“If the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they do any one of the things that by the LORD’s commandments ought not to be done, and they realize their guilt,
13. And if the whole congregation. The very same sacrifice which was enjoined on the priest is required of the people; since he who went into the sanctuary in the name of all to present all the tribes before God, represented the whole body.
This is the law for expiating the guilt of a national sin, by a sin offering. If the leaders of the people, through mistake concerning the law, caused them to err, when the mistake was discovered an offering must be brought, that wrath might not come upon the whole congregation. Observe, 1. It is possible that the church may err, and that her guides may mislead her.
Commenting on Leviticus 4:13-21
When the sin which they have sinned against it,.... Any of the commandments of the Lord forbidding such a thing to be done: is known; is made known to them by the priest, or any other, so that they are convinced that what has been done is wrong, though done through ignorance: then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring...