Jesus, Priests, and Sacrifices

Hebrews
Teacher’s Notes
Begin by explaining to the students what it was like to live under the Old Covenant with priests and sacrifices.
This could be illustrated by having one of the students play the part of the priest and pointing out to students
what going to them for their sacrifice would be like. Note especially:
• Traveling a long distance on foot or donkey
• Giving one of your best sheep or bulls for the sacrifice (Note also that raising these animals were the
lively hood of many, and it was very costly to them to have to sacrifice one of them)
• Watching the sacrifice – throat slitting, tearing apart, burning
• Still feeling guilty about sins you committed even after the sacrifice

How would you feel if you had to go once a year and sacrifice one of your pets?

How would you feel if you had to go once a year to man in a city several miles away and bring one of your
healthiest and best sheep to be killed and burned in front of you so that your sins could be forgiven?

What is a high priest? (5:1)

Chosen by God to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. The priests were
in charge of instructing the people in the law of the Lord and offering sacrifices at the Temple for the people.
The people connected to God through them.

What is the purpose of the Old covenant Priests? (8:5)

They serve as a copy and shadow of what Jesus would fulfill when he came. They point to Jesus.

Comparing the Old Covenant Priests and Sacrifices with Jesus

Verse Old Covenant Picture How Jesus is better? What does this mean?
7:23-25 Many priests, death Holds the office He can save to the
prevented them from permanently, never dies uttermost, He always
holding the office forever lives to make
intercession
7:26-28 Priests offer sacrifices Jesus is holy and does Jesus is himself our
daily, offered sacrifices not make sacrifice for sinless sacrifice, he
for their own sin, and for his own sin, Jesus offered himself once
the people offered a sacrifice of for all
himself once for all
9:6-7, 11-12 Priests only enter the Jesus entered once for Jesus permanently
Holy of Holies (God’s all into the most holy secured access to
presence) once a year place, he offered God’s eternal presence
(every year), they must himself as the sacrifice by his sacrifice
first offer a sacrifice
10:11-14 Priest offers sacrifices Offered for all time a Jesus’ sacrifice
repeatedly which does not single sacrifices for sins removes sin once and
take away sins, for all

Why do we no longer have to approach God through a priest? (4:14-16)

Jesus is our high priest who intercedes for us. We approach God through Him, not a human priest. We can come
to God even if we sin through Jesus to find mercy and grace.

Why do we no longer have to offer sacrifices of bulls, goats, and sheep for our sins? What do the sacrifices of
the Old Covenant fail to do? (10:3-4)
Jesus has offered himself as the pure and final sacrifice. They remind the people of sin every year, and do not
take away sin.

Why did God use such a bloody and awful picture to be the picture that would point to Jesus?
Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Jesus would have to shed his blood in a bloody
sacrifice on the cross for us. The awfulness of this shows us the awfulness of our sin.

What should we do if we sin?

Go to Jesus who has made sacrifice for our sins, and intercedes to God on our behalf.

Jesus, Priests, and Sacrifices

Hebrews
 Student Notes
How would you feel if you had to go once a year and sacrifice one of your pets? How would you feel if you had
to go once a year to man in a city several miles away and bring one of your healthiest and best sheep to be killed
and burned in front of you so that your sins could be forgiven?

What is a high priest? (5:1)

What is the purpose of the Old covenant Priests? (8:5)

Comparing the Old Covenant Priests and Sacrifices with Jesus

Verse Old Covenant Picture How Jesus is better? What does this mean?
7:23-25

7:26-28

9:6-7, 11-12

10:11-14

Why do we no longer have to approach God through a priest? (4:14-16)

Why do we no longer have to offer sacrifices of bulls, goats, and sheep for our sins? What do the sacrifices of
the Old Covenant fail to do? (10:3-4)

Why did God use such a bloody and awful picture to be the picture that would point to Jesus?

What should we do if we sin?