For 'sin' and for 'sin offering' there is
but one word in Hebrew. In relation to
the statement here used of Christ, one
recalls the ' scapegoat ' (and its heathen
analogies, the if>apfiaKoi at Athens, or the
victims in ancient Egypt whereof Herodo-
tus speaks). In 2 Cor. v. 21 It is said
of Christ, "Him that knew not sin on
our behalf, He made sin" That is even
stranger than this " becoming a curse."
In the citation from Deuteronomy the
Apostle alters the phrase in the LXX text
' KtKarrjpafitvo^ wro 8<ou' (which he could
not have anyhow used, as hardly with
reverence to be applied to Christ — even in
view of Psalm xxii.) into the simple eVi-
Kara/jaTos, which brings it into line with
the quotation of v. 10. For myself, I
cannot see how we can extrude from the
passage before us the thought of ' vicarious



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Not '/aiik' but 'faith in Christ^ 55

suffering.' Christ ' redeems ' us by ' be-
coming a curse' — that is by taking on
Himself the penalty involved in the failure
to achieve the claims of God's Holiness.
