Who did "God" sacrifice Jesus Christ to?

Question

Calling all Christians.
Jesus was said to be sacrificed FOR the sins of man by God. But who did God sacrifice Jesus TO?
All sacrifices are in honour of something or to something of a higher power so WHO WAS GOD APPEASING BY KILLING HIS SON (who was also god himself)

God was sacrificing himself to himself? How is this possible? Surely if He is all powerfull there was no need to sacrifice his son. Did he sacrifice his son to appease the Devil or a HIGHER POWER THAN GOD?
Please answer even if you are not a christian but make your answers cohernet. Thanks.

Answer 1

It's hard to meet your criteria of a coherent answer, because the whole concept is so muddled, but here is my attempt.....

OT bible-god really screwed up the creation thing. First, man went ahead and abused that darned old free will and ate some fruit, which was apparently the worst sin god had thought of at that point. Too bad god didn't see that one coming, with all his infinite wisdom etc. I guess god lifted the ban on incest for a while after Adam and Eve got kicked out of the garden...but that's kind of creepy, so we won't go there.

Then man kept on sinning in spite of that first warning, God kept making up sins as he went along....then changed his mind a few times. I bet god was really regretting that free will thing. Finally, again god had to start almost from scratch by drowning everybody...not sure why he had to kill all the animals for mans' sins, but there you go. Not sure why he just couldn't blink a clean slate, flooding seems really inefficient. Oh yeah...and after the flood is over, and all the animals are saved...the first thing god wants is to smell burning birds. Had he forgetten there were only 2 of each kind (or was it 7...depends which version of the flood story you believe)

So after that, man still keeps sinning...of course many of the sins are things like eating shellfish, and having sex with your wife during her period...but again, god works in mysterious ways. God also had his chosen people slaughter virtually every other human they came in contact with...kind of going against that "though shalt not kill" commandment, but, hey...it's god.

So eventually god had enough of all the sinning, that he somehow couldn't foresee. He came up with this absolutely brilliant plan...BRILLIANT !!! This one couldn't possibly fail to convince people of his magnificence.

Here is the plan god came up with. First, rape some teenage virgin in an obscure small village in the middle of an obscure desert country, and have her give birth to himself. Make a really big hoopla about the birth...send angels, and wisemen and move stars around. ...really get everybody's attention.

Then do nothing for 30 years or so, until people had forgotten about the miracle birth. I can imagine the gossip among the neighbours in Bethelem...too bad about Mary and Josephs oldest boy...so much potential gone to waste as a carpenter. He could have been a doctor or a lawyer.....

Then have a 3rd version of himself come into himself....although it's possible it was just pigeon droppings, but the holy spirit thing is never well described. This version (jesus, or god 3.0) went around for a few years walking on water, getting angry at fig trees and reproducing fish and bread. That should get their attention, have them stop sinning and all. Well people are fickle, they always want another miracle. Sigh.

Finally, he just decides to piss off the local government so much that they just had to kill him as an example. Of course, the few hours the Jesus version of god spent suffering was nothing as bad as the suffering he had already put man through for 2006 years, and god knew he wasn't really going to die anyway. Then god asked himself why he had forsaken himself and commended his spirit unto himself.

All this in an effort to rid the world of sin...yet again...so that he wouldn't have to send his (im)perfect creation to hell, for doing exactly what he gave them the free will to do in the first place. Cause...gosh darn it...he really loves us, and just wants us to love and worship him...(apparently god, although perfect, has some issues with low self esteem) He'd really hate to have you burn in hellfire for eternity. So, that nasty little diversion of being crucified behind him, god went back into heaven to sit on his own right hand, possesed by his own spirit. (That must be uncomfortable sitting on your own right hand for eternity, I can't do it for more than 10 minutes and I get a cramp) Finally!...this should do it, his message was so unequivocal this time.

The only catch is, you still have to believe he actually did it and why he did it, and the only proof he left is some muddled old book that is logically inconsistent and internally contradictory. Not exactly the clear and unambiguous message one would hope for if it was written by, or inspired by a perfect all powerful creature. Not a single original copy exists and apparently every single word in it is subject to interpretation...quotes to be taken in or out of context as suits the point the spaeaker is trying to prove. Items are either actual events or allegorical, again depending on the point you are trying to make.

It would have been nice to, I don't know, maybe write the words "don't sin and I won't fry you" in 1000 mile long letters on the moon...that would have been pretty clear. But once again, god works in mysterious ways.......

Or maybe, it is just the biggest hoax and multi level marketing scam in all of history. Ya think?

Answer 2

This is a good question. It would seem Jesus would have been sacrificed to God, which was allegedly his father.
My understanding is that Jesus had to die so that everyone could now get into heaven, having been barred after Adam and Eve committed the original sin. I've often wondered if he couldn't have served the purpose just as well by dying peacefully of old age in his bed.
I'm an atheist, so I may have this wrong, but it often turns out atheists know more about religion in general than the "believers" do. For example, when I worked at a school and teachers used to take off on Dec. 8th for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, you'd be surprised how many of them didn't realize this was not celebrating the date Jesus was conceived. It was left for the atheist to explain it to them.

