THE FATAL ERROR OF TRANSLATING “KAPHAR” AS ATONEMENT AND NOT AS PURGING OR CLEANSING.

 

THE FATAL ERROR OF TRANSLATING “KAPHAR” AS ATONEMENT AND NOT AS PURGING OR CLEANSING.

THE CRUX OF THE MATTER:

Before going into the detail, like the Jews who knew a lot about the physical Messiah, but failed to recognize Him standing in front of them, here is the crux or core issue which reveals the truth to the tree of life, i.e. Jesus and that you are not chasing knowledge of good and evil e.g. about kaphar whilst continuing sinning. God said we shall surely die if we do that. We must not seek more knowledge, but the tree of life, Jesus.

The more we love someone, the deeper the grief and hurt caused by a lack of love from or by unfaithfulness by the person we love. Some people even kill the person who was unfaithful due to this deep hurt. An evil parent is not deeply hurt by an evil child and even tolerate their child’s evil, because the child takes after the parent and the parent is OK with evil in himself. A good parent is deeply hurt by an evil child and strongly stands and acts against an evil child. A righteous loving parent is devastated by an evil child and will desperately try to correct the child.

Much more so is our holy Father in heaven, with His perfect love, holiness and righteousness, deeply grieved, pained and crushed by every sin of every sinner. He says He made us, He acquired us for His own, He kept us like the pupil of His eye, He bore us on His wings as an eagle, He is the Rock who bore us, He travailed in our birth, is married to us with a perfect love, He is jealous for our love, etc. but our sins and unfaithfulness are like repeated crushing adultery to Him. He asks: What wrong have I done to you or have you found in Me that you left me for dead idols and false gods? Nevertheless, God says no man will take his repeatedly adulterous and unfaithful wife back, but He will take us back, if we would only confess, repent and return to Him. His whole aim then is to send Someone who will destroy the head of Satan to purge, cleanse and deliver us from sin to return to Him. He is even willing to suffer and die to achieve this. This is what the word KAPHAR was meant to teach us.

However, if we still despise Him after all His efforts and love, He will give us everlasting punishment. 

SUMMARY OR ABSTRACT:

The Hebrew word "Kaphar" (Strong’s H3722) is one of the most critical words in the Old Testament, fundamentally shaping one's understanding of the holistic message of the entire Bible, the Gospel, sin, God's response to sin, and the purpose of Jesus Christ's blood and crucifixion. This document demonstrates that "Kaphar," when referring to blood sacrifices, has been widely and incorrectly translated as "atonement" in most English Bibles, instead of its correct meaning of "cleansing," "purging," or "remedy for the defilement from sin".

The necessity of cleansing and purging from sin through the blood of Jesus stems from God's absolute warning of the death penalty for sin. This death penalty exists because the sinner rejects, rebels against, and effectively kills their God in their heart and life, conflicting with God’s command for holiness and the promise that Someone would come to destroy the head of Satan to deliver mankind.

God accomplishes "kaphar" / purging through the blood of Jesus when individuals deeply realize they have pierced, crushed, and broken His heart and spilled His blood through their sins. When a person remorsefully and deeply confesses this, repents from all sins, makes restitution, and asks for forgiveness, deliverance, and cleansing from their sins, God grants this, filling them with the Holy Spirit of Jesus Himself. This transformation destroys Satan's hold (Satan's head in us is destroyed), enabling the believer to love God wholeheartedly, live holy and righteous lives, sin no more, rule over sin, and receive eternal life. The translation of "Kaphar" as atonement is a spiritually fatal error that allows for continued sin under the guise of "atonement" without transformation, directly contradicting God's demand for holiness and His pronouncement of the death penalty for sin.

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I. INTRODUCTION

THE IMPORTANCE OF KAPHAR

The significance of Hebrew word "Kaphar" is paramount because how it is understood determines one's entire view of foundational theological concepts. It impacts beliefs about the fall of humanity, the effect of sin on God, God's reaction to sin, the mission of Jesus Christ (the Anointed Deliverer), and the process of achieving freedom from sin and ultimate salvation. Understanding the true meaning of "Kaphar" is vital for one's eternal destiny, as believing the truth is what sets us free. A misunderstanding of "Kaphar" can lead to a fatal deception, where individuals may believe they are saved because Jesus’ blood atones for their past, present and future sins, ultimately leading to eternal death.

DICTIONARY MEANINGS OF KAPHAR

Dictionaries provide various meanings for H3722 "Kaphar,"  כָּפַר  including: cover, expiate or condone, placate or cancel, reconcile, propitiate, appease, make (an) atonement, pacify, pardon, disannul, forgive, being merciful, purging, cleansing, remedies the defilement, putting off. The King James Version (KJV) translates H3722 as "atonement" 71 times, but also as "purge" 7 times, "reconciliation" 4 times, "reconcile" 3 times, "forgive" 3 times, and other terms. While "atonement," "propitiation," or "expiation" are common translations, implying appeasement or reconciliation, "Kaphar" is also translated as "purging," "cleansing," or "remedy for the defilement". Gesenius’ Hebrew Chaldee Lexicon primarily mentions "atonement" without "purging" or "cleansing".

BACKGROUND NEEDED FOR UNDERSTANDING KAPHAR

From the beginning, God established a clear command: "if we sin, we will surely die". This divine law emphasizes the necessity of holiness, stating that "without holiness we will not see God" and "no unclean person will enter the New Jerusalem". Recognizing humanity's failure, God, in His grace, promised a Deliverer. This Deliverer, Jesus, was foretold to "crush the head of Satan" and "destroy the works of the devil," thereby delivering, cleansing, and freeing people from sin so that sin may stop and they would not die. This overarching message underscores the profound need for cleansing and purging from sin. The blood of animals purged and cleansed things, but could not cleanse men of their sins; this foreshadowed the blood of Jesus who would cleanse men of their sins —if men correctly understood the truth about His blood.

 II. THE NATURE OF SIN AND SACRIFICE

THE FIRST SACRIFICE – THE LAMB OF GOD SLAIN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD

The concept of Jesus as the Lamb of God "slain from the foundation of the world" highlights the immediate and profound impact of sin on God's heart. Humanity's sinfulness grieved and crushed the heart of their loving, holy Father, spiritually "slaying" the Lamb of God (Jesus, who is in the bosom of the Father) in their hearts. This spiritual "slaying" by every sin was later openly demonstrated by His physical crucifixion. God permitted this physical act to vividly demonstrate the utter evil of sin and its murderous pain to Him.

THE FIRST SACRIFICE WHICH GOD ILLUSTRATED

After Adam and Eve sinned, God illustrated the painful effect on Him and consequences of sin by peeling the skins off innocent lambs and making coverings for them. This act was profoundly bloody, traumatic, and heart-rending, signifying and displaying God's own "torn apart and bleeding heart" due to sin. The physical pain from the hardening skins and constant reminder of the "stinking and hurting" skins were meant to prick their consciences, prompting a realization of the grief, wounds, and pain their sins caused their Father. This act implicitly began a process of understanding that sin caused deep crushing pain, spilled God's blood and life, and required a deep, painful remedy and ultimately cleansing and purging of the sinner’s heart from all sin through and because of the blood that flows due to sin.

WHY CAIN, ABEL AND ALL MEN STARTED SACRIFICING

All peoples and nations have a deep feeling and consciousness of guilt after sin. This deep feeling of guilt further drives all men, as seen in Cain and Abel, to start sacrificing in various ways, using the sacrifice and skins to cover their shame and burning the animals to appease God and sooth their consciences. This cannot and does not work, and sin continues along with the guilt feelings. Mankind, after being sent out of God's presence, sought ways to quiet their guilty consciences, fill the emptiness left by sin, and to make up for their rebellion, leading to practices of sacrificing animals and other offerings.

GOD’S PURPOSE BY WORKING IN MEN TO SACRIFICE

God's true purpose in instituting sacrifices was not for literal payment or appeasement for Himself. Instead, His desire was for a changed heart, obedience, righteous conduct, thanksgiving, a clean heart, righteousness, justice, and mercy. The sacrifices man brought were meant to illustrate that sin caused and resulted in the death of an innocent animal, God’s lambs, which indicates what is done to God, God's pain over sin and ultimately to the Lamb of God. The true intention was to lead individuals to deep repentance, confession, and ultimately to purging and cleansing from sin so that sin would stop.

