Leviticus 4:12

The whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp— To express the heinousness of his guilt, the high-priest was not allowed to taste any part of his own sin-offering, though of other sin-offerings he was allowed to eat; ch. Leviticus 6:26.

REFLECTIONS.—The wages of sin, wherever it is found, is death: even sins of ignorance are mortal without an atonement. We have here, therefore, an express appointment of a sin-offering for the soul that sins through ignorance. The sin is supposed to be an outward act, committed either through ignorance of the law, or surprise. There may be alleviations of guilt, but no excuse for sin.

The sacrifice for the sin of the high-priest is first appointed. He was a man, and, therefore, compassed about with infirmity. Note; 1. We must not expect too much from sinful men, however holy their calling, or high their attainments. 2. Yet a priest's sin is ever most aggravated, since he who is appointed to guide others, is peculiarly bound to set them an example.

The sin-offering is a bullock, to be offered with the usual form. Confession of guilt, and dependence on that blood without which there is no remission, is the only way of obtaining pardon for sin. The blood was sprinkled before the vail, and put on the horns of the golden altar; to signify, that all his services were polluted, till his iniquity was done away. The fat, &c. as in the peace-offering, was burned on the altar; to signify, that God accepted the sacrifice, and was reconciled to the offender; and the whole of the beast that remained, was burned without the camp as a detestable thing. Thus Jesus, when he made his soul an offering for sin, suffered without the camp; and, in the sharpness of his sorrows, and the ignominy that he endured, shewed us the dreadful evil of sin, while he thus took it away by the sacrifice of himself.