By Gudmundur Olafsson
A Commentary on the Sabbath School Lesson for April 5–11, 2003
Everyone agrees that forgiveness is a biblical concept, even though it is one of the least explained mysteries of the Hebrew Bible. In 1964, a doctoral candidate observed that "surprisingly little has ever been written on the subject of forgiveness in the Old Testament. In fact it has brought forth no published work in English."
Very little has appeared to change the picture since then. The problem appears to be rooted in several facts.
- There seems to be uncertainty among scholars about which Hebrew terms should be translated as forgiveness and when. A random sampling of "complete" concordances to different English versions reveals that the frequency with which "pardon" or "forgiveness" occur in the Hebrew Bible seems to be more dependent on the understanding of the translator than on the text itself. The frequency varies from 35 times (Moffatt) to 131 times (Living Bible), with most standard translations numbering between 70 and 80 instances.
- Most Old Testament theologies do not see forgiveness as a central idea of the Old Testament, and refer to it only in passing. One typical author devotes only one paragraph to it in his Old Testament theology. Even when it is seen to be present it is "certainly not the center of its scheme of salvation"1
- Scholars differ in their understanding of what really constitutes forgiveness.
There are mainly three Hebrew terms translated as forgive: salach, kipper, and nasa. The first is used exclusively with God as subject and mostly in the sanctuary context. It is part of the "atonement formula" (e.g., Lev. 4:20, 26, 31, 35) and marks the climax of the atonement process (e.g., Lev. 19:22). The second, kipper, usually translated as "atone" or "atonement," is also part of the "atonement formula" and refers to the whole sanctuary process in dealing with the sin problem. It is only translated as "forgive" when God is the subject (e.g., Deut. 21:8, 9).
The third term, nasa, is the most common term, but at the same time also the most ambiguous. It has a wide range of meanings, the basic of which is to carry, sustain, support, and lift, with derived meanings such as take away and remove. Most dictionaries relate the concept of forgiveness to the derived meanings of taking away or removing.
The image of carrying is also used in the context of wrongdoing. Wrongdoing is seen as a burden that must be carried (nasa) to its bitter end—death. But someone may offer to take the burden and carry (nasa) it for the wrongdoers, in which case they were "released" from their burdens. They were free—forgiven. The substitute carrier, however, took the consequences.
In the Hebrew language there is no distinction made between these two actions. The former action causes pain and suffering for the wrongdoer-carrier, whereas the latter brings relief to the wrongdoer. Only the context makes the distinction. This ambiguity is lost in translation.
When Moses requested to see God (Exod. 33:18–23) God revealed that it was part of his nature/character to be a forgiver (= carrier) of man’s sins (Exod. 34:5–7). Then, in the sanctuary, which represented God’s dwelling place among men (Lev. 26:11–13), the sin problem was also dealt with. In effect, God told man, "Bring your sins to me, and I will carry (nasa) them for you." Whenever the sinner brought his offering, the priest would assist in the reconciliation process, bring (nasa) the "sins" into God’s presence (Lev. 10:17), and the sinner could return home assured that God had accepted (salach) him (Exod. 28:38).
Because forgiveness is part of God’s nature it is not just something he does, but rather something he is. It also implies that forgiveness even precedes the wrongdoing—so God does not need to be persuaded to forgive. He forgave even before the world was created (Rev. 13:8; Eph. 1:4). So—
- Forgiveness is not dependent on repentance. In Genesis 18, Abraham pleads with God on behalf of the people of Sodom and Gomorra and God expresses his willingness to spare (nasa) them without them being aware of Abraham’s intercession. Repentance is not an application for forgiveness, but our response that we want to accept God’s forgiveness, which is waiting for us. (In the Hebrew language the word for repent and return is the same. The difference is only a matter of interpretation).
- Forgiveness is the basis of the covenant. It was because God was a forgiver that he entered into a covenant relationship with Israel (Exod. 34:5–10), not the other way around. In Numbers 14:19, Moses requests the Lord to forgive (salach) his people as he has forgiven/carried (nasa ) them in the past (Exod. 19:4). This means (a) caring for them and teaching them like an eagle cares for and teaches her young (Deut. 32:11), (b) protecting them and providing for their needs like a father (Deut. 1:31; 8:3–5), and (c) treating them as friends in spite of their stiff-necked attitude (Exod. 23:23–30). This is a key teaching of the Old Testament, whether in the Prophets (Isa. 46:3, 4; and 63:8, 9), the Psalms (Ps. 85:1–3), or the Writings (Neh. 9:16–25).
- Forgiveness does not mean a declaration of innocence (Exod. 34:7), even though the sinner is treated as such (Ps. 32:1).
- Forgiveness does not require forgetting or necessarily remove the punishment and consequences (Num. 14:20 ff), but the forgiver is ready to provide caring support.
- Forgiveness is seen to be God’s prerogative, in which he invites man to participate. When Joseph’s brothers asked him to forgive (nasa) their wrongs (Gen. 50:15ff), he responded "Am I in God’s place?" (Gen. 50:19), but then he promised to provide for "them and their little ones" (v. 21). God also asks Moses to carry the people like a nurse carries a nursing infant (Num. 11:12).
Forgiveness is thus not just a legal declaration of non-guilt, a passing over or a cancellation of debt or guilt, a wiping out or taking away of a record of guilt, or an undeserved response to repentance and confession. It is an attitude that involves sharing or bearing the burdens of those in need, whether physical or spiritual, in spite of their wrongdoings.
Forgiveness is ultimately an expression of God’s loving attitude toward human beings, evidenced throughout salvation history for the purpose of restoring them to a position of acceptance before God, in spite of him knowing all about their shortcomings. It is really the process of redemption in action.
1. Ludwig Köhler, Old Testament Theology, trans. A. A. Todd. (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1957).
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