• On that cross, He took upon Himself the entire old creation, which is fallen and corrupt.6
• On that cross, He took upon Himself the condemnation of the Law.7
• On the cross, He took upon Himself our flesh—our old Adamic nature.8
• And on that cross, He took upon Himself the very power of satan himself . . . the dark personality that was behind every enemy of God’s people. Spiritual wickedness now went head-to-head with the Son of God.9
In fact, satan fought Jesus on the cross all the way until the end. “And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, ’You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.’”10 The voice of the tempter is not hard to recognize: “Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, ’If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.’”11
So Jesus took upon Himself the full weight of evil and the complete brunt of the curse. And He crucified them all!
Jesus became sin personified. He who was absolute righteousness became absolute sin.12
But beyond all that, He faced what the Bible calls “the last enemy”—God’s greatest foe: death, the child of sin.13
Death, the antithesis of God. Death, the archenemy of God, darkened the wood of that cross, ready to take the Son of God into its hopeless domain.
And death won for a time. Behold the body of God’s Son lying in a tomb. Death was victorious. But the fight wasn’t over. Three days later God the Father stepped in. He got involved. And the greatest two powers of the universe squared off: death versus divine life. (We continue the story in chapter 15.)
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What God had done in his grace is to include us in Christ. In dealing with Christ he has dealt with the Christian; in dealing with the Head he has dealt with all the members.
—WATCHMAN NEE 14
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What Jesus told His undiscerning disciples so many times finally came to pass. The Son of man would be handed over to the pagans and die a brutal death in order to fulfill the Scriptures. And there could be no kingdom without the cross. There could be no reigning without death. There could be no forgiveness without the shedding of holy blood. This stunned Jewish sensibilities. Most Jews thought the Messiah could not suffer, let alone die. The Messiah was supposed to inflict suffering, not receive it.
In short, Jesus died with us (identification), instead of us (substitution), and for us (incorporation).15 Jesus took the Roman instrument of torture and transformed it into an instrument of deliverance, salvation, and ultimately, peace—peace with God,16 peace with others,17 peace with oneself,18 and peace with creation.19
THE ATONEMENT PROPHESIED
Whenever the Second Testament talks about a spiritual reality that is enormous in its significance and implications, it doesn’t define it. Instead, it uses a wide variety of images to capture and communicate its richness.
For example, Jesus Christ. Consider the many images of Christ presented in the Second Testament: Savior, Shepherd, Lord, Master, Teacher, Bridegroom, Foundation, Cornerstone, Lion, Lamb, King, Priest, Prince of Peace, the last Adam, and on and on.
Another example: the church, portrayed as the body, the bride, the building, the family, the vineyard, the temple, and on and on.
It’s the same way with the atonement. The Second Testament gives various images to communicate the infinite richness of atonement. Why? Because the work of Jesus Christ at Calvary is too enormous in its scope and too rich in its meaning to be captured by a single image or definition.
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Jesus integrated into his self-consciousness themes which he drew from the context in which he ministered. He came as the fulfillment of the Old Testament hope that God would again act salvifically on behalf of his people, even on behalf of the entire world.
—STANLEY GRENZ 20
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Hence, the atonement was the ultimate sacrifice. It was the ultimate ransom. It was the ultimate satisfaction. It was the ultimate deliverance from the ultimate curse. It was the ultimate defeat of satan and the dethronement of the god of this world. It was the ultimate payment for the ultimate penalty. It was the ultimate victory over the forces of darkness. It was the ultimate mystery, and on and on and on. Consequently, the First Testament tells the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection in various hues, shades, and colors.
Jesus said that the prophets testified of His sufferings and the glory that would follow.21 Peter echoed the same.22 Consequently, the sufferings and death of the Messiah, as well as His resurrection, were “according to the Scriptures.”23
Here are some examples (Qindicates that the First Testament text is quoted in the Second Testament):
Shadow Fulfillment His Sufferings
Gen. 4:3–10 Heb. 11:4; 12:24 Abel’s blood still speaks.
