Hebrews: The New Covenant Administration of Christ Max A Forsythe (c) Anno Domini 2005

From the Pulpit at Pilgrim's Rest Presbyterian Church in America

The High Priest on His Throne
For the Lord’s Day:  the 3rd of May 2005

Hebrews 10: 11-18

Introduction:  One of the ordinary difficulties of being in the middle class is the fact that in order to own homes and cars and such, one usually has to make monthly payments for months or years on end.  How much money could be saved if it were possible for the average person to pay cash up front?  But, given the nature of the economy and the earning power of the average families – this is most always unlikely!

I know that this is a poor example to use as a transition to the theme of our passage in Hebrews today.  But, under the Old Covenant economy, the annual sacrifices for sin and cleanliness must have seemed a never ending chore.  And pointedly, even the Old Covenant texts demonstrate and admit that those ongoing sacrifices would and could not suffice to make atonement for sin or cleanse the imputation of guilt for the all too regular inability of people to obey the ordinances and commandments of the Lord perfectly.  A large majority of the ancient peoples counted more on the sacrifices than they should have and thereby they missed the free offer of grace and the promised rest at the end of the age.

However, some remnant of the human seed in every age did indeed realize even as Adam, Noah, Abraham, David and countless others did, that the sacrifices were an ongoing thank offering for God’s demonstration in their lives that they were His and He was theirs.  His spiritual presence in their hearts proved to them all that it was by God’s own agency that their sins were forgiven.  If this were not so, who would have continued to participate in the sacrificial economy for so many, many centuries!  We read here and there in the Old Testament that the sacrifices were neglected from time to time by those who did not really appreciate what it truly was that they were doing.

One further point must be emphasized in this regard as well.  The ongoing sacrifices made it obvious that the sins of mankind must be atoned for, and the blood of bulls and goats pointed the vision of the faithful forward to a time in the future when a full atonement would be accomplished.  The old sacrificial system as we understand it was a shadow of a much greater event to come.

Development:  As we turn to the text before us, we are struck with the obvious point of the new economy in Christ.  “And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.  But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.”  F.F. Bruce highlights the striking difference between the work of the ancient priesthood and that of our Lord Jesus Christ.  “A seated priest is the guarantee of a finished work and an accepted sacrifice.”  Raymond Brown too notes the same aspect revealed in the text:  “The priest of the old covenant stood in God’s presence, their task unfinished.  But Christ is seated, his work complete.  They presented their sacrifices repeatedly.  He offered a single sacrifice, effective for all time.”

John Owen, as his reputation owns: here goes further in explanation:  “The apostle states four things here, by way of recapitulation, about what he had already declared:

1.        First comes the state of the legal priests and sacrifices and their repetition, which demonstrates their utter inability to take away sin.

2.        Second is the complete contrast between the old covenant offerings and the one offering of Christ, and that once offered.

3.        Third, this results in Christ showing the absolute perfection of his offering, and his continuing state after this.

4.        Fourth, the absolute effect of his sacrifice is stated, which was the sanctification of the church.”

Commentator John Brown takes verses eleven to fourteen here: to be a final summation of the essential theological argument presented in this letter to the Hebrews.  “These verses seem to me to be just a summing up of the argument arising out of the contrast between Aaron and his sons and Jesus Christ as sacrificing priests, as to the efficacy of their respective ministries; - theirs proved to be incomplete by its perpetual repetition; His proved to be perfect by its being performed once for all.”

This revelation in verse fourteen is one of several doctrines that set the Protestant Churches apart from the Church of Rome.  “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”  Once for all, the Reformers reported from the scriptures.  And yet, the Roman Church still continues a daily cycle of Masses around the world where (as they pointedly teach) the very blood of Christ and His broken body are literally placed before the church on a continual and repetitive basis. 

Not much better in their thinking are a great number of evangelicals who suppose it is in the interest of the modern Church:  to assist the Jewish religionists in a re-establishment of the sacrifices on the historic Temple Mount, some time in the future.  I shudder at that prospect, but there are many who think such a resurgence of Jewish fidelity to the old economy - is necessary to bring an earthly Kingdom in.  Personally, I can think of no greater affront to the holiness of God and the finality of the work of Jesus Christ.  In my mind, it must be the work of the descendents of Ishmael to prevent this travesty by their ongoing occupation of the traditional Temple Mount.

It is evident that at the time of the writing of this letter, the sacrificial system was still in place, it must have been a few years afterward that the Romans destroyed the city of Jerusalem, as well as the population and thereby put an end to the sacrifices.  Even though the Old Covenant system was not yet finished, still the author of Hebrews insists that it serves no further purpose, once Christ was risen from the grave and ascended into heaven.  F.F. Bruce tells us that whether new converts came from the Jewish people or any other tribal group within the Roman Empire, still to all and sundry – “the fact that their new form of [Christian] worship had no place for [animal] sacrifices was in itself a recognition that they had been rendered for ever obsolete by the death of Christ.”

We cannot leave the first four verses of this section behind until we declare the gospel news emphasized in verse fourteen.  “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”  The achievement of this sanctification means three things in and through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ:

1.        by it His people have had their conscience cleansed from guilt

2.        by it they have been fitted to approach God as accepted worshippers

3.        by it they have experienced the fulfillment of what was promised in earlier days, being brought into that perfect relation to God which is involved in the new covenant.  ^(Bruce)

This should give us great comfort and encouragement. No longer is it necessary to have a mere human mediator to make offerings for our sins on a regular basis.  No longer may any religious figure, however charismatic and respected, declare himself as God’s personal agent with summary powers to forgive sin, and establish a worldly plan of personal fulfillment.  Instead, each and every Christian is encouraged to come before God and worship Him as they are enabled and encouraged by the Holy Spirit.  And finally, we are to understand that the Kingdom of God is now present, that it is administered by our Lord Jesus Christ, and that we can participate in the work of the kingdom on earth until that day when the whole church is taken to heaven for ever and ever.

Application:  There are two further and final points to our text, and given the position of these verses in the composition of the letter, the doctrinal arguments of the Apostle are hereby finished and the letter will go on to more practical considerations related to the life of faith.  My final two points are simply these:

1.        The prophet Jeremiah is quoted to demonstrate the work of the Holy Spirit in and through Christ’s Church.

2.        The Apostle declares boldly that because Christ’s atonement has made forgiveness possible, then there is no longer any need to make any offerings for sin.

The first point here is given as proof of the kingdom present and ongoing in our lives now and forever.  Well can we who belong to Christ know that the Lord God has put His laws on our hearts and written them on our minds.  It is the fact of this work that sets us apart as a people of God.  He has spoken to us by the still small voice of the Spirit and by His power we have heard and responded. 

The other night at Bible Study, one of our members noticed the sound of the electronic mouse disturbers now scattered around the church.  Since I couldn’t hear a thing, I asked her if she had been a Disney Mousketeer when she was young.  Now, I am not going to fret that I can’t hear the quiet rustle of the equipment – but if it bothers any of you, we will quickly remove them so that you are not offended!  As always, my poor examples can only sometimes confuse the issue.  If you do not hear the equipment, do not worry.  But, be certain that when you read the sacred text wherein Christ is revealed – that you do receive the doctrines outlined carefully for your good.

The second point here is the great declaration of Christ’s achievement – no more will the sins of the elect be remembered, since in and through the blood of Christ they have been forgiven.  Further, the Lord God declares through His prophet:  “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”  This means that God has looked upon the perfection of His only Son and in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our great Mediator now sits upon the right hand of the very throne of God praying for us, that we might better reflect His far greater glory on the earth.

One of the difficulties of being a pastor is that you regularly have to forgive and forget many things said and done by those who are often difficult to love.  Over the years I have learned carefully to forget many insults, deeds done dirty and less than honorable motives.  Sherry will attest that my skills at forgetfulness are now too fully developed!  Thankfully, in and through the goodness and kindness of the Creator God, all of our sins, past – present and future count no more because of the accomplishments of Jesus Christ.  In honor of His achievement, may we anticipate the teachings following after this section, and let us honor, glorify and praise the Lord our prophet, priest and king as long as He chooses to give us breath and life.  Amen.

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PREACHING RESOURCES

 Brown, John.  A Geneva Series Commentary:  Hebrews.
Brown, Raymond.  The Bible Speaks Today:  The Message of Hebrews.
Bruce, F.F.  The Epistle to the Hebrews.
Owen, John:  Commentary on the Book of Hebrews.
The Holy Bible:  English Standard Version.

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