The Atonement in Type and Antitype 2 Going forth to Jesus

In Heb. 13: 13-16, the Apostle speaks of us going forth to Jesus without the camp, to bear his reproach.
Does this mean that we are to consider ourselves and our sacrifices (Rom. 12: 1) as sin offerings, as it were the goat following the bullock?

It cannot mean this, for the goat sacrifice has already been referred to in verse 12 as having been fulfilled by Jesus. We are therefore effectually excluded from considering ourselves in such a light. That we are invited to follow in the footsteps of the Redeemer, suffering for righteousness’ sake, is most plainly set forth in the Word of God. (1 Peter 2 : 21-23; 4: 13-16.) And just here is the point of distinction that needs to be observed, if confusion is to be avoided, and we are not to be made ashamed. Our Lord’s sufferings and death were (1) as a ransom for the sins of the whole world, the sin offering for His own house, and for all the people, as represented in the bullock and goat (Heb. 7: 27; 13: 12; 1 John 2 : 2 ) ; (2) for righteousness‘ sake, enduring much contradiction of sinners against Himself, ostracism, being cast out, etc. And it is written (Heb.5: 8),

“‘Though He were a son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered.”

This second aspect of his sufferings is left us for an example, that we should follow His steps, and let this mind be in us, which was also in Christ Jesus. To this aspect of his sufferings did our blessed Saviour refer when on several occasions he emphasised the necessity of taking up the cross to follow him, and the further fact that if his name had been cast out as evil. His followers should expect their names to be similarly cast out. The reproaches heaped upon Jesus by a timeserving priesthood and people have been heaped upon his followers; as he suffered ‘”outside,” so have his followers been ostracised and persecuted for his fame’s sake”, and to this the Apostle refers in Heb. 13: 13. If Jesus learned obedience by the things he suffered, let us also learn obedience by what we are graciously allowed to suffer with him.

“If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye.”

To the extent that you are made partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice; and glorify God on this behalf.
As we bear his reproach,

‘”by Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise, to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name.” (Heb. 13: 13-16.)

Let us then, with all our hearts, appreciate the exalted privilege of bearing the reproach of Jesus, in the hope that, we shall in the end be made partakers of his glory.

“If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him.” (2 Tim. 2: 12.)

If we be faithful, even unto death, we shall receive a crown of life. — 2 Tim. 2: 11 ; Rev. 3 : 2 1 ; 2: 10; Rom. 6: 5.

After the sacrifice of the bullock and goat, on the typical Day of Atonement, the high priest confessed
the sins of the children of Israel, priests and people, over the head of the live goat, and sent him, thus laden, by the hand of a “man of opportunity” (marginal reading) into the wilderness, into a laud ‘”cut off,” from’ which the goat would not readily find its way back. This is a manner of representing the bearing away of the sins atoned for by the bullock and goat, and its antitype must be sought in the
Scriptures first of all. If no explanation be found there, one may be suggested from another source;
but if the Scriptures give an explanation, it is to be accepted without reservation, and the student need seek no further. Fortunately, there are Scriptural allusions to this type, which beautifully explain it, and help us indeed to realise that

“whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning. that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” — Rom. 15: 4.

In Isaiah 53: 6, it is written,

“‘Jehovah hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all”;

or, as the marginal reading puts it,

“hath made the iniquity of us all to meet on Him.”

This is a prophecy concerning our Lord at his first advent, and the allusion to the type of the “scapegoat,” upon which ‘”all the iniquities of the children of Israel” were laid, is manifest.
In John 1 : 29, are found the inspired words of John the Baptist, who, pointing to Jesus, said,

“Behold the Lamb of God, which beareth away [marginal reading] the sin of the world.”

The first Passover feast – Huybrecht Beuckelaer (1563)

This is another allusion to the “scapegoat” laden with the sins and transgressions of the children of Israel, typical of the whole world.
An apparent difficulty arises from the use of the word “Lamb,” whereas the typical animal that bore away the sins was a goat. Some have thought that John the Baptist alluded to the Passover Lamb, also a type of Jesus; but a moment’s consideration will show that he could not have had the Passover Lamb in mind, as it was not a live animal, carrying away sins, but was slain. Moreover, the Passover Lamb was not a sin offering, therefore could not have been in John’s mind in connection with the taking away of sins. The Passover Lamb was for food, to prepare the Israelites for the journey out of Egypt, and it is a representation of Christ dying to become spiritual food and sustenance for his people, as well as to provide the sprinkled blood for protection from the destroying wrath of God.*

John the Baptist probably used the word “Lamb” in harmony with the well-known usage that lambs and kids were interchangeable for sacrificial purposes under the Jewish law. (Exodus 12: 3-5; Lev. 5: 6.) It is also to be particularly noted that John spoke this testimony of Jesus at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry; that is to say, about October, or the time of the Atonement Pay. This being so, both he and his hearers
would have in mind the goat being led away by the hand of a “fit man,” and would understand that John’s allusion to Jesus was in some sense to be connected with that typical ceremony. Having in mind the time of year, we must see that they could not have thought otherwise. John’s words, therefore, come down to us as divinely provided assistance to the understanding of the type of the “scapegoat.”

