Hebrews 9:24-28

Notes

It is to be regretted that commentators have so generally overlooked the true intent of Heb. 9:28, and construed it to mean "without a sin-offering." The original word occurs seventy-three times in the New Testament, and is rendered "sinful," once; "offense," once; "sin," seventy-one times. It is never claimed that it can bear the sense of sin-offering in the New Testament, except in 2 Cor. 5:21, and Heb. 9:28. And we are very confident that it does not in either of these texts. In 2 Cor. 5:21 the contrast and the force are measurably lost by so rendering it. "He hath made him to be sin for us, who [himself] knew no sin." Our iniquity was laid upon him; he was bruised for our sakes—in our stead. He bore our sin, and suffered as if he had actually been the sinner. The Scripture doctrine of substitution is entirely too strong and clear to admit of this text being changed into sin-offering. In Hebrews 9 there is presented a series of events, mostly in contrast with the things of the earthly service, each of which occurs without being repeated. He offered one sacrifice; he offered it but once; he entered once into the heavenly sanctuary. Man dies once (therefore there is but one probationary life); and after this one death, the judgment. So Christ was once offered to bear sin; and he will once more (a second time) come, without sin. He was once offered to bear sin; he bore it on the cross; he bears our judgment—the iniquity of his priesthood—before the throne. As a priest he has continually taken sins, except from those who choose to retain them. But when he comes again, he will be separated from sin; he will bear sin no more. As it reads, it signifies that at his second coming his priesthood, his act of sin-bearing, is forever ended.

The difference is evident and material. He might come without a sin-offering, he might not renew his sacrifice, and yet not make an end of his priestly service. He has made but one offering in more than 1,850 years, and his priesthood has continued all these centuries by virtue of that one offering. And it might continue indefinitely, in the same manner, by that one and the same offering. All these centuries he has been receiving the sins of penitents. But he comes without sin, separate or apart from sin, as it really means. This indicates that he will bear sin no more; that he has put it from him. Then he that is unjust must so remain. Rev. 22:10-12.

The following remarks from Dr. Barnes on this text, concerning the coming again of our blessed Saviour, are interesting:—

"There is a propriety that he should thus return. He came once to be humbled, despised, and put to death; and there is a fitness that he should come to be honored in his own world.

"Every person on earth is interested in the fact that he will return, for 'every eye shall see him.' Rev. 1:7. All who are now in their graves, all who now live, and all who will hereafter live, will behold the Redeemer in his glory.

"It will not be merely to gaze upon him, and to admire his magnificence, that they will see him. It will be for greater and more momentous purposes—with reference to an eternal doom.

"The great mass of men are not prepared to meet him. They do not believe that he will return; they do not desire that he should appear; they are not ready for the solemn interview which they will have with him. His appearing now would overwhelm them with surprise and horror. There is nothing in the future which they less expect and desire than the second coming of the Son of God, and in the present state of the world his appearance would produce almost universal consternation and despair. It would be like the coming of the flood of waters on the old world; like the sheets of flame on Sodom and Gomorrah."