Leviticus 5:1-13
What happens when you discover that you’ve sinned after the fact? You did not know something was sinful that you did but then later on, discover it was a sin?
There are two really important truths we discover as we consider the first half of this Chapter: First is that sin is still sin even if it is done without malice or even unknowingly. Even these sins require restitution. Second, God has made a way for all people from all walks of life and social classes to be forgiven.
1. Sins Without Malice and Unknown Sins (5:1-6)
5 “If anyone sins in that he hears a public adjuration to testify, and though he is a witness, whether he has seen or come to know the matter, yet does not speak, he shall bear his iniquity; 2 or if anyone touches an unclean thing, whether a carcass of an unclean wild animal or a carcass of unclean livestock or a carcass of unclean swarming things, and it is hidden from him and he has become unclean, and he realizes his guilt; 3 or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort the uncleanness may be with which one becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and realizes his guilt; 4 or if anyone utters with his lips a rash oath to do evil or to do good, any sort of rash oath that people swear, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and he realizes his guilt in any of these; 5 when he realizes his guilt in any of these and confesses the sin he has committed, 6 he shall bring to the Lord as his compensation for the sin that he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin.
Here we see sins that when committed were unknown. Many commentators call these sins of omission but I’m inclined to say that omission means sins that are things you knew you should do but you did not do.
James 4:17 (ESV)
17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
James teaches us that sin can also be something you know you should do but then you don’t do it. This can be sin as much as things you know you should not do but you do it anyway.
It seems the first example from our text could very well fall into the category of sins of omission. The others, while still sin, were unknown at the time but then the sinner becomes aware later.
The first example is someone is a witness to some sort of crime and there is a call to testify and the person does not go forward to speak. There is the phrase, comes to know the matter which is somewhat general in nature and difficult to determine what it refers to. Did he come to know the crime in some way or did he come to know about the court date and then when did this knowledge come to him?
The second and third examples deal with uncleanness of the worshipper. At some point, they come in contact with an unclean animal. The fourth example is that the worshipper comes in contact with human uncleanness.
In all these cases, the person only after the fact becomes aware either that he did it or that it is sin.
5 when he realizes his guilt in any of these and confesses the sin he has committed, 6 he shall bring to the Lord as his compensation for the sin that he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin.
The person realizes, confesses and then brings to the Lord his compensation. In this case it is a female from the flock either a lamb or a goat.
The priest shall then make atonement for him, for his sin.
These sins were discovered either by the person on his own or by someone else bringing them to his attention. Again, either way restitution is required. Here the Bible calls this compensation. That is a very interesting term because what it means is what we discover in other places in the Bible that is ultimately, all sin is sin against God, therefore, it stands to reason God would be compensated.
2. Access to God for All People (5:7-13)
7 “But if he cannot afford a lamb, then he shall bring to the Lord as his compensation for the sin that he has committed two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. 8 He shall bring them to the priest, who shall offer first the one for the sin offering. He shall wring its head from its neck but shall not sever it completely, 9 and he shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar; it is a sin offering. 10 Then he shall offer the second for a burnt offering according to the rule. And the priest shall make atonement for him for the sin that he has committed, and he shall be forgiven.
11 “But if he cannot afford two turtledoves or two pigeons, then he shall bring as his offering for the sin that he has committed a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering. He shall put no oil on it and shall put no frankincense on it, for it is a sin offering. 12 And he shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take a handful of it as its memorial portion and burn this on the altar, on the Lord’s food offerings; it is a sin offering. 13 Thus the priest shall make atonement for him for the sin which he has committed in any one of these things, and he shall be forgiven. And the remainder shall be for the priest, as in the grain offering.”
What we are to see here is that with God there is not statute of limitation, a sacrifice could always be brought no matter how long it was since the sin was committed. A sin twenty years ago that was just found out could be atoned for in the right manner. Secondly, access to God is available for all people. Here, whether one is rich or poor there was still access to God.
This shows the kindness of God in Him treating all classes of people the same.
Acts 10:34–35 (ESV)
34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
This wonderful provision of God to the poor helps us understand Joseph and Mary’s situation a little better.
Luke 2:22–24 (ESV)
22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”
Here, Mary due to childbirth is considered unclean. The point that I’m out to make is that rather than bringing a lamb or a goat for her rite of purification, she brought two turtledoves or two young pigeons. The point is they were not the poorest in Israel but also not among the wealthy. For them to bring two approved doves or pigeons tells us that Jesus was from very humble beginnings.
It is fitting for Jesus to be of a humble estate because God the Father here has made a path for the poor to come to Him.
The Trinity is of course consistent in this same care for the poor. God includes the poor in His sacrificial system.
3. The Poor Are Included in Jesus’ Ministry
Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom to the poor. Not only did He preach to the poor but the very act of preaching to the poor, those with little to no hope, those who were outcast in society showed the world that He was the long-awaited Messiah. His target audience, the poor, showed God’s heart. So, we see these offerings and sacrifices given true reality when Jesus spoke to them, preached to them, called them to repentance and healed them. It was the poor who, for the most part, believed His message.
Luke 4:16–30 (ESV)
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” 23 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘ “Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’ ” 24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, he went away.
I wonder if you find their reaction somewhat strange? In verse 22, they all spoke well of Him. Then, they began their antagonistic bent. This is just Joseph’s son…this is not God’s Son. Luke 3, is proof that Jesus is God’s Son.
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
Then Jesus begins speaking to them prophetically and telling them that He has no honor in Nazareth. The point is that God is moving to reject those who live there and are in attendance in this synagogue because they do not believe.
The poor are those who don’t have a place among those in the synagogue. From man’s perspective they are the unwanted trouble.
The is a great divine switch here in this passage. It’s at the beginning of our Lord’s ministry and it will be a preview of what is to come. Notice, Jesus came for the poor. So, those who have worked for their salvation in Judaism are actually the ones left outside with no place among the people of God. Jesus has come to do the great shift. Those who think they are righteous are actually the ones who are not God’s people. The ones on the outside who when they hear Jesus believe are the ones God accepts as His people.
It is through Jesus that God has opened the door for the poor to enter into His family. Poor here means social and religious outcasts. Those who were not given a place in Israel’s religious life.
You see, in the sacrifice, God gave the poor a place. They too were invited to partake of grace and forgiveness. They too had a place in God’s family.
The problem in Israel was that their view of the poor did not align with God’s view.
We can and should praise God that Jesus came to preach the Gospel to the poor etc. He is the Savior for all people. Kings and Lepers hear the Good News, there is no difference because all are sinners and all must respond to the Gospel for salvation.
Jesus proclaimed…to proclaim means declaring something already a reality.
to proclaim good news to the poor. Good News to the poor…by grace they were included and admitted into God’s family.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives. He has proclaimed liberty to the captives. The literal translation is to proclaim for the captives, release.
He has sent me to recovering of sight to the blind, this is physical sight but also that is but a symbol that they would all, not just the physical blind but all who believe will receive spiritual sight.
to set at liberty those who are oppressed, here again, to send forth the oppressed in release.
Luke has repeated references to the poor and to the idea of release. This is the release from sin. Or probably just as good if not better would be forgiveness of sin.
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
From Isaiah 61…This is Jubilee, release of the slaves. This is God’s jubilee when all who trust Christ are made free. Jesus is presented as God’s Herald of the year of God’s favor.
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