27 'Now if anyone e of the common people sins unintentionally in doing any of the things which the Lord has commanded not to be done , and becomes guilty , 28 if his sin which he has committed is made known to him, then he shall bring for his offering a goat , a female without defect , for his sin which he has committed . 29 ' He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slay the sin offering at the place of the burnt offering . 30 'The priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering ; and all the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar . 31 ' Then he shall remove all its fat , just as the fat was removed from the sacrifice of peace offerings ; and the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar for a soothing aroma to the Lord . Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven . 32 'But if he brings a lamb as his offering for a sin offering , he shall bring it, a female without defect . 33 ' He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they slay the burnt offering . 34 'The priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering , and all the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar . 35 'Then he shall remove all its fat , just as the fat of the lamb is removed from the sacrifice of the peace offerings , and the priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar , on the offerings by fire to the Lord . Thus the priest shall make atonement for him in regard to his sin which he has committed , and he will be forgiven .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Leviticus 4:27-35
Commentary on Leviticus 4:27-35
(Read Leviticus 4:27-35)
Here is the law of the sin-offering for a common person. To be able to plead, when charged with sin, that we did it ignorantly, and through the surprise of temptation, will not bring us off, if we have no interest in that great plea, Christ hath died. The sins of ignorance committed by a common person, needed a sacrifice; the greatest are not above, the meanest are not below Divine justice. None, if offenders, were overlooked. Here rich and poor meet together; they are alike sinners, and welcome to Christ. From all these laws concerning the sin-offerings, we may learn to hate sin, and to watch against it; and to value Christ, the great and true Sin-offering, whose blood cleanses from all sin, which it was not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away. For us to err, with the Bible in our hands, is the effect of pride, sloth, and carelessness. We need to use frequent self-examination, with serious study of the Scriptures, and earnest prayer for the convincing influences of God the Holy Spirit; that we may detect our sins of ignorance, repent, and obtain forgiveness through the blood of Christ.