The Blood of Jesus

The Blood of Jesus

Hebrews 9:15-18

In this section the writer will show us that the death of Jesus is what gives us our eternal inheritance. He will argue that Christ’s sacrifice is necessary, and it is greater than the sacrifices under the Old Covenant.

v. 15 “Therefore” Because Jesus blood cleanses us from sin He is our Mediator (see 14).

Mediator- One who brings two parties together.

“Those who are called” believers.

Receive an eternal inheritance- The blessings of God which include eternal life.

The death that has occurred is the death of Christ. It redeems everyone who is redeemed, even those who committed sins under the Old covenant.

No sin was dealt with completely under the Old Covenant. Christ is the redeemer of all who are redeemed.

We see the greatness of the New Covenant. It even saves those who were under the Old Covenant.

v.16-17 “Will” is a testament. The same Greek Word is used for both “will” and covenant”. In our culture we understand better what a will is. This helps us in our understanding of the point. Let’s consider a few things about a will.

1) The one writing the will dictates the terms and conditions of it.

2) For the will to be effective the one who wrote it must die.

This relates to the Old Covenant because there was always a death before any benefit was offered. An animal was sacrificed.

The difference in Jesus being the testator of this will is He chose when and how to die. Other testators write a will because they are dying despite their desire to live. We have no choice in dying. We write a will because inevitably we leave things behind and we want to make sure the right people get those things.

Jesus has no reason to die except to leave His people an inheritance. He has signed His will in his own blood.

v. 18 Again, the Old Covenant involved blood. In fact, it involved a lot of blood. When we think of calvary we think of Jesus being a bloody mess. Many have an aversion to blood. Some cannot see it without passing out. Others can barely speak of it. As Christians we sing of it.

We should never try and mop up the blood from our churches because without the blood we are dead in our sins. The blood is there to remind us that the wages of sin is death and that Christ shed His life’s blood for us.

v. 19-22 The writer reminds the Hebrew Christians of the importance of blood in Moses’ day.

When the Old Covenant was given to the people it was inaugurated by blood (Exodus 24:6-8). The purpose of the blood was a ceremonial cleansing.

Sprinkled the book- the scroll. Probably because man had touched it.

Sprinkled the people.

He says almost everything under the Old Covenant was cleansed by blood. The exceptions would be:

Poor people who could not afford an animal (Lev. 5:11-13)

Some things were cleansed by water (Lev. 15:10)

Some things cleansed by fire (Num. 31:22-33).

Water, scarlet, wool, and hyssop were used in the cleansing of lepers (Lev. 14:4-6).

Hyssop was used at Passover (Exodus 12:22) and also mentioned in David’s Psalm of repentance (Psalm 51).

Notice the end of verse 22.

“Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.”

This had been clear since the days of Moses. If sin was to be forgiven blood must be shed. They should not expect that would change. The church would do well to remember this.

Christ did not die as a martyr. It was necessary for Him to die if we are to be forgiven. Those who remove the penal substitutionary death of Christ from their theology do so at the expense of the forgiveness of their own sins.

v. 23 The Old Covenant was filled with copies of heavenly realities. The entire system was a shadow of what Christ would do for His people. The Tabernacle and everything associated with it had to be cleansed. The constant cleansing was a reminder that a true cleansing had not yet occurred.

“the heavenly things”, I believe, refers to people. Surely nothing in heaven needs to be cleansed except people. Think of how many sinful people enter heaven each day. They can do so because they are washed in the blood.

The blood of Jesus is a far better sacrifice than the blood of goats and bulls.

v. 24 Jesus never entered the earthly Holy of Holies. Some might think that odd. But the tabernacle was only a shadow of the heavenly reality. To Christ it was nothing to miss going into the Holy of Holies. He eternally existed with the father. He left heaven to come to earth. After Christ rose from the dead He ascended back to the Father. He is in the presence of the father now and always.

Notice He is there “on our behalf”. He represents us. Believers are “in Christ.” We have nothing to fear. Our High Priest eternally represents us before the Father.

v. 25 “Nor was it to offer Himself repeatedly” Every year the High Priest had to go back into the Holy of Holies to make a sacrifice for the sins of the people. And he went in with the blood of an animal, not his own blood.

Jesus presents Himself once before the Father on our behalf and does so through the sacrifice of His own blood!

v. 26 If Jesus were like the other High priests He would have to keep dying over and over for His people. But He is greater than them. Because His sacrifice is so much greater it only has to be made one time. His sacrifice has put away sin once and for all for those who belong to Him.

Jesus will never suffer again. He is no longer on the cross and never will be. The shame He endured for us has passed and will never return.

v. 27 “Appointed” we all have a day when we will die. After we die we will be judged. This is settled. It will happen. These are sobering words that should be taken seriously. Such a certain destiny is this the writer uses it to contrast the death of humans with the death of Jesus. We will see that in verse 28.

v. 28 Christ was offered once for our sins- he died for us.

He will appear a second time to save those who are eagerly awaiting.

“Not to deal with sin” does not mean the earth will not be judged for its sin. It means He is not coming a second time to atone for sin. He will not die for sin again.

As believers we look forward to this day. Are you eagerly awaiting Him?

Or do you dread death and the return of Jesus?

The blood of Christ has been shed so you will not dread death or judgment. He offers cleansing and hope.

Thoughts to Consider

1. Christ takes us from being bankrupt sinners to having a heavenly inheritance.

2. It is a great privilege to be written into the will of Jesus.

3. There is no Christianity without the blood of Jesus.

4. Christ died once so that we may only die once.