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corpus-paul - RE: The red Heifer

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  • From: "Stephen.Finlan" <Stephen.Finlan AT durham.ac.uk>
  • To: Corpus-paul <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: RE: The red Heifer
  • Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 13:22:58 +0100


> who have been alienated (5:19). Then in 5:21 he uses the metaphor of

> sin-bearing drawn from sacrifice in the Temple."

Dear Bob, I think you are right to see some connection between
2 Cor 5:21 and Temple ritual, although the particular ritual
may not be the red heifer.

I think the point of contact that you see is that the priest was
pure and became impure, just as "he who knew no sin" became sin.
However, that same "exchange" takes place with regard to the
whole community in the scapegoat ritual (which is NOT a
sacrifice, by the way). The scapegoat differs from sacrifice
at all these points:
SCAPEGOAT SACRIFICE
driven out carefully offered
to Azazel offered to God
becomes an impure thing pure thing
not a gift can be described as a gift
sins of people loaded on it nothing like that is stated

I don't think a sacrifice ever "becomes sin," but that could
easily be said about the scapegoat.

Your suggestion should be examined, of course, but these are
my thoughts as to the most likely cultic background to 2Co 5:21.

Thanks,
Stephen Finlan
University of Durham




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