Numbers 15:24, commentary and pictures

When the whole congregation commits sin unknowingly and without realizing it, it is to offer a young bull as a burnt offering with its grain and drink offering in the appointed way, together with a young goat as a sin offering. Forgiveness comes when the priest makes atonement for the congregation, and they are forgiven because the sin was done in ignorance. Such ignorance does not make the act harmless or a mere mistake, for it is still sin and guilt that remains until atonement is made. Sins done unknowingly are less serious and less heinous than sins done presumptuously, yet they must be repented of and the appointed offering made as soon as the sin becomes known. Willful presumptuous sin has no remedy in these offerings, and the one who persists in it is cut off.

The Offering Prescribed

If ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the Lord, with its meat or grain offering and its drink offering according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering. The offering is required when the whole congregation breaks the commandments unknowingly, and the whole congregation is counted guilty even though the transgression was not known. People can sin without knowing it and without feeling guilty, and when the sin comes to knowledge steps must be taken to secure forgiveness. Forgiveness for that unknowing sin of the congregation comes through the priest making atonement for them, and then it shall be forgiven them because it was ignorance.

The same one law covers all the congregation of Israel and the stranger sojourning among them, placing resident foreigners on equal standing with Israelites in the congregation and under its religious ordinances. The individual soul sinning ignorantly is covered under that one law as well as the congregation. The prescribed offerings apply to sins committed unknowingly and repented of once they are made known, and they provide no remedy for those who persist willfully in sin. Unlike sins of ignorance that are atoned for, presumptuous sins are punishable by death, and the willful sinner persisting in sin is cut off from Israel and from life.

The ordinance belongs to subsidiary laws given through Moses rather than to the eternal constitution of government in the Ten Commandments. Such sanitary or police regulations were adapted to that people, that time, and their wilderness surroundings, and are temporary and distinguishable in nature from the Decalogue, which in its very nature is eternal and in moral principle unrepealable. In that setting the law deals with special flagrant cases of presumptuous sin such as the stoning of the man who in defiance gathered sticks on the Sabbath. The chapter in which it stands shows Sabbath breaking to be abhorrent to God, grouped with slander and unbelief, and teaches what an acceptable offering is.

Ignorance, Guilt, and Duty

A wrong done without the congregation knowing it is still a transgression of the commandments and still lays guilt upon the whole congregation, and that guilt is not removed by the lack of knowledge or of any feeling of guilt. Ignorance does not make the act harmless and does not turn it into a mere mistake, and unless atonement is made the sin remains. The congregation in that case was to bring a young bull for a burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering and a goat for a sin offering, and through the priest's atonement forgiveness was granted because the sin was ignorance. The same provision covered the individual soul sinning ignorantly, and one law in this matter covered Israel and the resident stranger.

Sins done unknowingly are still sins even while unknown, yet they are less serious and less heinous in the Lord's sight than sins done presumptuously. When they become known they still call for repentance and forgiveness.

The appointed offerings were for sins committed unknowingly and repented of once made known, and they gave no remedy to those who persisted willfully in sin. A person may sin and be ignorant of it, but when the sin comes to his knowledge he is held guilty and must take steps and bring what is required in order to be forgiven and secure forgiveness. Sincerity in a wrong course does not take the place of right action, so the light of truth must be followed as soon as it is made known. This holds for those who learn by the law that they have broken the Sabbath, who upon coming to that knowledge must act to obtain forgiveness.

The required sacrifice set forth the desert of sin and the necessity of atonement and pointed forward to the present time in which atonement is made. The same truth is taught in the New Testament, where Paul obtained mercy with abundant grace with faith and love in Christ because he acted ignorantly in unbelief.