That Extra Preposition
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures, . . . 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 NASB
According – In what sense did Yeshua HaMashiach die for us? Paul says hyper hamartion. We translate “for our sins” since the noun is a plural genitive. But what does hyper mean? Riesenfeld has an interesting comment. “Paul develops the saving significance of Christ’s death with the help of typology in Gal. 3:13 and 2 Cor. 5:21. Jesus in his death vicariously takes the curse for us, and thus secures our liberation from the law. In this context hypér has the sense of “in our favor” but also “in our place or stead.”[1] Did you notice Riesenfeld’s assumption that the curse is the law? And this is in the most prestigious theological dictionary of the New Testament. Accordingly, Paul uses hyper in the sense of “in our favor” or “in our place.” This is substitutionary atonement in Christian terms. It is the innocent Lamb slain instead of the sinner.
But wait a minute! Paul certainly knows that the Passover Lamb was not slain as a sin sacrifice. It was slain so that the angel of death would pass over. Paul also certainly knows that the sin sacrifice of Yom Kippur is not slain, but rather sent into the desert outside the camp. So Paul can’t be referring to Passover as a symbol of sin sacrifice nor can he be referring to the atonement offered at Yom Kippur. All he says is that Yeshua HaMashiach died for our sins kata graphas (according to the Scriptures). According to what Scriptures? What Scripture teaches us that Yeshua had to die to deliver us from sin? That must be the Servant Song of Isaiah 53, especially verses 5 and 6.
We examined the Isaiah passage in relation to the cross (see TW March 18-19, 2013). Peter refers to the same Servant Song as an example of righteous suffering, adding “the cross” to the Isaiah text. But Paul doesn’t gloss Isaiah. He merely breaks the Servant Song from the next claim about death and resurrection. In other words, Paul gives us two important, related but not inseparable facts. Yeshua died for our sins (referring to Isaiah) and Yeshua was buried and rose again (referring most likely to Jonah, perhaps Hosea 6:2 and Psalm 16:10 – but see William Craig’s piece on the midrashic application of these passages. Both claims are kata graphas. Why would Paul separate them as two independent clauses? Why not lump both claims under one “according to Scripture” endorsement? Could it be that Paul recognized a temporal/theological distinction between dying for sins and death-resurrection? We don’t know for sure, but it is curious. Paul clearly saw some reason for separating the claims. Perhaps he and John (“before the foundation”) aren’t so far apart after all. But there is more. Tomorrow.
Topical Index: kata graphas, according to Scripture, hyper hamartion, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
[1] Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (1228). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.
I understand that the two goats are presented as one sin offering that performs two functions for sinful man. The ram is the burnt offering for the Lord:
Lev 16:5 NASB
“He shall take from the congregation of the sons of Israel two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering
Lev 16:7 NASB
“He shall take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the doorway of the tent of meeting.
Lev 16:8 NASB
“Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats, one lot for the LORD and the other lot for the scapegoat.
We are guilty of sin and deserve death.
The blood of the slaughtered goat is offered in our place- the goat paid the price.
The other is kept alive, because we are still guilty of the sins we committed, but the goat paid the price,the guilt we should carry is taken away by the scape goat.
Lev 16:21 NASB
“Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel and all their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and he shall lay them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands in readiness.
Lev 16:32 NASB
“So the priest who is anointed and ordained to serve as priest in his father’s place shall make atonement: he shall thus put on the linen garments, the holy garments,
So One sin offering of 2 goats saves us from death and removes the guilt of sin.
It’s interesting that the first burnt offering was mentioned in Genesis 2 -there Abraham saw “acharei”(what came after) the ram replaced his beloved son as the burnt offering.We believe our Heavenly Father’s beloved son, (whom Isaac and the ram in the thicket, were a foreshadowing of),is our Mashiach, who willingly offered Himself and accomplished both the sin offering (with His blood) and the burnt offering (with His bodily ascension)-once for all.
Skip, this may be a little off the subjective topic of the extra proposition, but there is an article in The Jerusalem Post Today that might interest you and the Community. It is the 1st draft of chapter 1 of a new book being written by David Turner.
