Christ's Sacrifice- His Accomplishment

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March 28, 2015
Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Christ’s Sacrifice – His Accomplishment: Hebrews 9:24-28, especially vs. 26: “Now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” In reading this epistle, we must grasp the difference between representations and realities. To describe the representation of a divine reality, the Church uses the word antitype. In this passage, the high priest, the Temple, and the offerings made there are all considered antitypes, or representations of God’s immeasurably greater realities.

By contrast, we call an ultimate, heavenly reality a type. Saint Paul presents Christ, His sacrifice, and heaven as divine types. If we study the icons of the Church, we see Christ Pantocrator (Ruler of all) portrayed as God. Any icon of the Lord remains an earthly antitype – a representation presenting our holy Lord Jesus to our spiritual eyes and hearts.

The true Christ illumines the icon, just as the high priest in the ancient sanctuary showed the true Savior to the eyes of the ancient people of God. As we near the end of the lenten fast, we consider three antitypes and their corresponding types: the high priest who offers, the sanctuary in which he offers, and the offering he presents.

Each high priest of ancient Israel went into the Holy of Holies annually on behalf of the congregation of God’s people. He would sprinkle the blood of a sacrificial animal on the Mercy Seat to represent atonement for sins.

This ancient ceremony was an earthly representation, or foreshadowing, of the unique act of Christ. Our Lord offered His blood in the true holy place – in heaven, in the “presence of God for us” (vs. 24).

Let us consider the immense contrast between the earthly worship offered in ancient Israel and Christ’s divine action. His offering occurred once, beyond time, just as He went into the “Most Holy Place” (vs. 25) beyond this world. The ancient Levitical priesthood went in yearly, “with the blood of another” (vs. 25), but the Lord’s Self-offering ends all antitypes.

Aaron, the first high priest, went into the “Most Holy Place” inside the desert tabernacle. When the Apostle Paul says “every year” (vs. 25), he thus refers to long-standing tradition. He stresses repetition, but Christ acted for us as High Priest only “once at the end of the ages” (vs. 26).

When the eternal God acts in history, His offering is infinite. Our Divine Liturgy is a form of “rational and bloodless worship,” for the Lord’s blood was shed once on earth and now offered in heaven eternally.

The Apostle Paul also takes care to contrast the earthly sanctuary with the heavenly Holy Place “not . . . made with hands” (vs. 24). Heaven is the true reality, where Christ now appears “in the presence of God for us” (vs. 24).
As beautiful as an earthly sanctuary may be, its splendor lies in the reality it conveys: the heavenly Kingdom where Christ is enthroned on the right hand of the Father, interceding for us sinners. For this reason we sing, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabaoth; heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.”

No sacrificial animal is needed now, for Christ “has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (vs. 26). He carried His own pure and immaculate body to the Mercy Seat of God’s throne in heaven. The altar is an icon of God’s throne – the throne of our High Priest who once and for all bore “the sins of many” (vs. 28). Long ago the high priest emerged to the acclamations of the people; one day, we the faithful will greet Christ as He returns (vs. 28).

Thine own of Thine own we offer unto Thee, in behalf of all, and for all. We hymn Thee, we bless Thee, we give thanks unto Thee, O Lord, and we pray unto Thee, O our God. – Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom

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Scripture Readings: Saturday, March 28, 2015

Hebrews 9:24-28 (Epistle)

24
For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;
25
not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another –
26
He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
27
And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
28
so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Mark 8:27-31 (Gospel)

27
Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?”
28
So they answered, “John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”
29
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.”
30
Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.
31
And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Today’s commemorated feasts and saints
FIFTH SATURDAY OF LENT — Saturday of the Akathist to the Most-holy Theotokos. Ven. Hilarion the New, Abbot of Pelecete (ca. 754). Ven. Stephen the Wonderworker, Abbot of Tryglia (9th c.). Monk Martyr Eustratius of the Kiev Caves (Near Caves—1097). Ven. Hilarion of Pskov Lake (Gdov—1476). Martyrs Jonah and Barachisius, and those with them, in Persia: Zanitas, Lazarus, Maruthas (Marotas), Narses, Elias, Marinus (Mares), Abibus, Sembeeth (Sivsithina), and Sabbas (4th c.). Martyr Barachisius (4th c.). Martyr Boyan, Prince of Bulgaria (ca. 830).

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