Tuesday: Jesus’ Perfect Sacrifice
Read Hebrews 7:27 and Hebrews 10:10. How is Jesus’ sacrifice described in these passages?
The Levitical priests — who were “many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office” (Hebrews 7:23, ESV) — are contrasted with Jesus, who lives forever and has an eternal priesthood (Hebrews 7:24-25). Levitical priests “daily” (Hebrews 7:27) and “every year” (Hebrews 9:25) offered gifts and sacrifices “that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper” (Hebrews 9:9, ESV; Hebrews 10:1-4).
Image © David Sorensen at Goodsalt.com
Jesus, however, offered Himself “once for all” a “single sacrifice” (Hebrews 10:10, Hebrews 10:12-14, ESV) that cleanses our consciences (Hebrews 9:14, Hebrews 10:1-10) and puts away sin (Hebrews 9:26). Jesus’ sacrifice is superior to the sacrifice of animals because Jesus was the Son of God (Hebrews 7:26-28), who perfectly fulfilled God’s will (Hebrews 10:5-10).
The description of the sacrifice of Jesus as having occurred “once for all” has several important implications.
First, Jesus’ sacrifice is perfectly effective and never to be surpassed. The sacrifices of the Levitical priests were repeated because they were not effective; otherwise “would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins?” (Hebrews 10:2, ESV).
Second, all the different kinds of sacrifices of the Old Testament found their fulfillment at the cross. Thus, Jesus not only cleanses us from sin (Hebrews 9:14), He also provides sanctification (Hebrews 10:10-14) by putting sin away from our lives (Hebrews 9:26). Before the priests could approach God in the sanctuary and minister in behalf of their fellow human beings, they had to be cleansed and sanctified, or consecrated (Leviticus 8:1-9:24). Jesus’ sacrifice cleanses us and consecrates us (Hebrews 10:10-14) so that we may approach God with confidence (Hebrews 10:19-23) and serve Him as “a royal priesthood” (Hebrews 9:14, 1 Peter 2:9).
Finally, Jesus’ sacrifice also provides nourishment for our spiritual life. It provides an example that we need to observe and follow. Thus, Hebrews invites us to fix our eyes upon Jesus, especially the events of the cross, and follow His lead (Hebrews 12:1-4, Hebrews 13:12-13, ).
| The cross is the basis for all the benefits that God bestows upon us. It provides purification from sin, sanctification to serve, and nourishment to grow. How can we better experience what we have been given in Jesus? |
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When we think of perfection the first idea that crosses our mind is the notion of "without blemish". That is fine, but perhaps some of the other uses of the word can also add meaning to the idea of perfection as well.
I have a number of computers (as one would expect, for a computer scientist) and those computers need to be connected to monitors. There are various ways of connecting computers and monitors and they can be a bit particular about their specifications. I recently bought a new monitor because I wanted to run two monitors at once. I grabbed an HDMI cable out of my big,"I will keep this wire because I might need it one day" box and connected it up. It did not work. It did not blow up or emit smoke; it just did not show a picture on the monitor. I had to buy a new HDMI cable that had better specifications than the ones that I already owned. The new HDMI cable was perfect. It was specified to do the task, and the picture showed up on the new monitor without blemish.
The conventional interpretation of the perfection, meaning "without blemish" misses the nuance of being "specified for the task". I like to think of Christ as being "specified to do the task" of salvation. This includes that unique and often misunderstood combination of God and man that provides that special relationship between the creator and the created. Like the HDMI cable, Jesus restores the relationship so that God's character can show up in our lives.
The sacrifice of Jesus "Once For All" is sufficient to not only "justify" us but also "Sanctify us" this is very clearly stated by Hebrews 10:14. Jesus was and is God in human flesh. It was God that died for us, it was God that rose again for us, and it is God in human flesh that lives for us and intercedes for us. All The Old Testament animal sacrifices only symbolized this very fact.
23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office,
Hebrews 7:23
Have you ever called customer service to correct a problem? Before we get to talk to a live person, you have to jump through all the automated prompts. If you answer a prompt wrong inevitably you have to start over. Then if you hold long enough without losing your patience or getting disconnected, you get to a live person who most often repeats the same automated response you had already tried After all the troubleshooting most often you get transferred again you start from ground zero.
I know this is a crude way to explain our lesson study for today but I believe you get my point.
24 But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Therefore He is also able to save 8 to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Hebrews 7:24-25
He continues forever - You don't have to start at ground zero all the time.
He always lives to make intercession - Because He is all knowing before I speak He has covered me with His blood.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
Luke 15:20
My heart rejoices over this wonderful promise.
Reflecting on the title of this lesson, I asked myself: ‘Why has organised 'Christianity' elevated the 'Cross' instead of the 'Life of Christ Jesus’ - His 'Way of Life' -, to be its symbol?
