signs-sins_no

‘I will remember their sins no more.’

Forgiveness of sins frees people from the burden of guilt

for the evils they have done and from bondage to wounds they

have suffered when evil was done to them. Forgiveness is the

first step in the transformation of hearts of stone to hearts of

flesh.

Forgiveness or condemnation is the object of which God

as Judge is the subject. Jesus is mediator of the new covenant

not least in that he comes in the divine office of the righteous

judge. A text that molds the expectation of the coming judgment

of God is the account of a dream found in the book of

Daniel. It formed the basis for much of the imagery of the

Book of Revelation. Here is Daniel’s dream:

As I looked,

thrones were placed

and one that was ancient of days took his seat;

his raiment was white as snow,

and the hair of his head like pure wool;

his throne was fiery flames,

its wheels were burning fire.

A stream of fire issued

and came forth from before him;

a thousand thousands served him,

and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before

him;

the court sat in judgment,

and the books were opened.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

and behold, with the clouds of heaven

there came one like a son of man,

and he came to the Ancient of Days

and was presented before him.

And to him was given dominion

and glory and kingdom,

that all peoples, nations, and languages

should serve him;

his dominion is an everlasting dominion,

which shall not pass away,

and his kingdom one

that shall not be destroyed.2

(Daniel 7:9-10, 13b-14, RSV)

Jesus must have had this in mind when he promised his

disciples that they would share in the judgment throne with

the Son of Man:

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal

of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the

throne of his glory, you who have followed me will

also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes

of Israel.” (Matthew 19:28, NRSV)

During his conversation with the disciples at the last supper,

Jesus explicitly applied the role to himself:

“You are those who have continued with me in my

trials; and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to

me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my

table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the

twelve tribes of Israel. (Luke 22:28-30, NRSV)

Jesus is the Son of Man, the judge on that fearful day of the

Lord. The possibility that the Son would occupy the judgment

seat and render harsh verdict against the nations was a longtime

hope of the people of God:

I will tell of the decree of the Lord:

He said to me, “You are my son;

today I have begotten you.

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your

heritage,

and the ends of the earth your possession.

You shall break them with a rod of iron,

and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

(Psalm 2:7-9, NRSV)

That is why it is so amazing that Jesus comes with words of

blessing for the poor and lowly:

Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

“Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the earth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst

for righteousness,

for they will be filled.

“Blessed are the merciful,

for they will receive mercy.

“Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.”

(Matthew 5:2-8, NRSV)

These blessings must not be read as words of instruction.

They are declarations of the judgment of God on the humble

of the earth, overturning all the unrighteous judgments of humankind.

Here is the one who has been anointed to sit on the

throne in judgment coming with the words of mercy promised

by Jeremiah, “I will . . . remember their sin no more” ( Jeremiah

31:34, NRSV).

The Gospel of John announces definitively:

Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world

to condemn the world, but in order that the world

might be saved through him. ( John 3:17, NRSV)

Forgiveness was Jesus’ constant theme. He brought it to perfection

on the cross when he prayed, “Father, forgive them; for

they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34, RSV).

On the cross, Jesus absolutely and forever transformed

judgment, infusing it with humility and grace. The judge of the

world came and, instead of inflicting condemnation, he willingly

chose the path of humility and suffering. Paul describes

it this way:

And being found in human form,

he humbled himself

and became obedient to the point of death—

even death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him

and gave him the name

that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bend,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth. . . .

(Philippians 2:7b-10, NRSV)

As the Son of Man, and thus as God-appointed Judge of all

humanity, Jesus voluntarily chose to suffer rather than inflict

punishment. The Judge became the judged; the Lord, the servant.

In this Jesus revealed the mercy which is, and has always

been, at the heart of God.

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