I. Jesus Saves, but How?
What is the significance of Jesus' career?
Christians agree over his victory, but disagree over the battle plan.
Apostolic testimonies help interpret by covering more than Jesus' passion.

They generally begin at his baptism and conclude with events beyond his resurrection.

These display several roles or 'offices', and several aspects (or 'theories') of atonement.

II. The Christ Story
Baptism is Jesus' anointing, his inauguration.
The offices are Spirit-empowered.
Each office ...

is grounded in Israel's anointed offices,
begins in Jesus' baptism,
is tested in the wilderness,
unfolds in Jesus' career,
climaxes on the cross,
continues in and through the Church, and
culminates on the Last Day.
 

III. The Priestly Office and Sacrificial Atonement
Jewish Priesthood is worship-leading.

Priests sacrifice, and are God's and Israel's sacrifice (Num 8:5-22).
Priests intercede, teach Torah, and discern and conserve Israel's holiness.
Dilemma: The blood required for cleansing (Ex 12:12, 24:8) cannot work (Isa 1:10-17, Heb 10:3-4).

Christ's priestly mission: offer the resources of reconciliation (Heb 9:14).

His baptism declares his Sonship (Ps 2:7, Heb 5:5).
Satan's plan for priesthood: put God to the test (Luke 4:9-12, Ps 91, Deut 6:16, Ex 17:2-7).
Highlights include teaching, cleansing, exorcism, healing, forgiving sins (Mark 1:21-2:12).
Jesus takes the Temple with him, practicing 'offensive holiness'.
Climax: the cross as representative atonement (cf. Heb 10:12-13, Phil 2:5-11, 1 Cor 11:23-26).

Atonement as sacrifice or reparation:

Jesus is the sacrifice that repairs the divine-human relationship.
Sin becomes guilt, grace becomes forgiveness.
Illustration: The Passion of the Christ.
Popular in Catholicism and evangelical and Reformed Protestantism.
A key term: Hilastêrion (Heb 9:5, Rom 3:25), meaning expiation or propitiation.
Variations: Satisfaction (Anselm) (Heb 2:14-17);
penal/vicarious substitution (Calvin; The Fundamentals).
Objections: Is Jesus qualified? (Heb 7:14, Gen 14:17-20). Is the cross a lawful sin offering? What is just about Jesus suffering? Is God cruel? Are all redeemed, or is atonement limited? Is resurrection significant?

Jesus' intercession continues (Heb 7:23-25, 9:24, Rom 8:34) ...
in ascension (Heb 9:11-28)
through us (Isa 61:6 in Rev 1:5-6, 5:10, 1 Pet 2:5, 9)
with “the power of the keys” (Rev 1:18, Matt 16:18-19, John 20:23, Vatican seal).
Jesus is the temple of the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:22, 27).

IV. The Royal Office and Atonement as Victory
Jewish monarchy is (mostly) a failure to trust God as king (1 Sam 8:1-22).

Yet King David, though a sinner, went "fully after God" (1 Kings 11:4-5, 2 Sam 6:14-23).
God promises David's eternal restoration (Ps 89:4, 132:11).
Dilemma: How can the kingdom of Israel be reconciled to the Kingdom of God?

Christ's royal mission: restore the Kingdom of David as the Kingdom of God.

This "son of David" (Matt 1:1-17) is born king (Matt 2:2).
His baptism declares the Son God's heir (Ps 2).
Satan's plan: reject God as King (Luke 4:5-8/Ps 2:7-11, Deut 6:10-15).
Jesus' signs and wonders bring the Kingdom of God (Matt 12:28/Luke 11:20, Luke 17:21) as a new politics, a new order of holy relationships.
Highlights include calling twelve disciples (Matt. 4:17-22 etc.), associating with outcasts (Mark 2:16), breaking tradition (Mark 2:23-28, 7:1-13, Matt 11:19), inviting sinners to enter through his word rather than ritual repentance, and entering Jerusalem as its "king coming" (Mark 11:10, cf. Ps 118:26; Matt 21:5/John 12:15, cf. Zech 9:9).
Climax: the cross as the parable of the vineyard (Mark 12:1-12), Rome's execution of "the king of the Jews" (Matt 27:11, 27:29, 27:37, 27:42), and Jesus' exaltation (John 12:27-36).

