One Perfect Sacrifice

How Did Jesus Christ Fulfill the Law and the Prophets?

2011-03-11T15:40:00.000-08:00

How Did Jesus Christ Fulfill the Law and the Prophets? (Joseph Vella)

As Mediator of the New Covenant, Jesus emphasized the spiritual intent
and purpose of the Law and the Prophets

Throughout the Bible, there is a contrast between the physical and the spiritual. The apostle Paul wrote that the physical comes first, then the spiritual (I Cor. 15:45 -47). The first man, Adam, came from the earth and was physical. The second Adam, Jesus Christ, came from heaven and is spiritual. Likewise, the Old Covenant was physical, and has been superseded by the New Covenant, which is spiritual. God established the Old Covenant with the children of Israel by proclaiming the Ten Commandments from the top of Mount Sinai . The event was so terrifying to the people that they pleaded with Moses to no longer have God speak directly to them (Ex. 20:18-19).

Because the children of Israel were fearful of God’s voice and power, Moses stood as mediator between God and the people to bring them God’s spoken words. Moses went to the top of Sinai to meet with God, where he received the statutes, judgments and other laws to deliver to the children of Israel . Moses was considered lawgiver and mediator of the Old Covenant (Ex. 20-24).

Moses’ office as mediator and lawgiver was a physical type of the coming spiritual Lawgiver, Jesus Christ. When the children of Israel were about to enter the Promised Land, God gave this prophecy of the coming Messiah: “And the LORD said to me, ‘They have spoken well what they have spoken [that they wanted Moses to speak to them, instead of God]. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, one like you [Moses], and will put My words in His mouth. And He shall speak to them all that I shall command Him. And it shall come to pass, whatever man will not hearken to My words which He shall speak in My name, I will require it of him’ ” (Deut. 18:17 -19).

This prophecy of the coming Messiah reveals that those who reject the words of Christ will be held accountable by God on the day of judgment. During His ministry, Jesus confirmed that He was that Prophet and that His words are the standard by which all will be judged: “But if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. The one who rejects Me and does not receive My words has one who judges him; the word which I have spoken, that shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken from Myself; but the Father, Who sent Me, gave Me commandment Himself, what I should say and what I should speak” (John 12:47 -49).

Obviously, the spiritual office of Jesus far overshadows the physical office of Moses. Christ was God manifested in the flesh—the Lord God of the Old Testament Who had established the Old Covenant with the children of Israel . His death ended the Old Covenant with its “administration of death,” and established the New Covenant which offers the gift of eternal life (II Cor. 3:6-11).

Unlike the Old Covenant, which required obedience only to the letter of the Law, the New Covenant is based on obedience to the spiritual intent of the Law. For this reason, Christ came as the spiritual Lawgiver to amplify and magnify the laws of God: “The LORD is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake; He will magnify the Law and make it glorious” (Isa. 42:21). The Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry reveal that God requires obedience to His commandments not only in the letter of the Law, but in the spirit of the Law as well. Throughout His ministry, Jesus taught repentance from sin—which is clearly defined as the transgression of the laws of God (I John 3:4).

In spite of Jesus’ clear teachings which magnify the laws and commandments of God, most professing Christians have been taught that Christ came to abolish the laws of God. Jesus, however, emphatically denounced this idea: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until the heaven and the earth shall pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass from the Law until everything has been fulfilled” (Matt. 5:17-18).

How Did Jesus Fulfill the Law?

To comprehend how Jesus fulfilled the Law, we must first understand the meaning of the word fulfill, translated in Matthew 5:17 from the Greek verb pleeroo. Depending on the context, pleeroo is understood as either 1) fulfill (do, carry out); 2) bring to full expression, i.e., show forth the true spiritual meaning; or 3) fill up, as in “to complete” (Arndt and Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament).

As our spiritual Lawgiver, Christ fulfilled the Law of God by bringing it to its full expression, thus revealing its complete spiritual meaning and intent. He “filled the Law to the full” by teaching obedience in the spirit of the Law. That is how He magnified the laws and commandments of God and made them honorable.

To fulfill the Law of God by amplifying its meaning and application is the exact opposite of abolishing the Law. If Jesus had come to abolish the laws of God, He would not have magnified and expanded their meaning, making them even more binding.

