Many understand the "satisfaction doctrine" as meaning Jesus came to Earth so that God's justice could be satisfied. If the justice to be satisfied is according as the “satisfaction doctrine” postulates- “ a legal framework and centering in the idea that God must be appeased of satisfied before he can forgive.”
Maybe we need to take a closer look at the meaning of this word.
The Greek word for justice is dike. It translated in the bible as “ judgment” and other times as “righteousness.”
Spiros Zodhiates in his Hebrew-Greek Key word studies has this to say about the meaning of this word:
[quote] The basic meaning of the word involves the assertion by human society of a certain standard expected by its people and, if not kept can mean the ensuing judgment. Thus it can be said that dike is expected behavior or conformity, not according to ones own standard but according to an imposed standard with prescribed punishment for non-conformity. It refers to legitimate custom. When dike as expected conformity becomes judgment for violation, it becomes in Gr. katadike used in the N.T. only in verbal form,katadikazo(2613) to condemn (Mt 12:7,37; Lk 6:37; Js 5;6) In all instances when dike occurs in the N.T.( acts 25:15 ; 28:4 ; 2 Thes 1:9 ; Jude 7 ) it is used with the sense of katadike, judgement to render justice, and refers to those who suffer punishment in order that the acceptable behavior or custom violated by them might be re-established. [end quote]
Now did you catch the meaning ? " judgement to render justice, and refers to those who suffer punishment in order that the acceptable behavior or custom violated by them might be re-established." Sounds like a change of mind doesn’t it to the one who is judged? That “the behavior or custom violated by them might be re-established”.
Even the prophets understood the judgments of God and its corrective administration when it was declared;
Isa 26:9 "With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments [are] in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness."
This theory of the “satisfaction doctrine” has been attributed to St Anselm of Canterbury, around 1000 A.D. It is a legal frame work of the cross totally devoid of a relationship aspects of the cross which is love, passion, and sacrifice. As One has aptly put it;
[quote] …love, passion, and sacrifice were considered "weak" because they were connected with what was considered feminine qualities. Thus the early church's understanding of the cross as illustrating the drama of God's passionate love struggling to liberate us from the power of sin and death was considered too "emotive" and thus "inferior" and was replaced with their legal model.[ end quote]
Does God change His meaning of the word “judge” for those who are now born from above and those in the world? The meaning holds true when it is written;
1Pe 4:17 "For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God?" Indeed what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel ?
The purpose of judgment is to learn righteousness. If it begins right here in you and me it will accomplish the purpose intend, to learn righteousness or re-establish the acceptable behavior violated which is defined as what the Law of the Old Covenant forshadowed. Does it not cause us to understand the New Covenant promise of “writing His laws in our hearts and mind” does not do away with the righteousness described in the Law, but establishes it now upon better promises of what He will do, with His judgments being one of the instruments of accomplishing the New Covenant promise.
