The Trespass Offering

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “If a person commits a trespass, and sins unintentionally in regard to the holy things of the Lord, then he shall bring to the Lord as his trespass offering a ram without blemish from the flocks, with your valuation in shekels of silver according to the shekel of the sanctuary, as a trespass offering. And he shall make restitution for the harm that he has done in regard to the holy thing and shall add onefifth to it and give it to the priest. So, the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him” (5:14-16).

The trespass offering was similar to that of the sin offering but the main difference was that the trespass offering was an offering of money for sins of ignorance connected with fraud or debt. To atone for specific transgressions where restitution was possible, damages computed at six-fifths payable in advance. Legal satisfaction. The fraud was towards God in respect to worship and fraud against man in terms of wrongdoing by the trespasser regarding the commandments of God’s law.

The sacrifice is mandatory, the trespasser has to choose the best ram from his flock and the priest will estimate its value as to whether it is sufficient for the offering. The offering was always a ram, reminding us of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac. The blood was always put on the sides of the altar and not on the horns of the altar.

The lesson of the trespass offering is that atonement must consist of total restitution/reparation – restoring all that was lost. There must also be a making up of the wrong done by the person suffering loss, as a recompense for the evil. In His atonement God must get back all that was lost through disobedience to His law and the honour of His law must be vindicated. This required that Christ fulfil every jot and tittle of the law and that by His active obedience He fulfilled the law and by His passive obedience, - His sufferings, He paid the price in full for man’s trespasses.

“If a person sins and commits any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord, though he does not know it, yet he is guilty and shall bear his iniquity” (5:17). This verse is proof of the awful sins which are committed through ignorance, yet that person is guilty. This can apply to the performance of the duties of the priests which robs God, although ignorant there is a price which has to be paid and atonement has to be paid. The sinner is accountable to God and atonement must be paid for sin.