WHY AND HOW ABEL SACRIFICED ACCEPTABLE TO GOD

Abel's sacrifice was accepted by God because he offered a more excellent sacrifice due to his faith in God and because of a clean heart that led to righteousness. Abel must have believed God that he was condemned to death because of his sin, and that God expected them to rule over sin. He likely grieved deeply from repeatedly slaughtering innocent lambs for covering. Abel must have sought the promised Deliverer who would destroy Satan's head and deliver him from slavery to sin. Abel understood that animal sacrifice was insufficient merely as payment or appeasement. What is the use of taking a lamb, which in any case belongs to God and kill it for one’ sins? He recognized that sin must stop, and that animal blood could not cleanse the heart from all sin.

No deliverance from sin and righteousness is possible through the law or the blood of animals, but only through the blood of Jesus. Gal 2:21  I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.  However, at some point, Abel must have realized that the Deliverer God sent daily to crush Satan's head was being "slaughtered" by Abel himself with every sin, just as he slaughtered the lambs. He grasped that the sacrificial lambs were all along an illustration pointing to the crushing grief and murderous pain his sin caused God and the Lamb of God, Jesus. This profound realization shattered his heart, leading to deep repentance, confession, and apology, which God accepted and caused God to forgive and deliver Abel from those sins. Abel’s heart was finally cleansed and purged from all sin through the blood of Jesus —a work Jesus does only through His blood if we see and confess He bleeds when we sin. This understanding and God’s work and grace brought him forgiveness, cleansing, and deliverance through the blood of the Lamb of God, making him righteous and pleasing to God.

WHY AND HOW CAIN SACRIFICED BUT WHICH GOD REJECTED

Cain's sacrifice was rejected because he lacked the true spirit of repentance and faith, offering it as a mere ritual or payment without a desire for sin to cease or a broken heart over what his transgressions did to God. God hates sacrifices brought while sin continues. Cain sought atonement to cover sin rather than genuine purging and cleansing that would lead to sin stopping, resulting in his continued sin, anger, and hatred until he murdered his brother.

HOW THE JEWS SACRIFICED WHICH GOD REJECTED

Many Israelites offered sacrifices without genuine reverence for God, and without deep repentance or a desire for sin to stop, frequently seeing the animal sacrifices as adequate atonement, allowing them to continue in sin, believing the blood would cover them or appease God. God expressed His displeasure and hatred for such offerings that were devoid of a truly transformed heart, obedience, justice, and mercy, calling this persistence in sin with sacrifices an abomination. Is 1:10-20.

 THE SACRIFICES WHICH GOD WANTS / ACCEPTS

God desires a changed heart, obedience, righteous conduct, thanksgiving, a clean heart, righteousness and justice, mercy, repentance, and to love Him with all the heart. He seeks active goodness: to "Cease to do evil, do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow". This transformed heart is the direct result of purging and cleansing from sin, not merely covering it.

THE SACRIFICES WHICH GOD HATES

God explicitly hates sacrifices offered alongside continuing sin. He detests burnt offerings and blood sacrifices when iniquity is present, calling them "futile sacrifices" and an "abomination". Sacrifices offered as a mere payment or appeasement while individuals continue to sin are abhorrent to Him, as He has no need for such offerings.

ABRAHAM’S SACRIFICE – WHY, GOD’S PURPOSE, THE EFFECT ON ABRAHAM, THE RESULT

Abraham demonstrated belief in God's clear warning that he would surely die if he sinned, and he believed in God's promise of a Deliverer who would destroy the head of Satan. When God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his only beloved son, Isaac, for whom he had waited 80 years, this command must have tested him to the core of his being.

For three days, Abraham walked with Isaac to Moria, and every step closer must have pierced and broken his heart, but He trusted God, even that God will then raise Isaac from death. Isaac, by then a young man, likely willingly climbed onto the altar, allowing his father to bind him and extend his neck for the sacrifice. At that critical moment, God intervened, sparing Isaac and providing *His* Lamb instead—a provision that foreshadowed Jesus.

Abraham called the place Jehovahjireh, signifying that "on the mountain of God, He (God’s Lamb, Jesus) shall be seen". Jesus later affirmed that Abraham saw Him and rejoiced. Abraham experienced the profound pain of sacrificing his beloved, but was finally spared to actually do it. However God gave His own Lamb, Jesus to be slaughtered by Abraham and mankind. Through this, Abraham experienced and understood the crushing, killing pain God experienced from and how it slaughtered the heart and Lamb of God.

This profound realization caused deep mourning in Abraham and so it fulfilled Zechariah 12:10-13:9 in him. The Holy Spirit caused Abraham to look up to Him whom he had pierced (through sin) and to mourn bitterly for Him as for an only child or a firstborn, as the deep mourning Abraham felt for Isaac. A parent who lost an only child or firstborn, never forgets that. So, and worse, the Holy Spirit pleads with us to feel about Jesus when we look op to Him whom we have pierced.

On that mountain of ultimate obedience, and upon seeing his sins piercing and slaying God’s Son, the fountain of Jesus’ blood opens against sin. This results in deep confession and repentance and then in forgiveness, deliverance, and perfect cleansing and purging from all unrighteousness, including idols, false prophesies, unclean spirits, carnal loves, lies, hypocrisy, and impurities. See Zech 13. This revelation totally destroys the devil and sin in a person’s heart, delivering and cleansing him to never return to sin, and making him righteous.

The Eternal Result:

Abraham's faith, proven through this experience, led to God’s promise, sealed with an oath. God blessed Abraham with perfect forgiveness, deliverance, cleansing, salvation, and eternal life, including true righteousness and holiness. This promise signifies God's intention to purify and sanctify His people, enabling them to serve Him in holiness and righteousness all their days. Abraham's experience illustrates that true faith leads to genuine transformation and a cessation of sin, aligning with "Kaphar" as cleansing, purging, and removing sin by the blood of the Sacrifice, Jesus. This fulfils  Heb_10:14  For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are sanctified.

 III. REASONS WHY KAPHAR WAS WRONGLY TRANSLATED AS ATONEMENT

The fundamental reason for the mistranslation of "Kaphar" as "atonement" stems from a profound apathy towards and disregard for the deep grief and murderous pain sins cause our loving holy God and Father. Ps. 69 states it clearly and it is still true to this day. Gen 6:5  And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Gen 6:6  And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. Psa 69:9  For the zeal of Your house has eaten Me up; and the reproaches of those who reproached You have fallen on Me. Psa 69:20  Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness; and I looked for some to mourn with me, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. 

This apathy ignores the piercing, crushing, and murderous effect of sin, evidenced by Jesus’ wounds that broke God’s heart and spilled His blood/life, justifying the death penalty. This apathy and disregard allowed sin to continue and removed the love, fear, and respect for God, resulting in slavery to sin and deception by Satan. Satan's original lie, "you shall surely not die if you sin," is promoted by interpreting "kaphar" as atonement, covering, or overlooking, which provides a reason for God to tolerate sin. This error is rooted in the subjective choices of misled translators, influenced by their theology rather than scriptural context. Satan actively inspired this mistranslation to propagate the lie that "atonement" covers or pays for sins and to obscure and remove sympathy for Jesus’s wounds, thereby neglecting the critical need for proper repentance and actual cleansing and holiness.

 

IV. THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS

THE SACRIFICE OF LAMBS FORESHADOWING JESUS

The Old Testament animal sacrifices were designed to cleanse and purge impurity from articles and sins of the people. These sacrifices were imperfect; they could not truly remove sins or make people perfect, requiring repetition, but they served as a foreshadowing of the Lamb of God. The moment the person realized their act foreshadowed what was done to God's Lamb and His blood spilled due to sin, leading to deep confession and repentance, the ultimate cleansing and purging achieved through the blood of Jesus Christ would occur. Isa 53:11  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by this knowledge of him shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. If we have this knowledge that He shall bear our sins, which will cause Him suffering, we shall repent and be made righteous. This is evidenced by what happened in Acts 2-4 and 9 to the Jews and to Paul on the road to Damascus.

V. THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS: PURPOSE, NATURE, AND EFFECT

The mission of Jesus Christ, the Anointed Deliverer, was to come to earth to deliver His people from their sins, to "destroy the works of the devil," and to set humanity "free indeed" from sin. To achieve this, Jesus allowed all sins against God to fall on Him. He bore the sins of the whole world in His body on the cross, and His suffering was because of OUR transgressions and iniquities. God allowed this sacrifice to physically illustrate the immense, murderous pain and grief that sin causes Him and Jesus. Our sins pierced and crushed Him!

Zech 12:10-13:9 prophesied this. The Holy Spirit makes us look up to Him whom we have pierced and the realization that our sins pierced and crushed Him is meant to lead to deep remorse, confession, and repentance. When individuals deeply realize and remorsefully confess this, thoroughly repent, and make restitution, God forgives, delivers, and cleanses  and purges perfectly from all sin through His blood. This happened in Acts 2-4 and in Paul.

The purpose of His sacrifice is not for covering sins so that they may continue, but to condemn sin in the flesh Rom 8:3, and to eradicate them completely by showing it kills Him, thereby causing sin to become absolutely condemned,  evil and to stop. This eradication enables believers to die with Jesus to sin and live for righteousness. Continuing in sin after the cross of Jesus, deserves the death penalty as God illustrated with Ananias and Saphirah after only planning to lie.  

This God-transformed state grants victory over Satan, enabling believers to live holy lives and preventing spiritual death. The fruit of this sacrifice is total transformation, forgiveness, deliverance, and sanctification, leading to genuine righteousness and eternal life.

 

VI. PROOFS FOR TRANSLATING KAPHAR AS PURGING AND CLEANSING

1. THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF SACRIFICES WAS FOR PURGING AND CLEANSING FROM SIN AND NOT FOR ATONEMENT.

The primary purpose of sacrifices, as exemplified by "Kaphar," was purging and cleansing. Leviticus 16:30 explicitly defines "Kaphar" in this context: "For on that day shall the priest make a purging (kaphar / atonement) for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD". This verse unequivocally links "Kaphar" to the act of being made clean from all sins. The concept of "Azazel" (the goat of removal) further supports the removal of sin rather than merely covering it.

2. THE HOLISTIC MESSAGE OF THE BIBLE DICTATES THAT KAPHAR SHOULD BE TRANSLATED AS CLEANSING AND PURGING FROM SIN AND NOT ATONEMENT.

The consistent message throughout the Old and New Testaments is the cleansing and purging of and deliverance from sin through the blood of Jesus. God’s unchanging demand is for holiness ("Be holy as He is holy"), with a clear consequence for sin ("if we sin, we will surely die"). Jesus' very name means "He will deliver His people from their sins". In Revelation, believers are described as being "cleansed and purged and freed from sin by the blood of the Lamb" and making their "clothes white in the blood of the Lamb". This holistic view necessitates actual cleansing through the blood so that sin may cease.

3. THE CONTEXT IN MULTIPLE SCRIPTURES DICTATES THAT KAPHAR SHOULD BE TRANSLATED AS PURGING, CLEANSING OR REMEDY FOR THE DEFILEMENT FROM SIN.

Numerous Old Testament scriptures, when read in context, clearly indicate that "Kaphar" means purging, cleansing, or remedying defilement.

• Psalm 65:3: "thou shalt purge (Kaphar) them away" in reference to iniquities and transgressions.
• Psalm 79:9: asks God to "deliver us, and purge away (Kaphar) our sins".
• Proverbs 16:6: states, "By mercy and truth iniquity is purged (Kaphar)".
• Isaiah 6:7: describes how "thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged (Kaphar)".
• Daniel 9:24: speaks of "Kaphar for iniquity" alongside "to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to bring in everlasting righteousness," implying a thorough purging.

4. MULTIPLE SCRIPTURES INDICATE THE WILL OF GOD IS PURGING FROM SIN UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLINESS, MERCY AND NOT SACRIFICES FOR ATONEMENT, COVERING OR APPEASEMENT AND SIN REMAINS.

God consistently expresses His demand for internal transformation and abhorrence for mere ritual sacrifice, especially when sin continues.

• "To obey is better than sacrifice" (1 Samuel 15:22).
• "I desire mercy and not sacrifice" (Matthew 9:13, 12:7).
• Psalm 51:16 states, "For You do not desire sacrifice... You do not delight in burnt offering," but rather asks to be "washed thoroughly from my iniquity," "cleanse me from my sin," and "create in me a clean heart".
• Isaiah 1:16 commands, "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings... cease to do evil".

5. NEW TESTAMENT WRITERS’ INTERPRETATION OF THE PURPOSE AND EFFECT OF THE BLOOD OF LAMBS AND OF JESUS WAS CLEANSING AND PURGING FROM SIN.

New Testament writers consistently interpret the blood of Jesus as performing a cleansing, washing, purging, and delivering function from sin.

• Matthew 26:28: Jesus' blood is "shed because of many for the forgiveness and deliverance (Greek: Aphesis) of sins". Aphesis means "forgiveness and deliverance" i.e.  "cleansing".
• John 1:29: Jesus is "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world," directly linking Him to the removal and cleansing of sin.
• 1 John 1:7: Declares that "the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin".
• Revelation 1:5: Jesus "loved us, and washed / cleansed / delivered / loosed us from our sins in his own blood".
• Rev_7:14  And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

6. THE BOOK OF HEBREWS’ REPEATED INTERPRETATION AND APPLICATION OF THE BLOOD OF THE LAMBS AND OF JESUS WAS CLEANSING AND PURGING FROM SIN.

The book of Hebrews repeatedly confirms that the blood of both Old Testament animal sacrifices and Jesus' blood is for cleansing and purging from sin.

o    Hebrews states that animal blood was meant for cleansing and purging the impurity of articles and people's sins, but could not do so perfectly.

o    In contrast, the blood of Jesus "would CLEANSE us perfectly and completely and so make us holy and righteous, i.e. sanctifies and justifies us".

o    Hebrews 1:3: States that Jesus "by himself purged our sins".

o    Hebrews 9:13-14: "For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ... cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?".

o    Hebrews 9:22: "almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness or deliverance / remission (Greek: aphesis = forgiveness or deliverance from sin = cleansing)".

o    Hebrews 10:1-2: Explains that the continual sacrifices of the law could never "make those who approach perfect" because if they could, "the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins".

o    Hebrews 10:4: Affirms "it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins" (purge).

o    Hebrews 10:10, 14: "By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all... For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified".

o    Hebrews 10:22: Encourages drawing near with a true heart "having our hearts sprinkled (to cleanse) from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water".

o    Heb 13:12  Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. (To be sanctified is to be purged from sin with His blood)

o    Heb 13:20  … through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (The covenant of God is that the blood of Jesus would purge us from sin and perfect our works)

These passages clearly demonstrate that the purpose of blood in the Old Testament sacrifices, and ultimately Jesus' sacrifice, was cleansing, purifying, purging, removing, and remedying the defilement of sin and NOT atonement and covering sin.

 

7. TRANSLATIONS THAT SHOW TRANSLATORS SUBJECTIVELY CHOSE HOW TO TRANSLATE KAPHAR AND SOME DID CHOOSE PURGING BUT MOST CHOSE ATONEMENT.

Different translations of "Kaphar" demonstrate subjective choices by translators, often influenced by their own insight, belief, or theology.