Jesus taught His disciples the spiritual meaning and application of every one of God’s laws and commandments. For example, He magnified the Sixth Commandment by showing that murder begins in the heart and is rooted in hatred and anger (Matt. 5:21 -22). The spiritual amplification of the Sixth Commandment extends far beyond the letter of the Law, which judges only physical acts of violence. Under the New Covenant, hatred in one’s heart is judged as murder (1 John 3:15 ). This spiritual standard also applies to hatred for an enemy (verses 43-44).

Christ also taught the spiritual meaning and application of the Seventh Commandment. “You have heard that it was said to those in ancient times, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you [as the spiritual Lawgiver], everyone who looks upon a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matt. 5:27 -28). Jesus made the Seventh Commandment far more binding than did the letter of the Law. Thus, every individual is held accountable for his or her adulterous thoughts, even if no physical act is committed.

A thorough study of the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount, as recorded in Matthew 5-7, will show that Jesus revealed the full spiritual meaning of all the commandments of God.

Jesus Brought the Physical Rituals of the Law to Completion : A second meaning of pleeroo—translated “to fulfill” in Matthew 5:17 —is “to complete,” or “bring to completion.” Christ came to bring the entire system of animal sacrifices, temple rituals and laws for the Aaronic priesthood to completion. Through His death, Jesus ended the Old Covenant, which had imposed a system of ritual laws on the children of Israel . In its place, He established the New Covenant, replacing the old requirements of the Law with a higher spiritual application.

The sacrificial laws were brought to completion through the superior sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The sacrifice of Jesus as the “Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world” superseded and replaced all the animal sacrifices and other physical rituals and ceremonies that were performed at the Temple of God in Jerusalem . The apostle Paul confirms the consummation of the sacrificial and ritual system through the one perfect sacrifice of Christ (Heb. 10:5-12).

With the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD, the priesthood of Aaron and the Levites came to an end as well. Thus, a physical priesthood was no longer required because Christ was serving as High Priest in heaven, making intercession for the saints before God the Father.

In the same way, the spiritual Temple in heaven has superseded the physical Temple that was on earth. Under the New Covenant, true believers have direct access through prayer to the heavenly throne of God the Father. Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father, where He carries out His spiritual work as High Priest (Heb. 10:16 -22).

Physical Circumcision Brought to Completion : With the end of the Old Covenant, the requirement for circumcision of the flesh was superseded by spiritual circumcision of the heart. The apostle Paul makes this clear: “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is external in the flesh; rather, he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God” (Rom. 2:28-29).

Spiritual circumcision brings conversion of the mind and heart, which physical circumcision in the flesh cannot accomplish. To be circumcised in the heart, a person must repent of his or her sins and be baptized by full immersion in water. The act of baptism is a type of circumcision because the sins of the flesh are removed. Then, through the laying on of hands, the believer receives the Holy Spirit, converting the heart and mind. The apostle Paul describes the spiritual circumcision that takes place at baptism: “For in Him [Jesus Christ] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, Who is the Head of all principality and power in Whom you have also been circumcised with the circumcision not made by hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, by which you have also been raised with Him through the inner working of God, Who raised Him from the dead. For you, who were once dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has now made alive with Him, having forgiven all your trespasses” (Col. 2:9-13).

Tithing Transferred Under the New Covenant : Under the Old Covenant, God gave authority to the priests and Levites to collect tithes and offerings from the children of Israel . Under the New Covenant, there is no priesthood of men—only the one High Priest, Jesus Christ, Who is “a High Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec” (Heb. 6:20 ). The apostle Paul explains that Melchisedec was Priest of God at Jerusalem in the days of Abraham. In describing how Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedec, Paul reveals that He was the one Who later came to earth as Jesus Christ (Heb. 7:5-13).

As Paul reiterates, the entire Levitical priesthood has been superseded by Jesus. However, there is still a need to teach the true worship of God and to preach and publish the Word of God. Through His Church, Christ has provided a ministry that is able to teach the Word of God and to preach the gospel to the world. Christ has also provided a way to support the ministry. Under the New Covenant, the authority to receive tithes and offerings has been transferred from the Levitical priesthood to the ministry of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul makes this very clear: “Don’t you know that those who are laboring in the sacred things of the temple live of the things of the temple, and those who are ministering at the altar are partakers with the altar? In the same way also, the Lord did command that those who preach the gospel are to live of the gospel” (I Cor. 9:13 -14).

