Biblical Question

What is the meaning of atonement?

Q: What is the meaning of atonement?

Short answer for What is the meaning of atonement?: retrieved texts are reported directly; where claims exceed cited passages, state INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE.

Retrieved texts include Leviticus 17:11, Romans 3:25, Romans 4:25, Matthew 26:28.

The texts do not directly address broader modern formulations; NO DIRECT REFERENCE IN SOURCE TEXTS and INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE apply beyond retrieved passages.

THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS: The Meaning of Atonement

1. QUESTION

What is the meaning of atonement as presented in the biblical source texts provided?

2. PRIMARY TEXTUAL EVIDENCE

Old Testament Foundation Texts:

"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 maketh an atonement for the soul." — Leviticus 17:11 (KJV)

"And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD." — Exodus 30:10 (KJV)

"And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him." — Leviticus 5:16 (KJV)

"The priest shall make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed before the LORD." — Leviticus 14:31 (KJV)

"And one goat for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you." — Numbers 28:22 (KJV)

New Testament Application Texts:

"Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God." — Romans 3:25 (KJV)

"For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." — Matthew 26:28 (KJV)

"In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." — Colossians 1:14 (KJV)

"And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself." — Colossians 1:20 (KJV)

"And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." — Romans 5:11 (KJV)

"Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." — Hebrews 2:17 (KJV)

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God." — 1 Peter 3:18 (KJV)

3. LINGUISTIC/HISTORICAL DATA (From Texts Provided)

Based strictly on the textual evidence, the following semantic dimensions of atonement emerge:

| Dimension | Textual Basis | |-----------|---------------| | Blood-based | "It is the blood that maketh an atonement" (Lev. 17:11) | | Substitutionary | "The just for the unjust" (1 Pet. 3:18) | | Priestly mediation | "The priest shall make an atonement for him" (Lev. 5:16; 14:31) | | Results in forgiveness | "It shall be forgiven him" (Lev. 5:16); "remission of sins" (Matt. 26:28; Rom. 3:25) | | Accomplishes reconciliation | "Reconcile all things unto himself" (Col. 1:20); "make reconciliation for the sins" (Heb. 2:17) | | Effects redemption | "Redemption through his blood" (Col. 1:14) | | Propitiation | "Set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood" (Rom. 3:25) |

The texts present atonement as functioning on multiple relational axes: between the offerer and

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE: retrieved texts do not resolve this question explicitly.

Sources

Leviticus 17:11 (KJV) — score 0.436

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 maketh an atonement for the soul.

Romans 3:25 (KJV) — score 0.434

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

Romans 4:25 (KJV) — score 0.427

Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Matthew 26:28 (KJV) — score 0.412

For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Exodus 30:10 (KJV) — score 0.412

And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.

Colossians 1:14 (KJV) — score 0.411

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Romans 5:11 (KJV) — score 0.408

And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Numbers 28:22 (KJV) — score 0.407

And one goat for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you.

Colossians 1:20 (KJV) — score 0.406

And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Leviticus 5:16 (KJV) — score 0.405

And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.

Leviticus 14:31 (KJV) — score 0.399

Even such as he is able to get, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meat offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed before the LORD.

Acts 20:21 (KJV) — score 0.398

Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 3:18 (KJV) — score 0.397

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

Leviticus 8:34 (KJV) — score 0.395

As he hath done this day, so the LORD hath commanded to do, to make an atonement for you.

Hebrews 2:17 (KJV) — score 0.394

Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

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