Different characteristics of Christ which appear for us in Hebrews 9 & 10.
As the Substitute, to suffer
“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 9:28)
Christ did not need to die again and again for each individual. He represented all of God’s children, from every age, as the perfect and complete Substitute.
As the Saviour, to deliver
“…but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”
(Hebrews 9:28)
Our sins were laid on Him, so that we would bear them no more.
As the Willing One in obedience
“Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.” When he said above, ‘You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings’ (these are offered according to the law), then he added, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will.’ He does away with the first in order to establish the second.”
(Hebrews 10:5-9)
Christ obtained what He came to accomplish. The Son accepted the will and purpose of the Father—to serve as a sacrifice for the sins of God’s people.
As the Sanctifier, to separate
“And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
(Hebrews 10:10)
God sanctifies us through the perfect offering of the body of Jesus Christ.
As the Sin-offering, to save
“And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,”
(Hebrews 10:11-12)
Christ offered the single and final sacrifice for all sins. There is no need to add to the sacrifice or repeat it in service. As our Lord said in his last seconds on that cross: “It is finished.”
This study is taken from the notes of F.E. Marsh, which will be added to the Blue Letter Bible commentaries in 2012. Please consider helping us add to and maintain our commentaries and other study tools.