Bible Lexicons

Girdlestone's Synonyms of the Old TestamentGirdlestone's OT Synonyms

Sin-Offering

The The sin-offering is always Chattath (חטאת ), for which the LXX has περὶ ἁμαρτίας. The verb Chatha, whence it derives its name, signifies to sin, but in the Piel voice to cleanse or purge or to offer for sin, as in Leviticus 6:26; Leviticus 9:15; also in Psalms 51:7, 'Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean.' It is used of purification in Numbers 19:9; Numbers 19:17; see also Job 41:25. The main peculiarities of the sin-offering have been referred to above in chap. vi.; but it may be added that whilst the Olah, which was an offering of devotion, went upwards, both the blood and the flesh being lifted on the altar and turned to vapour, the sin-offering, which was mystically identified with sin, went downwards - the blood was poured down at the side of the altar, the animal, if not eaten by the priest, was burnt up on the ground, and as there was nothing pleasing to God in the sin which it represented, the smoke is not described as rising up to God as a sweet odour.

The identification of Christ with the sin-offering (περὶ ἁμαρτίας) seems clear from Romans 8:3, where we are told that 'God sending his son in the likeness of sinful flesh (or of flesh which is the seat of sin), and for sin (i.e. as a sin-offering), condemned sin in the flesh.' The flesh, which kind been the seat of sin in all other persons, was the seat of righteousness in Christ in all the points in which St. Paul (in the previous chapters) had shown the flesh to be wanting, Christ proved more than conqueror. his members were instruments of righteousness, his feet were swift to go on errands of mercy, his words were sweeter than honey and the honeycomb, his heart was pure from all taint of sin. Hence the force of his own question, 'Which of you convinceth me of sin (περὶ ἁμαρτίας);' and hence the efficacy of his being a sin-offering (περὶ ἁμαρτίας). his life in the flesh was a practical condemnation of sin and a victory over it; and his deat has a sin-offering was, by the will of God, the means of imparting that victory to all who are one with Him by faith.

In 2 Corinthians 5:21, we read, in confirmation of the passage just commented on, God 'made him who knew not sin to be sin for us.' God identified Him with sin, dealt with Him as sin deserves to be dealt with, and thus fulfilled in Him that of which the sin-offering of the O.T. was a type.

The phrase περὶ ἁμαρτίας or περὶ ἁμαρτίων is also used with reference to the type or antitype in Galatians 1:4; Hebrews 10:6; Hebrews 10:12; Hebrews 10:18; Hebrews 10:26; Hebrews 13:11; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10.