Does Scripture say Jesus was unclean?

[petrosfaith]

I have heard some Protestants use Scripture to say that Jesus literally took in our unclean sins on the cross and the Father abandoned Jesus because He could not look upon all the unclean sins in Jesus on the cross. And so Jesus was unclean for a time on the cross.

Here are some Scriptures used to show that Jesus became unclean on the cross.

2 Corinthians 5:21 Him, who knew no sin, he hath made sin for us: that we might be made the justice of God in him.

1 Peter 2:22-25 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. 23 Who, when he was reviled, did not revile: when he suffered, he threatened not, but delivered himself to him that judged him unjustly. 24 Who his own self bore our sins in his body upon the tree: that we, being dead to sins, should live to justice: by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were as sheep going astray: but you are now converted to the shepherd and bishop of your souls.

Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying: Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabacthani? Which is, being interpreted: My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?

I do not believe that Jesus ever became unclean because He is God and God is always clean and pure. The Scripture is saying that Jesus was made the sin, as in He was the sin that others committed by killing Him on the cross. The greatest sin ever committed was the murder of God. Jesus took on the sacrificial punishment of our sin, not the actual unclean sins. He took that punishment in Him for us, not the sins. We are unclean when we sin and that is why we need Baptism and confession to cleans us of our unrighteous sins. We didn’t give our uncleanliness to Jesus on the cross.

Do any of my fellow Catholics know of an official teaching about this from the Church? I have had a hard time finding something that speaks directly to this belief. Thanks.

 

[FCEGM]

Welcome to CAF.

catholic-legate.com/

Follow the above link to “apologetics” and then to the articles under “salvation”; you will find excellent Catholic responses on this subject.

 

[petrosfaith]

Thank you for the reply and I will definitely read your recommendation.

 

[tito]

This is Tito and I think this is a great question. I realize you were asking a fellow catholic for an official Church position and already a link was given. Your question allows for clarity in defining differences between the Catholic and the Protestant positions and the verses are quite good in shedding light. Though non-catholic religious I do not claim to speak for Protestants but what my understanding of the Scriptures is in regards to this issue. No, Jesus was not unclean, His human nature remained unstained, clean and pure as you put it. As 1Peter 2: 22-25, our sins were placed on Him and not into Him. He was made sin for us, bore our sins on the cross and it was because of this that He was forsaken as Mark 15:34 says. It is because He had our sins that He received the punishment, but this does not imply that He became sinful or His nature tainted. We also had Adam’s sin placed on us that we did not committ, and likewise we placed our sins on Christ on the cross. And as our sins was imputed (credited, accounted, reckoned) to Him, His Righteousness is imputed to us ( 2 Corinthians 5:21, “he hath made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him”). He was sinless at all times. I do however think that this is a very insightful question you asked and will also check the link given to learn better the Church’s position.

 

[petrosfaith]

This is Tito and I think this is a great question. I realize you were asking a fellow catholic for an official Church position and already a link was given. Your question allows for clarity in defining differences between the Catholic and the Protestant positions and the verses are quite good in shedding light. Though non-catholic religious I do not claim to speak for Protestants but what my understanding of the Scriptures is in regards to this issue. No, Jesus was not unclean, His human nature remained unstained, clean and pure as you put it. As 1Peter 2: 22-25, our sins were placed on Him and not into Him. He was made sin for us, bore our sins on the cross and it was because of this that He was forsaken as Mark 15:34 says. It is because He had our sins that He received the punishment, but this does not imply that He became sinful or His nature tainted. We also had Adam’s sin placed on us that we did not committ, and likewise we placed our sins on Christ on the cross. And as our sins was imputed (credited, accounted, reckoned) to Him, His Righteousness is imputed to us ( 2 Corinthians 5:21, “he hath made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him”). He was sinless at all times. I do however think that this is a very insightful question you asked and will also check the link given to learn better the Church’s position.

You had a charitable answer. Thank you for your insight on the issue. I tend to agree with what you have said. Though I am still questioning if Jesus bore our actual sins or if He bore the payment for our sins.

