Christ
Was Offered Once To
Bear The Sins Of Many!
Hebrews
9
"Then
indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service
and the earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was prepared:
the first part, in which was the lamp stand, the table, and
the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; and behind the
second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the
Holiest of All, which had the golden censer and the ark of
the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were
the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod that budded,
and the tablets of the covenant; and above it were the cherubim
of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we
cannot now speak in detail.
"Now
when these things had been prepared, the priests always went
into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services.
But into the second part the high priest went alone once a
year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and
for the people's sins committed in ignorance; the Holy Spirit
indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was
not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still
standing. It was symbolic for the present time in which both
gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who
performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience
concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and
fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.
"But
Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with
the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands,
that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats
and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy
Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For
if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer,
sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the
flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through
the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse
your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And
for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by
means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under
the first covenant, that those who are called may receive
the promise of the eternal inheritance.
"For
where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be
the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after
men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator
lives. Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated
without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to
all the people according to the law, he took the blood of
calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and
sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying,
'This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded
you' (Exodus 24:8), Then likewise he sprinkled with blood
both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. And
according to the law almost all things are purified with blood,
and without shedding of blood there is not remission.
"Therefore
it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens
should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves
with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has not entered
the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true,
but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God
for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high
priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of
another, He then would have had to suffer often since the
foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages,
He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
"As
it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those
who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart
from sin, for salvation."
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