whose hope is in the Lord their God.
Psalm 146:5
Hebrews 9:24-28
24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the holy place year after year with blood that is not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world.
But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once and after that the judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
Hebrews, week 6 of 7
Before we take a quick look at this week's text from the elegant and theological deep homily, a short review.
Week 1, Pentecost 20
Hebrews 1:1-12
The book's poetic opening sums up Jesus' essence, role, purpose, and persona; the entire letter consistently reminds us Jesus Christ is both fully divine and fully human, with refrains of "like God" and "like us."
Hebrew's explicit insistence on both natures of Jesus Christ looks forward to the Council of Chalcedon that in the year 451 described Jesus "…in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation…" Most denominations affirm the very short Definition of Chalcedon.
week 2, Pentecost 21
Hebrews 4:12-13
4:12 The "living and active" word of God here is more God's dynamic proclamation and revelation than it is the written scriptures. God's word is like a sharp knife that reveals everything, and it does some welcome mending and rearranging, too. In any case, it's not a cursory dusting off.
4:13 "God to whom we must render an account." Logos is the word for account, but this is not the preexistent Word that John's gospel identifies with the Christ of God. It's more financial in terms of what you owe God and others—like your car note.
Hebrews 4:16
After explaining that Jesus as high priest, as mediator between heaven and earth in his resurrection and ascension, knows us and sympathizes – resonates! – with us, Hebrews 4:16 advises us to "approach the throne of grace with boldness in order to receive mercy."
week 3, Pentecost 22
Hebrews 5:1-10
Although Jesus was not a Levitical priest in the lineage of Moses' brother Aaron (5:4), he met qualifications of (5:2) compassion and understanding; plus, (5:4) God called and appointed Jesus. Being from the tribe of Judah, he didn't qualify as a priest in human terms, but (5:6) Jesus was a priest in the much older tradition of Melchizedek.
As one commentator observed, Hebrews "looks away from the temple. back to the exodus—to the tabernacle in the wilderness." Then it glances further back, to Abraham, to the patriarchs and matriarchs. And then? Further into history to Abram, with Melchizedek, whose name means King (Melech) of righteousness (Zadok, Tzadek…).
When the Jerusalem high priest entered the Holy of Holies once every year, the high priest's sacrifice atoned for the peoples' sins and for his own. Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension never needs to be repeated. It literally has been finished, "once for all." Late pastor and theologian James Nestingen used to speak of Jesus "delivering the goods" of absolution and forgiveness.
week 4, Pentecost 23
Hebrews 7:23-28
Earlier weeks have been about typical requirements and duties for the high priest as mediator between earth and heaven, along with ways Jesus didn't meet some of those in human terms, and the manner in which he met and exceeded them in divine terms.
In all this Jesus goes way far back in the journey of God's people to the book of Genesis and a high priest named Melchizedek, who provides a large part of the template for Jesus' unique high priestly role.
Today's Reading
9:24 "Christ entered heaven itself…on our behalf!"
Interpreting 9:24 "sanctuary made by human hands … a mere copy of the true one" is difficult without knowing the author's purpose. But whether it's about God's original intent for earth not yet achieved, or about an ultimate, eschatological location, just like all of Jesus Christ's actions described in Hebrews, it's for us and at no cost for us—it's grace and not transaction. Verse 25 picks up on the refrain that unlike yearly actions of a high priest at the J-Temple, Christ's single action was sufficient to redeem all.
9:28 "…so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him."
Along with some scripture-based creeds and confessions, the bible in places affirms a second coming (a return, an appearance, a parousia, an advent) of Jesus Christ, although when, how, and where details are so unclear it has led to some highly imaginative scenarios. In any case, this verse assures us Jesus is for us and will be with those who await him, though it doesn't suggest when. I find the assurance for our future especially interesting because this homily or sermon mostly has been about what Christ already has done for us.
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