ATONEMENT DEPRECIATED

(This is the fourth of four blogs about the atonement of Christ. First one)
Those who argue that Jesus’ death brought atonement for the sins of the entire world support their claim with a handful of passages. But the only specific ‘atonement’ verse used is 1 John 2:2. We just considered what that verse says about Jesus as atoning sacrifice. Here
Consider John 1:29 “. . .Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” It is true that Jesus has some effect on the sin of the world. Can it be said that he takes away everyone’s sin? If sin is the reason for wrath and punishment, has sin been taken away from those who are now suffering in hell? If so, then why are they there? Obviously, something more than Jesus taking away sins is required for salvation. One must believe in Him as Savior. Sins are taken away through the atonement but only those who believe will be forgiven. How do we understand the word “world” in this verse? Can it mean every living person? No! Because every single person has not had their sins taken away. One possible answer is this. Lamb of God is an obvious Jewish symbol. So the Baptizer is announcing that Jesus was the Jewish lamb that would affect forgiveness for the world. He is the only one who will. Similarly, in John 4:42 and 1 Timothy 4:10 Jesus is called the savior of the world. Not that he saves everybody in the world but that he is the only Savior of the world.
Another place where unlimited atonement is said to be taught is Matthew 23: 37. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to her, how often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!”
Notice the following points of interpretation.
1. Atonement appears nowhere in this verse or surrounding verses.
2. Jesus lament is for Jerusalem. What or who is Jerusalem? Jesus had previously used the name of cities to characterize the leadership. Matthew 11:23 is a denunciation of Capernaum. This is the city where Jesus Himself settled, Matthew 4:13. So unless the entire population there rejected Him the condemnation must be for the leaders who controlled the city.
3. It is Jerusalem who is killing the prophets. Who did that? Who killed the prophets? The entire population or the leaders. History proves that it was the leaders. Jesus specifically defines these leaders in verses 29-36 as scribes and Pharisees.
4. Jerusalem, the town leaders, was unwilling to allow her children to come to Christ. Who were the children of Jerusalem? The general population. So those in charge of the city would not allow the general population to come to Christ. This means simply that the scribes and Pharisees prevented Jews from seeing Christ.
Conclusion: The will and choice of Jerusalem’s residents is not the point of contention nor the cause of Jesus’ grief. It is the leadership of Jerusalem that is condemned here and then forewarned in verse 38. Neither individual free-will nor the atonement are remotely connected to this passage. It is wrong to snatch this verse from its proper context to find an atonement application.
Another verse used to support unlimited atonement is 2 Peter 2:1 “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who secretly will bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction.” Again take note that ‘atonement’ is not here either.
Two questions must be answered to understand Peter’s meaning. What does it mean to be bought? Why does Peter use the word Master rather than Lord?
1. Notice that it is false teachers who are bought. The Master has not bought the right to own or the privilege to use, he has bought the men themselves. This purchase guarantees possession. There is no NT example of buying that is not followed by possessing. The Master who bought these false teachers owns them! These men are described as pernicious, sensual, greedy, exploitive. Their judgment was established long ago and their destruction is wide awake. (2-3) These false teachers are compared to fallen angels (verse 4) ,the reprobates of Noah’s day who perished in the flood (verse 5),and the ungodly citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah (verse 6). Further, in verses 10-22, there is nothing that would indicate they ever came to faith. Verse 14 says they never cease from sin. Verse 19 labels them as slaves of corruption. They knew the way of righteousness, verse 21, but turned from it. They certainly do not sound like men who imitate God. Yet verse 1 says they have been bought and are the possession of the Master. They are the Master’s people. How so?
2. The word bought is agorazo. This NT word is used 5 other times in a salvation context but never without the price listed. See 1 Cor. 6:20, 7:23, Rev 5:9, 14:3-4 Clearly, humanity is in view in 2 Peter 2:1. If the term is used here as in similar contexts, then Peter is teaching that certain false teachers who at some time were purchased and owned by God, that is, became believers, have now turned against His mastery and are destined for destruction. Or to put it more candidly, Peter is teaching that one can lose his salvation. There is only one way this term may be used in any context that relates to salvation. If atonement is in view, bought must mean the same thing it does in the other 5 verses listed. It cannot mean anything less than salvation. But that means that saved men have lost salvation. That condition contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture otherwise. The word must not be related to salvation. If not in regard to salvation, how then have these men been bought?
