Bible Students

Introduction

The sin offering was one of the handful of offerings God required Israel to make. The record of the sin offering is Leviticus 4:1-5:13. This quote especially captures the reason for Leviticus’ focus on sacrifice, and specifically the sin offering: “In Exodus we saw Israel delivered from Egypt and set apart as God’s special prossession. In Leviticus we see how they are to be separated from sin and uncleanness in order to approach God in the sanctuary.” The sin offering was an offering required for unintentional sins. This would include breaking any of the Laws set by God to govern conduct toward either man or Himself. This idea of penance for unintentional sins will be explored in both the Old and New Testaments. 

Historical Setting

The term “sin” may be a bit misleading. The word used for sin in this offering is “chatta’t” or “chata’,” depending on how one transliterates the Hebrew into English. “The law of the ‘sin offering’…was an offering for some specific ‘sin’ committed unwittingly, without intending to do it and perhaps even without knowing it at the time.” More commonly, this rendition of ‘sin’ is known as “missing the mark.” In fact, while literal uses are rare, Joshua 20:16 notes, “Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred select troops who were left-handed, each of whom could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.” This is an example of the negative usage of “chata’,” to “not miss [the mark].”

As mentioned earlier, this offering was used to atone for unintentional sins, in order to bring one’s relationship to God back into proper order. It wasn’t only that this brought the relationship back into proper order , but actually that “Peace or fellowship between a human being and God could not be achieved as long as sin created a barrier between them, so means had to be found to deal with that problem…The rituals of Leviticus provided atonement only for unintentional sin…” The sacrifice had to be done differently for different social groups as well, with higher economic/holy classes requiring more costly sacrifices, in proportion to their national responsibility of representing God. The Priest (highest class) was required to offer a young bull (Lev. 4:3), and the poor (lowest class) was required to offer only two doves or pigeons (Lev. 5:7). 

Theological Implications

In short, the sin offering was made to cover unintentional sins for the purpose of having correct communion with God and the ability to be a part of His chosen people. For those who were seen as favored financially or socially by God, more was required. For those who were impoverished, less was required. This demonstrates the greater responsibility of those who are seen by the community as representing God more clearly. This is especially carried over in the New Testament in such places as James 3:1, “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” Additionally, this shows the love and mercy of God for the poor, who were not required to give as much. 

The heart behind the Law can be seen throughout the development of Israel in the Old Testament. As the Israelites consistently failed to uphold their end of the covenant given at Sinai, prophets spoke to Israel about their vain sacrifices. As a concise example, Psalm 40:6 states, with God speaking, “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—but my ears you have opened—burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.” The Bible Knowledge Commentary notes on this passage, 

[The Psalmist] recalled that God preferred his body to his sacrifices. Some have suggested that the worlds ‘my ears you have pierced’ refer to the custom of boring a slave’s ear…meaning, ‘You have bound me as a slave to yourself.’ However, it is more likely that this statement is a recognition that God has given him the ability to hear and obey the Word of the Lord.

Furthermore, in Hosea 6:6, the prophet speaks of God’s “desire [for] mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” Again, Walvoord and Zuck comment, “God’s people had failed to understand His true desire. He loved for devotion…and loyalty… expressed through allegiance to the covenant demands. Unless offered in the context of obedience, sacrifices were meaningless and even offensive.”

This heartless obedience was detestable to God due to the nature of the sin offering. The sin offering was given in order that God would have communion with His children. This sacrifice shows the holiness of God. In order to have proper relationship with God, the Israelites must make sacrifices even for unintentional sins. In love, God made a way for Israel to have communion with Him, even when they fell short. Out of love the sin offering was made. The heartless obedience, then, was even more disrespectful given this context. Additionally, more than being an arbitrary mode of expression, sacrifices also pointed forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, discussed in the next section. 

Correlation and Application

The sacrifice of Christ is the fulfillment of Old Testament sacrifices. This is seen particularly in Hebrews 10. However, sacrifices also worked as an outworking of inner-convictions, which is expounded upon by Paul in Romans 12. Both parts of the new sin offering will be discussed. 

Firstly, Hebrews 10:3-10 comments on the previously discussed Psalm 40, 

“But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, my God.’” First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

As a first note, the quotation of Psalm 40:6 here varies significantly from the previously mentioned verse. However, the variant Septuagint reading “a body You prepared for me” rather than the Hebrew “You have dug ears for me” is not logical leap, and is inspired by the Spirit, as seen by the use of this text in Hebrews. Warren Wiersbe writes on this passage, “It was God who provided the sacrifice and not man. The quotation…is applied to Jesus Christ in His incarnation…The quotation makes it clear that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Old Covenant Sacrifices.” The Law was not able to make its worshippers perfect, rather it only commanded on the outside of believers what needed to be renewed on the inside through the Spirit. While the sacrifices of the Old Testament could never take away sin, Jesus’ sacrifice did. The Old Testament sin offering restored relationship to God for a little while, but Christ’s sacrifice restored relationship for eternity. The believer is now free to love Christ outwardly due to the new inward change, discussed by Paul in Romans 12. 

Romans 12:1 states, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” This sacrifice is worked out of appreciation for God, not compulsion. This comes from “justification…identification…under grace, not law…the Spirit indwelling…help in infirmity…divine election…coming glory…no separation possible…[and] confidence in God’s faithfulness” It was voluntary, complete, sacrificial, practical, and rational. The internal renewal by the Spirit was the long-awaited change that was needed for the true sin offering to be given. The believer is now able to love God out of a heartfelt disposition, rather than the demands of the Law. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, the sin offering was the offering given by the Israelites when they unintentionally sinned. This offering shows the love of God to the poor, as well as His holiness. It shows how He desires to be with His children, and has made a way for them to be with Him. However, this sacrifice was necessary but not sufficient. It would only last for a little while. The sacrifice of Christ is the fulfillment of the sin offering, which gives us true and everlasting communion with God. Now, the once heartless worship of the sin offering, which God detested, is replaced with the heartfelt worship of the “living sacrifice,” which God loves. 

Bibliography

Dockery, David S. Holman Bible Handbook. Nashville, Tennessee: Holman Bible Publishers, 1992. 

Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1983.

MacDonald, William. Believer’s Bible Commentary. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, 1993.

Newell, William R. Romans: Verse by Verse. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1979.

Sailhamer, John H. The Pentateuch as Narrative. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1992

Strong, James, eds W. E. Vine, The New Strong’s Concise Concordance & Vine’s Concise Dictionary of the Bible. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, 1997.

Thomas, W.H. Griffith. St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1988.

Walvoord, John F. eds Roy B. Zuck. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament. Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1983.

Walvoord, John F. eds Roy B. Zuck. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament. Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1983.

Wiersbe, Warren W. The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament Volume 2. Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1989.

Wiersbe, Warren W. The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: Old Testament. Colorado Springs, Colorado: David C. Cook, 2007.