Atonement - Proverbs 16:6

[Agnostic_Gabe]

I was on my way to work listening to the Proverbs and this verse struck a chord with me. Perhaps because I have been discussing with a brother regarding the sermon of George MacDonald’s “Justice”. So the idea of atonement was discussed.

Proverbs 16:6 “By steadfast love and faithfulness, iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.”

The first part of the verse is what caught my attention. According to MacDonald (whom I agree with) in his sermon on Justice, the way to make atonement is essentially repentance. You did wrong, and in order to atone, you seek to make it up to the person as best as you can. The other person, of course, provided he is forgiving will see this effort and the relationship is on it’s way to be restored. Reconciliation at last.

However, I have read two commentaries on this verse and one claims that we actually cannot make atonement and this verse is mistranslated. This commentator says

Adam Clarke’s Commentary - By mercy and truth iniquity is purged - This may be misunderstood, as if a man, by showing mercy and acting according to truth, could atone for his own iniquity. The Hebrew text is not ambiguous: בחסד ואמת יכפר עון bechesed veemeth yechapper avon; “By mercy and truth he shall atone for iniquity.” He - God, by his mercy, in sending his son Jesus into the world, - “shall make an atonement for iniquity” according to his truth - the word which he declared by his holy prophets since the world began. Or, if we retain the present version, and follow the points in יכפר yecuppar, reading “iniquity is purged” or “atoned for,” the sense is unexceptionable, as we refer the mercy and the truth to God. But what an awful comment is that of Don Calmet, in which he expresses, not only his own opinion, but the staple doctrine of his own Church, the Romish! The reader shall have his own words: “‘L’iniquite se rachete par la misericorde et la verite.’ On expie ses pechez par des oeuvres de misericorde envers le prochein; par la clemence, par la douceur, par compassion, par les aumones: et par la verite-par la fidelity, la bonne foi, la droiture, requite dans le commerce. Voyez Proverbs 3:3, Proverbs 14:22, Proverbs 20:28.” “‘Iniquity is redeemed by mercy and truth.’ We expiate our sins by works of mercy towards our neighbor; by clemency, by kindness, by compassion, and by alms: and by truth - by fidelity, by trustworthiness, by uprightness, by equity in commerce.” If this be so, why was Jesus incarnated? Why his agony and bloody sweat, his cross and passion, his death and burial, his resurrection and ascension? Was it only to supply a sufficient portion of merit for those who had neglected to make a fund for themselves? Is the guilt of sin so small in the sight of Divine justice, that a man can atone for it by manifesting good dispositions towards his neighbors, by giving some alms, and not doing those things for which he might be hanged? Why then did God make such a mighty matter of the redemption of the world? Why send his Son at all? An angel would have been more than sufficient; yea, even a sinner who had been converted by his own compassion, alms-deeds, etc., would have been sufficient. And is not this the very doctrine of this most awfully fallen and corrupt Church?

Curious, who agrees with Clarke’s commentary? If so, why? and if not, why?

[Cindy_Skillman]

Pro 16:6 Rotherham “By lovingkindness and fidelity, shall iniquity be covered, and, in the revering of Yahweh, is a turning away from wrong.”

I don’t disagree with your interpretation, Gabe, considering the perspective you’re looking at this verse from. That is, you atone to your neighbor for something wrong you’ve done to him by confessing you were wrong, and asking him to forgive you, and making it up the best way you can. Agreed. Or it could be talking about your neighbor’s fidelity and lovingkindness covering your inequity, because he’s willing to let it go for love’s sake.

Only I’m not sure that’s what this passage is talking about. Though it might be, particularly from the neighbor’s point of view. I think Christ’s lovingkindness and fidelity covers our sins, and as we revere Him for that, and for His many other admirable qualities, this causes us to turn away from wrong. The commentator that your commentator disagrees with seems to think that we atone for our own sins by doing good works for those in need and etc. That’s a result, though, (imo) of the work of God in conforming us to the image of Christ – it’s not a thing that DOES the atoning; it’s a thing that RESULTS from the atoning.

[Jonny95]

I might be wrong but as far as I can tell it’s not at all immediately obvious whose mercy the writer is speaking of. The second half of the verse, just as the next verse, is talking about the acts of man rather than God leading to something positive (“by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil”/“When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”) That might be a contextual clue that it is man’s mercy and truth (or whatever other translations are applied here) that makes atonement for iniquity.

Either way though, whether it’s our mercy and truth or God’s, I don’t think it necessarily matters. Even most of those who believe that God sent Jesus, at least in part, to propitiate/appease his wrath still believe this supposed atonement is not fulfilled through that act alone; the sinner still has to accept it by faith for the atonement to be ‘complete’.

So by God’s mercy and truth/faithfulness, sin is atoned for because it is that and that alone which leads to the repentance and forgiveness of the sinner. The sinner cannot do it on his own through his own work - it is God who sustains, leads, gives the ability and perseveres to cleanse the sinner of his sin. That mercy and faithfulness is the act of God in making or leading to atonement for sin. He does not hold our sins against us except in order to cleanse us from them. We still have to obey and cooperate with Him in order for this to happen - if the sin is still there then clearly no serious atonement has been made and as MacDonald was keen to point out, punishment does nothing to rid or defeat sin either, except in leading the sinner to repentance.

Now clearly this cannot mean that a good act gets rid of an unrelated bad one. We don’t make up for a lie by helping an elderly person across the road. Nor do we ‘earn’ our salvation by doing good works. But a good work in place of a bad work, the destruction of a particular sin so that the sinner hates the sin, has repented of it, has completely turned away from it is the only true triumph over sin, the only true atonement for sin, as MacDonald would very much agree with.

[Eaglesway]

I think there is the objective truth of atonement- something that has been accomplished for all through the cross of Christ.

Then there is the subjective transaction of atonement, the application upon the individual of that great objective reality, and also its situational application on a repetitive, day to day basis in life.

Confession and repentance is definitely a part of the transaction of atonement. The overall forgiveness, the redemption, the atonement have been secured and paid for, but the method of distribution is a process, and the means of reception is repentance and confession(an acknowledgment to God that we have missed the mark accompanied by a desire to be reformed).

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”

“You desire truth in the inward parts”

“And they were baptized of him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins”

Psalm 32:3
When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

[LLC]

Isaiah 1:16-18 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow. “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord, "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Psalm 119:9 How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 "And now ,Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good.

[davo]

This is “a proverb” i.e., a basic life principle… basically speaking to the fruit of repentance – rightful “reparations”. IMO Clarke misses the point by reading his evangelical theology back into the text; seeing an objection (according to his perspective) he then in reaction posits his position.

“Mercy” can be understood as “loving-kindness” aka “steadfast love”. The other word “truth” or truthful… if you are truthful to something you could be said to be “faithful.

Plus, there is no “He” as per Clarke’s objection (that I can see) in the text.