The author of Hebrews
says that Christ was offered to “anaphero the sins of many” (Heb 9:28).
Some versions (e.g., NASB, ESV) translate anaphero as “carry” or “bear”
in this passage (NIV and NLT say “take away”). If you have been taught that
sins are imputed to sin offerings (so they can be punished), this will sound like
sin imputation to you. However, if you look at this concept from an ancient
Jewish perspective, imputation of sin would not be how anaphero (and nasa)
is understood. The clause that parallels this phrase describes Christ as “putting
sin away” (Heb 9:26), not as Christ receiving sins so as to be punished. Anaphero
does not mean imputation, which is a different word in the Greek ellogeó—see
Rom 5:12, Philemon 1:18). Furthermore, anaphero does not mean to “carry”
or “bear” in most of its other New Testament uses: Jesus took his
disciples up to the mountain (MT 17:1), Jesus was taken up to Heaven (Lk
24:51), the high priest would offer up sacrifices (Heb 7:27), Christ
offered up Himself (Heb 7:27). Abraham offered up Isaac (Jms 2:21), and
we are to offer up a sacrifice of praise to God (Heb 13:15; 1 Pt 2:5).
The phrase “anaphero
sin in His body” in 1 Peter 2:24 is in the context of Peter exalting Christ as
an example for oppressed Christians to follow (1 Pt 2:18-25). Peter highlights
Christ’s willingness to “take up” the sins and injustice of His crucifixion in
His flesh without retaliation to encourage Christian slaves who are enduring a
similar “grief and suffering wrongfully” (v19). Peter urges them to patiently
endure their “harsh” masters (v18) just Christ endured His oppressors. . . .
Christ humbly endured the injustice of the cross and entrusted Himself to the
Father so that those who follow in His footsteps might likewise “die to sin
[retaliation] and live for righteousness” (1 Pt 2:24). There is healing for those
who patiently endure suffering and entrust themselves to the one who judges
righteously the way Jesus did (cf. 1 Pt 4:19; Rom 12:14-21). (Rosser
Powitzky, Clean: How the Jewish Roots of Atonement Unlock the Meaning of
Christ’s Sacrifice [2025], 83, 84)