Gen. 37:11 Matt. 27:18 Joseph envied, just as Christ was
Gen. 37:18–20 Matt. 12:14 Joseph and Jesus targeted for murder
Gen. 37:28–29 Matt. 27:57–60 Joseph thrown into a pit, Christ put in a tomb
Ex. 12:5–14 1 Cor. 5:7 Christ our Passover sacrifice
Ex. 17:1–6 1 Cor. 10:4 Christ the smitten rock
Lev. 16:27–28 Heb. 13:11–13 Suffered without the gate
Num. 21:5–9 John 3:14–15 Serpent lifted up in wilderness
Ps. 22:1 Matt. 27:46 “Why have You forsaken Me?”
Ps. 22:6–8 Matt. 27:39–43 “Let Him [God] deliver Him.”
Ps. 22:7 Matt. 27:35 His garments divided
Ps. 22:9–13 Matt. 27:33ff. His sufferings on the cross
Ps. 22:14–15 John 19:34 Christ’s heart “melting”
Ps. 22:16 John 19:18 (nlt) Hands and feet pierced
Ps. 22:17 Luke 23:35 His enemies stared upon Him.
Ps. 22:18 Matt. 27:35Q Enemies cast lots for His garment.
Ps. 31:5 Luke 23:46 “Into Your hands I commit My spirit.”
Ps. 34:20 John 19:36Q None of His bones broken
Ps. 35:11 Matt. 26:59–60 False witnesses rise up.
Ps. 35:19 John 15:25Q Hated without cause
Ps. 38:7–14 Mark 14:43ff. His sufferings and rejection
Ps. 38:11 Luke 23:49Q His friends stood afar off.
Ps. 41:5–9 Matt. 26:20–25 Betrayed by a familiar friend
Ps. 69:1–4 John 15:25Q “They hated Me without a cause.”
Ps. 69:7–8 John 7:5 A stranger to His brethren
Ps. 69:9 Rom. 15:3Q Their reproaches fell on Me.
Ps. 69:21 John 19:28–29Q They gave Him vinegar to drink.
Ps. 69:25 Acts 1:20Q Let his [Judas’s] habitation be desolate.
Ps. 88:1–18 Luke 23 His rejection, suffering, and death
Ps. 109:6–20 Matt. 26:24 Prophecy concerning Judas Iscariot
Ps. 109:8 Acts 1:20Q Let another take His office.
Ps. 109:25 Mark 15:29 They wagged their heads.
Ps. 118:22 Acts 4:10–11Q The stone the builders rejected
Isa. 50:6–7 Mark 14:65 Spat upon, buffeted, struck
Isa. 52:14–15 Matt. 27:26–35 His visage marred more than any man
Isa. 53:2–3 John 1:11 Despised and rejected of men
Isa. 53:4 Mark 8:16–17Q Bore sickness and disease
Isa. 53:7 Matt. 27:12–14 “He opened not His mouth.”
Isa. 53:9 Matt. 27:57–60 Buried in a rich man’s tomb
Isa. 53:12 Mark 15:27–28Q Numbered with the transgressors
Isa. 53:12 Luke 23:34 Made intercession for the transgressors
Micah 5:1 Luke 22:64 They smote Him on the cheek.
Zech. 11:12–13 Matt. 26:15 Thirty pieces of silver
Zech. 12:10 John 19:37Q They look at Him whom they pierced.
Zech. 13:6 John 20:27 Hands pierced
Zech. 13:7 Matt. 26:31, 56Q The sheep were scattered.
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Jonah 1:17 Matt. 12:40Q In hades three days and nights
Shadow Fulfillment His Glory
Gen. 2:7 1 Cor. 15:45 Adam made alive from the dust
Gen. 22:1–14 Heb. 11:17–19 Abraham receives back Isaac
Gen. 39:1–6 Phil. 2:7–9 Joseph exalted after suffering
Gen. 40:9–13, 22 1 Cor. 15:4 Chief butler restored on third day
Lev. 23:10–11 1 Cor. 15:20–23 The firstfruits of the resurrection
Num. 17:7–9 Heb. 9:1–5 Aaron’s dead rod budded.
