Read Romans 8:31–34. What great hope and promise is offered us here? The background of verses 31-24 is a courtroom scene in which we should visualize ourselves on trial. Questions are asked: Who is against us? Who will bring a charge against us? Who condemns us? Such a situation could easily send shivers down our … Continue reading –>
The New Testament book that speaks the most about Christ as Priest is Hebrews. The Old Testament backbone of Hebrews consists of two verses quoted from Psalm 110. Verse 1 is cited to confirm that Christ is exalted above all because He sat down at the right hand of God. This is a recurring theme … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Ps. 110:1–5; Gen. 14:18–20; Heb. 7:1–3; Rom. 8:31–34; 1 Tim. 2:4–6; Heb. 8:6; Heb. 2:17-18; Heb. 3:6; Heb. 10:1–14. Memory Text: “Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne … Continue reading –>
Further Study: “The Atonement, Part I—Atoning Sacrifice,” pp. 661-680, in Appendix C of The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7A. What Martin Luther frequently called a “wonderful exchange” or “joyous exchange” of Christ’s righteousness for human sin, Ellen G. White describes in a classic statement as follows: “Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might … Continue reading –>
When my parents died, my grandmother took me in. Her priest hoped I would follow in his footsteps, so he paid my school fees. One day he gave me a sermon and told me to preach it the following Sunday. I didn’t understand it, and the priest wasn’t there to explain it. So I asked … Continue reading –>
In the book of Hebrews, Paul not only focuses on the theological understanding of Christ’s sacrifice, he also explains some of its practical implications. At several places he shows what happens if someone ignores this sacrifice. Read Hebrews 6:4-6 and 10:26-31. About what is Paul warning us? What kinds of attitudes does he describe? In … Continue reading –>
Which criteria does a sacrificial animal need to meet? Read Exod. 12:5, Lev. 3:1, 4:3. The selection of a sacrificial animal required great care. A person could not just take any animal for an offering; the animal needed to fulfill several criteria, depending on the kind of offering. However, there is one criterion that all … Continue reading –>
The concept of redemptive blood pervades the entire Bible. Starting from the earliest sacrifices after Adam and Eve sinned, blood was always present when animal sacrifices occurred. Blood rituals characterized the Israelite sacrificial system in order to illustrate the crucial truth that, without blood, we would not have any chance to be forgiven our sins … Continue reading –>
Read Hebrews 2:9. What does it mean that Jesus “taste[d] death for everyone?” See also Heb. 2:17, Heb. 9:26-28, Heb. 10:12. Jesus died for sinners. He was without sin (Heb. 4:15) so that when He gave His life as a sacrifice He would not die for His own sin. On the contrary, He was “to … Continue reading –>
Read Isaiah 53:2-12. What do these verses teach about what Christ did for us? Isaiah 52:13-53:12 is a powerful description of Christ’s death for the sins of the world. Several aspects in this passage provide clear evidence that Jesus’ death is atonement in the form of penal substitution, which means that He took the … Continue reading –>
