Hebrews 10:11-18

11: Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;
12: but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD,
13: waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET.
14: For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
15: And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying,
16: “THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART, AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM,” He then says,
17: “AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE.”
18: Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.

*** 

Under the Levitical priesthood, the priests stood daily offering the same sacrifices time after time, which could never take away sins. But Jesus offered Himself for sin once for all time. Although we remember His sacrifice through the act of communion—eating the bread and drinking the cup (1 Corinthians 11:23-34)—it is not a part of His actual sacrifice. It is a remembrance of what He did for us, not a continuation of the act.

After He offered Himself—one sacrifice for all time—He sat down at the right hand of God, as Paul quoted from Psalm 110:1, which goes on to say that He sat down until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet. He is seated now, not still being offered.

By the one offering of Himself He perfected for all time those who are sanctified. His unblemished blood was enough. It was pure, holy blood and there is no need for continual sacrifices.

Paul again quoted Jeremiah 31:33-34 (as he did in Hebrews 8:10-12) to point out where the Holy Spirit spoke of this new covenant through the prophet Jeremiah—this covenant where his laws are on our heart and written on our minds. This is the covenant we have today through faith in Jesus Christ— where He no longer remembers our sins and lawless deeds. He forgives, and where there is forgiveness there is no further need for any offering for sin.

Paul was driving the point home about the powerful effect of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He was pointing out what that meant to their religious duties—the organization of their religion, their everyday thinking, the whole structure of Israel, and the future of their nation. They had hoped for a conquering warrior to give them back their land from the Romans. They did not understand the type of king Jesus was and the kingdom He was establishing. They were looking from a natural standpoint, not spiritual, and they had not realized what it meant that Christ would be the king over all nations, not just Israel. Paul very effectively explained the power of Jesus’ sacrifice, letting Scripture speak for itself.


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