Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Doug Kasten <doug.kasten AT juno.com>]

Dear John,

You sent: 
>I would *almost* agree.  However, "for the sake of" just seems like
>the 
>wrong translation altogether-- "for the sake of", as you point out,
> indicates purpose-- I do something "for the sake of" some purpose.
>The purpose is expressed in the word to which the preposition is 
>attached.  In this passage, that word is not "atonement", but *sin*.  
>So, "he was wounded for the sake of our sins" would mean, "so that 
>we might sin"-- ??!  
>
>Unless I am mistaken about what "for the sake of" means in English, 
>it just can't be!

I think your understanding of "for the sake of" is fine, just incomplete.
 In a certain context, it seems that "he was wounded for the sake of our
sins" COULD mean "so that we might sin".  It could also mean that the
Servant was acting to otherwise deal with (i.e., atone for, eliminate the
consequences of, etc.) the sins as acts/things of a negative nature, not
so that we might sin some more.  

The locution itself is ambiguous, like others in English.  Consider: "I
sent my daughter to the corner because of her behavior."  Was it because
she behaved well?  No, but the locution itself would support that
interpretation.  Everyone knows that it's because of bad behavior.  In
the same way "for the sake of" can be disambiguated.

Peace,
Doug

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