Understanding atonement

Lent 2024 – Part 6, Penal Substitution

This Lent, I reflect deeply on the profound significance of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, exploring the various theories embraced or historically cherished by Christian churches. I realise that this journey reveals a rich tapestry of beliefs and interpretations. It’s important to acknowledge that there is more than a single perspective, and for those who have engaged in discussions about them, there are way more than the two you have argued over.

Changing what you believe about atonement is not denying Jesus. The gospel is not a description of how Jesus’ death (and resurrection, ascension, and enthronement) rescues the world, but that it does so. The gospel is not a theory or advice, it is news.

This is one of six theories that look at Jesus paying a ransom which developed over time.

• The ransom was paid to Satan
• The ransom was paid to God
• Satisfaction
• Penal Substitution
• Governmental
• Christus Victor 

Penal Substitutionary Atonement (PSA) represents a contemporary refinement of Anselm of Canterbury’s Satisfaction theory. Its prominence significantly increased following the Reformation, a period that coincided with the development of the printing press, which played a crucial role in disseminating these theological ideas.

The 5 Solas of Luther

The Reformation brought about significant theological changes in contrast to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. It was felt that Mary, alongside Jesus, or priests alongside Jesus, should not be seen as mediators between humanity and God; rather, the belief arose that Jesus is the sole mediator. Additionally, there was a profound emphasis on the idea that salvation comes not through a combination of grace and works but through faith alone, reflecting a heartfelt desire for a personal connection with God.

Martin Luther inspired change with five Latin phrases that encapsulated the distinctions of his time while still acknowledging the many enduring truths that persisted. This list was:

• sola gratia,
• sola fida,
• solus Christus,
• sola scriptura, and
• soli Deo gloria.

In English, they are: by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, according to scripture alone, and for the glory of God alone. However, the issue arose from the Satisfaction theory inherited from the Catholics, which was more a product of logical reasoning than a doctrine grounded in Scripture. According to the reformers, a significant transformation was necessary.

Enter John Calvin. Having studied law, he grounded his new theory in a 15th-century courtroom, reflecting on the challenges of judgment and mercy. His interpretation of the Bible centered around the concept of vicarious suffering, particularly inspired by Isaiah chapter 53. The death of Jesus, seen as a form of punishment, resonated deeply with Saint Paul in his letter to the Colossians, showcasing the weight of sacrifice in the journey of faith.

Surely he has borne our griefs
    and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
    smitten by God, and afflicted.
⁵ But he was wounded for our transgressions;
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
    and with his stripes we are healed.
⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray;
    we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

¹⁰ Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
    he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
    he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
¹¹ Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
    make many to be accounted righteous,
    and he shall bear their iniquities.

Isaiah 53:4-7, 10, 11 ESVUK

¹³ And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, ¹⁴ by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵ He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

Colossians 2:13-15 ESVUK

The 3 main differences between PSA & Satisfaction.

Satisfaction theory has God as a medieval king: PSA has God as a Judge.
Satisfaction is about God’s honour: PSA is about God’s justice.
Satisfaction is based mainly on logic: PSA is drawn from scripture.

Having said that, we can find a comforting agreement between the two theories. Jesus’s profound love for the Father, along with the shared love of the Father and Son for all of humanity, truly warms the heart and inspires the mission of Jesus. Both perspectives also highlight the substitution aspect of his sacrifice, illustrating how Jesus willingly takes the place of sinners on the cross, bearing their burdens with compassion.

Also, they are not mutually exclusive! I passionately believe that God’s honour was profoundly satisfied and his justice resoundingly fulfilled on the cross.

So what exactly is PSA?

Penal substitution is a profound Christian theological concept that inspires hope, where Jesus Christ, as a loving substitute for humanity, willingly took upon Himself the punishment for people’s sins on the cross. This incredible act satisfied God’s justice and opened the door for forgiveness and reconciliation with him; essentially, Jesus willingly died in place of sinners, bringing about atonement and a brighter path forward. Through his love, Jesus embraces us and takes on the punishment we deserve, offering a chance for new life and redemption.