How Did Christ Fulfill the Prophets?

During Jesus’ life in the flesh, all the Old Testament prophecies concerning His first coming were fulfilled. These prophecies included His miraculous conception and birth from the virgin Mary, the flight to Egypt to escape Herod, the return to Galilee and dwelling in Nazareth, the announcing of His ministry by John the Baptist, the healings and mighty works during His ministry, the preaching of the Gospel throughout the land of Judea and Galilee, the persecution and suffering that followed, His death by crucifixion, the place of His burial, and the time of the resurrection. Many of the prophecies that were fulfilled concern His suffering and death on the Passover day.

Although nearly two thousand years have passed since these prophecies were completed, the many prophecies in both the Old and New Testaments about Christ’s second coming have yet to be fulfilled. To be sure, every prophecy in the Word of God will be fulfilled in its set time as determined by God the Father (Acts 1:7). Jesus did not abolish a single prophecy or even a single word of the Old Testament. Again, Jesus said concerning the Scriptures: “For truly I say to you, until the heaven and the earth shall pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass from the Law until everything has been fulfilled” (Matt. 5:18).

The Spirit and Intent of the Law and the Prophets

The purpose of the Law and the Prophets and all the writings of the Old Testament is to teach people to love, worship and obey God, and Him alone. Christ revealed the spirit and intent of the Law and the Prophets when He was asked by a scribe to name the “greatest” commandment. Jesus replied, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment; and the second one is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 22:35 -40). And again, “Therefore, everything that you would have men do to you, so also do to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 7:12).

Under the New Covenant, true worship and love toward God is made possible through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which enables the believer to reverence God and obey Him from the heart. Through deep faith in Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the believer learns to obey every command of God in the full spirit and intent of the Law, as magnified by Jesus Christ. This is the manner in which every true believer will keep the laws and commandments of God, because he or she loves God the Father and Jesus Christ with all the heart, mind, soul and strength.

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Twenty-Eight Prophecies

2011-03-11T15:27:00.000-08:00

Twenty-Eight Prophecies (Joseph Vella)
Fulfilled On the Crucifixion Day

On the day of Jesus’ crucifixion, all the prophecies concerning His suffering were fulfilled in every detail—a lasting testimony
that Jesus truly is the Messiah.

The first prophecy, the oldest of all, had been given by God at the time of Adam and Eve’s sin:

1) The serpent would bruise the seed of the woman.

Prophesied: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Gen. 3:15).

Fulfilled: “ ‘Now is the judgment of this world. Now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all to Myself.’ But He said this to signify by what death He was about to die” (John 12:31 -33).

2) The Messiah would be cut off, but not for Himself, as prophesied by Daniel.

Prophesied: “And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off but not for Himself” (Dan. 9:26 ).

Fulfilled: “ ‘Nor consider that it is better for us that one man die for the people, than that the whole nation should perish.’ Now he did not say this of himself, but being high priest that year, prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation; and not for the nation only, but also that He might gather together into one the children of God who were scattered abroad” (John 11:50-52).

3) The betrayal of Jesus by Judas was foretold by David.

Prophesied: “Even a man, my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted up his heel against me” (Psa. 41:9).

Fulfilled: “Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order that he might deliver Him up to them. And after hearing this, they were delighted and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray Him” (Mark 14:10 -11).

4) Jesus Christ would be forsaken by His disciples, as prophesied by Zechariah.

Prophesied: “ ‘Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the Man who is My companion,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘Strike the Shepherd [Jesus], and the sheep shall be scattered’ ” (Zech. 13:7).

Fulfilled: “Then they all forsook Him and fled” (Mark 14:50 ).

5) The price of His betrayal was also foretold by Zechariah.

Prophesied: “And I said to them, ‘If it is good, give me my price; and if not, let it go.’ So they weighed my price—thirty pieces of silver” (Zech. 11:12 ).

Fulfilled: “And said, ‘What are you willing to give me, and I will deliver Him up to you?’ And they offered him thirty pieces of silver” (Matt. 26:15).

6) Zechariah also foretold what would be done with the betrayal money.

Prophesied: “And the LORD said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter’—the princely price at which I was valued by them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the LORD” (Zech. 11:13 ).

