--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At this juncture it is important to say…" description: "\"“At this juncture it is important to say something about Exodus 12:7. This verse implies that we are dealing with a ritual that did not involve atoning..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/ben-witherington-iii-33766_atonement_at-this-juncture-it-is-important-to-say_3119031.jpg" --- # At this juncture it is important to say something about… ![“At this juncture it is important to say something about Exodus 12:7. This verse implies that we are dealing with a ritual that did not involve atoning for sin, but rather was a rite of protection for God’s people, a different though not unrelated matter. It involved a blood ritual to avoid God’s…” quote by Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/ben-witherington-iii-33766_atonement_at-this-juncture-it-is-important-to-say_3119031.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/ben-witherington-iii-33766_atonement_at-this-juncture-it-is-important-to-say_3119031.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/ben-witherington-iii-33766_atonement_at-this-juncture-it-is-important-to-say_3119031.jpg) > ““At this juncture it is important to say something about Exodus 12:7. This verse implies that we are dealing with a ritual that did not involve atoning for sin, but rather was a rite of protection for God’s people, a different though not unrelated matter. It involved a blood ritual to avoid God’s last blow against the firstborn. Thus Passover and atonement were not originally associated, though apparently by Jesus’ day there were some such associations. Notice that nothing at all is said or suggested here about Israel’s sin, or about forgiveness. This ceremony is more like an insurance policy. Yes, the blood is to avert divine wrath, but it is not wrath against Israel’s particular sins. In this case they simply happened to be too close to the danger zone, or in the line of fire. We must assume that this blood ritual arose before there even was a fully formed priesthood, for it is highly unusual to have such a ritual without any mention of involvement of priests.”” [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage explains that the Passover blood ritual was primarily a protective rite, not an atonement for sin, serving as a divine insurance against wrath. **In simple terms:** Passover blood was protection, not punishment for sin. Key Takeaway Recognize ritual as safety measure. Themes religion ritual protection theology Mood thoughtful analytical Type theological historical When to use this quote - faith education - interfaith dialogue - historical analysis - personal belief Key Concepts biblical law divine justice sacrificial symbolism Questions to Reflect On - Why did ancient peoples need protective rites? - How does this view reshape understanding of atonement? A Different Perspective May overlook broader covenantal themes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atonement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atonement/) [Exodus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exodus/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Passover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passover/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Priesthood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priesthood/) ## Related quotes > [“And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-he-did-evil-in-the-sight-of-the-lord-and-walked-in-the-way-of-his/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Israel is beautiful. Israel is vibrant. But Israel isn't clean -- far from it. Israel is sin, redemption, passion and blood. ... At its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-storm/israel-is-beautiful-israel-is-vibrant-but-israel-isn-t-clean-far-from/) Buck Storm > [“When one gets to Clement or Hippolytus, we are clearly a long way from what we find in Paul and the Gospels, where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/when-one-gets-to-clement-or-hippolytus-we-are-clearly-a-long-way-from/) [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) > [“Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scotty-smith/now-before-the-feast-of-the-passover-when-jesus-knew-that-his-hour/) [Scotty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scotty-smith/) > [I'd be more into Passover if we didn't have to eat Passover food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-d-be-more-into-passover-if-we-didn-t-have-to-eat-passover-food/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There comes the time at every Passover seder when someone will open a door to let in the prophet Elijah. At that moment, something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/there-comes-the-time-at-every-passover-seder-when-someone-will-open-a/) [Andre Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/) > [“the ancient blood libel: that every year at Passover, Jews ritually slaughter Christian children and use their blood to bake matzo.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-walser-smith/the-ancient-blood-libel-that-every-year-at-passover-jews-ritually/) [Helmut Walser Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-walser-smith/) > [The message of Passover remains as powerful as ever. Freedom is won not on the battlefield but in the classroom and the home. Teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/the-message-of-passover-remains-as-powerful-as-ever-freedom-is-won/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [I think you may be confusing Passover with the South Beach Diet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-you-may-be-confusing-passover-with-the-south-beach-diet/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Alcohol makes other people less tedious, and food less bland, and can help provide what the Greeks called entheos , or the slight buzz…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/alcohol-makes-other-people-less-tedious-and-food-less-bland-and-can/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [We did Passover