Hebrews 9:15-22

MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT

‘He is the Mediator of the New Testament … and without shedding of blood is no remission.’

Hebrews 9:15

God has entered into covenant relationship with men. That has been proved in chapter viii., but it is implied here.

I. The covenant.

(a) Its history.

(b) Its substance. An eternal inheritance is given in this covenant. What is this? Romans 8. tells of redemption, adoption, sanctification, perseverance, glorification. (See also Ephesians 1.)

(c) Its fact. A covenant helps confidence. A verbal promise is something; so, too, a written promise; but how much more rest we find in a sealed and delivered bond! That is what the Bible is—God’s covenant.

II. God could make no covenant with man without the shedding of blood—that is the point here; only ‘by means of death could they who are called receive the promised eternal inheritance.’ Now, how is that point established to the satisfaction of the Hebrew? By the analogy of the Jewish covenant.

(a) The Jewish covenant was based on sacrifice (Hebrews 9:18).

(b) The Jewish covenant was declared to be typical.

(c) The Jewish type was only the expression of a necessary truth. In the nature of things, there can be no union between God and man without atonement.

III. Atonement is only perfectly met in the death of Christ.— Hebrews 9:14 teach that the virtue of His sacrifice enables Him to be the Mediator of the new covenant.

(a) The old sacrifices were unable to expiate moral offences.—The Hebrew found a stumbling-block in the Cross; but the writer shows that so far from Christ’s death being a mystery, it was a necessity.

(b) This incompleteness is met in Christ. More than death is essential; it must be the death of one able to satisfy the law on man’s behalf. ‘In this cause’ (that is, because of the infinite value of His sacrifice) ‘He is the Mediator of the new covenant.’