This law concerning sins of ignorance, being entirely diverse
from one before considered, occasions considerable difficulty.
(Le ch. 4.) Some explain that law as relating to sins of
commission, this to sins of omission: others explain the one
of inadvertent violations of the moral law, and the other of
the transgressions of the ceremonial law: and some think that
related to the whole nation, this to any one tribe; or that to
the bulk of the nation, this to the rulers and elders. The
Jews say, that the former law referred to such national
transgressions through heedlessness, as consisted with the
maintenance of the prescribed worship in the main; but that
this especially respected the case of the nation, when through
inattention, and the example and authority of wicked rulers,
they had turned aside and committed idolatry, or conducted
their worship directly contrary to law; yet through a culpable
ignorance, and not in presumption. This was evidently the
case under several of their kings; and the explanation seems
well grounded.
Le 4:2,13,14,22,27 5:13,15-17 Ps 19:12 Lu 12:48
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