Schoolmaster to Christ
LEVITICUS CHAPTERS 5:14-6:7

Scripture Reading: Leviticus 5:14-6:7 (KJV)

These verses contain teaching on the trespass offering, of which there were two distinct kinds: trespass against God, and trespass against man. "If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the Lord, then shall he bring for his trespass unto the Lord, a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering."

Here we have a case in which a wrong was done in the holy things pertaining to the Lord – done "through ignorance," yet not to be passed over. God can forgive all manner of trespass, but He cannot pass over a single jot or tittle. Because His grace is perfect, He can forgive all. Because His holiness is perfect, He cannot pass over anything. Though He cannot sanction iniquity, He can blot it out, according to the perfection of His grace and perfect claims of His holiness.

It is a grave error to suppose that we can be right and safe by acting on the dictates of conscience. The peace that rests on such a foundation will be eternally destroyed when the light of the judgment-seat shines on the conscience. God can never lower His claim to such a level. The balances of the sanctuary are regulated by a different scale from that afforded by the most sensitive conscience. We considered this point in the sin offering. It cannot be too strongly emphasized. Two things are involved in it: a perception of what the holiness of God really is; and a clear sense of the ground of a believer's peace.

Whether it be a question of our condition or conduct, our nature or acts, God alone is the Judge of what suits Him and what befits His holy presence. Can human ignorance furnish a plea, when Divine requirements are in question? God forbid. When a wrong has been done "in the holy things of the Lord;" but man's conscience has not taken cognizance of it. What then? Is there to be nothing more done about it? Are the claims of God to be so lightly disposed of? No; this would be subversive of everything pertaining to Divine relationship. The righteous are called to give thanks at the remembrance of God's holiness (Ps. 97:12). They can do this because their peace has been secured on the ground of the vindication and establishment of that holiness. Thus, the higher their sense of what that holiness is, the deeper and more settled their peace. This is a marvelous truth. The unregenerate soul can never rejoice in Divine holiness, because His aim is to either lower holiness or ignore it altogether. Though such a one is often consoled with the thought that God is good, God is gracious, God is merciful; still, such a one does not rejoice in the thought that God is holy. Instead, this soul has unholy thoughts regarding God's goodness, His grace, and His mercy; finding in those blessed attributes an excuse for continuing in sin.

On the contrary, the renewed soul exults in the holiness of God, seeing the full expression in the cross of Jesus Christ – His holiness laid the foundation of our peace. If one did not know that the claims connected with "the holy things of the Lord" had been met by Jesus Christ, our divine Trespass Offering, it would be impossible to enjoy true peace and liberty. Our best services, our holiest seasons, our most hallowed exercises, may present something of trespass "in the holy things of the Lord" – "something that ought not to be done." Often our seasons of public worship and private devotion are infringed on and marred by barrenness and distraction; infirmities and shortcomings. Hence, we need the assurance that our trespasses have been divinely met by the precious blood of Christ – the One who came down to the full measure of our necessities as sinners by nature and trespassers in act – the One who answers the cravings of a guilty conscience, and the claims of infinite holiness regarding our sins and trespasses; so that in the full light of that pure holiness we can stand with an uncondemning conscience and emancipated heart.

"And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him" (Lev. 5:16).

With the addition of "the fifth part," we have a feature of the true Trespass Offering that should be feared, but is little appreciated. When thinking of all our wrongs and trespasses against the Lord and how God has been wronged in this wicked world, we should contemplate the work of the cross as that wherein God has not only received back what was lost, but He has actual gained. He gained more by redemption than He lost by the fall. In redemption He reaps a richer harvest of glory, honor, and praise, than He could have ever reaped from creation. "The sons of God" could raise a loftier song of praise around the empty tomb of Jesus than ever raised in view of the Creator's accomplished work. The wrong has not only been atoned for, but by the work of the cross an eternal advantage has been gained. This is a marvelous truth. God is a gainer by the work of Calvary. Who could have conceived this? Beholding man and creation laid in ruin at the enemy's feet, we would never conceive that from those ruins God could gather richer and nobler spoils than any yielded from this world. It is to Jesus Christ that we owe it all. It is by His precious love on the cross that a truth so amazing and so divine could be enunciated. Assuredly, that cross involves a mysterious wisdom "which none of the princes of this world knew; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory" (1 Cor. 2:8). No wonder that around our Lord on that terrible cross, the affections of patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, and saints, have been entwined for ages. No wonder the Holy Spirit¹ inspiried that solemn but just decree, "If any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha" (1 Cor. 16:22). Heaven and earth will one day echo a loud and eternal amen to this anathema. No wonder that it should be the fixed and immutable purpose of God's mind, that "At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:10, 11).

