Hebrews 9:22

“Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22).

Comment:

The work by an unknown author, known as the Letter to the Hebrews, is a sustained argument intended to establish the pre-eminence of the new Christian faith over traditional Judaism. Among other arguments, it links Jesus Christ to the ‘priesthood of Melchizedek,’ which predates Abraham and, the author argues, is thereby older and more spiritually valid than the law, which came much later through Moses. He compares beliefs established “under the law” against the teachings of Jesus, affirming in every case that the new Christian beliefs are superior to the limitations of the law. Here he is saying that “under the law” of Moses, blood sacrifice of one sort or another was required. (He is apparently writing before the destruction of the Temple in 70; after that point, blood sacrifice ceased to be a requirement of Judaism.) 

Hebrews does reflect the understanding, prevalent but not universal in the early church, of Jesus’ crucifixion as the ultimate blood sacrifice in itself. That’s not what Jesus taught, nor is it what we understand about the metaphysical significance of the crucifixion. Jesus was moving through a vivid death experience, and returning from beyond it, to demonstrate to his followers that there is nothing to fear in the false belief that death represents. The symbolic ‘blood’ of the Last Supper is a metaphysical symbol for the divine life force that is our true identity. That life force, because it is divine, cannot be sacrificed. It is rather to be claimed and utilized as we proceed with our own spiritual work of creating the kingdom of heaven.

Blessings!

Rev. Ed