The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross

Leon Morris delivers a theological robust rebuttal of CH Dodd's explanation, and the modernist view of Christ's sacrifice being too bloody for a just God. The word 'hilaiskos' is hermeneutically proven to mean 'propitiation' and not just 'expiation'. Many Bibles have opted in favor of translating the word as 'expiation' which fails to assert that God's wrath was appeased. There is correspondingly a lesser need for repentance. Luther's Nr 1 thesis of the 95 nailed to the Wittenburg Church door, was: 'That the life of the faithful should be one of perpetual repentance.' This was obviously, at that time, intended to counter the repentance brought through mass, confession to a priest and other means invented by Catholicism. Today, the need for repentance is once again being downplayed by those wishing to describe God as so 'loving.' 'It was inevitable that the wrath of God should be the divine reaction to sin.' p 253 The word-study of the major words in soteriology is exegesis of the highest biblical standard. 'Wrath has occupied such an important place in the argument leading up to this section (Romans 3: 21-31) that we are justified in looking for some expression indicative of its cancellation in the process which brings about salvation.' p 169

This is one of the best studies of the cross in the twentieth century. It is not a comprehensive theological study of the cross. Instead, Morris focuses on words such as redemption, propitiation, and reconciliation. Like most academic books, it is difficult to read and tedious at times. It presupposes a working knowledge of Hebrew and Greek. But working through this book will greatly enrich your understanding of the cross. The sections on propitiation are worth the price of the book. These sections are the definitive conservative critique of C. H. Dodd's position that hilaskomai referred only to expiation