The same law in reference to "the fifth part" obtained in the case of a trespass committed against a man, as we read, "If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the Lord², and lie unto his neighbor in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or have deceived his neighbour, or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein: then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found, or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offerings" (Lev. 6:2-5).

Man, as well as God, is a positive gainer by the cross. When gazing on that cross, the child of God can say, "Well, it matters not how I have been wronged, how I have been trespassed against, how I have been deceived, what ills have been done to me, I am a gainer by the cross. I have not merely received back all that was lost, but much more beside."

Thus, whether in any given case we think of the injured or the injurer, we are equally struck with the glorious triumphs of redemption, and the mighty results flowing from that Gospel – filling the soul with assurance that "all trespasses" are "forgiven;" the root from where those trespasses have sprung has been judged. Only "the gospel of the glory of the blessed God" can send a man into the midst of a scene where his sins have been witnessed, his trespasses known; back to those who have suffered by his wrong doings. Only "the gospel of the glory of the blessed God" can repair the wrongs; but far more, allowing benevolence to flow, yea, allowing him to love his enemies, to do good to them that hate him, and to pray for them that despitefully use him and persecute him. Such is the precious grace of God – acting in confession with our great Trespass Offering – such are its rich, rare, and refreshing fruits.

What a triumphant answer to the caviler who could say, "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" Grace not only cuts up sin by the roots, but transforms the sinner from a curse into a blessing; from a moral plague, into a channel of divine mercy; from an emissary of Satan, into a messenger of God; from a child of darkness, into a son of light; from a self-indulgent pleasure-hunter, into a self-denying lover of God; from a slave of vile, selfish lusts, into a willing-hearted servant of Christ; from a cold, narrow-hearted miser, into a benevolent minister to the need of others. We need to discard the often-repeated thoughts, "Are we to do nothing?"; "That is a marvelously easy way to be saved"; "According to this Gospel we may live as we please." Let all who think or utter such language behold a converted thief transformed into a liberal donor and let them be silent forever.³ Such people obviously do not know the meaning of grace, having never felt its sanctifying and elevating influences. They forget that while the blood of the trespass offering cleanses the conscience, the law of that offering sends the trespasser back to the one he has wronged, with" the principal" and "the fifth" in his hand. This is noble testimony to the grace and righteousness of the God of Israel. What a beautiful exhibition of the results of redemption – the injurer is forgiven and the injured becomes the actual gainer. By the blood of the cross, our conscience is made right regarding the claims of God; by the holiness of the cross our conduct must be made right regarding the claims of practical righteousness. These things must never be separated. God has joined them together, and let not man put them asunder. The hallowed union will never be dissolved by any mind governed by pure Gospel morality. It is easy to profess the principles of grace, while denying its practice and power. In other words, it is easy to talk of resting in the blood of the trespass offering, while "the principal" and "the fifth" are not forthcoming. This is worse than vain. "He that doeth not righteousness is not of God" (1 Jn. 3:10).

Nothing can be more dishonoring to the pure grace of the Gospel than the supposition that a man may belong to God, while his conduct and character do not exhibit traces of practical holiness. "Known unto God are all his works;" but in His Holy Word⁴ He has provided evidences by which we can discern those belonging to Him. "The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His: and, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity" (2 Tim. 2:19). We have no right to suppose that an evildoer belongs to God. The holy instincts of the divine nature are shocked by the mention of such a thing. Some occasionally express difficulty accounting for this or that evil practice on the part of one whom they regard in the light of Christianity. The Word of God settles the matter clearly and authoritatively, leaving no possible ground for such a difficulty. "In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." It is well to remember this, especially in this age day of laxity and self-indulgence. In this age, the child of God is called on to stand firm against a fearful amount of easy, uninfluential profession of Christianity. The genuine Christian must stand firm and bear a testimony resulting from the steady exhibition of "the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God." It is deplorable to see so many going along the beaten path – the well-trodden highway of religious profession, manifesting little or no love or holiness in their conduct. Let us be faithful. Let us rebuke by a life of self-denial and genuine benevolence, the self-indulgence and culpable inactivity of evangelical yet worldly profession. We pray God grant unto all His true-hearted people abundant grace for these things.

