If Jesus was a sacrifice...

[Faybull]

to what or to whom was Jesus sacrificed?

 

[nazz]

Funny you bring this up. I just wrote this today...

It's been about 15years now since I rejected the Penal Substitution Theory of Atonement which was the Protestant version of the Catholic monk Anselm's Satisfaction Theory invented in the eleventh century. The idea did not make sense to me anymore. Later I learned that throughout church history there have been many theories to explain how atonement worked. The earliest form was the Ransom Theory which was later amended into the Christus Victor Theory which I currently accept as closest to my own view.

But that said what are we to make of those verses in Scripture used to support the idea that Jesus was sacrificed to appease God's wrath over sin? I can't simply ignore that these exist. Here is one way I have come to understand this. The god-ruler of this aeon is a god of wrath and vengeance. He is all about punishing sin. This is the one whom Jesus says to fear who can destroy both body and soul in hell (not the Father). The sacrifice of Jesus was meant to appease the wrath of the god of this world. He gave his life as a ransom to that god to free us from his grasp.

The sacrifice of Jesus is compared in Scripture to two OT types. One is the sacrifice made on the Day of Atonement which was made for the nation of Israel as a whole. That is, it was a corporate sacrifice for sin, not an individual one. So the sacrifice of Jesus is in relation to the church as a body and not for individual sins.

The other type is the Passover sacrifice. This was not a sin sacrifice but the blood was put on the doorposts and lintel so that the angel of Death might pass over those houses and their inhabitants. In the same way when we accept Christ as savior death loses its permanent hold on us. We pass from death to life eternal. But as for those who do not, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God (the wrath of the god of this world) abides on him"

 

[Ahmed99]

to what or to whom was Jesus sacrificed?

Good question should receive interesting responses to this one.

 

[Desert Snake]

He sacrificed Himself. The 'words on the cross' narrative is most likely a misinterpretation, or didn't even happen. I'm not decided if I think it is an 'addition' (to appease certain influential parties at the time of writing) or a misunderstanding of what Jesus was saying, or simply made up without motive. In any case, Jesus sacrificed Himself, because He knew He would be crucified, but didn't escape, even when the Apostles would rather have Him not do it. His followers did not understand the nature of Jesus even at that time, but anyways, that is the answer as far as I know.

 

[psychoslice]

I thought it was common knowledge that Jesus was sacrificed for the sin of the world, they use to sacrifice animals in the old testament, so Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice that did away with animal sacrifices of the old testament.

 

[Faybull]

He sacrificed Himself. The 'words on the cross' narrative is most likely a misinterpretation, or didn't even happen. I'm not decided if I think it is an 'addition' (to appease certain influential parties at the time of writing) or a misunderstanding of what Jesus was saying, or simply made up without motive. In any case, Jesus sacrificed Himself, because He knew He would be crucified, but didn't escape, even when the Apostles would rather have Him not do it. His followers did not understand the nature of Jesus even at that time, but anyways, that is the answer as far as I know.

So he sacrificed himself to whom or to what? He doesn't seem to mention anything about being a sacrifice. He says he will be killed. He doesn't say he will be a sacrifice. This seems to be a teaching that arose afterwards, so the question is if he was a sacrifice, to whom or to what was he sacrificed?

 

[Desert Snake]

So he sacrificed himself to whom or to what? He doesn't seem to mention anything about being a sacrifice. He says he will be killed. He doesn't say he will be a sacrifice. This seems to be a teaching that arose afterwards, so the question is if he was a sacrifice, to whom or to what was he sacrificed?

'Sacrifice' has different meanings. You are correct in that this type of 'sacrifice' is not the same as say the Temple sacrifices, it's totally different. It means that Jesus sacrificed Himself for people, ie those who believe in Him.
You don't have to use the word sacrifice, I don't, just explaining the narrative.

 

[roger1440]

God

 

[Desert Snake]

// I don't focus on the "sacrifice" and such, you'll have to get a more detailed church apologetic etc. explanation from others.

 

[Faybull]

He was killed though. He knew he would be killed. He didn't kill himself. So I am asking if it is the teaching that he was a sacrifice, and he didn't kill himself, to whom or what is he sacrificed to?

 

[Faybull]

God

So the Romans sacrificed him to what God?

 

[Twilight Hue]

to what or to whom was Jesus sacrificed?

The argument could be that Jesus shouldn't be considered to have been sacrificed at all in light that he is attested to as one still living.
Unless of course hideous pain from crucifixion is considered the essence of what is a sacrifice but that would kill the theology.

Kinda throws to whom or what out the window.

 

[Desert Snake]

The word 'sacrifice' is being misunderstood here, imo. It negates itself with the resurrection, //non-crucifixion according to Islam etc.
The narrative according to everyone, except I believe some 'Jewish' texts, is that Jesus was around after the 'crucifixion', hence not the same type of sacrifice as the Jewish sacrifices.

 

[Thief]

I was not a sacrifice....and I don't believe in scapegoating.

The Carpenter knew what He would do as He entered the City.
He knew the consequence pending.

He did not 'save' you by dying.
He 'saved' you by His parables.

 

[nazz]

I thought it was common knowledge that Jesus was sacrificed for the sin of the world, they use to sacrifice animals in the old testament, so Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice that did away with animal sacrifices of the old testament.

That interpretation is, biblically speaking, impossible.

 

[Noel]

Jesus Christ's atonement on the Cross was for mankind, because of our sin, we had been separated from God, and the only to bridge the gap between Gods perfection and humanity was for Jesus, being perfect and God, to die as a sacrifice.

 

[Thief]

Jesus Christ's atonement on the Cross was for mankind, because of our sin, we had been separated from God, and the only to bridge the gap between Gods perfection and humanity was for Jesus, being perfect and God, to die as a sacrifice.

There was no such atonement.
and you might well be held accountable for all you have said or done.

Blood on the cross negates your wrong doing.....how?

 

[roger1440]

So the Romans sacrificed him to what God?

The Romans and Jews are just props in the story.

 

[Sonofason]

He was killed though. He knew he would be killed. He didn't kill himself. So I am asking if it is the teaching that he was a sacrifice, and he didn't kill himself, to whom or what is he sacrificed to?

First of all, I think you might need a proper understanding of the word sacrifice as it is intended from the context of scripture. A sacrifice is: "an act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy."

Out of His great love for us, God sacrificed His only Son, to die for the sake of sinners, in order to pay the debt and just price of death that everyone deserves to pay themselves for their own sins.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
(John 3:16)

 

[psychoslice]

That interpretation is, biblically speaking, impossible.

That maybe true to you, but that is how it is for my church, or the church I use to belong to, and lets face it, who is right and who is wrong, its anyone's guess.