The Atonement

1
The Atonement

• Vocabulary, Old Testament Types, New Testament
  Fulfillment

2
This Unit - Theology of the Atonement

• 1. Vocabulary of the Atonement
• 2. Old Testament Types
• 3. New Testament Fulfillment
• 4. Why did Jesus have to die?
• 5. What God accomplished
• 6. Our Participation

3
What does atonement concern?

• The Atonement deals with understanding what
  Christ did through his death, burial and
  resurrection
• Why did Christ have to die?
• What did his death accomplish both in God, and
  for us?
• What is the essential of the cross?
• What is the essential for us in sharing our faith?

4
Atonement Principles

• Mercy and Forgiveness have always been Gods
  Disposition
• Cosmic Need of Atonement - Mankind co-opted
  Gods rule to Satan at the Fall
• Personal Need of Atonement Gods Mercy and
  Justice are both fulfilled
• The Atonement is Necessary to God and Us.
• Jesus life, death, provided for both the Cosmic
  and Personal Dimensions of Salvation for Us.

5
Vocabulary - Theology language

• Atonement
• Propitiation
• Salvation
• Substitution
• Reconciliation
• Redemption/Ransom

6
Atonement

• Leviticus 1610
• "But the goat on which the lot for the scapegoat
  fell shall be presented alive before the Lord, to
  make atonement upon it, to send it into the
  wilderness as the scapegoat.
• Leviticus 1711
• 'For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and
  I have given it to you on the altar to make
  atonement for your souls for it is the blood by
  reason of the life that makes atonement.'
• The English word atonement is the two words at
  onement - a state of togetherness and agreement
  between two people.

7
Presupposition in Imagery

• Atonement presupposes two parties that are
  alienated - the act of atonement being the
  reconciliation of them.
• The theological idea - the reconciliation between
  God and his fallen creation because of both his
  love and his justice.

8
The Sacrificial Imagery of the Old Testament

• The imagery of animal sacrifice, especially blood
  sacrifice, is the dominant OT image for atonement
  - the principle that under the law almost
  everything is purified with blood, and without
  the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of
  sins (Heb 922 RSV).
• The imagery of atoning sacrifice summed up
• the sins of humanity violated the holiness of the
  Creator and brought the sentence of death,
• a sentence that can be averted only by the
  substitution of a sacrifice of death.
• Through the blood of sacrifice, sinful people are
  able to receive the blessing of God instead of
  his judgment.

9
Propitiation

• Romans 325-26
• whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in
  His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate
  His righteousness, because in the forbearance of
  God He passed over the sins previously committed
• Hebrews 217
• Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in
  all things, so that He might become a merciful
  and faithful high priest in things pertaining to
  God, to make propitiation for the sins of the
  people.
• 1 John 22
• and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins
  and not for ours only, but also for those of the
  whole world.
• 1 John 410
• In this is love, not that we loved God, but that
  He loved us and sent His Son to be the
  propitiation for our sins.

10
Propitiation Implications

• Propitiation implies the removal of wrath by the
  offering of a gift an appeasement.
• Propitiation implies that instead of judgment,
  there is an extension of favor. In other words,
  God is propitious favorable towards those
  who Christs death has brought about forgiveness
  of sin.
• In the OT it is - kipper.
• In the NT hilaskomai.

11
Propitiation Implications

• An unworthy idea of God?
• The term propitiation should be abandoned in
  favour of expiation, for example, in rsv.
• The objection to propitiation arises largely from
  an objection to the whole idea of the wrath of
  God, which is questionable in light of the
  emphasis on Gods love and mercy..

12
Propitiation Implications

• Justice of God and Mercy of God are in tension
  but, Sin inevitably arouses the strongest
  reaction from God.
• God is opposed to evil in every shape and form
  while he may be slow to anger - his anger is
  yet certain in the face of sin.
• We may even read The Lord is slow to anger, and
  abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity
  and transgression, but he will by no means clear
  the guilty (Nu. 1418).

13
Propitiation Implications

• This was ultimately due, not to any efficacy in
  the sacrifice, but to God himself. God says, I
  have given it or you upon the altar to make
  atonement for your souls (Lv. 1711).
• Pardon is not something God is unwilling to do.
  It is the gracious gift or a God who is eager to
  forgive.
• He, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity,
  and did not destroy them he restrained his anger
  often, and did not stir up all his wrath (Ps.
  7838).
• The averting of the wrath of God is not something
  which we bring about. It is due to God himself,
  who turned his anger away

14
The Implications in NT

• Rom. 324f. We are justified freely by his grace
  through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus
  whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation
  through faith in his blood.
• Romans Jew and Gentile alike, are under the
  condemnation of God. The wrath of God is
  revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
  wickedness of men (Rom. 118).
• First that the Gentile world - then the Jew
• Christ is the Sacrifice that God accepts
• 1 Jn. 22 Jesus is the propitiation for our
  sins. The previous verse he is our advocate
  with the Father.