• In Psalm 79:9, translations are inconsistent: some use "purge" (KJV, Jubilee Bible 2000), others use "forgive" (NIV, NASB), and others use "atone" (ESV, CSB).
• Similar inconsistencies are noted for Psalm 65:3, Isaiah 6:7, Isaiah 27:9, and Ezekiel 43:20, 26, and Daniel 9:24.
• The KJV itself translates H3722 as "atonement" 71 times but "purge" 7 times.
• This variation demonstrates that translators "themselves decided on the translation," often prioritizing tradition over clear scriptural context and New Testament interpretations that point to cleansing and purging.
• The Hebrew Gospels has Matt 26:28 as follows:

The Greek is aphesis, which means forgiveness and deliverance, which covers cleansing. English has remission which the Amplified translates as forgiveness and deliverance. Translating kaphar as purging or cleansing in Matt 26:28 will be perfectly in line with the rest of the Scriptures that the blood of Jesus was spilled BECAUSE OF (Gr. Peri) many for the cleansing of sin e.g. 1Joh 1:7. All this confirm that kaphar can be and should be translated as cleansing or purging and TRANSLATORS subjectively chose to use atonement.  

 

VI. THE FATAL SPIRITUAL AND ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES OF THIS ERROR

THE FATAL SIGNIFICANCE AND EFFECTS OF TRANSLATING KAPHAR WRONGFULLY AS ATONEMENT

Translating "Kaphar" as "atonement" has profound, damaging, and fatal effects.

• Contradicts God's Commands: It directly opposes God's demands for holiness and the death penalty for sin, by implying sins are merely covered or overlooked, allowing them to remain.
• Promotes Satan's Lie: It supports Satan's lie that one "will surely not die" despite sinning, by teaching that Jesus' blood atones for sins, appeases God's wrath, and pays debts, even if sin continues.
• Fosters False Assurance: It leads billions to a false and fatal assurance of salvation, believing they are saved through "imputed righteousness" without needing actual transformation or cessation of sin.
• Impedes True Deliverance: If one believes atonement means covering sin, they will never truly seek or find cleansing, practical righteousness, or holiness, which are essential to see God.
• God's Word is Marred: As Jesus' body was physically was "marred" and "wounded" on the cross by and due to the sin of the whole world, so the Word of God being "is marred almost beyond recognition" by wrong translations like "atonement". This analogy underscores the severity and impact of the translation error on the core biblical message.

THE FATAL SPIRITUAL AND ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES OF THIS ERROR

The mistranslation of "Kaphar" as "atonement" carries dire and fatal spiritual and eternal consequences.

• It causes people to disregard God's word that demands holiness and warns of death for sin.
• It leads billions to believe they are saved while actively sinning, effectively sending them to hell under a false sense of peace and assurance.
• It allows and condones the continued grieving, piercing, and "crucifixion" of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit through ongoing sin, without true remorse or sympathy for His pain.
• It promotes a "narcissistic, selfish or egocentric" view of Jesus' blood, focusing solely on personal benefit while ignoring humanity's culpability in His suffering and the need for sin to cease.
• Ultimately, those who believe in "atonement" as a covering for sin, rather than a catalyst for purging and cleansing, will not live a holy life and thus "will never see God".
• 
  

VII. CONCLUSION

The overwhelming evidence from the holistic message of the Bible, the contextual usage of "Kaphar," and the interpretations of New Testament writers, especially in the Book of Hebrews, undeniably demonstrates that "Kaphar" means purging and cleansing from sin, not atonement. The purpose of blood, as stated in Leviticus 17:11, is given on the altar for the purging/cleansing/kaphar of the soul.

The blood of Jesus Christ was shed to CLEANSE, PURIFY, PURGE, REMOVE, AND REMEDY THE DEFILEMENT OF SIN, enabling believers to stop sinning, live holy and righteous lives, and ultimately inherit eternal life. True faith in the true message of Jesus' blood leads to repentance, cleansing, deliverance, and a life of holiness, without which no one will see God. This is the “paradoxical power” of God in our hearts – if we realize and remorsefully confess to our Father in heaven for causing Him extreme pain and death due to our sins, the effects in our hearts and in God’s heart are most powerful.

1Co 1:17-18  For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 

1Co 1:23-24  But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 

That is why Paul did not want to know anything else. 1Co 2:2  For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.  This is by far the most important issue on earth.

SELA!

VIII. IN RETROSPECT: 

God has revealed the true message of His cross to me since November 1997 and the truth about kaphar since 2012 and has proven and confirmed this message in my own heart and life and in the hearts and lives of those who believed it.

Written by Faan Oosthuizen

September 2025

sdoosthuizen@xsinet.co.za

http://messiahcrucified2012.blogspot.com/

Vital Truths and Eternally Fatal Deceptions.

 

Vital Truths and Eternally Fatal Deceptions:

1.       Vital Truth: Fear, respect, love, and obey God with all one's heart as our Almighty, all-knowing, omnipresent, righteous, and holy Creator and Father. Any honest and thinking person can clearly see and know God created the amazing and beautiful life, world and universe. Dead matter could not create life or itself. To fear God is the beginning / prerequisite of wisdom. Fatal Deception: Not fearing, respecting, loving, and obeying God with all our hearts as our Creator God. An unthinking fool states there is no God and does not fear Him.

2.       Vital Truth: God states we shall surely die if we sin. If we sin, God says we are dead, Jesus says He will deny knowing us, we are slaves of sin, we have no light or truth, and John says we do not know God, have not seen Him and are of the devil. Without holiness, we shall not see God. Revelation 3:1-2 states: "I know your works, that you have a name that you live, and are dead. Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die. For I have not found your works perfect before God." Also, see Matthew 7:21-23. If we truly believe these truths, we shall fear Him, start to be wise, and we shall seriously seek Jesus to deliver us from all our sins. Fatal Deception: Not believing God's words when He said we shall surely die if we sin but believing Satan's lie that we shall surely not die if we sin. If we do not believe this, we shall not fear God, and without the fear of God, we cannot have wisdom and have not even started to think. Then we shall also not believe Him when He commands obedience and holiness. If you believe you are saved and going to heaven without holiness or that you will not die despite still sinning for whatever reason e.g. because of atonement or substitution, you have been fatally deceived by Satan himself.

3.       Vital Truth: Our loving and holy Father in heaven and His Son in His bosom experience deep grief, murderous and crushing pain when humanity sins. Our sins against God grieved God and fell on, pierced, and slayed the Lamb of God who came to deliver us from sin. (Gen 6:5-6; Ps 69:9, 20; 78:40-41; 95:10; Isa 7:13; 43:24; 53:5; 63:10; Ezek 6:9, Amo 2:13; Zec 12:10; Mal 2:17; Heb 3:10; 1Pe 2:24; Rev. 13:8). Therefore, the death penalty for sin is justified. God allowed this to break our hard and sinful hearts to repent deeply and return to Him – as in Acts 2-4 and in Paul in Acts 9. Fatal Deception: To ignore and deny our Father’s and Jesus’ deep grief, crushing and murderous pain due to sin by listening to a liar, thief, and murderer (Satan) rather than to our Father.

4.       Vital truth: God promised deliverance from sin from the beginning to Adam and Eve, and is reaffirmed throughout Scripture, notably in Genesis 3:15 and Luke 1:67-80 - with an oath. Believers are to seek God for this true deliverance, so that sin may cease and holiness may be lived. This promise of deliverance from sin is fulfilled by Jesus Christ, the Anointed Deliverer, who destroys the works of Satan (1Joh 3:8) and sets us free indeed from all sin (Joh 8:36), makes us holy, and so avoid spiritual death. Fatal deception: Gaining knowledge of good and evil, e.g. Bible studies, training, prayers, etc. whilst continuing in sin and not above all seeking and believing Jesus can deliver me from sin and make me holy, are fatal deceptions that lead to spiritual death. Believing we cannot be made holy, is believing our weaknesses are stronger than Jesus and stronger than His blood, which is the ultimate of unbelief. 1 Timothy 6:3-5 says those who oppose holiness are proud, knowing nothing, perverse disputers, corrupt, and destitute of the truth, and one should depart from them!

