Lk. 22:14-23, What do ya’ know: Christ Died for Us (2)

The “vicarious” suffering of our Savior we saw clearly in Isaiah 53.  What about the NT?  It’s all over the NT, but you might not notice because in the English translations there are several Greek prepositions that are frequently translated “for.”  There are two we need to speak about: huper and anti.  The first means literally “on behalf of.”  Jesus’ death was on behalf of many.  The latter you might think means “against” (which it does), but the word also has the meaning “in the place of.”  For example, in Matt. 5:38 it is used in this phrase: As eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.  It’s not “an eye against an eye” but rather “an eye in the place of an eye.”

So let us meditate on a few of the verses that use these words to speak of Christ death on the cross.  The first two are the word “anti” and the rest are “huper.”

·       Mt. 20:28; Mk. 10:45: The Son of Man (came) to give His life a ransom for (in the place of) many.

·       Mk. 14:24; Lk. 22:19-20: In the Upper Room Jesus instructed His disciples, saying This is the blood of the new covenant, which is shed for (on behalf of) many.  The regular observance of this is a reminder to believers of the vicarious atonement.

·       Jn. 6:51: Jesus’ flesh was the bread which I shall give for the life of the world.

·       Jn. 11:50-52: An interesting prophecy of Jesus’ vicarious atonement came from the wicked high priest Caiaphas when the leaders were plotting Jesus’ death.  It is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.  He inadvertently spoke a deep truth (cf. Jn. 18:14).

·       Rom. 5:6-8: Christ died for the ungodly.  God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Hallelujah!

·       Rom. 8:32: Since God delivered Him up for us all will He not give us all things?

·       1 Cor. 15:3: The gospel is good news that says Christ died for our sins, was buried and raised from the dead the third day.

·       2 Cor. 5:14-15: If One died for all, then all died: that is a simple but profound truth.  We all needed what Christ did for us.  But through His death came His resurrection, by which we receive “newness of life” or “eternal life”.  Thus, He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.  “Huper” is applied to what Christ did for us and what we are now to do for Him: we live “on His behalf” in this world.

·       Gal. 3:13: Christ became a curse for us.

·       Titus 2:14: He gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people.

·       Heb. 10:12: Jesus offered one sacrifice for sins forever.  He then sat down at the right hand of the Father, indicating it would never need to be repeated.

It is true, friends!  Christ died for us!