The trespass offering (we find the details of it in Leviticus 5; 6:1-7; 7:1-10) is a compulsory, not voluntary, offering and can be rightly considered as a subdivision of the sin offering. Nevertheless, there are some distinguishable features belonging to the trespass offering that make it distinct and differentiate it from the sin offering. Knowing that the Word of God is never redundant, I shall try to explain some of the distinctive features of this offering, hopefully with some spiritual benefit to all of us. The sin offering has already been well explained in detail, so in connection with it I will only point out here that nothing can maintain in our hearts the right feeling of what sin is and what the holiness of God is than a real understanding of the meaning of the sin offering. We need to understand what took place at Calvary, when our Lord and Savior was made sin for us, bore our sins in His body on the tree and made full expiation for each and all of them.
The Government of God—The Holiness of God
When considering the sin offering, we see that specific acts are not mentioned, inasmuch as the main thought in that offering is the condemnation of that which is totally abhorrent to the holiness of God, and man is shown to be a sinner, as to his nature. But with the trespass offering specific offenses are enumerated, and man is regarded as a transgressor, as to his acts. This brings out a double effect of the sin and throws additional light on the difference between the sin offering and the trespass offering. First, because of our sin, we have not been able to reach the standard set by God: “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)), and this aspect is set forth in the sin offering. Second, because of the same sin, we not only failed to reach the standard of God, but we continued to alienate ourselves from Him more and more: “You, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works” (Col. 1:2121And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled (Colossians 1:21)); this aspect we find in the trespass offering. On the one hand, sin is a grave affront to God’s holiness, and, on the other hand, it is also a trespass, when committed against a known command. We can say that every trespass is a sin, but not every sin is a trespass. The trespass offering is thus connected with the government of God, rather than with God’s holiness.
Three Categories of Transgressions
As we can clearly see, reading through Leviticus 5-6, there are three major categories of transgressions presented: transgressions against the Lord (Lev. 5:1-131And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity. 2Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty. 3Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty. 4Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these. 5And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing: 6And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin. 7And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the Lord; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering. 8And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin offering first, and wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide it asunder: 9And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it is a sin offering. 10And he shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the manner: and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him. 11But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin offering. 12Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it, even a memorial thereof, and burn it on the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the Lord: it is a sin offering. 13And the priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him: and the remnant shall be the priest's, as a meat offering. (Leviticus 5:1‑13)), transgressions against the Lord’s holy things (Lev. 5:14-1914And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 15If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the Lord; then he shall 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: 16And 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. 17And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity. 18And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his ignorance wherein he erred and wist it not, and it shall be forgiven him. 19It is a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the Lord. (Leviticus 5:14‑19)), and transgressions against one’s neighbor (Lev. 6:1-71And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the Lord, 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 hath deceived his neighbor; 3Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein: 4Then 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, 5Or 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 offering. 6And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord, a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: 7And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein. (Leviticus 6:1‑7)). In all three cases, even when human claims were fully met, forgiveness and atonement could be obtained only through the death of a victim, “for without the shedding of blood is no remission” (Heb. 9:2222And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. (Hebrews 9:22)). God Himself, by His Word, sets the standard for the judgment of sin, and this is a very important truth that we should never forget. We also notice the fact that ignorance in committing a trespass could not be pleaded as an excuse. We are all aware that the precursors of ignorance are, in most cases, negligence, spiritual laziness or indifference to God’s requirements.
Restitution
In some of the cases, there was also restitution involved in the trespass offering. Thus, restitution had to be made and the fifth part added. Not only was atonement made, but grace came in to enable one to make full reparation; what was due to God or one’s neighbor was fully rendered, and with a fifth part added. Moreover, not only was the one forgiven, who trespassed against God’s things or against his neighbor, but the one whose rights had been infringed was now richer than before. For example, even if, sadly, I have injured a brother in any way, I will both be restored and make restoration in full by bringing, so to say, the trespass offering according to the Lord’s valuation. Humbling myself and acknowledging my fault, whatever that might have been, may not only restore my relationship with the wronged one, but the display of grace that worked in my heart will also bring joy and spiritual benefit to the wronged one. Wonderful work of divine grace, which always rises above our sin!
But, most important, we have here a beautiful feature of Christ’s work on the cross: He restored more to God than the wrong of man’s sin took away, as we read in Psalm 69:44They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away. (Psalm 69:4): “Then I restored that which I took not away.” We had robbed God of what was due to Him. The Lord Jesus, by becoming our trespass offering, made restitution to God for all the wrong we had done, and He added the fifth part. When His heart was broken by reproach, He committed His cause to Him that judges righteously and paid our debt in full. He also added the fifth part, and that is because His work on the cross has an infinite value, which not only made provision for the sins of all who would ever believe in Him, but fully glorified God for all eternity. The Lord Jesus Christ was able to carry out the will of God perfectly, so that God was glorified and man brought into blessing. As H. A. Ironside wrote: “The grace of God has been magnified in the great trespass offering of the cross in a way it never could have been known if sin had never come in at all.”
We see therefore that the trespass offering presents several important and distinctive lessons to us, unfolding a precious dimension of the work of Christ on the cross. Surely, appreciation of the fragrant perfections of His Person and work presented by it, as well as by the other offerings in Leviticus, arises as a sweet savor unto our God and Father.
Practical Teaching
Allow me here one further remark. Sometimes we hear Christians speaking of “practical truth.” The fact is that ALL truth involves that which is practical. There is not a single truth in the divine revelation that God did not intend to produce, here and now, a practical effect in the lives of His own. I mention this because the many types given in the Old Testament, in general, and the offerings from the book of Leviticus, in particular, seem to be rather obscure and difficult to understand and, consequently, of little, if any, interest to the vast majority of Christians. But God gave us all these various offerings in order that we may have a deeper and better grasp of the unique work of our Lord Jesus on the cross. That work is so vast, so blessed and so comprehensive that it took several types in the Book of Leviticus for it to be properly presented to us. May God give us the grace to consider prayerfully all of them and in this way to have a growing apprehension of the glory and blessedness of both the Person and the work of our Lord on the cross, so that we may value Him more and have an increased desire to please Him in our walk and conduct here.
E. Datcu