The Nature of Jesus' Atoning Sacrifice in Theology
The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ is central to Christian theology, understood as the means by which humanity is reconciled to God. This sacrifice was foretold in the Old Testament, appointed by God, and necessary for human redemption [1].
The concept of sacrifice itself is presented in the Bible as a divine institution, not originating with humanity, but appointed by God as the acceptable mode of worship for fallen humanity [6]. Old Testament sacrifices, such as those made by Abel (Genesis 4:4) and those prescribed in the Mosaic Law, prefigured Christ's ultimate sacrifice [6, 9]. These ancient practices involved the offering of animals, often by priests, for purposes such as propitiating God, ransoming, and purifying [5]. The peace offering, for instance, signified Christ's self-oblation as the source of peace and salvation, as well as the believer's offering of praise and thanksgiving to God [13].
Jesus' atoning sacrifice is characterized by several key aspects:
- Voluntary Offering: Jesus willingly offered himself. Isaiah 53:12 and John 10:17-18 indicate the voluntary nature of his death [1]. This willingness is emphasized in the New Testament, noting that Christ "offered himself" through his divine Spirit, in contrast to animal sacrifices which lacked such will [10].
- Undeserved Suffering: Christ's death was undeserved, as highlighted in Isaiah 53:9 [1]. He was without sin, yet bore the penalty for the sins of others.
- Human Nature: For his sacrifice to be effective, Jesus had to partake in human nature [2]. This is evidenced by his conception, birth, physical experiences like hunger, thirst, and weariness, and his human soul [2]. The incarnation, where Christ took on human nature, is itself an act of humility and a prerequisite for his mediatorial office [2, 4].
- Divine Appointment and Love: God presented Jesus as the "atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood" to demonstrate His righteousness (Romans 3:25) [7]. This act is rooted in God's great and unfailing love for humanity, particularly for perishing sinners (John 3:16) [3, 12].
- Fulfillment of the Law: Christ's death is seen as the fulfillment of the sacrificial system of the Old Testament [9]. The law, with its representative sacrifices, pointed to Christ, who provided the "real offering" [9].
The sacrifice was ignominious and accursed, a "stumbling block to Jews" and "foolishness to Gentiles" (1 Corinthians 1:23) [1]. Yet, it also exhibited Christ's profound humility, as he took on human nature, lived in poverty, and became a servant, even to the point of washing his disciples' feet and submitting to death [4, 8]. This act of service and sacrifice serves as an example for his followers [8].
The purpose of this sacrifice was to reconcile humanity to God, to demonstrate God's righteousness, and to provide salvation from sin [7, 11]. It is through faith in his blood that this atonement is applied [7].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Death of Christ, The — Foretold -- Isa 53:8; Da 9:26; Zec 13:7. Appointed by God -- Isa 53:6,10; Ac 2:23. Necessary for the redemption of man -- Lu 24:46; Ac 17:3. Acceptable, as a sacrifice to God -- Mt 20:28; Eph 5:2; 1Th 5:10. Was voluntary -- Isa 53:12; Mt 26:53; Joh 10:17,18. Was undeserved -- Isa 53:9. Mode of Foretold by Christ. -- Mt 20:18,19; Joh 12:32,33. Prefigured. -- Nu 21:8; Joh 3:14. Ignominious. -- Heb 12:2. Accursed. -- Ga 3:13. Exhibited His humility. -- Php 2:8. A stumbling block to Jews. -- 1Co 1:23. Foolishness to Gentiles. -- 1Co 1:18,23. Demand”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Human Nature of Christ, The — Was necessary to his mediatorial office -- 1Ti 2:5; Heb 2:17; Ga 4:4,5; 1Co 15:21; Ro 6:15,19. Is proved by his Conception in the Virgin's womb. -- Mt 1:18; Lu 1:31. Birth. -- Mt 1:16,25; 2:2; Lu 2:7,11. Partaking of flesh and blood. -- Joh 1:14; Heb 2:14. Having a human soul. -- Mt 26:38; Lu 23:46; Ac 2:31. Circumcision. -- Lu 2:21. Increase in wisdom and stature. -- Lu 2:52. Weeping. -- Lu 19:41; Joh 11:35. Hungering. -- Mt 4:2; 21:18. Thirsting. -- Joh 4:7; 19:28. Sleeping. -- Mt 8:24; Mr 4:38. Being subject to weariness. -- Joh 4:6. ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love of God, The — Is a part of his character -- 2Co 13:11; 1Jo 4:8. Christ, the especial object of -- Joh 15:9; 17:26. Christ abides in -- Joh 15:10. Described as Sovereign. -- De 7:8; 10:15. Great. -- Eph 2:4. Abiding. -- Zep 3:17. Unfailing. -- Isa 49:15,16. Unalienable. -- Ro 8:39. Constraining. -- Ho 11:4. Everlasting. -- Jer 31:3. Irrespective of merit -- De 7:7; Job 7:17. Manifested towards Perishing sinners. -- Joh 3:16; Tit 3:4. His saints. -- Joh 16:27; 17:23; 2Th 2:16; 1Jo 4:16. The destitute. -- De 10:18. The cheerful giver. -- 2Co 9:7. Exhibited in The g”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Humility of Christ, The — Declared by himself -- Mt 11:29. Exhibited in his Taking our nature. -- Php 