(11) Salvation through the appropriation of Christ's vicarious sacrifice is a continuous process, and not a finished work. His life and death are historic facts, but they are perpetuated in their meaning in this, that Christ has passed into the heavens, where He abides as our perpetual Mediator. He was ' raised for our justification ' ; but, more than that. He has come to us invisibly in the person of His Spirit, who continues His work by taking on Himself the burden of trying to influence us to accept the benefits of Christ's sacrifice and God's forgiving grace. ' The eternal Spirit and God and Christ are all one in this ministry of reconciliation, and the Lord Christ has no more finished His work of mediation than has the Holy Father or the Holy Spirit finished yearning for mankind ' (Terry).
(12) Christ's vicarious sacrifice has constituted a new humanity, for it is not simply an individual, but a racial fact, seeking to produce a redeemed human family, that shall constitute the very ' body of Christ.' There is a profound meaning in the
intercessory prayer of Jesus that we may be one, as He and the Father are one, — ' I in them and they in me,' — and to the ett'ect that we may be ' sanctified by the truth ' and ' perfected in one,' and finally be with Him where He is, participating in the glory which He had with the Father before the Avorld was (Jn IT^''-^^). St. Paul has this end in mind in Eph 2^, Avhere he speaks about being- raised up with Christ, and coming to sit with Him in the heavenlies. The discipline of life is to help in completing our Avork of prej^aration, and in enabling us to realize the great consummation of our salvation in Christ.
For the history of the doctrine see art. Redemption.
See also artt. ATONEMENT, Death of Christ, Propitiation, Ransom, Redemption, Sacrifice, etc.
Literature. — Schultz, OT Theol. ; Smend, Alttest. Religions- gesch. ; G. F. Moore, art. ' Sacrifice ' in EBi ; A. B. Davidson, Theol. of OT ; Trumbull, The Blood Covenant; HoUmann, Die Bedeutung des Todes Jesu ; Hoffmann, Der Tod Christi in seiner Bedeutun'g fiir die Erlosung ; Denney, Deathof Christ ; Ritschl, Justification and Reconciliation ; Beyschlag, NT Theol. ; Wendt, Teaching of Jesus ; Weiss, NT Theol. ; Babut, La Pensie de J4sus sur sa Mort d'apris les ^vangiles Synoptiques ; Stevens, Christian Doctrine of Salvation ; Weber, Jiid. Theol.- ; Bousset, Religion des Judentums ; Pfleiderer, Paulinismus ; Feine, Jesus Christus und Paulus ; Cone, Paul, the Man ; Cremer, Die Paulin. Reehtfertigungslehre ; M6n6goz, Le Pichi et la Ridemp- tion d'apris St. Paul; Everett, The Gospel of Paul; M6n6goz, La Thiologie de I'^pitre aux Hihreux; Bushnell, Vicarious Sacrifice ; Tymms, The Christian Idea of Atonement.
Samuel Plantz. VICTORY (vIkos, Mt 1220, 1 Co IS^^- 57 ; yUy,, \ Jn 5^ ; nj;iE*^ 1 S 19^, Pr 2pi).— Mt \2^ is a quotation from Is 42^ ; but in the latter the word used is nnx 'triith,' and not 'victory.' It is the same word, vevU-qKa (fr. vlko-w), which is used by our Lord in Jn 16^^ ' I have overcome the world,' and in many other passages throughout the NT, to express the idea of 'overcoming.' To the mind of Jesus there is only one kind of victory. It is not the triumph over social and financial difficulties which issues in worldly success, but that mastery over our lower nature and the powers of evil within and around us which issues m self-control, and the subjection of the whole life to the will of God. This is the one real victory, without which any other is but a fleeting phantom. It was the victory which He Himself gained, and which His true disciples are enabled to achieve through His aid and guidance. This victory brings with it such blessings as for- giveness, deliverance from the dominion of sin and from the fear of death, a deep sense of the moral order of the world, peace with God, and life ever- lasting. Dugald Clark.
VINE, VINEYARD (d/ATreXcij-).— Vine-culture was one of the oldest industries in Palestine. This is attested by the presence of rock-hewn wine-presses and traces of ancient vine terraces where all is wilderness to-day. Work in the vineyard furnished occupation to many (Mt 20'*^- 21-^). Landowners planted vineyards, and let them to husbandmen (Mt 2P^'f- etc.). The vineyard requires much care and attention. It is surrounded by a dry-stone wall, a bank of thorns, or fence of prickly pear. If it be on a slojje, the terraces must be kejit in good repair, lest the soil be washed away by winter rains. The ground is well worked with the hoe, and thoroughly cleansed of alien roots. Pruning is done in Dec. or Jan. ; the blossom is out in April and May ; the vintage is general in Sept. , but someAvhat earlier in the Jordan Valley. The ' tower ' (Mt 2P^ etc.) is the shelter for the watch- man who guards the crop against injury from man and beast.
The familiar form of the vine, with its abundant and luxuriant branches, would lend itself all the more readily to the allegorical use of Jesus.
VINE, ALLEGORY OF THE
VINE, ALLEGORY OF THE 801