Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness - by whose stripes you were healed.”
Peter here alludes to
Who Himself bore our sins
Why did Jesus die on the cross? The issue is the character of God. God cannot live with sin. The judgment of Jesus on the cross was a judgment upon our personal sins.
“Who Himself” is emphatic, stressing the personal connection of Jesus in death for our sins. Note the two phrases “who Himself…His own body.” No one else could share this suffering. He was totally and uniquely capable to suffer for the sin of humanity. Jesus alone was able to save our souls from sin (
Acts 4:12 ).The value of His sacrifice is not in the extent of Jesus’ anguish on the cross but in the person who suffered. Jesus bore our sin judicially. God never made Him sinful in His character.
“Bore” is a compound word made up of two words: to bring or bear up. It denotes to lead or carry up, to offer. Jesus brought our sins to the cross (cf.
Hebrews 9:28 ;2 Corinthians 5:21 ) and actually carried them in His own body (Galatians 3:13 ;Deuteronomy 21:23 ). He stood indicted with our sins, and the sins of the entire world (Isaiah 53:6 ).“Bore” means Jesus took the punishment for our sins (
John 1:29 ). This satisfied God’s justice. As the scape-goat carried away the sins of the Israelites so Jesus carries away our sin on the cross (Leviticus 16:21-22 ). Jesus brought our sins to the cross in His own body. The Septuagint uses “bore” for a priest carrying a sacrifice up to the brazen altar. The brazen altar was four and a half feet high and was approached by an incline (Leviticus 14:20 ). Jesus carried our sins to the cross instead of the altar. By this, Jesus broke the power of sin.“Our sins” is emphatic. Jesus’ death freed us from both the penalty and the power of sin. He paid the penalty for our sin so that we would not have to go to hell. His death made it possible for us to “live for righteousness.”
Principle:
Jesus’ unique person paid personally for our sin.
Application:
Rome crucified tens of thousands of people in its history but only one of them was unique. Jesus was the God-man. He was undiminished deity and true humanity in one person forever. This is His uniqueness. He is different from God in that He is man and He is different from man in that He is God.
Do you love the Lord Jesus for taking your personal sin to the cross? He is unique. There is no only else like Him.
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