Jesus was perfect and sinless, in spite of temptation by the devil, and therefore He made a perfect sacrifice for us as God's Lamb without spot or blemish.
Hebrews stresses the superiority, not only of Christ's sacrifice, but also of His priesthood, and contrasts Him with imperfect Aaron. Thus, wavering Hebrew Christian could confidently turn their backs on Judaism and its flawed priesthood, because Christ is a better high priest with a perfect offering for sin!
Aaron's great sin, in making a golden calf for Israel to worship, underscores his moral brokenness and sinfulness. Aaron led the people away from God into idolatry.
This is why, under the Mosaic law, God required the priest to offer a sin offering for himself before he offered up one for the people's sin. Hebrews reminds the readers of this fact.
But Jesus is completely without sin. Therefore, He has no need of a sacrifice for Himself! Praise God, that He thought it appropriate for us to have such an high priest as our Lord Jesus, One wholly acceptable to appear without shame or fear before a Holy God in Glory!
Because of Aaron's sin, he could only appear briefly before God in the Holiest place, with a cloud of obscuring incense, and no doubt in fear every time. He made his animal offering, and quickly left the presence of God's glory. He never sat down, for his work, offering animal sacrifices that could never take away sin, was never complete.
But our Lord Jesus sat down! He sat down in the holiest place, at the right hand of God!
He has no fear in God's presence, for He is holy and righteous Himself! Jesus had no fear His offering would be unacceptable, and indeed it purged our sin forever! |
