B. Other models of the atonement

Note: This list is a work in progress, and may change at any time both in the selection of quotations and the content of the annotations. In the meantime, feel free to offer any suggestions.

IRENAEUS

“For, in what way could we be partakers of the adoption of sons, unless we had received from Him through the Son that fellowship which refers to Himself, unless His Word, having been made flesh, had entered into communion with us? Wherefore also He passed through every stage of life, restoring to all communion with God. Those, therefore, who assert that He appeared putatively, and was neither born in the flesh nor truly made man, are as yet under the old condemnation, holding out patronage to sin; for, by their showing, death has not been vanquished, which “reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression.” But the law coming, which was given by Moses, and testifying of sin that it is a sinner, did truly take away his (death’s) kingdom, showing that he was no king, but a robber; and it revealed him as a murderer. It laid, however, a weighty burden upon man, who had sin in himself, showing that he was liable to death. For as the law was spiritual, it merely made sin to stand out in relief, but did not destroy it. For sin had no dominion over the spirit, but over man. For it behoved Him who was to destroy sin, and redeem man under the power of death, that He should Himself be made that very same thing which he was, that is, man; who had been drawn by sin into bondage, but was held by death, so that sin should be destroyed by man, and man should go forth from death. For as by the disobedience of the one man who was originally moulded from virgin soil, the many were made sinners, and forfeited life; so was it necessary that, by the obedience of one man, who was originally born from a virgin, many should be justified and receive salvation. Thus, then, was the Word of God made man, as also Moses says: “God, true are His works.” But if, not having been made flesh, He did appear as if flesh, His work was not a true one. But what He did appear, that He also was: God recapitulated in Himself the ancient formation of man, that He might kill sin, deprive death of its power, and vivify man; and therefore His works are true.” (Against Heresies, Book Three, Chapter 18, sec. 6)1

LACTANTIUS

“It was necessary…that…He might be delivered into the hands of wicked men, and might undergo death, that, having subdued this also by His might, He might rise again, and bring to man, whose nature He had put on and represented, the hope of overcoming death, and might admit him to the rewards of immortality” (Divine Institutes, Book Four, chap. 10)2

“And though He knew that this would come to pass, and repeatedly said that He must suffer and be put to death for the salvation of many, nevertheless He withdrew Himself with His disciples, not that He might avoid that which it was necessary for Him to undergo and endure, but that He might show what ought to take place in every persecution, that no one should appear to have fallen into it through his own fault…” (Divine Institutes, Book Four, chap. 18)3

“…Christ, who, having suffered death for us, made us heirs of His everlasting kingdom…” (Divine Institutes, Book Four, chap. 20)4

John of Damscus

“For we had sinned against Him, and it was meet that He should receive the ransom for us, and that we should thus be delivered from the condemnation. God forbid that the blood of the Lord should have been offered to the tyrant.” (Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, Book Three, chap. 27)5

  1. It is true that the recapitulation of the whole life cycle of humankind was part of Irenaeus’s teaching on the atonement, as this quote makes clear; but against those who would say that Irenaeus taught a “recapitulation” model over against a “penal substitutionary” model of the atonement err greatly: just as the first, failed life cycle of the first Adam resulted in the constitution of the whole human race as sinful and deserving of death; so the recapitulation of that life cycle, in the truly human Christ, justified all those who had been condemned in Adam. Recapitulation is just the necessary means by which penal substitution, together with its corollary doctrine, the imputation of the righteousness of Christ, actually came into being.
  2. Although Lactantius’ emphasis when discussing the atonement is usually one of moral influence and example of righteousness, there are other discernible themes in his writings, such as this “Christus Victor” idea of Christ’s overpowering the tyranny of death by his descent into the grave, and arising to bestow benefits upon men.
  3. Although Lactantius’ common emphasis on Christ’s example of righteousness may be seen here, it is evidently not in contradistinction to the idea of penal substitution, as may be seen by his use of the phrase highlighted above, as well as his quotation in an earlier place (chap. 16) of Isaiah 53, to the effect that Christ would bear our sins and endure pain for us. For another example, see below.
  4. Definite proof that, in spite of other more common emphases, Lactantius was not hostile to a penal substitutionary understanding of the atonement.
  5. Clear denunciation of the “ransom paid to Satan” model of the atonement.

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