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I just realized that Jesus didn't need to sacrifice at the Temple?
since he hadn't sinned....Does the New Testament talk about this one way or the other?
I am a Christian. I was referring to Christ's life here on earth. Thanks, though.
7 Answers
- ?Lv 51 decade agoFavorite Answer
During his life, Yeshua would have offered "sacrifices" many, many times. You lack knowledge of what is written in the Torah, but that is no surprise since most Christians do. Not all "sacrifices" offered in the Temple were for sins or transgressions. The children of Israel were commanded to go up to Jerusalem thrice yearly with chaggiga (feast offerings) in their possessions at the three major feasts, Chag ha-Matzot, Chag ha-Shavu'ot, and Chag ha-Sukkot (Exo. 23:14-17; Deut. 16:16).
So, much to your dismay I presume, Yeshua did offer sacrifices during his life. Why isn't this mentioned? It doesn't pertain to the gospel. But, every Jew who has knowledge of the Torah would accept it as fact because it was simply a commandment in the Torah. If Yeshua obeyed all the pertinent commandments in the Torah, then he would have went up to Jerusalem thrice yearly (three times a year) and offered a chaggiga.
I commend Blessed for recognizing that not all offerings were sin offerings. Kudos Blessed.
- 1 decade ago
You are very close in your observation – and it is a wonderful realization about Jesus!
We can gain a deeper understanding of this principle if we have a good knowledge of the Old Testament. The types of sacrifices an individual was required to offer under the Law of Moses are explained in Leviticus Chapters 1 – 7. Notice especially the principle set up for the burnt offering in Lev. 1:3, “of his own free will.” While in a sense these sacrifices were “required” under the Law, ultimately they had to offered in faith, which included understanding or knowledge of *why* a sacrifice was being required (Rom. 10:17). This is Paul’s point in Romans 3:20 where he says, “for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
Since Jesus did not sin, He was not required to offer these sacrifices. The one exception seems to be the grain offering, which He *could* have offered as a thanksgiving to God, but it is never revealed that He did so. For the peace offering (which included touching unclean things like diseased or dead bodies), Jesus showed the he was not subject to becoming “unclean” – His power was greater than that of disease or death.
There were two other offerings that Jesus would have participated in – the Atonement offering, and the Passover offering. The former was offered on behalf of the nation by the High Priest, while the latter was a memorial offering which Jesus participated in (even if He did not personally slaughter the lamb – Matt. 26:17-20). Participation in these feasts was mandatory for all Jewish men (Exodus 23:22-23), so Jesus would have participated in them as a Jew, not as a sinner. This would be similar to Himself being subject to the baptism of John – to fulfill all righteousness (Matt. 3:13-15) – NOT because He was a sinner in need of repentance.
The fascinating thing about these two feasts in particular is that Jesus would have been aware of His ultimate fulfillment of Atonement and Deliverance, even as He observed them as a man.
- ShinigamiLv 71 decade ago
He was subject to the Law, and said "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill," (Matthew 5:17)
also
Luke 2:21 And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
so, He was circumcised, just like Moses ordered. (subject to the Law of Moses.)
- Amelia OLv 61 decade ago
Wow, good question...never thought of that. There were offerings given in the temple outside of sin offerings. Offerings to show worship, commitment to God, etc. Jesus may have given those instead.
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- ?Lv 71 decade ago
No,it never mentions it but HE did go to Jerusalem to celebrate the pass over, but HE may have had a lamb sacrificed to fulfill the laws as commanded to do as a human being.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
Yes.
The tabernacle constructed by Moses and the temples built by Solomon, Zerubbabel, and Herod were only typical, or pictorial. This was shown by the apostle Paul when he wrote that the tabernacle, the basic features of which were included in the later temples, was “a typical representation and a shadow of the heavenly things.” (Heb 8:1-5; see also 1Ki 8:27; Isa 66:1; Ac 7:48; 17:24.) The Christian Greek Scriptures disclose the reality represented by the type. These Scriptures show that the tabernacle and the temples built by Solomon, Zerubbabel, and Herod, along with their features, represented a greater, spiritual temple of Jehovah, “the true tent, which Jehovah put up, and not man.” (Heb 8:2) As revealed by its various features, that spiritual temple is the arrangement for approaching Jehovah in worship on the basis of the propitiatory sacrifice of Jesus Christ.—Heb 9:2-10, 23.
The inspired letter to the Hebrews states that in this spiritual temple the Most Holy is “heaven itself,” the area where the person of God is. (Heb 9:24) Since only the Most Holy is “heaven itself,” then the Holy and the priestly courtyard, as well as their features, must pertain to things on earth, those things having to do with Jesus Christ during his ministry on earth and his followers who are “partakers of the heavenly calling.”—Heb 3:1.
The curtain was a barrier separating the Holy from the Most Holy; in Jesus’ case it represented “his flesh,” which he had to lay down in sacrifice, giving it up forever, to be able to enter heaven, the antitypical Most Holy. (Heb 10:20) Anointed Christians must also pass the fleshly barrier that separates them from access to God’s presence in heaven. Consistently, the Holy represents their condition as spirit-begotten sons of God, with heavenly life in view, and they will attain to that heavenly reward when their fleshly bodies are laid aside in death.—1Co 15:50; Heb 2:10.
While still in the antitypical Holy, these who have been anointed with holy spirit and who serve as underpriests with Christ are able to enjoy spiritual enlightenment, as from the lampstand; to eat spiritual food, as from the table of showbread; and to offer up prayer, praise, and service to God, as if presenting sweet-smelling incense at the golden altar of incense. The Holy of the typical temple was screened off from the view of outsiders, and similarly, how a person knows that he is a spirit-begotten son of God and what he experiences as such cannot be fully appreciated by those who are not.—Re 14:3.
In the ancient temple courtyard was the altar for offering sacrifices. This foreshadowed God’s provision, according to his will, for a perfect human sacrifice to ransom the offspring of Adam. (Heb 10:1-10; 13:10-12; Ps 40:6-8) In the spiritual temple the courtyard itself must pertain to a condition related to that sacrifice. In the case of Jesus, it was his being a perfect human that made the sacrifice of his life acceptable. In the case of his anointed followers, all of these are declared righteous on the basis of their faith in Christ’s sacrifice, and thus they are viewed by God as sinless while in the flesh.—Ro 3:24-26; 5:1, 9; 8:1.