Redemption #3 The imperfect animal sacrifice

Hermes leads a goat to the sacrifice. Side A of a Campanian red-figure bell-krater.

Because the sacrifice was to replace an imperfect offender, itself had to be “perfect”, ie. without physical defect. But all this was only symbolic. The sacrifices derived their sense that to the one sacrifice all those sacrifices were seen. The Israelite with understanding would have understood that an animal, how ‘cool’ it also may  have been, never would be able to take the place of a human being. Only a perfect human being there would be capable. And so concludes the author of the Letter to the Hebrews:

“3 But in those [sacrifices] there is a remembrance made of sins year by year. 4 For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.” (Hebrews 10:3-4 ASV)

The author argues that the imperfectness of animal sacrifice is shown by the fact that they had to be repeated over and over again, without having apparently led to a final solution.

“1  For the law having a shadow of the good [things] to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect them that draw nigh. 2 Else would they not have ceased to be offered? because the worshippers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins.” (Hebrews 10:1-2 ASV)

To truly “take away” the sins of the sacrificial death was required of a perfect man. And that is the solution that we find in the New Testament, where our life and death of that one, Jesus Christ, are proposed. This solution is fully in line with the teachings of the Old Testament.

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Previous:

Redemption #1 Biblical doctrine of salvation

Redemption #2 Biblical solution

Dutch version / Nederlandse versie: Verlossing #3 Het onvolmaakte dieroffer

Next: The Passover

 

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Additional reading:

1. A promise given in the Garden of Eden
2. Belief of the things that God has promised
3. God’s Special Gift
4. Heed of the Saviour
5. Possibility to live
6. assurance to be bought with a price
7. A fact of History or just a fancy Story
8. The meek one riding on an ass
9. The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ
10. How is it that Christ pleased God so perfectly?
11. Wishing to do the will of God
12. 14 Nisan a day to remember #1 Inception
13. Atonement And Fellowship 6/8
14. A Living Faith #5 Perseverance
15. A Living Faith #6 Sacrifice
16. In the death of Christ, the son of God, is glorification
17. Phoenicians sacrificed infants

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