5.       Vital Truth: God hates the belief that a sacrifice pays our debt and appeases Him. He wants repentance, righteousness, justice, mercy, holiness, a broken and contrite heart. Therefore, our holy Father and God incarnate came to earth as Jesus to deliver His people from their sins. Jesus proved His divinity by His birth, life, words, and works, but He was despised, rejected, and murdered by sinful mankind (you and I). To confirm His divinity and prove we killed our God, He arose from death and now sits with God to judge all who did that to Him. We therefore need to thoroughly repent from ALL sin. Fatal Deception: Believing "penal substitutionary atonement" (PSA), i.e., that God punished Jesus as an atonement in our place – so that we may not be punished and die for our continued sinning and to falsely believe a sacrifice pays our debt and guilt and appeases God. If we believe this, Satan has succeeded in the ultimate deception of our "Christianity". Satan managed to deceive and convince "Christians," through PSA, to absolve themselves of Jesus' death, whilst Jesus repeatedly said mankind and sinners will martyr and kill Him and to falsely blame and blaspheme God for His death. This lie removes the fear of God, allows for sin to continue, makes us believe Satan's lie that we shall surely not die if we sin, makes us not believe Jesus can cleanse and deliver us from all sin but that He atones for and covers sin, makes us believe holiness is not possible or essential - despite God's commands. We continue to reject and kill Jesus through our sins, blame God, absolve ourselves – and are thankful and happy He died for us and paid our debts on “Good Friday.” This is the greatest evil and worst lie and deceit of all – and practically all "Christians" believe this. This deception is supported by wrong translations, for example:

The Hebrew "Kâphar" (Strong's H3722) should have been translated as "purging or cleansing". The blood of animals and of Jesus, which were spilled because of sin, were intended to purge and cleanse us from sin Lev 16:30. The OT and NT, especially Hebrews and Revelation confirm it repeatedly e.g. Psalm 51:16; Isaiah 1:16; Dan 9:24; 1Joh 1:7, Rev 1:5, 7:14   Hebr. 1:3; 9:13-14, 22; 9:22, 10:1-2, 4, 10, 14, 22.

Fatal lie: Hebrew "Kâphar" translated as "atone" instead of "purging or cleansing," implying it appeases God, covers, and pays for sin.

Hebrew "min" (Strong's H4480 (e)), and Greek "Dia (G1223), peri (G4012), and huper (G5228)" and Aramaic "MetuL (S11636) and KhLaaPH (S7196)" should have been translated as "because of, by, or through" to say, for example: Isaiah 53:5: "But He was wounded because of our transgressions; He was bruised because of our iniquities". Matthew 26:28: "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed because of many for the forgiveness and deliverance (aphesis) of sins". Romans 4:25: "who was delivered because of our offenses". Our sins of commission and omission caused and resulted in Jesus' rejection, wounds, and murder.

Fatal lie:  Hebrew "min" and Greek "Dia, peri, and huper" and Aramaic "MetuL and KhLaaPH" are wrongly translated as "for" us and our sins (e.g. in Isa 53:5, Mat 26:28, Rom 4:25), instead of "because of, by, or through," to support the PSA deception and absolve man of their guilt in murdering Jesus.

Isaiah 53:10 correctly translated says: "Yet it was the Lord's will (it pleased the Lord) to be bruised; to be made weak." This means Jesus allowed us to do this to Him. Fatal lie:  Isaiah 53:10 is wrongly translated to shift the blame to God for bruising Jesus and to absolve man to think he will not die if he sins because Jesus was bruised and punished by God. It is blasphemy to blame God for Jesus’ wounds and not yourself.

Matthew 27:46 correctly translated should say: " Eli, Eli, lmana shabachthani. My God, My God, for this I was spared". The Scriptures repeatedly say God will never desert His saints and Jesus repeatedly said the same and that God is in Him - always. Joh 14:10; 8:16, 29; 14:10; 16:32  Deu 4:7; 31:6 1Sa 12:22 Psa 22:21; 22:24 -25; 23:4; 27:9, 10; 31:22; 34:7, 18, 22; 37:25, 28; 46:1, 5; 7, 11; 145:18, 20; Is 50:5-9; 63:9; Jer 23:23; Mat_1:23; Joh_14:18-23; Joh 14:23; etc. 

Fatal lie: Matthew 27:46 was wrongly translated to say Jesus said God deserted Him, falsely postulating it was because Jesus bore our sins, became a sinner, was punished in our place, and paid our debts, again absolving the sinner and making him think he shall surely not die if he sins because Jesus was deserted in our place.

Greek "sozo" (G4982) should have been translated uniformly as in the ABP as "deliver," meaning Jesus delivers us from our sins through faith in Him. "Deliverer" and "deliverance" are also the proper translations of G4990 so¯te¯r so-tare' deliverer, G4991 so¯te¯ria - deliverance. Fatal lie: Greek "sozo" was changed to say we are "saved" by faith, i.e., we are going to heaven if we believe in Jesus – even if we still sin. This is the very same lie of Satan to Eve – "you will not die if you still sin because you are 'saved' by your faith". "Deliverer" and "deliverance" were also changed to "Savior" and "salvation" to convey the same deception.

"Justification and sanctification by faith" happen when we believe all the above truths; then we will fear God, repent, confess our sins, and call on God's promise through Jesus to destroy Satan and deliver us from sin. Then He will do it, He will change us, and He will MAKE us righteous, just, and holy, as with Abel, Enoch, Noah, Joseph, Moses, Job, the apostles, Paul, etc.. Fatal lie: Satan's fatal lie also says, by faith in the PSA of Jesus, God "sees and declares" us as righteous and holy – even if we still sin.

"Holiness" means without sin. Fatal lie: "Holiness" is instead interpreted as "set apart". If it is meant “set apart” from sin, it would be true, but this is not what is meant by people who believe this deception.

Other Fatal lies: "Eternal security of salvation" and "eternal election," “once a child, always a child” despite still sinning, are the same Satanic lies.

All deceptions, lies, and wrong translations are aimed at making men believe Satan's lie that they shall surely not die if they sin. Every teaching that tolerates or excuses sin, that denies the death penalty for continuing sins and that denies total deliverance and holiness through Jesus, is Satanic.

What shall we do?

Read Is. 53, 1 Peter 2:24-25, Zechariah 12:10, & 13:1-2, Acts 2-4 and Paul in Acts 9, Rom 4:25. Listen to the Holy Spirit, Look up to Jesus whom you have pierced, Confess with remorse that Jesus bore your sins in His body on the cross and that your sins have  pained, martyred, pierced and murdered Him, Repent thoroughly, get baptized into His death to sin, and make restitution. Then He will forgive, wash, cleanse, and deliver you from all sin through His blood that you confess you have spilled. He will fill you with His Holy Spirit, make you righteous and holy, and give you victory over Satan so that sins may stop, you may be made holy, that you may pierce Jesus no more, and that you may not die in your sins but live victorious over Satan and sin.

Then obey Jesus’ Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20: All authority is His. Make others Jesus’ disciples, teach them to obey all that He commanded us, and He will be with you. Start with your neighbours. They also grieve and pierce Jesus with their sin and have been wounded by Satan.

Meet in your houses according to Acts 2-6 and 1 Cor 12-14 with your neighbours who also repented. Then go further. If we don’t, we are accomplices to Jesus’ and our neighbours’ wounds and death (Ezekiel 3, 33).

6.       Vital Truth: God established house churches and destroyed temple-, learned-, trained- preacher- or clergy-centred churches as in Acts and for the first 200-300 years. Jesus alone is Head of one church. No denominations and no one must rule or take titles. God hides His wisdom from the learned but reveals it to the lowly. We do not run after the famous, learned, qualified, appointed, paid, etc. Everyone cleansed from sins by Jesus’ blood becomes a priest for God and a member of the body of Jesus with God-given gifts to edify all. The weakest members are more necessary, and God gives greater honour to the members who lack it (1 Cor 12), e.g. by revealing His wisdom to the lowly. All in agapé love may prophesy/preach, 2-3 at a gathering (1 Cor 14). These are God’s commands, and true spiritual prophets obey this. Then people will repent, confess sins and acknowledge God (1 Cor 14:24-25). The fulness of God will fulfil all on all (Eph 1:23) and He will make His manifold wisdom known to principalities and powers through the church (Eph 3:9-11). This will bring the perfect unity, as per Jesus' death-prayer in John 17, which would convince the world that God has indeed sent Jesus. 

