Part 12

Paul’s final comparison of the 2 high-priestly offices has to do with priestly sacrifice. Paul shows Jesus’ priestly function to be so much better on account of his better priestly offering: The perfect sacrifice He offered at Calvary continues to bears fruit even today! It will eternally continue to be so-exceedingly fruitful, and, as such, radically outshine all other gifts!

Priestly sacrifice was a big deal for the Jews of Paul’s day: It was their primary point of approach unto God. Without it, the people would remain covered by their sin, for no propitiation would have been made, and no atoning blood would have been shed for their sin’s covering. This responsibility, as we’ve said, fell upon the priesthood. Only a priest could offer sacrifice, and only a high priest could sprinkle blood for man’s atonement (Lev. 4:20).

“…without shedding of blood is no remission” (Heb. 9:22).

According to Paul, the priestly sacrifice which Jesus offered is far more fruitful and superior simply because it was the sacrifice of Himself. He became the “Lamb of God” (Jn. 1:29, 36), being slain but “once” upon the altar of Calvary, and thereby given for sin’s outright removal (Heb. 9:28). Reader, this just cannot be said of Aaron’s meager offering, for the blood of bulls and goats simply does not take sins away (Heb. 5:4)! Aaron was forced to offer and re-offer such gifts, for each one only briefly covered one’s sin, unable to actually remove it, and causing “remembrance” of yet further need for atonement (Heb. 10:1-3). However, when Jesus laid down His own bodily offering, it was done so in absolute righteousness and perfection (Jn. 14:30; 1 Pet. 1:19; 2:22; 2 Cor. 5:21). Because it was divine blood, and not that of mere animals, the offering’s efficacy overwhelmed every power sin yielded. Divine blood-shed was the final answer to sin’s habitation, and the final remedy which would wholly atone for sin past, sin present, and sin future (Heb. 7:26-27)! Sin has been readily “taken away”, not just covered (1 Jn. 3:5-8)!

“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God” (Heb. 5:1-7).

To be continued…