 How are our sins forgiven? One of the cornerstones of Christian theology is that the only way to achieve atonement for sin is through the offering of a sacrifice whose blood is shed in our place. The Christian scriptures in Hebrews chapter nine verse 22 insist, quote, without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. End quote. Is this idea consistent with the teachings of the Tanach, the Jewish Bible? Or do the Christian and Jewish Bibles diverge on the station? Christians generally assert that the absolute need for a vicarious blood sacrifice is rooted in the Torah itself. And they cite as proof Leviticus chapter 17 verse 11. For the life of the flesh is in the blood. And I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul. The following study will examine this verse in Leviticus as well as what is taught on this topic throughout the Hebrew scriptures. We will seek to determine if there is any credibility to this very fundamental claim made by missionaries and the Christian Bible. Let's take a closer look at Leviticus 1711. You might remember that in junior high school, we were often given the assignment to write a title for a story. What is the central idea of a passage? Let's look at Leviticus 1711 in context and consider what we would choose as a headline for it. Reads as follows. And whatever man of the house of Israel or the strangers who sojourn among you, who consumes any blood, I will set my face against that person who consumes blood and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood. And I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement for your soul. Therefore I say to the children of Israel, no one among you shall consume blood, nor shall any stranger who sojourns among you consume blood. What should immediately be obvious is that the focus of this passage is not how to secure atonement from sins, but the prohibition against consuming blood. We are told parenthetically that the reason for this prohibition is that the blood contains the vitality of the animal. Consequently, when we bring in animal sacrifice, its blood serves as the atoning agent, not another part of its body. Additionally, we are told that because that blood contains the life force of the animal and we are prohibited from consuming it, God provided one use for it to be sprinkled on the altar as part of the sacrificial service. Since Leviticus 17 doesn't come to teach us about the principles of atonement, we will have to look elsewhere in the Bible's teaching on how to repair our relationships with God in the wake of sin. One very important question to ask is our blood's sacrifice the only means to atonement. Before proceeding, let's consider another point about what is and what is not said in Leviticus 1711. The passage does say that since blood symbolizes the life of the animal, God has given it to us as a means of atoning for our sins. But does the verse clearly teach that it's the only means God has provided to make atonement? As with any other biblical study, we will have to examine this question in light of what the Bible teaches us as a whole. But for now, we should note that our verse merely says that the blood can serve as an atonement. It is an effective means of atonement, but by no means the only form of atonement. In the Torah, blood sacrifices were not the only path to atonement. There were other ways to achieve forgiveness. For example, incense served to atone for the people in the Book of Numbers chapter 16 verses 46 and 47, and the giving of charity is described in Exodus chapter 30 verses 15 and 16 and the Book of Numbers chapter 31 verse 50 as making atonement for your souls the same expression found in Leviticus 1711. In reality, blood sacrifices were the least effective of all the means of atonement mentioned in the Bible. One important limitation to the effectiveness of sacrifices is that sin offerings were only brought for unintentional sins. For example, someone did not know that kindling of fire was prohibited on the Sabbath, or they were aware of this, but thought it was Sunday when kindling the fire. The sin offering was not prescribed for sins that were done intentionally. We find this in the Book of Leviticus chapter four and the Book of Numbers chapters 15 verses 22 through 31. Examining the Christian interpretation of Leviticus 1711 generates some serious problems. What happens if someone cannot afford to purchase an animal for his sin offering? Is it possible that God would institute a system of atonement that could only be used by the wealthy? In some cases, the Torah allowed a poor person to bring two turtle doves or two young pigeons if he couldn't afford a lamb. In Leviticus chapter five verse seven. However, what if someone was so destitute that he couldn't afford even these small birds? Leviticus chapter five 11 provides the answer. But if his means are so insufficient for two turtle doves or two young pigeon, then for his offering, for that which he has sinned, he shall bring the 10th of an efa of fine flour for a sin offering. He shall not put oil on it or place incense on it for it is a sin offering. Now since flour can be used as a sin offering, it is clear that blood was not an absolute prerequisite for atonement. Let's examine the need for a temple. The proposition that only blood sacrifices could secure atonement creates a dilemma. Could it be that God would set up a system of atonement that would not be available to all people at all times? Sacrifices had to be brought in the temple and it was forbidden to bring them outside the holy temple. We find this in Leviticus chapter 17 verses one to 19. While the temple stood, sacrifices did serve as part of the atonement process. But what would be the fate of the Jewish people who don't have access to the temple? What were the Jewish people supposed to do after the first temple