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 err, and do not all these commands which Jehovah hath spoken unto Moses, the whole that Jehovah hath charged upon you by the hand of Moses, from the day that Jehovah hath commanded, and henceforth, to your generations, read more. then it hath been, if from the eyes of the company it hath been done in ignorance, that all the company have prepared one bullock, a son of the herd, for a burnt-offering, for sweet fragrance to Jehovah, and its present, and its libation, according to the ordinance, and one kid of the goats for a sin-offering. And the priest hath made atonement for all the company of the sons of Israel, and it hath been forgiven them, for it is ignorance, and they -- they have brought in their offering, a fire-offering to Jehovah, even their sin-offering before Jehovah for their ignorance; and it hath been forgiven to all the company of the sons of Israel, and to the sojourner who is sojourning in their midst; for to all the company it is done in ignorance. 'And if one person sin in ignorance, then he hath brought near a she-goat, daughter of a year, for a sin-offering; and the priest hath made atonement for the person who is erring, in his sinning in ignorance before Jehovah, by making atonement for him, and it hath been forgiven him; for the native among the sons of Israel, and for the sojourner who is sojourning in their midst -- one law is to you, for him who is doing anything through ignorance. And the person who doth aught with a high hand -- of the native or of the sojourner -- Jehovah he is reviling, and that person hath been cut off from the midst of his people; because the word of Jehovah he despised, and His command hath broken -- that person is certainly cut off; his iniquity is on him.' And the sons of Israel are in the wilderness, and they find a man gathering wood on the sabbath-day,
and the sons of Eli are sons of worthlessness, they have not known Jehovah.
Hear a word of Jehovah, sons of Israel, For a strife is to Jehovah with inhabitants of the land, For there is no truth, nor kindness, Nor knowledge of God, in the land,
For kindness I desired, and not sacrifice, And a knowledge of God above burnt-offerings.
but whoever may speak evil in regard to the Holy Spirit hath not forgiveness -- to the age, but is in danger of age-during judgment;'
And Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they have not known what they do;' and parting his garments they cast a lot.
And now, brethren, I have known that through ignorance ye did it, as also your rulers;
the times, indeed, therefore, of the ignorance God having overlooked, doth now command all men everywhere to reform,
for revealed is the wrath of God from heaven upon all impiety and unrighteousness of men, holding down the truth in unrighteousness.
being darkened in the understanding, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart,
See that no one shall be carrying you away as spoil through the philosophy and vain deceit, according to the deliverance of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ,
who before was speaking evil, and persecuting, and insulting, but I found kindness, because, being ignorant, I did it in unbelief,
able to be gentle to those ignorant and going astray, since himself also is compassed with infirmity;
and into the second, once in the year, only the chief priest, not apart from blood, which he doth offer for himself and the errors of the people,
If any one may see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and He shall give to him life to those sinning not unto death; there is sin to death, not concerning it do I speak that he may beseech;