SOUTHERN ASIA BIBLE COLLEGE

TERM PAPER

ON ATONEMENT IN THE LIGHT OF THE WORK OF CHRIST IN GOSPELS

SUBMITTED TO

PASTOR. JOHN SILVANUS

IN THE PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE

BG431

INTRODUCTION TO THE BIBLE

MASTERS 1 B

SUBMITTED BY

MAGARAJA PRASANTH

M1961

BANGALORE, KARNATAKA

OCTOBER 01, 2019.

 Table of Contents

Introduction 1
Meaning 1

Text- that deals with “Atonement” 1

In Old Testament- (Leviticus 16)

In New Testament- (Mark 1)

Biblical understanding 2

Old Testament- Lev 16: The Day of atonement

New Testament – in the light of Gospels.

Satisfaction Theory 3

Penal-Substitution Theory 3

The Atonement as a Demonstration of God’s Love Theory 3

The Atonement as a triumph over Evil Theory 3

Conclusion 4

Bibliography 5
Introduction
This paper attempts to understand Atonement as the central theme in light of the work of
Christ. By considering different views, based on a healthy/sound theological opinion out of
proper analyses based on strong Biblical foundations with supporting arguments. However, in
the midst of several views; after critical analysis, I lean towards a particular view as in
conclusion based on strong conviction.

Meaning

“Atonement derives from the combination “at + one + ment”1 in other words means
reconciliation representing Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross even before people would have
never thought off; in biblical terms the concept of “Atonement” gives broader understanding
by which particular persons (or humanity) are restored to right relationship with God.2
“kofer” 121 times in OT, and “hilaskomai” NT were the Hebrew and Greek words used for
the word atonement- original meaning is to tie/unite the broken and interrupted relation of
human with God by sin.3

Text- that deals with “Atonement”

In Old Testament- (Leviticus 16), Ex 25:17; 26:34; 29:33-37; 30:10,16; 31:7; 32:30; 35:12;
37:6; 39:35; 40:20, Lev 1:4; 4:20,26,31,35; 5:6,10,13,16,18; 6:7,30; 7:7; 8:15,9:7; 10:17;
12:7,8; 14:18-21,29,31,53; 15:15,30; 16:6,10,11,13-18, 20,24,27,30,32-34…

In New Testament- (Mark 1), Matt 4,6,9; Lk 10, 11,14,16,17, Jhn 3, Heb 2:17,9:5…
However, this terminology “Atonement” is not seen in every book of Bible but still it the
whole crux in Bible running in the background and fulfilled by Christ Jesus through the work
on the cross to get a clear understanding we need to look at different theories which speaks
about this.

1
Sakenfeld, Katharine Doob, The New Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible A-C (Nashville: Abingdon
Press, 2006), 344.
2
Ibid, 345.
3
Mounce, William D, Mounce Complete Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words (Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 20006), 29.

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Biblical understanding: According to the Bible within the context of this particular theme;
The Hebrew word “atonement” is Kipper which means “to cover” in a sense to erasing the
wrong or damage between two parties. In the context of Leviticus, sacrifices are not done
based on the relationship of Israel with God. Rather, it is their response to God’s gracious
invitation to take part in the covenant loyalty.4

Old Testament- Lev 16: The Day of atonement: The High Priest takes two goats and one
goat is offered as a “purification” offering, and takes the second goat and confess all sins of
the people of Israel- sent out into the wilderness with those sins of Israel symbolically “laid
upon” it.
Lev 17:10-11 with the first goat offered- kills it and slaughter’s it takes the blood of that goat
and sprinkles on the altar; its deep meaning is Life is linked to blood and its blood that covers
for the people of God. The sign of life and death tells that human evil releases death into the
world, but God loves me and wants to make a way to redeem me from my evil without doing
away with me.5

New Testament – in the light of Gospels.

“Jesus had a profound sense that the father had sent him to do the Father’s work”6 Jhn 10:36;
6:38. John expresses it in a beautiful way that the purpose of Jesus coming was atonement
and the father was involved in that work, nor the death of Christ a punishment by people but
the father plan to pay the penalty of people fell on his own son. However, Jesus's convection
was that his life and death constituted a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies- in other
words, a clear fulfillment of Isaiah 53, as a constituting ransom-substitute- a high priest.7

1 Jhn 4:10-11, John (Jew) testifies who took part in the offerings/rituals at the temple, his
understanding sacrifices of atonement speak to the love of God, but not his anger.8

4
Walter C Kaiser, The New Interpreter's Bible Volume 1 (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994), 1111-
1114.
5
Ibid, 1113.
6
Millard J Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998), 823.
7
Ibid, 825.
8
Walter C Kaiser, The New Interpreter's Bible Volume 1 (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994), 1111-
1114.

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The Satisfaction Theory: The atonement as Compensation to the Father
“Christ died to satisfy a principle in the very nature of God the Father.”9 The atonement was
primarily not directed at humanity but Godward and did not involve any sort of payment to
Satan, believes that Satan does not hold a “right of possession” over humans because humans
belong to God. Therefore, God doesn’t need to buy humans from Satan and failure of
mankind needs to pay him due but as we cannot pay; God needs to compensate it through his
Son and because God is Love he would receive satisfaction than condemn humans.10

Penal-Substitution Theory: By offering/substituting himself bearing the wrath for us.

The basis of this theory is slightly similar to the satisfactory theory has been developed from
the scriptures like he “bore” our iniquity, he “was made sin” for us and one strong instance is
in Isaiah 53” “we all, like sheep, have gone astray, and the words of John the Baptiser had
become a strong evidence for this theory pointing out the messiah/Jesus “look the lamb of
God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Jhn 1:29. And finalized that the son of man to
give his life as a ransom to many in other words states that God had poured out all wrath and
punishment on his son and son had obeyed father by substituting himself for us. Jesus
appeased the Father and effected a reconciliation between God and Humanity.11

The Atonement as a Demonstration of God’s Love Theory: the death of Christ is a

powerful demonstration of the love of God.
As an act of love God demonstrated it by the death of his son where to save mankind from
the separation, he needs to demonstrate the only one who can save to fill the vacuum which
clearly expresses how much he loves us.12

The Atonement as a triumph over Evil Theory: Christ has redeemed us from the curse
of the law and freed us from the slavery in which Satan held us.
Jesus had paid the price to the Satan and break the evil powers; and the root of Satan has been
defeated by God through the cross for us “Christ took our place; in him, our penalty has been
paid; in him, we have died and been made alive again”13. We are made brand new no longer

9
Millard J Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998), 813.
10
Ibid, 814-815.
11
DR. Norman Geisler, Systematic Theology Volume Three Sin Salvation (USA: Bethany House,
2004), 374.
12
Millard J Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998), 837.
13
Ibid, 839.

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slaves to sin Rom 6:6-8 this was God’s triumph over evil forces and condemnation that they
no longer have the power to hold people of God.14

Conclusion
I have been personally convinced by the theory of Triumph over Satan and I lean towards it
because the other theories fail when we consider morality and ethics because God cannot
simply punish innocent (Christ). Because He (God) is Love and also Justice at the same; or if
God wants to accept/forgive his people he can simply do it without putting Jesus to death but
the theory of triumph states God’s love is to save people and his justice is to punish Satan;
because the root of evil is existed in Satan and because of him the creation and humanity has
fallen short. if god has to deal with punishment, he needs to deal with Satan the cause. And
the triumph brings back (restores) the harmony and peace between God and People.

14
Ibid.

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Bibliography
Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998.

Geisler, DR. Norman. Systematic Theology Volume Three Sin Salvation . USA: Bethany
House, 2004.

Mounce, William D. Mounce Complete Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words. Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 2006.

Sakenfeld, Katharine Doob. The New Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible A-C. Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 2006.

Walter C Kaiser, Lender E Keck. The New Interpreter's Bible Volume 1. Nashville: Abingdon
Press, 1994.

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