The book of Hebrews in the New Testament contains a rich theology of Jesus Christ as the ultimate high priest who offered himself as a sacrifice once for all. Hebrews 7:27 highlights this truth: “He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.” So what does it mean that Jesus’ sacrifice was “once for all”?
Jesus’ sacrifice was singular and unrepeatable
The sacrifices performed by the Levitical priests in the Old Testament were repetitive – they had to be offered day after day and year after year for the sins of the people (Hebrews 7:27, 10:1). But Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was offered once and does not need to be repeated. It was a single, unrepeatable act.
The author of Hebrews emphasizes this truth several times:
“But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12).
“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. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own” (Hebrews 9:24-25).
The uniqueness and finality of Christ’s sacrifice is contrasted with the old covenant sacrifices which were insufficient and temporary. Jesus’ sacrifice is complete and does not require any additional sacrifices.
Jesus’ sacrifice fully atoned for sins once for all time
The Old Testament sacrifices could never fully and permanently deal with sin. They provided ceremonial cleansing but could not take away sins (Hebrews 10:4, 11). That’s why they had to be offered over and over again. But Jesus’ sacrifice fully atoned for sins forever:
“And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10).
“For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14).
The author of Hebrews uses the imagery of sacrificial blood to make this point. While the blood of animal sacrifices purified outwardly and temporarily, the blood of Christ purifies inwardly and eternally:
“For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:13-14).
Christ’s sacrifice is fully sufficient to deal with sins – it is “once for all.” No other sacrifice for sin is needed after it.
Jesus’ sacrifice applies to all who have faith in him
The Old Testament sacrifices were offered on behalf of the people of Israel. But Jesus’ sacrifice extends to all who believe in him, both Jews and Gentiles. He died for the “sins of many” (Hebrews 9:28) and his sacrifice applies to “those who are called” (Hebrews 9:15). In this way, the benefits of his sacrifice are “once for all” – for all nations, for all time.
The author of Hebrews emphasizes that those who have faith in Christ’s sacrifice are forgiven once and for all:
“For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14).
“And their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more” (Hebrews 10:17).
While the Old Testament sacrifices were limited in scope, Christ’s sacrifice is offered once for all people from all nations. All who believe in him receive total forgiveness.
Jesus’ sacrifice inaugurated the new covenant once for all
The author of Hebrews presents Jesus’ sacrifice as the once-for-all establishment of the new covenant prophesied by Jeremiah (Hebrews 8:7-13). Jesus is the mediator and guarantor of this better, eternal covenant that supersedes the old covenant which was inadequate and obsolete (Hebrews 7:22, 8:6-7, 13).
Christ’s sacrifice is integral to this new covenant:
“Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant” (Hebrews 9:15).
No longer is blood of animal sacrifices required. Now Christ’s blood ratifies the new covenant once and for all:
“And for this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive” (Hebrews 9:15-17).
So in fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy, Jesus’ sacrificial death inaugurates the new and better covenant once and for all time.
Jesus’ sacrifice was final and made him the perfect high priest forever
The author of Hebrews casts Jesus as the eternal high priest who offers the final sacrifice. The repeated sacrifices of the Levitical priests underscored the imperfection of the old covenant. But Christ’s singular, final sacrifice underscores the perfection of the new covenant:
“He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself” (Hebrews 7:27).
Since his sacrifice was final, Jesus sat down at God’s right hand, a posture of rest to indicate his work was finished:
“But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God…For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:12, 14).
The permanence of Christ’s sacrifice is contrasted with the repeated sacrifices of the Old Testament priests who “stand daily at their service offering repeatedly the same sacrifices” (Hebrews 10:11).
As the perfect high priest, Jesus is holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens (Hebrews 7:26). His finished work as priest leads to him being “designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek forever” (Hebrews 6:20). No longer is there any need for another priest or sacrifice.
Jesus’ sacrifice opened the way to God’s presence once for all
The Old Testament sacrifices gave limited access to God’s presence in the temple’s Most Holy Place. Only the high priest could enter there, and only once a year (Hebrews 9:7). But Jesus’ sacrifice gives permanent access to God’s presence for all believers:
“Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God” (Hebrews 13:15-16).
Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we can “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22). We can confidently enter God’s presence through Jesus, our great high priest (Hebrews 4:14-16). The way is opened once for all.
The old temple foreshadowed this greater, eternal access to God’s presence through Christ. Now the presence of God is accessible to all believers in him – his sacrifice was made once for all.
Jesus’ sacrifice rendered obsolete the levitical priesthood and sacrificial system
The author of Hebrews presents Jesus’ sacrifice as bringing an end to the old covenant sacrificial system. It is both fulfilled and outmoded by his final sacrifice on the cross.
The detailed regulations about priestly offerings are now obsolete because Christ fulfilled them:
“For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near” (Hebrews 10:1).
“For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second…In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away” (Hebrews 8:7, 13).
The levitical priesthood is also superseded – there is now one eternal high priest, Jesus:
“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?” (Hebrews 7:11).
“For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well” (Hebrews 7:12).
So the levitical priests, the animal sacrifices, the tabernacle/temple – all are rendered obsolete by Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice on the cross. All that was foreshadowed is now fulfilled in him.
Jesus’ sacrifice brings about the promised inheritance and eternal redemption
The sacrifices under the law were a reminder of sins (Hebrews 10:3). But Christ’s sacrifice actually takes away sins and grants us an eternal inheritance:
“And for this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant” (Hebrews 9:15).
This promised eternal inheritance was first pledged to Abraham. Now Christ’s sacrifice secures it fully:
“For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant” (Hebrews 9:15).
The blood of Jesus obtains eternal redemption that the old sacrifices could not:
“For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:13-14).
“How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:14).
So Christ’s sacrifice is truly “once for all” – securing our eternal inheritance in a way the old covenant could not.
Jesus’ sacrifice was the fulfillment of Old Testament patterns and prophecies
According to the book of Hebrews, the Old Testament contains many prophetic foreshadowings of the coming Messiah who would offer the final sacrifice for sins. By examining the shadows of the old covenant, we see how Jesus is the fulfillment.
For example, the priest Melchizedek who blessed Abraham is used as a type of Christ (Hebrews 7:1-3). Other important elements like the promised land, the law, the Sabbath rest, the sanctuary/temple, and the sacrifices all point to spiritual realities fulfilled in Christ (Hebrews 3:7-4:13).
The author of Hebrews states this principle explicitly:
“For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near” (Hebrews 10:1).
“But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6).
The eternal sacrifice of Jesus is foreshadowed throughout the older covenants. Hebrews helps us understand how Christ’s sacrifice for sins is the perfect fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan foretold in the Old Testament scriptures.
Implications of Jesus’ sacrifice being “once for all”
The fact that Jesus’ sacrifice was made “once for all” has massive implications for believers. Here are some key ones:
– We have bold access to God’s presence at all times through Christ (Hebrews 4:16, 10:19-22)
– We can experience a cleansed conscience and serve God wholeheartedly (Hebrews 9:14)
– We are sanctified and perfected forever (Hebrews 10:10, 14)
– We will never again face condemnation for sins (Hebrews 10:17-18)
– We await the full inheritance promised to us in Christ (Hebrews 9:15)
– We please God through spiritual sacrifices, not animal sacrifices (Hebrews 13:15-16)
– We have a great high priest, Jesus, who is able to help us (Hebrews 4:14-16)
– We have confidence to draw near to God through Christ’s finished work (Hebrews 10:19-22)
– We have a better covenant enacted on better promises (Hebrews 8:6)
The finality and completeness of Christ’s sacrifice leads to amazing benefits for all who believe in him. His death for sins is truly “once for all” – it is finished.
Conclusion
The statement that Jesus’ sacrifice was offered “once for all” appears numerous times in Hebrews and is a major theme of the book. It emphasizes the singular finality and completeness of his sacrifice, contrasted with the repeated and insufficient sacrifices under the old covenant.
Because Jesus’ sacrifice was once for all it fully atones for sins forever, applies to all believers, inaugurates the new covenant, gains eternal redemption, fulfills Old Testament patterns and prophecies, and gives us confidence to draw near to God.
This sacrifice, made once and for all time, is the basis of the eternal inheritance believers in Christ receive from our great high priest and mediator. The work of salvation is finished!