was destroyed and they were exiled to Babylon? What did the Jewish people do in the times of the Maccabees when the Syrian Greeks were in control of the temple and didn't allow sacrifices? Christians erroneously claim that rabbinic Judaism came up with novel non-biblical measures to deal with atonement after the destruction of the temple by the Romans in the year 70 CE. Actually, it wasn't Talmudic innovation at all. The Bible anticipated the possibility of an unavailability of sacrifices. When King Solomon finally laid the finishing touches on the first holy temple in Jerusalem, he inaugurated it with a moving dedication speech in the first Kings chapter eight and second Chronicles chapter six. In this lengthy speech of almost 50 verses, you will notice that Solomon does not speak about sacrifices at all. This omission would be strange if the most important part of the temple were sacrifices. Actually, the central focus of the temple was the holy ark, Exodus chapter 25 verses 10 to 22, containing the Torah. The temple was first and foremost a symbol of God's presence and the revelation to the Jewish people. First book of Kings, chapter eight, verse 13. Exodus, chapter 25, verse eight. Toward the end of the speech, Solomon deals with the possibility of the Jewish people being denied access to the temple in the eventuality that they are exiled from the land of Israel. In first Kings, chapter eight, verses 46 to 50, King Solomon states, if they, the Jews, return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive and pray to you toward their land which you have given to their fathers, the city in which you have chosen and the house which I have built for you or name, then hear their prayer and their supplication in heaven, your dwelling place and maintain their cause and forgive your people who have sinned against you and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against you. This seminal passage shines the spotlight on the Christian misunderstanding of Leviticus 17, 11. The Bible is clearly teaching that sacrifices weren't necessary in order to atone for sins. Prayer and repentance are cited here as the means for securing atonement. Certainly when the temple stood and one could afford an animal, a sacrifice was brought as part of the atonement process for unintentional sin. The real message of Leviticus 17, 11 is that when we bring such an animal as a sacrifice, we weren't allowed to consume its blood because as the life force, the blood is the part of the animal that affects our atonement. Is it possible that Jesus could be a sacrifice? The Christian dogma holds that the crucifixion of Jesus at Calvary served as the final atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world. Christianity insists that this is not just a Pauline innovation but reflects the requirements of the Jewish Bible and tries to establish this by pointing to Leviticus 17, 11 as the key to atonement in the Tanakh. However, if this passage is examined carefully, it will be clear that Jesus could never have served as an atoning sacrifice. Obviously the shedding of blood by pricking a finger doesn't fulfill the biblical requirements for atonement. The Torah delineates exactly how sacrifices are to be brought. For the life of the flesh is in the blood and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls. Clearly the Torah does not accept any shedding of blood as a sacrifice. Jesus's crucifixion may qualify as atonement according to the Greek Testament but since his blood was not offered on the altar, it is not in line with what the Torah mandates. There are actually several other factors which would render the crucifixion of Jesus an unacceptable sacrifice. According to biblical law, all sacrifices had to be offered by a priest who descends from Aaron. This was not the case in the death of Jesus who was crucified by Roman soldiers. Additionally, biblical law prohibited any sacrifice which was blemished or maimed. We find this in Leviticus chapter 22 verses 19 to 21. However, prior to his crucifixion, Jesus was whipped and beaten. We find this in Matthew chapter 27 verse 27 verse 26. Mark chapter 15 verse 19 and the book of John chapter 19 verse three which would render to him unfit. Furthermore, Jesus was circumcised in the flesh which according to Philippians chapter three verse two and Galatians chapter five verse 12 is considered mutilation. In addition, all sacrifices had to be burned on the altar. This was certainly not the fate of Jesus and most critically, scripture strictly delineates what can be brought as a sacrifice and humans are most definitely not on the list. Does the Torah imply a literal or figurative sacrifice? Frequently, Christians react to the Jewish line of reasoning by protesting that it is improper to be so literal that Jesus's death was more of a symbolic or spiritual sacrifice. This would be fine if the Bible provided for such ethereal offerings, but such is not the case. The Greek Testament, however, does insist that Jesus was a real sacrifice, literally fulfilling the biblical requirements of such. The book of John chapter 19 33 to 36 states, but coming to Jesus when they saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs in order that the scripture might be fulfilled. The Gospel of John portrays Jesus as the paschal lamb, which was not supposed to have any of its bones broken. Find this in the book of Exodus chapter 12 verse 46 in the book of Numbers chapter nine verse 12. Since the author of John insists that Jesus was a real sacrifice to the extent that the biblical rules of the Passover were fulfilled in him, we can't dismiss the problem cited above as legalistic nitpicking. One wonders why the Greek Testament chose to typecast Jesus as a paschal lamb rather than the sacrifice for the day of atonement. We know from Exodus chapter 12 that the Passover