Ps. 2:7 Acts 13:33Q “Today I have begotten You.”
Ps. 16:8–11 Acts 2:25–32Q He will not see corruption.
Ps. 30:3 Mark 16:9 “You brought my soul up from the grave.”
Ps. 30:9–12 1 Cor. 15:17 What profit is My blood in death?
Ps. 41:10–12 Acts 2:25–30 “Be merciful to me and raise me up.”
Ps. 49:15 Acts 2:25-30 Redeem My soul from the grave.
Ps. 68:18 Eph. 4:8Q He ascended and gave gifts unto men.
Ps. 110:1 Acts 2:33–36Q “Sit at My right hand.”
Ps. 118:15–21 John 2:19–21 “I shall not die, but live.”
Isa. 25:8 1 Cor. 15:54Q He will swallow up death in victory.
Isa. 52:13 Phil. 2:9 He shall be exalted very high.
Isa. 53:10 2 Tim. 2:8 He will see His offspring and prolong His days.
Isa. 55:3 Acts 13:34Q He will be given the sure mercies of David.
Hos. 6:1–2 Matt. 16:21 The third day He shall raise us up.
THE ATONEMENT FORESHADOWED
The First Testament gives many allusions to Jesus’ death: the rejected prophet, the suffering righteous one, the stone the builders rejected, and so on. But beyond the direct prophecies about the Messiah’s death and resurrection, the sacrifice of Jesus was foreshadowed in the actual events of Israel and her ancestors. For example, we meet the atonement in Genesis 3:15 when God announces that the seed of the woman will crush the head of the serpent.
We meet it again in Genesis 3:21 when God made coats of skins to clothe the nakedness of the first sinners. The making of coats out of animal skins required death. It was not sufficient for humans to make a covering out of leaves to cover their sin. No, their covering had to be made through the taking of a life.
Here we see a basic principle of redemption: without the shedding of blood there is no covering for sin.24 A life must be taken in order for “the shame of [our] nakedness” to be covered.25 This illustrates that the life of Christ had to be poured out for the forgiveness of our sins. The blood of our Lord Jesus had to be shed in order for the shame of our nakedness to be covered. For “without shedding of blood there is no remission.”26 For “the life of the flesh is in the blood.”27
We see the atonement in its broader salvific aspect in Noah’s day, when eight souls (the number of resurrection) were “saved” through an ark made of wood. The old world was destroyed, and the eight people were brought into a new creation where the dove could find a resting place.28
We meet the atonement in the Passover, where the blood of the Paschal Lamb protected the children of Israel from the death angel. Paul told us aptly that Jesus is our Passover.29 According to Joseph Ratzinger, Jesus died at the same moment the Passover lambs were being slaughtered in the temple. He “dies as the real lamb, merely prefigured by those slain in the Temple.”30
We meet the atonement again in the Red Sea, where the death waters buried the ungodly Egyptians and Israel passed onto dry ground.31
We find the cross of Christ again in the Jordan River, the river of death. The Jordan is the passageway between the wilderness and the land of promise, Canaan. The cross is the transition from one humanity into another, from one creation into another, from one kingdom into another.32
We meet the atonement again in the wilderness journey, when Moses struck the rock and out of it flowed rivers of living water. It is an apt picture of death (the striking of the rock) and resurrection life (the flowing waters). Paul wrote that the rock was Jesus Christ.33 Interestingly, when Moses struck the rock a second time, he was barred from entering the land of promise. God had said to speak to the rock, but Moses struck it.34 The striking of the rock a second time and the judgment that followed reminds us of the words of Hebrews, which speaks of crucifying “the Son of God afresh.”35
We meet the atonement again when a certain tree was thrown into the bitter waters of Marah, and they were made sweet as a result.36 We meet it again in the story of the brass serpent. In Numbers 21, many Israelites were bitten by poisonous serpents as a judgment. The people repented and Moses interceded. The Lord instructed Moses to create a serpent, put it on a pole, and lift it up for the Israelites to see. Everyone who was bitten by a snake would be healed if they looked upon the bronze serpent.
