Cornerstone Curriculum, Official Certification Edition

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and violence of Calvary is neither spiritually helpful nor psychologically healthy. It is clear, however, that the apostles’ challenged believers in the early Church to model their attitudes and conduct on the basis of the sufferings of Christ and his death (e.g., Phil. 2.5-11; 1 Pet. 2.21ff; Gal. 2.20). Still, many tend to focus on the abundance, prosperity, health, and riches of the Christian experience rather than the fellowship of his sufferings in order to be conformed to his death (Phil. 3.10). What is the relationship between emphasizing the resurrection of our Lord and his sufferings as it relates to a true communication of the Christian faith? The humiliation of Jesus Christ, to use the theologian Oden’s language, deals with his descent from the heavenly realms in his divine glory to come to earth and die on behalf of the world. This lowliness was reflected in every dimension of Jesus’ Incarnation and earthly life, from his birth to his life and ministry. The culmination of this lowliness and humility is revealed in his passion and death on Calvary. His death may be understood through various dimensions which enable us to understand better the nature of our salvation in him: his death was a ransom for us, the propitiation for our sins, a substitutionary sacrifice in our place, a victory over the devil and death itself, and a reconciliation between God and humankind. The death of Jesus has been understood in various ways throughout Christian history. These theories of the atonement each focus on a particular dimension of salvation, and taken together they enable us to gain an even greater understanding and appreciation of the significance of Jesus’ death for us. Jesus’ death and its meaning has been viewed as 1) an example, 2) a demonstration of God’s love, 3) a demonstration of God’s justice, 4) a victory over the forces of evil and sin, and 5) a satisfaction of God’s honor. While none of these theories in and of themselves fully explains Jesus’ death, each contains truth which can enhance our understanding of its larger meaning and truth. If you are interested in pursuing some of the ideas of Jesus, the Messiah and Lord of All: His Humiliation and Death , you might want to give these books a try: Brown, Raymond E. The Death of the Messiah . New York: Doubleday, 1994. Kiehl, Erich H. The Passion of Our Lord . Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1990.

Restatement of the Lesson’s Thesis

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T heology and E th i c s

Resources and Bibliographies