Leviticus 4

1
Taking Sin Seriously

• Leviticus 4

2
Leviticus as Arcane

• Detailed discussions about sacrifices
• Diagnostic information on skin diseases
• Lists of what animals can and cannot be eaten

3
However News Worthy
4
Important Topics in Leviticus

• The hows of sacrificing, which was one of the
  important reasons given for the exodus.
• Loving your neighbor as yourself
• Be holy for God is holy

5
Importance of Leviticus

• Highlighted by its central location in the Torah
• Exodus (16,713 words) Numbers (16,413 words),
  with Leviticus the shortest in the Pentateuch
  (11,950 words).

6
Simplified Outline

• Lev 1-7 Laws on Sacrifice
• Lev 8-10 Consecration and Institution of Priests
• Lev 11-16 Uncleanness and its Treatment
• Lev 17-27 Prescription for Practical

7
Leviticus 1-7

• "Leviticus 1-7 has been shaped not only to
  instruct worshipers and priests how to perform
  various offerings, but also to persuade them to
  do exactly as these text stipulate and to accept
  these texts as the ultimate authority for such
  ritual performances."Watts

8
Leviticus 1-7

• ". . . atonement is not the primary purpose of
  the sacrificial cult. Its major purpose. . . is
  to establish a relationship with YHWH by means of
  an offering." Marx

9
The Presence of God

• God is preeminently present in Worship. (Wenham)?
• God is present in the people's daily lives.
  (Wenham)?

10
Leviticus 4.1-2

• "If a person sins unintentionally in any of the
  things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done,
  and does even one of them -"
• A New Section begins
• Unintentional sin

11
3 Types of Sin

• Promethean Sin
• Sin as Sloth
• Philanthropic Sin

• Karl Barth

12
Anointed Priest 4.3-12

• Sin as the spiritual leader who teaches the Torah
  is very serious even when unintentional.

13
Anointed Priest 4.3-12

• A Bull is used for the offering
• "lean his hand on the head of the bull"

14
Anointed Priest 4.3-12

• Blood is sprinkled in front of the curtain

15
Anointed Priest 4.3-12

• Blood is smeared on the horns of the incense altar

16
Anointed Priest 4.3-12

• The priest is not given the meat of the offering
  so that he will not profit from his own sin.

17
Anointed Priest 4.3-12

• Effect of the unintentional sin by the anointed
  priest

18
Entire Congregation 4.13-21

• "If the entire congregation of Israel sins
  unintentionally . . . ."
• The elders lean their hands on the bull

19
Entire Congregation 4.13-21

• Effect of the unintentional sin by the entire
  congregation is the same as that of the anointed
  priest

20
Leaders 4.22-26

• Male Goat is offered for the unintentional sin of
  a leader

21
Leaders 4.22-26

• Blood smeared on the horns of the regular altar

22
Leaders 4.22-26

• The edible parts of this sacrifice is given to
  the priests to eat (Lev 626)?

23
Leaders 4.22-26

• The effect of the unintentional sin by a leader
  is not the same as that of the anointed priest
  and the entire congregation.

24
A Commoner 4.27-35

• The offering for the commoner is either
• a Female Goat
• a Female Sheep

25
A Commoner 4.27-35

• The effect of the unintentional sin by a commoner
  was the same as that of a leader, except for the
  sacrificial offering.

26
The "So What?" of Leviticus 4

• Leviticus 4 teaches us that sin is taken
  seriously in the Bible, both intentional and here
  unintentional sin.

27
The "So What?" of Leviticus 4

• Sin affects more than the sinner.

28
The "So What?" of Leviticus 4

• When spiritual leaders sin the effect is greater.