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
"'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 the authority of Moses, from the day that the Lord commanded Moses and continuing through your future generations -- read more. then if anything is done unintentionally without the knowledge of the community, the whole community must prepare one young bull for a burnt offering -- for a pleasing aroma to the Lord -- along with its grain offering and its customary drink offering, and one male goat for a purification offering. And the priest is to make atonement for the whole community of the Israelites, and they will be forgiven, because it was unintentional and they have brought their offering, an offering made by fire to the Lord, and their purification offering before the Lord, for their unintentional offense. And the whole community of the Israelites and the resident foreigner who lives among them will be forgiven, since all the people were involved in the unintentional offense. "'If any person sins unintentionally, then he must bring a yearling female goat for a purification offering. And the priest must make atonement for the person who sins unintentionally -- when he sins unintentionally before the Lord -- to make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven. You must have one law for the person who sins unintentionally, both for the native-born among the Israelites and for the resident foreigner who lives among them. "'But the person who acts defiantly, whether native-born or a resident foreigner, insults the Lord. That person must be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the Lord and has broken his commandment, that person must be completely cut off. His iniquity will be on him.'" When the Israelites were in the wilderness they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day.
The sons of Eli were wicked men. They did not recognize the Lord's authority.
Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites! For the Lord has a covenant lawsuit against the people of Israel. For there is neither faithfulness nor loyalty in the land, nor do they acknowledge God.
For I delight in faithfulness, not simply in sacrifice; I delight in acknowledging God, not simply in whole burnt offerings.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, but is guilty of an eternal sin"
[But Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing."] Then they threw dice to divide his clothes.
And now, brothers, I know you acted in ignorance, as your rulers did too.
Therefore, although God has overlooked such times of ignorance, he now commands all people everywhere to repent,
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness,
They are darkened in their understanding, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.
Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you through an empty, deceitful philosophy that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I was treated with mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief,
He is able to deal compassionately with those who are ignorant and erring, since he also is subject to weakness,
But only the high priest enters once a year into the inner tent, and not without blood that he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.
If anyone sees his fellow Christian committing a sin not resulting in death, he should ask, and God will grant life to the person who commits a sin not resulting in death. There is a sin resulting in death. I do not say that he should ask about that.