SUFFERING GODS WRATH:

CONFRONTING VIOLENT ATONEMENT THEORY

1. Does God need to appease his wrath with a blood sacrifice
to forgive us?
1. Does God need to appease his wrath with a blood sacrifice
to forgive us?
2. If God is too holy to fellowship with sinners without a
sacrifice, how did Jesus hang out with sinners without
requiring a sacrifice?
1. Does God need to appease his wrath with a blood sacrifice
to forgive us?
2. If God is too holy to fellowship with sinners without a
sacrifice, how did Jesus hang out with sinners without
requiring a sacrifice?
3. If Jesus death appeases Gods wrath, making it possible
for God to forgive and accept sinners, wouldnt it be more
true to say that the cross reconciles God to himself than
that it reconciles us to God?
4. Can sin and guilt literally be transferred from one person to
another?
4. Can sin and guilt literally be transferred from one person to
another?
5. Jesus came to reveal the Fathers love, not to placate the
Fathers wrath.
4. Can sin and guilt literally be transferred from one person to
another?
5. Jesus came to reveal the Fathers love, not to placate the
Fathers wrath.
6. If our sin deserves eternal hell, how does Jesus atone for it
by suffering for several hours?
4. Can sin and guilt literally be transferred from one person to
another?
5. Jesus came to reveal the Fathers love, not to placate the
Fathers wrath.
6. If our sin deserves eternal hell, how does Jesus atone for it
by suffering for several hours?
7. If Jesus had to die to appease Fathers wrath, dont we have
to conclude that pagans who sacrificed their children to gods
were expressing a godly intuition?
8. This view pits Gods love and wrath as co-equal competing
attributes. Scripture says that God IS love. His wrath must
therefore be an expression of his love and his justice.
8. This view pits Gods love and wrath as co-equal competing
attributes. Scripture says that God IS love. His wrath must
therefore be an expression of his love and his justice.
9. If the Penal Substitution view is correct, why did Christians
believe the Christus Victor view for the first 1,000 years of
church history?
10. This view makes salvation a legal issue between God (a
Judge) Us (the defendants) and Jesus (our lawyer). In the PS
view, Christs death changes how God sees us, but this theory
says nothing about how Christs death changes us.
10. This view makes salvation a legal issue between God (a
Judge) Us (the defendants) and Jesus (our lawyer). In the PS
view, Christs death changes how God sees us, but this theory
says nothing about how Christs death changes us.
11. This model places the myth of redemptive violence at the
center of history and the center of Gods revelation of himself.
Matt 5:38-9, 44-5 You have heard that it was said, Eye for eye,
and tooth for tooth. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person.
If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other
cheek alsoBut I tell you, love your enemies and pray for
those who persecute you, that you may be children of your
Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the
good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
The Supreme Revelation of Gods Love Defeat Powers of
Darkness and Reconciled All Things
Rom 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
I Jn 4:8 God is love.
Rom 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
I Jn 4:8 God is love.
I Jn 3:16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid
down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our
brothers and sisters.
Gen 3:15 I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel.
Heb 2:14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too
shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break
the power of him who holds the power of deaththat is, the
devil
I Jn 3:8 The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy
the devils work.
Col 2: 14-5 having canceled the charge of our legal
indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he
has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed
the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of
them, triumphing over them by the cross.
 * God gave him up for us all (Rom 8:32) and delivered
(paradidomai) him over to death for our sins (Rom 4:25).
* God gave (didmi) his one and only Son (Jn 3:16, emphasis
added).
* the Son of Man will be handed over (Mt 26:2), or delivered
over (Mt 20:18; cf., Mk 10:33; Lk 18:32; 24:7)
* Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani? (which means My God, my God,
why have you forsaken me?) (Mk 15:33).
 DIVINE AIKIDO:
HOW GOD PUNISHES SIN AND OVERCOMES EVIL
1. Fallen powers were instrumental in bringing about the
Crucifixion.
1. Fallen powers were instrumental in bringing about the
Crucifixion.
* Satan was involved in Judas betrayal (Jn 13:27)
1. Fallen powers were instrumental in bringing about the
Crucifixion.
Satan was involved in Judas betrayal (Jn 13:27)
I Cor 2: 6-8 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom
among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the
rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we
declare Gods wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and
that God destined for our glory before time began. None of
the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they
would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
 2. It is significant that demonic forces recognize Jesus as the
Son of God, but they are clueless as to why he had come to
earth (Mt 2:23; 8:29; Mk 1:24; 5:7; Lk 4:34).
 2. It is significant that demonic forces recognize Jesus as the
Son of God, but they are clueless as to why he had come to
earth (Mt 2:23; 8:29; Mk 1:24; 5:7; Lk 4:34).
3. If the Powers Had Understood Gods wisdom which had
been hidden throughout history, they wouldnt have
crucified the Lord of glory, for by means of this crucifixion
they are coming to nothing.
 2. It is significant that demonic forces recognize Jesus as the
Son of God, but they are clueless as to why he had come to
earth (Mt 2:23; 8:29; Mk 1:24; 5:7; Lk 4:34).
3. If the Powers Had Understood Gods wisdom which had
been hidden throughout history, they wouldnt have
crucified the Lord of glory, for by means of this crucifixion
they are coming to nothing.