Fulfilled: “Now when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He was condemned, he changed his mind and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, ‘I have sinned and have betrayed innocent blood.’ But they said, ‘What is that to us? You see to it yourself.’ And after throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he went out and hanged himself. But the chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, ‘It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood.’ And after taking counsel, they bought a potter’s field with the pieces of silver, for a burial ground for strangers” (Matt. 27:3-7).

7) Isaiah prophesied that Jesus Christ would be sacrificed as the Passover Lamb of God.

Prophesied: “He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter…” (Isa. 53:7).

Fulfilled: “For Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us” (I Cor. 5:7). “Knowing that you were not redeemed by corruptible things … but by the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot; Who truly was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but was manifested in these last times for your sakes” (I Pet. 1:18-20).

8) Isaiah also prophesied the scourging and mocking that He would suffer.

Prophesied: “I gave My back to the smiters [scourgers], and My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting” (Isa. 50:6).

Fulfilled: “Then he released Barabbas to them; but after scourging Jesus, he delivered Him up so that He might be crucified. Then the governor’s soldiers, after taking Jesus with them into the Praetorium, gathered the entire band against Him; and they stripped Him and put a scarlet cloak around Him. And after platting a crown of thorns, they put it on His head; and a rod in His right hand; and bowing on their knees before Him, they mocked Him, and kept on saying, ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ Then, after spitting on Him, they took the rod and struck Him on the head” (Matt. 27:26-30).

9) Both Isaiah and David prophesied that Jesus’ body would be mutilated.

Prophesied: “Many were astonished at Him—for His body was so disfigured—even His form beyond that of the sons of men” (Isa. 52:14). “I can count all My bones; they look and gloat over Me” (Psa. 22:17 ).

Fulfilled: “But after scourging Jesus, he delivered Him up so that He might be crucified” (Matt. 27:26). “Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged Him” (John 19:1).

10) David prophesied the shame and dishonor that Jesus would suffer, being condemned as a criminal.

Prophesied: “[The] reproaches of those who reproached You have fallen upon Me…. You have known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonor; my enemies are all before You. Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness; and I looked for sympathy, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none” (Psa. 69:9, 19-20).

Fulfilled: “At that point Jesus said to the crowd, ‘Have you come out to take Me with swords and clubs, as against a robber?’ ” (Matt. 26:55) “They answered and said, ‘He is deserving of death!’ ” (Matt. 26:66)

11) David also foretold that false witnesses would testify against Christ.

Prophesied: “Cruel witnesses rose up; they asked me of things that I knew nothing about” (Psa. 35:11).

Fulfilled: “And the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find testimony against Jesus, to put Him to death; but they did not find any. For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree. And some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying...” (Mark 14:55-57).

12) Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would not make an effort to defend Himself at the trial.

Prophesied: “He was oppressed, and He was afflicted; yet He opened not His mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before its shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth” (Isa. 53:7).

Fulfilled: “Then Pilate said to Him, ‘Don’t You hear how many things they testify against You?’ And He did not answer even one word to him, so that the governor was greatly amazed” (Matt. 27:13-14).

13) Isaiah also foretold Jesus Christ’s crucifixion as the sin offering for the world.

Prophesied: “Surely He has borne our infirmities, and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we ourselves are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned each one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all…. Yet the LORD willed to crush Him and He has put Him to grief: You shall make His life an offering for sin. He shall see His seed; He shall prolong His days, and that the purpose of the LORD might prosper in His hand. He shall see of the travail of His soul. He shall be fully satisfied. By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; and He shall bear their iniquities” (Isa. 53:4-6, 10-11).

Fulfilled: “Therefore, he then delivered Him up to them so that He might be crucified. Now they took Jesus and led Him away; and He went out bearing His own cross to the place called ‘A Skull,’ which is called in Hebrew, ‘Golgotha’; where they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on this side and one on the other side, and Jesus in the middle. Now Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross. And it was written, ‘Jesus the Nazarean, the King of the Jews’ ” (John 19:16 -19).

14) As Isaiah had prophesied, He was numbered among lawbreakers.

Prophesied: “He was counted among the transgressors…” (Isa. 53:12).

