Traditionally Western Christianity has understood Yeshua’s
death as an atonement for sin. But this is not the only view. I read a book
years ago about a woman who converted from Protestantism to Greek Orthodoxy.
She explained this view of his death to her priest and he was surprised by it.
He explained that from an Eastern Orthodox point of view, Yeshua’s death wasn’t
so much about atonement but of conquering death. From their point of view, the
efficacy of Yeshua’s death was that he entered in and conquered death. You may
have seen these very popular icons of Christ standing on the broken doors to
hell. Rabbi Mark gave a beautiful midrash a few years ago where Yeshua’s death
was a culmination of an exchange of gifts between God and Abraham. Just has
Abraham was willing to offer up his beloved son to God, God offers up His son,
Yeshua.
These do not need to be competing views. All of them may be
simultaneously true. There are many facets to Yeshua’s sacrifice. I have
another to propose to you today.
In Devarim, Deuteronomy, we have Moses’ final words to
Israel; it is his departing speech before he dies and they enter into the Land.
He retells the story of the Exodus and enjoins Israel to obey Torah. Part of
that story is the Exodus and the death of the firstborn, the final plague
visited upon Egypt.
In this story, God commands Israel to place blood of a lamb
on the doorposts of their homes. Our Sages argue about whether the blood was to
be applied to the inside or the outside of the doors. The text does not tell
us. In the Mikhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, which is a halachic midrash on Exodus, we
have a record of this argument. Rabbi Natan says that it was to be applied to
the inside of the doors. He notes that God says “And the blood on the houses
where you are staying shall be a sign for you.” (Ex 12:13). Since it was a sign
for Israel and not others the blood was to be applied to the inside of the
doors.
Rabbi Isaac disagrees. He says that it was to be applied to
the outside of the door so that the Egyptians would see it and be horrified.
Maimonides agrees with Rabbi Natan. He says that Israel was
worshipping Egypt’s gods, which includes a sheep god, Amon. It was a sign for
Israel that they had to give up idolatry in order to merit redemption.
Hezekiah ben Menoah agrees with Rabbi Isaac. He notes that
Israel was to bring the sheep into their homes for four days in order to show
the Egyptians that their god was being humiliated. Furthermore, God commands
them to kill the sheep towards evening. Hezekiah says this was so that when the
Egyptians were coming home from work, during rush hour so to speak, they would
see the representation of their god killed and its blood smeared on the
doorposts. Israel was also commanded to roast the sheep whole and this was so
that it was still recognizable as a sheep to the Egyptians to further drive the
point home that their god was impotent. In contrast to Maimonides, Hezekiah
argues that it wasn’t to convince Israel of the futility of idolatry, but to
convince the Egyptians.
Essentially God brings judgment down on the gods of Egypt,
which He explicitly says in Exodus 12:12, “I will pass through Egypt and strike
down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment down
on the gods of Egypt.”
This viewpoint leads us to another way of viewing Yeshua’s
death; another facet of his death.
I have always been puzzled that Rav Shaul (Paul) calls
Yeshua our Passover Lamb, because this lamb was not a sin offering. We can look
at this as God bringing down His wrath down upon the Perfect Lamb. He brings
judgment upon all that stands against God; idols or self-worship. God brings
down judgment upon all Avodah Zerah (idolatry). Our Sages tell us that the
First Temple was destroyed because of Israel’s idolatry. Likewise, Yeshua, the Living
Temple, was destroyed because of idolatry!
Every day we pray the Alaynu, that idolatry will be brought
to an end and God’s kingship be recognized by all the earth. Yeshua is the down
payment from God that all idolatry, all that stands against God will indeed be
defeated; that the Alaynu will come true.
Yochanan the Immerser (John the Baptist) cried out “Behold
the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world”. Normally we think of this
statement as his declaration that Yeshua would atone for sinners. But we need
to remember that in the Bible sin is a tangible entity. It is a defilement and
contamination that has almost a physical reality to it. Yeshua is the sacrifice
that removes all more defilement from the world. Midrashically we interpret "the sin" as not all all sin but a specific one. What
is "The Sin" that is taken away? It is the sin of idolatry, our rejection of
Hashem!
Yeshua did indeed die for our sins and made atonement for
us. He indeed entered into death and conquered it. His death was indeed an exchange
of gifts of love between Hashem and Israel and the whole world. But we can also
view his death as God bringing judgment down on all that is anti-God; against
all avodah zarah.
Let us praise the one who was willing to be that Perfect
Passover Lamb. Let us praise the one who was willing to take on all of the
condemnation and to be avodah zarah for us.
Tisha B’Av is before us. Let us look to the Living Temple
who was destroyed for our idolatry.
Today is Shabbat Chazon, the Sabbath of Vision. Our
tradition says that on this day we get a special glimpse of the Third Temple as
we mourn the destruction of the first two temples. May we see it and may we see
the one who will come to restore it!
Shabbat Shalom!