Gatherings: Call your gatherings "……….(town name or neighbourhood) House Church" on social media to inform Christian neighbours where you meet. Later, meet with other similar house churches as it expands. This is the Biblical way to change people and societies until He returns.

Fatal Deception: Satan led deceived men away from house churches to establish temple-, building-, denominational-, learned-, priest- and preacher-centred gatherings. This resulted in the many divisions and many pastor-led churches in every town. God rejected such gatherings after Jesus' crucifixion. They were later established to maintain deceptions, suppress the truth, cause denominational divisions, and oppose Jesus' prayer for unity. The learned theologians took titles e.g. “Pastor”, “Reverend”, “Bishop”, “Father”, “dominee”, etc. became leaders and rulers, garnered followers, preached alone and only their lies without God’s wisdom, and their permission must be sought to speak, contrary to Jesus' teaching. These egocentric learned denominational church leaders/chief priests were and are the biggest opposers and persecutors of the truth of God and are the dividers of Jesus' body! God ignores gatherings that ignore 1 Corinthians 14. It is no use to drive past your neighbours and attend unbiblical building- and preacher-centred churches which God ignores. Denominational churches are ALL unBiblical. Remaining with them makes you an enabler and an accomplice.

 SELA and Amen.

Faan Oosthuizen sdoosthuizen@xsinet.co.za

http://messiahcrucified2012.blogspot.com/

MATT 27:46 and LUKE 23:46 – CORRECT TRANSLATION: “Eli, Eli, lmana shabachthani ! My God, my God, for this I was spared.”

 

 

MATT 27:46 and LUKE 23:46 – CORRECT TRANSLATION:

“Eli, Eli, lmana shabachthani ! My God, my God, for this I was spared.”

 

The traditional translations which say Jesus said “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me” is very seriously and disgustingly wrong. It is even blasphemy and has led to extremely serious and fatal errors in Christian teachings. It is therefore vitally important to state, know and believe the truth because eternity depends on believing the truth.

 

The correct translation makes it clear that Jesus DID NOT SAY GOD FORSOOK HIM OR THAT GOD DID NOT FORSAKE HIS BELOVED INNOCENT SON - just as He will NEVER forsake any of His innocent children who are being persecuted and murdered by sinful man. The wrong translation blasphemes Jesus to say He said such a terribly false thing of His Father who was with Him and in Him and it blasphemes and insults God to say He did such a terrible thing to His beloved suffering Son. Meanwhile it was MANKIND who betrayed, denied, deserted, martyred and murdered Jesus! Is 53 confirms that man will make this mistake.  

Isa 53:3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 

Isa 53:4  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 

Isa 53:5  But he was wounded because of our transgressions, he was bruised because of our iniquities: the correction / instruction for our peace was through / by him; and with his stripes we are healed. 

 

God ALLOWED it, as He allowed many of His prophets and disciples to be murdered, but GOD DID NOT DO IT. Just think the evil of it: We martyr and murder Jesus and then falsely blame God and absolve ourselves! As God allowed His Word to be wounded, broken and distorted by Satan-inspired men as in this verse, so God allowed Jesus to be wounded by Satan-inspired men, but GOD DID NOT DO IT. Evil men did it. This Satan-inspired wrong translation shifts the blame for the murder of Jesus from sinful rebellious man to blaming God for Jesus’ suffering and murder. Just sit and think about this and how painful it must be to God and how terribly devious – we sinners martyr and murder Jesus and we blame His Father!! How utterly evil! Repent and confess if you ever said that.

 

The whole purpose of Satan with this wrong translation, and with all the other wrong translations and interpretations, was to make man believe the very first lie to Adam and Eve namely “you will surely not die if you sin” so that people may be deceived into continuing with sin whilst believing they are going to heaven and whilst they do not live holy lives. This wrong translation is used to say you will not die when you sin because Jesus took and bore your sins, God’s wrath was poured out on Him, Jesus took your punishment, He died in your place, He paid your debts, therefore God forsook Him – and therefore you will not be punished or be forsaken or die for your sins – if you accept and believe His offering. This sounds wonderful and makes MOST people quite happy and relieved because they now believe they will not die if they sin, they do not need to feel condemned because of their sins and they need not be holy to enter heaven. This lie is widely preached and this makes people continue piercing Jesus with their sins. This is exactly what Satan wants.

 

That is exactly what Jesus said will happen to MANY people. They will call Him Lord, Lord and prophesy and do miracles in His Name, but He will deny that He knew them because they disobeyed God and they kept on sinning. Matt 7:21-23. They were all deceived to believe Satan’s lie that they will surely not die whilst they kept on sinning. John says the same: 1 John 3:6 -8 Everyone who sins has not seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as that One is righteous. He who practices sin is of the Devil.

 

We need to STOP sinning and that is exactly what God promised Adam and Eve and to all of us. He will send SOMEONE, JESUS CHRIST, JOSHUA, THE ANOINTED DELIVERER, who will crush the head of Satan and FORGIVE, DELIVER AND CLEANSE His people from their sins – THAT SINS MAY STOP AND THAT WE NEED NOT DIE. FOR THIS PURPOSE God and Jesus allowed sinful men to wound, martyr and murder Him - that we may see what sins truly are and how murderously hurtful it is to our God, so that we may deeply confess, repent and die to sin and that He may forgive and deliver us from sin, destroy the works of Satan, set us free indeed from sin, that sins may stop, that we may live for righteousness, be healed from the fatal leprosy of sins, stop going astray and return to our God and Father. (Is 53, Zech 12:10-13:9, Joh 8:34-36; 1Pet 2:24-25, 3:18; 1Joh 3:8) This is exactly what happened to the Jews in Acts and to Paul in Acts 9 and to everyone who truly receives the Holy Spirit who causes us to look up to Him whom we have pierced and to mourn bitterly for what we did to Him -Zech 12:10 – 13:9. 

 

PROOFS AND SUPPORT FOR THE TRANSLATION ABOVE:

By the testimony of 2 to 3 witnesses a case is settled. Here below are many more witnesses which settle the correct translation beyond any doubt.

Reader, we were all deceived and ignorant of the truth. But as Peter said to the Jews when they realized they have betrayed, denied and murdered their MESSIAH:

Act 3:17  And now, brothers, I know that you did it through ignorance, as also your rulers did.  But those things which God before had shown by the mouth of all His prophets, that Christ should suffer, He fulfilled in this manner.  Therefore repent and convert so that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.  And He shall send Jesus Christ, who before was proclaimed to you, whom Heaven truly needs to receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of His holy prophets since the world began.  For Moses truly said to the fathers, "The Lord your God shall raise up a Prophet to you from your brothers, One like me. You shall hear Him in all things, whatever He may say to you.  And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people." 

Act 3:26  Having raised up His son Jesus, God sent Him to you first, to bless you in turning every one of you away from his iniquities. 

 

We now need to deeply confess, repent, turn from our sins, ask JESUS, the DELIVERER, for forgiveness for what our sins did to Him and for thorough cleansing and deliverance. Then Jesus will return to our hearts and we will be refreshed and blessed.

 

1.       Lamsa, George. The Holy Bible from Ancient Eastern Manuscripts. ISBN 0-06-064923-2.  

According to Lamsa’s translation from the Aramaic of the Peshitta, the Peshitta text reads: “Eli, Eli, lmana shabachthani!! My God, my God, for this I was spared.” Mark 15:34 and Matt. 27:46.

 

2.       https://philomantis.wordpress.com/2007/02/03/matthew-2746-my-god-my-godhuh/

And my studies reveal that he didn't say, "my el, my el, why have you forsaken me?" If you'll compare Shem Tob Hebrew Gospel of Matthew with Ps. 22:1, it has the same exact thing in the Hebrew. The meaning is: Permit me to die or permit me to be loosened, i.e., he was asking to die now.

 

3.       http://www.biblecenter.de/bibel/cbc/sinoffering.php  by  Gary Gudlin

Quote: A literal rendering of lmana sabachthani simply reads, “For this is what you left me.” The truth it conveys is “For this purpose you spared me,” “For this reason you kept me,” “For this purpose you caused me to remain.”

