A RESPONSE TO MICHAEL SHANBOUR=S AA GOSPEL ACCOUNT OF OUR FATHER AND THE BLOOD ATONEMENT OF JESUS@ BY DALE E

A RESPONSE TO MICHAEL SHANBOUR’S “A GOSPEL ACCOUNT OF OUR FATHER AND THE BLOOD ATONEMENT OF JESUS”

(Part II)

QUESTION II: “WAS THE PURPOSE OF JESUS’ BESTOWAL TO DIE ON THE CROSS AS AN INNOCENT SACRIFICE TO SATISFY A DEBT OWED TO GOD BY MAN’S SINS?”

In holding to the premise that Jesus is God’s exclusive spokesman, Mr. Shanbour selects verses (Luke 4:17-19, 43; 22:27; John 3:17; 4:34) that he claims represent all the passages in which Jesus directly speaks of his purpose on earth. These verses speak of Jesus coming to “preach the good news,” to “serve,” to “save the world,” and to “finish [God’s] work.” Shanbour concludes that this presumably “exhaustive” list of verses serves as proof positive that at no time did Jesus categorically state “his purpose was to die on the cross to atone for the evils and sins of mankind.” Shanbour insists that Jesus would have explicitly stated such a purpose if it were so by using the word “death” or a derivative thereof. He also throws in a disclaimer for John 3:17 by stating that some would misinterpret this verse to mean that the world is saved through the death of Jesus; but to do so, in his opinion, would be “adding . . . to the words of Christ.” Instead, Shanbour believes the more “sensible and consistent interpretation” is that “Jesus was the embodiment of truth and that all who sincerely seek truth, seek him, and therefore are saved through the truth[,] and this positive message is ‘good news.’” The question remains as to why this interpretation is more sensible and what it is more consistent with, which for Shanbour is “Jesus’ teaching that all men and women are brothers and sisters, and as such, opens up the Kingdom to all sincere truth seekers regardless of their original belief system.”

First of all, the above list is not in the least bit an exhaustive survey of Jesus’ statements regarding his purpose on earth. Here are a few more:

“‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.’” (Matt. 5:17)

“‘For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’” (Matt. 9:13)

“‘Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.”’” (Matt. 10:34,35; citing Micah 7:6)

“‘I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!’” (Luke 12:49)

“‘For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.’” (Luke 19:9)

“‘For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of he who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.’” (John 6:38-40)

“Jesus said, ‘For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.’” (John 9:39)

“‘I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’” (John 10:10)

“‘I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.’” (John 12:46)

Now, before we consider the verses I have just cited, let us ponder Mr. Shanbour’s interpretation of Jesus’ stated purpose in light of those verses he has referred to. He infers that Jesus is the embodiment of truth and all sincere truth seekers ultimately seek him. However, all this sincere truth-seeking leaves us hanging, for a person might search for the truth all of his or her life and never find it. Shanbour’s deduction ignores this reality by implying that one need only be a sincere truth-seeker (and not necessarily a truth-finder) in order to be saved. As it is, we are not quite yet sure what Shanbour considers worthy that a truth-seeker might find in Jesus, because he does not spell it out. He dismisses the Christian belief that Jesus died for our sins, but does not elaborate on how Jesus is still the answer in lieu of this belief. So far, he has only demonstrated that his interpretation is the less sensible one. Furthermore, Shanbour considers his interpretation to be consistent with what he calls Jesus’ teaching that “all men and women are brothers and sisters,” yet he does not provide a Gospel verse to back up his claim that Jesus said something to this effect. And it is no wonder, for no such verse exists in the canonical Gospels. In fact, none of the canonical Gospel verses in which Jesus uses the word “brothers” (Matt. 5:47; 12:48,49; 19:29; 23:8; 25:40; 28:10; Mark 3:33,34; 10:29,30; Luke 8:21; 14:12,26; 16:28; 18:29; 21:16; 22:32) supports the notion that Jesus either recognized or promoted the “brotherhood of man.” They instead refer to either biological sibling relationships or the exclusive family of believers. Conversely, many of the verses quoted above (Matt. 10:34,35; Luke 12:49; John 6:38-40; 9:39; 12:46) indicate that Jesus came to separate, to judge, and to save the elect. This interpretation is consistent with the verses Mr. Shanbour has cited, in that Jesus is the means by which mankind is saved. Therefore, the only consistency his interpretation has is with his own preconceived notion of what that interpretation should be.

Lastly, I must respond to Mr. Shanbour’s statement that Jesus would have used the word “death” or a derivative thereof in a sentence referring to himself if indeed his purpose was to die on the cross for our sins. In stating so, he infers that Jesus said no such thing. I am afraid Shanbour is again mistaken. At some point during Passion Week, shortly before he was to be arrested and crucified, Jesus made the following remarks while predicting his death:

“‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. . . . Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!’” (John 12:23,24,27,28; emphasis added)