Did Christ’s life and/or his suffering during his life make atonement for us as well as his death? If so, in what sense, and what scripture etc. supports this idea?“Oh God whose only begotten Son by His life death and resurrection has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life…”
This prayer is a devotional prayer, and the language of ‘devotion’ is somewhat different than the language of theology or Scripture. (If you’re devoted to your child, you might exclaim, “I love you to the moon and back!”… and although it is true that you love them wholeheartedly, it’s not really “to the moon and back”.) It’s truth, expressed devotionally. I think it’s reasonable to look at this expression in a similar light.what scripture etc. supports this idea?
The act of giving up his life was an atonement, but the suffering he experienced during the “hidden years” or his childhood isn’t referred to as an expiation for our sin.For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
[516] Christ’s whole earthly life - his words and deeds, his silences and sufferings, indeed his manner of being and speaking - is Revelation of the Father. Jesus can say: “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father”, and the Father can say: "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!"177 Because our Lord became man in order to do his Father’s will, even the least characteristics of his mysteries manifest “God’s love. . . among us”.178
[517] Christ’s whole life is a mystery of redemption . Redemption comes to us above all through the blood of his cross,179 but this mystery is at work throughout Christ’s entire life:
[518] Christ’s whole life is a mystery of recapitulation. All Jesus did, said and suffered had for its aim restoring fallen man to his original vocation[.]
- already in his Incarnation through which by becoming poor he enriches us with his poverty;180
- in his hidden life which by his submission atones for our disobedience;181
- in his word which purifies its hearers;182
- in his healings and exorcisms by which “he took our infirmities and bore our diseases”;183
- and in his Resurrection by which he justifies us.184
Yes, thank you. This is what I was looking for. This helps make the concept of our “redemptive” sufferings during our own lives click a little more in my head.Redemption comes to us above all through the blood of his cross,179 but this mystery is at work throughout Christ’s entire life:
At the end of the rosary we pray
Are you asking whether He atoned for us and for His own death?“Oh God whose only begotten Son by His life death and resurrection has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life…”
If I understood you correctly, no. That isn’t what that means.If so, in what sense, and what scripture etc. supports this idea?
Let me rephrase and see if I can get a better understanding:
Yes. It is by one specific aspect of his birth and life that He atoned to Father for our sins. His obedience.Did Christ’s life and/or his suffering during his life make atonement for us
Hebrews 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
He was obedient unto death.as well as his death?
Philippians 2:8 he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.
According to Scripture, God took on the body of a man in order to be capable of death and thus bring about the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises.
Hebrews 9:15 For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, because a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant.[a] 16 Where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. 17 For a will[c] takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive.
And it is by His resurrection that He established the New Covenant.
2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. 15 And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.
Anyway, that’s the way I understand it.