Most people have heard the word “scapegoat” at some point. The passage we will study today, from Leviticus 16, describes the institution of the scapegoat.
“When he has finished atoning for the holy place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat.
Then Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities of the Israelites, and all their transgressions, all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat and sending it away into the wilderness by means of someone designated for the task.
The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a barren region, and the goat shall be set free in the wilderness (Leviticus 16:20-22).
Chapter 16 details the sacrifice of animals on the Day of Atonement for the sins of the people. In this process, one animal isn’t killed for sacrifice but instead receives the sins of Israel on its head.
While the death and blood of the first goat highlighted the forgiveness of sin, the second goat carried away the sin, causing it to disappear from the camp.
Richard Hess has this to say about the scapegoat: He writes, “The picture of the goat, a small creature, as running from the sanctuary through the camp to the regions outside created a two-fold impression.
“First, it symbolized the purity of the camp and its holy state, despite the sins of the people.
“Here is the beginning of another year with the opportunity to start afresh in following God and loving him with one’s entire being. God’s grace and forgiveness provide a new opportunity and a wonderful freedom from guilt.
“Second, the departure of the goat outside the camp and the subsequent removal of all impurities to the same region demonstrate the danger of leaving the holy community and separating from the holy place that Israel’s God provided for a meeting with His people.”
Interesting Notes
To help inform my understanding of Leviticus, I have been reading a commentary by Richard Hess and a handbook by Victor Hamilton. Both of these authors have expanded my understanding of this book in the Bible.
Hess has a section in his commentary that takes us to “in the weeds” comments from scholars. Here are some of their thoughts that you may find interesting about the scapegoat:
(1) You’ll notice in the text that Aaron placed two hands on the animal, signifying his identification with it. The use of both hands indicates that volitional sins or transgressions would also be confessed.
The priest, acting as a substitute, represented himself and all Israel in their guilt when he placed his hands on the animal.
(2) The goat takes the sin away from God’s presence, where there is life and well-being, to a place of death and disorder where the kingdom of God is not present.
In the Mishnah (a written compilation of the Jewish oral traditions), it is believed that the goat is driven over a cliff to kill it and prevent its return.
Jesus and the Scapegoat
It shouldn’t surprise us that Jesus can easily be identified with the scapegoat, the one who takes away our sins and sets us free.
Isaiah pictures the work of Jesus with these words.
Surely he has borne our infirmities
and carried our diseases,
yet we accounted him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions,
crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the punishment that made us whole,
and by his bruises we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have all turned to our own way,
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:4-6)
John the Baptist clearly understood the role Jesus would play in serving the Father. He identified Jesus with the scapegoat from Israel’s sacrificial system.
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
Paul wrote about how God made Jesus the scapegoat for our sins.
For our sake God made the one who knew no sin to be sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Jesus wasn’t a little, innocent goat running through the camp, destined to be pushed over a cliff to its death. He was the King of all kings and Lord of all lords, who, out of love, came to this earth to rescue us from our sins.
How worthy He is of our praise, devotion, and obedience!
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 