Atonement by Eating

Published on Mission of Jesus Christ, Soteriology

In ancient days, for atonement to be effective, Aaron or his descendants had to eat the sacrifice. If they didn’t, the atonement was no good.

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

The Hebrew word for atonement is וּלְכַפֵּר֙ (“kaphar”). It means:

  1. To cover over
  2. To pacify
  3. To make propitiation

In ancient times, the descendants of Aaron made atonement for the nation.

 

In our day, many Christians interpret the Mission of Jesus Christ in light of the Old Testament notion of atonement. They say his mission is soteriological. It is to make atonement for all of us.

Recall the meanings of Atonement from above. Here is how those are often interpreted:

  1. To cover over – our sins
  2. To pacify – the anger of God the Father
  3. To make propitiation – currying divine favor

However, Christians overlook a key aspect of Atonement. It was that Aaron or his descendants ate the sacrifice. If Aaron or his descendants did not eat the sacrifice, the atonement was no good.

In our day, neither Aaron nor his descendants are eating sacrifices.

 

BIBLE VERSES

 

Leviticus 6:26. The priest who offers it for sin shall eat it. It shall be eaten in a holy place, in the court of the Tent of Meeting.

Leviticus 10:17. “Why haven’t you eaten the sin offering in the place of the sanctuary, since it is most holy, and he has given it to you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD?

1 Chronicles 6:49. But Aaron and his sons offered on the altar of burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, for all the work of the most holy place, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.

 

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.