#DailyDevotion Jesus’ One Sacrifice Replaces and Fulfills All Others
Heb. 10 The Law, having only a dim outline of the good things in the future and not their substance, can never by the same sacrifices, repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who come. 2Otherwise wouldn’t they have stopped bringing sacrifices? Once cleansed, the worshipers would no longer be aware of any sins. 3No, year after year these sacrifices reminded people of their sins. 4The blood of bulls and goats can’t take away sins. 5That is why He says when He comes into the world: “You didn’t want sacrifice and offering, but You prepared a body for Me. 6Burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin didn’t please You.” 7Then I said: “Look! I have come (the writing in the scroll of the book tells about Me). I’m here to do what you want, O God.” 8First He says: “You didn’t want and weren’t pleased with sacrifices, offerings, burnt offerings, and sacrifices for sin which are offered according to the Law.” 9Then He says: “Look! I have come and am here to do what you want.” He takes away the first to set up the second. 10Doing God’s will, Jesus Christ sacrificed His body only once and so made us holy.
The author argues since the Temple and its sacrifices are only a shadow, a dim outline, of the good things cannot perfect or complete those who come. As proof of this, he offers the fact the sacrifices have to be repeated yearly. If the sacrifices would have worked they would have ceased offering sacrifices. Based on this, the author concludes that the blood of bulls and goats can’t take away sins. Nevertheless, it would appear the people of Israel who believe God’s promises attached to these sacrifices would have clean consciences as saving faith is based on the promises and not the sacrifices themselves.
To prove this point, he quotes Psalm 40:6, 7 which the psalmist tells us, “Burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin didn’t please You.” We see this theme in Isa. 1:11, Jer. 6:20 and Amos 5:21-22. What made their sacrifices unacceptable was their lack of faith in the LORD Himself. As the author will later write, “without faith it is impossible to please God.” The sacrifices while insufficient in themselves did point, as a shadow will do, to the reality.
Now the author apparently quotes a different manuscript tradition than the Masoretic texts or the most current popular Septuagint text when he says, “but You prepared a body for Me.” But as we see with the following verses this is not important. What is important is what the one speaking in the Psalm says. “I’m here to do what you want, O God.” Now it should be noted, just doing the outward will of God is not the only important thing here but doing it with faith and trust. Jesus, with faith and trust in the promises of God the Father, “sacrificed His body only once and so made us holy.”
So God took away the first covenant with its sacrifices, which were only a shadow, to set up the second and perfect covenant with the body and blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus only had to offer up Himself once and for all. There are no more sacrifices that will be offered up after that. His one perfect sacrifice atoned for our sins, propitiated the wrath of God and makes us holy when we are joined to it through baptism. There in baptism, which is only done once, the blood of Christ covers us, sprinkles our conscience and makes them clean, and makes us holy before God. So we confess in the Creed, in agreement with Paul in Eph. 4.5, one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
Merciful God and Father, having been satisfied with the body of Your Son, Jesus Christ, for our sins, grant us faith in His sacrifice so we may be made holy in Him and enter Your holy Temple and dwell with you forever. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.