An answer to Lionel Parkinson’s $10,000 Challenge.
Proving that Jesus himself states and teaches that He has come to shed his physical blood for the remission and atonement of sins.
The Challenge:
“From the four gospels of the 1611 King James Bible, find any personal quoted statements or scriptures coming from Jesus where Jesus himself states or teaches that he has come to shed his physical blood for the remission or atonement for anyone’s sins. Find where he believed his physical shed blood on the cross would please his heavenly Father to the degree that the sins of anyone would be forgiven. If you can prove Jesus taught this doctrine – you receive $10,000.”
I will be showing that Jesus stated and taught that he was the passover lamb, and that he was to be sacrificed physically as such and that it would be sufficient to pay for the sins of many
I will show that he believed the passover lambs blood was shed specifically for the remission of sins.
I will show that Jesus believed his physical sacrifice would please God to the degree of forgiving peoples sins.
First its important to understand that the Passover lamb in Jewish tradition was to be a male of the first year (first fruit) without blemish or spot, sacrificed according to God’s specific instructions. Obedience to the instructions of the Lord regarding the sacrificial blood of the Passover lamb brought deliverance from death for those within the house (Exodus 12:13 KJV 1611). The lamb died in their place if the blood was not found on their door they too would be killed
The Passover lamb was to be a male “without blemish,” (Exodus 12:5 KJV 1611) which is the same description given to Jesus (1 Peter 1:18-19 KJV 1611) but, in keeping with only using the four gospels, i will choose the following way to demonstrate that Jesus was without defect.
In John, it says, �It was preparation day for Passover, and it was about the sixth hour [noon]. And he (Pilate) said to the Jews, “Behold, your king!” (John 19:14 KJV 1611) Jesus was condemned to death at noon. What time were the lambs chosen for slaughter by the high priests? Noon. Pilate declares Jesus unblemished, It�s recorded in Luke, �Pilate then addressed the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no fault in this man.” (Luke 23:4 KJV 1611) Pilate declares three times that He found no fault in him. And also in Luke it�s recorded that �Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous [innocent] man.” (Luke 23:47 KJV 1611)
One could argue that Jesus himself was not making any claim here but rather one was being made for him, and that’s true,so I will now show other places where Jesus validates this idea intentionally or unintentionally advanced by His apostle John, but first, lets continue with more of the symbolism of the passover lamb.
When the lamb was roasted and eaten, none of its bones were to be broken.(Exodus 12:46 KJV 1611)
This fact was also prophesied for the Messiah, whose bones were not to be broken.(Psalms 34:20 KJV 1611) It was customary during crucifixion to break the leg bones of the person after a few hours in order to hasten their death. The only way a person could breathe when hanging on a cross was to push up with his legs, which was very exhausting. By breaking the legs, death followed soon by asphyxiation. However, in the case of Jesus, they broke the legs of the other two men, but did not break His, since He was already dead.(John 19:32, 33, 36 KJV 1611) again no specific claim of Jesus yet, just coincidence I guess. that the gospels record these details.
Now lets move in to some specific claims of Jesus which will show that he believed He was the passover lamb and that His sacrificial death in this regard would be sufficient to pay for sins
Good Friday was the day of the Passover celebration and the day that the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed. For the previous 1,200 years, the priest would blow the shophar (ram’s horn) at 3:00 p.m. – the moment the lamb was sacrificed, and all the people would pause to contemplate the sacrifice for sins on behalf of the people of Israel.
This fact shows not only that the Passover lamb, despite modern Jewish tradition, was viewed a propitiation for their sins and was linked in the minds of all Jews of the time, including, as we will see next Jesus.
On Good Friday at 3:00,(Matthew 27:46, 50 KJV 1611) (see also Mark 15:34-37, Luke 23:44-46 KJV 1611) when Jesus was being crucified, He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30) – at the moment that the Passover lamb was sacrificed and the shophar was blown from the Temple. The sacrifice of the lamb of God was fulfilled at the hour that the symbolic animal sacrifice usually took place.
Jesus came into the city of Jerusalem five days before the passover lamb was to be killed in the temple as the Passover sacrifice for the sins of the people of Israel. Five days before the lamb was to be sacrificed, the lamb was chosen. Therefore, Jesus entered Jerusalem on lamb selection day as the lamb of God.(John 1:29) this actually accounts for two deliberate actions of Jesus where he was asserting that he was the asybolic representation of passover lamb. because we see that Jesus had specifically pre-arranged the purchase of a donkey to enter in to the city on that day (Luke 19:29-34KJV 1611) So he definitely knew what he was doing, In addition this action shows he thought of himself as the passover lamb if we understand another aspect of Jewish tradition. On the 10th of Nisan each families chosen lamb was brought into their home (Exodus 12:3,6 KJV 1611). where it was kept until the 14th. On the Eve of Passover, all leaven was to be searched out and burned (Exodus 12:19 KJV 1611). It was also a symbolic way of leaving the sinful life of Egypt. The Lamb was to be kept among them for what amounted to 3� days So too, Jesus walked the streets of Jerusalem for 3� days before He was killed on the 14th day of
Nisan. Jesus was well aware of the timing of his entry into Jerusalem, to say any different wouldnt be perceptive. and besides that there are many more incidents of this type.
