The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 205

11:, 26; 1 John v. 16 b.), It is certain that (e. g.) one deliberate lie spoken deliber- cately, nnd of mnlice aforethought, m11y do more fasting inJury to a soul, as far as we can judge, thnn a whole life of reckless, thoughtless, heedless vice. Compare the -case of the Pharisees i(Mark iii. 30) with that of the harlots (Luke vii. 37) and publicans (ibid. xix. 2), and that of Annniae and Sapphira with that of the sinful Corinthian. B;OMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 22-31.-Presumptuous sins and sin, of ignorance. Some sine are more heinous in the eight of God than others ; more heinous in their o,vn nature, or by reason of aggravating circumstances, The distinction is familiar to all. Murder is a sin more heinous in the sight of God and man than petty theft. Armed rebellion against just authority is a greater sin the.n heedless omission to pay due honour and courtesy to a superior in office. Yet old and familiar as the distinction is, it is one fo connexion with which men have often fallen into mischievous error. Hence the value of texts like this in Numbers, which throw light upon it. I. Observe HOW THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN GREATER AND LESSER sms IS HERE 'll1'ATED. 1. Some sine are described as sins of ignorance. The reference is to faults that are due to error or inadvertence. We all know, to our cost, how liable we are to these. Never a day passes but we omit duty and commit faults, either because we knew no better, or because we were "off our guard" and stumbled before we were aware. These are sins of infirmity, such as cleave to the best of men in the present life. 2. Other sins are done F.esumptuously. (Literally, "with a high hand.") The matter is one about which there is no dubiety; the person knows well what is right and what is wrong; knowing this, he deliberately and purposely does the wrong. He offends against light, conviction, conscience. This is pre- sumptuous sin. I have said that the distinction between greater e.nd lesser sins is old and familiar. Turning to any Roman Catholic book of devotion, you will find , tables in which are enumerated respectively the "mortal sins" and the "venial . sins." That is one way of describing the two classes. I very much prefer the terms employed here in God's word. And the superior wisdom of God is to be seen not only in the fitter terms employed, but also in the absence of any attempt, here or elsewhere in the Bible, to give a tabular enumeration of the sins belonging to either, class. For one thing, a correct distribution is impossible. The same act which, in ordinary circumstances, one might deem trivial, may in other circumstances be a most heinous crime; whereas what seems a heinous crime may be found to have been committed in circumstances so extenuating, that you hesitate to pronounce it a crime at nil Besides, the distribution, if it were possible to be made, could only do mischief. It is not good for men to be trying to find out how near they may go to the line which separates sins of infirmity from presumptuous sins, without actually passing over. The Bible refuses to give help in that sort of study. It indicates the quality which aggravates offences, so that we may learn to fear it and keep as far off from it as we can. II. Observe TIIE LAW WHICH IS LAID DOWN WITH REFERENCE TO THE TWO KINDS OF illN. 1. When the party-whether it be the congregation or an individual Israelite- who has sinned inadvertently becomes aware of the sin, a sin-offering is to be pre- sented with the accustomed rite11, and the sin will be forgiven (vere. 24, 25, 27, 28). The point to be noted here is, that however much the sin may have been due to mere ignorance or inadvertence, the law demanded satisfaction; that is to say, Transgression of God's law is transgression still, though done through mere heed- lessness or error. Ignorance and heedlessness may extenuate, but they do not justify ; nor do they exempt from suffering the consequences of evil doing. Nor ought this to be deemed strange or harsh. The same principle prevails in human governments. A transgressor does not escape the penalties annexed to his acts because he did not know they were forbidden, or because he acted recklessly. It is a mischievous abuse of the distinction between sins, if occasion is taken from it to make light of any sin. Remember that all sin is, in its own nature, mortal. Paul llersecuted "ignorantly and in unbelief;" yet, for having persecuted, he reckoned himself the -chief of sinners. 2. As for the preS'limptuous transgressor, tlie law holde 01,t to him '186 THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. [cH. XV, 1--31.