15
Salvation

• Salvation appears in the OT, as the word
  Yeshua
• It appears in the NT as the word Soteria
• It implies deliverance...setting free...and, also
  preservation.

16
Salvation

• Exodus 1413
• But Moses said to the people, "Do not fear!
  Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which
  He will accomplish for you today for the
  Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will
  never see them again forever.
• Exodus 152
• "The Lord is my strength and song,
• And He has become my salvation
• This is my God, and I will praise
  Him
• My father's God, and I will extol
  Him.

17
Salvation

• Psalm 271
• A Psalm of David.
• The Lord is my light and my salvation
• Whom shall I fear?
• The Lord is the defense of my life
  Whom shall I dread?

18
Salvation

• Isaiah 5916-17
• And He saw that there was no man,
• And was astonished that there was no
  one to intercede
• Then His own arm brought salvation to
  Him,
• And His righteousness upheld Him.
• 17 He put on righteousness like a
  breastplate,
• And a helmet of salvation on His
  head
• And He put on garments of vengeance
  for clothing
• And wrapped Himself with zeal as a
  mantle.

19
Salvation

• 1 Thes. 58_9
• But since we are of the day, let us be sober,
  having put on the breastplate of faith and love,
  and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For
  God has not destined us for wrath, but for
  obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus
  Christ,

20
Salvation

• 2 Thes. 213
• But we should always give thanks to God for
  you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God
  has chosen you from the beginning for salvation
  through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in
  the truth.
• Hebrews 928
• so Christ also, having been offered once to
  bear the sins of many, will appear a second time
  for salvation without reference to sin, to those
  who eagerly await Him.

21
l. Salvation is historical.

• The OT view of salvation is through historic,
  divine intervention
• Mankind is saved by Gods action in history in
  the person of Jesus Christ
• Romans 425
• He who was delivered over because of our
  transgressions, and was raised because of our
  justification.

22
l. Salvation is historical.

• Romans 510
• For if while we were enemies we were reconciled
  to God through the death of His Son, much more,
  having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His
  life.
• 1 John 49_10
• By this the love of God was manifested in us,
  that God has sent His only begotten Son into the
  world so that we might live through Him. 10 In
  this is love, not that we loved God, but that He
  loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation
  for our sins.

23
Saved by the Blood and Cross

• Romans 59
• Much more then, having now been justified by His
  blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God
  through Him.
• Ephes. 17
• In Him we have redemption through His blood, the
  forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the
  riches of His grace

24
Saved by the Blood and Cross

• Col. 120
• through Him to reconcile all things to Himself,
  having made peace through the blood of His cross
  through Him, I say, whether things on earth or
  things in heaven.
• Rev. 59
• And they sang a new song, saying,
• "Worthy are You to take the book and to break its
  seals for You were slain, and purchased for God
  with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue
  and people and nation.

25
Salvation from

• from sin and its consequences
• from guilt
• from the law and its curse
• from death
• from judgment
• from fear
• bondage

26
Reconciliation

• Two NT passages on Reconciliation
• Romans 510
• For if while we were enemies we were reconciled
  to God through the death of His Son, much more,
  having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His
  life.

27
Reconciliation

• 2 Cor. 519-21
• namely, that God was in Christ reconciling
  the world to Himself, not counting their
  trespasses against them, and He has committed to
  us the word of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we
  are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were
  making an appeal through us we beg you on behalf
  of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him
  who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that
  we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

28
Reconciliation

• The Gk. Word root is allasso to exchange or
  Change -- the verbs katallasso and
  apokatallasso.
• Reconciliation implies the doing away of an
  enmity, the resolving of separation.
• We as sinners are enemies of God

29
Redemption/Ransom

• Redemption means deliverance by payment of a
  price A Ransom.
• The Hebrew has two words one implies
  Ransom...and the other is a legal right of
  regaining property that was either lost or sold.
• Psalm 497-8
• No man can by any means redeem his
  brother
• Or give to God a ransom for him
• 8 For the redemption of his soul is
  costly,
• And he should cease trying forever

30
Redemption/Ransom

• The New Testament root is lutroó which implies
  a payment.
• Romans 323-25
• for all have sinned and fall short of the
  glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by
  His grace through the redemption which is in
  Christ Jesus 25 whom God displayed publicly as
  a propitiation in His blood through faith. This
  was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in
  the forbearance of God He passed over the sins
  previously committed

31
Redemption/Ransom

• Hebrews 911_15
• But when Christ appeared as a high priest of
  the good things to come, He entered through the
  greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made
  with hands, that is to say, not of this creation
  12 and not through the blood of goats and
  calves, but through His own blood, He entered the
  holy place once for all, having obtained eternal
  redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and
  bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those
  who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing
  of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood
  of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered
  Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your
  conscience from dead works to serve the living
  God?
• 15 For this reason He is the mediator of a
  new covenant, so that, since a death has taken
  place for the redemption of the transgressions
  that were committed under the first covenant,
  those who have been called may receive the
  promise of the eternal inheritance.

