Did God pour out His wrath on Jesus?

We want to explore the idea more fully the belief that God poured out His wrath and punished Jesus as a penal substitutionary atonement (PSA). This seems to be a very common belief, in fact, it's a core belief of the reformed branch of the Church.

The idea is, God's wrath burns against the unrighteous, and Jesus comes to intervene on behalf of the sinner. He takes the place of the sinner and bears God's wrath instead. Jesus is punished in our stead and God's wrath is now atoned for by Jesus' sacrifice.

But does the Bible support the idea?

The sacrificial animals: The Scapegoat

Let's start with the OT sacrifices, specifically, the scapegoat. We first read of it in Lev. 16:

Le. 16:7-10, 20-22 Then he [Aaron] is to take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 8 He is to cast lots for the two goats — one lot for the LORD and the other for the scapegoat. 9 Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the LORD and sacrifice it for a sin offering. 10 But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to be used for making atonement by sending it into the desert as a scapegoat...

20 “When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat. 21 He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites — all their sins — and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the desert in the care of a man appointed for the task. 22 The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a solitary place; and the man shall release it in the desert.

Notice verse 22, "The goat will carry on itself all their sins." The word "carry" is נָשָׂא (nasa or nasah), to lift, carry, take. The same word is used in Ge. 21:18:

Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.

To carry the boy doesn't mean the boy is imputed with something. Or more precisely, Hagar didn't get some characteristic of the boy imputed to her by carrying the boy. Likewise, the sin carried by the scapegoat is not imputed to it. The sin is a burden, carried away into the desert. This burden is a symbol or a type of sin being taken out of the camp. The scapegoat carries "on itself all their sins." There's no sense that the scapegoat is being punished. In fact, no sacrificial animal in the OT is punished.

Now let's look at Hebrews 13:12-13:

12 And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. 13 Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.

The Greek word for "bore" is φέρω, which means I carry, bear, bring; I conduct, lead; perhaps: I make publicly known. He bore disgrace just like the scapegoat did. He died on a cross outside the city, carrying our sin to it as a burden.

Isn't in noteworthy that we also are to bear this disgrace? It seems like we are to meet Him at the cross and die there with Him. That is, we participate in His death so as to receive life.

Object of Wrath vs. Burden-bearer

The priests did not punish the OT sacrificial animals, and similarly, the Father did not punish Jesus. There is a great difference between "bear our sin" and "receive our punishment." Jesus carried our sin in the same manner as the scapegoat carried Israel's sin. 

Let's further document our position. 

1Pe. 2:24

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

The Greek word is ἀναφέρω, which is I carry up, lead up, (b) I offer up (on a high altar) as a sacrifice, offer up to God on high. Jesus carried up, offered up, our sins on the Cross.

Col. 2:13-14

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature,  God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.

"Took it away" is the Greek word αἴρω which is I raise, lift up, take away, remove. Jesus literally carried our condemnation under the law, like a bundle on His shoulders, and then fastened them onto the cross. There is absolutely no hint that Jesus was punished by the Father. 

We would again assert that Jesus did not bear the wrath of God, He bore the weight of sin to the cross. God did not punish Jesus. God was not mad at Jesus.

Gal 3:13

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” [Deut. 21:23]

This verse certainly doesn't say anything about God's wrath, but it does seem to suggest that Jesus became odious to God by becoming a curse. But we should consider the verse in the context of the entire passage:

Ga. 3:10-14 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” [Deut. 27:26] 11 Clearly no-one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith.” [Hab. 2:4] 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.” [Lev. 18:5] 

So what is this curse? It is the condemnation that comes from the law. Jesus' death frees us from the curse of the law (Romans 8:1) and gives us the blessing given to Abraham. Under the law, a sacrifice must be offered to atone for sin. So in that sense, God became man under the law, and died as one offered in sacrifice under the curse.

Jesus didn't become God's object of wrath at all, He bore for us the burden of condemnation that comes from the law.

2Co. 5:21

God made him who had no sin to be sin [Or be a sin offering] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

It's interesting that the NIV translators offer an alternative meaning, and that in actual fact makes more sense. Many have struggled to explain how Jesus could literally become sin, especially in light of the first statement, that Jesus had no sin.

The KJV renders 2Co. 5:21 this way:

For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

γινώσκω is translated "knew," (who knew no sin) which is the same word translated "union" in Mt. 1:25:

But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

The word "made" is ποιέω, poieó: make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. He was "constructed" in such a way as to be the One to take away sin. He was made to be sin for us, that is, on our behalf (...for one's safety, for one's advantage or benefit [one who does a thing for another, is conceived of as standing or bending 'over' the one whom he would shield or defend]). He did not become the embodiment of sin. He was not made into a sinner.

1Jn. 3:5 helps:

But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.

We would suggest that Jesus appeared in the likeness of sinful man to offer himself as a ransom for many. Jesus was made, constructed, created in the form of sinful man:

Ro. 8:3-43 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

Thus we would conclude that 2Co. 5:21 is not about our sin, it's about Jesus' human nature at the incarnation. He was made this this so that we might become the righteousness of God.

And of course, we read nothing here about the wrath of God as it would pertain to Jesus.

