Wisdom's Corner
Own Sin Offering

There were several reasons given in the Old Law for a person to be put to death. If a son or daughter spoke terribly of his parents and refused to obey them, then he or she was put to death. If a person blasphemed against God, he was put to death.

By the time Christ lived on earth in the first century, the Jews had come to believe that a person who committed a very terrible crime had to be his own sin offering. They believed that no animal could be sacrificed for his sins. Only by his own death would God forgive his sins. As the person was being put to death he was supposed to say, "May my death be an atonement for all my sins."

The execution was considered the judgement of God and his wrath toward the wrongdoer. The person was to be killed in the "presence" of God. Since the Most Holy Place faced toward the east, the person was put to death east of the Temple outside of the camp. The person was to die facing the Temple so that he be facing God as he died.

The Jewish leaders wanted to kill Jesus. They got false witnesses to say that Jesus had said and done things that he had not done. The witnesses did not have the same story. So the leaders asked Jesus if he was the Son of God. He gave an answer which indicated that he was. This was all the High Priest had to hear. He said that by their laws Jesus was to die. He had to be his own sin offering. After getting permission from the Roman government they took him outside the camp on the east side of Jerusalem.

But Jesus had not committed any sins. Not only did he not say the required statement, he instead said, "Father, forgive them; they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). This would have only made the Jewish rulers angrier. They did not want to believe that Jesus was the Son of God. Yet even with them crucifying him, he insisted on being the Son of God. Instead of being his own sin offering, he became our sin offering.

I am thankful that Jesus was willing to die for my sins. He never did sin while on earth but was willing to be crucified for my sins. I know that you are thankful as well. We have a most loving God.

Keep reading your Bible. Learn all you can about our great God. Learn what Jesus wants you to do to live with him eternally in heaven. And if any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.

Mark McWhorter

Copyright 2002

Published by The Old Paths Bible School
(http://www.oldpaths.org)