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NASB | Luke 23:34 But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Luke 23:34 And Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots, dividing His clothes among themselves. [Ps 22:18] |
Bible Question:
Dear Tim, what is your understanding of these passages? John 1:29; Rom 3:25; Heb 9:26; Heb 10:4,11; 1 John 3:5. These all speak of Christ taking away sin (or sins). Hebrews especially makes a point that the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sins but that Christ alone has done this. Obviously, Christ's blood has done something concerning sins that animal blood could not do. If you get time, could you share your understanding of the 'taking away' of sins? How is it different from the atonement that OT sacrifices executed? Also, my interlinear says that the literal translation of 1 Pet 2:24 is: 'who the sins of us himself carried up in the body of him onto the tree' It still seems to suggest that His sacrifice had something to do with our sins carried, bore, sacrificed IN HIS BODY. Isaiah 53:6 says that 'the LORD has caused the iniquities of us all to fall on Him.' Isaiah 53:11 says 'as He will bear their iniquities.' And Isaiah 53:12 says that 'He Himself bore the sin of many.' Scripture still seems to support that Jesus Christ was indeed 'to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.' - 2 Cor 5:21. Gal 3:13 says that Christ became a curse for us. These are all pretty strong statements that seem to imply more than just that God pretended to see Jesus as sin. My NASB Study Bible says that Paul seems to teach that Christ's HUMAN (not divine) nature became sin. I don't know about that. I will have to study it more. But if Jesus did not actually bear our sins in His body, then why did He die have to die? Couldn't God just have 'imputed' death to Him without it literally happening? Please be patient with me. I am trying to understand. In Him (and always curious), Bill Mc |
Bible Answer: Greetings Bill! Dealing with the easier matter first, your interlinear is correct. The question though is what does the word 'anaphero' mean. The base meaning is 'to lift up', but, as I demonstrated in my previous post, it is also used in the New Testament in several places with the technicule meaning of 'sacrifice'. I think that is the meaning in mind in 1 Peter 2:24. Secondly, I agree that God did more than just "pretend to see Jesus as sin". The death of Jesus was absolutely necessary. The best verse that you listed to explain this with is Rom. 3:25. It says, "God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—" There are a couple of vital points made in this verse. The word translated as "sacrifice of atonement" is the Greek word 'hilasterion'. This word means an appeasment. My short winded understanding is this: God is both merciful and just. His justice demanded payment for sins. The penalty, according to Rom. 6:23, is death. Thus, in order for sin to be payed for, the sinner must die. However, God is also merciful. He didn't want us to have to die. Therefore, Christ took our place and appeased God's wrath. This is what the Old Testament system pointed forward to, the concept that someone else could take our place. As you pointed out though, the Old Testament sacrifices could not satisfy. The primary reason being that they did not effect real change within us. We were still sinners. Rom. 3:25 seems to hint at these when it talks about God's forebearance in not judging sin. Thus, the OT sacrifical system was a temporary measure to point us toward the future sacrifice of Christ and to withhold God's judgement. The sacrifice of Christ is different because it is the voluntary sacrifice of the offended on behalf of the offender. It is also different because of the identity of the sacrifice. His sacrifice is once for all, not needing to be repeated. It is His death which appeases God's rigtheous anger at sin. Further, He includes as part of His gift a new nature. So, when we come to Christ in faith, we are no longer sinners. He gives us a new nature. I don't know if I have explained this very well or not. But, the sacrifice of Christ was not pretend. However, neither is sin a things that can be physically carried by Christ's body. His body (or life) was the sacrifice for our sins. His body wasn't sin. The references you referred to are all consistent with this view. He took our penalty upon Himself. He became the perfect sin sacrifice. He took upon Himself the curse of our sin. However, all this was accomplished simply (there I go again) by dying in our place. Why did He have to die? That was the penalty for sin! I hope this helps! This is a very complex issue that could take book after book to discuss. It is not easy in a short posting. Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |