Scripture Text (NRSV)
9:24 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.
9:25 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;
9:26 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 age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself.
9:27 And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after
that the judgment,
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.
Comments:
The letter to the Hebrews describes Christ as a high priest who offers
himself as a sacrifice for our sin. Christ does not die again and
again each year. He died once, is alive with God, and will reveal
himself on the last day.
The affirmation of this passage from Hebrews is that Christ's offering
is sufficient, justice has been done. Salvation is available to all
who will live in trust. If justice has indeed been done, then we can
have the courage to give everything. As in the psalm, when God builds
we can live in confidence.
Hey! When did this passage get added to the Bible? Why haven't I seen
this before? I've read Hebrews.
Ever had those moments when something you've read over before suddenly
jumps out? 2 verses do that for me today. V. 26 says Christ no longer
suffers. It was a once-for-all deal. Yet, I have heard some say(I hope
I haven't said it myself), for the purpose of instilling guilt,"Every
time you sin, you once again drive the nails into Jesus' hands and
feet, you crucify him all over again." Is it right to use such
manipulation just because it is effective at curtailing bad behavior?
Then there is v.28 saying the second coming is not for dealing with
sin. There seems to be a widely held conviction, at least down here in
the south, that, "Jesus may have been all meek and mild the last time,
but when He comes back He's going to (pardon my french) whoop some
butts." And the South is gonna rise agin! How do you deal with
scriptures that don't uphold your idea of "what the scriptures plainly
say"? Short of changing your mind, that is. Don't know if I'll use any
of this, but it sure has me thinking on a dreary Monday morning. tom
in TN(USA)
To Tom in TN: Just read your contribution above about the Hebrews
passage. I think it is terrible homiletics/preaching to curtail sin by
saying you drive the nails once again into Christ's hands. Nothing
like that for instilling non-Spirit induced guilt! What DOES interest
me is the more general question of whether Christ still suffers. More
recently I have found it helpful to think of the "God down here, deep
within, God-with-us" type of God who suffers and feels our pain with
us. Am I wrong when my assertions are put alongside vs 25? I
wonder.... Paul, Fanrham UK
Paul, Good point. If you go back to Heb. 5:1-10(10/22/2000), you will
definitely find the Christ who suffers WITH us, whose own suffering
makes him sympathetic, even empathetic, to ours. As long as there is
human suffering, Christ is there in the midst of it. Another good
question to ask ourselves is this; If Christ is suffering with the
hungry, homeless, abused and afflicted, shouldn't we who claim His
precious name feel a few pangs too? Yet often we are hardenned and
indifferent. See my rant on that over at Mark's text. Really, I don't
always complain. Just a crabby day, I guess. tom in TN(USA)
I hope Christ not only suffers for those suffering due to
circmustances beyond their control (famine, disease, homeless, war)
but also due to our own choices which is sin. No, the nails aren't
driven again, but I hope Jesus isn't indifferent when I suffer due to
my sin. Sam
Of
course Christ suffers with us and over us, no matter what. Maybe
especially when we bring it on ourselves. When my kids pay the price
for acting unwisely, like I warned them not to,it makes me crazy! But
I still want to hold them, bind up their wounds, and carry them home.
And sometimes, after I have suffered a while, I hear God sighing, "I
told you so", but God's compassion, it fails not. Praise be to God!
tom in TN(USA)
Greetings!
Verse 26 holds a helpful clue when it speaks of the end of the age.
The finality of Christ's suffering is predicated on the location in
salvation history of his suffering - i.e. at the end of the age. This
sort of passage is what informs our eschatology and helps us to think
of time differently. It also helps us to deal with the guilt inflicted
by just about any reading of the Mark passage for this week - Christ
has already dealt with sin (proleptically) and seeks to save us,
scribes, sinners, clergy, laity, poor and rich.
James in Vic. (Australia)
James, I was just re-reading the lection and got caught by that
phrase,"the end of the age". Could you say a bit more on that subject.
Eschatology is not my strong suit. When Jesus says,"I am with you,
even to the end of the age" it seems to be a promise for a long time
to come. In this text, it seems to be something that has already come.
Is the end of the age the end of all time, or the end of one kind of
time ushering in a new age?
I have more questions I can't put into words. Prolepsis confuses me.
When Jesus says, "It is finished", I know it's a done deal. But is it
completed or only confirmed, to be completed at a later date? I fear
my ignorance is evident, but I am grateful for this forum in which I
can learn more from my fellow Christian thinkers. tom in TN(USA)
