"Stickies" (R)

Parts of the Bible are sticking points for some (many?) folks. Consider a small extract from Paul containing descriptions of Christ's work (alternative translations below).

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus. Romans 3:23-26  (NLT)

What thoughts arise from this extract? Stickies?

• Justified' ('accepts', 'declares') - what kind if change is this, and for whom, and how?
• 'Set free' ('redemption') - from what, and how? Ransom, paid to -? Paid by -?
• 'Sacrifice' ('propitiation', 'atonement'), 'blood' - in what way could Jesus be appeasement, and of what?
• Jesus simultaneously the place for sprinkling blood of atonement and the source of the blood?

Comment as introduction

It is important that we use our capacity for thought. However, it can be misleading to push comparisons or illustrations too far. For example, consider the ‘Good Shepherd’ who dies for his sheep. Literally sacrifices himself for a few Ovis aries? For his flock even? Surely the original environment throws light on a passage.

COMMENT 

Paul: Apostle, martyr(?), addresses humankind's intractable problem, our ill-fated rebellion and its consequences, which, despite their special relation to the LORD, not even the Jews could bypass. Only God's power could ever change things, and even then with completion pending. 

The immediate, and eventual final, unique answer is - Jesus. To unpack the indescribable Paul draws on the judgement seat, the slave market, and the Temple. (In the selections, groups of experts have collaborated to put his meaning into English.)

On account of Christ Jesus, God can graciously judge human beings as acceptable, as being 'righteous', though those same human beings know full well they earn an altogether different status. Receive the overwhelming kindness of God. Some verdict!

I suppose first century slaves dreamed of being set free (redeemed). Few must have expected it or received it. Who could or would pay the ransom? Slavery was commonplace and slaves were expendable.  (Some slaves were 'high status', with some of the normal privileges of the free.) The Bible has reference to slaves; some were involved in the gatherings of disciples. (The Bible does not directly address the abolition of slavery.)

At that time there were plenty of 'gods'. They were capable of being very dangerous, it was thought. It was important to gain and insure divine favour for the individual and community. Human beings needed to placate god(s) in time-honoured ways, public and private. I doubt that slaves chained to galley oars could take open part. (Everyone knew about these things, even those who had little or no belief that the observances made any difference.)

And so, to people of that background came the message of Jesus, some of which is in the quote. Anything you notice in this extract?

Comparison extracts: Romans chapter 3 verses 23-26

CEV: ²³ All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. ²⁴ But God treats us much better than we deserve,^[a] and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins. ^25-26 God sent Christ to be our sacrifice. Christ offered his life’s blood, so that by faith in him we could come to God. And God did this to show that in the past he was right to be patient and forgive sinners. This also shows that God is right when he accepts people who have faith in Jesus. (CEV) 

ESV^{: 23} for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. ²⁶ It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (ESV)

NIV: ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵ God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,^[a] through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— ²⁶ he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (NIV) 

NLT: For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus. (NLT)

NRSV: ²³ since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; ²⁴ they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement^[a] by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; ²⁶ it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.^[b](NRSV) 

Footnotes from above extracts:

CEV: c. 3.24 treats us much better than we deserve: The Greek word charis, traditionally rendered “grace,” is translated here and other places in the CEV to express the overwhelming kindness of God.

NIV: a1. The Greek for sacrifice of atonement refers to the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant (see Lev. 16:15,16)

NRSV: a2. Or a place of atonement

NRSV: b. Or who has the faith of Jesus

CONCLUSION 
⁸ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5, CEV).  ¹⁸ No one takes my life from me. I give it up willingly! (John 10, CEV). Amazing stuff! Clear the connection with Christ's death and God's love; and clear also the role of belief in gaining the benefit of that unique death.  Further discussion occurs in Romans and Hebrews (for example, Hebrews 2:17). 

The English Standard Version of the segment holds to the classical rendition of a crucial word - 'propitiation' (ἱλαστήριον). That word elsewhere occurs in NT only in Hebrews 9:5, where it is surely to be rendered 'mercy seat' or 'place of atonement'; compare the NIV footnote above. A related word from the same root is found in 1 John 2:2.  He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. (ESV)  Evoking also the OT sacrificial system is unavoidable, even though we are less familiar with the same.

Regrettably, some folks discard any issue in the passage by simply discounting 'Paul', who is seen as being either a part of an elaborate myth, or a real person (as per Acts), but one with twisted or warped views that a modern may discount. After all, did Jesus actually speak like this? (The answer is yes, ²⁸ even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many, Matthew 20 [ESV]; and also  ²⁸ This is my blood, and with it God makes his agreement with you. It will be poured out, so that many people will have their sins forgiven. Matthew 26 [CEV]; see Matthew 26:27-29, and also John 6 - but that raises other objections!) 

Well, 'sticking point' or not, I find it encouraging that all the versions respect the text and seek to present meaning in English, though the comparisons are probably instructive.  (It might be interesting to count the words used and compare what is unique to each.)

The ideas conveyed in the passage evoke careful thought but surely need not be a barrier. Thanks be to the God of grace for the benefits of Christ's sacrifice and the explanations of it.

I suppose at issue is - which 'wisdom'? Later used by Paul (Romans 11, 1 Corinthians 2), Isaiah long before had this  question in poetic form:

¹³ Has anyone told the Lord^[b]
what he must do
    or given him advice?
¹⁴ Did the Lord ask anyone
to teach him wisdom
    and justice?
Who gave him knowledge
    and understanding? (Isaiah 40, CEV - the whole chapter reverbrates withGod's incomparabilty)

John 3: ¹⁶ God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die. (CEV)

Scripture quotations marked (CEV) are from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NRSV) are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.