Great Doctrines. Lesson 6 Lesson Text—Isaiah 53:1-3 Isaiah 53:1-3 1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 2 For.

Great Doctrines

Lesson 6

Lesson Text—Isaiah 53:1-3

Isaiah 53:1-31 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.


3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.


Isaiah 53:4-54 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Lesson Text—Hebrews 9:11-13

Hebrews 9:11-1411 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.


13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?


Hebrews 9:1515 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

Focus Verse—Hebrews 9:22

Hebrews 9:22And almost all things are by the

law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no

remission.

Focus Thought

When it comes to the remission of

sins under the New Covenant,

without the “shedding of blood”

there is no remission.

I. The Superiority of the Great High Priest

IntroductionIsaiah saw a vision of One who

was rejected of men and smitten of God. Yet, it is clear from Isaiah’s words this rejection was for our benefit: “He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. . . . he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5).


The first five verses of Isaiah 53 provide a graphic picture of the suffering of our Lord. One might ask, “How can such suffering benefit me?” “How can the suffering of someone so many years ago benefit the common sinner of the twenty-first century?” The secret is in the innocent blood He poured out for all mankind.

Nothing but the Blood“What can wash away my

sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the

blood of Jesus.” —Robert Lowry


Under the law, almost all things were cleansed by blood, but there were a few exceptions. For example, an impoverished Israelite might bring a tenth of an ephah of flour to the priest as a sin offering instead of a blood sacrifice. (See Leviticus 5:11.) After the destruction of Korah and his company, the priest used incense to make atonement. God instructed Aaron, “Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them” (Numbers 16:46).


Numbers 31:22-23 reveals the process for cleansing metal objects captured in war. The priests were to purify them by fire and “the water of separation.” Objects that could not withstand the fire were simply purified by water.

There were a few exceptions to the use of blood for cleansing, but when it comes to the remission, or forgiveness, of sins, there is no substitute or exception.

I. The Superiority of the Great High PriestThe writer of the Book of

Hebrews was emphatic regarding the necessity of blood for the remission of sins under the New Covenant: “Without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22). The lesson text above and the commentary that follows will compare the superiority of the great High Priest to the Aaronic priesthood, the blood of Christ to that of animals, and the New Covenant to the Old Covenant.

I. The Superiority of the Great High PriestThe Superiority of

the Great High Priest

The writer of the Book of Hebrews described Jesus Christ as the great High Priest, and as such, the mediator of a New Covenant. “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building” (Hebrews 9:11).


The New Covenant provided mankind with very important and superior replacements over the Old Covenant, two of which appear in Hebrews 9:11. The first item is a “greater and more perfect tabernacle”; the second is the “high priest of good things to come.” In each case, the old was temporary and destined to be replaced by something permanent and far superior.

A. The Tabernacle A. The Tabernacle

The Tabernacle plan given to Moses and constructed by the nation of Israel played a significant role in the first covenant. Blood sacrifices were central to the Tabernacle worship. The priests shed the blood of sacrificial animals in front of the brazen altar and carried the collected blood all the way through the Tabernacle to the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies.


“For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul” (Leviticus 17:11).

The Israelites constructed the earthly Tabernacle according to God’s plans, which served to represent a much greater tabernacle to come. “They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven.


This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: ‘See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain’” (Hebrews 8:5, NIV).

The Tabernacle and every article of furniture in it depicted some aspect of atonement. It was an object lesson for all mankind. Although it no longer exists, its pattern still speaks to us. It speaks of mercy, compassion, longsuffering, and forgiveness.


It also speaks of judgment and the price required to atone for the sins of mankind.

Under the New Covenant we learn of a “greater and more perfect tabernacle.” Truly, it is greater and more perfect because it was made without human hands; it is eternal and age will never corrupt it. We can be certain the blood shed on Calvary has not coagulated or dried up. It flows just as freely today as it did the day our Savior hung upon the cross.

I See a Crimson Steam of Blood

“I see a crimson stream of blood.It flows from Calvary, Its waves which reach the throne of God, Are sweeping over me.”

—G. T. Haywood

B. The Role of the High Priest B. The Role of the High

Priest

Our lesson text contrasts the ministry of Jesus Christ with that of Aaron and his sons—the Aaronic priesthood. There are at least six specific points concerning the role of the Aaronic high priest that apply to Jesus’ role as the great High Priest.

I. The Superiority of the Great High Priest1. The high priest came from

among his fellow men (Hebrews 5:1). He was to be like his brothers in all ways. In order to be our great High Priest, Jesus Christ had to be fully man. “Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17).

I. The Superiority of the Great High Priest2. The high priest represented

mankind in matters pertaining to God (Hebrews 5:1). As a mediator, the high priest interceded for the people. Likewise, by filling the office of the great High Priest, Jesus Christ became a mediator between God and mankind: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (I Timothy 2:5).


3. The high priest offered gifts and sacrifices (Hebrews 8:3). Though he had many duties, the most important duty of the high priest was to serve in the Tabernacle on the Day of Atonement by offering gifts and sacrifices. On that day he carried the blood of the sin offering behind the veil and offered it on the mercy seat. As the great High Priest, Jesus carried the evidence of His shed blood behind the veil into the eternal Holy of Holies (heaven itself) providing evidence of atonement for mankind once and for all. (See Hebrews 9:12.)


Only His blood would accomplish the needed remission of sins for all mankind.

4. The high priest had to have something to offer (Hebrews 8:3). He was not to enter the Tabernacle empty handed. The great High Priest entered the Holy of Holies with the ultimate sacrifice—the scars in His hands and His own shed blood. “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14).

I. The Superiority of the Great High Priest5. The high priest had to be able

to deal gently with those who were ignorant and going astray. (See Hebrews 5:2.) Our great High Priest is able to do the same: “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:18).

6. As a man, the high priest suffered the weakness of human flesh (Hebrews 5:3). At this point we find both a comparison and a contrast.


Because of this weakness, the descendents of Aaron who served in the role of the high priest were all sinners; they first had to make sacrifice for their own sins. Only then could they offer sacrifices for the people of Israel. Similarly, Jesus also suffered the weakness of the flesh, or else the temptations would have been meaningless. Yet, throughout His lifetime the great High Priest did not yield to the weakness of human flesh. Consequently, He had no need to make a sin offering for Himself.

Hebrews 4:15

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be

touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all

points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews

4:15).

II. The Superiority of the Blood of Christ

The Superiority of the Blood of ChristThe blood of bulls and goats

satisfied the requirements of the first covenant, making the individual ceremonially clean. However, Jesus Christ carried the blood of the perfect sacrifice into the perfect tabernacle both to meet the demands of the law and to purge men’s consciences of sinfulness.


“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:12-14).

A. Obtaining Eternal Redemption

A. Obtaining Eternal Redemption

The first act of our Lord’s ministry as the great High Priest was to obtain eternal redemption for His people (Hebrews 9:12-14). The high priest under the Old Covenant obtained only a temporary deliverance for those whom he represented, which he accomplished by presenting the blood of an animal sacrifice to appease the wrath of God.


In contrast, the great High Priest obtained eternal deliverance for those whom He represented by presenting Himself in place of every human past and present.

Paul wrote to the Colossians regarding the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14). John declared, “The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (I John 1:7). Just before Jesus died, He proclaimed, “It is finished” (John 19:30).

I. The Superiority of the Great High PriestJesus finished the atonement for

sin at Calvary. He poured out His blood—sinless blood—at the foot of the cross to redeem mankind from sin.

Hebrews 9:14

“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through

the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from

dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14).

He Paid a Debt He Did Not Owe

“He paid a debt He did not owe.I owed a debt I could not pay.

I needed someone to wash my sins away, And now I sing a brand new song—‘Amazing Grace.’

Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.”

—Author Unknown

B. Entering into the Holy Place B. Entering into the Holy

Place The second act of our Lord’s

ministry as the great High Priest was His entering into the Holy of Holies. When the high priest on the Day of Atonement completed the sacrifice, he entered into the Holy of Holies with the blood of the sacrifice to present before the Lord evidence of the expiation and to make intercession for his people. (See Leviticus 16:15-16.)


When our Messiah, the great High Priest, completed the work of atonement, He reentered the heavenly tabernacle and presented the evidence of the expiation of sin for all mankind.

Hebrews 9:12

“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own

blood he entered in once into the holy place, having

obtained eternal redemption for us” (Hebrews 9:12).