Fulfilled: “And also two other malefactors were led away with Him to be put to death. And when they came to the place called ‘Skull,’ there they crucified Him and the malefactors, one on the right and one on the left” (Luke 23:32 -33).

15) David prophesied that His hands and His feet would be pierced.

Prophesied: “Dogs have surrounded Me; a band of evildoers have encircled me; they have pierced My hands and My feet…” (Psa. 22:16).

Fulfilled: “And they crucified Him” (Mark 15:25 ). “Then the other disciples said to him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he said to them, ‘If I do not see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger into the nail marks, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe at all!’ Now after eight days, His disciples were within, and Thomas with them. After the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace to you.’ Then He said to Thomas, ‘Bring forth your finger, and see My hands; and bring forth your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing’ ” (John 20:25 -27).

16) The parting of His garments was also prophesied by David.

Prophesied: “They divide My garments among them and cast lots upon My vesture” (Psa. 22:18 ).

Fulfilled: “Then they said to one another, ‘Let us not tear it, but let us cast lots for it to determine whose it shall be’; that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which says, ‘They divided My garments among them, and they cast lots for My vesture.’ Therefore the soldiers did these things” (John 19:24 ).

17) In another psalm, David prophesied that they would give Him vinegar to drink.

Prophesied: “They also gave Me gall for My food; and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink” (Psa. 69:21).

Fulfilled: “They gave Him vinegar mingled with gall to drink; but after tasting it, He would not drink” (Matt. 27:34).

18) David also prophesied that many would be watching Jesus during the crucifixion.

Prophesied: “They look and gloat over Me” (Psa. 22:17 ).

Fulfilled: “And the guards sat down there to guard Him” (Matt. 27:36). “And all the people who were gathered together to this sight, after seeing the things that took place, beat their breasts and returned” (Luke 23:48 ).

19) Among those watching would be Jesus’ family and friends, who would stand at a distance.

Prophesied: “My loved ones and my friends stand apart from my plague; and my neighbors stand far off” (Psa. 38:11).

Fulfilled: “Now all those who knew Him stood afar off observing these things, the women also who followed Him from Galilee ” (Luke 23:49 ).

20) Some of His observers would shake their heads at Him.

Prophesied: “And I also became a reproach to them when they looked upon me; they shook their heads” (Psa. 109:25).

Fulfilled: “But those who were passing by railed at Him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” (Matt. 27:39-40)

21) Even the words of His reproachers were prophesied by David.

Prophesied: “He trusted on the LORD; let Him deliver Him; let Him rescue Him, since He delights in Him!” (Psa. 22:8).

Fulfilled: “ ‘He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him; for He said, “I am the Son of God.” ’ And the two robbers who were also crucified with Him reproached Him with the same words” (Matt. 27:43-44).

22) Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would make intercession for sinners. This intercession began even during His crucifixion.

Prophesied: “He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for transgressors” (Isa. 53:12).

Fulfilled: “Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not understand what they are doing.’ And they divided His garments, and cast lots” (Luke 23:34 ).

23) David prophesied the thoughts of Jesus at the height of His suffering.

Prophesied: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me, and why are You so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?” (Psa. 22:1.)

Fulfilled: “And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ That is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ ” (Matt. 27:46).

24) Zechariah prophesied that His body would be pierced with a spear.

Prophesied: “And they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced…” (Zech. 12:10).

Fulfilled: “But one of the soldiers had pierced His side with a spear, and immediately water and blood had come out....And again another scripture says, ‘They shall look upon Him Whom they pierced’ ” (John 19:34, 37).

25) David prophesied that Jesus would commit His spirit to God.

Prophesied: “Into Your hand I commit my spirit…” (Psa. 31:5).

Fulfilled: “And after crying out with a loud voice, Jesus said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ And when He had said these things, He expired” (Luke 23:46 ).

26) David also prophesied Jesus’ last words.

Prophesied: “They shall come and shall declare His righteousness unto a people that shall yet be born, that He has done this” (Psa. 22:31 ). The Hebrew literally reads, “For it is finished.”

Fulfilled: “Therefore, when Jesus had received the vinegar, He said, ‘It is finished.’ And after bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit” (John 19:30 ).

27) As no bone of the Passover lamb was to be broken (Ex. 12:46 ), not a bone of His would be broken.

Prophesied: “He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken” (Psa. 34:20).

