Art Toombs Ministries 

Online Bible Commentary

Christ’s Sacrifice Provides Forgiveness
Hebrews 9:16 For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. 18 Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. 19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you." 21 Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. 22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. (NKJV)

 

The early Eastern Church (Dionysius and Clement, both of Alexandria), from the very beginning, claimed Paul was the writer of Hebrews. The Western Church later agreed.

Luke translated the letter to the Hebrews into Greek, according to Clement in the second century. Luke was with Paul during his second Roman imprisonment and was his amanuensis during Paul’s final days (2 Timothy 4:11).

It is logical to assume that Luke was also Paul’s amanuensis for this letter. My conclusion is that this was Paul’s last writing, written in late 67-early 68 A.D.

In this section of the book of Hebrews the Apostle Paul is proclaiming the superiority of Christ’s sacrifice. In the previous passage he wrote that Christ’s sacrifice provides cleansing of the conscience. In this passage he writes that Christ’s sacrifice provides complete forgiveness.

Paul begins by writing “For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives: (vv. 16-17). He is comparing a will to a testament.

A last will and testament is a type of covenant, an agreement. The Greek word translated “covenant” is “diatheke” which means covenant, will, or testament.

A will is an agreement that a person, upon his death, will bless others in exchange for something of value that has been received by the person who dies. The value may be no more that a relationship as a friend or relative, or it may be a favor that has been bestowed.

A will only becomes effective upon a death. A “testament” is the same type of agreement. It only becomes effective upon a death.

The Old Covenant, or Testament, was an agreement between God and his people, the Israelites. It stated that God would bless His people in return for their favor, of obedience.

The Israelites “all responded together ‘We will do everything the Lord has said.’ So Moses brought their answer back to God” (Ex. 19:8). An agreement, or covenant, was formed. But it only became effective upon a death.

Paul continues with “Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood” (v. 18). Just like a will, the “first covenant”, the Old Covenant, only became effective by death, or “blood’.

Next, Paul writes “For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people” (v. 19). Therefore, after Moses proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he made the covenant effective by a blood offering.

The blood was proof of a death. In the same way a death certificate serves as proof of death where the case of a will is involved.

Paul continues with “saying, ‘This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you’ " (v. 20). Moses made it clear to the people that they had entered a covenant with God with the words “which God has commanded you”.

Paul writes “Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry” (v. 21). He then “sprinkled with blood” both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies to make the covenant effective.

Paul concludes this passage with “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission” (v. 22). The Old Covenant, “the law”, required that most everything “be purified with blood”. Without the shedding of blood there is no “remission”, forgiveness.

So the relationship between death, or blood, and covenant is very important. Blood must be shed in order to make a covenant effective.

Moses shed the blood of calves to make the Old Covenant effective. God shed the blood of His only Son, Jesus Christ, to make the New Covenant effective.

It is necessary for a blood sacrifice to be made to make covenants effective. Otherwise, there is no agreement.

Without an agreement there is no forgiveness. Our part of the New Covenant agreement is to believe in Christ as our Lord and Savior.

The Old Covenant provided for a type of forgiveness. It was temporary. It had to be repeated continuously. It provided a forgiveness of sin by covering the sin.

This forgiveness was not complete. It was only a ceremonial cleansing. It did not cleanse the conscience of the sinner and it did not remove the sin permanently.

Christ’s New Covenant was superior. His sacrifice cleansed the conscience and removed the sin permanently.

His blood was shed once, for all. It never had to be repeated.

His sacrifice was like Him, perfect. Christ’s sacrifice provides forgiveness, total and complete forgiveness.