sacrifice did not serve as an atonement for sins. It commemorates the exodus from Egypt. Even when the lamb was slaughtered in Egypt and his blood smeared on the doorposts, it did not serve to atone for the sins of anyone. It was a sign for the angel of death to pass over Jewish homes during the plague of the firstborn. The only people in danger were the firstborn males. The blood was not a help to other people in the family and didn't serve as an atonement for the firstborn. A more fitting analog for Jesus would, of course, have been the Yom Kippur sacrifice, which was an atonement for the sins of all the people. It is interesting that according to Leviticus chapter 16, verse 10 and verses 21 and 22, the animal which effectuated the atonement of the sins of the nation was not killed but was sent out alive into the desert. Again, the shedding of blood is not a sine qua non for atonement. Now, it should be noted that the oral Torah, which is rejected by Christianity, does mandate that this animal be killed, but it is not spelled out in the text of the Bible itself. Let's look at some additional, faulty sources. The Greek Testament went to great lengths to demonstrate that the atoning death of Jesus was predicated upon the Jewish Bible. In the book of Hebrews, a verse from the book of Psalms is quoted as evidence that the sacrifice of Jesus was part of God's original plan for the world. The book of Hebrews, chapter 10, verse five, referring to Psalms, chapter 40, verse six, states sacrifice and offering you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me. In verse 10 of this passage from Hebrews, we are told that the body spoken of refers to the body of Jesus. However, the Greek Testament took great liberties in quoting from the book of Psalms, chapter 40, verse six, which never mentions a body being prepared. The verse there correctly reads, sacrifice and meal offering you have not desired, my ears you have opened, burnt offerings, and sin offerings you have not required. Another example is also telling. The author of Romans asserts that the Jewish scriptures spoke about the Messiah coming in order to eradicate sin from Israel. And so all Israel will be saved as it is written, the deliverer will come from Zion and remove ungodliness from Jacob. Again, this is Romans, chapter 11, verse 26, citing Isaiah, chapter 59, verse 20. However, checking the original source in Isaiah reveals the flawed foundation of the claim made in the book of Romans. Isaiah says, and a redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression, says the Lord. Isaiah did not teach that the Messiah's purpose is to remove sin. Rather, he will come to the Jewish people when they show themselves worthy by turning away from sin. This purposeful corruption of the verse from Isaiah is very significant. In the Torah, we see that the redemption of the Jewish people will be God's response to their national repentance and revival. We see this in Deuteronomy, chapter 30. Therefore, in Isaiah, the redeemer comes to those who have already turned from sin. Now, Christian scriptures assume that people are so wicked they are not able to return to God in obedience. As Paul writes in Galatians, chapter 2, verse 21, if righteousness could be achieved by observing the Torah, Jesus' death was in vain. Therefore, since Paul insists that we are not able to turn away from our sins, he claims that it was necessary for Jesus to remove them from us. But what does the Bible say about vicarious atonement? One wonders why throughout the four gospels, Jesus never speaks about his death serving as a sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world. Is the idea that an innocent person can be killed instead of those who are guilty, consistent with what the Bible teaches? After the sin of the golden calf, God expressed his intention to destroy the entire Jewish people. Moses intercedes and offers to die in their place. In response, God says, whoever sinned against me, I will blot him out of my book. Exodus, chapter 32, verses 32 and 33. Throughout the Bible, God reveals that one person cannot die for the sins of another. For example, we learn in Deuteronomy, chapter 24, verse 16, and second book of Kings, chapter 14, verse 6. Fathers should not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers. Everyone shall be put to death for his own sin. Jeremiah, chapter 31, verse 30 teaches, but everyone will die for his own sin. Each man who eats sour grapes, his teeth will be set on edge. And you find in the book of Ezekiel, chapter 18, verse 20, the person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment of the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity. The righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself. The book of Psalms, chapter 49, verse 7, affirms that no man can by any means redeem his brother or give to God a ransom for him. In the Torah, in the book of Numbers, chapter 35, verse 33, states, so you shall not pollute the land in which you are. For blood pollutes the land and no expiation can be made for the blood that is shed upon it, except by the blood of him who has shed it. Although Romans chapter four, verse five, says that Jesus justifies the ungodly, the Tanakh teaches that he who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, both of them are an abomination to God. Book of Proverbs, chapter 17, verse 15. And what about sacrifices that will take place in the future? If, as the Christian Bible teaches, Jesus came as the final sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world, Hebrews, chapters 10, verse 10 and 18, why does the Tanakh predict that the temple will be rebuilt and sacrifices will be resumed? Chapters 40 to 45 of the book of Ezekiel explicitly teach about the third temple that will be rebuilt when the Messiah comes, how it will look and how it will be inaugurated. There will be a resumption of the sacrificial service, including the offering of sin sacrifices. For example, in Ezekiel chapter 45, verse 17, it states, and it shall be the prince's part to provide the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the libations to make atonement for the house of Israel. There are numerous other passages in the Bible which speak about the third temple that will be built in the Messianic Age. Here are a few. Even those I will bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer, their burnt offerings, their sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar for my house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples. Isaiah chapter 56, verse seven. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, my worshipers, my dispersed ones will bring my offerings. Zephaniah chapter three, verse 10. All the flocks of Qadar will be gathered together to you. The rams of Nabiath will be ministered to you. They will go up with acceptance on my altar and I shall glorify my glorious house, Isaiah 60, verse seven. And I will make a covenant with them and I will place them and multiply them and will set my sanctuary in their midst forever. Book of Ezekiel chapter 37, verse 26. And he will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver. And he will purify the sons of Lavi and refine them like gold and silver so that they may present to the Lord offerings in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the Lord as in the days of old, as in former years. Malachi chapter three, verses three and four. And every cooking pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the Lord of hosts and all who sacrifice will come and take of them and boil in them. Zechariah chapter 14, verse 21. The Christian claim that our sins can only be forgiven if blood is shed on our behalf seems to limit the power of God. It's ludicrous to say that God's ability to forgive us is dependent on anything. One of the most basic teachings in the Bible is that since God is loving and merciful, he often forgives us simply because he is infinitely merciful. We see this in the book of Micah, chapter seven, verse 18 where the prophet says, who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity and passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of his possession, he does not retain his anger forever because he delights in unchanging love. Even when we don't seek God appropriately, he has the ability to reach out to us with love and forgiveness. As we see in the book of Psalms, chapter 78, verses 36 to 39. Their heart was not steadfast toward him nor were they faithful in his covenant, but he, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity, remembering that they were but flesh. We see this also in Isaiah, chapter 43, verses 23 to 25. You have not brought me the sheep of your burnt offerings or the fat of your sacrifices, but you have burdened me with your sins. Nevertheless, I will wipe out your transgressions for my own sake and I will not remember your sins. What is the true biblical view of atonement? One of the clearest indications that Christianity is off base with its insistence on the absolute need for blood sacrifices is that none of the prophets speak about it. There isn't one instance in the prophetic books where the Jewish people are told that in order to get right with God, they need to bring sacrifices, not one. This is not to say that sacrifices were not required under circumstances, rather it is to emphasize that they are not the essential part of the atonement process. In point of fact, sacrifices were not automatically able to secure atonement from sin. King Solomon taught, the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. Proverbs chapter 15 verse eight, chapter 21 verse 27. If that's the case, what is the fundamental teaching of the Tanakh on the issue of atonement? What theme is reiterated time and again by the holy prophets in the Jewish Bible? In the book of Ezekiel chapter 33 verses 1011, the question of how we are to address the problem of our sins is explicitly asked. Thus you have spoken saying, since our sins and iniquities are upon us and we are wasting away because of them, how can we live? Then God tells the prophet to inform the people, as I live, declares the Lord God, I do not desire the death of the wicked ones, but rather the return of the wicked one from his way so that he may live, repent, repent from your evil way. It is important to pay attention both to what is being said here and what is not being said. The prophet does not warn the people that in order to be forgiven for their sin, they need to make sure that the blood of a sacrifice is shed on their behalf. The prophet relates God's very clear directive for the sinner that he needs to turn from his sins in repentance and return to his creator. This prescription is repeated clearly and consistently throughout the scriptures that every man will turn from his evil way. Then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin. Book of Jeremiah, chapter 36, verse three. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to the Lord and he will have compassion on him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Isaiah 55, verse seven. I acknowledged my sin to you and my iniquity I did not hide, I said. I will confess my transgression to the Lord and you did forgive the guilt of my sin, Psalm 32, verse five. And if my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will hear their land. Second Chronicles, chapter seven, verse 14. But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all my statues and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him because of the righteousness which he has practiced, he shall live. When a wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life. Repent and turn away from your transgressions so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you. Ezekiel 18, verse 21 to 22, verse 27 and verse 30. By loving kindness and truth, iniquity is atoned for, Proverbs 16, 6. If you return to God, you will be restored. If you remove unrighteousness far from your tent, then you will delight in God. Job 22, verse 23 to 27. Depart from evil and do good so you will abide forever, Psalm 37, verse 27. Ultimately, Christian teaching is missing the point. The central teaching of the Bible is that only a break with our past and a sincere turning in repentance can restore our relationships with God. If I go off the path, I have to put myself back on track and God will forgive me. The sacrifice was part of the process. It helped bring us to the core of Atonement, which is achieved by Chuva, returning to God by forsaking our evil ways and praying for forgiveness. One of the main teachings of the prophets was to chide Jewish people who thought that sacrifices were the essential element of Atonement. This emphasis is essentially the same false assumption made by Christian theology. What are your multiplied sacrifices to be, says the Lord? I've had enough of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle, and I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats. Wash yourselves. Make yourselves clean. Remove the evil of your deeds from my sight. Seize to do evil. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Reprove the ruthless. Defend the orphan. Plead for the widow. Come. Let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they will be like wool. If you consent and obey. Isaiah 1 verses 11 to 18. To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. Proverbs 21 verse 3. For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6 verse 6. Has the Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice. And to hearken more than the fat of rams. 1 Samuel 15 verse 22. With what shall I come to the Lord and bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves? Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams and 10,000 rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has told you, oh man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? But to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6 verses 6 to 8. Since repentance and not blood is the essential biblical form of atonement. We now understand how in the first book of Kings chapter 8 Solomon explained that even if the Jewish people don't have access to the temple, they still have access to God. This will illuminate a famous story found in the book of Jonah. God sends Jonah to the evil city of Nineveh to warn them of their impending destruction. Jonah doesn't come into the city and tell the people that unless they begin offering sacrifices, they're doomed. The response to his warnings is to repent. They fast, pray and turn from their evil. What is God's response? When God saw their deeds that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which he had declared he would bring upon them. And he did not do it. Jonah 3 verse 10. In similar fashion, Daniel advised King Nebuchadnezzar on how to atone for his transgressions. Therefore, O King, may my advice be pleasing to you. Redeem your sins by doing righteousness and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Daniel 4 verse 27. This principle will also help explain a passage in the book of Hosea. Hosea was a prophet to the ten northern tribes in the kingdom of Israel during a time when there was a civil war between them and the two tribes of the southern kingdom of Judah. Because of the strife, the tribes in the north couldn't get to the temple in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices. Did this leave them with no way of atoning for their sins? The prophet advises, return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity. Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to him, take away all iniquity and receive us graciously, for we will render as bullocks the offerings of our lips. Hosea 14 verses 1 and 2. So, Hosea teaches us that we are able to approach God directly with prayer, which is possible at all times. Psalms chapter 145 verse 18. And God assures us that sincere prayer can achieve forgiveness for our sins. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O Lord, the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips and my mouth shall show forth your praise. For you do not delight in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart. These, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51 verses 14 to 17, referring to the story in Samuel 12, 13. I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnify him with thanksgiving. This shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that has horns and hooves. Psalm 69 verses 30 and 31. For you, Lord, are good and ready to forgive and abundant in loving-kindness to all who call upon you. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer and give heed to the voice of my supplications. Psalm 86 verses 5 and 6. And listen to the supplications of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven your dwelling place. Hear and forgive. Second Chronicles 6 verse 21 to conclude. Christian missionaries claim that the only way that we can be reconciled with God after sinning is through the blood of a sacrifice offered on our behalf. Christian, they insist that the rabbis invented the idea that we can restore our relationship with God through prayer and repentance. The Bible itself clearly reveals that in fact the exact opposite is true. The primary and essential way that God provided to achieve forgiveness and atonement is through sincere repentance and prayer. The idea that this can only be achieved through the blood of a sacrifice is rooted only in the Christian Scriptures, not the Jewish Bible.