Fulfilled: “Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first one, and the legs of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs....For these things took place so that the Scripture might be fulfilled, ‘Not a bone of Him shall be broken’ ” (John 19:32-33, 36).

28) His burial in the tomb of a rich man was foretold by Isaiah.

Prophesied: “By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and with His generation who did consider that He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of My people He was stricken? And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth” (Isa. 53:8-9).

Fulfilled: “And when evening was coming on, a rich man of Arimathea came, named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus. After going to Pilate, he begged to have the body of Jesus. [Jesus would otherwise have been buried among the criminals.] Then Pilate commanded the body to be given over to him. And after taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linen cloth, and placed it in his new tomb which he had hewn in the rock; and after rolling a great stone to the door of the tomb, he went away” (Matt. 27:57-60).

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One Perfect Sacrifice

2011-03-11T15:21:00.000-08:00

One Perfect Sacrifice (Joseph Vella)

Jesus Christ was the complete sacrifice of God the Father, making possible the New

Testament promises of redemption and eternal life

Jesus Christ offered Himself as the supreme sacrifice of God the Father for the sins of

mankind. Through His one perfect sacrifice, Jesus purchased redemption from sin for all time.

The New Testament reveals that His death fulfilled not only the Passover sacrifice, but all of

the animal sacrifices that were required by the laws that God had given to Moses. All were

fulfilled when Jesus died on the Passover day, as the apostle Paul tells us that Jesus “offered

ONE SACRIFICE for sins for ever” (Heb. 10:12). That one perfect sacrifice purchased

everlasting redemption: “By Whose will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of

Jesus Christ ONCE FOR ALL ” (Heb. 10:10). And again, “For when He died, He died unto sin

ONCE FOR ALL ” (Rom. 6:10).

Jesus Was Our Sin Offering : Some of the early Hebrew Christians did not fully understand

that the death of Jesus Christ had fulfilled the animal sacrifices that were commanded under

the Old Covenant. They were still looking to the Temple sacrifices for sanctification from sin.

The apostle Paul wrote his epistle to the Hebrews to explain to them that these sacrifices for

sin were no longer required. He explained that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ had fulfilled all the

requirements of the Law for the sin offerings that were made at the Temple.

He also explained that, as the Law required, Jesus died outside the gates of the city: “We

have an altar from which those who are serving the present earthly tabernacle do not have

authority to eat; for pertaining to those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places

by the high priest for a sin offering, the bodies of all these are burned outside the camp. For

this reason, Jesus, in order that He might sanctify the people by His own blood, also

suffered OUTSIDE THE GATE ” (Heb. 13:10-12).

The fact that Jesus died outside the gates of Jerusalem verifies that His body was a sin

offering. The Law of God specifically commanded that all sin offerings were to be burned

“outside the camp” (Lev. 4:1-2, 11-12, 21; 16:27). After the blood of the sacrificial animals

was sprinkled on the altar, the bodies of the sin offerings were taken across the Kidron Valley

to a place high on the Mount of Olives east of the city of Jerusalem, where there was a special

altar called the Miphkad Altar. This altar was located near Golgotha, where Jesus was

crucified.

“The Miphkad Altar and the sin offerings which were sacrificed on it was really a cardinal part

of the Temple complex that existed in the time of Christ. This altar was not one with a ramp

leading up to a square elevated area, but it is described in the Mishnah as a pit in which the

animals could be burnt to ashes (Parah 4:2). The Miphkad Altar was located outside the walls

of the Temple (as Ezekiel 43:21 states), but [the bridge across the Kidron Valley and] the

roadway leading up to the altar (and including the altar itself) were part of the ritualistic

furniture associated with the Temple services…. Christ was crucified near the Miphkad Altar…”

(Ernest L. Martin, The Secrets of Golgotha, p. 41).

The location of this altar on the Mount of Olives offered a direct view of the entire Temple

area. On the Day of Atonement, those who stood at the site of this special altar could observe

the high priest as he was standing near the veil of the Temple, ready to enter the Holy Place.

“Even the bullock and the goat which were sacrificed on the day of Atonement (Leviticus 16)

had to be killed near the Altar of Burnt Offering within the Temple and then their carcasses

were required to be taken out the eastern gate to the Miphkad Altar at the Mount of Olives

and there they were burnt to ashes (Leviticus 4)” (Ibid., p. 246).

