Daily Thought

In this section some words occur more than once: ‘once’, vv. 26, 27, 28; ‘often’, vv. 25, 26; and ‘appear’, vv. 24, 26, 28. The last represents three different words in the Greek which mean: to present, v. 24; to manifest, v. 26; to be seen, v. 28. As prophet Christ was manifested, as priest He presents Himself, and as king He will be seen. His entry into heaven is dealt with first. He has entered into no man-made holy place as Israel’s high priest did. He entered heaven to be presented before the face of God on our behalf, in all the efficacy of His work and all the acceptance of His Person. He entered to open the way for us, and He represents us there as our great High Priest. Note the contrast with the earthly high priest, vv. 25, 26. Once every year in Israel, atonement had to be made. It was then that Israel’s high priest entered the holy place with ‘blood of others’, v. 25. He could not offer himself. He offered first for himself, and then for the people.

Christ appeared ‘at the end of the ages’ RV, when the law had clearly demonstrated man’s failure and weakness. He did not have to offer Himself often. There was no necessity for Him to suffer more than once. Repetition implies imperfection. There is no trace of this in His work. His work is final because it is perfect. Only one appearance was necessary, for only one sacrifice. Israel’s high priests called sins to remembrance, but could not put them away. He put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. It was no longer an annual affair, but eternal forgiveness. To emphasize the finality of His once-for-all atonement the writer points out that what was the ordinary lot of mankind befell the Lord Jesus. He could not die often because He was truly man. He must become man by being born in order to die, but having become man He must die but once, vv. 27, 28. So He was once offered to bear the sins of many, The last verse in the chapter records the final appearing of the passage. ‘Unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin’, apart from all connection with it, ‘unto salvation’, cp. Phil. 3. 20. ‘Even so, come, Lord Jesus’, Rev. 22. 20.