God And His Word - A Question And Answer Approach To Understanding The Bible

LESSON 2: BRUISED FOR OUR INIQUITIES 1. WHAT IS INIQUITY? HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM SIN? Iniquity is the evil that is born in us that breeds the transgression. Sin is the actual transgression of the law. "Were by nature the children of wrath, even as others" - Ephesians 2:3. "Death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" - Romans 5:12. 2. WHAT IS MEANT BY "BRUISED FOR OUR INIQUITIES"? Jesus Christ suffered actual physical hurt. "Buffet" in Matthew 26:67 means "to strike with savage force with the clenched fist." At Pilate's command, Jesus was also "scourged" (Matthew 27:26). "Scourging usually preceded capital punishment … Scourging was done with a whip which was made of a number of leather thongs weighted with pieces of lead or sharp metal. The victim was stripped to the waist, then bound, in a bent-over position, to a post, and beaten on the bare back with the scourge till the flesh was all torn open. Sometimes death resulted. p. 400, Halley's BIBLE HANDBOOK. Jesus' physical agony must have been terrific - but other men have suffered similar deaths. The real meaning of his bruising lies in the fact that his physical wounds were an outward show of the real burden, which was the weight of mankind's iniquities. 3. WHERE DID WE ACQUIRE INIQUITY? Iniquities are the sinful habits and traits we have inherited from our forefathers which have been passed down to us through the generations. Exodus 20:5; Psalms 51:5. 4. WHAT ARE SOME OF THESE INIQUITOUS HABITS AND TRAITS? Iniquitous habits and traits are such things as the tendency to lie, steal, cheat, gamble, take dope, drink, exaggerate, gossip, hate, covet, lust, to be greedy, jealous, etc. 5. IF INIQUITY IS ONLY THE BREEDING GROUND FOR SIN, WHY MUST I BE FORGIVEN FOR SINS I HAVE NEVER COMMITTED? Because God looks at our hearts and knows our inward thoughts and secret desires. Our hearts must be pure before God for it is our hearts that condemn us. Psalms 66:18; 1 Samuel 16:7; Matthew 5:28; 1 John 3:20, 21.

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