McGrath groups his discussion into four central themes but stresses that these themes are not mutually exclusive. There's much to reflect on in this book, and while I am still sorting through the implications, it does raise significant questions concerning the perhaps over-emphasis in theological thought on sacrifice as death, which may be an anachronistic imposition on the biblical portrayal. Invite the young men to read 2 Nephi 9:6–16 or watch one or more of the videos in this outline and listen for what they learn about the need for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Because of the sacrifice of Christ, we can be saved, justified, forgiven, and adopted into God’s family. But many aren’t convinced by these arguments because of larger theological frameworks and passed down interpretations that connect God’s wrath, God’s justice, and the need for punishment.

When I think of the atonement, there is one verse that I believe encompasses all that we have said, and so much more. Jeffrey John, Dean of St Albans, disagrees with the theory of penal substitution and said so in a radio talk given over Lent 2007.Much of popular Christian belief has simply imported this pagan storyline, reminiscent of the Greek and Babylonian cultural texts referenced above, into Leviticus and the stories about Jesus’ death on the cross. Atonement was, at one time, not a theological term but simply a common term that meant “reconciliation” and could be used of the transaction between any two parties. Help TGC bring biblical wisdom to the confusing issues across the world by making a gift to our international work. Regardless of these interpretive moves, however, the first chapter of the book (which summarizes in amazing clarity the whole ancient temple-sacrificial system) should be required reading by anyone that is going to teach or preach on the bible. But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” ( Romans 5:8).

He has published various books in English and German, among them What a Difference a Meal Makes: The Last Supper in the Bible and in the Christian Church (2016). The “sacrifice” of Jesus is one of the most central doctrines in Christianity—and one of the most controversial, especially in contemporary debate (and after the appearance of films such as The Passion of the Christ). The phrase “has set us” speaks of the action taken on our behalf, which was His sacrificial death, i. Although the victory approach became less popular in the eighteenth century amongst Enlightenment thinkers - when the idea of a personal Devil and forces of evil was thrown into question - the idea was popularised again by Gustaf Aulén with the publication in 1931 of Christus Victor.

Many, however, criticize the above assumptions and lean toward understanding hilasterion as cleansing or purging of sin—something directed primarily toward humanity, not God. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? is not explicitly stated, only that “the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma” and promised continued blessing. The prominent ideas in Old Testament sacrifice are sin, guilt, and judgment on the one hand and satisfaction, expiation, forgiveness, and reconciliation on the other. Wayne Grudem summarizes this well when he says, The atonement is the work Christ did in his life and death to earn our salvation.

Often the NT emphasizes the life that comes through Christ's blood, meaning that it consecrates and purifies (similar to the sprinkling of blood in the OT sacrifices). These frameworks have always seemed rather harsh in themselves, and often only squeeze in God’s love at the last moment—to save the day.For example, John the Baptist describes Jesus as "the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world". But it means that you are created in the image of God and you know things are not as they were meant to be. And the righteousness of God—thought to be provoked to wrath—is equivalent to God’s moral and judicial perfection (righteousness is an attribute of God). However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. In the Old Testament, the Law and the prophets begin to set forth the powerful doctrine of the atonement, which finds its utmost fulfillment in the sacrificial death of Christ.

Because of this relative lack of use it is difficult to build a clear context for its exact meaning—especially as Paul is using it in Rom. As scholars in the New Perspective on Paul stream have pointed out, Paul’s understanding of “righteousness” means something like God’s “covenant faithfulness”, God’s historical commitment to Israel (and to humanity through Israel). All this is to say that it belongs to the very nature of sacrifice that it is directed first to God. The former sacrifices were symbolic and anticipatory of what was actual in Christ’s offering of himself on our behalf. The descriptive terms “guilt offering” and “sin offering” and the requirements that the sacrifice itself be “without blemish” are reflective of the same.Although Job’s sacrifices (1:5) are not precisely defined we are told that they were offered to God because of sin. The possibility of some of the New Testament images and metaphors for Jesus' death coming from secular sources is kind of mind-blowing, as well as the notion that the actual death/slaughter of the animal in Levitical sacrifices was a marginally important action. Timothy 2:1 starts with the words “first of all” (NRSV), but the attentive reader will notice that no “second” or “third” follows afterwards.