32
The Death of Christ as a Ransom

• Mark 1045
• "For even the Son of Man did not come to be
  served, but to serve, and to give His life a
  ransom for many."
• 1 Tim. 26
• who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the
  testimony given at the proper time.

33
Ransom is a payment

• Exodus 2128-30
• "If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox
  shall surely be stoned and its flesh shall not be
  eaten but the owner of the ox shall go
  unpunished. 29 "If, however, an ox was
  previously in the habit of goring and its owner
  has been warned, yet he does not confine it and
  it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned
  and its owner also shall be put to death. 30
  "If a ransom is demanded of him, then he shall
  give for the redemption of his life whatever is
  demanded of him.
• A ransom (Heb. koper) might be demanded of him.
  
• Freedom secured by payment of a price.

34
NT points

• Jesus had taught them that everyone who commits
  sin is a slave to sin (Jn. 834).
• Paul talks of being carnal, sold under sin
  (Rom. 714)
• He reminds the Romans they had been slaves of
  sin (Rom. 617).
• We have redemption through his blood (Eph.
  17), i.e., the blood of Christ is the price of
  redemption.

35
NT points

• Redemption not only looks back to Calvary, but
  forward to the freedom in which the redeemed
  stand.
• You were bought with a price, so glorify God in
  your body (1 Cor. 620).

36
Expiation or Propitiation?

• Expiation means cancellation or dismissal.
  
• God Forgives, because he is gracious and merciful
  and he needs no cost
• He pardons

37
Expiation or Propitiation?

• Jeremiah 3133-34 "But this is the covenant
  which I will make with the house of Israel after
  those days," declares the Lord, "I will put My
  law within them and on their heart I will write
  it and I will be their God, and they shall be My
  people. 34 "They will not teach again, each man
  his neighbor and each man his brother, saying,
  'Know the Lord,' for they will all know Me, from
  the least of them to the greatest of them,"
  declares the Lord, "for I will forgive their
  iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."

38
Expiation or Propitiation?

• atonement seems to involve propitiation -
  the turning away of wrath by an offering??
• Or, does it simply express Gods wrath against
  Sin??
• Gods Wrath, Justice, Mercy and Love are central
  -- Fear him who, after the killing of the body,
  has power to throw you into hell (Luke 125).
• John 336 Whoever believes in the Son has
  eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will
  not see life, for Gods wrath remains on him.

39
Propitiation/Atonement

• Old Testament Type
• 1. A Physical Cover
• Exodus 2517
• "You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold,
  two and a half cubits long and one and a half
  cubits wide.
• kapporeth from the Hebrew (kapher) mercy seat
  (27).
• Exodus 2634 "You shall put the mercy seat on
  the ark of the testimony in the holy of holies.

40
Propitiation/Atonement

• To Cover Over, Leviticus 97
• Moses then said to Aaron, "Come near to the
  altar and offer your sin offering and your burnt
  offering, that you may make atonement for
  yourself and for the people then make the
  offering for the people, that you may make
  atonement for them, just as the Lord has
  commanded."

41
Propitiation/Atonement

• Leviticus 1711 'For the life of the flesh is
  in the blood, and I have given it to you on the
  altar to make atonement for your souls for it is
  the blood by reason of the life that makes
  atonement.'
• Deut. 218
• 'Forgive Your people Israel whom You have
  redeemed, O Lord, and do not place the guilt of
  innocent blood in the midst of Your people
  Israel.' And the bloodguiltiness shall be
  forgiven them.

42
The Day of Atonement

• Leviticus 2327_28
• "On exactly the tenth day of this seventh
  month is the day of atonement it shall be a holy
  convocation for you, and you shall humble your
  souls and present an offering by fire to the
  Lord. 28 "You shall not do any work on this
  same day, for it is a day of atonement, to make
  atonement on your behalf before the Lord your
  God.
• kippur- atonement
• Leviticus 161-34

43
The Day of Atonement Lev. 16

• 166-10. purpose of the day.
• 168. Azazel - scapegoat
• 1629. tenth day of the seventh month.
• 1634. atonement once a year.

44
The Book of Hebrews as fulfillment

• Hebrews 217
• Therefore, He had to be made like His
  brethren in all things, so that He might become a
  merciful and faithful high priest in things
  pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the
  sins of the people.
• Hebrews 91-28