JESUS' REDEMPTION, ONCE FOR ALL

Hebrews 9:11-28 / Keywords 9:26b

But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.

 

9:11 When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! 15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. 16 In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18 This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19 When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20 He said, "This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep." 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

 

1. The previous passage explained the limitations of the earthly sanctuary and the traditional system of sacrifice. Then how can Jesus be the perfect sacrifice that brings redemption?

 

2. The Jews were familiar with the concept of redemption through the annual ceremony of shedding the blood of animals, as Moses had taught. However, the ceremony was a mere copy of the heavenly things–the forgiveness of sins through a sacrifice (23). What makes Jesus the perfect sacrifice apart from the bloodshed annually in the earthly sanctuary was his heavenly nature and willingness to lay down his life to redeem the sins of the world (26).

 

3. Jesus died on the cross only once. This introduces a new concept of sacrifice. He entered heaven itself rather than the Most Holy Place and into the presence of God. Thus, he brought salvation to us all as he removed the barrier that sin had placed between God and us. The repeated death was no longer needed as Jesus' sacrifice completed the heavenly work.

 

Prayer Father, thank you for Jesus who shed his blood to redeem us from our sins. Thank you for the forgiveness of sins we receive in Jesus. Please help us not to cling to our old guilt and remorse but be secure in knowing your heavenly grace.

One Word Jesus is the perfect sacrifice