Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Leviticus
Book: Leviticus
Chapter: 5
Overview:
Concerning various trespasses.
(1-13) Concerning trespasses
against the
Lord.
(14-19)
1-13 The offences here noticed are, 1. A
Man's concealing the
Truth, when he was sworn as a
Witness to speak the
Truth, the
whole
Truth, and nothing but the
Truth. If, in such a case, for
fear of offending one that has been his friend, or may be his
enemy, a
Man refuses to give evidence, or gives it but in part,
he shall
Bear his iniquity. And that is a heavy
Burden, which,
if some course be not taken to get it removed, will sink a
Man
to
Hell. Let all that are called at any time to be witnesses,
think of this
Law, and be free and open in their evidence, and
take heed of prevaricating. An
Oath of the
Lord is a sacred
thing, not to be trifled with. 2. A
Man's touching any thing
that was ceremonially unclean. Though his touching the unclean
thing only made him ceremonially defiled, yet neglecting to wash
himself according to the
Law, was either carelessness or
contempt, and contracted moral guilt. As soon as
God,
By his
Spirit, convinces our consciences of any
Sin or duty, we must
follow the conviction, as not ashamed to own our former mistake.
3. Rash swearing, that a
Man will do or not do such a thing. As
if the performance of his
Oath afterward prove unlawful, or what
cannot be done.
Wisdom and watchfulness beforehand would prevent
these difficulties. In these cases the offender must confess his
Sin, and bring his
Offering; but the
Offering was not accepted,
unless accompanied with
Confession and humble
Prayer for
Pardon.
The
Confession must be particular; that he hath sinned in that
thing. Deceit lies in generals; many will own they have sinned,
for that all must own; but their sins in any one particular they
are unwilling to allow. The way to be assured of
Pardon, and
armed against
Sin for the future, is to confess the exact
Truth.
If any were very
Poor, they might bring some
Flour, and that
should be accepted. Thus the expense of the
Sin-Offering was
brought lower than any other, to teach that
No Man's poverty
shall ever
Bar the way of his
Pardon. If the sinner brought two
doves, one was to be offered for a
Sin-Offering, and the other
for a burnt-
Offering. We must first see that our peace be made
with
God, and then we may expect that our services for his
Glory
will be accepted
By him. To show the loathsomeness of
Sin, the
Flour, when offered, must not be made grateful to the taste
By
Oil, or to the smell
By Frankincense.
God,
By these sacrifices,
spoke comfort to those who had offended, that they might not
despair, nor pine away in their sins. Likewise caution not to
offend any more, remembering how expensive and troublesome it
was to make
Atonement.
14-19 Here are offerings to atone for trespasses against a
neighbour. If a
Man Put to his own use unwittingly, any thing
dedicated to
God, he was to bring this
Sacrifice. We are to be
jealous over ourselves, to ask
Pardon for the
Sin, and make
satisfaction for the wrong, which we do but suspect ourselves
guilty of. The
Law of
God is
So very broad, the occasions of
Sin
in this world are
So numerous, and we are
So prone to evil,
that we need to fear always, and to pray always,
that we may be kept from
Sin. Also we should look before us at
every step. The true
Christian daily pleads guilty before
God,
and seeks forgiveness through the
Blood of
Christ. And the
Gospel Salvation is
So free, that the poorest is not shut out;
and
So full, that the most burdened
Conscience may find relief
from it. Yet the evil of
Sin is
So displayed as to cause every
pardoned sinner to abhor and dread it.