The Purification Offering: Fulfilled in Christ, the Perfect Sacrifice for Atonement (Leviticus 4:27-31)

If anyone of the general populace does wrong inadvertently by violating one of the Lord’s prohibitions, and thus is guilty, 28 upon learning of the wrong committed, that person shall bring an unblemished she-goat as the offering for the wrong committed. 29 The wrongdoer shall lay a hand on the head of the purification offering, and the purification offering shall be slaughtered at the place of the burnt offerings. 30 The priest shall then take some of its blood on his finger and put it on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings. The rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar. 31 He shall remove all the fat, just as the fat is removed from the communion sacrifice. The priest shall burn it on the altar for a sweet odor to the Lord. Thus the priest shall make atonement, so that the individual may be forgiven.

Leviticus 4:27-31 describes the purification offering required when a common person sins unintentionally.  Under the Old Testament sacrificial system, sin—whether intentional or unintentional—created a rupture in the covenant relationship with God, requiring atonement.  In this passage, the sinner must bring a female goat without blemish, place their hand upon its head as a symbolic act of transferring guilt, and then the priest offers it as a sacrifice.  The priest applies the blood to the altar, making atonement so that the sinner may be forgiven.  This ritual underscores individual responsibility for sin and the necessity of God's provision for purification.  It also reflects the broader sacrificial system instituted by God to maintain the holiness of Israel and restore sinners to communion with Him (Lev. 11:44-45; 19:2).

This sacrificial system prefigures Christ’s atoning work, in which He serves as the true and final sin offering.  2 Corinthians 5:21 states that Christ, though sinless, was "made to be sin" for us—meaning that He became a sin offering (in keeping with the Old Testament context), bearing the guilt of humanity so that we might become the righteousness of God.  Similarly, Hebrews 9:26-28 explains that Christ’s sacrifice far surpasses the Old Testament offerings, as He bore sin once for all through His death.  The laying on of hands in Leviticus, which symbolizes the transfer of sin to the sacrificial victim, foreshadows Christ taking upon Himself the iniquities of humanity, fulfilling the prophecy of the Suffering Servant: “Yet it was our pain that he bore, our sufferings he endured” (Isa. 53:4-6).

This passage connects to God’s plan of salvation by illustrating the need for substitutionary atonement, which finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ.  John the Baptist identifies Jesus as "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), and 1 Peter 2:24 affirms that Christ “bore our sins in his body upon the cross”, bringing about true reconciliation with God.  The principle of blood being required for forgiveness (Lev. 17:11) is fully realized in Christ’s perfect sacrifice, which replaces the repeated offerings of the Old Covenant with one eternal and efficacious act of redemption (Heb. 10:10-14).  Through His self-offering, Jesus not only atones for sin but also inaugurates the New Covenant, granting believers direct access to God (Heb. 9:12-15).

Heavenly Father, You have shown us in Your Word that sin separates us from You, yet in Your mercy, You provided a way for atonement.  As the purification offering once pointed to the need for forgiveness, we see its perfect fulfillment in Christ, who became sin for us, that we might share in Your righteousness. By His once-for-all sacrifice, we are cleansed and restored to You.  May we never take for granted the price of our redemption, but live in gratitude and holiness, offering our lives in love and obedience to You.  This we pray through Christ our Lord.  Amen!

                                                       

Sources

• McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
• Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
• Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
• Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
• Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: The Pentateuch. Four Courts Press, 2017
• Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
• Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
• Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.