The Cross in Context: Reconsidering Biblical Metaphors for Atonement

by Brad Vaughn, Joshua M. McNall (Foreword by)

Overview

How can a doctrine about reconciliation with God create so much controversy among God's people?

Theologian Brad Vaughn believes Christians can gain clarity and unity on the doctrine of the atonement through a renewed attention to the biblical evidence. While theological theories are necessary and useful, they can obscure reality as much as clarify it. And we're often ignorant of the role that cultural and historical context plays in shaping these views. Instead of beginning by comparing atonement theories, he argues, we need to delve deep into the Bible, where we find a handful of motifs that combine to form a richer, more robust theology of atonement.

The Cross in Context presents a perspective on the atonement that seeks to reconcile theological camps and enable Christians to interpret the Bible more faithfully. It draws from the entire biblical canon and considers the New Testament in light of its Old Testament background, focusing on the internal logic of Israel's sacrificial system. Applying his intercultural ministry experience and expertise on honor and shame, Vaughn also considers how to effectively contextualize the multifaceted message of salvation in diverse cultural contexts.

Combining missiology, theology, and biblical studies, The Cross in Context provides a refreshing and nuanced look at the atonement and what it means for the life and witness of the church.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781514000281
Publisher:	InterVarsity Press
Publication date:	11/22/2022
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Brad Vaughn (formerly published under the pseudonym Jackson W.; PhD, Southeastern Baptist) is theologian in residence with Global Training Network. He previously lived and worked in East Asia for almost two decades, teaching theology and missiology for Chinese pastors. He serves on the Asian/Asian-American Theology steering committee of the Evangelical Theological Society and is the author of Saving God's Face, One Gospel for All Nations, Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes, and Seeking God's Face.

Joshua M. McNall (PhD, University of Manchester) is associate professor of pastoral theology, ambassador of church relations, and director of the honors program at Oklahoma Wesleyan University. He is the author of The Mosaic of Atonement: An Integrated Approach to Christ's Work, Long Story Short: The Bible in Six Simple Movements, and A Free Corrector: Colin Gunton and the Legacy of Augustine.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction

Part I: The Atonement in Biblical and Cultural Context
1. Reconciling Atonement Theories
2. Preparing a Sanctuary for the King
3. Offering a Way to God
4. Atonement and the Significance of Blood
5. Seeking God's Face Through Sacrifice

Part II: Interpreting Biblical Metaphors of Atonement
6. What Does Christ Purify?
7. Who Bears the Burden of Sin?
8. Does God Want Recompense or Retribution?
9. Does the Father Punish the Son?

Part III: Implications and Applications
10. Answers to Lingering Questions
11. Does Christ Bear Our Shame?

Appendix A: Historical Atonement Theories
Appendix B: Affirming Penal Substitution but Not Its Logic
Appendix C: "Bearing" in the Old Testament
Appendix D: The Metaphors of Hebrews 9–10
Discussion Guide
Glossary of Terms
Select Bibliography
General Index
Scripture Index

What People are Saying About This

Matthew Bennett

"Given the importance of atonement and the breadth of imagery used in Scripture to describe it, any work on atonement is sure to invite criticism. As Jackson W. himself notes, this book will not avoid that fate. Still, it remains a rewarding read because of the light it sheds on some of the often underappreciated biblical imagery used to describe what Christ accomplished for sin-stained image bearers. Read, wrestle, discern, critique, and worship your way through this book. Even the critic will be grateful for the reminder of the gospel's multifaceted salvation presented in The Cross in Context."

Christian A. Eberhart

"Jackson W. explores the interplay of metaphor and atonement—thus this book is about the core of salvation in the New Testament. Atonement is complex, but this is a reliable and well-written guide through the variety of biblical images. Its contextualization offers the key to understand the core of the mission of Jesus Christ. A must-read for all who want to know what the Christian gospel means in diverse cultures!"

Heath A. Thomas

"Jackson W. offers a book that needed to be written. It is challenging, insightful, intriguing, and stretching. Not all will agree with this book (W. tells us as much!), but no one should ignore it. Here we discover the multifaceted diamond that is Christ's atonement."

Jerry Hwang

"What would it look like if we allowed the apostle Paul's statement that 'Christ died for our sins' to be truly explained 'according to the Scriptures' (1 Cor 15:3)? In this provocative book, Jackson W. carefully peels back layers of church tradition, systematic theology, and folk Christianity to reexamine what Scripture actually says about the death of Christ. The result is a whole-Bible approach to sin and atonement that mounts a stimulating challenge to scholars and laypeople alike. Whether or not you agree with his conclusions, you will undoubtedly come away with a deeper appreciation for the richness of what Christ's death accomplished!"

