Spring Quarter: Worship, Sacrifices, and Offerings

By Rev. Adrian Grubbs

Unit 2: Christ’s All-Sufficient Sacrifice

Last month we took a brief look at the complicated sacrificial system of the ancient Israelites. This month we consider Christ’s sacrifice from four different writers in the New Testament – Hebrews 9-10, I John 2 and 4, Mathew 27, and Revelation 5.

Whereas the Gospel of John, the Epistles of Paul, and the book of Revelation speak of Jesus as a Pascal Lamb, Hebrews and 1 John interpret the death of Christ in terms of the Day of Atonement. You will recall from Leviticus 16 the Day of Atonement was the only time of the year that the High Priest (and only the High Priest) entered the Holy of Holies (the innermost sanctuary in the tabernacle/temple) where the Arc of the Covenant had been placed. And on that Day, sacrifices were made in atonement for the High Priest and the other priests, for the tabernacle/temple, and for the people of Israel. Hebrews 9-10 sees the annual Day of Atonement sacrifices as a mere shadow of the real Atonement sacrifice of Christ done once for all time and for all people. Hebrews 9:26 says, “once for all at the end of the age” (“end of the world” in KJV). Hebrews 1:1-2 divides history into 2 time periods – in times past and in these last days, i.e., before Christ and after Christ. Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and ascension was the end of one epoch and the beginning of another. He brought the Kingdom of Heaven to earth. The way to enter the Kingdom of Heaven on earth is to accept the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, for sins to be wiped away and to receive God’s forgiveness.

I John 2:2 also speaks of the atoning sacrifice of Christ. Jesus set a very high standard for His followers – to love one another (I John 4:7). One might argue that that means to love other Christians; but what did Jesus say about that in the Parable of the Good Samaritan? And did He really mean it when He said for us to love even our enemies? We use the word “love” to mean a lot of different things: we love grits, our girlfriend, our cat or dog, our sweater, our car, etc. But the word in the New Testament is “agape,” which is a selfless, self-giving love (John 3:16; 13:34; I John 4:7, 16; etc.). Can any of us always love all others unconditionally, friends as well as the unlovable? Real love, agape-love, demands action; we must show true love even to those who despise us. When we fail, we sin. But I John 2 assures us that we have forgiveness if we confess our sin, for Christ is our atoning sacrifice. Even though He died once, His sacrifice is for all time and for all who will turn to Him. God’s children love others because God first loved us and because He is in each of us who believe in Christ. When we love others we reflect the very nature of God, for God is love.

On Easter Sunday we study Matthew 27-28, the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ Jesus. Golgotha, shaped like a skull, was outside the city walls; Hebrews 13:11-12 point out that Jesus was crucified outside the camp; in Leviticus 16 the carcasses of the slaughtered animals was burned outside the camp. As Jesus hung on the cross between two criminals, passersby, priests, scribes, elders, and even those crucified with Him, ridiculed Jesus as an imposter and a weakling – BUT ON THE THIRD DAY HE WAS RAISED! As He hung on the cross He quoted the first line of Psalm 22. His words were in Hebrew and the people misunderstood Him; they thought He was calling for Elijah to come to His rescue. Many Christians have misunderstood Him, thinking that God did turn His back on Jesus at the time of His suffering. We need to read Psalm 22; it begins with utter despair but moves on to hope and victory and the powerful presence of Yahweh! Yes, God was with Jesus even in His darkest hour (there was darkness for three hours), just as He is always with us. At the time of His death the curtain that covered the entrance to the Holy of Holies was ripped from top to bottom, which (1) opened access to God’s throne for everyone, and (2) indicated that God had left the temple (as in Ezekiel 10:18). In Acts 2 He returned to His new temple – His people, the Church.

N.T. Wright tells of an older minister who saw in the program that the scripture reading was Revelation 4. He remarked that that was one of the two wonderful chapters in the Bible. When asked about the other one, he said, “Revelation 5, of course.” [N.T. Wright, Revelation for Everyone (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011) pp. 41-42]. The setting is the heavenly throne of God. Revelation 4 depicts the splendor and magnificence of the heavenly throne, the One on the throne, the royal courtiers, and the songs of praise they sing. Chapter 5 focuses on the scroll in the right hand of the One on the throne. It is immediately apparent that this is a very special scroll because of Who holds it, that is written front and back, and that it is sealed with seven seals (Revelation is the book of sevens).

John says he wept because there seemed to be no one in heaven, on earth, or in the underworld who was qualified to break the seals, to open the scroll, and to reveal its secrets. Then he was told that there was a lion – the lion of Judah – who could open the scroll; but when he looked, he saw a lamb – one that had been ritually slaughtered for sacrifice. This is a formula John uses numerous times in the Apocalypse (means “Revelation”) – he hears, or is told, something; but when he looks, he sees something different (for example, 1:10 & 12 – hears mighty voice like a trumpet but sees one like the Son of Man among seven golden lampstands; or 7:4 & 9 – hears the number as 144,000 but sees a multitude that cannot be counted). The lion and the lamb are the same but with different characteristics. Note, especially, that the lamb has obviously been slaughtered for sacrifice; yet, He is able to step up to the throne, take the scroll, break the seals, and reveal what has been written on the scroll.

The Lamb that was sacrificed for us was Jesus, the living Christ. He stands before God’s throne, as the Great High Priest, interceding for us.