Christian scripture, anti-Judaism and the Jewish Problem (Chapter 1 of the book)
“Anti-Semitism was long justified by passages like this one from I Thessalonians: the Jews “killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets.”
For my regular readers, this is the first draft of Chapter One of my proposed book tentatively titled, The Jewish Problem, A Survivor’s Guide. This blog is significantly longer than usual, and I would appreciate any comments or suggestions on its accuracy, quality or any other thoughts you migh have concerning the chapter or the book. I will post as blogs several other chapters, after which my blog may take a different direction altogether. Thank you for accompanying me on this long, sometimes contentious, journey!
“For reasons made clear in Paul’s serial arguments with the Jerusalem leadership, his “salvational” messianic sect, violating basic precepts of Judaism, would have attracted few converts in Judea. Where it did succeed was among the pagan communities spread across the Empire.”
Is the author substituting pagan for Gentile?
Is this true?
Since Greek was the language of Christian scripture it is safe to assume that the source of Jewish scripture Paul and the evangelists drew on was the Greek translation of the original Hebrew, the Septuagint. In the Hebrew, as one important example of mistranslation, Isaiah 7:14 reads,
“a “young girl” (‘aalmah) gives birth to a child, but in Greek the new mother is a “virgin” (parthenos)… The gap between history and theology began to widen.” (Frederiksen, p. 10)
This is really a significant difference in understanding the word, do you agree?
http://blogs.jpost.com/content/christian-scripture-anti-judaism-and-jewish-problem-chapter-1-book
It is by the grace of Hashem that salvation comes. And it is by faith in the atoning blood of the Everlasting Covenant that we find redemption. There is no other salvation, no, not anywhere. The Blood of Israel’s Sacrifice Lamb provides the only means of salvation and peace with God to be found under heaven. This salvation is graciously provided by the God of Israel for all who believe. And it is given freely to all who are willing to embrace YHVH. He is the Almighty God who always existed, is now, and ever shall be. This is His salvation plan, the only one He ever laid out. And the blood of atonement is the essence of the New Covenant. Israel’s prophet Jeremiah spoke of the New Covenant. And this was 600 years before the cross. (Jer. 31:31-33)
The promised Light to the Gentiles has surely come. It’s wonderful Light shines out of Israel, bringing the only hope the people living in this world will ever have. (Eph.3:12-13)
This is the great salvation we saw foreshadowed during that first Passover in Egypt. The blood of the Lamb was applied to the door posts and the lintels. And by that blood Israel’s firstborn were saved as the death angel passed over Goshen and Egypt. It was out of faith and obedience to YHVH-God in keeping this first Passover that a great salvation was set in motion to deliver the children of Israel. Hashem took them away from the hands of their taskmasters. And on the morning after that first Seder the great and epic Exodus began. Israel was delivered from bondage and from death. YHVH-God’s mighty acts confounded Israel’s enemies. The horsemen and chariots of Pharaoh were drowned in the depths of the sea. These were the first of many awesome miracles.
So the main lesson of Passover was laid out right from the very beginning.
And the central meaning of Passover is this.
Salvation comes by grace through faith in the shed blood of Israel’s Sacrifice Lamb.
This brings the one and only atonement that has ever, or will ever, be acceptable for sin.
The Passover showcases the Presence and power of Immanuel, a name which means “God with us”. Hashem, our Wonderful Counselor, and our Friend is taking the initiative here. His divine Presence is with us right through this great celebration. His mighty acts have already begun to be demonstrated. His great salvation is now a matter of record, a reality of holy history. Hashem is not only decreeing the action from above. But in the fulfillment of Passover we see Him personally coming to earth to perform the deed. He comes down Jacob’s ladder as the Son who comes forth from the Father who sits upon the throne up in the heavenly realms. Our Messiah comes to earth, leaping upon the mountains. He crosses a gnostic chasm to enter the cosmos He created.
from: http://www.chosenpeople.com/main/