By M. Fred Himmerich

One of the emphases concerning the death of Jesus is that God the Father required the death of the Son of God in order that the Son should make restitution for the sins of mankind. This view has been popular since the Middle Ages and is still widely accepted by Roman Catholics and protestants alike. It is also the view of Anglican evangelicals, as shown in the article by Claudia Dickson [TLC, March 20]. One hesitates to criticize it.

But there are other views. The emphasis which is most significant is that which is taught by what may be called Classical Christianity — the Christianity of the early Ecumenical Councils, the writings of the Church Fathers, and the New Testament as interpreted by these writings.

This classical view requires other definitions of several important terms. In the first place, the term “sacrifice” does not necessarily mean the death or loss of something. It means, as Augustine explains, any action whose goal is union with God. Works of mercy done for God’s sake are sacrifices. The offering of bread and wine at a Sabbath meal is the sacrifice of thanksgiving. The whole of Christ’s incarnate life is his sacrifice — his conception, birth, baptism, his suffering and death, and finally his resurrection and ascension. This entire life is his sacrifice, and it was freely and lovingly undertaken because of human waywardness and sinfulness.

Second, the classical view of incarnation does not merely involve God’s union with the individual who lived on this earth 2,000 years ago. Incarnation involves as well God’s union with human nature. That most definitely involves a certain kind of union with every single human being. The whole of humanity must also be seen as concentrated in Jesus of Nazareth. When he was born, humanity was reborn in him. When he was baptized, humanity was baptized in him. When he suffered, the whole of humanity’s suffering was shared by him. When he died, he shared in every death and all died with him. When he rose, every human being has the option of rising in and with him. When he ascended, every human being has the option of ascending to the Father in and with him. Faith, baptism, and participation in the Eucharist are the normal acts by which human beings freely accept this union with God.

In addition, “forgiveness” is that which is freely offered. It is grace, and grace is free. The Lord’s Prayer, Psalm 51, the parable of the prodigal son —none of these implies that some payment must be made in order to receive forgiveness. The word “atonement” does not mean “to pay for.” The Hebrew word simply means “to cover.” In mercy, God covers our sins so that he does not see them.

In short, the suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ is one continuous act in which the Son of God takes his children from this life, through death, into the eternal realm of life with God. And one cannot speak of these things without also speaking of the Eucharist. The Eucharist and the sacrifice of Christ are one and the same event. Indeed, the Eucharist was instituted in the eve of a high point in Christ’s life of sacrifice. The Eucharist has always been called the Christian sacrifice. It is so called because when we participate in it, we become again and again part of the glorious and victorious sacrifice of Christ our God.

The Rev. Canon M. Fred Himmerich is a retired priest who lives in Watertown, Wis.

To find this and more news, feature articles, and commentary not available online, we invite you to subscribe to The Living Church magazine. To learn more, click here.