What does "to finish transgression" mean in the context of Daniel 9:24? Canonical Setting and Translation “Seventy weeks are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy place.” The clause under study is the first infinitive construct: “לְכַלֵּא הַפֶּשַׁע” (lə-kallēʾ ha-pešaʿ) rendered “to finish the transgression.” Historical-Redemptive Context Daniel prays in 539 BC after reading Jeremiah’s seventy-year prophecy (Jeremiah 25:11–12; 29:10). God answers with a larger time-clock—seventy “sevens”—that stretches to Messiah. The first objective, “to finish the transgression,” addresses the very burden of Daniel’s prayer: Israel’s ongoing covenant breach that led to exile (Leviticus 26:14–45; 2 Chronicles 36:15-21). The timeline pledges a climactic intervention that will bring that rebellion era to a halt. Old Testament Parallels • Isaiah 40:2—“her iniquity has been pardoned.” • Jeremiah 31:31-34—New Covenant promise that God will “remember their sin no more.” • Ezekiel 36:25-27—Spirit-enabled obedience replacing transgression. These passages anticipate a definitive, once-for-all dealing with Israel’s collective covenant violations. Messianic Fulfillment in Christ The New Testament identifies Jesus’ atoning work as the terminus of Israel’s—and humanity’s—transgression cycle: • Hebrews 9:26—“He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” • Romans 11:26–27—“The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove godlessness from Jacob.” • 1 Peter 2:24—“He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree.” By absorbing the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13) and inaugurating the New Covenant in His blood (Luke 22:20), Christ “finished” (John 19:30, τετέλεσται) the transgression problem at its root—satisfying divine justice and opening the way for covenant restoration. Implications for Israel Finishing transgression is not merely individual forgiveness but also corporate realignment: 1. Judicially—atonement covers past rebellion. 2. Experientially—regeneration via the Spirit enables obedience (Romans 8:3-4). 3. Eschatologically—national Israel’s hardness is temporary (Romans 11:25). When “all Israel will be saved,” the prophecy reaches visible consummation. Eschatological Dimensions While the cross achieved the judicial end of transgression, Daniel 9:24’s remaining goals (everlasting righteousness, sealing vision, anointing the Most Holy) project to Messiah’s second advent and the restoration of Jerusalem in the millennial kingdom (Isaiah 2:1-4; Zechariah 14:9-21; Revelation 20). Thus “finish” includes both the decisive act at Calvary and its future public manifestation. Archaeological & Historical Corroboration • Babylonian Chronicle (BM 21946) confirms the exile setting described in Daniel. • The Cyrus Cylinder (British Museum) documents the edict allowing Jews to return—harmonizing with Daniel 9:25’s starting point. • Ketef Hinnom silver scrolls (7th cent. BC) preserve the priestly benediction, illustrating how covenantal categories of blessing and curse framed Israel’s understanding of transgression and its hoped-for resolution. Patristic and Rabbinic Commentary • Early Church: Jerome (Commentary on Daniel 9) saw Christ’s passion as the finishing of transgression. • Rabbinic: Rashi links the phrase to Israel’s iniquity “until the time of the Second Temple.” Yet post-70 AD rabbinic sources struggle to locate fulfillment—a silent testimony pointing toward the Messianic reading embraced by first-century Jewish believers (Acts 3:18-26). Application for Worship and Life 1. Assurance—Believers rest in the finished work; guilt no longer dictates identity (Hebrews 10:14-18). 2. Holiness—Because transgression is judicially ended, daily sin loses dominion (Romans 6:6-14). 3. Mission—Proclaiming the gospel invites others into the blessing Daniel foresaw (Luke 24:46-47). Summary Definition “To finish transgression” in Daniel 9:24 is God’s pledged act—centered on the Messiah’s atoning death, vindicated by His resurrection, and consummated in His return—that terminates Israel’s and humanity’s covenant rebellion, satisfies divine justice, inaugurates the New Covenant, and secures a future of corporate righteousness in a restored kingdom. |
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