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Was Jesus Christ's Body Broken? (Part Three)

CGG Weekly by David C. Grabbe

Jesus Christ's sacrifice stands as a supreme victory, not a defeat. He held His head up until the end, bowing it only when He gave up His spirit, having finished perfectly what the Father had given Him to do. His death, after living a completely sinless life, fulfilled the sin offering, while His complete devotion to the Father up to His death fulfilled the burnt offering. He served humanity to the utmost, satisfying the meaning of the grain offering, and poured Himself out as a drink offering. His death reconciled God and men, making harmony and fellowship possible, as pictured by the peace offering. Though marred beyond recognition, with His bones countable, Jesus Christ remained unbroken, embodying an unbroken body. Through the Passover, we unite with Jesus Christ in a sacrificial meal, partaking of the bread and wine as acts of communion, indicating sharing, participation, and fellowship. The bread, broken for sharing, remains one bread, symbolizing that we are part of one unbroken body, Christ's body, which is not divided. When Jesus spoke of bread in relation to His flesh, He presented it as a symbol of life, not death. He described Himself as the bread of life, the living bread that came down from heaven, giving life to the world so that whoever eats of it will not die but have eternal life. The bread, representing His flesh, is living, pointing to a living body. While aspects of the Passover picture death, such as the wine representing shed blood and the lamb that had to die, the bread symbolizes life—the life He gave through sinless, devoted service so the world can have life. Eating the bread at Passover symbolizes taking in and being joined to His sinless life, not a dead or broken body. We are saved by His life, accepted into God's presence on the basis of Christ's sinless flesh, and we must eat this living bread to continue our connection to our Savior and to others who partake of it.

Was Jesus Christ's Body Broken?

Sermonette by David C. Grabbe

Was Jesus Christ's body actually broken? If so, it would have symbolized disqualification and a broken covenant. Only the bread of Passover was broken.

Why Wasn't Jesus Christ Crucified at the Start of Passover?

Sermonette by David C. Grabbe

Jesus was crucified late on Abib 14, yet the Passover lambs were to be killed at the beginning of the 14th. The time of Christ's death is highly significant.

In Honor of Jesus Christ

CGG Weekly by John W. Ritenbaugh

During the Passover season, our minds are more forcibly focused on the importance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to our salvation. This time of the year, if properly used, purges the fog of forgetfulness that accumulates throughout the year. Do we hold the sacrifice of Jesus Christ freshly in mind throughout the entire year to remind ourselves to honor it each day? It is Christ's sacrifice that forgives our sins, opens the way into God's presence, and pays the way for us to have a relationship with the Father and Son. How good are we at honoring and protecting the value of what that sacrifice purchased? Despite the value and durability of gold and silver to a human, they cannot even begin to pay the redemption price from sin's consequences. Only the sacrificed blood of the perfect Creator God's life can do so. Faith in that blood's value can have everlasting, imperishable consequences. Our daily struggle to come out of sin will keep its value in mind by reminding us of why we are doing as we do and will also bring honor to the name of God by giving a good witness to the world. When we strive to avoid sin, we keep in mind the perfect, sinless example of our Lord Jesus Christ. If we truly desire to be in His image, it cannot but help us to emulate His sinless behavior as closely as possible. He is always the example we hold before us.

Jesus Christ, the Bearer of Sin

Sermonette by David C. Grabbe

As God leads us through conversion, He challenges our concept of Him, sharpening our mental image of His character and nature. Searching the Scriptures is paramount, for they testify of the Father and the Son, clarifying our vision of Them. Yet, some find it difficult to accept the harsh reality of Jesus Christ's sacrifice, a resistance that causes us to overlook one of His major works. It is often easier to hurry past challenging verses than to let their meaning sink in, but without accepting this facet of His sacrifice, we miss a significant part of what He did. In the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 53, the Lord the Father laid our iniquities on the Messiah, just as the high priest laid hands on the azazel in Leviticus 16, confessing over it all the iniquities of Israel. Isaiah describes the physical trauma He endured—stricken, smitten by God, afflicted, wounded, bruised, chastised, and scourged. Justification results from the Messiah bearing iniquities, and He bore the sins of many, fulfilling this role as if it were already done when the prophecy was given. Christ bore our sins while on the tree, in His own body, not as an abstract legal pronouncement but with real-life application and recorded fulfillment. During hours of extreme suffering, He experienced shame, reproach, anguish, piercing, crushing, bruising, smiting, grief, and other terrible effects of sin. Though His crucifixion does not remove the pain or shame of our sins, He intercedes as our Mediator, having borne the full chastening we deserve. We receive mediated chastening, not more than we can bear, to continue the sanctification process. God's merciful chastening yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness, offset by the chastening Christ received in our stead. Healing comes from Christ's stripes, encompassing both physical and spiritual restoration, with spiritual healing being infinitely more important. This spiritual healing turns us from straying like sheep to the Shepherd, addressing our spiritual condition. Despite reluctance to view the Son of God as representing sin, God the Father made Christ to be sin, fulfilling the dreadful role of the azazel. Christ became a curse for us, bearing our iniquities as He hung on the tree. Christ's sacrifice took place outside the gate, unlike typical sin offerings killed at the tabernacle. Like the azazel, led outside the camp after becoming sin, He was led away and suffered for hours, bearing our sins in His body. He felt every second of becoming sin and a curse, enduring all the chastening so that we might have life with Him. God's mercy provides a way for us to be healed and reconciled to Him, through the Messiah's terrible yet necessary role.

