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blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying:"
(Rom. 4: 5, 6).
To quote Psalm 32: 2, saying, "Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord
IMPUTETH NOT iniquity", would not be sufficient proof of expiation. Paul therefore
includes the reference to the "covering of sin" and in that "covering" he finds the
equivalent of the positive imputation of righteousness.
From what we have seen, it is evident that except in Gen. 6: 14, kaphar, "to atone",
is never used in its primitive sense. It is also evident that the idea of "covering" sin is
abhorrent neither to the doctrine of the Old Testament nor the New. In our next article
we must endeavour to show how kaphar is employed, and how the idea of a real, true
covering, as distinct from a "mere covering", is imbedded in the instincts of man at the
beginning, and endorsed by God Himself.
#3. Showing that, since the "confusion of tongues",
Kaphar has no other meaning than "to propitiate".
pp. 215 - 218
We have seen that the word Atonement is a synonym for Reconciliation, and that the
Hebrew word kaphar is never translated "cover" in any of its forms. We have however
seen that, instead of rejecting the idea of "covering" sin, both the Old Testament and the
New acknowledge the blessedness of the man whose transgressions are forgiven, or taken
away, and whose sins are "covered".
"By one man sin entered into the world", and the record of that fall is found in
Gen. 3: While the word kaphar is not used in that chapter, and while the word "cover"
is not found in the English translation, the idea is there in a double sense. In the first, and
wrong, sense Adam and his wife sought to "cover" their transgressions by the aprons
which they made of leaves, and by hiding from the presence of the Lord. We have
scripture for it that the idea of "covering" is intended, for Job said "if I have covered my
transgression as Adam" (Job 31: 33). This was the covering condemned in
Prov. 28: 13. That the word "cover", used by Job, aptly applies to the attempt made
by Adam, the use of the word in Gen. 9: 23 will show, for there, as in Gen. 3:, the
thought is the covering of "nakedness". Just as in Proverbs the covering by the sinner of
his own sin is condemned, while the covering of sin by God is praised, so in Genesis, for
while action of Adam there is rebuked, the principle that sin must be covered is
maintained.
"And unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and
clothed them" (Gen. 3: 21).
The sense of need expressed by the making of aprons was right, but the attempt to
provide a covering of their own devising was wrong. Aprons made of leaves omitted the