Tyngsboro church of Christ

In Romans 5:11 we read the following (KJV): "And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." This is the only time that "atonement" is in the New Testament. But, even here, the original word is not "atonement," but "reconciliation," as in all other translations, including the New King James Bible. Could it be, then, that we are wrong in thinking of the sacrifice of Jesus as "the atonement"? We commonly speak and write of "the atonement which Jesus made for our sins," or, of "the atoning blood offered by Him on the cross for our sins." Are these comments an "addition" to the revealed New Testament? Was the sacrifice of Jesus, in which He gave His own blood, an atonement for our sins? OLD TESTAMENT SYMBOLISM When the Israelite people had persuaded Aaron to make an idolatrous gold calf at Mt. Sinai, Moses said to the people, "You yourselves have committed a great sin; and now I am going up to the Lord, perhaps I can make atonement for your sins.' Then Moses returned to the Lord, and said, 'Alas, this people has committed a great sin, and they have made a god of gold for themselves. But now, if Thou wilt, forgive their sin . . .'" (Ex. 32:30-32). This event, with the statement of Moses, helps us to grasp the idea of an atonement. One of the Hebrew words expressing this idea of atonement, frequently used in the Old Testament, had the root meaning of "covering." It appears that a proper sacrifice for sin reflected a sense of "covering" it, or of putting sin out of sight. Divine forgiveness, as shown by Moses' appeal to Jehovah God, was dependent upon an atoning sacrifice to be made. THE DAY OF ATONEMENT This atoning sacrifice was no common sacrifice, by an ordinary priest under the Mosaic Law (read Lev. 16). Only the High Priest could participate. A special day of the year was designated by God -- the tenth day of the seventh month of the Jewish year. There was to be a "holy convocation" at the tabernacle; a fast was required; as the people were to rest from any labor on that day. After bathing himself and putting on the special priestly clothing, the High Priest was to take "two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering." He would cast lots over the two goats-- "one for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat." One, after the sins of the people were confessed over it, was to be "presented alive before the Lord, to make atonement upon it, to be sent into the wilderness. . ." (thence to be called the scapegoat). The blood of the ram was to be offered as a sin offering to the Lord for the sins of the people, and taken into the Most Holy Place and there sprinkled on the mercy seat. In turn, the blood of the ram, was offered for the sins of the people of Israel. ITS SIGNIFICANCE The atonement, on the one day of the year -- in addition to the many other daily and monthly offerings -- held a special significance. It stood out as the one, yearly atonement for all the transgressions of the people during the past year. Their sins "were remembered" year by year. As another writer has penned, "How deeply the conscious-ness of sin must have been awakened, if the many otherwise commanded private and congregational sacrifices did not make such an institution superfluous, and if even the high priest himself stood before God as a sinner . . ." (ISBE, I, 326). But the atoning blood of an animal on the Day of Atonement had its severe limitations, as a part of the "first covenant," as shown in Heb. 10:1-4: "For the Law, since it has {only} a shadow of the good things to come {and} not the very form of things, can never by the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? But in those {sacrifices} there is a reminder of sins year by year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins." This New Testament "commentary" shows the reader that: The OT law, including the yearly atonement, was a "shadow of the good things to come"; The sacrifices under the law, having to be repeated periodically, could not actually bring forgiveness by the offering of animals. The people could only be reminded of their sins year by year. THE ATONEMENT OF JESUS So, the yearly atonement ceremony was "like a pattern to the true" (Heb. 9:24) -- that is, the true and perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. His ONE atoning sacrifice made possible the forgiveness of sins to the righteous under the law -- as well as to us, after His death "for our sins." " And for this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, in order 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 (Heb. 9:15). The High Priest's part in the "Day of Atonement" ceremony was also a part of the "shadow of the good things to come" -- of Christ's ascension back to heaven. Whereas the high priest took the sacrificed blood through the "holy place" and the veil, into the "holy of holies" of the tabernacle, it pointed to OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST as He went in the heavenly "holy of holies"" "Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since {we have} a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled {clean} from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water" (Heb.10:19-22). Yes, Jesus gave His atoning blood for us! Although the word is not used in the New Testament regarding His blood, there is evidence that the full significance of the Old Testament term and yearly offering was only the "shadow" of the real ATONEMENT in the New Covenant -- the death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary! HIS ATONING BLOOD, AND THE LORD’S SUPPER The thoughtful Christian is taught to be discerning in partaking of the Lord's Supper (1Cor. 11:27-29). The fruit of the vine is to be taken in memory of His atoning blood -- "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood" (Lk. 22:20). Proper discernment brings our minds to see and appreciate the atoning significance of His blood as we "drink the cup" -- in contrast to the bread which stands for the bodily suffering of our Savior. His blood was shed "for the remission of our sins" ( Matt. 26:28; 1Cor. 15:1ff). Isaiah 53 portrays it vividly: "Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities . . ." (vv. 4,5). It is, therefore, significant that Paul wrote, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him" (Rom. 5:8,9). Here was THE GREAT ATONEMENT OF OUR SAVIOR IN OUR BEHALF!

Glen Barnhart

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