I. The Superiority of the Great High PriestLuke described the beginning of

that great historical event: “When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven” (Luke 24:50-51, NIV). “After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight” (Acts 1:9, NIV).

I. The Superiority of the Great High PriestWhat happened after Jesus

disappeared from sight that day? Luke and the other gospel writers do not tell us; however, at some point Jesus apparently made His way to the throne of God and presented evidence that He had paid the eternal price for the sins of mankind. “It is finished!”

After sprinkling blood on the mercy seat, the high priest left the Holy of Holies. (See Leviticus 16:18.)


In contrast, because of the superiority of the blood of Jesus Christ, our great High Priest remains in the Holy of Holies always ready to make intercession for us. The writer of the Book of Hebrews wrote, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). The One who never slumbers or sleeps remains on duty to intercede for us and to provide evidence of the expiation of our sins.

I John 2:1

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man

sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the

righteous” (I John 2:1).

C. A Clean Conscience C. A Clean Conscience

“For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer

sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered

himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to

serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:13-14).


The superiority of the blood of the perfect sacrifice is at the heart of Hebrews 9:13-14. The eternal Spirit manifested Himself in human flesh, lived a life on the earth, and faced temptation without yielding to sin, which allowed Him to be the sacrifice for our sins in our stead. The Old Testament sacrifices were efficacious only in sanctifying the people ceremonially so they could participate in worship. However, a veil separated God and mankind. Individuals could come only so close to God.


As a result of Jesus’ sacrificial death, however, the veil of the Temple was rent in two and the way opened for all to go directly into the presence of God. Further, His sacrifice was efficacious not only in enabling us to worship, but in cleansing us from all sin! “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).


As in the Old Testament, mankind still needs redemption from sin. However, the superiority of the blood of Jesus Christ provided something unknown in the Old Testament sacrificial system—justification. “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him” (Romans 5:9). Someone described the idea of being justified as “just-as-if-I-had” never sinned. Even though we have sinned, we know by the grace of God we have a clean conscience and can enter into His presence.

I Corinthians 6:9-11 “Know ye not that the unrighteous

shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor

abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous,

nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the

kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and

by the Spirit of our God” (I Corinthians 6:9-11).

I. The Superiority of the Great High Priest“Conscience guilt unfits a man

for acceptably serving God. The essence of the service which God requires of His intelligent creatures is love. The man whose conscience is polluted with unpardoned guilt cannot love. He knows he has offended God; he knows he deserves punishment; he does not, he cannot love the Being whom he regards as his enemy; he cannot seek his enjoyment in communion and fellowship with Him.


Nothing can fit man for the service of God but what purifies the conscience from the pollution produced by these ‘dead works;’ and nothing can do this but the blood of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ” (John Brown in Hebrews, 1862/1961, pp. 403-404).

III. The Superiority of the New CovenantThe Superiority of the New CovenantGod has established a number of

covenants with mankind throughout history, and all were bound by blood. When Adam and Eve sinned, the wrath of God—“thou shalt surely die”—was appeased through the shed blood of animals. Adam and Eve wore cloaks made of animal skins, which provided evidence of the shed blood and bound them in covenant with God.


When Noah and his family came out of the ark, before they did anything else, they built an altar and by a blood sacrifice bound themselves in covenant to God.

Genesis 8:20-21 “And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean

beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the

altar. And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s

sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth;

neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done”

(Genesis 8:20-21).

I. The Superiority of the Great High PriestShortly after Abraham rescued

Lot from capture by Chedorlaomer, the Lord bound Himself to His friend by a blood covenant. “And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not” (Genesis 15:9-10).


The writer of the Book of Hebrews established the superiority of Jesus Christ as the great High Priest and the superiority of His shed blood. He then proceeded to establish the superiority of the New Covenant, which was bound by the blood of Christ and put into effect by the work of the great High Priest. “For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant” (Hebrews 9:15, NIV).

I. The Superiority of the Great High PriestBecause the blood of Jesus

Christ satisfied the demands of the law, Jesus could mediate a New Covenant—a covenant that would set mankind free from the sins he continually committed under the Old Covenant. Under this New Covenant, mankind is not only ceremonially clean; he is morally clean. Now, individuals are able to live in relationship with God, knowing in their conscience their sins have all been remitted.