The ashes of all the animals that were burned on the altar at the Temple were taken to the

same place where the sin offerings were burned (Miphkad Altar) and were mingled with the

ashes of the sin offerings “and poured out at the base of the Altar (Leviticus 4:12, 21; 6:11)

(where the ashes could descend through a conduit system into the Valley of Kidron below)”

(Ibid., p. 246). As the supreme sin offering of God the Father, the body of Jesus Christ was

offered up when He was crucified on the Mount of Olives, near the altar where the bodies of

all sin offerings from the Temple were offered up to God. Thus, Paul wrote: “But He, after

offering one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time, He

is waiting until His enemies are placed as a footstool for His feet. For by one offering He has

obtained eternal perfection for those who are sanctified” (Heb. 10:12-14).

Jesus Was Our Passover Sacrifice : As the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ was sacrificed on the

Passover day, Nisan 14/April 5, 30 AD. The apostle Paul affirms that His death fulfilled the

sacrifice of the Passover lamb: “For Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us” (I Cor. 5:7).

Jesus Christ was the complete sacrifice of God the Father to fulfill the promises of the New

Covenant—the only covenant that offers redemption from sin and the gift of eternal life. The

promise of eternal life through the New Covenant was sealed by the beaten, scourged and

crucified body of Jesus Christ and the outpouring of His blood. The ceremony that

commemorates His supreme sacrifice for the sins of the world was instituted on the night that

He was betrayed. That is when His disciples partook of the symbols of His body and His blood,

and that is when all His followers are commanded to partake of these symbols. Paul wrote

that the instructions of the Lord were to observe it “in that night” when Jesus was betrayed,

which was the night of Nisan 14. Christians are to renew the New Covenant every year on that

night by participating in the foot washing and by partaking of the broken, unleavened bread

and the cup of wine. It is a personal, individual renewal of the New Covenant: “This cup is the

New Covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20). Each Christian who

takes part in this ceremony is affirming his or her acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ

and is renewing his or her commitment to live by the words of the New Covenant.

By personally renewing the New Covenant, one is able to receive continuing forgiveness and

grace from God the Father, Who applies the blood of Jesus Christ to one’s sins (I John 1:7-9).

Through the grace of God and by repentance, this daily cleansing from sin is accomplished

(Matt. 6:12), allowing Christians to remain in fellowship with God the Father and Jesus Christ

(I John 1:3). He imparts strength and understanding to each one through His Holy Spirit. Every

Christian who is led by the Holy Spirit will be growing in spiritual knowledge and godly

character and will ultimately receive the gift of eternal life in the Kingdom of God when Jesus

returns (II Pet. 1:4-11).

Joint Heirs With Christ: Through Jesus’ sacrifice, according to God’s great plan of

reconciliation, all who repent of their sins, accept Jesus Christ as personal Savior and are

baptized receive the gift of salvation, with the promise of eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

“But we see Jesus, Who was made a little lower than the angels, crowned with glory and

honor on account of suffering the death, in order that by the grace of God He Himself might

taste death for everyone; because it was fitting for Him, for Whom all things were created,

and by Whom all things exist, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Author of their

salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He Who is sanctifying and those who are

sanctified are all of one [one Father]; for which cause He is not ashamed to call them

brethren” (Heb. 2:9-11).

Jesus Christ was the first fleshly human being to be resurrected from the dead as a glorified

spirit being. At His return, an innumerable number will be granted eternal life as the spirit

sons and daughters of God the Father. They will share the same eternal existence and glory

as Jesus Christ, as Paul discloses: “The Spirit itself bears witness conjointly with our own

spirit, testifying that we are the children of God. Now if we are children, we are also heirs—

truly, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer together with Him, so that

we may also be glorified together with Him. For I reckon that the sufferings of the present

time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:16-

18).

The apostle John also wrote that the children of God will be like Jesus Christ: “Behold! What

glorious love the Father has given to us, that we should be called the children of God! For this

very reason, the world does not know us because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are

the children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be; but we know that

when He is manifested, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him exactly as He is” (I

John 3:1-2).

Every true Christian shares this incredible hope—the hope of being glorified like Jesus Christ

and living with Him forever in the Kingdom of God. And all of this is made possible by Jesus’

one, perfect sacrifice for sin.

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