Theories of Atonement — Christus Victor
Did Jesus pay Satan a hefty ransom for humanity’s redemption? Is the devil a spiritual ransomware terrorist who hijacks humanity, forcing us into calamitous situations from which we have no control?
Was Jesus a scapegoat? A victim of a Jewish lynch mob?
Whenever we read the word atonement in a hymnal or discuss it around Easter, we have a shared understanding of the term. Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines atonement in four ways:
1. Reparation for offense or injury.
2. The reconciliation of God and humankind through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ
3. Christian science: exemplifying of human ones with God
4. Obsolete: reconciliation
The beautiful nature of the atonement is in its ramification, namely, that we have the luxury of being reconciled to God. This pleasure affords us a bridge on which to connect with God. Almost as if there initially lay a chasm, a void of hopelessness between us and the Divine, and Christ’s efficacious work on the cross not only built this bridge of reconciliation but also carried us across it.
Atonement is a great thing. It’s a marvelous thing.
But which theory about Christ’s work on the cross is the right one?
Stephen D. Morrison lists seven of the most well-known theories surrounding the atonement and I will quote his explanations of each one.
He states the seven theories are: the moral influence theory, the ransom theory, Christus Victor theory, the satisfaction theory, the penal substitution theory, the governmental theory, and the scapegoat theory.
Christus Victor Theory
(Previously accepted as the Classical Theory up until the 12th century)
Point 1
“In this theory, Jesus Christ dies in order to defeat the powers of evil (such as sin, death, and the devil) in order to free mankind from their bondage. This is related to the Ransom view with the difference being that there is no payment to the devil or to God.”
Point 2
“Within the Christus Victor framework, the cross did not pay off anyone but defeated evil thereby setting the human race free.”
Thoughts on the Christus Victor Theory
I favor this victorious theory to the ‘ransom’ one because, as the writer states, there is no ransom. Christ strongman’s humanity out of the hands of the devil, the Holy Spirit indwells the believer, and voila, victory.
“But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)” Paul writes to the church in Ephesus. Truly, God’s kindness afforded us the gift of deliverance from the influence of the devil. We can now see that which we were once blind to while under the enemy’s delusion. And this gift affords us life in Christ Jesus.
Paul further reiterates this conclusive victory in his letter to the church in Colossae (modern-day Turkey).
“You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.”
This theory further reinforces Christ’s power over the spiritual world whereas the ransom theory alludes to the possibility that the devil may have something to hold over Christ, namely, human beings.
Paul’s doctrinal instructions elucidate the infinite power of Jesus in ‘disarming’ spiritual rulers and authorities through the cross. He ‘shames’ them publicly on the cross Paul informs the church.
Again, this is why the devil may have influenced those spectators of the crucifixion to beckon Christ to step down from the cross.
“Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!” Recounts the gospel of Matthew.
I’m highly inclined toward this triumphant view of atonement because it is true.
“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death-that is, the devil.” Said the unknown author of the epistle to the Hebrews.
Jesus wielded total and complete control over his mortal and immortal adversaries. His contemporaries lied to one another to nail Jesus to the cross and his spiritual enemies fought to keep him in the tomb. He not only came back to life but walked in the midst of those who previously thought him dead.
Christus Victor or Christ Victorious/Victor is a biblically sound interpretation of the atonement.
This idea concerning the atonement was held for nearly twelve hundred years. From the first inspections of the purpose of the cross and its ramifications for believers, the idea managed to survive a thousand years before a different interpretation covered the horizon of Christian thought concerning atonement.
Now, I must inform you that just because something has been around for some time, say, a thousand years or more does it make it right or wrong. The longevity of an idea only informs us that it was widely accepted or perhaps left unchallenged because no one saw it as problematic or because no one knew any different.
It is astounding to know this interpretation of the atonement endured the test of time.
Featured Image Alicia Quan.
Originally published at http://olivettheory.com on November 4, 2021.
