Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Walter R. Mattfeld" <mattfeld12 AT charter.net>]

I recently came across some info on Yom Kippur and not being Jewish, but 
formerly  a Fundamentalist Protestant Christian, would like to know if the 
below information is correct :

"Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the tenth day of the month of Tishri 
according to the Jewish claendar, is unique in its holiness ("the Sabbath of 
Sabbaths" - a day of solemn rest" as it is called in Leviticus 23:32). The 
Jews were granted this holiest of days at Mount Sinai while receiving the 
Torah. It was then that they became a people. The significance of Yom 
Kippur, as it appears on the medal, is to serve as a vehicle for the group 
forgiveness of a holy nation (the Jewish people) on a holy day (the Day of 
Atonement). And in fact, to forgive each individual for his sins. This day 
is the climax of the ten days of repentance which begins with the Rosh 
Hashana holiday (the New Year) and culminates with the Day of Atonement.

The Torah declares that on Yom Kippur all sins will be forgiven: "for on 
this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins 
shall ye be clean before the Lord" (Leviticus 16:30). But our sages have 
interpreted that those sins made by man against the Lord will be pardoned, 
while those mades against a fellow man will be forgiven only upon direct 
reconcilitaion between man and his fellow man."

The above is quoted from a brochure accompanying a medal issued by the 
Israel Government Coins and Medals Corporation of Jerusalem for a medal 
commemorating Yom Kippur.

If the above information is correct- then I have another question of 
Christian scholars on this list. If Christ as "the Logos" is presenting all 
this to Moses at Mount Sinai, telling Israel that on Yom Kippur the people's 
sins are forgiven, whence the later Christian understanding that forgiveness 
of sin occurs only when one becomes a Christian and is baptised into 
Christ's death ?

Regards, Walter

Walter Reinhold Warttig Mattfeld y de la Torre, M.A. Ed.

www.bibleorigins.net

mattfeld12 AT charter.net