The Scapegoat and the Transfer of Sin Does Scripture Teach That Satan Bears the Sins of God’s People? In the previous articles we examined how the Great Disappointment of 1844 led to the development of the heavenly sanctuary doctrine, and how that doctrine became the foundation for the teaching known as the Investigative Judgment. Within this sanctuary framework another teaching emerges—one that plays a crucial role in the overall system. It is the interpretation of the scapegoat in Leviticus 16. In many Adventist explanations of the Day of Atonement, the scapegoat is identified with Satan, and it is taught that at the end of the Investigative Judgment the sins of believers will ultimately be transferred to him. This raises a very important question: Does the Bible teach that Satan bears the sins of God’s people? To answer this, we must carefully examine the Day of Atonement ritual described in the Old Testament. The Two Goats of the Day of Atonement The Day of Atonement was the most solemn ceremony in the Israelite sanctuary system. On that day two goats were presented before the Lord. Leviticus 16:7–10 “And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat.” One goat was sacrificed as a sin offering. The other goat—the scapegoat—remained alive. After the high priest symbolically confessed the sins of the people over it, the animal was led away into the wilderness. This act represented the removal of sin from the camp of Israel. The ritual illustrated that sin had been carried away and removed from the community. The Adventist Interpretation Within Adventist theology the two goats are interpreted in a specific way. The first goat represents Christ, whose sacrifice provides forgiveness for sin. The second goat—the scapegoat—is interpreted as representing Satan. In this interpretation, after the Investigative Judgment is completed, the sins of God’s people are symbolically placed upon Satan, who bears responsibility for them as the scapegoat. This interpretation fits within the larger cosmic conflict narrative, where Satan is seen as the ultimate cause of rebellion in the universe. But this interpretation raises an important theological issue. Who Actually Bears Sin? Throughout Scripture the responsibility for bearing sin is consistently placed upon Christ alone. The prophet Isaiah described it clearly. Isaiah 53:6 “The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” The New Testament repeats the same truth. 1 Peter 2:24 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree.” According to the gospel, Christ carried the full burden of human sin. The work of bearing sin is never shared with any other being. The Problem of Dividing the Atonement If Christ forgives sin but Satan ultimately bears it, then the work of atonement becomes divided. Part of the responsibility belongs to Christ. Another part belongs to Satan. But the New Testament presents the atonement as the work of one Savior alone. Hebrews 1:3 “When he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Notice the emphasis. Christ by himself purged our sins. No other being participates in the work of atonement. What the Scapegoat Symbolized The scapegoat ritual symbolized the removal of sin from the people. Once the sacrifice had been made, the sins of Israel were symbolically carried away from the camp. But the New Testament explains that the true removal of sin occurs through Christ’s sacrifice. John 1:29 “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” Christ does not simply forgive sin. He takes it away. The Finality of the Cross The New Testament consistently emphasizes that Christ’s sacrifice completed the work of redemption. Hebrews 10:12 “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God.” The priests of the earthly sanctuary never sat down because their work was never finished. Christ sat down because His work was finished. There is no remaining portion of sin waiting to be transferred to another being. Why This Teaching Appears in the System The interpretation of Satan as the scapegoat does not arise directly from the New Testament. It arises within the structure created by the sanctuary doctrine and the Investigative Judgment. If the heavenly sanctuary is being cleansed through an ongoing judgment process, then a final act is required to remove the sins of believers from that sanctuary. Within that system, the scapegoat becomes the mechanism through which those sins are ultimately removed. But this idea depends on the sanctuary framework that began with the reinterpretation of 1844. The Simplicity of the Gospel The gospel message is far simpler than this complex system. Christ bore sin. Christ paid the penalty for sin. Christ removed sin. Hebrews 10:14 “For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” The work of redemption was completed by Christ alone. Nothing remains to be transferred elsewhere. Next The Two Sin Bearers Problem in Adventism Examining the Claim That Sin Is Ultimately Placed on Satan Back to Series: Examining the Cosmic Conflict Narrative in Adventist Theology