What did Jesus do when He died?
The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews answers that question and has some amazing truths embedded within his book:
“For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”
Heb 9:24-28 (KJV)
So ends Hebrews chapter nine. The writer had just elaborated on the distinction between the earthly and heavenly tabernacle/temple and notes that it is the heavenly (invisible) which is the true as opposed to earthly (visible) which is a copy or a figure. The significance of Christ’s death is that He presents His sacrifice in the heavenly realm. It is in Heaven, at the Holy Place, reminiscent of the earthly Holy of Holies, where Jesus represents His own. His death is payment for their sins. This is the once for all presentation of Christ, but it is the eternal significance and value of Christ’s death that saves His people. There is no need, like the merely human priests, to keep going back every year with the blood of animals. Christ’s death is once for always! That Jesus is presenting Himself to God reveals that first and foremost His death was a propitiation, and as such, was directed to God in order to satisfy His wrath against sin. Also, because His death is on behalf of the “many” or as elsewhere repeated in the book, the metochoi (partakers), Christ actually bears their sins and takes them away. He has endured the punishment that was their due. It is the substitutionary nature of the atonement that the gospel holds out as good news. Moreover, the One who saved His own will inevitably return to take them to Himself. He will return, as stated, a second time! At this juncture, the writer continues into the tenth chapter.
“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.”
Heb 10:1-18 (KJV).
Here the writer returns to his theme of contrasting the old rituals that were shadows with the present reality of Jesus Christ, the substance. Jesus is in every way superior. He reminds the readers that in the Old Testament, the believers though they received ceremonial cleansing through the instituted sacrifices, they were unable to receive absolute clear consciences because the repetitive nature of the sacrifices was a perpetual reminder of those continuing sins. Of course, any OT believer has the same eternal salvation based on the death of Jesus Christ, but the important point made here is that the animal sacrifices were not sufficient in themselves to pay the eternal price, only Christ’s death could do that to which they were merely pointers. Moreover, the fact that the high-priest would die and need to be replaced has already been discussed earlier in the letter. Jesus lives for ever and intercedes for His own, and with the Power of an Indestructible Life redeems for eternity.
Christ did not come to continue the Mosaic religious practices but to put them to an end. Hebrews posits that He said the prophetic words that “a body was prepared for Him.” In other words, the written texts in the OT were ultimately about Him, Jesus! This shows the purpose of the Incarnation that, as a man, Christ could die for His sheep and as the Good Shepherd He would save them from their sins.
It is according to God’s good pleasure that Christ underwent such a task. We are to thank the Triune God for the eternal counsel or “Covenant of Redemption” that led to the actual birth, life, obedience, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, intercession and coming return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We have no hope but in Him.
Notice that the type of salvation which Christ accomplishes is eternal, everlasting as it remains efficacious throughout eternity. And it is in the very work of Christ Himself that we are perfected. Unlike the OT saints, we have no more need to another intercessor the following year. There need be no Golgotha every new year, as Christ’s death has accomplished perfect and everlasting redemption, and those He came to save are eternally set apart, sanctified unto Him. Praise to the Lord, we are perfected. And we owe it all to Christ.
We need to notice that the triumph of God’s gospel is highlighted in the text as well. Christ is no impotent savior begging men to come to Him. He sits as Victorious King and waits till all His foes are cast under His feet. There will emerge a triumphant church were all of those for whom Christ has atoned will enter the Kingdom of Christ. It is grounded in the very covenant of grace that God has made with His elect. He will remember their sins no more, and as each one of them responds in faith to the Gospel of Christ, God becomes their God in time and realizes in their lives the truth of His eternal election of each of them.
Finally, we see in this passage how the Holy Spirit witnesses the truth of this salvation to us as God’s children. Here we see the convergence and work of all three Persons of the trinity in operation. Moreover, we are certain of this work as it is recorded in God’s Word, and it is in that very Word where our assurance is grounded. The plan was conceived in eternity, and in the “fulness of the times,” the Father sent the Son. The Son dies for His people, the Spirit applies this redemptive work to us, and the Word guarantees for us our eternal redemption.
Praise be to God for His Glorious Gospel of Grace!
Theodore Zachariades
