2 Corinthians 5:21. ‘For He [God] made Him who knew no sin [Christ] to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.’
Greek transliteration. Ton gar me gnonta hamartian huper hemon hamartian epoiesen, hina hemeis ginometha dikaiosune theou en auto.
There has been much discussion concerning this verse in various threads, and I thought it might be helpful to dedicate a thread to it. In this initial post I want to declare what I believe the verse does not mean, and discuss that, before moving on to posit want I think it does mean
It has been suggested that Christ was not made ‘sin’ in 2 Cor. 5:21, but a ‘sin offering.’ There are three reasons why I believe this suggestion should be rejected:
Firstly, and most simply, hamartia, the |Greek word translated ‘sin occurs twice in the verse, very close together as may be seen above, and it would be strange if it had two meanings in one sentence; but to say, “God made Him who knew no sin offering to be a sin offering for us” makes no sense.
Secondly, hamartia never means ‘sin offering’ in the New Testament, though it sometimes does elsewhere. In the Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of the O.T., it sometimes appears, but always in the genitive case, hamartias, ‘of sin’ or ‘for sin.’ In 2 Cor. 5:21, it is in the accusative case, hamartian epoiesen; ‘He was made sin.’ There are five places in Hebrews 10 where the words ‘sin offering,’ ‘offering for sin’ or sacrifice for sin’ appear. In verse 12, ‘sacrifice for sins’ is huper hamartion thusian, and in verse 26 it is peri hamartion thusia. Huper means ‘on behalf of’ and peri means ‘concerning.’ In verse 6, quoting the Septuagint, ‘sacifices for sin’ is simply translated peri hamartias, but both thusia, ‘sacrifice’ and prosphora, ‘offering’ appear in the previous verse. In verse 8, the quotaion is repeated. In verse 18, ‘offering for sin’ translates prosphora peri hamartias. All this rather complicated stuff is to show that hamartia on its own never means ‘sin offering.’
Thirdly, in John 3:14, the Lord Jesus declares, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of man must be lifted up……” The reference is, of course, to Numbers 21:8-9, where Moses made a ‘fiery serpent,’ lifted it up on a pole, and everyone who looked upon it was cured of snake-bite. The serpent is clearly not any sort of offering, but it is some sort of type of the Lord Jesus, but what sort? Well where do we see in Scripture a red, fiery serpent? Well in Revelation 12:3, we are introduced to ‘A great fiery red dragon’ who, in verse 9, is seen to be the serpent, alias Satan himself.
So how can Satan possibly be a type of Christ? He can only be a type of Christ made sin for us. The Lord Jesus was manifested to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 2:8). The primary satanic work was the luring of mankind into sin. Christ on the cross was made the very epitome of sin for us, figured by the brazen serpent, and paid the penalty of His people’s sin in full, so that ‘the accuser of our brethren…..has been cast down’ (Revelation 12:10). Satan can no longer accuse Christians of sin because Christ has taken away their sin debt, nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:14) marked tetelestai, ‘Paid in Full’ (John 19:20; c.f. Matthew 17:24). Therefore, ‘Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies; who is he who condemns?’ (Romans 8:33-34).
The Lord Jesus declared, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12:32). We in our witnessing and preaching, are to lift up Christ crucified before all people and declare, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” And whoever looks at Christ crucified and trusts in Him for salvation will indeed be saved.
Greek transliteration. Ton gar me gnonta hamartian huper hemon hamartian epoiesen, hina hemeis ginometha dikaiosune theou en auto.
There has been much discussion concerning this verse in various threads, and I thought it might be helpful to dedicate a thread to it. In this initial post I want to declare what I believe the verse does not mean, and discuss that, before moving on to posit want I think it does mean
It has been suggested that Christ was not made ‘sin’ in 2 Cor. 5:21, but a ‘sin offering.’ There are three reasons why I believe this suggestion should be rejected:
Firstly, and most simply, hamartia, the |Greek word translated ‘sin occurs twice in the verse, very close together as may be seen above, and it would be strange if it had two meanings in one sentence; but to say, “God made Him who knew no sin offering to be a sin offering for us” makes no sense.
Secondly, hamartia never means ‘sin offering’ in the New Testament, though it sometimes does elsewhere. In the Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of the O.T., it sometimes appears, but always in the genitive case, hamartias, ‘of sin’ or ‘for sin.’ In 2 Cor. 5:21, it is in the accusative case, hamartian epoiesen; ‘He was made sin.’ There are five places in Hebrews 10 where the words ‘sin offering,’ ‘offering for sin’ or sacrifice for sin’ appear. In verse 12, ‘sacrifice for sins’ is huper hamartion thusian, and in verse 26 it is peri hamartion thusia. Huper means ‘on behalf of’ and peri means ‘concerning.’ In verse 6, quoting the Septuagint, ‘sacifices for sin’ is simply translated peri hamartias, but both thusia, ‘sacrifice’ and prosphora, ‘offering’ appear in the previous verse. In verse 8, the quotaion is repeated. In verse 18, ‘offering for sin’ translates prosphora peri hamartias. All this rather complicated stuff is to show that hamartia on its own never means ‘sin offering.’
Thirdly, in John 3:14, the Lord Jesus declares, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of man must be lifted up……” The reference is, of course, to Numbers 21:8-9, where Moses made a ‘fiery serpent,’ lifted it up on a pole, and everyone who looked upon it was cured of snake-bite. The serpent is clearly not any sort of offering, but it is some sort of type of the Lord Jesus, but what sort? Well where do we see in Scripture a red, fiery serpent? Well in Revelation 12:3, we are introduced to ‘A great fiery red dragon’ who, in verse 9, is seen to be the serpent, alias Satan himself.
So how can Satan possibly be a type of Christ? He can only be a type of Christ made sin for us. The Lord Jesus was manifested to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 2:8). The primary satanic work was the luring of mankind into sin. Christ on the cross was made the very epitome of sin for us, figured by the brazen serpent, and paid the penalty of His people’s sin in full, so that ‘the accuser of our brethren…..has been cast down’ (Revelation 12:10). Satan can no longer accuse Christians of sin because Christ has taken away their sin debt, nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:14) marked tetelestai, ‘Paid in Full’ (John 19:20; c.f. Matthew 17:24). Therefore, ‘Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies; who is he who condemns?’ (Romans 8:33-34).
The Lord Jesus declared, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12:32). We in our witnessing and preaching, are to lift up Christ crucified before all people and declare, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” And whoever looks at Christ crucified and trusts in Him for salvation will indeed be saved.
If you want, but it makes no difference to the Greek language which you are currently pillaging.
