Hebrews 9:15–28

Hebrews 9:15–28 answers one of the most fundamental questions of the Christian faith: Why was the death of Jesus necessary?

The writer has already established the inadequacy of the old covenant priestly system. Its sacrifices and ceremonial washings could cleanse the flesh, but they could never “make the worshiper perfect in conscience” (Hebrews 9:9). The sacrifices were repeated because they could never finally remove sin.

Christ accomplished what the Aaronic priesthood could never accomplish. By offering His own blood, He obtained eternal redemption and cleansed the conscience of the worshiper. That is the foundation for everything that follows.

A Death Was Necessary — Hebrews 9:15–17

Christ is the Mediator of a new covenant because His death provides redemption from transgressions and secures the promised eternal inheritance for “those who have been called.”

That terminology is significant. Salvation begins with God. The beneficiaries of this inheritance are those whom God has called unto salvation.

The writer then uses the familiar concept of a last will and testament. A testament does not become operative while the one who made it is living; its provisions take effect upon death.

In the same manner, the blessings of the new covenant required the death of Christ.

There could be no eternal inheritance without His death.

The Covenant Required Blood — Hebrews 9:18–22

The writer then turns to the inauguration of the first covenant under Moses.

That covenant was also inaugurated with blood. Moses sprinkled the book, the people, the tabernacle, and the vessels associated with its ministry.

From this historical example the writer establishes the governing principle:

“Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
— Hebrews 9:22

This explains even further why Jesus had to die.

Sin requires death. Forgiveness requires the shedding of blood.

Under the old covenant, animal sacrifices provided a temporary, substitutionary provision—a kind of ceremonial deferral. Sin remained continually before the worshiper because the sacrifices had to be repeated year after year.

Christ’s sacrifice was fundamentally different.

His blood did not merely cover sin ceremonially. His sacrifice provided true forgiveness and eternal redemption.

From the Earthly Copy to the Heavenly Reality — Hebrews 9:23–24

The earthly tabernacle was only a copy of the heavenly reality.

The Aaronic high priest entered a sanctuary made with human hands. Christ entered heaven itself.

The earthly sanctuary was cleansed with the blood of animals. The heavenly reality required a better sacrifice.

Christ therefore entered the very presence of God for us.

This is the superiority of His priesthood. The Aaronic priest represented Israel before God in an earthly copy. Christ represents His people before God in the heavenly sanctuary itself.

Once for All — Hebrews 9:25–28

The high priest entered the holy place repeatedly, year after year, with blood that was not his own.

Christ did not.

If His sacrifice had functioned like those old covenant sacrifices, He would have needed to suffer repeatedly. Instead, Christ appeared once at the consummation of the ages and accomplished something the blood of bulls and goats could never accomplish:

He put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

That is the decisive contrast.

The old sacrifices were repeated because they were imperfect.

Christ’s sacrifice was offered once because it was perfect.

The writer then compares Christ’s death with the universal appointment of mankind:

Men die once, and afterward comes judgment.

Likewise, Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.

He will appear again, but His second appearing will not be another sin-bearing sacrifice. His sacrifice is finished. When He returns, He will bring the consummation of salvation to those who eagerly await Him—and with His appearing comes the reality of judgment.

The Point

Jesus had to die because forgiveness required blood, the new covenant required death, and sinners required a sacrifice capable of doing what the old covenant could never accomplish.

The Aaronic priesthood could not perfect the conscience.

The earthly sanctuary was only a copy.

Animal blood could not finally remove sin.

But Christ, the perfect High Priest, offered the perfect sacrifice—Himself.

His blood provides true forgiveness.
His sacrifice cleanses the conscience.
His death inaugurates the new covenant.
His priesthood brings us into the presence of God.
And His once-for-all offering secures an eternal inheritance for those whom God has called.

That is why Jesus had to die.