all the fat from the bull of the sin offering—the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on them, both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys—just as the fat is removed from the ox of the peace offering. The priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering. But the hide of the bull and all its flesh, with its head and legs and its entrails and dung—all the rest of the bull—he must take outside the camp to a ceremonially clean place, to the ash heap, and burn it there on a wood fire; it is to be burned on the ash heap." (Leviticus 4:3-12)

Theological Significance

The requirement for priests to offer sacrifices for their own sins of ignorance highlights the concept of holiness and the need for purification. Even those set apart for sacred duties were not exempt from sin and required atonement. This practice served as a reminder of the pervasive nature of sin and the necessity of maintaining a right relationship with God.

The priest's offering for his own sins also prefigures the ultimate High Priest, Jesus Christ, who, unlike the Levitical priests, was without sin. Hebrews 7:27 contrasts the Levitical priests with Christ, stating, "Unlike the other high priests, He does not need to offer daily sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people; He sacrificed for sin once for all when He offered up Himself."

Practical Implications

For the ancient Israelites, the priest's offering for his own sins of ignorance served as a powerful symbol of the need for personal and communal purity. It reinforced the understanding that sin, whether intentional or unintentional, required atonement and that the priest, as a representative of the people, bore a significant responsibility in maintaining the sanctity of the community.

In contemporary Christian thought, this aspect of the priestly role underscores the importance of humility and accountability among spiritual leaders. It serves as a reminder that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and that leaders, too, must seek forgiveness and strive for holiness in their service to God and His people.

Nave's Topical Index

Leviticus 4:3-12
If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he has sinned, a young bullock without blemish to the LORD for a sin offering.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Great High-Priest.
... from the sinners around Him.[72] He has no need to offer sacrifice for any sin of
His own, but only ... but the word of the oath makes the Son Priest, Who has ...
/.../chapter iv the great high-priest.htm

High Priest
... order of Melchizedec." Christ is the only priest, holy, harmless ... daily, as those
high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then ...
/.../conversion of a high priest into a christian worker/chapter iv high priest.htm

The Day of Atonement
... there is our poor prayer that we shall offer: it is a ... on one day in the year might
the high priest enter within ... Rest from your works as God did from his on the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/the day of atonement.htm

Separation to God.
... to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the priest shall offer the
one ... the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was ...
/.../taylor/separation and service/part i separation to god.htm

Christ's Priestly Office
... of the twelve tribes only upon his breast: so Christ goes into heaven with the names
of the elect only upon his breast. ... The priest might offer up prayers ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/4 christs priestly office.htm

Whether a Suitable Cause Can be Assigned for the Ceremonies which ...
... bound to God, chiefly on account of His majesty; secondly ... while a calf was offered
for a priest's ignorance, and a ... at their disposal, might at least offer a bird ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether a suitable cause can.htm

Concerning the Festivals; and How Each Day of Such Festival is to ...
... the goats, and sprinkled the ceiling with his finger seven ... The high priest likewise
presents a ram to God ... a festival for eight days, and offer burnt-offerings ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 10 concerning the festivals.htm

"This is his Commandment, That," &C.
... Take his obedience and suffering for your cure, and present me with that, I ... our life
and salvation in him, to take him as a priest to offer sacrifice for us ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon ii this is his.htm

Book 15 Footnotes
... drowned, for he was not seventeen when he was made high priest, ch.2 ... he used every
day of the whole year to offer a sacrifice for his sins of ignorance ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 15 footnotes.htm

Secret Sins
... can understand his errors?" and then to offer this prayer ... that every true believer
must confess his sins, all of them, once a year to the priest, and they ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/secret sins.htm