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Missing the Mark: Sin & Its Consequences in Biblical Theology

Reviewed by Keith Otter.

This is a thought-provoking study of the Biblical teaching on sin and its aftermath by the Professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at the Baptist Theological Seminary, Richmond, Virginia.  He asks us to set aside our received views on sin, which he regards as too legalistic, so we can read afresh what the Bible actually says. At one point he warns “the following discussion may be intricate and will deal with material that will be foreign to many readers.” I would extend this warning to much of the book. The author takes us through such matters as extra-Biblical Hebrew myths, Greek tragedy, linguistic analysis, sociology and modern law.

He sees Adam and Eve not as rebelling against God but as failing to trust God, which leads them to turn aside from an authentic humanity. Sin lies in this failure to embrace authentic humanity with both its responsibilities and its limitations. Jesus reveals what it is to be authentically human and shows that God can be trusted.

The author goes on to examine various aspects of sin in the light of the Biblical texts and other material. Among other things he concludes that sin is not necessarily a matter of impure intentions; we can sin accidentally or innocently (like Pharaoh taking Abram’s wife) or even (like Oedipus) through our efforts to avoid sin. We are not punished for sin but simply suffer its consequences; what we perceive as forgiveness is God taking those consequences on Himself. Sin affects societies as well as individuals and, if unaddressed, can become endemic.

Professor Biddle writes with ministers in mind and draws out the lessons for ministry. Not everyone will agree with everything he says. His reasoning frequently leads him to conclusions many ministering on the margins of society will already have reached empirically. Nevertheless there is much here to ponder.