The New Covenant's Sacrifice - Hebrews 9:11-22

Introduction/Seeing the Need

Undergirding today’s study are three concepts that are vitally important in the book of Hebrews. Those three are high priest, covenant, and blood. Their importance is revealed in the fact that, in each case, the book of Hebrews features more uses of those words than any other New Testament book by proportion of size.

A priest is a go-between; another word we could use in mediator. That position in Old Testament times involved interceding with God on behalf of unclean people. The founding of the Old Testament priesthood is recorded in , and . The high priest is the one “who has had the anointing oil poured on his head.” The death of the high priest resulted in relief from prosecution in specific instances.

The original word that is translated variously as “covenant” occurs 33 times in the New Testament. The book of Hebrews has 17 of those 33 instances, demonstrating its importance. The opening verses of pronounces that Jesus has obtained a more excellent ministry than the priestly ministry of the first covenant. In so doing, he has become the mediator of a superior covenant - a covenant that is based on better promises.

The early part of Hebrew 9 then describes the old covenant sanctuary, the tabernacle. This structure and its successor (the temple) provided Israel only limited access to God. Barriers still existed between the worshipper and God. The mention of blood in prepares the reader for the frequent use of that word throughout our lesson text for today. As with the word translated “covenant,” the word translated “blood”occurs more often proportionally in Hebrews than any other New Testament book.

Scripture treats blood as the life force of a creature. The use of blood of sacrificed animals to save Israel is seen explicitly in the blood of lambs smeared on doorposts in Egypt. The mention of blood is connected with violent death. describes the worship and sacrificial practices under the old covenant as temporary and inadequate for cleansing worshippers’ sins. In God’s redemptive plan, Israel merely anticipated “the time of the new order” that would come through the ministry of Christ. That ministry is tightly connected with the concepts of high priest, covenant, and blood.

Better Solution -

Hebrews 9:11–14 NRSV

But when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God!

The title Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew title Messiah. Both words are transliterations to speakers of English, not translations. A translation would be “Anointed One.” In the Old Testament, this title can refer to anyone anointed for God’s purposes. This includes priests, kings, prophets, and even the people. But the writer of Hebrews uses the anointing concept inherent in the title Christ to refer to Jesus exclusively. Jesus fulfills the tasks that all those who had been anointed before him were meant to accomplish.

To earlier descriptions of Jesus as “a merciful and faithful high priest” and as “a great high priest,” the writer now adds high priest of the good things. Those good things are the better promises and better covenant mentioned previously in . That are now already here celebrates the good that has already happened under Christ; we are cleansed of our sins and have a renewed relationship with the Father today. We already experience some blessings of being in his kingdom. The phrase also looks forward to the continuation of those blessings when we will stand perfect before him and enjoy eternity in paradise. As we serve him now, we look forward to the day when we will receive our eternal inheritance in full.

Should Christ’s function as the new covenant’s high priest be taught as a foundational doctrine, or should teaching on this subject be reserved for “advanced” classes? Why?

In verse 11, the reference here is that of the heavenly sanctuary that served as the pattern for the old covenant’s tabernacle. The phrase not made with human hands emphasizes this sanctuary’s divine origin and celestial location. Because it was not made by humans, it cannot be destroyed.

The writer sharpens the contrast between the old covenant’s Aaronic priesthood and the new covenant priestly work of Christ. God had graciously provided Israel with the sacrificial system as a means to deal with sin. The animal’s life was to be given in exchange for the lives of the worshippers whose sins placed them the penalty of death.

The sacrificial animals were to be without blemish. But even if they were, their blood was ultimately inadequate to take away sin. So in contrast with the levitical priests who offer the blood of goats and calves, Christ has come into the heavenly Most Holy Place with his own blood. His blood is the perfect sacrifice because he was without sin. He came as the Lamb of God to take away the world’s sins, and he offered himself willingly in that regard. The fact that he entered the Most Holy Place once underscores the total sufficiency of his sacrifice.

The word translated redemption can be used to describe the procedure by which a slave is bought out of bondage and granted freedom. That the redemption secured by Christ is eternal is significant on two counts. First, redemption is one of six things described as eternal or everlasting Hebrews. The other five are salvation, God’s Spirit, inheritance, and covenant. The word redemption is in some powerful company indeed.

Second, and closely related, is the fact that the word eternal connotes a permanence associated with Heaven in contrast with the temporary nature of those things associated with the old covenant.

What steps can you take to allow the facts in to help you in future struggles against temptation?

The thrust of verses 13 and 14 is made in an argument from lesser to greater. People could become unclean by touching dead bodies or coming into contact with things considered unclean under the Mosaic law. those in such an unclean state would profane objects with which they came in contact. For that reason, unclean people were disqualified from participating in tabernacle or temple worship lest they profane the sanctuary. Nevertheless, the law provided sanctification rituals whereby persons could be ritually purified. If the blood of animals could provide external, ritual cleaning, then think of how much more effective is the cleansing provided by Christ’s blood.

