Letter to the Hebrews Volume 183

 Sacrifices Pleasing to God Part 10

Hebrews 13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate.  KJV

The Old Mosaic Law required the high priest to go into the holiest place of the tabernacle once a year at the end of the year to sprinkle the blood of the animal sacrifice on the mercy seat to make atonement for all of the sins of the Hebrew people for that past year, yet the body of that animal was taken outside of the Hebrew 🏕 camp or 🏙 city and burned there. Likewise the Blood of the Great Atoner our Lord Jesus Christ was taken up to heaven (by Jesus Himself) and placed on the Mercy 💺 Seat there to make atonement for all of my sins and all the sins of everyone of His adopted sons and daughters not just for the past year, but for all time and eternity. Christ Jesus our Lord too was crucified outside of the 🏙 city of Jerusalem just as the writer of Hebrews declares for us with these next words, "Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate." (Hebrews 13:12) (KJV). The 💡 idea that the writer of Hebrews is trying to get those early Hebrew converts to Christ out of Judaism and all the Judaic system that they had practiced for many years with all of its many required animal sacrifices to God was that now they and we have One Sacrifice to God the Father for all of our sin and that being the Blood of the Lamb our Lord Jesus Christ who once and for all has put away the sins of all of us who have come to Him alone for the forgiveness of our sins against God and by His Blood Atonement He has reconciled all of us to God who believe in Him. The Blood of Jesus Christ is now the only acceptable sin offering to God and He rejects any other sacrifices human beings try to make to please Him or to come to Him. The little English phrase 'He might sanctify' is translated by the Greek word hagiazō meaning to make holy, that is, (ceremonially) purify or consecrate; (mentally) to venerate: - hallow, sanctify. In other words, the Blood of Jesus Christ has made me holy as well as all His other adopted sons and daughters, however, I know that within me I am not holy and many of my words and actions are far far from holy, but when my Heavenly Father sees me, He sees me through the purified lenses of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, therefore, I am holy purified and consecrated to Him and He hears my pleadings, partitions, and prayers when I come to Him through Christ Jesus my Lord. Let us be reminded once again of these words ✍ written earlier in this very same ✉ letter, "For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Hebrews 9:24-28) (KJV).

Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of Hebrews 13:12, "That there might be a conformity between His death for sin and the sacrifices which typified it. It is implied here that it was voluntary on the part of Jesus that He suffered out of the city; that is, it was so ordered by Providence that it should be so. This was secured by His being put to death as the result of a judicial trial, and not by popular tumult. If He had been killed in a tumult, it is possible that it might have been done as in other cases (compare the case of Zacharias son of Barachias, Matthew 23:35), even at the altar. As He was subjected, however, to a judicial process, His death was effected with more deliberation, and in the usual form. Hence, He was conducted out of the city, because no criminal was executed within the walls of Jerusalem. Without the gate of Jerusalem; John 19:17-18. The place where He was put to death was called Golgotha, the place of a skull, and hence, the Latin word which we commonly use in speaking of it, Calvary, Luke 23:33. Calvary, as it is now shown, is within the walls of Jerusalem, but there is no reason to believe that this is the place where the Lord Jesus was crucified, for that was outside of the walls of the city. The precise direction from the city is not designated by the sacred writers, nor are there any historical records, or traditional marks by which it can now be known where the exact place was. All that we know on the subject from the New Testament is, that the name was Golgotha; that the place of the crucifixion and sepulchre were near each other; that they were without the gate and nigh to the city, and that they were in a frequented spot; John 19:20. This would favor the conclusion that the place was probably upon a great road leading from one of the gates: and such a spot would only be found upon the western or northern sides of the city, on the roads leading toward Joppa or Damascus." Here also is what Adam Clarke had to say of Hebrews 13:12, "That He might consecrate them to God, and make an atonement for their sins, He suffered without the gate at Jerusalem, as the sin-offering was consumed without the camp when the tabernacle abode in the wilderness. Perhaps all this was typical of the abolition of the Jewish sacrifices, and the termination of the whole Levitical system of worship. He left the city, denounced its final destruction, and abandoned it to its fate; and suffered without the gate to bring the Gentiles to God."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…