Most English translators and theologians, in keeping with their theology, chose to use lama “why” rather than lmana, and used the later-developed meaning of shbq, “to forsake” to translate Jesus' utterance, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani” as, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

The doctrine of Jesus' spiritual death by taking on man's sinful nature has been shown erroneous. Many verses clearly indicate that God was with His Son throughout his ordeal on the cross as Jesus expected. Together, these truths leave no possibility or reason for thinking God forsook Jesus Christ.¹³ The translation must convey, "My God, my God, for this purpose you spared me."¹⁴

Luke 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit [i.e. life¹]: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost [expired].

These words, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit," were spoken after God supposedly had forsaken him. If God truly had forsaken him, to whom was Jesus speaking?

Clearly, Jesus Christ believed God was with him throughout the time of his crucifixion, and the scriptures attest to the same. Why then do the translators of Matthew record Jesus as saying, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

Many times those who opposed Jesus Christ had tried to kill him. Many times they failed because God had not delivered him over. Now on God’s terms, they were permitted to carry out their evil intent. They meant it for evil, but God allowed it for good. Jesus Christ willingly went to Calvary to fulfill God’s plan.

When Jesus was arrested, he could have had twelve legions of angels keep him from harm’s way. But he knew what he was about to endure was the great purpose of his life.

Matthew 26:53,54 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

 

4.    Jesus used almost the same words with the same meaning in John 12:27 supporting this translation. After these words, God immediately responded approvingly to Him.. And My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour? But for this cause I came to this hour. :28  Father, glorify Your name! Then there came a voice from the heaven saying, I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.  

Ø  He was all along spared by God for that hour. He could have asked God any moment to save Him from death. God did not leave Him as punishment or in anger.

 

 5.       JESUS AND GOD ARE ONE AND HE COULD NOT FORSAKE HIMSELF.

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Joh 1:14  And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us.

Joh 1:18  No one has seen God at any time; the Only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. 

Joh 8:58  Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, Before Abraham came into being, I AM! 

Joh 10:30  I and the Father are one! 

Joh 14:9  Jesus said to him, Have I been with you such a long time and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father. And how do you say, Show us the Father? 

Joh 14:10  Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in Me? The Words that I speak to you I do not speak of Myself, but the Father who dwells in Me, He does the works.

Ø  God cannot forsake or punish Himself. On the cross we also see God and the heart of God and Jesus who is in the bosom of God, crushed and killed by the sins of rebellious demon possessed men.

 

6.       JESUS HIMSELF REPEATEDLY SAID GOD IS ALWAYS WITH HIM AND WILL NOT FORSAKE HIM, BUT MEN WILL FORSAKE HIM.

Joh 8:16  And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I and the Father who sent Me.

Joh 8:29  And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things which please Him.   

Joh 14:10  Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in Me? The Words that I speak to you I do not speak of Myself, but the Father who dwells in Me, He does the works.

Joh 16:32  Behold, the hour comes, yea, has now come, that you will be scattered, each man to his own things, and you will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.

Ø  Jesus always pleased God and knew God will always be with Him. He would not have spoken against His own words by later saying the Father forsook Him. He also would never accuse His Father of forsaking Him.

 

7.       THE SCRIPTURES NEVER SAY GOD WAS ANGRY AT JESUS AND THAT HE LEFT JESUS ALONE IN WRATH OR PUNISHMENT BUT THE CONTRARY IS TRUE.  

Isa 42:1  Behold My Servant, whom I uphold; My Elect, in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit on Him; He shall bring out judgment to the nations. 

Joh 10:17  Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I might take it again. Joh 10:18  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down from Myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it again. I have received this commandment from My Father. 

Joh 17:5  And now Father, glorify Me with Yourself with the glory which I had with You before the world was. 

Heb 2:9  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that He by the grace of God should taste death for / through all. 

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

 

 

8.       THE SCRIPTURES REPEATEDLY SAY GOD WILL NEVER FORSAKE THE RIGHTEOUS OR HIS CHILDREN. JESUS WAS FOREMOST OF ALL.  

Gen 28:15  And, behold, I am with you, and will keep you in every place where you go, and will bring you again into this land. For I will not leave you until I have done that which I have spoken of to you. 

Deu 4:7. Deu 31:6  Be strong and of a good courage. Do not fear nor be afraid of them. For Jehovah your God is He who goes with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you.  Deu 31:8 

1Sa 12:22  For Jehovah will not forsake His people for His great name's sake, because it has pleased Jehovah to make you His people.

Psa 22:1  My God, my God, why have You forsaken me, (It’s not a song about being abandoned. It’s a song about vindication, domination and glory. http://skipmoen.com/2007/07/29/times-two/http://skipmoen.com/2009/07/02/victory-song/

Psa 22:21  Save Me from the lion's mouth; from the wild oxen's horns. You have answered Me.  Psa 22:24 -25 For He has not despised nor hated the affliction of the afflicted; and He has not hidden His face from him, but when he cried to Him, He heard.

**David answered his own question. God answered him, has not despised him, has not hated him in his affliction and has not hidden His face from Him but heard him when he cried i.e. God has not forsaken Jesus.

Psa 23:4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Psa 27:9  Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. Psa 27:10  When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

Psa 31:22  For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before Your eyes; surely You heard the voice of my cries, when I cried to You.

Psa 34:7  The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. 

Psa 34:18  Jehovah is near to the broken-hearted; and saves those who are of a contrite spirit. Psa 34:22  The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate. 

Psa 37:25  I have been young, and am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, or his seed begging bread.  Psa 37:28  For Jehovah loves judgment and does not forsake His saints; they are kept forever; but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. 

Psa_46:1, Psa_46:5; Psa_46:7, Psa_46:11;

Psa 145:18  Jehovah is near all those who call on Him, all those who call on Him in truth. Psa 145:20  Jehovah watches over all those who love Him; Isa_8:8-10; Isa_41:10, Isa_41:17,

Is 50:5-9 :6  I gave My back to the strikers, and My cheeks to pluckers; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting. :7  For the Lord Jehovah will help Me; :8  He is near who justifies Me; :9  Behold, the Lord Jehovah will help Me; Let him trust in the name of Jehovah and rest on his God.

Isa 63:9  In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bore them, and carried them all the days of old. 

Jer 23:23  Mat_1:23, Joh_14:18-23;

Joh 14:23  Jesus answered and said to him, If a man loves Me, he will keep My Word. And My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. 

Php_4:5  The Lord is at hand.

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

Ø  These words are also Jesus’ words. He meant it. He would not suddenly lose faith and accuse God of forsaking Him when God repeatedly said He would never do that.

Ø  God will not go against His own words to forsake His own Son when He said He never will, especially when Jesus was being innocently murdered whilst doing God’s will.

Ø  Every God-fearing person knows this and all of them who went through deep distress always found comfort knowing God is always with them. God confirmed it to them - as with Stephen. Much more so with Jesus.

 

9.       GOD RECEIVED JESUS’ SPIRIT WHEN HE DIED.

Luke 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit [i.e. life¹]: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost [expired].

Ø  Jesus said this after He allegedly said God forsook Him, but God received His Spirit. So, God did not forsake Jesus and He did not die alone.

 

10.   CORRECT TRANSLATIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS OF SCRIPTURES COMMONLY USED TO SUPPORT THE WRONG TRANSLATION OF MATT 27:46. The proofs for the translations below cover many pages and are dealt with in other documents.

a.       ISAIAH 53.

                        i.      Is 53 as a whole and the whole Bible indicate that MAN despised, rejected and murdered Jesus.

                      ii.      Is 53:4 indicates that we by mistake thought God did it. Zech 12:10 says the Holy Spirit will open our eyes to look up to Him whom we have pierced and to mourn bitterly for Him when we realize we have pierced our Creator. GOD DID NOT HURT, PUNISH OR FORSAKE JESUS. MAN DID. The individual verses should always be read and considered in this context. 

                    iii.      Isa 53:5  But He was wounded BECAUSE OF our transgressions; He was bruised BECAUSE OF our iniquities; the correction for our peace was based upon / by / through Him; The wrong translations say He was wounded FOR our transgressions and the punishment for our peace was on Him which misled people to think God did it FOR us and He punished Jesus,  i.e. God then also forsook Jesus. This is wrong.

                    iv.      Isa 53:6  and Jehovah has laid on Him the iniquity / sins of us all. 

