The One Sacrifice

The old covenant offered unceasingly sacrifices of animals, repeated every year without ever making an end of sin. The Epistle to the Hebrews shows in the death of Christ the one sacrifice that accomplishes what the others could only announce.

A new covenant

God had promised through the prophets a new covenant, engraved not on stone but in hearts. In announcing it, he thereby declared the first outworn: “By speaking of a new covenant, God has made the first one old; and what is aging and growing old is close to disappearing.” Hebrews 8:13 The old worship was not evil, but provisional: a shadow called to fade before the reality.

Without shedding of blood

The whole old Law rested on a principle: sin is not effaced without the blood of a life being shed. “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Hebrews 9:22 But the blood of animal victims could not, of itself, take away the fault: “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” Hebrews 10:4 These sacrifices announced a blood that could truly purify, that of Christ, offered once for all. This blood, the letter shows how it is offered. Once a year, on the day of atonement, the high priest of Israel entered the Holy of Holies with the blood of victims; Christ, the true high priest, entered once for all into the true sanctuary, heaven itself, not with an alien blood but with his own. “he entered the sanctuary once for all, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, obtaining an eternal redemption.” Hebrews 9:12 What was repeated every year is accomplished at a single stroke, and for ever.

One single offering

Where the ancient priests began again without end, Christ offered himself a single time, and this offering suffices for all: “by a single offering he has made perfect forever those whom he sanctifies.” Hebrews 10:14 What centuries of rites had not been able to obtain, one act accomplishes, because the victim is the Son of God himself. If this offering suffices, it is because it is not a blood undergone but a will given. Entering the world, Christ tells the Father that the victims did not please him, but that he comes to do his will in a body received for this: “You wanted neither sacrifice nor offering, but you have prepared a body for me.” Hebrews 10:5 And it is this obedience that sanctifies: “it is by this will that we have been sanctified, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all.” Hebrews 10:10 Where the blood of beasts could do nothing, the free gift of the Son obtains all. And so the believer may now draw near to God without fear: “let us draw near with a sincere heart, in the fullness of faith.” Hebrews 10:22