The Scapegoat and Atonement

Abstract

Hebrews 2:14–15 connects Christ’s death with the defeat of the devil and release from the fear of death. Building on David Moffitt’s account of heavenly atonement and engaging Katie Marcar’s Passover–Exodus interpretation, this article proposes that the second goat of Leviticus 16 supplies a complementary explanation. The goat’s bearing away of confessed sin is read as a pattern fulfilled in Christ’s descent to Hades. Satan’s power of death is understood as an authority conditioned by human sin and exercised through temptation and accusation. Christ bears transferred sin while remaining innocent; its removal deprives the accuser of the basis of his claim. The interpretation draws on Azazel traditions and compares the proposed mechanism with Colossians 2 and Jubilee release. Further proposals concerning Satan’s misunderstanding of Christ’s guilt and the beginning of sin-bearing in Gethsemane are distinguished from the central argument. The article concludes by relating forgiveness to the indwelling Spirit, who enables continued obedience and resistance to temptation.

Keywords: atonement; scapegoat; Azazel; Hebrews; descent to Hades; Satan; Holy Spirit