A. The Mediator of a New Covenant

A. The Mediator of a New Covenant

According to Strong’s Concordance, the Greek word rendered mediator literally means “a go-between.” “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (I Timothy 2:5). Jesus mediated between the wrath of God depicted by the cherubim with flaming swords (Genesis 3:24) and the need of sinful mankind who dared not look on the face of God. (See Exodus 33:20.)

I. The Superiority of the Great High PriestBeginning with Adam and Eve,

there were animal blood sacrifices for about four thousand years prior to the Cross. Individuals and priests sacrificed thousands of animals, and each one represented mankind’s attempt to regain what was lost in the Fall—relationship with God and eternal life. As each animal went bleating and crying to its death, the people realized the way to the tree of life was still beyond their reach, guarded by the cherubim.


God would not allow sinful mankind to partake of the tree of life and thus live forever in a sinful state.

Although mankind shed much blood, the blood of bulls and goats could never restore him to his previous state prior to sin’s judgment. However, one day the slain Lamb of God paid the ultimate price for sin. Jesus Christ became the victim of the flaming sword, satisfying the demands of the law. He conquered death and arose to partake of the tree of life, paving the way for His brethren.

I Corinthians 15:20-22 “But now is Christ risen from

the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

For since by man came death, by man came also the

resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive”

(I Corinthians 15:20-22).

I John 2:2

“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours

only, but also for the sins of the whole world”

(I John 2:2).

B. The Benefits of the New Covenant


The New Covenant guarantees certain benefits and protections to the believer. This may be one of the least understood concepts of the New Covenant. Some individuals may offer such phrases as “plead the blood” or “get under the blood” when someone is facing temptation or in the midst of a trial.


But what do those sayings mean? Will envisioning a picture of the Crucifixion and the blood of Jesus constitute being under the blood? No! To plead the blood is an act of faith; it is to plead the blood covenant—to claim the guarantee of the Scriptures.


When Satan, the accuser of the brethren, falsely accuses individuals because of their past sins that have been remitted by the shed blood of Jesus Christ, they can turn to the Scriptures that declare them clean and proclaim, “Not guilty!” Paul the apostle wrote, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-2).

I. The Superiority of the Great High PriestAlthough full access to God was

unavailable until fifty days after the Crucifixion, the day of the Crucifixion displayed a powerful object lesson for us. “And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom” (Mark 15:38). For the first time, the inner sanctuary was no longer the domain only of the priesthood, but everyone was welcome in the presence of God.


The writer of the Book of Hebrews declared, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Three verses in the New Testament, each written by Paul, use the word “access” in reference to our ability to approach God as a direct result of the New Covenant.


Paul used it first in the Book of Romans and directly connected it with justification: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-2).

The second appearance of the word referenced the Gentiles being brought into a covenant relationship with our Lord. “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Ephesians 2:18).


The third verse, also found in the Book of Ephesians, states, “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him” (Ephesians 3:12). The New International Version renders this verse as follows: “In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence” (Ephesians 3:12).

No longer do we have to hide our face from God! Because sin no longer remains in our conscience, we can enter into the presence of God with freedom and confidence.


Conclusion

“And almost all things are by the law purged with

blood; and without shedding of blood is no

remission” (Hebrews 9:22).

I. The Superiority of the Great High PriestNothing but the blood of Jesus

Christ can remit sins, but how do we receive the benefit of the blood of Christ? How do we enter into a covenant relationship with Jesus? G. T. Haywood penned these beautiful words: “The water, Spirit and the blood agree if we but understood, in making sinners pure and good and take their sins away. Thank God for the blood!”

I. The Superiority of the Great High PriestYears before G. T. Haywood

penned these words, John wrote, “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.


And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one” (I John 5:5-8).

Only the blood of Jesus Christ can open the way for the remission of sins and the return of mankind once again into the presence of God. Thank God for the blood!

Great Doctrines. Lesson 6 Lesson Text—Isaiah 53:1-3 Isaiah 53:1-3 1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 2 For.

Documents

blood of goats

blood of christ

shedding of blood

blood of jesus

innocent blood

blood of bulls

lesson texthebrews

lesson textisaiah