Why Jesus' Death Was Necessary (Hebrews 10)
The death of Jesus is the most important moment in all of history. But why did Jesus die, and what does it mean today?
Hebrews 10
Today's Scripture Passage
A Few Thoughts to Consider
Why did Jesus need to die and shed his blood for our sins?
To many, this seems barbaric. But the moral parameters of God's creation demand that every sin receive just punishment. While Western society might think this cruel, in areas of the globe where injustice, child slavery, and abuse of women run rampant, eternal justice offers hope and perspective amid tremendous pain. From a Christian perspective, no evil deed goes unpunished. This was a concept God instilled in his people from the beginning of creation.
Keep in mind that in ancient Israel, there were four levels of sin: Sins of ignorance, sins of omission, intentional sins, and high-handed sins. To drive home the severity and horrible nature of sin, God instituted a structure of animal sacrifices. "All sin had to be atoned for, including sin committed by a common person (Leviticus 4:27), the priests (Leviticus 4:3), the leaders (Leviticus 4:22), and the nation as a whole (Leviticus 4:13). In addition to the sacrifices made for sin were offerings for ceremonial cleansing, which involved no moral failing, and voluntary sacrifices made in thanksgiving to God."[1]
What makes Hebrews 10 so powerful is its concise summary of the gospel and how it shows humanity that Christ is the perfect answer to sin. As George Guthrie notes, this passage offers us three important truths:
(1) We have a problem with sin, even if we are ritualistically religious. Rituals cannot place us in right relationship with God and cleanse our consciences from guilt.
(2) The problem of sin has been dealt with in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
(3) Christ's work is decisive, a final reckoning with sin by which participants in the new covenant are made perfect forever.[2]
While the old sacrificial systems could sanctify or purify, they could not remove sin. Thus, they had a negative effect. Guthrie writes, "The law's sacrificial system, rather than delivering worshipers from guilt, actually has the effect of reminding them of their sinfulness and, thus, their constant separation from God."[3]
The same holds true for us today. If we only try to be followers of Christ by adhering to a certain set of culturally embedded rules, we'll soon grow exhausted and feel more guilt and shame than when we were not Christians.
Guthrie goes on to note that
"What concerns the author most is the law's inability to 'make perfect those who draw near to worship' God (v. 1). The 'perfection' he has in mind does not involve a 'lack of flaws' but, rather, a state of right relationship with God, in which the worshipers are once and for all cleansed from sin and delivered from a nagging sense of guilt."[4]
It's not that the old covenant laws were bad. It's that they are insufficient for salvation. And this is where Christianity stands in stark contrast to many other religions. Our eternal salvation in Christ is not performance-based. Keeping God's commands is good, but only as we do so with the intent of becoming more like Christ.
Thankfully, these words of warning come with a beautiful invitation. Verses 21-22 say, 21 "Since we have a great high priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water."
A Meditation to PRAY
Praise | Lord, I draw near to you today in faith.
Release | Only you can cleanse me of sin. I release to you evil thoughts, desires, or plans I have that would go against your will.
Ask | Empower me with your strength.
Yield | My life is in your hands.
A Challenge to Act Like Christ
Before we conclude, an additional word of warning. Verse 26 says, "For if we deliberately go on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins." As N.T. Wright notes, "This passage, then, is a warning about a more specific danger: that someone who has come close to Christian faith, and perhaps shared in the life of Christian worship, will then turn round and publicly deny it all."[5]
While commentators differ on the precise application of this verse, the clear emphasis is that no person who calls themselves a follower of Christ should live in willful habitual sin. Sin is not a game. According to John Stott, "The essence of sin is we human beings substituting ourselves for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting himself for us."[6] And the more we understand what Christ has done, the more eager we will be to invite God to eradicate every known area of sin in our lives.
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[1] https://www.gotquestions.org/animal-sacrifices-in-the-Old-Testament.html
[2]George H. Guthrie, Hebrews, ed. Terry C. Muck, The NIV Application Commentary. Accordance electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998), 331.
[3]George H. Guthrie, Hebrews, ed. Terry C. Muck, The NIV Application Commentary. Accordance electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998), 327.
[4]George H. Guthrie, Hebrews, ed. Terry C. Muck, The NIV Application Commentary. Accordance electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998), 326-327.
[5]N. T. Wright, Hebrews for Everyone, vol. 16 of Accordance electronic ed. (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011), 121.
[6] John Stott, The Cross of Christ (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1986), p. 160.
