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I found somthing was interesting in a book called the More Light on the Gospel by an author named George M Lamsa. “He was born in Mar Bishu in what is now the extreme east of Turkey. A native Aramaic speaker, he translated the Aramaic Peshitta (literally "straight, simple") Old and New Testaments into English. - www.wikipedia.com”

Todays blog is on the famous bible verse 3:16 – What does it mean? I am not a Christian but many Christians I find use this passage as a means to justify that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. But this author seems to have a different view... as stated above he translated this particular passage from an aramaic perspective (The aramaic language was the language of Jesus). In his translations he is explaining symbolism, metaphores and idioms in that are in the bible – that we really don't understand.

His book More Light on the Gospel says a mouthful.... It is easy to decieve a person if he/she do not understand what you are saying. George brings light to most of the questionable passages that in the bible. Hopefully this will bring some explainations to Christians, Non-Christians and Athesists alike.

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“DID GOD PAY A RANSOM?

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten

Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,

but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

No verse in the Holy Bible is more quoted than this one, and yet none is probably more theologically misunderstood. This

is because the Western reader does not understand Eastern customs and mannerisms of speech.

Indeed, many scholars and preachers of the gospel sincerely believe that God sacrificed Jesus of Nazareth to appease the Devil and the evil forces. Some teachers say that God, through Jesus' death on the cross, paid a debt to the Devil in order to free man from sin. Others use the term "redemption," meaning that God paid a ransom or a price in order to redeem mankind from evil forces. Still others say that God reconciled or appeased

His own wrath against humanity through the death of His beloved son.

It is interesting to note that nearly all the passages which in the King James version read "redemption," in the ancient Eastern,

or Aramaic, text (Larosa) read porkana, "salvation." Redemption

is made effective by means of a payment or a ransom,

but no price is ever paid when a person is saved from danger.

It is often said that Jesus Christ died for our sins, and that our sins could never have been forgiven without his death. The Aramaic word mitol means "because," or, "on account of," or "for," but the preferred meaning is ''because.'' I am inclined to believe that Jesus died because of our sins, because of man's transgression against God's law.

Humanity, in Jesus' day, was just as sinful as it is today. The world has been dominated by sin since Adam and Eve first transgressed the law. If man had not broken the law, Jesus would not have had to die. On the other hand, God, being the loving Father, does not need to be appeased by his children.

~

No human father would try to appease his wrath by putting one

of his sons to death.

Now, if we assume that Jesus died to appease the forces of

evil, then seemingly evil was stronger than the good-God. On

the other hand, it is usually the weaker who pays the stronger,

the vanquished who pays tribute to the victor. Therefore, such

an act would not only prove that the Devil, or Satan, is an

entity, but also a force or power equal to or greater than God.

Moreover, if God delivered His son to sinful men to be

crucified to appease His own wrath and thus reconcile himself with His children, then He could hardly be a God of love, a loving Father.

Customarily, only pagans killed their sons in honor of kings and princes. They also offered them as sacrifices in order to appease their wrath, and redeemed captives by payment of ransom. The King of Moab offered his son, the crown prince, who was to reign in his place, to appease the wrath of the kings who fought against him. (II Kings 3:27) Moreover, feudal chieftains, in order to settle blood feuds, sacrifice a member of their tribe to bring reconciliation. Baal worship was founded on this idea of reconciling gods through human sacrifices and other offerings. But the Jews, having been admonished by God, inaugurated the practice of animal rather than human sacrifice;

Some theologians say that Jesus took our sins upon himself and offered them to God; others say that God forsook Jesus on the cross because He could not look on the sins Jesus was bearing. Yet in the Gospel we read that when Jesus forgave sinners, all he said was, "Go and sin no more." He did not say, "Offer something to appease God's wrath." Of course the Jews, like the pagans, often tried to appease God's wrath by means of sacrifice and offerings, at times even offering their children. Moreover, in the Bible we read that God sees every evil thing which man does, and nothing is hidden from His eyes.

Assuredly, the death of Jesus on the cross was predicted by the prophet Isaiah. The latter knew that anyone who would venture to challenge the temple religion and the corrupt systems of this world would meet with death. The prophet did not at 'any time say that Jesus' death would reconcile God or pay a debt to the forces of evil. '

Jesus, in his teachings, condemned hypocrisy, injustice, exploitation

and the misuse of religion; All the Hebrew prophets who had spoken out against evil kings and princes and the wicked order of their days had met with the same fate, and for this cause they were all killed or stoned.

Jesus' death was different in that he was willing to die, knowing

that he would rise again from death. Therefore, his death was a triumph, and his grave is still the only empty one. In

other words, God permitted the death of His beloved son in order to reveal the depth of His love to humanity.

The Scripture says God is love. Indeed, love could not demand

human sacrifices, because there is nothing in love to be appeased. Jesus died on the cross not to appease God or the

evil forces, but to prove that life is indestructible and everlasting through his death on the cross inaugurated a new world order.

the order of meekness and loving-kindness.”

Source:

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOG CARD NUMBER 68--2 7125

William. Moran, Jr., of Norristown, Pennsylvania, as

COPYRIGHT © 1968 BY GEORGE M. LAMSA