The Scandal of the Atonement: Why the Cross Still Offends and Saves
The atonement stands at the very heart of Christianity—and at the center of its controversy. The cross of Jesus Christ has always been scandalous. It confronts human pride, offends moral sensibilities, and declares that sin requires more than moral resolve or intellectual enlightenment. While some modern thinkers dismiss the shedding of blood as unnecessary, the Bible insists that without the cross there is no reconciliation with God (Hebrews 9:22).
The scandal of the atonement is not merely historical. From the first century to the present, the idea that God reconciles sinners through the death of his Son has provoked outrage, ridicule, or rejection. Yet it remains the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16).
1. Why the Atonement Offends
The scandal of the atonement can be traced to several reasons:
Human pride resists substitution: The idea that we cannot save ourselves but need the death of another—Jesus Christ—is deeply offensive (Romans 5:6–8).
Blood offends modern sensibilities: Many reject a God who requires sacrifice, preferring a vision of divine love without divine justice.
The cross exposes sin: By declaring that sin deserves death, the cross unmasks humanity’s true condition (Romans 6:23).
The exclusivity of the cross: The claim that salvation comes only through Christ’s sacrifice challenges pluralistic notions of truth (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
From the beginning, Paul described the message of the cross as “a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles” (1 Corinthians 1:23). Yet this offense is precisely what reveals its truth: God saves not through human wisdom but through the weakness of the crucified Messiah.
2. Alternative Explanations and Their Shortcomings
Throughout history—and especially in modern times—alternative interpretations of atonement have been offered to soften or sidestep its scandal.
Moral conversion only: Some argue that humans need only repentance or moral change. Yet Scripture insists that the problem of sin is deeper than behavior—it requires a sacrifice to remove guilt (Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:26).
Martyrdom theory: Jesus is reduced to a political martyr whose death inspires courage. But this cannot explain how his blood “cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
Incarnation or resurrection without cross: Some center salvation in God’s becoming man or in Christ’s victory over death, while minimizing the cross. Yet without the atoning death, neither incarnation nor resurrection can reconcile sinners to God.
Revelatory theory: Others hold that Jesus saves by revealing truth, not by bearing wrath. This echoes ancient Gnosticism, which emphasized enlightenment over forgiveness. But Jesus did not merely teach—he “gave his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
Each of these explanations captures something true, but all fall short of the biblical witness. The New Testament insists that atonement is sacrificial, substitutionary, and necessary.
3. The Cross as God’s Chosen Means
Why does God choose something so scandalous as the cross? Scripture gives several reasons.
The cross fulfills prophecy: Isaiah 53 foretells the Suffering Servant who would be “pierced for our transgressions.”
The cross satisfies justice: Romans 3:25–26 declares that God put forward Christ “as a propitiation by his blood” to demonstrate his righteousness.
The cross displays love: “God demonstrates his love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
The cross defeats powers: Colossians 2:15 shows Christ triumphing over rulers and authorities through the cross.
The cross secures reconciliation: “Through him to reconcile to himself all things… making peace by the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:20).
The scandal of the atonement is that salvation comes not by human strength but by God’s weakness made strong. It is the paradox of divine wisdom: glory through shame, life through death, victory through apparent defeat.
4. Embracing the Scandal in the Gospel
For Christians, the scandal of the atonement is not something to be hidden but embraced. The cross is the foundation of Gospel preaching and discipleship.
The cross defines discipleship: Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross” (Mark 8:34).
The cross shapes community: Believers are united not by race, class, or merit but by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:13–16).
The cross proclaims hope: What seems like folly to the world is “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24).
The cross anticipates the end: Revelation depicts the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8) and enthroned in the age to come (Revelation 22:3).
The Gospel, as Anthony Delgado emphasizes, is bigger than a private transaction of forgiveness. It is the announcement that Jesus, crucified and risen, reigns as King. The atonement is therefore not only the scandal of the faith but also its glory, securing the kingdom of God and the renewal of all creation.
Conclusion
The scandal of the atonement has never faded. To some it remains foolishness or even offensive, but to those who believe it is the wisdom and power of God. By the blood of Christ, sin is forgiven, wrath is satisfied, and fellowship with God is restored. Attempts to downplay or redefine the cross strip Christianity of its core. Without atonement, there is no Gospel.
Yet in the very scandal lies the beauty of salvation: God chose what is weak to shame the strong, what is despised to reveal his glory. The crucified Christ is both stumbling block and cornerstone, rejected by men but chosen by God. The church must never be ashamed of this message but proclaim it with boldness, for in the scandal of the atonement lies the hope of the world.
Bible Verses on the Scandal of the Atonement
Isaiah 53:5 – “He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities.”
Mark 10:45 – “The Son of Man came to give his life as a ransom for many.”
John 1:29 – “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
Romans 3:25 – “God presented Christ as a propitiation by his blood.”
Romans 5:8 – “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
1 Corinthians 1:23 – “We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles.”
Galatians 3:13 – “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.”
Colossians 1:20 – “Making peace through the blood of his cross.”
Hebrews 10:10 – “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
Revelation 13:8 – “The Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world.”
