17 Jesus Our Mediator

In the second half of Hebrews chapter 9, we find the author presenting what amounts to a legal case, explaining why Jesus had to die for us.

In the first part of the chapter, the author established that Jesus is our Great High Priest. Here, we’ll also see him linking the Lord’s High Priesthood together with His sacrifice, thus showing the connection with His office of Savior as well.

1 Death Would Be Necessary

Hebrews 9:16-17

In the prior verses, the author had shown how the Lord’s death had instituted a new, and better covenant. Now, he saw the need to explain why the Lord’s death was necessary.

We see that from the start, where in verse 16, he stressed the “necessity” of death regarding any testament.

Hebrews 9:16

He used intentionally used the Greek word <diathēk> which in Greek can be used for both “testament” and “covenant”.

His purpose was to show that the New Covenant is “testamentary” or in effect, a will, which by nature cannot go into effect until a death has occurred.

The night before Jesus would be crucified, He instituted a New Covenant, which in effect was His last will and testament:

Matthew 26:26

The Hebrew believers of that day would have looked upon the Old Covenant in light of the sacrificial system (which was ongoing at the time the letter was written).

Therefore, the understood the importance of blood to nearly every aspect of the Old Covenant sacrificial system.

In verse 17, we see more affirmation of the fact that the “testament” (covenant) was powerless as long as the “testator” (Jesus) was still alive.

Therefore, it was necessary for the Lord to die before the New Covenant could become effective.

2 Necessity of Blood

Hebrews 9:18-22

In verses 19-21, the author looked at how the blood was so essential to the Old Covenant ceremonial system. Yet even though it was still a great reminder to the people of their sin, and that blood would be required for sin to be forgiven.

God had established the principle as far back as when the Law itself was established:

Leviticus 17:13-14

Therefore, because of the connection between life and blood, it would make perfect sense that the shedding of blood would be necessary for spiritual atonement.

• Yet, it’s important to understand, that the shedding of animal blood was symbolic, and was a picture of the blood which the Savior would shed.

Which is why, that in verse 22, the author re-emphasized how the shedding of blood was a requirement for sin to be remitted:

Hebrews 9:22

The animal sacrifices which had to be performed repeatedly, still only covered sin, but could not remove it.

And it’s because Jesus’ blood completely removes sin, its another reason why it only required a onetime sacrifice.

Which brings us back to how the author had previously spoken to Jesus’ blood and sacrifice being far more effective than what was performed under the Old Covenant:

Hebrews 9:14

3 Greatness of Christ’s Sacrifice

Hebrews 9:23-28

The author stated how it was “necessary” for the earthly “copies” to be purified. Or literally “perfected”.

The word we see translated as “copies” is the Greek word <hypodeigmata> which means a thing which is a simple “expression” of something else.

So, as seen previously, the author was showing how things done and produced on the earth are mundane in comparison to what is done in heaven.

In latter part of verse 23, he shows how even heaven itself cannot accept that which is from earth:

Hebrews 9:23

Therefore, whenever we do anything for the Lord in our strength (even when done with the best intentions), that service is still diminished, since it is the work of man. Therefore, a better sacrifice would be required.

In verses 24-26, the author shows how Jesus was appointed High Priest in heaven.

The author repeats what he’d discussed before (chapter 7); that even though Jesus had been appointed as High Priest long before He came to earth, He never performed those functions on earth.

Even so, the Lord’s one-time sacrifice at Calvary had to be greater than the daily sacrifices performed by the Levitical priests.

Which again, points to the fact that the Old Covenant sacrifices only “covered” sin, while Christ’s completely, and eternally removed all sin.

To that end, the author spoke of how Jesus appeared at the end of the ages, which was a picture of Him fulfilling that foreshadowed in the Old Covenant.

In verses 27 and 28, the author mentioned how all men have will die and then face their judgment. But this was only to establish his point of how Jesus also died once, but as a sin offering for man.

He was reinforcing the point he had made previously, that Jesus only had to offer a one-time sacrifice, and not over and over as did the earthly high priests.

He then stated, that though Jesus died once, He will return again “apart from sin”. That was to show that He when He returns, He will neither be sacrificed, nor die for sins again. All pointing to the fact, that He has already dealt with man’s sin issue.

He mentions that when Jesus returns, it will be for “salvation”. In this instance, the word means “rescue”; speaking of how the Lord will rescue those awaiting Him.

Since the church will have been raptured when Jesus returns (since we will return with Him), this primarily speaks of the Jews who will come to faith during the Great Tribulation.