Meaning of Hebrews 9:28

This verse in Hebrews 9:28 powerfully articulates the unique and definitive nature of Christ's sacrifice and His future redemptive role. It contrasts His first coming, marked by a singular, atoning act for sin, with His anticipated second coming, which will usher in complete salvation for believers. The author of Hebrews is drawing a stark comparison between the Levitical sacrificial system, which required repeated offerings, and the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus. This distinction emphasizes the sufficiency and finality of Christ's work, highlighting that His death dealt with sin comprehensively, and His future return will be a consummation of His salvific plan, not a repetition of atonement.

Context and Background

The author of Hebrews is addressing Jewish Christians who were familiar with and perhaps tempted to revert to the Old Covenant sacrificial system. He has been systematically demonstrating the superiority of Jesus Christ and the New Covenant over the Old. Chapters 8 and 9 extensively detail the Levitical priesthood and the tabernacle, emphasizing their earthly and temporary nature, and the inadequacy of their sacrifices to truly cleanse sin. Against this backdrop, the author presents Christ as the ultimate High Priest who entered a heavenly sanctuary, not with the blood of animals, but with His own blood, securing eternal redemption. Hebrews 9:28 serves as a climactic summary of this argument, drawing together the implications of Christ's atoning death and His eschatological hope.

Key Themes and Messages

• Once-for-all Sacrifice: The phrase "sacrificed once" is central. It underscores the finality and perfection of Christ's atonement. Unlike the repeated sacrifices of the Old Testament, which were a reminder of sin, Christ's single offering completely dealt with the problem of sin.
• Bearing Away Sins: The purpose of His first coming was "to take away the sins of many." This signifies not merely covering sins, but removing them, a concept often expressed by the imagery of a scapegoat in Leviticus 16, but now fulfilled perfectly and eternally in Christ.
• Second Coming for Salvation: His future appearance is for a different purpose: "to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." This future event is not about bearing sin (as that was accomplished in His first coming) but about the full realization of salvation—resurrection, glorification, and the establishment of God's eternal kingdom.
• The Believer's Expectation: The phrase "those who are waiting for him" highlights the eschatological hope and active anticipation that characterizes Christian life. Believers are those who live in light of Christ's promised return.

Spiritual Significance and Application

This verse calls believers to a profound understanding of their redemption. It means our sins are truly forgiven and removed, not temporarily appeased. The believer can approach God with confidence, knowing that the perfect sacrifice has been made. Furthermore, it imbues Christian life with a forward-looking hope. The "waiting" is not passive idleness but an active, expectant posture, living in obedience and readiness for Christ's return, which will bring the ultimate fulfillment of all God's promises. It encourages perseverance through trials, knowing that the present suffering is temporary and the future glory is assured.

Relation to the Broader Biblical Narrative

Hebrews 9:28 stands as a pivotal point in the unfolding of God's redemptive plan. It connects the prophetic foreshadowing of sin-bearing sacrifices in the Old Testament (e.g., Isaiah 53) with the ultimate fulfillment in Jesus. It also directly links the work of Christ in His first coming to His promised return, a central theme from the Gospels through the epistles and into the book of Revelation. The concept of a Messiah who suffers and then reigns is a consistent thread, and this verse clearly delineates the two phases of that work.

Analogies

One analogy to understand the "once-for-all" nature of Christ's sacrifice is akin to a doctor performing a one-time, complete surgical procedure to remove a life-threatening illness. After the successful surgery, the patient is permanently healed and no longer needs repeated operations for that specific ailment. Similarly, Christ's sacrifice is the definitive cure for the disease of sin, effective for all time. Another analogy is a king issuing a royal pardon. Once the pardon is granted, the crime is forgiven, and the individual is free. Christ's sacrifice is the ultimate, divine pardon, securing our freedom from sin's penalty.

Relation to Other Verses

• Romans 3:24-25: "and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins previously committed unpunished." This passage echoes the theme of redemption and atonement through Christ's blood, aligning with the "sacrificed once" aspect.
• 1 Peter 3:18: "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit." This verse directly parallels Hebrews 9:28 in emphasizing the singular nature of Christ's suffering for sins and its purpose of bringing humanity to God.
• Titus 2:13: "...waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ." This verse speaks to the "waiting for him" and the future salvation, highlighting the eschatological hope central to Christian belief.
• John 1:29: "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'" This highlights the sin-bearing aspect of Christ's mission from the very beginning of His public ministry, as proclaimed by John the Baptist.