Aramaic: and LORD JEHOVAH caused to meet in himself the sin of all of us

ABP: and the LORD delivered him up because of our sins. 

Afr: maar die HERE het die ongeregtigheid / sonde van ons almal op Hom laat neerkom. 

God and Jesus ALLOWED our sins to wound and pierce Jesus. God did not DO it.

                      v.      Isa 53:8  because of the transgression of My people He was stricken. 

ABP: Because of the lawless deeds of my people he was led unto death. 

People caused His wounds.

                    vi.      Is 53:10 Yet it pleased Jehovah to be crushed; to be made weak / grieved;

Ø  The wrong translations say it pleased God to crush Jesus - again making people think God punished and forsook Jesus. Other translations say:

The Lord WILLED to cleanse Him of the beating. 

The Lord chose that He would prostrate himself and He afflicted Himself.

And God, willing his dejection, …

b.      Psa 69:9  and the reproaches of those who reproached You have fallen on Me. Our sins against God also hurt and wounded His Son. He ALLOWED it.

c.       Psa 69:20  Reproach has broken my heart, Man’s reproaches wounded and broke Him.

d.      Rom 4:25 who was delivered because of our offenses

e.       2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin BECAUSE OF us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Ø  By seeing Jesus being despised, rejected, martyred and murdered, and carrying our sins, we see sin, we see what sin is and how evil and cruel our own sins are to Jesus. Jesus allowed it that we may confess, repent, stop with sin and be made righteous. 1Pet 2:24, 3:18-19,  4:1-2 and Zech 12:10 are in perfect agreement with this.

Ø  The wrong translation and interpretation here say Jesus was made sin FOR us, giving us the same wrong idea that Jesus became a sinner in our place and was punished in our place, that God may see us as righteous – even if we still sin. Again, supporting Satan’s lie that we will therefore not die if we sin.  

Ø  The wrong translation of Matt. 27:46 supported this wrong translation of 2Cor. 5:21.

 

f.        Gal 3:13  Christ redeemed / rescued us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse because of / by / through us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone having been hanged on a tree"); 

The Law DOES NOT condemn innocent men who are innocently and falsely accused and crucified. None of the prophets, disciples, apostles or martyrs who were innocently crucified were cursed. On the contrary, the Bible calls them blessed. Much more so was Jesus NOT cursed by the Law when innocently crucified.

EVIL MANKIND CURSED AND CRUCIFIED JESUS INNOCENTLY. BECAUSE OF OR BY OUR SIN, WE INNOCENTLY CURSED HIM. THE LAW UTTERLY CONDEMNS US FOR THIS. Rom 8:3 confirms it. God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and because of sin, condemned sin in the flesh; 

Jesus allowed it – to expose and condemn sin, that we may see what our sins truly are and do to Him. If we see, accept and confess this, our hearts are deeply pierced as Zechariah prophesied in Zech 12:10 and as has happened in Acts 2-4 and to Paul on the Damascus Road. We sorrowfully confess and repent thoroughly, and God forgives, delivers and cleanses us and so we are RESCUED / REDEEMED / DELIVERED / SAVED / RANSOMNED from the curse the Law pronounced on us for what all our sins did to Jesus.

The wrong translation and interpretation which say Jesus was made a curse FOR us, and that He was cursed by the Law FOR us, or in our place, taking our curse and punishment in our place and so redeemed us that we will not be punished, is the same Satanic lie alluded to above. It makes the deceived believe they will therefore not die even if they sin – because Jesus became a curse FOR them or in their place. 

 

CONCLUSION: The correct translation is:  “Eli, Eli, lmana shabachthani ! My God, my God, for this I was spared.”

 

IMPLICATIONS OF THE WRONG AND THE CORRECT TRANSLATION:

The wrong translation caused man to believe God is responsible for Jesus’ suffering and death, that Jesus was an atonement or a substitute for their sins and He took their punishment. So they missed their personal guilt and absolved themselves. This made them believe they will therefore surely not die if they sin but they are “saved” and going to heaven despite sinning. This was Satan’s lie from the beginning and his whole aim with the wrong translation. This deceived billions and caused them to excuse and tolerate their sins. These are the ones Jesus will deny that He knew them because they did not do the will of God and they continued sinning.

 

The correct translation indicates Jesus came and was spared and kept to be crucified by sinful man. On the cross He allowed sinful man to do to His body what they have been doing to God’s heart, to God’s Word, to God’s Spirit, to God’s Lamb since the foundation of the world and to their neighbour. We have brutally pained and martyred Him. So He exposed our sin and evil and we are utterly condemned and without any excuse.

 

It also proves the truths stated in the Bible, especially 1Cor 1-3, that God has indeed hidden His wisdom from the wise, learned, great and prudent and revealed it to the babes, the lowly, the nothings – and God will finally destroy the wisdom of the learned. Practically ALL the past and current learned and world-famous theologians were totally wrong all along. It is no different today than in the day of Jesus. The Messiah stood right before them, spoke all the truths and did all the works, but they did not recognize or believe Him. Even above His head on the cross the truth was clearly written and NO ONE believed it, but the robber next to Him and the Roman soldier.

 

Jesus clearly said His wisdom will be hidden from the learned and revealed to the lowly, they could clearly read it, but they did not believe Him. Instead, the learned became learned BECAUSE they did not believe Jesus, they then only believed themselves for they were the learned, they preached alone and preached their own deceived foolishness, wrote millions of books with their foolish wisdom and never listened to the lowly and never allowed the lowly to speak. They even built high pedestals for themselves to preach from and made the masses sit quietly in rows, whilst they preached foolish lies to them and when they would say Amen, no one else was allowed to speak. All Satanic - to control the narrative and silence the truth.

 

WHAT SHALL WE DO?

God allowed all this to happen, that we do it in foolish ignorance, that God can do in each repentant person what He did to Joseph’s brothers, to David’s despisers, to the Jews at Pentecost and to Paul on the road to Damaskus – to work a radical remorse for our sinful and carnal lives and a total destruction of and death to self, pride, learning, fame, position, etc. to be crucified with Jesus whom we crucified, that we may become lowly and humble students again in the Kingdom of God – and despise no man for what we do to the LEAST, we do to Him.

 As prophesied in Zech 12:10-13:9 and fulfilled in Acts 2-4, the Holy Spirit pleads us to look up to Jesus whom we are piercing because of sin and to mourn bitterly for Him. If we do it and we confess, repent and make right, God promised forgiveness, and He opens the fountain of Jesus’ blood against sins, unrighteousness, idols, false prophets, unclean spirits, carnal loves, lies, hypocrisy, impurities, etc. and He forgives, cleanses and delivers us from all sins, He fills us with His Holy Spirit and He makes us righteous and holy.

 Is 53:11 and 1 Peter 2:24-25 confirm this:

Isa 53:11  He shall see the fruit of the travail of His soul. He shall be fully satisfied. By this  knowledge of Him shall My righteous Servant justify many; because He shall bear their iniquities. If we have this knowledge that Jesus will bear our sins, He will change us and make us righteous. 1Pet 2:24 says the same.

1Pe 2:24  He Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that dying to sins, we might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed. 

1Pe 2:25  For you were as sheep going astray, but now you are turned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 

If you accept and confess with remorse He bore your sins in His body and your sins wounded and killed Him and you repent, you will and can stop with sin by His grace, by His deliverance and by making you righteous and holy. Then you can live righteously, you will be healed from sin by His wounds, you will stop going astray and you will return to your Shepherd and Overseer - for He is able to keep you from stumbling. Jude 24.

 HOWEVER, If you keep on sinning, and keep on making Jesus bear your evil and blaming God for Jesus’ murder, your damnation will be justified.

 Faan Oosthuizen    

sdoosthuizen@xsinet.co.za

http://messiahcrucified2012.blogspot.com/