Description

Why did Jesus die? Historically, we could say it was because the Roman Empire perceived him as a threat or the religious leaders in Jerusalem feared he would ignite an unwinnable revolution. Even so, the bible offers a number of theological answers that go far beyond the immediate circumstances of his crucifixion. In this lecture you’ll learn about the eight main biblical reasons why Jesus died. Then we’ll cover the sometimes controversial subjects of substitution and propitiation.

—— Notes ——

at-one-ment: bringing together God and humanity through the death of Christ

justify: to make just, right; to declare free from blame

reconcile: reestablish a close relationship between those who are not unified

sanctify: to make holy (pertains to how you live)

1 Cor 15.3-4 Christ died for our sins in accordance w/ the scriptures

• was Paul the first person to understand the theological significance of the cross?
• no, b/c he delivered to the Corinthians what he received himself (from others!)
• so, who first gave the cross a meaning and when?
• Jesus explained the meaning of his broken body and poured out blood at the last supper (Mat 26.28; cp. Lk 22.19)
• but Jesus also firmly believed that the OT explained the meaning (Luk 24.25-27, 44-48)
  • a fact to which Peter likewise testified (1 Pet 1.11)
• does anyone know the two primary OT texts that point to the cross?
  • Psalm 22
  • Isaiah 52/53
• also the typology of the Levitical sacrificial system (especially the Day of Atonement) as explained in Hebrews
• also Passover celebration
  • no coincidence that the Last Supper was actually a Seder meal!
• a number of other texts also[1]

1 Cor 11.23-26 communion memorializes his death (bread is body which is broken for us)

2 Cor 5.17-21: if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. God reconciled us to himself through Christ, not counting our trespasses against us.  For our sake God made Jesus to be sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Rom 3.23-26: We are justified by grace (as a gift) through the redemption in Christ Jesus whom God put forward as propitiation by his blood. In this God demonstrated his righteousness because he had passed over previously committed sin and in such a way God is righteous and the one who makes those who have faith in Jesus righteous (justified) as well.

• more on propitiation
• 1 Jn 2.2: Jesus Christ the righteous is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world
• 1 Jn 4.10 God sent his son to propitiate for our sins. Is he then the source and the recipient?
• Heb 2.17 Chris is the high priest making propitiation for the sins of the people
• Heb 7.27 he offered himself as the final sacrifice
• ὁ ἱλασμός BDAG
  • 1. appeasement necessitated by sin, expiation (τῶν θεῶν, Arg. 39; Plut., Fab. 18, 3; cp. Plut., Sol. 12, 5. In these cases we have the pl., prob. referring to the individual actions to be expiated. But also sg.: Plut., Mor. 560d, Camill. 7, 5; Lev 25:9; Ps 129:4; Philo, Leg. All. 3, 174) εἰς ἱ. ἐμοί for my expiation GJs 1:1; so perh. abstr. for concr. of Jesus as the ἱ. περὶ τ. ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν 1J 2:2; 4:10. But mng. 2 has been popular.
  • 2. instrument for appeasing, sacrifice to atone, sin-offering (Ezk 44:27 προσοίσουσιν ἱ. cp. Num 5:8; 2 Macc 3:33) s. above.—S. also lit. cited s.v. ἱλάσκομαι. DELG s.v. ἱλάσκομαι M-M. TW.
• ὁ ἱλασμός LSJ
  • a means of appeasing, in pl., Plu.Sol.12, Orph.A.39,554,etc.
  • atonement, sinoffering, LXXEz.44.27, 2 Ma.3.33, 1 E