Wesley Corpus

Chapter IV Directions concerning sin - offerings; which were intended for sins committed thro' ignorance, either by the priest himself, ver. 1 - 12. or by the whole congregation, ver. 13 - 21. or by a ruler, ver. 22 - 26. or by a private person, ver. 27 - 35. The Lord spake unto Moses - The laws contained in the three first chapters, seem to have been delivered to Moses at one time. Here begin the laws of another day, which God delivered from between the Cherubim. If a soul sin - This must necessarily be understood of more than common daily infirmities; for if every such sin had required an offering, it had not been possible either for most sinners to bear such a charge, or for the altar to receive so many sacrifices, or for the priests to manage so infinite a work. And for ordinary sins, they were ceremonially expiated by the daily offering, and by that on the great day of atonement, Lev 16:30. Through ignorance - Or, error, either not knowing his act to be sinful, as appears by comparing Lev 4:13,14, or not considering it, but falling into sin thro' the power of some sudden passion or temptation, as the Hebrew word signifies, Psa 119:67. Things which ought not to be done - The words may be rendered, in or about every, or any of the commandments of the Lord which should not be done; or, which concern things that should not be done, namely, in any negative commands. (And there is great reason why a sacrifice should be more necessary for these, than for other sins, because affirmative precepts do not so strictly and constantly bind men as the negative do.) Then he shall offer according to his quality, which is here to be understood out of the following verses. If the priest - That is, the high - priest, who only was anointed after the first time. His anointing is mentioned, because he was not compleat high - priest 'till he was anointed. Do sin - Either in doctrine or practice, which it is here supposed he may do. And this is noted as a character of imperfection in the priesthood of the law, whereby the Israelites were directed to expect another and better high - priest, even one who is holy, harmless, and separate from sinners, Heb 7:26.