{b) In the Epistles of St. John we come upon passages which seem more dogmatic, notably 1 Jn V 2"- 3^^ 4^". In these passages, as in the Fourth Gospel, we have clearly set forth the fact that the work of Christ originates in the love of God, and is ' a move on His part to provide a covering of sins.' The word iXaa/ids, which is tr. ' propitia- tion,' means covering or blotting out. Westcott says : ' It contains the notion not of appeasing one often in anger, but of altering the character of that which interposes an inevitable obstacle to fellowship. The propitiation, when it is applied to the sinner, neutralizes the sin.' Deissmann shows that its strict classical meaning is lost in the NT, and that it is applied to any sacrificial offer- ing. The context in 1 Jn. also is against giving the term a relation to the righteousness of God, since it is deduced from the Divine love (4'*). Conse- quently we must see in this word a covering of sin in the sense of cleansing from it, or propitiation. That which separates from the fellowship of God is not any exigency of the Divine government, or any offence to the Div-ine nature, but it is the fact that man has chosen to walk in darkness, has participated in the works of the devil. His sin must be piit away, and this the blood of Jesus is able to accomplish. If we are asked how, we know no better reply than that of Beyschlag in the following passage {NT Theol. ii. 448) :
' Now what can " cover " the sin of the world in the eyes of God ? Only a personality and a deed which contain the power of actually delivering the world from sin. For the sin which allows itself to be broken, and to disappear — that only can God forgive and consider extinct. This is the general view of the OT and the NT. Christ in His death has gained a power to thus deliver the world from sin. By His union with God and His
love lo God and the brethren in the conflict, even to blood and death, with the spirit of the world, He has overcome the spirit of selfishness and evil which rules the world, and in consequence of that He is able to overcome it in everj' heart into which He finds entrance. He has thus become to the Father the Surety for the purification of humanity, and for His sake the Father can offer forgiveness, if men will receive and obey Him.'
(c) The ideas found in the Apocalypse are prac- tically the same as those found in the Fourth Gospel and the Johannine Epistles. They have been summarized as follows : ' ( 1 ) That death is regarded as a great demonstration of love (P).
(2) It is a death which once for all has achieved something. There is a finished work in it (P).
(3) It is a death which has an abiding power (v.^).
(4) This abiding power is exercised in this, that it enables men to be faithful to Christ under persecu- tion, to suffer with Him rather than sin, finally, rather to die than to sin (12'^). (5) Hence the blood of Christ both does something once for all, in breaking the bond which sin holds us by, and bringing us into such a relation to God that we are a people of priests ; and does something pro- gressively, in assuring our gradual assimilation to Jesus Christ the faithful witness ' (Denney, Death of Christ, p. 250).
3. The doctrine of vicaFious sacrifice in the writings of St. Paul. — St. Paul's doctrine of vicari- ous sacrifice is very difficult to interpret, although strongly emphasized ; and consequently opinions have varied more concerning his meaning than concerning the thought of any other Biblical writer.
The reasons for this are : (1) The unsystematic form in which he often presents his ideas. (2) The use of diverse figures.
(3) His considering the subject from different standpoints.
(4) His frequent use of abstract and ideal rather than historic conceptions. '''S) The failure to realize that St. Paul is con- trolled b}' a practical rather than a theoretical motive, that he is not consciously developing a systematic statement, but is writing out of his experience, and trying to adjust his own religious conceptions. (6) His large use of Pharisaical phrases and forms of thought in describing his new experiences, making it difficult to decide how literally they are to be taken. (7) His evident desire to find a harmony between certain incongruities between his old beliefs and his present conceptions and ex- perience. (8) His rhetorical temper, leading to extravagant emphasis in the midst of logical discussion. (9) The necessity he felt of dwelling on some conceptions, as the sufferings and death of Christ, because they were so contrary to current thoughts and expectations. (10) The confusing way in which the doctrinal and the historical are sometimes mixed, and his taking Adam and the Fall as literal historic facts. (11) The little use he makes of the Christian tradition, seldom referring to the life or teachings of Jesus — ' I neither received it from man, neither was I taught it ' (Gal 112). (12) The fact that Christ with him is the Christ of his spiritual intuition rather than of historic know- ledge and observation.