Full instructions are given about the meat-offerings and drink-offerings. The beginning of this
law is very encouraging, When ye come into the land of your habitation which I give unto you.
This was a plain intimation that God would secure the promised land to their seed. It was requisite,
since the sacrifices of acknowledgment were intended as the food of God's table, that there should
be a constant supply of bread, oil, and wine, whatever the flesh-meat was. And the intent of this
law is to direct the proportions of the meat-offering and drink-offering. Natives and strangers are
placed on a level in this as in other like matters. It was a happy forewarning of the calling of the
Gentiles, and of their admission into the church. If the law made so little difference between Jew
and Gentile, much less would the gospel, which broke down the partition-wall, and reconciled both
to God.
Verses 22–29
Though ignorance will in a degree excuse, it will not justify those who might have known their
Lord's will, yet did it not. David prayed to be cleansed from his secret faults, those sins which he
himself was not aware of. Sins committed ignorantly, shall be forgiven through Christ the great
Sacrifice, who, when he offered up himself once for all upon the cross, seemed to explain one part
of the intention of his offering, in that prayer, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they
do. It looked favourably upon the Gentiles, that this law of atoning for sins of ignorance, is expressly
made to extend to those who were strangers to Israel.
Verses 30–36
Those are to be reckoned presumptuous sinners, who sin designedly against God's will and
glory. Sins thus committed are exceedingly sinful. He that thus breaks the commandment reproaches
the Lord. He also despises the word of the Lord. Presumptuous sinners despise it, thinking themselves
too great, too good, and too wise, to be ruled by it. A particular instance of presumption in the sin
of sabbath-breaking is related. The offence was gathering sticks on the sabbath day, to make a fire,
whereas the people were to bake and seethe what they had occasion for, the day before, Ex 16:23.
This was done as an affront both to the law and to the Lawgiver. God is jealous for the honour of
his sabbaths, and will not hold him guiltless who profanes them, whatever men may do. God
intended this punishment for a warning to all, to make conscience of keeping holy the sabbath. And
we may be assured that no command was ever given for the punishment of sin, which, at the
judgment day, shall not prove to have come from perfect love and justice. The right of God to a
day of devotion to himself, will be disputed and denied only by such as listen to the pride and
unbelief of their hearts, rather than to the teaching of the Spirit of truth and life. Wherein consists
the difference between him who was detected gathering sticks in the wilderness on the day of God,
and the man who turns his back upon the blessings of sabbath appointments, and the promises of
sabbath mercies, to use his time, his cares, and his soul, in heaping up riches; and waste his hours,
his property, and his strength in sinful pleasure? Wealth may come by the unhallowed effort, but
it will not come alone; it will have its awful reward. Sinful pursuits lead to ruin.
Verses 37–41