2:7; Heb 2:16. Birth. -- Lu 2:4-7. Subjection to his parents. -- Lu 2:51. Station in life. -- Mt 13:55; Joh 9:29. Poverty. -- Lu 9:58; 2Co 8:9. Partaking of our infirmities. -- Heb 4:15; 5:7. Submitting to ordinances. -- Mt 3:13-15. Becoming a servant. -- Mt 20:28; Lu 22:27; Php 2:7. Associating with the despised. -- Mt 9:10,11; Lu 15:1,2. Refusing honours. -- Joh 5:41; 6:15. Entry into Jerusalem. -- Zec 9:9; Mt 21:5,7. Washing his disciples' feet. -- Joh 13:5. Obedi”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Atonement, Under the Law — Made by sacrifice -- Le 1:4,5. By priests alone -- 1Ch 6:49; 2Ch 29:24. Necessary for Propitiating God. -- Ex 32:30; Le 23:27,28; 2Sa 21:3. Ransoming. -- Ex 30:15,16; Job 33:24. Purifying. -- Ex 29:36. Offered for The congregation. -- Nu 15:25; 2Ch 29:24. The priests. -- Ex 29:31-33; Le 8:34. Persons sinning ignorantly. -- Le 4:20-35. Persons sinning wilfully. -- Le 6:7. Persons swearing rashly. -- Le 5:4,6. Persons withholding evidence. -- Le 5:1,6. Persons unclean. -- Le 5:2,3,6. Women after childbirth. -- Le 12:8. The altar. -- Ex 29:36,”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Sacrifice — The offering up of sacrifices is to be regarded as a divine institution. It did not originate with man. God himself appointed it as the mode in which acceptable worship was to be offered to him by guilty man. The language and the idea of sacrifice pervade the whole Bible. Sacrifices were offered in the ante-diluvian age. The Lord clothed Adam and Eve with the skins of animals, which in all probability had been offered in sacrifice (Gen. 3:21). Abel offered a sacrifice "of the firstlings of his flock" (4:4; Heb. 11:4). A distinction also was made between c”
- Romans “Romans 3:25 (BSB) — God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.”
- John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 13:14: 13:14-15 Jesus’ acts of service, such as washing feet and dying on the cross, provided an example of personal sacrifice to follow. • wash each other’s feet: Foot washing was so commonplace that Jesus might have intended a literal repetition of his act, or he might have seen it as symbolic. Either way, Jesus wants similar servanthood and sacrifice to characterize his followers.”
- Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 10:4: For Christ is the end of the law - Where the law ends, Christ begins. The law ends with representative sacrifices; Christ begins with the real offering. The law is our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ; it cannot save, but it leaves us at his door, where alone salvation is to be found. Christ as an atoning sacrifice for sin, was the grand object of the whole sacrificial code of Moses; his passion and death were the fulfillment of its great object and design. Separate this sacrificial death of Christ from the law, and the law has no meaning, for it is impossible that”
- Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 9:14: offered himself--The voluntary nature of the offering gives it especial efficacy. He "through the eternal Spirit," that is, His divine Spirit (Rom 1:4, in contrast to His "flesh," Heb 9:3; His Godhead, Ti1 3:16; Pe1 3:18), "His inner personality" [ALFORD], which gave a free consent to the act, offered Himself. The animals offered had no spirit or will to consent in the act of sacrifice; they were offered according to the law; they had a life neither enduring, nor of any intrinsic efficacy. But He from eternity, with His divine and everlasting Spirit, ”
- 2 Thessalonians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 2 Thessalonians 1:12: That the name of our Lord - This is the great end of your Christian calling, that Jesus who hath died for you may have his passion and death magnified in your life and happiness; that ye may show forth the virtues of him who called you from darkness into his marvellous light. And ye in him - That his glorious excellence may be seen upon you; that ye may be adorned with the graces of his Spirit, as he is glorified by your salvation from all sin. According to the grace - That your salvation may be such as God requires, and such as is worthy of his grace to co”
- 1 John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 John 4:9: 4:9-10 Jesus Christ, sent from God the Father, embodied and demonstrated God’s love in his life on earth and in his sacrificial death on the cross as an atoning sacrifice.”
- Leviticus (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Leviticus 3:2: Lay his hand upon the head of his offering - See this rite explained in Exo 29:10 (note), and Lev 1:4 (note). "As the burnt-offering, (Leviticus 1).," says Mr. Ainsworth, "figured our reconciliation to God by the death of Christ, and the meat-offering, (Leviticus 2)., our sanctification in him before God, so this peace-offering signified both Christ's oblation of himself whereby he became our peace and salvation, (Eph 2:14-16; Act 13:47; Heb 5:9; Heb 9:28), and our oblation of praise, thanksgiving, and prayer unto God."”