Imputed 

"Impute" is an unfortunate word that has crept into usage regarding Jesus' sacrifice. It misleads us into thinking that Jesus engaged in some sort of legal transaction, which isn't the case. In the legal world, "impute" means to attach to a person responsibility (and therefore financial liability) for acts or injuries to another... 

ἐλλογέω means to charge to one's account, impute, used here:

Phile. 18 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.

Here we find Paul assuming responsibility for a debt, which imputes the debt to him. But there's no wrath or punishment involved.

And here:

Ro. 5:13 for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 

In Ro. 4:8 the KJV reads, Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. The Greek word is λογίζομαι which is I reckon, count, charge with; reason, decide, conclude; think, suppose. 

The parallel passage is Ps. 32:2 in the KJV:

 Blessed [is] the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit [there is] no guile.

חָשַׁב is the Hebrew word, which means "considered." 

So the legal meaning of impute is to make someone responsible for someone else's debt or obligation, while the Greek and Hebrew words mean to reckon or consider. The difference in meaning is subtle. Jesus was not imputed with our sin in a legal sense. He did not become guilty and thus get punished by the Father. Rather, the Father viewed Jesus as having carried our sin as a burden bearer, "reckoning" Him to be the sacrificial lamb.

Positionally, Jesus became sin but was never sinful. He was unacquainted with the personal experience of sin as a virgin is unacquainted with sex. He had no union with sin. So his total innocence of sin made him the spotless lamb. Thus, His sacrifice washed away our sin completely. He always pleased the Father.

God's wrath - Isaiah 53

There is no verse in the NT that even hints that Jesus endured God's wrath. There are a number of verses that use the word wrath, but all of them are directed at the unrighteous. We repeat. There is no verse that points to the Father's wrath being laid on Jesus.

One passage that has been used to suggest that Jesus was punished by the Father is Isaiah 53. Here's the whole passage:

1 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

5 But 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.

6 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. 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; He will see the result of the suffering of his soul and be satisfied] by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 53 is a stark and profound messianic prophecy, describing in detail the suffering Lamb of God. But because of PSA, this passage has been misinterpreted. We humbly undertake to correct this mistake.

Is. 53:4

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

So Isaiah embarks on his narrative by stating a truth, that He "took up" (to lift, carry, take) and "carried" (to bear [a heavy load]) our infirmities and sorrows. But then Isaiah uses the word "yet." We have a mistaken perception. He took up our infirmities, "yet" we thought He was stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God. He is this thing, "yet" we thought something else. That's what Isaiah is telling us here. 

Isaiah sets the record straight again in the next verse, beginning with the word "but:"

Is. 53:4-5

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But 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.

This is 1) Truth Statement --> 2) False Perception --> 3) Truth Statement. "He" took up "our" infirmities (1), but we considered him stricken by God (2). Then Isaiah says "but." (3) We thought God struck him, "but."

Isaiah's correction is a restatement of his initial truth statement: He was pierced, crushed, and punished. Isaiah does not say God did this. The events of the crucifixion are being detailed for us, hundreds of years before the actual event. The reader will recall that it was the Roman soldiers who abused Him.

Also notice that this punishment... was upon him. The word upon is עַל (al), which means upon, above, over. We have see this concept over and over, haven't we? The punishment was upon, above, over Jesus. He carried our sin, The Father didn't punish Him.

So Isaiah is telling us, "He carried our problems, but for some reason we thought He was punished by God. But He wasn't. The horrible things He suffered were for our benefit. God didn't punish Him."

Is. 53:6

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.

"Has laid" is פָגַע (paga), to meet, encounter, reach. Our iniquity has reached him. Isaiah is amplifying his point. This Man bore a heavy burden, the burden we would have had to bear ourselves.

Is. 53:10

Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

The literal translation is

His soul an offering for sin, you make, when he has put [him] to grief to bruise him it pleased...

The literal translation adds words, which we think colors the translation. Without the added words it would read:

The man (nephesh), a guilt offering (asham) appointed, (sum or sim) when (im) he is made weak (chalah) and broken in pieces or crushed (daka), it pleased him (chaphets).

Unfortunately we are not Hebrew scholars. Yet we wonder if sometimes these renderings offered by Strong's contains added elements derived from the already-existent doctrinal understandings.

We say this because a word-for-word rendering without inserted "clarifying" language yields a different result:

The man was appointed a guilt offering, and was made weak, broken and crushed, and it pleased God.

Is. 53:11

After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

 To "bear" is סָבַל, sabal, is to bear (a heavy load).

Is. 53:12

Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

"Bore" is נָשָׂא, nasa or nasah, to lift, carry, take. We conclude again that Jesus' ministry was to bear the weight of sin outside the camp to be fixed to the cross. He never had a part in sin, so God never punished him or poured out His wrath on Him. He did exactly what the Father wanted.

The Father knew that men would torture the Messiah, they would crush Him and beat Him. It pleased the Father that Jesus was completely obedient through this torture, and approved of Him.

Jn. 8:29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”

When we divorce ourselves of preconceptions, another story emerges. It's not a story of legal process of punishment, it's a story of perfect obedience.

Jn. 3:35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.

Lk. 3:22 You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.