Why Jesus Part 4

The Mystery Of The Jews And The Romans.

“The Lord called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When any one of you brings an offering to the Lord, you shall bring your offering of livestock from the herd or from the flock. “If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish. He shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the Lord. He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.” Leviticus 1:1-4 ESV

In the Old Testament, God required that anyone making sacrifices for atonement place his hands on the head of the animal that was to be killed for atonement and have the sins of the person who had sinned transferred to the animal that was to be killed. The same goes for any unintentional sin committed by the country and its citizens.

“When the sin that they have committed becomes known, then the congregation shall offer a young bull for a sin offering and bring it before the Tent of Meeting. The elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bull before the Lord, and the bull shall be killed before the Lord.” Leviticus 4:14-15 AMPC

Being that Jesus was and is the sacrificial lamb for all mankind, the Jews had to lay their hand on him to transfer their sins to Him before He was crucified on the cross. And for Gentiles all over the world to be forgiven, the Roman soldiers who were there, who represented the Gentile world, also had to lay their hands on Him. Thus, Jesus was handed to the Romans by the Jews and was crucified after both people had laid their hands on Him to transfer the sins of both Gentiles and Jews to Jesus.

As John the Baptist, who was the forerunner of Jesus, saw Jesus coming, he said, “The lamb of God who takes away the sins of the whole world.”.

“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’” John 1:29-30 ESV

Here is the mystery and the reason Jesus had to be handed over to the Gentiles by the Jews for Him to be killed.

It was also required in the Old Testament that the priest bring a young bullock and place his hands on it if he (the priest) has sinned.

“If it is the anointed priest who sins, thus bringing guilt on the people, then he shall offer for the sin that he has committed a bull from the herd without blemish to the Lord for a sin offering.” Leviticus 4:3 ESV

Here, you see that both the high priest in the days of Jesus and the entire world had sinned. Hence, the priest had to choose an animal for himself and the Jews, and for the world to lay their hands on the sacrificial animal. And for this reason, the high priest of that day chose Jesus.

“But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, ‘You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.” John 11:49-53 ESV

It was also required that the blood of the animal be brought in by the priest and splashed against the sides of the altar.

“Then he shall kill the bull before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall bring the blood and throw the blood against the sides of the altar that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting.” Leviticus 1:5 ESV

However, since there was a change of priesthood and the order of priesthood after the death of Jesus Christ, the high priest amongst the children of Israel at that time was disqualified from splashing the blood of Jesus on the altar.

Jesus, now becoming the new high priest for all mankind after the order of Melchizedek, had to bring His blood into the eternal temple and altar in heaven.

“Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of him, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever.’” This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.”Hebrews 7:11-17, 19-22, 24-26 ESV

Since this change in priesthood has taken place, Jesus takes his own blood to the altar.

“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” Hebrews 9:11-12 ESV

A new order of worship was established at the cross. Where Gentiles and Jews both can go into the holy place and not be guilty, unlike in the Old Testament where Gentiles were not allowed to enter the temple or Tabernacle. In the Old Testament, after the Tabernacle had been set up, a sacrifice was made, and the blood of the animal was used to purify everything in the Tabernacle.

In the same way, in setting up this new temple or tabernacle of worship that both Jews and Gentiles could come in, Jesus had to use His blood to purify everything in the new tabernacle.

“For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.” Hebrews 9:19-24 ESV

Thus, making a way for everyone to worship God in truth and spirit wherever they are without having to go to Jerusalem and without being kept out of the temple of God.

“The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:19-21, 23-24 ESV

In the sufferings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the salvation of the whole world. All one has to do is accept the sacrifice and be free from sin.

Stay tuned for Part 5…