We are told not to form ourselves 'images/symbols' of God. The cross is found as an ornament of a neckless, on the wall, or stood up in front of the congregation by the altar, but His Message can only be observed when we live our life. Has the choice of elevating the cross instead of the Life of Christ Jesus become the organized Religion's Archilles-heal? Rev.2:1-7NKJV
The lesson is filled with references helpful for a theological discourse to debate the shell, the framework of our religion; but what about its Cornerstone – the Heart of Christ Jesus, our Creator, the Son of God who came to demonstrate to all the Universe how much He loves His creation, even in full knowledge that His Life be taken away by those who He came to save from eternal death?
He forgave them before He came to live among them, and at the eve of His death He asked the Father to forgive them - 'because they did not know what they were doing'; He pleaded our 'ignorance', so laying the foundation for forgiveness!
Heb.10:10 – 'Based on His divine Will He offered us to free us from the consequences of our sinful lives. All who accept the offer of Redemption by the Creator of all Life do so through faith. It is He who admonishes us to faithfully follow Him on the Path of Faith unto Life everlasting. He showed and taught us His ‘Way’, and His ‘Way’ is Himself.'
Christ Jesus remained loving and kind all the way to the cross. Would we benefit from ‘unfolding’ the Truth of Heb.10:10 a bit more in order to reach deeper understanding? Could it be that focusing the believer's attention on the 'sacrifice on the cross' is easier to 'debate' theologically than to live the Truth of the 'Way' which teaches us how to Love the Father, His Son and our fellow man?
Central to the topic for today's lesson is reference to the "conscience" of the 'sinner'. What is a person's conscience? Functionally, your conscience and your metaphorical 'heart' are inseparably interconnected*. Metaphorically, your heart is considered the most core 'aspect' of your being - the metaphorical 'seat' of your deepest desires. And your conscience has the job of 'gatekeeping' those desires. By 'gatekeeping', your conscience essentially assesses whether a desire is good or evil - beneficent or maleficent. It is clear that the functioning of our conscience cannot be divorced with the role and functioning of the Holy Spirit (as per John 16:8). Hence, a hardened heart is accompanied by a "seared" conscience (1 Timothy 4:2). Searing refers to cauterisation which has the effect of stopping the flow of something thereby rendering it inoperative.
The reason I raise this is because it is easy to miss what Paul is emphasising - that the sacrificial dynamic under the Old Testament was 'imperfect' because it could not actually fix the core problem. That core problem was what happened back at 'ground zero' in Genesis 3:6 when Eve and Adam exchanged a heart of self-renouncing love (the core principle underpinning life on earth and in heaven) for a heart of self-seeking. Their conscience was terminally damaged in the process (Galatians 5:17; Romans 8:7). And by undertaking this exchange, Eve and Adam disconnected or cut themselves off from life - precisely as God has forewarned would be the inherent outcome/'penalty' in Genesis 2:16-17.
If you can see the direct and inherent link between heart-state and connection or disconnection with life**, then perhaps you can see why the Old Testament sacrificial system (which was only ever designed to progressively teach and reinforce the reality of what sin is, what it inherently results in, and what would therefore be needed to actually fix the core problem that produces sin) was, in and of itself, incapable of fixing the core problem - a terminal conscience/heart condition.
And if you can see that, hopefully you will also be able to see that Jesus, as the substitute second Adam - a self-sacrificing role - was the "more excellent/superior" fulfilment of what the Old Testament sacrificial/atonement system was pointing to. Hence, the concept of "conscience" in the verses under study for today is critical to the understanding of the notion of both perfect sacrifice and Jesus as the perfect sacrifice - a sacrifice that is perfect in both the process and the outcome that actually fixes what got broken back at 'ground zero'.
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* It is critical to keep in mind that we artificially conceptualise and label aspects of our being (such as conscience, heart, soul, etc) in a more distinct and oversimplified manner than they actually exist and operate. But this is how our mind attempts to functionally sufficiently grapple with what is in actuality too complex for it to fully grasp.
** Recall the two things that appear to be essential for life: (1) ongoing connection with God who is the Source of the "breath of life", and (2) willingly living in harmony with the mechanisms (inherent cause-and-effect principles) that promote and govern life. An other-focussed heart is needed for both of these and therefore for life - just as Adam and Eve were created with.
The lesson author writes, "The cross is the basis for all the benefits that God bestows upon us. It provides purification from sin, sanctification to serve, and nourishment to grow."
That's something to add to the list in my essay, "In the Cross of Christ I Glory." Can you add more?
The problem with the cross in Christianity is not that we make too much of it, but that we make too little of it - denigrating it to a church decoration or even a trinket on a necklace or a bracelet. And there are some, even among Christians, to whom the cross is still "foolishness."
Paul writes that the cross is "the power of God" to us who are saved. (1 Cor. 1:18) I'm still trying to wrap my mind around this. Clearly Paul is not writing about a wooden cross but about all it represents through the self-sacrifice of Jesus. If we would daily spend time contemplating the attitude of Jesus as He was going to the cross and on the cross itself, I believe our lives would be transformed. And then think of what He meant when He said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me..." (Luke 9:23)