Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (deceased), wrote:
Christ’s atonement is the center piece of human history. The Restoration scriptures both confirm the fact and amplify the information concerning this crucial reality.
Both Jacob and Amulek declared it to be an “infinite atonement: (2 Nephi 9:7; Alma 34:8-12). First the sacrifice of an imperfect and finite human would not have satisfied the requirements of divine justice. A mere mortal could not have performed the Atonement. Divine justice thus required that, if the repentant were not to have to pay for their own sins, the Only Begotten of the Father should lay down His life voluntarily for that purpose:
No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father (John 10:18).
For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice, yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.
Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood which will atone for the sins of another (Alma 34:10-11)
Why so great a sacrifice? Because all of us mortals need it, along with time and space—room to repent and grow, so that one day, if submissive, we can be worthy to return to the presence of God. “For behold, if Adam had put forth his hand immediately, and partaken of the tree of life, he would have lived forever, according to the word of God, having no space for repentance: yea, and also the word of God would have been void, and the great plan of salvation would have been frustrated (Alma 42:5, emphasis added).
Furthermore, only in an “infinite atonement” would mercy overpower the stern demands of justice (see Alma 34:15). The mercy of God responds to our helpless condition: “Since man had fallen he could not merit anything of himself; but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their sins, through faith and repentance” (Alma 22:14).
Second, the “infinite atonement” is fully comprehensive in the immortalizing benefits “according to the great plan of the Eternal God” who foresaw the Fall and who mercifully decreed “there must be an atonement made” (Alma 34:9).
A third dimension may be seen in the infinite intensiveness of Christ’s suffering. This intensiveness required a fully atoning and fully comprehending Atoner who would “know according to the flesh” human pain, sorrow, grief, and misery (Alma 7:11-12). “For behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam” (2 Nephi 9:21).
Thus, in addition to bearing our sins—the required essence of the Atonement—the “how” of which we surely do not understand, Jesus is further described as having come to know our sicknesses, griefs, pains, and infirmities as well. Another “how” we cannot now comprehend (Isaiah 53:4, Matthew 8:17, Mosiah 14:4, Alma 7:11-12)! Jesus thus not only satisfied the requirements of divine justice but also, particularly in His Gethsemane and Calvary ordeals, demonstrated and perfected His capacity to succor His people and His empathy for them. He came to know personally and perfectly, “according to the flesh,” how to help us become more like His fully comprehending Father: “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5). ~ Neal A. Maxwell, Not My Will, but Thine (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2008) 52-54 (continued)
