Atonement
Stories
THE WONDER OF WORDS: BOOK 2
ONE-HUNDRED MORE WORDS AND PHRASES SHAPING HOW CHRISTIANS THINK AND LIVE
Atonement is the word Christians use to sum up what Jesus' death means to them. That word was invented by William Tyndale, the fifteenth century translator of the Bible into English. Tyndale sought an English equivalent for the Old Testament Hebrew root "kaphar" and the New Testament Greek word "katallage." Finding none, he created a new word from the preposition "at" and the word "one." Atonement is the healing or mending of a hurt or broken relationship. If we would pronounce that word as at-one-ment, we would be constantly reminded of its basic meaning.
Take a human example: a man has wronged his wife. How will he attempt to make things at one again? He could apologize for the past. He could make promises to do better in the future. He could offer a present to her. One thing, however, becomes clear. While the offender can make the separation, he cannot heal the separation. At-one-ment can take place only if the person offended maintains the standards, absorbs the hurt, and reaches out in love.
Now lift that personal transaction to the divine level. How can mankind bridge the separation from God which sin has caused? Like the erring husband, mankind has confessed past wrongs, promised future amendment of life, and tried offering gifts (sacrifices) to God. "Yom Kippur," the Jewish Day of Atonement, was the day, in ancient times, when the high priest offered a sacrifice to God in the Jewish Temple to make atonement. However, just as the human efforts of the offender cannot create atonement, neither can mankind's efforts create atonement with God. At-one-ment can only take place when God takes the initiative, absorbs the hurt, reaches out in love, and bridges the gap. Christians see divine initiative in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. That's why St. Paul wrote: "We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ who has given us the atonement." (Romans 5:11)
Take a human example: a man has wronged his wife. How will he attempt to make things at one again? He could apologize for the past. He could make promises to do better in the future. He could offer a present to her. One thing, however, becomes clear. While the offender can make the separation, he cannot heal the separation. At-one-ment can take place only if the person offended maintains the standards, absorbs the hurt, and reaches out in love.
Now lift that personal transaction to the divine level. How can mankind bridge the separation from God which sin has caused? Like the erring husband, mankind has confessed past wrongs, promised future amendment of life, and tried offering gifts (sacrifices) to God. "Yom Kippur," the Jewish Day of Atonement, was the day, in ancient times, when the high priest offered a sacrifice to God in the Jewish Temple to make atonement. However, just as the human efforts of the offender cannot create atonement, neither can mankind's efforts create atonement with God. At-one-ment can only take place when God takes the initiative, absorbs the hurt, reaches out in love, and bridges the gap. Christians see divine initiative in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. That's why St. Paul wrote: "We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ who has given us the atonement." (Romans 5:11)