3. The Greek OT and NT uses of the word agorazo consistently demonstrate that when a purchase price is listed, the word may be translated ‘buy.’ But in contexts when that is not the case, as in 2 Peter 2:1, one may safely translate the term ‘acquire’ or ‘obtain.’ Context provides the most definitive answer to the meaning of any given word. Since no price is given in 2 Peter 2:1 it is acceptable to understand agorazw as “acquire or obtain”, especially in view of Peter’s use of ‘Master’ rather than Lord.
4. The meaning of despot ( despotes.) It is striking that Lord, (kurios) is not used in this verse, especially in view of that word’s strong implications of deity and Lordship. Peter does employ the title 14 times in this short letter, three times in the verses that follow. But not here. That bears consideration. Why? Because Peter is not thinking in terms of salvation or atonement. The word “despotes” is used 30 times in the Bible. The common idea is that of God as Master because he created. Deut 32:5-6 is extremely helpful. Notice the use of sons and father. “They have corrupted themselves: they are not His sons; it is their blemish; they are a crooked and perverse generation. Do you thus give back to Jehovah, Oh foolish and unwise people? Is He not your Father who bought you? Has He not made you and established you?” This foolish people are not sons but God is nevertheless their Father. In a similar way Peter stays clear of Jesus as Lord to be plain about the disposition of these false teachers. They are not saved but nevertheless servants of the Creator.
Conclusions. The verse and its context provide two possible interpretations.
1. 2 Peter 2:1 is a description of saved individuals who have lost their salvation. Anyone who takes the idea of ‘bought’ as a term related to atonement or salvation must come to this conclusion. That fits well with an Arminian theology but opposes the consistent teaching of Scripture.
2. This verse describes unsaved individuals who are slaves of God because He is their owner and thus owe Him recognition as Master. But they have disregarded His despotic Sovereignty and turned away. This conclusion does not contradict any Scripture and fits with the normal usage of simple words.
One final example will show how difficult it is to find passages that prove one extreme of the atonement issue. It may be suggested that Matthew 13: 44 teaches unlimited atonement. "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, hidden in a field, that a person found and hid. Then because of joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field.” In the unlimited atonement view Jesus is the man who finds the treasure and buys the field. After all, according to verse 38 the field is the world. So Jesus sells all he has, i.e., gives His life for the world to save the treasure, i.e., those who will be saved.
The key to understanding this parable is right here in the context. And context is the ultimate key to understanding Scripture. Most difficult passages can be simplified by interpreting within the context. So what is the key? Verse 51. Jesus had shared this parable and three more only with the disciples. When He was finished he asked if they understood everything he had said. They answered that they did. In verse 52 he commends them. He does not correct them or challenge their thinking. Our job as faithful students who desire to accurately handle the truth is to discover what the disciples understood. Would the disciples have thought that Jesus was talking about His substitutionary atonement? No! Jesus Himself had not yet introduced that idea. Jesus death is not part of this parable. As far as they knew at some point in the future He was going to set up the Kingdom. So what did they think Jesus was saying? Very simply put, in this and the following parable, the pearl of great price, Jesus is describing how valuable is the kingdom of heaven. And challenging disciples to make sure they will be part of it. Six parables in this chapter are comparisons of common things to the kingdom. The simplest meaning of parables is always the best. The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure that you can’t afford to miss. It’s like the best pearl you will ever find. That is all we should say definitively about what the parable means. There is no atonement here but rather a wonderful encouragement to align one’s life with the greatness and beauty of God’s kingdom.
Did the atonement of Christ effect every single person in the same way? What do you think? Study the Scriptures. For as Jesus said, they teach about Him. Ultimately it is not what someone else teaches you but what God confirms in His Word that has eternal value. The Berean church will stand with you on that ground and you will praise God together for the wonderful things He has done.