once for all

He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. (Hebrews 7:27)

There are glorious truths contained in this text. The first is this, Christ died for sinners! “He offered up himself.” The Lord of glory gave himself for our atonement. He lived a perfect life, one that we could not live, and then gave that life in exchange for our disobedience. He had done nothing wrong, yet he was crucified in our place, paying the penalty for our disobedience. He took our place on the cross.

The second great truth in this verse is the priesthood of Christ. He is our better high priest. Under the law, the high priests offered sacrifices continually, for they were sinful, their sacrifices were imperfect, and their priesthood temporary. But Christ is our sinless high priest, he offered himself as the perfect sacrifice, and his priesthood is eternal.

With Christ as our high priest, we have no need of another intercessor. No priest, prophet, king, pastor, or parent needs to stand between us and God. Christ has that job and there is no need for another. He holds his office permanently, and fulfills his duties perfectly. We “draw near to God through him” (Hebrews 7:25) and no other!

And finally, our text tells us of the completeness of Christ’s sacrifice. He has no need to offer continual sacrifices as the priests formerly did, under the Law. He offered one perfect sacrifice, “once for all when he offered up himself.”

The old hymn is correct when it says “Jesus paid it all”. There is no sin for which we must atone, no deficiency in his offering for us. Jesus fulfilled the system of sacrifices established in the Law by his perfect sacrifice.

And if Christ himself does not continue to offer sacrifices, being our high priest, how can any man think to do so in spite of Christ? Those who think they can/should offer Christ again at communion, misunderstand the nature of his sacrifice. First, he offered himself. We don’t offer him. He is not ours, we are his! Second, He offered himself, “once for all” fulfilling the righteous requirements of the law and leaving nothing undone. To presume to offer Christ again is either the height of ignorance, or the pinnacle of foolish pride!

Christ, our eternal high priest, offered himself as a sacrifice in the place of our disobedience. God accepted his perfect life for the atonement of all our sins, fulfilling the Law, and settling the debt against us, “once for all“! Nothing further needs, or can, be done to make us right with God. We come to God only through him, and having done so, he is our advocate, making intercession for us on the basis of his perfect sacrifice, offered “once for all”.