DYNAMIS!
A publication of St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
Wichita, KS
Hebrews 13:7-16
(01/30 or 02/12)
The Synaxis of the Three Holy Hierarchs
Type and Prototype: Hebrews 13:7-16, especially vss. 12,
13: “Therefore Jesus also,
that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the
gate. Therefore let us go forth to
Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.” Earlier in the
Epistle to the Hebrews, the Apostle Paul disclosed that the blood sacrifice of
the Lord Jesus in Self-offering on the Cross superseded the ancient offerings
of animal sacrifices for forgiveness of sins. In those earlier verses, Saint Paul
reminded his readers of the significant principle that was well understood in ancient Israelite
worship: “...according to the law almost all things are purified with
blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission” (Heb. 9:22).
Building on that principle, the Apostle speaks
in this passage of Christ’s intent in His crucifixion: the Lord embraced
death “...that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered
outside the gate” (Heb. 13:12).
The ‘gate’ refers to the ancient ‘entrance’ of
Jerusalem. The place of crucifixion
for criminals, established by the first-century Roman authorities, and in
deference to the sensibilities of the Jews concerning the ritual defilement
caused by contact with the dead, was located on a hill called Golgotha, just
‘outside the gate,’ definitely beyond the limits of the capitol
city. Jesus’ suffering
outside the city was not simply the result of a well-designed and successful
plot by His enemies. His sacrifice
was chosen deliberately “...that He might sanctify the people with His
own blood...” (Heb. 13:12).
Christ have mercy!
As Christians, we have grown up within the
context of the Church’s Liturgies where we pray with words from Saint
Basil the Great, and beseech God to: “Receive us who draw near to Thy
holy altar, according to the fulness off Thy mercy,
that we may be worthy to offer unto Thee this rational and
‘bloodless’ sacrifice for our...sins...which do thou receive upon
Thy holy, most heavenly and spiritual altar as a savour
of sweetness....” Thus, we
are not at all accustomed to animal blood sacrifice as a practice connected to
the worship of God - types of offerings that were commonplace in the Temple
when our Lord walked the streets of Jerusalem.
We are accustomed to statements
referring to Jesus’ blood sacrifice on the Cross, but not to a
liturgical, palpable, existential experience of actual blood. Some services in Great and Holy Week
remind us dramatically of His Self-offering on the Cross, but these are
‘tastefully’ done, as is the Eucharist. The Liturgy is ‘bloodless,’
including the Holy Cup, concerning which we use Jesus’ words: “This
is my Blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many, for the
forgiveness of sins.” In the
Liturgy, the Priest explicitly says, “Again we offer unto Thee this
rational and bloodless worship and pray Thee and supplicate Thee: Send down Thy
Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts here spread forth.” The shedding of blood for sins was done
‘once and for all’ on Golgotha by the Lord and need never be
repeated tangibly.
Animal sacrifices were common among
first-century Jews and pagans. The
Lord’s sacrifice on the Cross revealed that all human efforts using blood
sacrifice can be but mere suggestions or hints or, as we are taught to say,
‘types’ given to mankind to encourage us to come before our Creator
as sinners, humbly and in repentance, to receive purification from Him. In His blood sacrifice, Christ our God
prayed for the forgiveness of all of mankind directly from the Cross (Lk. 23:34), thereby sanctifying “...the people with
His own blood...” (Heb. 13:12).
Let us understand, even if imperfectly, that blood is necessary for the
remission of our sins. God the Word
became man, shed His blood in forgiveness for the sins of everyone, through all
time, everywhere, under a multitude of circumstances. Glory to God for His great mercy!
O Christ, Who didst shed Thy blood to save
us from all iniquities, have mercy on us!
Return to the January Calendar