Ptr. Jordan Nisly

An understanding of Christ’s death on the cross as a fulfillment and antitype of the Old
Testament sacrificial system is an essential teaching of the New Testament, especially in Paul’s
epistles and Hebrews. It is this substitutionary shedding of sinless blood for the atonement of
our sin that warrants a deeper look and devotional reflection. Who could have conceived that
the Almighty God, holy and righteous in His judgment on rebellious mankind, would Himself
bear that justified penalty through the Son’s perfect obedience to the Father? The substitution is
a mystery to the world, but the very ordained plan of God; as Herman Bavinck explains, this
beautiful reality “far transcends our imagination and our thought” (Bavinck, Wonderful Works of
God, 336).

Gal 3:10–14 makes clear that the cross of Christ removed the curse of the law from us. A
conception of the atonement as substitution was pervasive from the earliest days of the church,
taught by Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Athanasius, and Augustine, and refined by the Reformers
like Luther and Calvin. But its roots predate the Gospel accounts, with one of the clearest
pictures found in Isa 52:13–53:12. There we learn that the root of Jesse, the promised future
king who will be exalted in glory, will unfathomably achieve that status through appalling shame
and sorrow (52:13–14; 53:2).

This suffering servant would be slaughtered for the wayward, selfish sheep who least deserved
such love (53:4–8). What Isaiah reveals is the miraculous power of this man’s pain to bring
great peace to people across the nations, his blood sprinkled on the altar of God’s creation to
realize a permanent atonement for the transgressions of his people (52:15; 53:10–11). As
Packer explains, “In his suffering Christ assumed our identity, as it were, and endured the
retributive judgment due to us […] as our substitute, in our place, with the damning record of
our transgressions nailed by God to his cross” (Packer, Concise Theology, 135–136).

So how do we view the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ? Are we filled with awe and
wonder? Do we cherish the splendor of His gracious sacrifice? He took our pain! He bore our
suffering! He was punished, stricken, and afflicted for us! Let us joyfully echo the words of
Bavinck when he concludes, “We do not have to understand this mystery either. We need only
believe it gratefully, rest in it, and glory and rejoice in it” (Bavinck, Wonderful Works of God,
337).