The Cultural Memory of Christ Found in Sacrifice

The Cultural Memory of Christ Found in Sacrifice

“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the Holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Hebrews 9: 12-14

The truth of sacrifice being a part of the religious and political life of the human family across geographic and generational lines is a clearly documented fact. Its presence is the result of cultural memory handed down through Adam to generation of men that followed. Sacrifice in this sense becomes a form of prayer. The degeneration from the sacrificial system that honors the God of creation to one that appeases a territorial or demonic spirit is one of the great tragedies of human history. Its negative trajectory began with misdirected praise and ended with the murder of the innocent. The perversion of the appropriate understanding of sacrifice is the result of sin and ignorance. The below quotes contain the idea of the need to appease local gods that are Biblically known as territorial spirits. The discussion of them from that perspective adds legitimacy to the power of the Gospel to make men free. It is also helpful because is captures the animistic history of Europe as well. These will discuss on Animistic religion will address this issue in a limited manner.

“There is abundant archaeological evidence that many societies practiced both animal and human sacrifice to persuade the gods to protect their buildings and ensure safe passage through dangerous areas where their own gods might lack jurisdiction. Burials suggestive of sacrifice have been found in the sites of ancient bridges and buildings throughout Asia, Europe, and North Africa. It was widely believed that territories were under the control of local gods who might be angered by intrusions. Blood sacrifice at border crossings (often marked by rivers) and within buildings were thought to be prudent offerings. Sacrificial victims were also interred beneath city gates. Children were often selected as the sacrificial offerings. Excavation of the Bridge Gate in Bremen, Germany, and several ancient fortresses in Wales are among the many examples of this practice.

(in)“The Aztec religion ….The important element in relation to human sacrifice, very briefly, is that the universe was thought to run on an energy called tonalli, "animating spirit". This word comes from tona, "to make heat or sun". It nourished the gods, and kept the sun moving. Throughout Aztec religion there is a great emphasis on motion, and motion is driven by tonalli. In humans it is located in the blood stream. When a man is frightened, it concentrates in the heart. The gods' thirst for it is perpetual. It drives the universe. Without it, everything stops. (Graulick, 1988. Ingham, 1984.)”

This global perversion of the cultural memory of sacrifice handed down through Adam is based on fear. The Gospel came to set us free from fear and can only be understood within the context of sacrifice. Christ’s death must be understood from the context of sacrifice. Jesus said of his work on the cross. “If I be lifted up I will draw all men to me.”(John 12:32 ) The tearing of the temple curtain from top to bottom is not the elimination of the sacrificial system initiated by God but its consummation. Matthew 27:50-53 are vitally important to the confirming of the power of the Gospel and are greatly under preached, especially verses 52 and 53 which state.

And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. (Matthew 27; 52-53)

The rending of the temple curtain was also the rending of death and the grave. It was the first fruits of the defeat of death, our last enemy. (1 Corinthians 15:26) The power over death is seen in dead people visiting relatives in Jerusalem after the death of Jesus. That is a pretty good pre-evangelism campaign for the day of Pentecost. It is in the resurrection of Christ that all the communication of the Gospel has its fruition. It is where the Gospel seen is creation is found, it is where the Gospel of conscience is felt, and it is located in the Gospel of cultural memory where men long for life and the end of death. Paul the Apostle lays the entire reality on the Christian faith on the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ as the redemptive solution for all of men’s sins. It is the fulfillment of the law and the justice of God.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”(Romans 3: 23-26)

In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul deals with the question of the resurrection by casting as wide a net to all men as possible. He makes a clear connection between Christ resurrection from the dead and the reality of the resurrection for every man.

Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. (1 Corinthians 15: 13-15)

For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. (1 Corinthians 15: 16-17)
However if Christ is risen then his sacrificial death becomes an atonement for the sins of all men in all places because he was raised as a man. Paul then appeals the cultural memory of mankind. He links all men to one man, and therefore gives hope to all men through the sacrifice of that one man. The old country hymn says it this way, “I am a nobody, telling everybody about somebody that can save anybody.”

“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the first fruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.” (1 Corinthians 15: 20-23)

Paul is not just writing to men of his day, but men from all times and all places, and all family lines. Paul is not just writing to Greek sages, but the San of African and Aztec, The Cherokee’s and Aucas of Ecuador. Paul task while on Earth was to preach the Gospel. He said of himself and his work in 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have finished the race” Jesus said in John 17:4 “I have finished the work.” There is no longer a need to fear death or to take part in sacrifices because, “Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins. The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever.” Hebrews 7 27-28

Kastenbaum, Robert. “Sacrifice”. Encyclopedia of Death and Dying. http://www.deathreference.com/Py-Se/Sacrifice.html
Kastenbaum, Robert. “Sacrifice”. Encyclopedia of Death and Dying. http://www.deathreference.com/Py-Se/Sacrifice.html
Pettifor, Eric. “An Offer You Can’t Refuse Human Sacrifice and the Aztec State” copyright Eric Pettfor 1996. http://www.wynja.com/arch/aztec.html