Let us now briefly compare the two classes of trespass offering: the offering because of trespass "in the holy things of the Lord," and that which had reference to a trespass committed in the common transactions and relations of human life. In so doing, we will find one or two points demanding attentive consideration.

First, consider the expression, "if a soul sin through ignorance," which occurs in the former, but omitted in the latter. The reason for this is obvious. The claims connected with the holy things of the Lord pass beyond the reach of human sensibility. Those claims may be continually interfered with; continually trespassed on, while the trespasser may not be aware of doing so. A man's consciousness can never be the regulator in the sanctuary of God. When God's rights are in question, His holiness alone must fix the standard.

Oh the other hand, the human conscience can readily grasp the full amount of human claim, and is able to readily take cognizance of any interference with such claim. How often we wrong God in His holy things without considering it in the conscience – without having the competency to detect it.⁵ However, this is not so when our rights are in question. The human conscience can take notice of wrong seen by the human eye and felt by the human heart. A man, "through ignorance" of the laws governing the sanctuary of old, might commit a trespass against those laws without being aware of it, until a higher light shone in on his conscience. But a man could not, "through ignorance," tell a lie, swear falsely, commit an act of violence, deceive his neighbor, or find a lost thing and deny it. These were plain and palpable acts, lying within range of the most sluggish sensibility. In this way the expression, "through ignorance" is introduced, referring to "the holy things of the Lord;" omitted, regarding the common affairs of men. How blessed it is to know that the precious blood of Christ has settled all questions with respect to God and man – our sins of ignorance or known sins. Here lies the deep and settled foundation of the Christian's peace. The cross has divinely met all.

Again, when it was a question of trespass "in the holy things of the Lord," the unblemished sacrifice was first introduced; then "the principal" and "the fifth." This order was reversed when it was a question of the common affairs of life.⁶ The reason for this is equally obvious. When the divine rights were infringed, the blood of atonement was made prominent. Whereas, when human rights were interfered with, restitution assumed the leading place. But, because the latter involved the question of the soul's relation with God, as well as the former, therefore the sacrifice is introduced, though it is last in order. If one wrongs his fellow man, that wrong will undoubtedly interfere with his communion with God; and that communion can only be restored on the ground of atonement. Mere restitution would not avail. It might satisfy the injured man, but it could not form the basis of restored communion with God. One might restore "the principal" and add "the fifth," a thousand times over, yet sin remains, for "without shedding of blood is no remission" (Heb. 9:22). Still, if it be a question of injury done to a neighbor, then restitution must first be made.

"If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift" (Matt. 5:23, 24).⁷

There is more involved in God's order in the trespass offering than might at first sight appear. The claims arising from our human relations should never be disregarded. They must always have their proper place in the heart. This is taught in the trespass offering. When, by an act of trespass, an Israelite damaged his relation with Jehovah, the order was sacrifice and restitution. When, by an act of trespass, he damaged his relation with a neighbor, the order was restitution and sacrifice. Is this a distinction without a difference? Does not the change of order convey its own lesson? Without a doubt every point is filled with meaning, if we remove our human imaginings and allow the Holy Spirit to convey the meaning to our hearts. Each offering conveys its own characteristic view of the Lord Jesus, and His work; and each is presented in its own characteristic order; and, the spiritual mind seeks to apprehend both. The same character of mind that seeks to make nothing of the order of each offering would also set aside the idea of Christ in each. Such thinking defies the existence of any difference between the burnt offering and the sin offering; and between the sin offering and the trespass offering; and between all of these and the meat offering or the peace offering. The end result of such thinking is that the first seven chapters of Leviticus are a vain repetition, each successive chapter going over the same thing. What Christian mind could allow such an insult of the sacred page? A rationalist or theologian may put forth such vain and detestable notions; but those who have been taught that "all scripture is given by inspiration of God," will be led to regard the various types, in their specific order, as so many variously-shaped caskets, in which the Holy Spirit has treasured up "the unsearchable riches of Christ" for the people of God. There is no tedious repetition, no redundancy. All is divinely rich, needing only a personal acquaintance with the great Antitype – Jesus Christ – in order to enter into the beauties and seize the delicate meanings of each type. After a while, the spiritual heart lays hold of the fact that Christ is in the minute details of each type. Such a heart soon begins to see meaning and beauty in everything – finding Christ in all. In the kingdom of nature, the telescope and microscope present to the seeking eye their own special wonders, so it is with the Word of God. Whether we look at it as a whole or scrutinize each sentence, we find that which elicits the worship and thanksgiving of our hearts.