Editorial Reviews

10/17/2022

In this dense analysis, pseudonymous author W. (Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes), a theologian in residence at the missionary organization Global Training Network, unpacks what scriptural metaphors for atonement reveal about the practice. Atonement, W. posits, binds Christian followers with God, noting that the negated form of the Hebrew word ht’, often used to refer to sinning, denotes a repaired relationship. Breaking down biblical metaphors for atonement, W. explains that passages describing the sacrifice of animals use blood as a metaphor for purification and imply that atonement involves seeking God’s favor by cleansing oneself of sin. The author suggests that Jesus appeased God’s wrath and died “for sinners such that they do not have to die,” pointing to a passage in Leviticus in which a goat is metaphorically saddled with the sins of the community and sent into the wilderness as evidence that those who take on the sins of others receive lighter punishment from God than the sinner would have received. W.’s thorough scriptural analyses demonstrate considerable depth of thought, but he occasionally crosses the line from scrupulous to pedantic, and readers may find some of his close readings unpersuasive (his assertion of shame’s importance to atonement rests on some imaginative interpretations). Still, this will provide Christian scholars with food for thought. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

"Brad Vaughn offers a book that needed to be written. It is challenging, insightful, intriguing, and stretching. Not all will agree with this book (W. tells us as much!), but no one should ignore it. Here we discover the multifaceted diamond that is Christ's atonement."

Heath A. Thomas

"Brad Vaughn explores the interplay of metaphor and atonement—thus this book is about the core of salvation in the New Testament. Atonement is complex, but this is a reliable and well-written guide through the variety of biblical images. Its contextualization offers the key to understand the core of the mission of Jesus Christ. A must-read for all who want to know what the Christian gospel means in diverse cultures!"

Christian A. Eberhart

"What would it look like if we allowed the apostle Paul's statement that 'Christ died for our sins' to be truly explained 'according to the Scriptures' (1 Cor 15:3)? In this provocative book, Brad Vaughn carefully peels back layers of church tradition, systematic theology, and folk Christianity to reexamine what Scripture actually says about the death of Christ. The result is a whole-Bible approach to sin and atonement that mounts a stimulating challenge to scholars and laypeople alike. Whether or not you agree with his conclusions, you will undoubtedly come away with a deeper appreciation for the richness of what Christ's death accomplished!"

Jerry Hwang

"Given the importance of atonement and the breadth of imagery used in Scripture to describe it, any work on atonement is sure to invite criticism. As Brad Vaughn himself notes, this book will not avoid that fate. Still, it remains a rewarding read because of the light it sheds on some of the often underappreciated biblical imagery used to describe what Christ accomplished for sin-stained image bearers. Read, wrestle, discern, critique, and worship your way through this book. Even the critic will be grateful for the reminder of the gospel's multifaceted salvation presented in The Cross in Context."

Matthew Bennett

"Given the importance of atonement and the breadth of imagery used in Scripture to describe it, any work on atonement is sure to invite criticism. As Brad Vaughn himself notes, this book will not avoid that fate. Still, it remains a rewarding read because of the light it sheds on some of the often underappreciated biblical imagery used to describe what Christ accomplished for sin-stained image bearers. Read, wrestle, discern, critique, and worship your way through this book. Even the critic will be grateful for the reminder of the gospel's multifaceted salvation presented in The Cross in Context."

--Matthew Bennett, assistant professor of missions and theology at Cedarville University

From the Publisher

10/01/2022

The concept of atonement, addressed through Jesus Christ and how the essential relationship between God and humans is restored, is a central element in Christian theology. Yet atonement is a complex concept, expressed through a variety of biblical images and approached by theologians in a variety of different ways. Theologians have developed six primary theories for understanding atonement, including recapitulation, Christus victor, ransom, moral influence, satisfaction, and penal substitution. Each of these models provides some helpful insights, but disagreement about them have caused much conflict and divisiveness among Christians. What the pseudonymous Southeastern Baptist author W. (Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes) is particularly concerned about is how evangelical Christians often evaluate others by whether they hold to the penal substitution theory. His approach is to move back from theories and examine how the concept of atonement is presented in various places in the Bible. From this analysis, he finds three key metaphors: impurity, debt, and burden. He uses those analogies to evaluate the atonement theories. VERDICT Those interested in biblical and systematic theology, specifically the concept of atonement, will find this book instructive and insightful.—John Jaeger

Library Journal