Channels, Spring 2018

Page 8 Pape • The Accomplishment of Biblical Theology on Atonement presence.” 32 However, this sin offering only allowed the high priest to enter once a year to atone for sin, so that sin would accumulate all throughout the year. Additionally, this mediation was done in the earthly tabernacle, which merely serves as “a copy and shadow of the heavenly things.” 33 For “every high priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.” 34 The necessity for a better mediator is evident; the people need a mediator who could allow them to come into God’s presence continually that their sin might be always atoned for. The New Covenant presents this mediator, Jesus, as the perfect high priest in the book of Hebrews. “When Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with human hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” 35 “Whereas Aaron and his successors went into the earthly holy of holies on the Day of Atonement by virtue of animal-sacrifices—Christ has entered the heavenly sanctuary by virtue of his own blood.” 36 “Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance;” 37 for “Christ’s atoning work is the source from which all the blessings of the new covenant flow.” 38 “This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.” 39 The atonement of the New Covenant is mediated by Jesus, who eternally intercedes on behalf of his people so that they may be able to “draw near to the throne of grace.” 40 The Day of Atonement happened only once a year; consequently, atonement for all people was only offered on this one day through the mediation of the high priest. However, even on this day, no common Israelite could enter the Holy of Holies because the sacrifice only cleansed people’s sin, it did not make the person holy. In contrast, “Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.” 41 Thus, Jesus is the fulfillment of the priestly work on the Day of Atonement as he is “such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true 32 John W. Kleinig, “The Blood for Sprinkling: Atoning Blood in Leviticus and Hebrews” Lutheran Theological Journal 33 , no.3, (1999): 129 33 Hebrews 8:5 34 Hebrews 10:11 35 Hebrews 9:11-12 36 F.F. Bruce, “The Epistle to the Hebrews” The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1990) p. 213 37 Hebrews 9:15 38 Philip Edgcumbe Hughes, A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1977) p. 327 39 Hebrews 7:22 40 Hebrews 4:16 41 Hebrews 9:24