The Whole World Counting on One Execution

Everyone knows Wikipedia is right about everything, so...here's what it has to say about the tradition of "sacrifice" in the history of humanity:

The practice of sacrifice is found in the oldest human records. The archaeological record contains human and animal corpses with sacrificial marks long before any written records of the practice. Sacrifices are a common theme in most religions...Animal sacrifice has turned up in almost all cultures, from the Hebrews to the Greeks and Romans (particularly the purifying ceremony Lustratio) , Ancient Egyptians (for example in the cult of Apis )and from the Aztecs to the Yoruba. Animal sacrifice is still practiced today..."

What an odd common thread throughout virtually all societies. Why? In most cultures, sacrifices were offered to the gods or to a god for one of two reasons: 1) Fear - fear of what the gods might do if not satisfied; fear of droughts, fear of storms, fear of the sun not coming up, fear of the sky falling down, etc... 2) Shame - the feeling of guilt that gave way to the thought that the gods demanded some form of expiation or "making amends" for wrongdoing.

And into this world of people universally overwhelmed by fear and shame, either driven to obsessive sacrifice or even more obsessive denial, comes a new idea from the mouths of Hebrew prophets. A sacrifice that would end all sacrifices. A sacrifice that would finally drive out fear and do away with shame once for all. A sacrifice that would actually make peace with God.

...He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter... (Isaiah 53)

And then centuries later:

"Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1)

According to Christians, the very man of whom those words were spoken was nailed to a cross some 2000 years ago, and we are assured by his earliest followers that his death was the perfect sacrifice, once for all, the end of fear and the end of shame:

When Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, 'Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, O God.' " First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds." Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. - (Hebrews 10)

What a radical claim we Christians celebrate this week. What a radical message to the world, past and present:

Do not fear. Stop your sacrificing. You have already nailed a man to a cross. But He is God, He is Love, and He died for you. By his wounds you are healed. Simply trust. Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.