If the priest that is anointed sins according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he has sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering.
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Anointed. That is, "the high priest "Septuagint. Inferior priests were not anointed, except the sons of Aaron, at the beginning. (Calmet)
Ignorance in such a one is greatly to be avoided, as it tends to scandalize the people. (Haydock)
The same ceremonies are prescribed, as on the day of expiation; only the priest did not enter the most holy place.
Offend, in some smaller matter. If he engaged his brethren in the crime of idolatry, he should die, Deuteronomy xiii. 15. (Calmet)
Before the solemn unction, he might be expiated, like one of the princes. (Menochius)
And before the time of the prophets, when he wanted to show that sins received a much heavier penalty when they were committed by the priests than when they were committed by ordinary people, he commanded as great a sacrifice to be offered for the priests as for all the people. This explicitly proves that the priest’s wounds require greater help, indeed as much as those of all the people together. They would not have required greater help if they had not been more serious, and their seriousness is not increased by their own nature but by the extra weight of dignity belonging to the priest who dares to commit them.
