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
"But if you sin unintentionally, and do not observe all these commandments that the LORD has spoken to Moses, all that the LORD has commanded you by Moses, from the day that the LORD gave commandment, and onward throughout your generations, read more. then if it was done unintentionally without the knowledge of the congregation, all the congregation shall offer one bull from the herd for a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD, with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the rule, and one male goat for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the people of Israel, and they shall be forgiven, because it was a mistake, and they have brought their offering, a food offering to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD for their mistake. And all the congregation of the people of Israel shall be forgiven, and the stranger who sojourns among them, because the whole population was involved in the mistake. "If one person sins unintentionally, he shall offer a female goat a year old for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement before the LORD for the person who makes a mistake, when he sins unintentionally, to make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven. You shall have one law for him who does anything unintentionally, for him who is native among the people of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them. But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the LORD, and that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the LORD and has broken his commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be on him." While the people of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day.
Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the LORD.
Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land;
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"--
And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments.
"And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.
The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,
He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.
but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.
If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life--to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that.