when we were younger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-hughes/we-did-passover-when-we-were-younger/) [Jack Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-hughes/) > [Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/observe-the-month-of-abib-and-keep-the-passover-unto-the-lord-thy-god/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [“If God never gave me one more thing in my life, then you, right now, would be enough. You are my Dayeinu”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-khubiar/if-god-never-gave-me-one-more-thing-in-my-life-then-you-right-now/) S. Khubiar > [Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/now-when-he-was-in-jerusalem-at-the-passover-in-the-feast-day-many/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) ## More by Ben Witherington III > [“Is the Lord’s Supper only for Christians? Whenever I ask this question I immediately remember the character of those that partook of the Last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/is-the-lord-s-supper-only-for-christians-whenever-i-ask-this-question/) [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) > [“The ritual of the blood on the lintel of the door, which protected the Israelites from the angel of death, is an apotropaic (avoidance)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/the-ritual-of-the-blood-on-the-lintel-of-the-door-which-protected-the/) [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) > [“Sometimes silences are pregnant and sometimes not. It is hard to know what to make of the silence of much of the New Testament…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/sometimes-silences-are-pregnant-and-sometimes-not-it-is-hard-to-know/) [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) > [“Who should serve the Lord’s Supper? Well in the early church, considering Acts 2 and 1 Corinthians 11, the host of the home presumably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/who-should-serve-the-lord-s-supper-well-in-the-early-church/) [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) > [“When one gets to Clement or Hippolytus, we are clearly a long way from what we find in Paul and the Gospels, where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/when-one-gets-to-clement-or-hippolytus-we-are-clearly-a-long-way-from/) [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) > [“It required an understanding of theology, and ethics, and ancient religions and philosophies. You had to have a working knowledge in a plethora of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/it-required-an-understanding-of-theology-and-ethics-and-ancient/) [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) > [“Too often scholars have thought and even suggested that what happened during and after Constantine was that the church sought to replace the pagan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/too-often-scholars-have-thought-and-even-suggested-that-what-happened/) [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) > [“Christ did not exalt himself in a world full of self-promotion; rather he stepped down and served others, which most, especially the elite, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/christ-did-not-exalt-himself-in-a-world-full-of-self-promotion-rather/) [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) > [“We have seen some gatekeeping or fencing-the-table language already beginning to rear its head in this context. One needed to be baptized to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/we-have-seen-some-gatekeeping-or-fencing-the-table-language-already/) [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) > [“The reference in 1 Corinthians 11:27 is to Christ’s actual body, which was crucified, as the reference to blood makes evident. Anaziõs has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/the-reference-in-1-corinthians-11-27-is-to-christ-s-actual-body-which/) [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) > [“Verse 12 \[of Ex. 12) tells us that the judgment of Yahweh is not only on the Egyptians but also on their deities. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/verse-12-of-ex-12-tells-us-that-the-judgment-of-yahweh-is-not-only-on/) [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) > [“When exactly did this all change, and what were the social and theological factors that led to the change? The answer seems to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/when-exactly-did-this-all-change-and-what-were-the-social-and/) [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) > [“One of the things that happened when the church moved from meetings in homes to having purpose-built buildings beginning before, but accelerated during, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/one-of-the-things-that-happened-when-the-church-moved-from-meetings/) [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) [Explore all 14 Ben Witherington III quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) ## More Atonement quotes > [We cannot go back in time and change the past, but we can repent. The Savior can wipe away our tears of regret and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/we-cannot-go-back-in-time-and-change-the-past-but-we-can-repent-the/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [I appreciate the written word and spoken word more, but Atonement sort of established so much of me. It was a character that didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saoirse-ronan/i-appreciate-the-written-word-and-spoken-word-more-but-atonement-sort/) [Saoirse Ronan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saoirse-ronan/) > [The Atonement is an event that enables us to be reconciled to God. The word atonement, or 'at-one-ment,' means to restore or to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-c-tingey/the-atonement-is-an-event-that-enables-us-to-be-reconciled-to-god-the/) Earl C. Tingey > [The early Christians made it a part of their religion to look for his return. They looked backward to the cross and the atonement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-early-christians-made-it-a-part-of-their-religion-to-look-for-his/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [And the commencement of atonement is the sense of its necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/and-the-commencement-of-atonement-is-the-sense-of-its-necessity/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [“Beloved, no sin of a believer can now be an arrow mortally to wound him, no condemnation can now be a sword to kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/beloved-no-sin-of-a-believer-can-now-be-an-arrow-mortally-to-wound/) [Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/) > [If you feel guilty or quietly ashamed, seek the power of the Atonement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-f-marriott/if-you-feel-guilty-or-quietly-ashamed-seek-the-power-of-the-atonement/) [Neill F. Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-f-marriott/) > [Jesus perfected his life and became our Christ. Priceless blood of a god was shed, and he became our Savior; his perfected life was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/jesus-perfected-his-life-and-became-our-christ-priceless-blood-of-a/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [The Atonement of Christ is the most transcendental event that has ever occurred or that will ever occur, since the sunrise of creation to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-r-mcconkie/the-atonement-of-christ-is-the-most-transcendental-event-that-has/) [Bruce R. McConkie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-r-mcconkie/) > [Jesus Christ was the only one capable of performing the magnificent Atonement because He was the only perfect man and the Only Begotten Son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-o-samuelson/jesus-christ-was-the-only-one-capable-of-performing-the-magnificent/) [Cecil O. Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecil-o-samuelson/) > [The cumulative weight of all mortal sins--past, present, and future--pressed upon that perfect, sinless, and sensitive Soul! All our infirmities and sicknesses were somehow,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/the-cumulative-weight-of-all-mortal-sins-past-present-and-future/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [God thank you for everything you've given us. For the time we have together. And for the miracle of Christmas. Thank you for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/god-thank-you-for-everything-you-ve-given-us-for-the-time-we-have/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [Contemplation does not ignore the 'historical Gethsemane', does not ignore the mystery of evil, guilt and its bloody atonement. The happiness of contemplation is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/contemplation-does-not-ignore-the-historical-gethsemane-does-not/) [Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/) > [Do you realize how marvelous it is that you can call upon the Atonement? The Lord effected the Atonement for our sakes. And there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-k-packer/do-you-realize-how-marvelous-it-is-that-you-can-call-upon-the/) [Boyd K. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-k-packer/) > [I would rather believe a limited atonement that is efficacious for all men for whom it was intended, than a universal atonement that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/i-would-rather-believe-a-limited-atonement-that-is-efficacious-for/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) [Browse all 327 Atonement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atonement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“At this juncture it is important to say something about Exodus 12:7. This verse implies that we are dealing with a ritual that did not involve atoning for sin, but rather was a rite of protection for God’s people, a different though not unrelated matter. It involved a blood ritual to avoid God’s last blow against the firstborn. Thus Passover and atonement were not originally associated, though apparently by Jesus’ day there were some such associations. Notice that nothing at all is said or suggested here about Israel’s sin, or about forgiveness. This ceremony is more like an insurance policy. Yes, the blood is to avert divine wrath, but it is not wrath against Israel’s particular sins. In this case they simply happened to be too close to the danger zone, or in the line of fire. We must assume that this blood ritual arose before there even was a fully formed priesthood, for it is highly unusual to have such a ritual without any mention of involvement of priests.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Witherington III" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/at-this-juncture-it-is-important-to-say-something-about-exodus-12-7/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Atonement" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/at-this-juncture-it-is-important-to-say-something-about-exodus-12-7/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/ben-witherington-iii-33766_atonement_at-this-juncture-it-is-important-to-say_3119031.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/ben-witherington-iii-33766_atonement_at-this-juncture-it-is-important-to-say_3119031.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/ben-witherington-iii-33766_atonement_at-this-juncture-it-is-important-to-say_3119031.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“At this juncture it is important to say something about Exodus 12:7. This verse implies that we are dealing…” — Ben Witherington III", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ben Witherington III", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“At this juncture it is important...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/at-this-juncture-it-is-important-to-say-something-about-exodus-12-7/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/at-this-juncture-it-is-important-to-say-something-about-exodus-12-7/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```