Ver. 3.-Death for sins. "How that Christ died for our sins." Here history is bound up with theology. The historical fact is that Christ died. More carefully con- sidered, the historical fact is that he died for no sins of his own, but was put to death by the malice and sin of bitter enemies. The theological fact which is bound up with the historical fact is that in some sense-mysterious, spiritual, mystical, but neverthe- less most real and most true--he diecl for sin, in respect of sin, in gracious Divine relations to the pardon and removal of sin. It will be necessary to discuss fully the conceptions that are possible under this term for-for sin. Our preference for either one of the conceptions will depend on the school of theology to which we belong. For may menn in place of, or in respect of, or on account of, or with a view to the removal of. Scripture teachings should be appealed to to fix what is the proper and precise meaning. 'l'he following may be consulted :-Old Testament: Gen. xxii.; Deut. ix. 24 -26; Ps. xrii.; Isa. !iii.; Zech. xii. 10. New Testament: Matt. xx, 28; Mark x. 45; Rom. v. 8-10; eh. i. 18; v. 7; viii. 11; 2 Cor. v. 14, 15; 1 Tim. ii. 6; 1 Pet. i. 19. The subject may be fully treated under three headings, ancl, as it should be a scriptural rather than a theological study, the statement of the headings should suffice. l. OLD 'J'ESTAME:!>"T ANTICIPATIONS OF THE DOCTRINE OF DEATH FOR SINB. JI. OUR LORD'S OWN TEACHINGS RESPECTING BIS DEATH FOR SINS. Ill. APOSTOLIC VIEWS CONCERNING THE DEATH ~'OR SINS. If the Scripture passages be fully and fairly considered, it will be felt that th& commonly accepted theological notions of our Lord':! atonement for sin, need to be broadened and widened, and made inclusive of various possible relations. No one aspect of the death for sins need be conceived of as antagonistic to another. In the many- sidedness of the relation lies the depth and the glory of the trnth.-H. T. V'ers. 4, 5.-Verifable death and veritable resurrection. Men in all ages have recog- nized that the truth of Christianity depends upon the historical verity of our Lord's resurrection from the dead. Consequently, attacks of various kinds have been made· upon the fact. It has always been felt that this was the key of the Christian position. We may summarize the attacks thus : 1. Men denied the reality of our Lord's death. 2. Then they argued that the only resurrection possible to man is a spiritual regene- ration and conversion. 3. By-and-by men said that the resurrection was no fact, only a myth that grew up, fashioned by the wishes of a credulous band of disciples. 4. And then the scientific people thought to bury the old truth for ever out of reach, by declaring that the resurrection of bodily forms which have once decayed is simply impossible· all decaying matter goes to the formation of fresh life, and the bodies of dead men r~ally become, over ancl over again, constituents of the bodies of living men. But the question which concerns us first of all is not-How can these things be? but- OH. xv. 1-58.] '£HE FIRST EPISTLE '£0 '!'HE CORINTHIANS. 543'
ls there mfficient evidence and proof 1 The matter may be beyond present explication . but it is not therefore untrue, nor can we be justified in refusing to accept an adequately sustained historical fact, because the fact is surrounded with scientific and moral difficulties, '!'rue science bids us accept without questioning every well-ascertained fact. Now, the verses before us declare two facts: (1) Christ really died; (2) Christ really rose from the dead. We affirm that we have- I. ADEQUATE PROOF OF THE REAL DEATH. Illustrate: 1. The nature of the death, trom ruptured heart. 2. The testing spear-thrust. 3. The distinct attestation of the Roman centurion, and subsidiary testimony of the Roman soldiers, who did not break our Lord's legs. 4. The actual burial in the tomb. II. ADEQUATE PROOF OF THE REAL RESURRECTION. 1. Scripture antecedent cases show the possibility of resurrection from the dead. Our Lord's resu1Tection does not stand alone. 2. The various appearances of our Lord. 3. His special manifestation to· St. Paul.-R. T.