Last updated on December 19, 2024
Today’s reading is from Hebrews 6-10.
In this portion of the letter the author talks a great deal about the Jewish priesthood. When the priesthood was set up, priests would be selected from a certain tribe, and it was then passed from father to son. And it served a purpose for many centuries. One of the primary tasks they had was to go before God once a year and atone for the sins of the nation. An animal was sacrificed, and its shed blood signified the offer of forgiveness. But the priests would have to do it again the next year. And the next.
The writer of Hebrews wants to show his Jewish readers that Jesus fulfilled the role of high priest. He says…
So now we have a high priest who perfectly fits our needs: completely holy, uncompromised by sin, with authority extending as high as God’s presence in itself. Unlike other high priests, he doesn’t have to offer sacrifices for his own sins every day before he can get around to us and our sins. He’s done it, once and for all: offered up Himself as the sacrifice.
Hebrews 7:26-27, The Message
The Jewish priesthood served as a temporary plan. God had something more for them, something that would be a once-for-all solution to the problem of sin. He goes on to say…
Every priest goes to work at the altar each day, offers the same old sacrifices year in, year out, and never makes a dent in the sin problem. As a priest, Christ made a single sacrifice for sins, and that was it! Then he sat down right beside God and waited for his enemies to cave in. It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people. By that single offering, he did everything that needed to be done for everyone who takes part in the purifying process.
Hebrews 10:11-14, The Message
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