Answer 3

The story is nonsense because (according to the myth):

1. Jesus did not die, he was resurrected. So, his "death" was more like suspended animation than death;

2. Under Hebrew laws, humans could not be sacrificed;

3. Under Hebrew laws, a sacrifice could not be offered for anything other than one's own sins. Jesus was not a genuine sacrifice (ignoring #2) under Hebrew law;

4. Jesus was not sacrificed, he committed ritual suicide (ignoring he did not die). That eliminated the possibility of being a sacrifice;

5. Hebrew prophets did not prophesy God coming to earth and committing suicide, or, offering himself as a fake goat;

6. The Old Testament does not mention Jesus at all;

and,

7. The bible is a book of mythology in its entirety.

Summary, based on the evidence: The Jesus story is a myth and is nonsense.

Answer 4

I appreciate your question. It's nice to find someone who is really thinking about this kind of stuff.

God created the world, the universe etc and the laws that govern it. God is bound by the laws he created. So sin has to be paid for, atoned for. That's the law. In order to maintain harmony God can't go and do whatever he likes. So the perfect world of Eden that humans (with the aid of Satan) destroyed meant that sin entered the world. By rights us humans had to pay for our own sin but God wanted to put together a rescue package. The only way this would work is if a human without sin was sacrificed in the place of those who deserved the punishment.

So he sent his son, God as man, a human being and he was sacrificed. It was as if he had committed every sin in the past, present & future and the law was appeased.

The idea is that all people have to do is accept this, acknowledge it and claim it. Then their sins will be deemed to have already been paid for.

It's like a legal transaction. But with a world of love.

Answer 5

First up, Jesus is NOT God. He is God's son.
Because God is perfect in everything he does, He is also perfect in justice. Therefore to carry out any action, it must be LEGAL. This should not be a strange concept, as we all seek to live in a legal world, with fairness.
When Adam and Eve first disobeyed, [ eating of the forbidden tree] they were warned beforehand that the action would result in death. They ate and they died..[in time...] And because Adam was a perfect man [ created perfect but sinning caused imperfection] it was LEGALLY necessary for another PERFECT man to PAY A RANSOM PRICE to again regain what Adam lost for us. Life on earth WITHOUT DEATH. Jesus has paid that price and now we can look forward to a life on earth WITHOUT HAVING TO DIE. This is promised at (Revelation 21:4) And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”
But it will not come into operation until after Satan has been 'abyssed' [ Rev. 20;3] and 'Armageddon' has taken place. Then those ones who have passed God's high standards will enjoy what has been promised at (Psalm 37:9-12) For evildoers themselves will be cut off, But those hoping in Jehovah are the ones that will possess the earth. 10 And just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more; And you will certainly give attention to his place, and he will not be. 11 But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, And they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace. 12 The wicked one is plotting against the righteous one, And at him he is grinding his teeth.

Answer 6

It sound like your a little confused....you need to read the Bible and mabey ask your Preacher or someone who has studied the Bible.
He was sacrificing Jesus not to himself but for us...so that we can live and not be put to death.In the old testement that is why they sacrificed their best crops or their best cow, so they can pay for thier sins.But now we dont have to sacrifice any thing because Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. Mabey you should watch The Passion Of The Christ.

Answer 7

By definition, himself to himself. This is why the Holy Trinity is referred to as a mystery.

But you should also add to your question that not only was he sacrificeed, but he is the eternal sacrifice. Sacrifice was prescribed by God and as the passover sacrifice (he is the lamb), he must be eaten for the sacrific to be complete. At each mass though his flesh and blood is offered to us as will be done until the end of the age.

Your question opens more mystery that you indicate!

God Bless

MoP

Answer 8

God sacrificed Jesus to God's own sense of perfect righteouness. In a sense, God sacrificed part of himself TO himself.

Answer 9

There is always an atonement for sin. In civilization at the time they used to have animal sacrifices. Also they would cast all their sins upon a goat (symbolized by tying a red cloth around the horns of a goat and sending him out into the wildreness to die- thus the name scapegoat).

But all sin must be accounted for and atoned for. Who will take the blame for ALL the sins of the world? Must we each face eternal punishment for the things we have done wrong?

NO. Jesus was sacrificed FOR our sins. To atone for the sins of the whole world...up to that point and for all ages beyond. (Past that point no animal sacrifices were ever required. the greatest sacrifice had been made).

He wasn't sacrificed TO anyone, so to speak. though yes, he was sent to death- and those calling for his death MIGHT have thought it was pay-back for the "trouble" he was causing them.

But no... God wasn't sacrificing him TO anyone or anything...but FOR coverage and forgiveness of our sins... BECAUSE God Loves us so much.
\
Substitutional Atonement!

Answer 10

Why do you have to keep doubting God? God has the power

to strike you dead tomorrow if He wanted to. Believe in the

Bible, and a peace will abide in your heart. It is the peace

that passes understanding.

Jesus took on the sins of the world. Jesus knew that was

his mission on earth. Otherwise, like in the olden days,

animal sacrifices would have to continue to be made to

God. Also, God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are "as one";

meaning, God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one entity.

Answer 11

I guess god sacrificed his son to himself. Who in their right mind could worship a god like that? I mean, he makes the rules, right? Like in Aladdin--Am I God, or am I God? If god were truly just and loving, he would accept everyone who tried to live a good life, not just those who spout the name jesus.