In John 3:14–15, Jesus said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
The serpent is the symbol of the enemy,37 satan, the devil, the accuser. Through the First Testament, brass appears to represent judgment. In 2 Corinthians 5:21, Paul wrote that Jesus became sin—which is the nature of the enemy. Jesus became sin in order to defeat it. He tasted death in order to conquer it. He became the serpent of brass in order to destroy the power of the serpent.
We meet the atonement yet again when David, the shepherd boy anointed king of Israel, defeated an insurmountable Goliath. Bible students have long since pointed out that the Philistines, the enemies of the God of Israel and His people, have their analog in the “spiritual wickedness in high places.”38
David’s slaying of Goliath reminds us of the cross, wherein the new David slew the archenemy of God, satan,39 triumphing and openly spoiling principalities and powers.40 N. T. Wright has observed that David’s five smooth stones correspond to the five wounds of Jesus on the cross—two hands, two feet, and the pierced side.41
So we come full circle. Jesus, the new David, was anointed to be King by the prophet (His baptism by John); He was hunted in the wilderness by Saul (His wilderness temptation); unpolished men joined Him in His mission at the cave of Adullam (the calling of the Twelve); He was a man after God’s own heart (His life and ministry); He slew the chief enemy of God’s people, Goliath (His defeat over satan on the cross); and He founded the city of Jerusalem and gathered and prepared materials for the building of God’s temple (He produces “living stones” for the construction of God’s house by His resurrection).43
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Christianity, in its purest form, is nothing more than seeing Jesus.
—MAX LUCADO 42
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But beyond all these images, perhaps the one that gives us the greatest insight into the profound fullness of the atonement is the five sacrifices unveiled in Leviticus—all of which speak of the different aspects of Christ’s sacrifice.
• The burnt offering shows us how the sacrifice of Christ was for God’s satisfaction.44
• The meal offering shows us that Christ’s sacrifice was for the satisfaction of God’s people.45 Christ is the perfect grain of wheat, without the leaven of sin.46
• The peace offering shows us that Christ’s sacrifice produces peace and reconciliation between God and those He has chosen.47
• The sin offering shows us that Christ’s sacrifice has destroyed the old man (our old identity in Adam), which is the root of sin.48
• The trespass (or guilt) offering shows us that Christ’s sacrifice not only puts the old self to death but also grants us forgiveness from all trespasses and cleanses our conscience.49
These five images demonstrate that the various models of the atonement presented by theologians (ransom, governmental, Christus Victor, penal substitution, moral-exemplar, satisfaction, and so on) each give us a unique window into the fullness of Christ’s atoning sacrifice.50 So when it comes to the atonement of Jesus
Christ, it’s not either/or but both/and.
Richard Hays summarizes the point nicely, saying, “Heb 10:5–7 reads Ps 40:7–9 as words spoken by Christ . . . in place of burnt offerings and sin offerings, he offers himself in obedience as a sacrifice. ’See, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written about me) to do your will, O God.’”51
JESUS’ ENTRANCE INTO HELL
The story of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection is a three-day story. But the middle day is hardly ever mentioned as part of the story. No theology of atonement and redemption is complete with an account of No-Name Saturday. But Holy Saturday is hard to celebrate, because it is based on the reality that Jesus died. For a while He actually entered into death and was swallowed by the grave. But there can be no resurrection without a death.
What did Jesus do when He lay dead in the tomb? He turned the tomb of death into the womb of life, and He planted in that womb the ticking time bomb of a new heaven and a new earth. The human One, the new Adam, returned to adamah to purify its soil with His spilt blood, to breathe resurrection breath into the dead of the earth, and to resurrect creation from within. This was the earth’s baptism . . . as the last Adam went down into the earth to die and then rose as a new creation. All four broken relationships returned to fruition again.
While the details of what happened after Jesus died on the cross were not included in the Second Testament, Jesus’ descent into hell has biblical warrant. Consider the following texts:
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.52
Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.53
He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.54
For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison.55
This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?)56
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