For instance when John the baptist told Jesus and everyone else “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”.,(John 1.29 KJV 1611) Jesus obviously agrees with him, John says it again in fact, and this shows not only that Jesus believed himself to be the lamb of god, but that he also believed the lamb of god would please God to the degree of forgiving peoples sins. i.e. “which taketh away the sin of the world”
Lev 4:32 KJV 1611Isaiah 53:10: KJV 1611
But the climax of this is in the last supper and in the death of Jesus, where He leaves no doubt to the discerning reader that He believes He is the true and final passover lamb and that, like other Jews of his day, he believed the Passover lamb represented propitiation of their sins.
The Last Supper is accomplished within the context of this Passover meal (cf. Mt 26:17; Lk 22:15;
Mk 14:16 KJV 1611). The Paschal (Passover) Feast is structured around four cups of wine. The first cup of
wine is poured out for each participant and the head of the house prays the solemn
blessing (Hebrew: kiddush); everyone then drinks and partakes of bittern herbs dipped in
salt water. The second cup of wine is served after the Passover narrative is read from
the twelfth chapter of Exodus and the little Hallel is sung (i.e., Psalms 113 and 114 KJV 1611).
Now the meal proper begins wherein the president blesses the unleavened bread and all
partake of it as well as the paschal lamb, bitter herbs, and other dishes. The third cup is
then filled including an extra cup that is left for the prophet Elijah, whom they expect as
the precursor to the Messiah. Silence is observed for some time, and the door to the
room is opened. After this, the fourth cup is filled and the great Hallel is recited (i.e.,
Psalms 115-118 KJV 1611). The final “cup of consummation” is then partaken of to conclude the
Passover Seder meal.
With the background of the Passover Seder meal in place, we are able to discern how
Jesus fulfills the Old Testament Passover at the Last Supper. We read in Matthew�s
Gospel that in the context of this meal (cf. Mt 26:17.19 KJV 1611), “Jesus took bread, and blessed it,
and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.” (Mt
26:26 KJV 1611). In doing so, during the main meal, Jesus provides the unleavened bread,
blesses it, and declares it his own body. Jesus provides his own unblemished flesh,
This is a really outlandish statement in general, and especially in the context of the
passover meal, clearly jesus is telling them He is the unleavended
bread, the symbolisim was not lost on a jewish man at a passover feast I assure you
Now the next three statments of Jesus will leave no doubt about his beliefs about himself,
the passover lamb, and the remission of human sins.
“Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it
to them saying, �Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament,
which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Mt 26:27-28 KJV 1611).
Then, Jesus declares, “But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine,
until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” And when they had sung an
hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.” (Mt 26:29-30KJV 1611). Here we notice that Jesus
explicitly declares that he will not partake of the cup of consummation, they recite the
great Hallel, and then everyone departs for the Mount of Olives. In refusing the fourth
cup, the cup of consummation, Jesus makes a bold deliberate statment and
prolongs the Passover Seder meal because it is
not yet complete. Matthew then shows that Jesus refused to drink of wine drugged with
myrrh, a narcotic, just before his crucifixion on Golgotha (cf. Mt 26:34 KJV 1611). Just at the three
o�clock hour, one of the bystanders “ran, and took a spunge,
and filled it with vinegar [sour wine], and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.” just before
he “yielded up the ghost” (Mt
27:48.50 KJV 1611). John records this event in greater detail: “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar[sour wine], and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” (Jn 19:28-30 KJV 1611). Jesus finishes
and fulfills the Passover as he partakes of the cup of consummation and gives over his
spirit to the Father.
So it says Jesus said I thirst in order that “the scripture might be fulfilled” that can really only make sense in this jewish context and it also amounts to a direct claim of jesus to be the passover sacrifice not to mention it was offeres on hyssop which is which is syblolic of the passover lamb.
There is absolutely no doubt that Jesus taught that He was the symbols in the passover and that His physical sacrifice was sufficient for the remission of sins.
References
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/6562/apologetics/passover.html
http://www.the4thcup.com/index.php?r=jesus-is-condemded-to-death
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/6562/apologetics/passover.html
Here are a few more interesting facts about passover if your interested
The festival of unleavened bread began Friday evening (at sunset). As part of the festival, the Jews would take some of the grain – the “first fruits” of their harvest – to the Temple to offer as a sacrifice. In so doing, they were offering God all they had and trusting Him to proved the rest of the harvest. It was at this point that Jesus was buried – planted in the ground – as He said right before His death.22 Paul refers to Jesus as the first fruits of those raised from the dead in 1 Corinthians.23 As such, Jesus represents the fulfillment of God’s promise to provide the rest of the harvest – resurrection of those who follow the Messiah.
matzah – striped and piercedChristian symbolism in the Passover occurs early in the Seder (the Passover dinner). Three matzahs are put together (representing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). The middle matzah is broken,24 wrapped in a white cloth, and hidden, representing the death and burial of Jesus.25 The matzah itself is designed to represent Jesus, since it is striped and pierced, which was prophesized by Isaiah, 26 David,27 and Zechariah.28 Following the Seder meal, the “buried” matzah is “resurrected,” which was foretold in the prophecies of David.29
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