Hebrews 9:23-28

I.  Christ entered the true holy place on our behalf.

-Lev. 16:15-19

-Guthrie "In other words, the need for purification of the tabernacle had to do with its association with a sinful people. This holy space was made fit for continued interaction between God and his people by sacrifices that addressed the problem of sin. Correspondingly, the heavenly tabernacle, the author's conception of the place of God's presence (9:24), was made accessible to the new covenant people of God by Christ's sacrificial death. The 'heavenly things' are purified in conjunction with the purification of God's people."

-Eph. 2:4-6

 

 II.  Christ's sacrifice was the perfect, once for all offering.

  a.  He could not suffer often.

    i.  He was appointed to suffer once for sin.

-F.F. Bruce "It is not that Christ happened to come at the time of fulfillment, but that his coming made that time the time of fulfillment."

   ii.  It is appointed for man to die once.

  b.  His once for all sacrifice dealt effectively with sin.

-put away = athetesis = putting away, nullify, removal

-to bear = anaphero = to take up and carry away, take away, bear the burden of

-Is. 53:12; I Pet. 2:24

  c.  His return will bring salvation.

-Rom. 8:33-34

Hebrews 9:15-22

 

-I Cor. 1:18, 22-23

 

  I.  Christ is the mediator of the new covenant inaugurated by His death.

    a.  What are the consequences of Christ's death?

     i.  The redemption of transgressions.

-redemption = apolutrosis = releasing by payment of a price, setting free, deliverance.

-Morris "While the idea of redemption is widespread in the ancient world, the actual word used here (apoloutrosis) is a rare world - a fact that may point to the conviction that the redemption Christians know is not simply another redemption among many. It is unique."

-Rom. 4:2-3, Rom. 3:25-26

-I Pet. 1:10-12

    ii.  The promise of eternal life.

 

    b.  Why was Christ's death necessary?

      i.  The covenant demands death.

-covenant = diatheke = covenant, will, testament

1. Diatheke as a wil or testament

-valid = bebaios = firm, guarantee, also the sense of legally valid.

2. Diatheke as a covenant.

-V. 16 "be the death of the one who made it" literally = "the necessity of death be brought of the covenant maker"

-V. 17 "men are dead" literally "over the dead"or ESV "takes effect only at death."

-covenant (Hebrews = berith) LXX translates berith as diatheke

-Guthrie "These explain the reference to the ratifier's death as symbolically realized in the death of the sacrificial victim. By this interpretation, verses 16-17 proclaim simply that someone (represented by the sacrificial victim) had to die in order for the covenant to be established."

      ii.  Forgiveness demands blood.

-Luke 22:10

-Lev. 5:11

-forgiveness = aphesis = releasing, forgiveness, cancellation

Way of the Master study questions

1.  Go back in your mind to your conversion experience, and try to recall the thoughts of that day. What do you think was your greatest sin? Was there a knowledge of future punishment? Think of what would have happened to you if you had died in your sins. then write out a prayer expressing your gratitude to God for the cross.

 

2. Make an effort this week to greet at least 10 strangers this week before the next session. Say something like "Hi, how are you doing?".

 

For deeper study.

1.  What is the biblical definition of sin. (see I John 3:4)

2.  What is it that will cause a sinner to agree with our message. (Romans 2:15, 21, 22)

3.  Spurgeon warned, "The law is the needle, and you cannot draw the silken thread of the gospel through a man's heart unless you first send the needle of the Law to make way for it." Explain what a needle does for thread, and then what the Law does for the gospel. (Rom. 5:20, 7:13)

4.  J.C. Ryle wrote "let us expound and beat out the Ten Commandments, and show the length, and breadth, and depth, and height of their requirements. This is the way of our Lord in the Sermon on the Mount. We cannot do better than follow His plan." In Matthew 5:21-37, note where Jesus "beat out the Ten Commandments.

5. Study Matthew 15:19, 20 and identify each Commandment to which Jesus refers. Do the same thing with Mark 10:17-22.

6. Read Romans 7:7. How did Paul gain an understanding of the true nature of sin? Based on Paul's statement (and I John 3:4), is there any way people can know they have sinned against God, other than by the Law?

Hebrews 9:11-14

What makes the new covenant and its sacrifice superior?

  I.  Christ entered the more excellent tabernacle.

   a.  He entered the tabernacle not of this world.

-Titus 2:13 appearing = epiphaneia

-appearing = paraginomai = arrive, come, appear

   b.  He entered by means of His own blood.

   c.  He entered once for all.

   d.  He entered having secured eternal salvation.

-secured = heurisko = obtained, secured

-redemption = lutrosis = redemption, liberation, set free, ransom

 

 II.  Christ's sacrifice provides what the old covenant sacrifices could not.

   a.  His sacrifice gives us unlimited access to God.

   b.  His sacrifice gives us unlimited cleansing.

-Is. 42:1

-without blemish = amomos = faultless, without blemish, without defect

-Is. 64:6

   c.  His sacrifice enables us to serve God.

-serve = latreuo = serve, worship

Hebrews 9:1-10

I Pet. 1:18-20

 

   I.  The tabernacle in its sacrificial arrangements proclaimed the temporary nature of the old covenant.

-regulations = dikaioma = ordinance, regulation, that which is demanded by righteousness.

 

  II.  The worship in the tabernacle demonstrates the inadequacy of the old covenant.

   a.  Access to God was limited.

     i.  Only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies.

    ii.  He could only enter it once each year.

   iii.  He could only enter it after first making a sacrifice for himself.

 

-disclosed = phaneroo = make known, reveal, show, make evident. Perfect passive infinitive.

-F.F. Bruce "What he means is that unimpeded access to the presence of God was not granted until Christ came to accomplish his sacrificial ministry."

   b.  The cleansing of the sacrifices was limited.

     i.  It was temporary.

    ii.  It was unable to cleanse the conscience.

-conscience = suneidesis = conscience, moral awareness of good and evil

-Guthrie "The problem under the old covenant consisted of the sacrificial system's inability to resolve one's awareness of guilt."

-Jer. 17:9, Rom. 8:3

-reformation = diorthosis = setting straight, restoring that which is out of line

 

Three conclusions concerning the character of God.

1.  God desires for people to approach Him.

2.  God is particular concerning how people can approach Him.

3.  God is holy.

Hebrews 8:7-13

The New Covenant is superior because:

    I.  Of the ineffectiveness of the Old Covenant.

-Rom. 7:12

-effect = sunteleo = to bring to completion, to accomplish, establish

     a.  The people refused to continue in the old covenant.

-Jer. 7:24-26

     b.  God disregarded the people.

-did not care for = ameleo = disregard, pay no attention to

 

   II.  In this covenant God writes the law on the heart.

-Rom. 8:3, Jer. 17:9

-Ezekiel 36:26-28

 

   III.  Everyone in this covenant will know the Lord.

 

   IV.  Through this covenant God completely forgives sins.

-merciful = hileos = gracious, merciful

-Rom. 3:25-26

-Douglas Moo "This does not mean that God failed to punish or 'overlooked' sins committed before Christ; nor does it mean that God did not really forgive sins under the Old Covenant. Paul's meaning is rather that God 'postponed' the full penalty due sins in the Old Covenant, allowing sinners to stand before him without their having provided an adequate 'satisfation' of the demands of his holy justice (Heb. 10:4). "