Hebrews 7:27

27 He is not like other high priests; he does not need to offer sacrifices every day for his own sins first and then for the sins of the people. He offered one sacrifice, once and for all, when he offered himself. 1

Hebrews 7:27 Meaning and Commentary

Hebrews 7:27

Who needeth not daily, as those high priests
They being sinners, and he not:

to offer up sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the people's;
as they did on the day of atonement; see ( Leviticus 16:6 Leviticus 16:11 Leviticus 16:15 Leviticus 16:16 ) upon which place the Jews F3 make the same remark the apostle does here;

``he (the high priest, they say) offers sacrifices for the sins of the people, for his own (atymdqb) , "first", (rtblw) , "and afterwards for the sins of the people":''

which was one reason of the imperfection and insufficiency of their sacrifices; but Christ needed not to offer for his own, nor could he, for he had none of his own; what he had was by imputation; wherefore he only needed to offer, and he only did offer, for the sins of the people; not of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles also, even of all God's covenant people; nor did he need to do this daily, as they did; they offered sacrifice daily, the common priests every day, morning and evening, and the high priest on a stated day once a year, on the day of atonement:

for this he did once, when he offered up himself;
and in this also he differed from them; they offered not themselves, but what was inferior to themselves, and what could not take away sin, and, therefore, was repeated; but Christ offered himself, his whole human nature, soul and body, and both as in union with his divine nature; and this being offered to God freely and voluntarily, in the room and stead of his people, was acceptable to God: hereby justice was satisfied; the law fulfilled; sin taken away, and complete salvation obtained; so that there never was since any need of his offering again, nor never will be; which shows the perfection and fulness of his priesthood, and the preference of it to the Levitical one.


FOOTNOTES:

F3 Zohar in Lev. fol. 26. 4.

Hebrews 7:27 In-Context

25 And so he is able, now and always, to save those who come to God through him, because he lives forever to plead with God for them.
26 Jesus, then, is the High Priest that meets our needs. He is holy; he has no fault or sin in him; he has been set apart from sinners and raised above the heavens.
27 He is not like other high priests; he does not need to offer sacrifices every day for his own sins first and then for the sins of the people. He offered one sacrifice, once and for all, when he offered himself.
28 The Law of Moses appoints men who are imperfect to be high priests; but God's promise made with the vow, which came later than the Law, appoints the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

Cross References 1

  • 1. 7.27Leviticus 9.7.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.