Heb 9:16-28 (02/05/2024)
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v. xvi-xxii
v. xvi-xxii
16 For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. 18 Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. 19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” 21 Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. 22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.
The author continues to push forth the point of blood being necessary to usher in a new covenant, but does it in a very interesting way this time. He connects the Greek word διαθεκε to its multiple definitions, i.e., “covenant” and “testament”. Here, it’ll answer a question that maybe you had: “what’s the difference between Old Covenant and Old Testament?” They are both used in the exact same sense, but have different definitions. Hebrews spoke regarding the covenant in the first half of this chapter, and in this second half regarding the testament.
The covenant has to do with the nature of the priest; the testament has to do with the nature of the sacrifice. The covenant has to do with the promise; the testament has to do with the payment. We spoke at the end of chapter 6 regarding the promises made in the first covenant and the new covenant.
Now, we will speak regarding the payments made in the first testament and the new testament. “Where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.” (v. xvi) This is something that is necessary; without shedding of blood there is no remission (v. xxii).
As the author commonly does, he gives reasons for the things he writes in v. xvi. He does this in the subsequent two verses: “For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood.” He explains the nature of a testament, or a will, and at the same time connects it back to the first testament. Technically, the word “covenant” or “testament” isn’t included in the Greek, but when the text says “the first”, διαθεκε is implied.
What he says is that in the same way that being the sole beneficiary of Elon Musk’s won’t help you unless he dies, the righteousness given to the saints is not applied unless Jesus dies. And how much richer is God than any vanishing person!
Just like the death of animals applied forgiveness, so Jesus’ death applies remission of our sins. This was commanded by the Mosaic Law, as “the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” In the same way, Jesus said this in the Lord’s Supper:
23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
The cup represented the new covenant; this time not with the blood of animals, but the new covenant in His blood.
It’s also said that “all things are purified with blood” (v. xxii). The same is true of Jesus’ blood, as the author of Hebrews points out. 1 John 1:7:
7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
The blood of animals was sprinkled on the book of the law, the people, the tabernacle, and the vessels of ministry; in a sense, I think the same has been done today:
The Bible is covered with Jesus’ sacrifice: As we’ll see on Friday (Lord willing) in Hebrews 10:5-7: “Therefore, when He came into the world [so we see it’s talking about Jesus], He said...‘Then I said, “Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God.”’” Jesus fulfilled His will and taking it upon Himself to complete that sacrifice that He had announced from the beginning.
God’s people are covered with Jesus’ sacrifice: His blood covered the sins of all, once-for-all. When repented of, no sin is outside of the power of His blood to atone for.
Our worship is covered by Jesus’ sacrifice: Under the first covenant, our worship was unworthy and unacceptable. Amos 5:21-24. But now, we have the righteousness that allows our worship to be accepted under the new covenant.
21 “I hate, I despise your feast days, And I do not savor your sacred assemblies. 22 Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings. 23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs, For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments. 24 But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream.
Our vessels of ministry are covered by Christ’s sacrifice: We are vessels of ministry ourselves, our body being the dwelling of the Holy Spirit. Our worship now has more meaning since Christ’s sacrifice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain for us...”
v. xxiii-xxviii
v. xxiii-xxviii
23 Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another—26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
“He’s choking on the blood that ran down the tree...” This is a lyric I heard a few years ago describing how the devil has choked on the blood on the cross. I definitely don’t endorse the song, and not even this lyric, but it definitely strikes me as interesting that if anything were able to choke Satan to death, it would certainly be the blood of Christ. He purified our entrance into heaven by a greater sacrifice than the first covenant (v. xxiii). He entered into heaven itself for us (v. xxiv), which, though we will never see heaven until after we die, is the original, not the copy. Where we live right now is in a sense, a ripoff of heaven, the state that we put ourselves in after the human race perverted itself in the garden of Eden. But Christ has prepared a purification, i.e., heaven, the presence of God for us. This purification that the blood of Jesus brings is why Satan cannot stand it. He can continue his evil work in a fallen world, which is why daily and annual sacrifices were needed. But there is no sin which can penetrate the wall of forgiveness that the blood of the cross put up.
“…at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Though we don’t see Him today--and at that present time, neither did the Hebrews—He will appear again to put away sin forever.
But that’s not what the text says: “He has appeared...” There is (somehow) certainty in what is to come. And in that same sense of certainty, Hebrews uses a known truth to enforce a stronger, yet unknown, truth, like he did in Heb 9:13-14, as we saw on Friday.
13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
This time, he says:
27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
The first truth is that men die once. Herein lies a biblical refutation to reincarnation, because we only live one life. Though it is true that Lazarus and others were resurrected, there is truth in the fact that they did not change their fate in judgment, and that they continued the same life that they were living pre-resurrection. There is also a subtle warning in this passage, that we will all be judged after death. We must always be prepared, as “those who eagerly wait for Him...” (v. xxviii). Just like all men, Jesus only died once, and He will not die again. He is risen and now lives forever! That one death of His bore the sins of many, which was why it was only needed once.
The author of Hebrews clearly wants us to know that this is a once-for-all sacrifice, remembering that many of the Hebrews were tempted through the persecution to continue Old Testament sacrifices, which were constantly offered; the Hebrews were being reminded again and again that only Christ’s sacrifice is sufficient under this time of the new covenant. Through persecution, through trials, through tribulations, the church is to “eagerly wait for Him”. Only to those will Jesus appear for a second time, perfectly sanctified, free to live a life without sin, a life of salvation.
Just like them, if we wait for the prize that comes to those who truly love God, if we reject the current method of salvation in today’s culture (namely, “I think I’m good enough for Heaven”), if we look to Christ, we will see His return, apart from sin, for salvation.
*PRAY*