Title: Deep Thoughts With Dave and Chuck
11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things having come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made by hands, that is, not of this creation;
12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all time, having obtained eternal redemption.
13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh,
14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
V11 “A more perfect tabernacle”
Why? (take answers)
Not made by his hands, not of “this creation”. It’s not of this world, it’s not tainted with sin.
As Dave Guzik puts it “Jesus, as our High Priest, ministers in a superior sanctuary — the very throne room of God. This is obviously a place greater than anything human hands could make.”
v12 His blood is superior to the blood of goats and calves.
Why? (Take answers)
Again, NOT tainted with the sin of the Earth.
v12 He achieved eternal redemption once for all time. The blood of goats and calves has to be repeated over and over again. Christ died ONCE for ALL.
Guzik again: Animal sacrifice was sufficient for a temporary covering of sin, but only a perfect sacrifice could obtain eternal redemption. Jesus’ sacrifice was superior in that it was perfect, voluntary, rational, and motivated by love.
PB’s Interjecting Thought:
v13/14 If the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer was able to DELAY the judgement of God and (temporarily) cleans the flesh of our sin, how much more does the PERFECT blood (offered without blemish to God the Father), How much more (the answer is infinitely!) will the blood of perfect sacrifice cleanse your conscience from death to life?
V14 “The Blood of Christ”
“Blood in Scripture always includes the two thoughts of a death suffered and a life offered.” (Griffith Thomas)
“The Lord Jesus Christ did not come to earth to make a reconciliation by the holiness of his life, or by the earnestness of his teaching, but by his death.” (Spurgeon)
“The Lord Jesus did not bring before God the sufferings of others or the merits of others, but his own life and death.” (Spurgeon)
Dead Works vs. Serving the Living God
v14 dead works to serve the living God. This is about PURPOSE.
Guzik: The idea behind dead works is probably of sin in general, in the sense of “works that bring death.” But it must also speak to the vain continuation of Old Covenant sacrifice, which is certainly a dead work, and the very type of thing these discouraged Jewish Christians were tempted to go back to.
What does it mean to serve the living God?
(take answers)
“And, dear friends, do keep in mind that you are henceforth to ‘serve the living God.’ You that are acquainted with the Greek will find that the kind of service here mentioned is not that which the slave or servant renders to his master, but a worshipful service such as priests render unto God. We that have been purged by Christ are to render to God the worship of a royal priesthood. It is ours to present prayers, thanksgivings, and sacrifice; it is ours to offer the incense of intercession; it is ours to light the lamp of testimony and furnish the table of shewbread.” (Spurgeon)