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THE SUPERIORITY OF THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS CHRIST

Hebrews 9:9b-11

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    The writer of Hebrews introduces subjects briefly, then, comes back to them in later portions of the book.

 

B.      Two earlier themes:

1.      The sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:3)

2.      The true tabernacle (Heb. 8:2)

 

C.     He returns to these in the first part of chapter 9 (See vss. 11-12)

 

D.    In Hebrews 9:1-14, the author will show his readers the superiority of Jesus’ sacrifice.

 

i.                    THE DESCRIPTION OF THE OT TABERNACLE (Heb. 9:1-5)

ii.                  THE DEFICIENCY OF THE OT SACRIFICES (Heb. 9:6-10)

iii.                THE DOMINANCE OF JESUS’ SACRIFICE (Heb. 9:11-14)

 

I.                   THE DESCRIPTION OF THE OT TABERNACLE (Heb. 9:1-5)

 

II.                THE DEFICIENCY OF THE OT SACRIFICES (Heb. 9:6-10)

 

A.    The Work of the Priests (Heb. 9:6-7)

 

B.      The Weaknesses of the OT institutions (Heb. 9:8-10).

1.      No entrance into the holiest of all (Heb. 9:8-9a)

2.      No ease of man’s conscience (Heb. 9:9b-10a)

 

…in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances…

a.      The inadequate offerings:  gifts and sacrifices

1)      Gifts

a)      Strong (1435):  a present

b)      Thayer:  a gift, present, of sacrifice and other gifts offered to God

2)      Sacrifices

a)      Strong (2378):  sacrifice (the act or the victim)

b)      Thayer:  sacrifice, victim

b.      The ineffective result:  could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience

1)      Perfect

a)      Strong (5048):  complete, perfect

b)      Thayer:  to complete, to accomplish, to bring to the end goal

2)      The person conscience was never free from the guilt of sin

a)      The person was never completely forgiven.

b)      The person was never completely reconciled to God.

c)      The person would have to remember his sins the next year on the Day of Atonement.

c.       The insufficient elements

1)      Meats

a)      This could refer to various foods that were forbidden to keep them holy.

b)      This could refer to the meats offered in sacrifice to God.

2)      Drinks (Lev. 10:9)

3)      Divers washings

a)      High priest (Lev. 16:4, 24)

b)      Priests (Exo. 30:18-21)

c)      Levites (Num. 8:6-7)

d)     Lepers and unclean persons (Lev. 14:8-9)

e)      Garments and vessels (Lev. 6:27-28)

4)      Carnal ordinances

a)      Ordinances are divine regulations that carry the force of law.

b)      All of the obligations placed on the Jews to keep them a holy people unto God.

3.      No existence after reformation (Heb. 9:10b)

 

…imposed on them until the time of reformation.

 

a.      The Law of Moses was never intended to be a permanent law.

b.      The word “until” means “as far as” or up to a certain point.

c.       It was effective unto “the time of reformation.

1)      Reformation

a)      Strong (1357):  to straighten thoroughly, rectification, that is, the Messianic reformation

b)      Thayer:  to make straight, to put back to normal that which has gotten out of line

c)      Vine:  a right ordering, bringing right again,

d)     Example:  used often in Greek of resetting bones that were broken

2)      When Jesus came, He intended to make all things right again that had been upset by the fall of man in Garden of Eden.

a)      Man’s sins forgiven

b)      Cleansing of man’s conscience from shame and guilt

c)      Restoring man’s relationship with God

d)     Enabling man to overcome death

e)      To give him eternal life again

3)      Wacaster:  “When a person responds in obedient faith to the will of the Father he enters into a state of ‘restoration’ with God and Christ.  We should esteem ourselves fortunate we who have obtained access to the wonderful grace of God; grace only available in Christ (cf. Eph. 1:3)” (337).  See also II Timothy 2:1.

 

III.             THE DOMINANCE OF JESUS’ SACRIFICE (Heb. 9:11-14)

 

A.    The Service of Christ (Heb. 9:11a)

 

But Christ being come a high priest of good things to come…

 

1.      The writer had mentioned the high priest under the Old Law in the previous section (Heb. 9:7). 

2.      He now contrasts Jesus as the high priest under the New Covenant.  Notice the words, “But Jesus Christ…”

3.      “Of good things to come” are things that were

a.      Foreshadowed by the Old Testament and now being practiced in the Christian age.

b.      The blessings of the New Testament that were not found under the Old Covenant.

 

B.      The Sanctuary of Christ (Heb. 9:11b)

 

…by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building.

 

1.      The Old Testament tabernacle has also been mentioned in the previous section.  The writer referred to it as “a worldly sanctuary” (Heb. 9:1).

2.      The sanctuary of Christ is the true church, the bride and body of Jesus Christ (See I Cor. 3:16; I Tim. 3:15).

 

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

 

3.      Christ’s sanctuary is better than earthly one in several ways.

a.      It is greater (magnificent)

1)      Strong (3187):  larger

2)      Thayer:  greater, larger, elder, stronger

3)      Barnes:  more magnificent (e-sword)

b.      It is perfect (mature)

1)      Strong (5046):  complete

2)      Thayer:  wanting nothing necessary in regard completeness

3)      The old sanctuary lacked many things.  It fulfilled its purpose, but it was not perfect like the sanctuary of Jesus Christ.

c.       It is not made with hands (made without hands)

1)      The tabernacle of Moses’ day was completely erected by the hands of men (Exo. 36:1).

 

Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the Lord put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the Lord had commanded.

 

2)      The tabernacle of Jesus Christ, the church, was built by none other than Jesus Himself (Matt. 16:18).

 

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

 

3)      NOTE:  The writer says that this new tabernacle is “not of this building.”

a)      The term “building” is defined as original formation, creation.

b)      The church is not physical in nature.  It is not composed of elements of this world like the first tabernacle was. 

c)      Luke 17:21

 

Neither shall they say, Lo here!  Or, lo there!  For, behold the kingdom of God is within you.