In 1 Peter 2: 24 is found a most beautiful allusion to the “scapegoat” type, as fulfilled by our blessed Redeemer.

“Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree.”

The reading of the margin makes this plainer than does the ordinary text —

“Who His own self bare our sins in His own body to the tree.”

Other translations of this text are: —

“Who His own self carried up our sins in His body to the tree. ” — Revised Version, margin,
Alford, De Wette, Huther.

“Who carried up our sins Himself in His own body to the tree.” — Emphatic Diaglott.

“Who our sins Himself bare up in His body unto the tree.” — J.B. Rotherham.

“And He took away all our sins, and in His body lifted them to the cross.” — Syriac (Murdoch’s).

Could anything be more striking than these Scriptures, or more evidently intended “for our learning” in the study of these wonderful types? The “scapegoat” was led away by the hand of a fit man, or man of opportunity, in readiness for the work, to the uninhabited wilderness.

Our blessed Lord was led away by the Roman government, the “man of opportunity” for the occasion, the power of capital punishment having been taken from the Jews. He, carrying our sins — the sins of
all mankind, past, present and future — was led to the land uninhabited, the wilderness of death; and as the goat would not easily have found its way back, so could our Redeemer not find his own way back, but he was raised from the dead by the power of God, His Father. — Acts 3: 15, 5 : 30.

Pentecost pictured by Giotto (Padua)

At the close of the typical Day of Atonement, the typical high priest came forth to pronounce the blessing. So, after having fulfilled the types of bullock. Lord’s goat and scapegoat, and having been raised by the Father to the condition typified by Aaron’s garments of glory and beauty, Jesus has begun to give the blessing secured by his sacrifice. The first manifestation of this blessing was granted on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2: 33), and the same has continued throughout the Gospel Age to believers — to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile. (Acts 3: 26; Rom. 1: 16.) As already noted, the same blessing of the Holy Spirit will continue on a larger scale during the Kingdom Age, though as circumstances will then be much more favourable to right living than they are now, there will be no prize of glory, honour and immortality held before the people then, as there is now. The prize then will be restoration to perfection of human nature. But both blessings, present and future, are bestowed by the great High Priest because the sacrifice has been “finished.”

Thanks be unto God for the Ransom, and also for the beautiful types of it which He has arranged for
our instruction!

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Notes

*

• All this, and more, that is signified by the Passover Lamb — “Christ, our Passover, sacrificed for us” — and reasons why his death should he remembered with the emblems of wine and unleavened bread annually on the anniversary of the institution of the Last Supper, which was, by Jewish reckoning, the day of his death, is explained in other publications, obtainable from us. Write at at once about these things!

The New Covenant Advocate April, 1909 pp. 13-14

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Preceding articles

A Ransom for all 1 Eternal torment

A Ransom for all 2 Corresponding price

A Ransom for all 3 Seeing Him as He is

The Atonement in Type and Antitype 1 Sacrifices and High Priests

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Additional reading

1. Forbidden fruit
2. Jesus begotten Son of God #5 Apostle, High Priest and King
3. Partakers of the sufferings
4. Worthy partakers of the body of Christ
5. Fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus
6. Spiritual Freedom and the Losing Legacy of Traditional Christianity

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Further reading

1. Atonement as Liturgy: The Cross Re-examined
2. 20 February 2017 Bible Reading
3. May 24, 2017/Reviewing a Prayer
4. Catrina’s Understanding of Leviticus 1-13
5. SOAP Journal – 02 February 2017 (Leviticus 4:16-18)
6. Leviticus: Chapter 16
7. Mar 19 God’s Plan
8. Praise God for Our Scapegoat
9. Fasting
10. The Scapegoat of Yom Kippur – Interesting article
11. A day of atonement
12. The Day of Atonement; Our Creator’s 6th Set Apart Day.
13. Religion? Belief? Spirituality?
14. Yom Kippur: A Day of Atonement
15. Mirror Time at Yom Kippur
16. Aharei Mot-Kedoshim 5777
17. Our Atonement Today
18. The Meaning of Yom Kippur: The Day of Atonement
19. The Day of Atonement: Removing the Enemy, Reconciling All to God
20. The Wonderful Relationship of the Day of Atonement and the Jubilee Year
21. Yom Kippur and the Messiah
22. Practical Proverbial, from Hebrews, 10 April 2017
23. Bloody, Bloody, Bloody Friday: Remembering The Cost of Salvation In Christ Alone
24. Hope
25. I Hereby Forgive
26. Should Christians Celebrate Yom Kippur?
27. Mercy That Never Fails