Premial Indemnification

What is the significance of the 40 years between Jesus’ Resurrection and the Desolation of Jerusalem and the Temple?  Clearly this was the “this generation” to whom he prophesied warnings, but why only one generation—40 years?  This was the nominal reign of an Israelite king.  Jesus had just ascended the throne of David, his royal ancestor, and donned the crown from his Father, God.  He reigned during those 40 years with unprecedented graciousness toward those who accepted him as God’s Anointed King, and with forbearance, mercy, kindness, and patience toward his enemies, so that they would change their minds and trust him, becoming his learners, and so become prepared to inherit the Kingdom with him.  Yet he also promised to return to prosecute the stubborn rebels against his reign and to consummate all that the prophets foretold.  [9/16/07]

Although it is all too easy to caricature the penal substitution theory of the Atonement as crude, repulsive, nonsensical, irrational, immoral, illegal, and so forth, the same can hardly be said of the restorative justice interpretation.  It has a majesty, elegance, symmetry, and grace that defy unseemly caricature.  [8/16/07]

Insofar as the hilasterion or “mercy seat” (“propitiatory shelter”—A. E. Knoch) is a protective cover(ing) “through the faithfulness in [Messiah’s innocent (Matthew 27:4, 24)] blood (= just soul)” (Romans 3:25), it is not so by virtue of “appeasing the wrath” or “satisfying the (penal) justice” of God or in any way whatsoever “changing God’s hostility toward humanity,” for He nurtured none.  YET IT WAS A COVERAGE, INDEMNIFYING OR PROTECTING OF TRUSTING SINNERS AGAINST THE CONTINGENCY OF GOD’S UNCHANGEABLE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION BREAKING FORTH AGAINST ANY POTENTIAL BUILDUP OF A “SAVINGS ACCOUNT” OR “TREASURY” OF SINS.  THUS NO CHANGE TRANSPIRED FROM THE DIVINE SIDE AT ALL, YET HUMANS WERE MADE AND KEPT SAFE.  [8/1807]

Protective coverage (hilasterion) around (peri) or concerned with sins is no more a penal “payment for sins” than insurance is a penal “payment for” accident, fire, flood, hail, tornado, earthquake, theft, or any other adverse contingency or evil (much less an “act of God”!).  Quite the reverse, it is a premial reimbursement for (huper) and even in exchange for, in the stead of, in place of, or as substitute for (anti) LOSS or DESTRUCTION.  In effect, then, God Himself GRACIOUSLY PAID THE PREMIUM IN THE UNJUST DEATH AT THE HANDS OF SINNERS OF HIS OWN PRECIOUS SON IN ORDER TO RANSOM THEM FROM SLAVERY TO SIN, THE FEAR OF DEATH, THE AUTHORITY OF DARKNESS, THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD (UNDER SATAN), BY GIVING (dido–) OR PAYING (apodido–) THEM THE SPIRIT OF WHOLESOMENESS AND “DIVINE POWER THAT TENDS TOWARD LIFE AND DEVOUTNESS” (2 Peter 1:3) THAT THEY MIGHT BECOME “PARTICIPANTS IN THE DIVINE NATURE”! (2 Peter 1:4).  [8/18/07]