There are some who have said that PSA is wrong because it shows a vengeful father punishing his son. They misunderstand that PSA is Trinitarian. God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit; three persons in one God. God is one, his will is not divided, one part is not is not saying, “I want to smite these sinners,” whilst another says, “How can we spare them?” God is always consistent within himself in the Trinity, a tri-unity. God is one. If you do not believe in the Trinity, sadly, the whole idea of penal substitution breaks down. Sadly, the love of God the Father is missing from how some people have understood penal substitution.

Jesus entered our world fully aware of the suffering he would endure. He poignantly stated, “The Son of Man must suffer many things” (Mark 8:31), expressing the weight of his mission. In John 10:17, he shares a profound truth about love and sacrifice: “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.” In this narrative, we witness not child abuse but a compassionate God who chooses to experience humanity in its entirety, taking on the pain of sin for us.

Justification by faith

This might seem like a weird spot in a discussion about atonement theories to bring up justification, but hear me out—it’s about to get juicy! Now, let’s paddle through the wild waters of salvation, redemption, and justification, using kayaking as our trusty vessel—just don’t tip over on that last one; it’s a bit wobbly!

Salvation

Imagine you are kayaking in the sea and a storm comes up, one too strong for you to paddle against. Fortunately, someone sees your plight and calls the coastguard, and a lifeguard on a jet ski comes and tows you to shore. That is the meaning of salvation in the Bible. Saved from death.

Redemption

But then you fall on hard times, so you take that kayak down to the pawnbrokers. When things get better, you return to the pawnbroker, pay some money and come out with your kayak. That is the same as Biblical redemption; it means buying back for a price. In Biblical times, if you fell on really hard times, you could sell yourself into slavery, and it was up to someone else to buy you back.

Justification

Walking from the pawnbrokers, someone dramatically points you out to a policeman, as if you were the star of a bad reality show. “That’s my kayak!” she exclaims, pointing a finger like a contestant on a particularly scandalous episode. “He’s stolen it!” Spoiler alert: You are arrested faster than you can say “paddle.” Before you know it, you’re standing before a judge who seems to have a penchant for daytime soap operas. Thankfully, the judge finds you not guilty, probably because even they couldn’t take this trial seriously!

Justification is a legal term in the Bible, which is why I have placed its discussion with this legal-based theory. Justification means being declared not guilty. Paul puts it like this in his letter to the Galatians:

¹⁵ We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; ¹⁶ yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Galatians 2:15-16

NT Wright said. “When a word that is in our translation of the Bible cuts loose and gets on a tradition of its own. Then, when people start there, they assume that what the Bible says is what we have made that word mean, and again and again, it ain’t necessarily so.”

Wright was talking about the problem with justification, which we learn from our traditions is that justification is about getting to heaven. and import that meaning into Galatians 2. What justification is about, says Wright, is that God in Christ has dealt with the problem of sin so that the Holy Spirit can come and live within us so that we can live as the family of God together.

If we put this idea of justification back into Penal Substitution, is the theory of PSA changed? I don’t think so, but it does help us with the criticism of PSA that God is angry with us. God loves us but is angry about sin, so in Jesus, he deals with sin, and his anger is satisfied. If you think that PSA says God was angry with Jesus, then we’ll have to disagree.

The printing press

Now, PSA was just one of many exciting theories emerging during this vibrant new movement known as Protestantism. While the concept of adhering to a single model of atonement and dismissing others took some time to develop, even within the Reformed tradition of Calvin, the diverse nature of Protestantism was enriched by the advent of the printing press. This innovation not only facilitated the swift sharing of new ideas but also ignited a newfound passion for reading that had been largely absent before. Among these transformative ideas circulating through tracts was the compelling notion of Penal Substitutionary Atonement.

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The NT Wright quote comes from a YouTube video from Premier Unbelievable?
What is Justification by Faith?

They are well worth watching.