The intent of this brief study is to understand Christ’s full acquirement of our sins along with his wager, his risk, and the possibilities for us all. A look at 1 Peter 2:24:
“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (KJV).
Notice the first clause. Jesus identified with our sins to such an extent that he carried the whole load upon himself bodily at the Cross. Imagine the weight. This very profound event is described in just one simple statement. An interesting word Peter uses is worth noticing: Jesus bore our sins, usually on the ‘cross’ but not on the cross this time: he bore our sins “on the tree.” Since our sins go back to the beginning we can find a clue to why he used ‘the tree’, which becomes an archetype in meaning.
In Genesis 2:9 we find “the tree of life also in the midst of the garden.” Could it be that the sense of this same tree was involved in the crucifixion? I dare think so. By the way, the word tree of ‘life’ is plural; it’s the tree of lives. The tree whose fruit would have given eternal life was never allowed to be tasted in Genesis. But now Jesus is offered up upon this altar, which will save ‘lives’, life after life. . . .
The second clause of the verse is, “That we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness.” The words ‘should live’ form what is called in grammar a subjunctive. This is the mood of contingency and probability. It is one step removed from what is actual. It speaks about what is potential but dependent and conditional. And it expresses purpose in this case: ‘Christ bore our sins’, in order that two things might happen which are contingent on what Christ has already done for us: #1 that ‘we should be dead to sins’ and #2 that ‘we should live to righteousness’. This is the purpose of why Jesus went to the Cross. The heavy lifting was done by Jesus.
There is power in Jesus death for us; his death becomes my death when I believe on him. This is not about what discipline can do to get us out of sin. It’s about our being dead to sin. When we enter into the ability of Jesus’ death we enter into another realm of possibilities. It is precisely the unique righteousness of his death that invalidated sin’s dominion over us altogether (cf. Rom. 6:9). He unplugged us from death but hard wired us into his righteousness. The power is definitely on.
Righteousness is always a gift from God and never something earned (Rom. 3:21). When we died to sin, an enablement to live to righteousness came through the same tree. And notice: the power to do this is in the very promise. Peter’s talking about actually operating in and living in righteousness.
Let’s discuss the ability of ‘live to righteousness’ a bit more. To ‘live’ is the word ‘zoe’. For example the Lord said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life (zoe), and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life (zoe)” (John 5:24). Jesus used it some 36 times in the Gospel of John alone. [Unlike the other word translated as ‘life – bios’ which is used only 11 times in the combined NT and is usually only talking about how much money you have]. We find zoe used 135 times in the whole New Testament, as in Hebrews 7:16 where Jesus is a Priest like Melchisedec, “Who is made, not after law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life (zoe).”
So, when Peter spoke of the possibility ‘to live to righteousness’ he used zoe, which is always used of the life that God alone gives (e.g., “whoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life” John 3:16). But note: zoe life refers to more than spiritual life or end of the age life. At the tomb of Lazarus four days dead, Jesus said to Martha: “I am the resurrection and the life (zoe): he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live (zoe): and whosoever liveth (zoe) and believeth in me shall never die” (John 11:25-26). Zoe!
But wait, there’s more power yet that enables us to live (zoe) to righteousness, there’s Rom. 8:11! This zoe life that God generates, the Holy Ghost used to raise Jesus our Lord from the dead! Think of that. Using this same caliber of energy, the Holy Ghost also “‘makes alive’ (zoe) your mortal bodies” (which must mean he is working creative miracles). Additionally, this same Spirit also helps us ‘put to death the deeds of the body so we can live (zoe). So you see, we are right back to the power of Christ’s death at work in our death, and the power of his righteousness at work in our entire identity.
Finally, recap some things. Jesus took our sins. Therefore, we died with him. We have his righteousness, and his life. These are all potential for us if we will have them, if we will imagine them, meditate on them, and reckon them to be our reality. Then Peter adds this important fact of the Gospel: “by whose stripes ye were healed.” Physical and spiritual and emotional healing have happened already!
Consider this: healing is happening when we realize that Jesus put it into effect at the Cross. Sin, sickness and disease are casualties of his death. On this, Paul helps us connect some dots in Roman 5. Look at the first part of v. 21, the summary of the chapter: “That as sin hath reigned unto death”. Pause: sin caused death, and death must include first sickness and disease; it just follows. Are we good? The second part of v.21: “Even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life (zoe) by Jesus Christ our Lord.” Where you have grace calling the shots because of Jesus’ righteousness which is ours completely, sickness and disease can’t stick to us; it’s connected to death, but not Jesus’ life or ours. This is the Lord’s wager and risk – will you dare to believe him and be healed, or believe a lesser Gospel?
Tim Halverson
lionsheadcafe.com 