Atonement as Christus Victor:

Jesus conquered sin and death (Col 2:14-15, Rev 5:5, Gustav Aulén's Christus Victor).
Sin becomes oppression, grace becomes liberation.
Illustration: Prince of Egypt, Braveheart.
Popular in the early Church, Lutheranism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Pentecostalism.
Variations: Ransom theory (goodness as intolerable), Christ the healer, Christ the liberator.
Objections: Too 'respectful' of Satan, i.e., 'dualistic'? If all but Christ are sinful, aren't all defeated?

Ascension and Pentecost show Jesus reigning over and reconciling all things (Acts 2:33-36, Ps 110).

Apostles' evangelism proclaims and exercises Christ's rule.
Jesus shares his rule with us (Rev 3:21, 5:10) as servant-kings (Rom 8:15-17).

Jesus returns and judges all things (and we do too, 1 Cor 6:3), and we reign with Christ forever (Rev 22:1-5). 

V. The Prophetic Office and Atonement as Example
Jewish prophecy centers in 'speech-act' (Jer 1:4-10, Hos 1, Jer 19:1ff, John 2:1-11).

Israel awaits a "prophet like Moses" (Deut 18:15-19).
Dilemma: he does not arrive (Deut 34:10-12, cf. Acts 3:18-26).

Christ's prophetic mission: announce the Kingdom's approach (Isa 61:1-2 in Luke 4:18-22, Matt 25:31ff).

Satan's plan for prophethood: seek a sign (Luke 4:3-4, Deut 8:3; Matt 12:38-39).
Prophetic highlights: Jesus' work proclaims God's Reign and reveals the Father (John 1:18).

Competing interpretations of Jesus' signs come from demons, crowds, authorities, and disciples (Mark 8:27ff, Mark 1:24; cf. David Blaine).
Prophetic climaxes: clearing the Temple, the cross.
Jesus is God's definitive self-revelation (John 1:18).

Atonement as example or "moral influence":

Peter Abelard: Jesus' love evokes ours (Rom 5:5-8, Acts 2:36-38, Heb 12:1-12).
Sin becomes concupiscence and ignorance, grace becomes revelation (John 1:18, Rom 12:2, Phil 2:5).
Illustration: Spitfire Grill.
Popular in liberal Protestantism; increasingly popular in revivalism.
Variation: Jesus encounters us with saving revelation (dialectical theology of Barth, Bultmann).
Objections: Why do witnesses not comprehend? Who is to 'teach' the cross at first? Is salvation merely psychological? What "love" would crucifixion alone express?

When Christ gives his Spirit, we too become inspired prophets (Acts 2, on Joel 2; 1 Cor 11:5; John 16:12-15; Matt 28:20) with whom Jesus speaks clearly (Num 12:6-8; Mark 4:11-12, John 16:29).
Jesus' words open the final act (Rev 5:1-5) that defeats sin forever (Rev 19:15).

VI. Is Salvation Coherent? Soteriologies in the Story of Jesus Christ
Is there harmony? Or is harmonization a cop-out?
1. Incarnation (Christmas): assumption, divinization.
2. Baptism (Epiphany): identification, penance, empowerment.
3. Temptation (Lent): obedience, conformation.
4. Itinerant ministry (Ordinary): following, discipleship.
5. Crucifixion (Passover/Good Friday): intercession, reparation.
6. Burial (Holy Saturday): surrender; ransom?
7. Resurrection (Easter): victory.
8. Ascension (Ascension): reparation, delegation, mission.
9. Session (Pentecost): revelation/moral influence.
10. Return (Advent): judgment, glorification.