In the previous chapter we have dealt with the covenant of grace in general. We will now proceed to examine particular aspects of this covenant: 1) the Surety of this covenant; 2) the partakers of this covenant, the church; and 3) the way whereby the Lord translates them into this covenant, directs them in this matter, and leads them to its culmination—glory. We shall first discuss the Surety of this covenant. It is essential that we consider Him more comprehensively, so that in knowing Him we may believe in Him with an understanding heart. It is, however, in vain to consider the Surety and His accomplishment unless we are convinced of the necessity of satisfaction. We shall therefore first of all expound this to you as a matter of utmost importance.
The Nature of Satisfaction Defined
In order to understand the nature of satisfaction correctly, we need to consider the nature of sin, the Judge, and the work of redemption.
(1) Sin brings upon man guilt, wrath, and punishment. If the sinner is to be delivered, he must be acquitted and be delivered from guilt. God must be appeased and the punishment must be borne.
(2) God is the Judge who appears here not so much as a creditor, nor as Lord and offended party, but as Judge. A creditor may forgive a debt if he so desires, and a lord and offended party may relinquish his rights; such freedom of action has been afforded to man by the supreme Judge. A judge, however, may neither relinquish justice nor the punishments due upon crime. However, the manner, time, place, and nature of the punishment, God has left to the discretion of the judge. Since God is the supreme Judge, His justice demands the punishment of the criminal.
(3) The work of satisfaction is contingent upon the diversity of the debt in question. In retiring monetary debts the debtor is not taken into consideration, but only the debt to be paid, which is satisfied with an amount equivalent to the debt. It is immaterial to the creditor whether this debt is paid by the principal debtor or by another who functions as surety. He will be paid with the identical sum of money, which is not a concession at all. With criminal guilt, however, the situation is different. Then the debt cannot be retired by something equivalent in value, but punishment is required for the satisfaction of justice as administered by the judge. Not only the debt or guilt is considered, but also the person who has rendered himself guilty, the criminal. If this satisfaction were to be accomplished by a surety, then, in addition to the surety making satisfaction by bearing the punishment, there must also follow the forgiveness of the criminal. Thus justice would be satisfied; the judge, however, must be willing to admit and accept the surety as well as to punish the incurred guilt in him. Viewing his rights in the absolute sense of the word, the judge would not have to do so. He must thus not impute the punishment to the criminal, but release him from guilt, wrath, and judgment, since all these have been imputed to the surety. Thus mercy and justice, satisfaction and forgiveness meet each other in the atonement, all of which is true in Christ.
Secondly, the word “satisfaction” appears twice in Scripture (Num 35:31-32), whereas the word “atonement” occurs eighty-one times.1 Scripture gives further expression to this matter by the use of many related words such as כּפר (kipper), that is, to make atonement (Exod 30:10). From this word are derived the words ransom, day of atonement, פדה (pada), that is, to redeem by way of restitution. In Exod 13:13 we have λύτρον (lutron), that is, ransom; in Matt 20:28, αντιλυτρον (antilutron), that is, ransom; in 1 Tim 2:6, απολύτρωσις (apolutrosis), that is, redemption by payment of a ransom; in Eph 1:7, ἱλασμός (hilasmos), that is, redemption; and in Rom 3:25, ίλοςήριον (hilasterion), that is, propitiation on the basis of satisfaction. All these words, when considered in the original texts, refer to an atonement and a redemption accomplished on the basis of payment and satisfaction.
The Absolute Necessity of Satisfaction
In considering the matter itself we shall show that satisfaction is absolutely necessary. Since man by sin not only became subject to guilt, wrath, and punishment, and by breaking and transgressing the law also lost the right to eternal life, he might by way of satisfaction, that is, only by the bearing of punishment, be delivered from the punishment. In this way he would not receive a right to eternal life, however, since this was promised only upon perfect obedience to the law. Therefore, in addition to bearing the punishment, also a perfect holiness and fulfilling of the law are necessary. The necessity of both we shall demonstrate by considering each aspect individually.