The cleansing Christ provides is greater than any other purification for three reasons. First, it came about through the eternal Spirit, by whom he offered himself. Second, he was unblemished; and third, he offered himself voluntarily to God. Whereas the Old Testament sacrifice would sanctify to that they are outwardly clean, the blood of Christ cleanses our consciences....so that we may serve the living God. A proper conscience is aware of the sins that separate a person form the Lord. This is the second of four instances of the writer using the word conscience.

The blood of Christ is qualitatively superior to the blood of animals. Therefore, the cleansing it has effected is also qualitatively superior. The old covenant dealt with an external problem of humankind and could not cleanse the interior. But Christ has brought the sacrificial system to its fulfillment, having dealt with the whole person as he or she stands before God. In “obtaining eternal redemption and having his or her conscience cleansed, the believer is now free to serve the living God.

Given what Christ has done with regard to our “dead works,” how will that realization affect your conduct tomorrow?

Better Mediator -

Hebrews 9:15–17 NRSV

For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, because a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant. Where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive.

Hebrews 9:15-17

A mediator is one who intervenes between conflicting parties to remove disagreement. In his death, Christ dealt decisively with the sins to which the old covenant law had called attention. This being so, those who are called - this is, believes in Christ - may receive the promised eternal inheritance.

The expression those who are call reminds readers of the author’s designation of them as the ones “who share in the heavenly calling”. Whereas possession of the land of Canaan was Israel’s inheritance under the old covenant, those called into the new covenant have the promise of entering into eternal fellowship with God.

How should a person’s perspective on life change when realizing that he or she has entered into a covenant, or contract, with the God of the universe?

In verse 16 & 17 the reference to a will can be a confusing point, because the Greek word rightly translated covenant/testament is the same word those native speakers use for a will. Think of someone’s “last will and testament.” Things were the same back in the first century as they are today: a will never takes effect while the one who made it is living. A will may be valid while the maker of the will lives, but the will is not operative, effective, or functional until its maker dies.

So also Christ had to die in order for the new covenant to be put into effect. The Israelites had pledged their obedience to the first covenant, and the penalty for breaking the covenant was death. Under the old covenant, the blood of bulls and goats was offered in place of the death the Israelites deserved. Now, in offering his righteous blood, Christ has suffered the death penalty that rightly is ours.

Necessary Death -

Hebrews 9:18–22 NRSV

Hence not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment had been told to all the people by Moses in accordance with the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the scroll itself and all the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God has ordained for you.” And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

Having linked Christ’s death with the activation of the new covenant, the author returns to the role that blood played in establishing the first one. The ceremony depicted there describes the act by which Moses consecrated the people to bring them under the old covenant. Moses had sprinkled the scroll of the covenant and all the Israelite people with the blood in order to consecrate them as God’s holy nation. Now it is Christ’s blood that sets apart his followers.

In verse 20, the writer’s noting of Moses’ words here recalls what Jesus said as he instituted the Lord’s Supper: “This is my blood of the covenant”. That connection is all the more powerful given the original audience’s familiarity with Jesus’ words during the last supper. The original readers have recited these words numerous times during their own communion observances.

In verse 21 and 22, after events of to which alludes, Moses did indeed anoint with oil the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. Scripture makes no direct statement that Moses sprinkled blood on them during their dedication. Nevertheless, one may assume that he did so, since those things were to be consecrated, and consecration of the priests had involved both oil and blood.

The recounting of this act of consecration constitutes the first half of “lesser to greater” argument, of which comprises the second part. This argument essentially repeats the second part. This argument essentially repeats and expands upon the content of .

Which will be more important in demonstrating the cleansing power of Christ’s blood: our ability to explain the gospel or our example of living as empowered people? Why?

Conclusion

Under the old covenant, almost all things were purged by use of blood. But the new covenant features a deeper, further reaching, once-for-all cleansing through the blood of Christ. The blood of bulls and goats could never fully atone for past, present, and future sin. Ultimate salvation required the lifeblood of the Son of God.

An incident centuries ago caused someone to notice that certain people were sinning against the Lord, in that they were eating meat with the blood still in it. But in a figurative sense, Jesus invites us to do just that! The invitation came when he said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

We do just that when we gather around the Lord’s table. Through Christ’s sacrifice, we have entered into a new covenant relationship with God. We have been given full access to the Father through Christ. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Prayer

Lord, we give you thanks for the covenant in your blood that was offered for us once and for all. Forgive us our sins, remove our transgressions, and fill us with your life and healing; in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.