Where Did Jesus Die? — Page 114
? 114 instances might be cited to show how general was the belief in the efficacy of human sacrifice in the time of Christ. 1 The immemorial Jewish views as to sin-offering were firmly held in the time of Christ; and the sacrifice of a lamb, goat or some other animal for the remission of sins was a regular custom, and the scapegoat (a) which, bearing all the sins of the nation, was driven to the wilderness to be devoured by beasts of prey, was employed as a variant of this practice. On all sides the pagan gods were supposed to have suffered and bled for mankind, while their altars reeked with the blood of human and animal victims tor- tured and slain for the remission of sins. 3 Sir James Frazer says: The employment of a divine man or animal as a scapegoat is especially to be noted. . . Evils are believed to be trans- ferred to a god who is afterwards slain. . . On one hand we have seen that it has been customary to kill the human or animal god in order to save his divine life from being weakened by the inroads of age. On the other hand, we have seen that it has been customary to have a general 1. do. p. 154–155 (a) The scapegoat is often quoted by fundamentalist Christians as a type of the sacrifice made by Jesus, forgetful of the fact that the scapegoat was not sacrificed but was sent into the wilderness alive. (Author) 3. do. p. 156–157