First Baptist Church Laredo
Study in the Book of Hebrews: Hebrews 9:11-28
- In this passage, the writer engages the subject of Christ’s new covenant ministry. He want his readers to understand the reasons why Jesus’ sacrifice is superior to the old ways of doing things. He is going to give us several reasons for why Christ’s offering for sin was superior to that of the priestly sacrifices. The author presents the past, present, and future work of Christ.1. Introduction ()A. The writer leads the reader to view the appearance of Christ as the inauguration of a new era of good things. ()
Hebrews 9:11 CSB 11 But Christ has appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come. In the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands (that is, not of this creation),B. Christ’s ministry was done in the heavenly tabernacle. ()C. Christ’s sacrifice was done once for all time. ()Hebrews 9:12 CSB 12 he entered the most holy place once for all time, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.D. The work of securing eternal redemption was done with his own blood. ()i. The word “redemption” can also be translated “liberation or deliverance”.The Jews expected the Messiah to liberate them and deliver them from their physical, earthly enemies. They did not understand the type of liberation and deliverance that the Messiah would bring them. The liberation was from their, and our, real problem; our sin problem. They should have known from the Old Testament, specifically, the writing of Jeremiah, the type of liberation the Messiah would bring; however, they had become blinded by their sin and political aspirations.2. The Blood of Christ ()To really understand the significance of what the writer is talking about, we need to understand the Day of Atonement. The passage of Scripture that contains the regulations and instructions for the Day of Atonement is found in . To summarize, the high priest would first offer a sacrifice for himself and his family. Then, he would present the sacrifice on behalf of the people. What that entails was two goats. One would be slaughtered as a sin offering. The other would be brought out of the tent. The high priest would lay his hands on the goat, known as the scapegoat, and he would confess all of the sins of the people. The goat would then be driven away from the camp into the desert. After this, the high priest would take the blood of a bull and the goat to the Holy of Holiest to sprinkle the blood over the mercy seat. Not only does the author talk about the Day of Atonement, but also, another special offering.Hebrews 9:13 CSB 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow, sprinkling those who are defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh,To read about the significance of the “ashes of a young cow”, you would need to read . God commanded a red heifer to be brought. The heifer must not have ever been worked and needed to be perfect. The heifer was brought outside of the camp and slaughtered. The blood was taken and sprinkled seven times in front of the Tabernacle. The animal’s remains were burned and the ashes collected for later use. At times, people would become ceremonially unclean, for example, if a dead body was touched. The ashes of the red heifer was mixed with water and the mixture would be sprinkled on the unclean person, making them ceremonially pure once again.A. These sacrifices and purification were only temporary and would have to be repeated. ()B. The blood of Christ does what no animal sacrifice could ever do. ()Hebrews 9:14 CSB 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works so that we can serve the living God?Jesus presented his own blood sacrifice to God. He was without blemish, in that he lived a perfect life, never sinning. His sacrifice does not just cover our sin, but he cleanses our conscience. Those who believe in Jesus are not longer held guilty before God. With our consciences clear, we are liberated to serve the living God.C. The sacrificial work of Jesus ushers in a new covenant of which he is the mediator. ()Hebrews 9:15 CSB 15 Therefore, he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance, because a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.Mediator is a legal term. The word referred to someone who arbitrated political disputes. The person was a peacemaker in business conflicts. Christ is the peacemaker between God and man. He stands between God and man bringing us back together. The results of the mediation is an eternal inheritance. Jesus’ work is the foundation of the blessing that God no longer holds us guilty or remembers our sin.Hebrews 9:16–17 CSB 16 Where a will exists, the death of the one who made it must be established. 17 For a will is valid only when people die, since it is never in effect while the one who made it is living.D.D. Someone had to die in order to establish a new covenant. ()Wills do not go into effect until the person passes away. Likewise, Jesus had to die to establish the new covenant in his blood.E. Moses established the first covenant with God in blood. ()Hebrews 9:18–21 CSB 18 That is why even the first covenant was inaugurated with blood. 19 For when every command had been proclaimed by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll itself and all the people, 20 saying, This is the blood of the covenant that God has ordained for you. 21 In the same way, he sprinkled the tabernacle and all the articles of worship with blood.F. Blood is required, by the law, for almost all purifications. ()Hebrews 9:22 CSB 22 According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.There were some offerings that did not include blood and some purification which did not require blood, but without blood there could be no forgiveness of sins.3. The heavenly tabernacle ()Hebrews 9:23–24 CSB 23 Therefore, it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves to be purified with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that he might now appear in the presence of God for us.It might strike you as odd that the heavenly realm could be defiled in some way. However, the connection to sinful people provides the answer. The heavenly tabernacle, the dwelling place of God, was made accessible by Christ’s sacrifice. The heavenly tabernacles is purified when God’s people are purified through the blood of Christ. Jesus makes the way for people to come into God’s presence.4. Jesus’ offering was once-for-all. ()Hebrews 9:25–28 CSB 25 He did not do this to offer himself many times, as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another. 26 Otherwise, he would have had to suffer many times since the foundation of the world. But now he has appeared one time, at the end of the ages, for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment—28 so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.A. Jesus’ sacrifice is superior because it does not have to be repeated. ()B. Repeating Christ’s sacrifice is impossible because humans can only physically die once. ()Christ was fully God, but also fully human. Therefore, he could only die once.C. Christ’s sacrifice fully cleanses all of those, past, present, and future, who believe. ()D. The next time Jesus appears, a complete deliverance from this cursed, sinful world will be fully accomplished. () Hebrews 9:11HCSB
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