d and
burned the cow, and he who burned, and he who gathered together the
ashes, were unclean, as also he that sprinkled the water: either
because the Jews became unclean through putting Christ to death,
whereby our sins are expiated; and this, until the evening, i.e.
until the end of the world, when the remnants of Israel will be
converted; or else because they who handle sacred things with a view
to the cleansing of others contract certain uncleannesses, as Gregory
says (Pastor. ii, 5); and this until the evening, i.e. until the end
of this life.

Reply Obj. 6: As stated above (ad 5), an uncleanness which was caused
by corruption either of mind or of body was expiated by
sin-offerings. Now special sacrifices were wont to be offered for the
sins of individuals: but since some were neglectful about expiating
such sins and uncleannesses; or, through ignorance, failed to offer
this expiation; it was laid down that once a year, on the tenth day
of the seventh month, a sacrifice of expiation should be offered for
the whole people. And because, as the Apostle says (Heb. 7:28), "the
Law maketh men priests, who have infirmity," it behooved the priest
first of all to offer a calf for his own sins, in memory of Aaron's
sin in fashioning the molten calf; and besides, to offer a ram for a
holocaust, which signified that the priestly sovereignty denoted by
the ram, who is the head of the flock, was to be ordained to the
glory of God. Then he offered two he-goats for the people: one of
which was offered in expiation of the sins of the multitude. For the
he-goat is an evil-smelling animal; and from its skin clothes are
made having a pungent odor; to signify the stench, uncleanness and
the sting of sin. After this he-goat had been immolated, its blood
was taken, together with the blood of the calf, into the Holy of
Holies, and the entire sanctuary was sprinkled with it; to signify
that the tabernacle was cleansed from the uncleanness of the children
of Israel. But the corpses of the he-goat and calf which had been
offered up for sin had to be burnt, to denote the destruction of
sins. They were not, however, burnt on the altar: since none but
holocausts were burnt thereon; but it was prescribed that they should
be burnt without the camp, in detestation of sin: for this was done
whenever sacrifice was offered for a grievous sin, or for the
multitude of sins. The other goat was let loose into the wilderness:
not indeed to offer it to t