Welcome to the “But first, Bible” daily devotional podcast with Dave Miers.
Our readings today are from Leviticus 15-17 and Matthew 27:1-31. If you haven’t had a chance to read the Bible yet, maybe pause this podcast to go hear from God’s word, and then come back for my brief reflection on Matthew 27.
Okay, welcome back.
Over today and tomorrow, we are reading about the death of Jesus on the cross in Matthew’s gospel.
I want to focus on theology and history. History describes what took place. Theology describes why – from God’s perspective – it took place.
Our keyword for this study is SUBSTITUTION.
First, we will look at substitution from a theological perspective.
The following is a quote from John Stott’s magnum opus – The Cross of Christ – in his chapter on ’The Self-Substitution of God’.
“The concept of substitution may be said to lie at the heart of both sin and salvation. For the essence of sin is man substituting himself for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting himself for man. Man asserts himself against God and puts himself where only God deserves to be; God sacrifices himself for man and puts himself where only man deserves to be. Man claims prerogatives that belong to God alone; God accepts penalties that belong to man alone.” (John Stott, The Cross Of Christ)
Second, we will look at substitution from a historical perspective.
Continue reading “Feb 13 – Leviticus 15-17; Matthew 27:1-31 – BARABBAS & SUBSTITUTION”
