A lot has been said of the scapegoat.
In the Old Testament after atonement had been made for the sins of the people the priest would symbolically put all wickedness and rebellion on this goat and it would be driven from Israel.
The word for "scapegoat" is "for Azazel" (in the 16th century Tyndale coined "scapegoat" to provide an English word to represent "for Azazel". Jewish tradition views Azael as a demon, however most view it as wickedness, evil, Satan. But some think it was simoly a location outside of Israel. We do not know.
So how does the scaoegoat fit in? Some new this as God laying our sins on Jesus. Certainly we all agree that Jesus is tge Lamb who takes away the sins of the world.
The problem with this is we need to keep in mind how the Hebrews would understand "for Azazel".
Remember, this scapegoat is not a stand alone ritual.
After the sins of the people have been atoned for (the sacrifice has been made) wickedness and sins are symbolically placed on this animal "for Azazel" and driven from the camp (typically off a cliff so it does not return).
Reading Jewish literature, the role of repentance is stressed. The sins are atonement for, but then there is this other goat, that the people make atonement by sending it away. It carries these "atoned for" sins away.
The first animal, the one sacrificed, is "for the Lord" and the second, the scapegoat, is "for Azazel".
I just wanted to bring that up for thought as some odd things have been said about this scapegoat.
In the Old Testament after atonement had been made for the sins of the people the priest would symbolically put all wickedness and rebellion on this goat and it would be driven from Israel.
The word for "scapegoat" is "for Azazel" (in the 16th century Tyndale coined "scapegoat" to provide an English word to represent "for Azazel". Jewish tradition views Azael as a demon, however most view it as wickedness, evil, Satan. But some think it was simoly a location outside of Israel. We do not know.
So how does the scaoegoat fit in? Some new this as God laying our sins on Jesus. Certainly we all agree that Jesus is tge Lamb who takes away the sins of the world.
The problem with this is we need to keep in mind how the Hebrews would understand "for Azazel".
Remember, this scapegoat is not a stand alone ritual.
After the sins of the people have been atoned for (the sacrifice has been made) wickedness and sins are symbolically placed on this animal "for Azazel" and driven from the camp (typically off a cliff so it does not return).
Reading Jewish literature, the role of repentance is stressed. The sins are atonement for, but then there is this other goat, that the people make atonement by sending it away. It carries these "atoned for" sins away.
The first animal, the one sacrificed, is "for the Lord" and the second, the scapegoat, is "for Azazel".
I just wanted to bring that up for thought as some odd things have been said about this scapegoat.