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They Know Not What They Do
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1) |
In the reading of the scriptures there are different sorts of
sins mentioned: |
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a) |
Sins of ignorance. (Lev 4:2) |
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b) |
Sins done in secret. (Psa. 90:8) |
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c) |
Sins of carelessness. (Psa. 39:1; Deut. 11:16) |
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d) |
Sins of presumptuousness. (1 Cor. 10:12) |
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e) |
Sins which can never be pardoned. (Matt. 12:31-32) |
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f) |
Sin unto death. (1 Jn. 5:16) |
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2) |
When we speak of a sin in ignorance, it must be understood that
ignorance can arise from a number of ways.
An individual can: |
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a) |
Be ignorant to that which is happening by way of emotions,
Samson. (Jud. 16:9) |
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b) |
Be ignorant by not knowing the scriptures. (Matt. 22:29) |
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c) |
Be ignorant of the consequences of an activity, cp. Adam. (Rom.
5:12-19) |
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d) |
Being the channel through which the flesh can be manifested
(Deut. 8:2), and the maid with Peter (Jn. 18:17, 25). |
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e) |
Be ignorant by not understanding the level at which one is being
spoken to. (Jn. 4:10-15) |
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f) |
Pretending to be ignorant. (Gen. 37:32) |
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g) |
Intentionally ignorant. (2 Pet. 3:5) |
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h) |
Be ignorant of divine activity. (Job 1:8-11) |
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i) |
Keep others ignorant to that which is happening by a hidden
agenda, Absalom. (2 Sam. 15:1-6) |
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j) |
Keep another in a state of ignorance. (Josh. 2:4) |
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3) |
With this in mind, we understand that an individual can sin
through ignorance in at least one of three ways: |
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a) |
Not knowing the law. |
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b) |
An individual knowing that which they were doing on the lowest
level, but not appreciating that which they were doing on the
higher spiritual level. |
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c) |
An individual knowing that they were doing wrong but ignorant of
the consequences, that is, the individual was not only ignorant
in not knowing that which they were doing was wrong, it also
means that they did not understand the seriousness or
consequences of that which they were doing. |
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4) |
When the Lord gave this petition, what did He mean when He said:
“They did not know what they do”? |
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a) |
Surely they were not ignorant that they were crucifying a man
without fault. |
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b) |
Surely they were not ignorant that they had called for His
blood. |
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c) |
Surely they were not ignorant that they had chosen Barabbas over
Jesus. |
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d) |
Surely they knew full well they had judged Him guilty of
blasphemy. |
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How then could the Lord plead for them on the ground of
ignorance? |
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a) |
They were ignorant of: |
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i) |
The seriousness of their own sin and unrighteousness. |
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ii) |
The seriousness of the sin they were committing. |
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iii) |
The fulness of the love they were spurning. |
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iv) |
The grief they were causing the Lord. |
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v) |
The fact that he was suffering for them. |
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vi) |
The sin of passive involvement. |
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vi) |
The perfection of God’s righteousness. |
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vii) |
The fact that they needed to be forgiven. |
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It was on this point that clearly the Lord prayed for them. A
truth taught in the New Testament: |
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a) |
“And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as
did also your rulers.” (Acts 3:17) |
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b) |
“I Paul, who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and
injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in
unbelief.” (1 Tim. 1:13) |
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c) |
“Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they
known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (1
Cor. 2:8) |
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Being filled with hatred they were blind to their imagined: |
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a) |
Moral superiority in being able to judge others. |
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b) |
The fact that ignorance was no excuse for their
behavior. |
In Leviticus 4 there is instructions given for sins committed through
ignorance. It will be observed that not all sins of ignorance were
judged the same way, for the severity of the sin depended on the
position of the offender. In that chapter, after the introduction there
are four categories of people who sinned by either not knowing that
which they were doing was a sin, or knowing that which they were doing
was wrong but failing to know the consequences, or appreciate the
seriousness of that which they were doing.
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1) |
Illustration No. 1 |
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a) |
Priests who sinned in ignorance in this way, Nadab and Abihu are
examples of this as well as the chief priests, Ananias and
Caiaphas |
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b) |
With Nadab and Abihu: |
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i) |
They knew they were disobeying God. |
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ii) |
They sinned in ignorance in that they did not know the: |
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1. |
Seriousness of that which they were doing in breaking a type. |
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2. |
Seriousness of that which they were doing in its consequences. |
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2) |
Illustration No. 2 |
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The sin of ignorance by the whole congregation. In the Judgment
Hall, all who were there cried “crucify”. |
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a) |
Did they not know what they were doing? |
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b) |
Of course they knew that which they were doing on the lower
level, but on the deeper level they did not know. They were
ignorant of: |
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i) |
That which they were doing spiritually. |
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That which they were doing prophetically. |
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That they were doing this to the Messiah. |
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3) |
Illustration No. 3
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Concerns the sin of ignorance by a ruler, an example of this is
David with Bathsheba. When it comes to our Lord it was the
“chief priests and rulers of the people” (Lk. 23:13, 23:35) who
derided Him. |
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a) |
Considering David and Bathsheba: (2 Sam. 11:2-12:13) |
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i) |
He knew that looking and lusting and taking Bathsheba was wrong. |
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ii) |
He was ignorant of the conniving he would have to commit to try
to cover the sin. |
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iii) |
He was ignorant of the sins it would lead to, the killing of
Uriah. |
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iv) |
He was ignorant of the sorrow it would bring into his family in
four deaths. |
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v) |
He was ignorant of the reality of that which he had done until
Nathan spoke to him. |
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b) |
Also when David numbered the people (1 Chron. 21:1) |
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i) |
He knew he was taking a census, possibly to see how strong he
was. |
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ii) |
He was ignorant of the fact that the instigator was Satan. (1
Chron. 21:1) |
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iii) |
He was ignorant of the consequences for the people. (1 Chron.
21:7-16) |
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4) |
Illustration No. 4 |
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If one of the common people sinned through ignorance, an example
of such was Achan. (Josh. 7:1-24) |
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a) |
He knew that he was disobeying the command of the Lord. |
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b) |
He was ignorant of the effects on it relative to: |
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i) |
The many families his sin would bring death into. |
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ii) |
The effect of shame on himself and his family. |
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iii) |
The ultimate results of it on his entire house. |
Thus to all who are under the burden of guilt and care, having remorse
for sins committed by ignorance or willfulness, they can stand at the
foot of the cross and hear the heart healing words:
“Father forgive them, they know not what they do”.
May
God grant us good understanding as He, by His Holy
Spirit, deigns to guide us into all truth.
John 16:13
Copyright © 2012 by Rowan Jennings, Abbotsford,
British Columbia
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