Theology Of Paul

THEOLOGY OF PAUL
M.M.NINAN
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magnitude of sin and the enormity of the disruption human beings have deliberately brought into their world. Sin
was very real to the people of the Old Testament! Death was the only remedy (cf. Rom. 6:23a)! Yet there is also a
recognition that God would go to great lengths to effect the reconciliation of people who have deliberately stepped
across the boundary and deserve to die (cf. Rom. 6:23b)!? Dennis Bratcher http://www.crivoice.org/sacrifice.html
The Torah:A Modern Commentary, Edited by W. Gunther Plaut, commentaries by W. Gunther Plaut and Bernard J.
Bamberger, essays on Ancient Near Eastern Literature by William W. Hallo. Union of American Hebrew
Congregations, New York, 1981, page 750, 753.
“Today the word “Sacrifice” means an act of self-deprivation. We give up something of value for the sake of a
greater value: we may sacrifice a vacation to make more money, or sacrifice luxuries in order to educate our
children, or sacrifice life for nation or faith. Such a sacrifice is deemed regrettable, even though necessary; if we
could attain the larger end without the sacrifice, we should do so. Prudence therefore counsels us to make a
sacrifice only after careful deliberation and to sacrifice no more that is needed to attain our goal.”
“That was not what the ancients meant by sacrifice. To them it was a religious rite, most often a joyous one. The
offering was as large and choice as the worshiper could afford to make it. It was always a sacrifice to some deity or
power, not-as in our usage- a sacrifice for some end.”
Sacrifice was not so much about killing and destruction and divine bribery as it was about the giving of life. It
requires some major rethinking on our part to associate sacrifice with life and wholeness and relationship. The
sacrificial animal was not a substitute, killed so the person or community escapes death. The sacrificial animal was
in a sense an extension of the person, both their lives were given to God resulting in relationship, communion with
God. Somehow, it seems that animals were a necessary part of the relationship with God.
Blood was understood to be the life force. Blood didn’t symbolize death, as it so often does for us, it symbolized life
– it was life. The slaughter of animals was not a trivial matter, neither was it something to be hidden way. The
slaughter of animals must be done humanely, respectfully and with care.”…….“It requires an enormous effort of
imagination on our part to understand how untold generations found the sacrificial rites inspiring. We eat much
more meat than our biblical ancestors did; but it come to us neatly prepared and packaged, and many of us do not
even see it till it is ready for the table. The sights, sounds, and smells of the slaughterhouse would be very
upsetting to our squeamish generation. Ancient man [sic] was not so sheltered. He lived closer to the realities of
birth, life, and death. He was not unfamiliar with the slaughtering of animals and their preparation for food; and,
when these activities were performed in a sacred place as part of a solemn ritual, he found them dignified and
meaningful.”
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