Define.
Do I believe that our sins were transferred to Christ and then Christ was condemned as a sinner? No.
Sin is not transferable. We suffer the
effects of Adam's sin (prior to Baptism), but we do not inherit his sin. We benefit from the
effects of Christ's Sacrifice (through Baptism, the Eucharist and the other Sacraments), but He did not take our sins into Himself.
Christ, throughout His life, was obedient to God. He, according to His Human Nature, rendered to God that which He is due. He was given responsibility or "headship" over the human race just as Adam did. Adam wasn't the first human to sin, Eve was, but mankind fell because of Adam's sin. Christ was given this headship over the human race as the Second Adam. Christ wasn't the first human to be totally obedient to God, Mary was, but mankind was saved because of Christ's obedience.
The idea that Christ was "vicariously punished" for our sins sets a strange opposition in the Trinity. Christ died as a Sacrifice for sin, not that our sins were transferred to Him first and then He was punished for them. I think Martin Luther came up with that idea. Luther had a lot of emotional, psychological, and spiritual problems (and even the Lutherans admit this, as it was evident in the movie
Luther).
Christ died so as to spill the entirety of His Precious Blood, one drop of which could save a thousand worlds. He died to show the deadly effects of sin. He died to give birth to the Church. He died so that we can die and be raised again with Him through Baptism. He died because
"unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground die, itself remaineth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." (Jn 12:24-25). He died so He could rise again from the dead and prove once and for all His Divinity. He died so He could descend into Hell conquer it, destroying death once and for all.
But He did not die as a "punishment".
How do you understand Isaiah 53:4-12?
4 Surely our grief He Himself bore,
And our sorrows He carred;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of God and afflicted.
5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed,
6 All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way,
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to salughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearer,
Sko He did not open His mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away;
And as for His generation, who considered
That He was cut off out of the land of the living
For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?
9 His grave was assigned with wicked men,
Yet He was with a rich man in His death,
Becuase He had done no violence,
Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.
10 But the LORD was pleased
To crush Him, putting Him to grief;
If He would render Himself as a guilt offering,
He will see His offspring,
He will prolong His days,
And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
11 As a result of the anguish of His soul,
He will see it and be satisfied;
By His knowledge the Righteous One,
My servant, will justify the many,
As He will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great,
And He will divide the booty with the strong;
Because he poured out Himself to death,
And was numbered with the transgressors;
Yet Him Himself bore the sin of many,
And interceded for the transgressors.
