Notes on Sin in the Bible (Bad Words of the Bible)

Overview

• The video introduces the Bible’s vocabulary about human brokenness: sin, iniquity, transgression, and how these terms offer a deep diagnosis of human nature.
• Sin is not only about bad actions; it is a comprehensive diagnosis of the human condition and our tendency to miss the goal of loving God and others.
• Core linguistic notes:
  • Iniquity = crooked behavior.
  • Transgression = breaking trust.
  • Sin (Hebrew khata; Greek hamartiyah) is the most common of these terms in Scripture.
• Basic meaning of sin (khata/hamartiyah): to fail or miss the goal, not merely a religious violation.
• The goal in biblical terms is rooted in being created in the image of God and thereby honoring God and other people.
• The Bible’s moral code (the Ten Commandments) shows two kinds of failures: failing to love God and failing to love people; both are connected.
• Sin against people is sin against God, illustrating the sacred seriousness of human relationships and the divine image in people.
• Sin involves self-deception: often people think they are succeeding or justify their failures as good—a recurring biblical motif.
• The narrative arc begins with Adam and Eve’s temptation to redefine good and evil by human wisdom, setting a pattern for later human behavior (Cain and Abel).
• The bad news is universal, but the good news is embodied in Jesus, who is described as the true human who did not sin yet bore humanity’s sin on the cross and offers a new life.
• The video is part of a series called the Bad Words of the Bible, funded by crowdfunding, with more resources at thebibleproject.com.