May the name of the Lord Jesus always be precious to our hearts. Only then will we value everything that speaks of Him; everything that sets Him forth – everything that provides a fresh insight into His excellence and matchless beauty.

Note: The remainder of Leviticus 6, together with the whole of Leviticus 7, is occupied with the law of various offerings to which reference has already been made. However, there are some points presented in the law of the sin offering and the trespass offering that should be noticed before leaving this copious section.

Christ's personal holiness is strikingly presented in the sin offering – more so than in any of the offerings. "Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin offering. in the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the Lord: it is most holy . . . Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy . . . All the males among the priests shall eat thereof: it is most holy" (Lev. 6:25-29).

Also, in speaking of the meat offering, "it is most holy, as is the sin offering, and as the trespass offering." This is indeed striking. The Holy Spirit did not need to guard the personal holiness of Christ in the burnt offering with such jealousy; but, while contemplating the place the Blessed One took in the sin offering the soul should lose sight of that holiness, we are reminded of it again and again by the words, "it is most holy." It is edifying and refreshing to behold the divine and essential holiness of the Person of Christ shining in the midst of Calvary's profound and awful gloom. The same point can be observed in "the law of the trespass offering."⁸ The Lord Jesus was never more fully seen to be "the Holy One of God" than when He was "made sin" on the cursed tree. The vileness and blackness of that with which He was identified on the cross served only to show more clearly that He was "most holy." Though a sin-bearer, He was sinless. Though enduring the wrath of God, He was the Father's delight. Though deprived of the light of God's countenance, He dwelt in the Father's bosom. Precious mystery. Who can sound its mighty depths? How wonderful to find it so accurately foreshadowed in “the law of the sin offering.”

We should seek to apprehend the meaning of "all the males among the priests shall eat thereof." The ceremonial act of eating the sin offering or the trespass offering was expressive of full identification. But, to eat the sin offering – to make another's sin one's own demanded a higher degree of priestly energy, expressed in “all the males among the priests.”

"And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings, of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever. This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every oblation of theirs, every meat offering of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of theirs, which they shall render unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons. In the most Holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee and this is thine; the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have given them unto thee, and to thy sons, and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it" (Num. 18:8-11).

It demanded a larger measure of priestly energy to eat of the sin or trespass offering, than merely to partake of the heave and wave offerings of gift. The "daughters" of Aaron could eat of the latter. None but the "sons" could eat of the former. In general, "the male" expresses the thing according to the divine Idea: "the female," according to human development. The former gives us the thing in full energy; the latter in its imperfection. Few of us have sufficient priestly energy to enable the making another's sin or trespass our own. The blessed Lord Jesus made His people's sins His own, and bore the judgment on the cross. He fully identified Himself with us, so that in full and blessed certainty we may know that the whole question of sin and trespass has been forever settled. If Christ's identification was perfect, then the settlement was also perfect; and the scene enacted at Calvary declares it was perfect. All is accomplished. The sin, the trespasses, the claims of God, the claims of man – all have been eternally settled. Perfect peace is now the portion of all who, by grace, obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ.⁹ It is as simple as God could make it, and the soul that truly believes it is made happy. The peace and happiness of the Christian depends comply on the perfection of Christ's sacrifice. It is not a question of our thoughts about it or our feelings regarding it. It is simply a question of us by faith crediting the testimony of God with the value of the sacrifice. God be praised for His simple and perfect way of peace. May many troubled souls be led by the Holy Spirit into an understanding of this eternal truth.

We now close our meditations on one of the richest sections in the whole canon of inspiration. Our consideration of its treasures has been brief and we have no doubt been able to glean little from it. We have not penetrated below the surface of an exhaustless mine. However, if only one has been led to view the offerings as varied exhibitions of the great Sacrifice, and has been led to cast himself at the feet of the great Teacher to learn more of the living depths of these things, then we are deeply thankful.

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