Reference: Ignorance
Hastings
It appears to be in accordance with natural justice that ignorance should be regarded as modifying moral responsibility, and this is fully recognized in the Scriptures. In the OT, indeed, the knowledge of God is often spoken of as equivalent to true religion (see Knowledge), and therefore ignorance is regarded as its opposite (1Sa 2:12; Ho 4:1; 6:6). But the Levitical law recognizes sins of ignorance as needing some expiation, but with a minor degree of guilt (Le 4; Nu 15:22-32). So 'ignorances' are spoken of in 1Es 8:75 (RV 'errors'), Tob 3:3, Sir 23:2 f. as partly involuntary (cf. Heb 5:2; 9:7). The whole of the OT, however, is the history of a process of gradual moral and spiritual enlightenment, so that actions which are regarded as pardonable, or even praiseworthy, at one period, become inexcusable in a more advanced state of knowledge. In the NT the difference between the 'times of ignorance' and the light of Christianity is recognized in Ac 17:30 (cf. 1Ti 1:13; 1Pe 1:14), and ignorance is spoken of as modifying responsibility in Ac 3:17; 1Co 2:8; Lu 23:34. This last passage, especially, suggests that sin is pardonable because it contains an element of ignorance, while Mr 3:29 appears to contemplate the possibility of an absolutely wilful choice of evil with full knowledge of what it is, which will be unpardonable (cf. 1Jo 5:16). Immoral and guilty ignorance is also spoken of in Ro 1:18 ff., Eph 4:18. For the question whether Christ in His human nature could be ignorant, see Kenosis, Knowledge.
J. H. Maude.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And when ye shall err, and not observe all these commandments, which LORD has spoken to Moses, even all that LORD has commanded you by Moses, from the day that LORD gave commandment, and onward throughout your generations, read more. then it shall be, if it be done unwittingly, without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt-offering, for a sweet savor to LORD, with the meal-offering of it, and the And the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and they shall be forgiven, for it was an error, and they have brought their oblation, an offering made by fire to LORD, and their sin-offering bef And all the congregation of the sons of Israel shall be forgiven, and the stranger who sojourns among them, for in respect of all the people it was done unwittingly. And if one soul sins unwittingly, then he shall offer a she-goat a year old for a sin-offering. And the priest shall make atonement for the soul that errs, when he sins unwittingly, before LORD, to make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven. Ye shall have one law for him who does anything unwittingly, for him who is home-born among the sons of Israel, and for the stranger who sojourns among them. But the soul that does anything with a high hand, whether he be home-born or a sojourner, the same blasphemes LORD, and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of LORD, and has broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him. And while the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks upon the Sabbath day.
Now the sons of Eli were base men; they knew not LORD.
Hear the word of LORD, ye sons of Israel, for LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.
For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings.
But whoever may blaspheme against the Holy Spirit has no forgiveness, into the age, but is deserving of eternal damnation,
And Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing. And dividing his garments, they cast a lot.
And now, brothers, I know that ye did it from ignorance, as also your rulers.
Indeed therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands for all men everywhere to repent.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all irreverence and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the callousness of their heart.
Take heed lest there will be any man taking you captive through the love of wisdom and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ.
the man who was formerly blasphemous, and a persecutor, and an aggressor. But I obtained mercy because I did it being ignorant in unbelief.
Who can be gentle to those who are ignorant and led astray, since he himself is also encompassed with weakness.
But into the second part, the high priest alone, once a year, not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people,
If any man may see his brother sinning a sin not toward death, he will ask, and he will give life to him, to those not sinning toward death. There is sin toward death. I do not say that he should make request about that.