Sin for Us

     

    The bible says that Jesus became sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21).  To me this was an odd phrase, and was something I didn't understand for a long time.  I only really came to understand it recently while reading the old testament story about the fiery serpents (Num. 21).
    In the story, God sends fiery serpents to punish the people of Israel.  People are dying from the bites, and the Israelites repent.  They come to Moses and ask him to intercede with God on their behalf.  Moses does so, and God gives him instructions to create a bronze serpent and put it on a pole.  Anyone who comes and looks on it will be spared, and they will live.
    Like many stories in the bible it can seem kind of strange, and only really makes sense when it's viewed symbolically, or in this case, how it relates to Jesus.  I think most people agree that the serpent on the pole is an image of Jesus crucified for our sins.  He even makes this comparison himself (John 3:14-15).  From that, we can infer that people coming to see the serpent on the pole is representative of people coming to Christ and believing in him for salvation from sin.  But what about the fiery serpents, and why is Jesus being portrayed as one by the bronze serpent on the pole?
    I think, at least in this context, the fiery serpents are representing sin.  This story equates the serpent's bites with death in the same way sin condemns us to death.  Only Jesus's crucifixion can save us from that.  His crucifixion was a substitutional atonement.  He took our place and died for us on the cross.  In doing so, he also became a replacement for our sins.  The story of the fiery serpents is an image of this.  It's why Jesus is represented by the serpent on the pole.  It was a supernatural replacement for the serpents that had been killing the Israelites.  The attacks by the fiery serpents didn't matter.  They had been replaced.  In the same way, our sins no longer matter once we're saved.  Jesus replaces them.  It doesn't mean Jesus is sin or sinful.  He's a new part of us, replacing the old broken one.
    One of the most interesting facets of the story about the fiery serpents is how sin is portrayed.  It's shown less as something we do and more as something that is being done to us.  I think that's really interesting.  I doesn't mean we aren't responsible or don't have a choice in the matter.  I sure we've all chosen to sin at some point or another, but I think it's a picture of God's grace that he chooses to look on our sins this way.