I’d like to highlight how Staples argues against the substitutionary atonement interpretive model of reading Paul and instead argues for a transformation of the heart model which results in good acts and therefore good judgment. The substitutionary atonement reading is well known, and so for example in Romans Staples notes:

The idea here is that we are guilty but through a theological sleight of hand accepting Christ makes our sin invisible to God because we clothe ourselves in Christ’s righteousness. Staples notes this is a very problematic reading. For one thing, Paul repeatedly notes we will be judged on our actions (Romans 2:5-11; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Galatians 6:7-8; 1 Cor 6:9-11; etc.). For example, as John Barclay notes, Paul’s directive to members of his churches to give to the poor Christians in Jerusalem is at once economic, political, and theological. Moreover, the Torah provides mechanisms for forgiveness and atonement. If there is one thing the God of the Old Testament can do, it’s forgive. Just consider the penitential psalms or the story of Jonah.

The history of the Jews is the repeated breaking of the Torah covenant, and as a solution God says he will write the Law on people’s hearts to solve the root problem = Sinful Inclination: the stubborn, rebellious, disobedient heart that all people have.

Paul’s gospel is the promise of inward transformation is being fulfilled. Justification is not a legal term of God declaring someone is righteous even though nothing has changed, or rescuing you from the penalty of sin by giving sinful people a pass – but being transformed into a doer of justice so you can meet the standard of judgment. The Torah covenant is only applicable until one dies, and since Christ has died he escapes the covenant and lives outside the old covenant. Jesus puts the Law into the hearts and mouths of those who listen to him and as they invite his spirit into them. What does this mean?

Sinful disposition is overcome by accepting Christ’s faithful spirit and so learning to love God and neighbor beyond all else, which Jesus calls the essence of the law in the gospels. Passages such as the expiation/propitiation passage in Romans must be understood literally as the mercy seat of the ark, and so Jesus is literally the place of God’s glory.

I found this to be a very compelling reading of Paul and I have long critiqued the substitutionary atonement reading of Christ both in Paul and the gospels, for instance in my 3 Robyn Faith Walsh essays, the first one being HERE that links to the others; my penal substitution essay, and my critique of mythicism essay. In my reading the major point to add to Staples argument is it is the death of Jesus that un-covers the corruption of the system, like the unnecessary death of noble Socrates.