Q11. Cross

[Pastor Ralph]

Q11. How does an understanding of Old Testament sacrifice help us understand Jesus’ death on the cross?

[Krissi]

Today, many Christians want to incorporate Jewish rituals and the calendar as the basis of their contemporary Christian worship, and frankly, I've not understood their motives or logic for celebrating, say, harvest sacrifices. What's happening now on the cutting edge of Christianity, at least in the US, is very similar to how the Puritans fetishized the rituals of the Old Testament. Puritans imagined themselves as God's chosen who had been called to populate the land that was given to them... the "errand into the wilderness." THey adopted many Jewish ceremonies and even gave themselves OT names. THey dressed oddly, had long beards and incorporated aspects of the Hebrew calendar.

This is happening again. 

NOte that today's Christians who adopt Jewish ceremonies are not Messianic Jews, that is, Jews converted to Christianity who would be expected syncretize some of their old patterns of worship and belief to their new faith in Christ. They're "gentiles" without any Jewish connections.

But the question Pastor Ralph posed goes beyond worship/calendar/dress/food to the bigger question of how the OT and the gospel relate ... this is too much for me to answer. I can only say that the sacrifices and annual calendar of the temple era suggest that God is very particular about how we think of Him: He had wanted order, regularity and exacting obedience to the law. Pehraps these contemporary Christians are trying to achieve a similar exactness in worship that they believe God demands? It could be the case that because God's nature does not change, He still wants us to come to Him in a patterned, exacting and ritualized manner.

This poses theological issues. Jesus' death on the cross ended all ritual and sacrifices. HE was the final sacrifice. No further rituals were needed and the old calendar ceased to matter as it was integral to ways of forgiveness/worship that no longer applied.

Christians have to tie together, somehow,  the Old and New Testaments, while at the same time keeping is a red line drawn at the moment of the resurrection. That line demarcates the former from the Christian, the old and new -- that red line separates a system of rules and sacrifices from the supreme sacrifice in Christ that supersedes everything before it.

[Clelie]

In the OT regular animals sacrifices were offered as an atonement for the sins of the people. The blood of the sacrificed animals covered over the sins of the people but it could never cleanse the sin and made the people pure because the blood of animals could never take the sins away for ever that was why animals sacrifices had too be repeated year after year . 
But when Jesus offered Himself as an atonement once and for all, for the  sins of mankind by dying on the cross and shedding His own blood for the forgiveness  of sins of the whole mankind ,His blood was pure and the only acceptable offer before God in the  forgiveness of the sins of all mankind.Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin, Jesus sinless blood is the only blood that renders us pure before the Holy God .  

[Katy]

Q11. The Old Testament rituals of sacrifices were instituted by God, as a means of cleansing people from their sins. This could not take sin away completely so it had to be repeated over and over again. It was ineffective if it was not accompanied by true repentance for sin. All these rituals were only a temporary measure until the ultimate sacrifice was offered. This ultimate, perfect sacrifice was Our Lord and Saviour Jesus. He was crucified once for all to satisfy the wrath of God, for all our sins. Because Jesus was the only living perfect human being, he was the only one good enough to redeem us from certain death and an eternity in punishment, in hell. Because He was so perfect and the ultimate sacrifice, the old system of sacrifice was needed no longer. Praise God for sending His Son, thank you Jesus that you came. 

[Janzie]

On 3/18/2024 at 7:22 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q11. How does an understanding of Old Testament sacrifice help us understand Jesus’ death on the cross?

In the Old Testament the people of God sacrificed animals for their sin, every year, but they just covered it and could not take it away, so it had to be done every year, over and over and they should repent of their sin.

In the New Testament, Jesus took away sin once and for all. By dying on the cross for us and We are to be repentant but If we sin -  IJohn 1:9  and If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.   

The Bible says it better:  

 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.   But when this priest [Christ] had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.    Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool,  because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." (Hebrews 10:11--14)

[Nicolaas A.P. Mostert]

Q11.

How does an understanding of Old Testament sacrifice help us understand Jesus' death on the cross?

In the Old Testament the priest performed day after day every religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 

But when this priest [Christ] had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.

Because by one sacrifice he [Christ] has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

 

[hanks]

Q11. 
How does an understanding of Old Testament sacrifice help us understand Jesus' death on the cross? 
In the temple the priests stood before the altar making time after time new daily, weekly, monthly, and annual sacrifices. This was a cycle that was repeated over again and again. 
On top of this the Israelites had to bring their own personal sacrifices every time they sinned. These many imperfect sacrifices could never take away sins (Heb 10:11), only the perfect sacrifice of Christ could accomplish this. We were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect (1 Pet 1:18-19). The power of the offering is eternal, that is once and everlasting/forever. Our past, present, and future sins are forgiven – we have been made fit to be in God’s presence. We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all (Heb 10:10). 
 

[Jonathan Edwards]

The Epistle to the Hebrews elucidates this theme tremendously.   We have a better Covenant on better promises.   Old Testament sacrifices were repeated constantly: they only covered sins.  In the New covenant:  based on the eternal priesthood of Christ, Christ is both the Priest and the Victim.   Christ is in the order of Melchizedek, His priesthood and the one final sacrifice on the Cross was so effectual, all sins are wiped away.   Psalm 103 echoes the joys of the new believers: our sins are not just forgiven but are thrown into the depths of the sea.  The five classes of Levitical sacrifices were types of the Redemption wrought by Jesus Christ.   The OT sacrifices were beckoning people to look for the New Covenant.

[Irmela]

Q11. How does an understanding of Old Testament sacrifice help us understand Jesus' death on the cross?

Jesus' death on the cross was the ultimate sacrifice paid for all our sins.  They are not just temporarily covered but paid for in full.  Christ was the PERFECT SACRIFICE.  In the O.T. a lamb, goat or bullock (whatever was offered) had to be without blemish.  Man was not without sin so there was no perfect sacrifice.  Only God was perfect.  Only He could redeem us.  So He came and laid down His glory and took on the form of the Son of Man and lived among us (without sin) and finally laid down His life as a sacrifice in our stead, once for all.  No more sacrifice is needed.   JESUS PAID IT ALL    Thank YOU LORD!!!!!!!!

[Paula Price]

The old testament Sacrifice was just a teaching method on how and what God requires for forgiveness of sin. But only until a more perfect, better sacrifice, which is Jesus! You have to be trained in how to do anything correctly,  so the old testament was a training in how to please God with our sacrifice, and only the ones acceptable by God, which he taught. There is no need to keep these rituals by the Jews or anyone else because Jesus is the sacrifice that takes away the sins of the world.. God said so!!! Our sacrifices now are to be our praises coming from mouths that speak his name and sincere humble hearts and the willingness to following and doing his will and keeping his commandments!! Sincere praise! Sincere and humble hearts!! Love for God and our fellow man. Holiness, righteousness faithfulness as He is!!! Our Praise to God and living according to his word is what He requires of his followers, His people, called by His name!!! His church, His chosen!! We are to walk in the light of the world and Jesus is the way the truth and the life,.Jesus is the light of the world and the only way to God the father and eternal life!! For all people, regardless of race color or creed or nationality or religious sect.