Col 2: 14-5 having canceled the charge of our legal

indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he
has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed
the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of
them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone
those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your
children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her
wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to
you desolate (ermos) (Mt 23:37-8)
As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over
it and said, If you, even you, had only known on this day what
would bring you peacebut now it is hidden from your eyes.
The days will come on you when your enemies will build an
embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on
every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the
children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on
another, because you did not recognize the time of Gods
coming to you (Lk 19:40-4).
 I Cor 5:4-5 So when you are assembled and I am with you in
spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this
man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his
spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.
 Matthew 5: 38-9 You have heard that it was said, Eye for eye,
and tooth for tooth. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person.
If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other
cheek also.
 Rom 12:14, 17-21 Bless those who persecute you; bless and
do not curse.Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to
do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far
as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take
revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for Gods wrath, for it
is written: It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord. On
the contrary:
If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good
Isa 5:1-5 I will sing for the one I love
a song about his vineyard:
My loved one had a vineyard
on a fertile hillside.
He dug it up and cleared it of stones
and planted it with the choicest vines.
He built a watchtower in it
and cut out a winepress as well.
Then he looked for a crop of good grapes,
but it yielded only bad fruit.
 Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard.
What more could have been done for my vineyard
than I have done for it?
When I looked for good grapes,
why did it yield only bad?
Now I will tell you
what I am going to do to my vineyard:
I will take away its hedge,
and it will be destroyed;
 Jeremiah 12:7 I will forsake my house,
abandon my inheritance;
I will give the one I love
into the hands of her enemies.
Zech 1:15 I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I
was only a little angry, but they went too far with the
punishment.
biblical language for judgment refers to the effects of
human sin, not [to] a penalty or punishment that God
pronounces on the situation or sends on the perpetrators
Fretheim, Creation Untamed.
James 1:14-5 each person is tempted when they are dragged
away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire
has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-
grown, gives birth to death.
Prov 26:27 If anyone digs a pit, they themselves will fall into it;
if anyone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.
Prov 26:27 If anyone digs a pit, they themselves will fall into it;
if anyone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.
Hab 2:17 The violence you have done to Lebanon will
overwhelm you and your destruction of animals will terrify
you.
Prov 26:27 If anyone digs a pit, they themselves will fall into it;
if anyone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.
Hab 2:17 The violence you have done to Lebanon will
overwhelm you and your destruction of animals will terrify
you.
Jer 2:17 Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding
will rebuke you
Prov 26:27 If anyone digs a pit, they themselves will fall into it;
if anyone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.
Hab 2:17 The violence you have done to Lebanon will
overwhelm you and your destruction of animals will terrify
you.
Jer 2:17 Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding
will rebuke you
Jer 4:18 Your own conduct and actions have brought this on
you. This is your punishment
Prov 26:27 If anyone digs a pit, they themselves will fall into it;
if anyone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.
Hab 2:17 The violence you have done to Lebanon will
overwhelm you and your destruction of animals will terrify
you.
Jer 2:17 Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding
will rebuke you
Jer 4:18 Your own conduct and actions have brought this on
you. This is your punishment
* Self-punishment and punishment at Gods hands are not
two distinct realities.
R. Schwager, Must There Be Scapegoats?
Ps 7: 11-6 God is a righteous judge,
a God who displays his wrath every day.
If he does not relent,
he will sharpen his sword;
he will bend and string his bow.
He has prepared his deadly weapons;
he makes ready his flaming arrows.
Whoever is pregnant with evil
conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.
Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out
falls into the pit they have made.
The trouble they cause recoils on them;
their violence comes down on their own heads
Ezek 22:29-31 The people of the land practice extortion and
commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and
mistreat the foreigner, denying them justice.
I looked for someone among them who would build up the
wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I
would not have to destroy it, but I found no one. So I will pour
out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger,
bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares
the Sovereign LORD.
 Ex 12:12 I will pass through Egypt and strike down every
firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring
judgment on all the gods of Egypt.
 Ex 12:12 I will pass through Egypt and strike down every
firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring
judgment on all the gods of Egypt.
Ex 12:23 When the LORD goes through the land to strike down
the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the
doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not
permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down
 Jer 13:14 I will smash them one against the other, parents and
children alike, declares the LORD. I will allow no pity or mercy
or compassion to keep me from destroying them.
 Jer 13:14 I will smash them one against the other, parents and
children alike, declares the LORD. I will allow no pity or mercy
or compassion to keep me from destroying them.

Jer 21:7 I will give Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials and
the people in this city who survive the plague, sword and
famine, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
and to their enemies who seek their lives. He will put them to
the sword; he will show them no mercy or pity or compassion.
 Metonymy of the subject
* what is said to be done is put for what is declared, or
permitted, or foretold as to be done,
* an action, said to be done, is put for the giving occasion for
such action.
Bullinger, Figures of Speech Used in the Bible
Jeremiah 1:9-10 Then the LORD reached out his hand and
touched my mouth and said to me, I have put my words in
your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and
kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow,
to build and to plant.
Jeremiah 1:9-10 Then the LORD reached out his hand and
touched my mouth and said to me, I have put my words in
your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and
kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow,
to build and to plant.

2 Sam 12:9 You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword
and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the
sword of the Ammonites.
Heb 1:1-3 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the
prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last
days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir
of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
The Son is the radiance of Gods glory and the exact
representation of his being, sustaining all things by his
powerful word.