Word Study – atone; atonement

Updated 7/7/24

Words to consider - atone​​ (V);​​ atonement​​ (N)​​ -​​ from the Hebrew word​​ kapar (or kaphar),​​ meaning - to cover over, pacify, propitiate (Strong’s Concordance; Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon). The​​ first appearance of​​ kapar​​ in the Bible appears in Genesis, where God gives Noah instructions on how to build the ark –

Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch <kapar> it within and without with pitch.​​ Genesis 6:14 (KJV)​​  

Old Covenant (Mosaic Law)

Under the Mosaic Law, there were numerous requirements for the Israelite priests to offer various ritual sacrifices, including thanksgiving, blessings, forgiveness, and acknowledgment of God’s holiness.​​ Yom​​ Kippur (Day of Atonement)​​ was the most holy of these sacrificial offerings.​​ Yom Kippur was the only day of the year the high priest was permitted to enter the Holy of Holies in the Temple. On this day, atonement was made for the previous year’s sins​​ by​​ offering blood sacrifices​​ (Lev. 17:11, 23:27 - NASB).​​ However, these sacrifices provided only a temporary covering for the sins of the Israelites. Therefore, though covered, their sins still remained, and the people were constantly mindful of them. Why? Because the blood of animals could never remove man’s sin!​​ 

1​​  For the Law, since it has​​ only​​ a shadow of the good things to come​​ and​​ not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.​​ 2​​  Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins?​​ 3​​  But in those​​ sacrifices​​ there is a reminder of sins year by year.​​ 4​​  For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.​​ Hebrews 10:1-4​​ 

These sacrifices foreshadowed the sacrifice of the coming Messiah (Jesus).​​ And get this:​​ the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross would not just cover man’s sins but would gloriously take them away forever!​​ (John 1:29; 1 John 3:5; Heb 9:26)

Again, the writer of Hebrews stresses this point -

11​​  Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;​​ 12​​  but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD,​​ 13​​  waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET.​​ 14​​  For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.​​ Heb 10:11-14

Conclusion

Nowhere in the New Covenant does the word​​ atonement* appear. The offering for atonement is an Old Covenant requirement. The sacrificial blood of Jesus on the cross initiated the New Covenant, and His blood took away the sin debt of mankind once and for all.​​ (Heb 10:10;​​ Heb 9:22)​​ Attaching atonement to Jesus’ death on the cross diminishes the significance and power of what He did! But sadly, Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross is frequently referred to as an atonement for sin. The traditions of man often die hard.​​ (Col 2:8)

Atonement was accomplished by the Old Covenant sacrifices; the removal of sins was achieved by the sacrificial death and shed blood of Jesus on the cross.