The “sin offering” in Leviticus 4 has had a significant role in the development of a doctrine of the atonement. The article considers further what Leviticus means by sin or offense, sin offering or offense offering, mistake, guilt offering or fault offering, stain on the person and on the sanctuary, violation, reparation , ransom or covering or cleansing or atonement, and pardon and forgiveness. It notes how these find expression in Israel’s history, and considers how they illumine the significance of the death of Jesus for the Jewish people and for the world. It notes that Leviticus does not talk about wrath, propitiation of God, or substitutionary punishment. It concludes that looking at the death of Jesus in light of its provision, one can see that he dissolved our stain, won a victory over the forces of death embodied in our stain, made reparation to God on our behalf, embodied God’s gracious willingness to carry us in our waywardness, and drew the world to seek God’s pardon, but that God is concerned for justice as well as mercy and can also let his people and the world carry their own waywardness. 

The article is posted on the Theology page.

This is a contribution for an upcoming book on “Biblical Justice,” for which I was asked to write the chapter on Ezra-Nehemiah. I think it is right that the expression mishpat usedaqah, which is usually translated “justice and righteousness,” is the biblical term for (social) justice), so in this paper I look at Ezra-Nehemiah in light of that. It’s posted under “Writings.”