Christ for the World we Sing

The article for this week comes from the lectionary reading

from Hebrews 9:24-28.

"For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf."

It seems likely that the author of Hebrews was influenced by Platonic idealism. Plato's philosophy held that for every object or creature on earth, there is an perfect form in heaven. Here, we can only have an idea of a pencil line, for example. If you look at a line under a magnifying glass, a line drawn from a graphite pencil, this line will have little irregularities and little holes so that it is not perfect, nor could it be; it is only an idea, a representation, of the perfect form in heaven.

We see other scriptures that deal with an apparent acceptance of Platonic idealism. This, however, is not important for understanding of the scripture at hand. There is a sanctuary in heaven, and Jesus, as our high priest, enters in and makes the appropriate observances and sacrifices necessary to please God. In fact, he is the one true sacrifice, the offering of himself, for the sins of the world. Christ is the Pascal Lamb, the sinless one who satisfies God's demand for a sacrifice, a perfect sacrifice, to atone for the sins of humankind. No human priest, who dies and whose sacrifice is only temporary, can equal the atoning sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross. From a Platonic point of view, then, Jesus is the model, the perfect form, for the priest on earth. It is not necessary to think of Jesus in this way in order to love him and serve him, but I think that at some level this understanding approaches the intention of the author of Hebrews.

Now we take up another matter, that of the last judgment and the second coming: "And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him."

The author of Hebrews (who is not Paul, but possibly Apollos )is very clear on the meaning of the cross. Christ died for the sins of the whole world. In his resurrection, he has been granted all power in heaven and on earth. Jesus is coming again upon the earth, not to deal with sin; that has already been dealt with. He is coming to set up his earthly kingdom that was begun with his ministry and will be fulfilled with his second coming and his victory over the forces of Satan and of evil. After the thousand years reign of Christ, according to Revelation, will come the final judgment, when the books will be opened and everyone, both good and evil, will be judged according to the works they did while in the body. There is much that is beyond human understanding about the events of these last days following the return of Christ, so the hope that we should hold on to is that if we take Jesus as savior, he will hold us in the palm of his hand, and we shall be with him, wherever he is, whether in heaven or on earth.

"Christ for the world we sing, the world to Christ we bring, with loving zeal; the poor, and them that mourn, the faint and overborne, sin sick and sorrow worn, whom Christ doth heal. Christ for the world we sing, the world to Christ we bring, with fervent prayer; the wayward and the lost, by restless passions tossed, redeemed at countless cost, from dark despair."

Blessings,

Terry