- “If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the Lord a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.” At the top of the list of people that God highlights is the priest. Why is that so? Does this mean that those who are understood to be doing God’s work have to be particularly careful?
I think so. Of all people, they should be most knowledgeable and sensitive to God’s concerns about sin. Moreover they are the church’s guiding lights in regard to spirituality.
- “If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, when they realize their guilt and the sin they committed becomes known, the assembly must bring a young bull as a sin offering and present it before the tent of meeting.” Another area of sin that we would rarely concern ourselves with is corporate sin. How could corporate sin (something that the whole community takes responsibility for) take place?
It is strange but perhaps we should consider how much we sin when performing the act of worship, considering the disparity between the truth in our hearts and the things we say and sing. The response should not be to stop going to Sunday services but to be aware of our failure to meet the standard. After all, our intention is good.
When the church is self-occupied in her practices and actions and has little time (if any) for the community that they live among. After all, God commands us to love our neighbour.
- “When a leader sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the commands of the Lord his God, when he realizes his guilt and the sin he has committed becomes known, he must bring as his offering a male goat without defect.” Why is a leader differentiated from an ordinary member (see vv27-28)?
Because he leads the community and so his spiritual righteousness is especially important. He is to be a model of spiritual uprightness for the community. As a leader he is in a position to make decisions for the community and thus bear greater responsibility.
- “If anyone sins because they do not speak up when they hear a public charge to testify regarding something they have seen or learned about, they will be held responsible.” The sin of omission, here described as not speaking up when you know the truth, also needs to be dealt with with a sin offering. James broadens this whole category of sin in James 4:17, saying “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” Is this something we should be concerned about, seeing that it is so broad? How should we deal with it?
I think the case in Leviticus specifically highlights awareness and the fact that their omission will distort or diminish truth and justice. In the James passage, the context is about a man whose life is wrapped up in personal gain and profit, omitting God and good. I don’t think that the text is necessarily about specific acts of good but rather about the larger purpose of life to be an agent for good.