Very good response thanks.

 

[CB_Catholic]

You had a charitable answer. Thank you for your insight on the issue. I tend to agree with what you have said. Though I am still questioning if Jesus bore our actual sins or if He bore the payment for our sins.

Very good response thanks.

It was a charitable response, but the Catholic Church rejects the doctrine of “imputed righteousness.” That was taught by Martin Luther during the Reformation. The Catholic Church teaches that we are regenerated by our Baptism and receive sanctifying grace, which causes an interior transformation. It is interior, rather than exterior. According to what Luther taught, we are covered by the blood of Jesus, and God sees us through that covering, whereas the Catholic Church teaches that we are actually cleansed by the Blood of Jesus and are transformed interiorly, not exteriorly. We are infused with grace. I know this is simplistic, and I am no theologian, but this is what I have been taught and understand Church teaching to be. I am sure others can explain it better, but this is a fundamental difference in Catholic and Protestant theology.

I am embarrassed to say I have not yet figured out how to post a link, but there is an article in This Rock Magazine about this, August, 1991, which is very good. You can do a search on CAF for it.

And if someone can tell me how to post a link, in clear terms, please PM me, as I am rather yet computer illiterate.

 

[juliamajor]

Uncleanliness and sin don’t necessarily go hand in hand.Biblical uncleanness is attached to food, body fluids, corpses, trades etc.If you were to be cleansed you would have to give a “sin” offering, then you could rejoin Jewish society.

 

[petrosfaith]

It was a charitable response, but the Catholic Church rejects the doctrine of “imputed righteousness.” That was taught by Martin Luther during the Reformation. The Catholic Church teaches that we are regenerated by our Baptism and receive sanctifying grace, which causes an interior transformation. It is interior, rather than exterior. According to what Luther taught, we are covered by the blood of Jesus, and God sees us through that covering, whereas the Catholic Church teaches that we are actually cleansed by the Blood of Jesus and are transformed interiorly, not exteriorly. We are infused with grace. I know this is simplistic, and I am no theologian, but this is what I have been taught and understand Church teaching to be. I am sure others can explain it better, but this is a fundamental difference in Catholic and Protestant theology.

I am embarrassed to say I have not yet figured out how to post a link, but there is an article in This Rock Magazine about this, August, 1991, which is very good. You can do a search on CAF for it.

And if someone can tell me how to post a link, in clear terms, please PM me, as I am rather yet computer illiterate.

I understand the difference between the two teachings about justification. I didn’t mean to imply that I was agreeing to any part of the post that was not in regards to my original question. I was agreeing that Jesus was not unclean which was the answer given to me from tito. And since I do realize that Baptism and confession make us pure and perfectly clean and sin makes us unclean that is where I am going with my op. We retain our uncleanliness when we sin until we are cleansed by Baptism or confession, therefore our uncleanliness was never given to Jesus during the Passion. I just wanted to see if there was any more teachings about this subject from the Catholic Church.

BTW to post a link, first click on the icon at the top of the post in the menu section that looks like the earth with a link symbol, then paste or type in the link in the text box that pops up, select OK, and it will be put into your post.

 

[petrosfaith]

Uncleanliness and sin don’t necessarily go hand in hand.Biblical uncleanness is attached to food, body fluids, corpses, trades etc.If you were to be cleansed you would have to give a “sin” offering, then you could rejoin Jewish society.

I believe that Jesus’ sacrifice fulfilled any need for sacrifice or cleanliness rituals. Some people believe that most of the rituals for cleanliness were due to bacteria and no advancements in medical care and we now have the ability to avoid spreading diseases and cleaning and storing our foods. So it became unnecessary to continue with those practices.

The NT tells us that sin and unrighteousness is unclean. Sins are like filthy rags and confession cleans us of all unrighteousness. So in this regard some think that when Jesus bore our sins, it means He took on the uncleanliness as well. And I have a hard time believing this.