Hebrews (Part Nine): Chapter 1: Jesus' Exultation and Christianity's Claims

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Hebrews 1:3 and Psalm 2 explain how Jesus becomes something He previously was not. Because of Christ's qualifications, Christianity has a claim on all mankind.

Why Was Jesus Not Crucified as Passover Began? (Part One)

'Ready Answer' by David C. Grabbe

The gospels show Jesus observing the Passover at the beginning of the 14th. Should we use the time when He observed it or the time He died as our guide?

Seeking God's Will (Part Four): Sacrifice

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

On the Day of Atonement, we are to afflict our souls by fasting. We do no work, signifying that we did absolutely no work to attain our salvation.

This Life of Sacrifice

CGG Weekly by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Selfishness in any form turns Christianity on its head, making a mockery of the many sacrifices that form its foundation and the grace of God that makes it possible.

Christ, Our Passover

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

Many people believe that our sins are the focus of Passover—but they are wrong! Jesus Christ, the Passover Lamb, should be our focus. How well do you know Him?

Why Did Jesus Have to Die by Crucifixion?

'Ready Answer' by Staff

Crucifixion is man's most cruel form of punishment. Why did Jesus need to die this way? What does it teach us? And was Jesus stabbed before or after He died?

Christ Our Passover

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The focus of our self-examination should not be self-centered or comparing ourselves with others, but on the awesome significance of His sacrifice.

Knowing Christ (Part 2)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Christ's sacrifice was not merely substitutionary, but representative, with Christ giving us a pattern for life - mortifying our flesh and putting out sin.

Christ Coming in the Flesh

Sermon/Bible Study by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

John and other biblical authors emphasize that Jesus Christ came in the flesh as a human being. Jesus had to be fully human to die for human sins.

Marriage and the Bride of Christ (Part Six)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Husbands must be humble (willing to sacrifice), imitating the behavior of Christ, striving to attain reconciliation and atonement with their wives.

Jesus' Final Human Thoughts (Part One)

Article by Staff

What was in Jesus' mind during His final hours as a human being? The Bible shows that Jesus' thoughts were not on Himself or the sins He was bearing.

The Offerings of Leviticus (Part Five): The Peace Offering, Sacrifice, and Love

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

The peace offering teaches many things, but one of its main symbols is fellowship. Our communion with the Father and the Son obligates us to pursue peace.

Hebrews 10:9 - Sacrificial System or Old Covenant?

Sermonette by Charles Whitaker (1944-2021)

Hebrews 10:9 does not say that God's law or the Old Covenant has been done away, but that the system of animal sacrifices has been set aside for now.

Who Fulfills the Azazel Goat— Satan or Christ? (Part Three)

'Ready Answer' by David C. Grabbe

Hebrews 9 and 10 clarify the Atonement ritual of Leviticus 16. The author makes no mention of Satan, but says that Jesus bears our sins like the azazel goat.

Approaching God Through Christ (Part Two)

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The brazen altar symbolized total sacrifice. We have to be willing to give up everything, bearing our own individual cross, forsaking all to follow Him.

Knowing Christ (Part 3)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

In taking undue attention off the self, sacrifice (as an act and as a way of life) creates peace, prosperity, cooperation, and most of all, character.

The Christian Walk (Part One): In Love

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

If we submit to God, allowing His spirit to guide us, we can live in the spirit, walking in love.

Why Hebrews Was Written (Part Ten): Christianity's Claims

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

Here are twelve claims that the Father, the Son, and Their way of life make upon humanity, giving mankind no excuse for its failure to respond to God.

Reconciliation (Part Two): Christ's Work

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

After reconciliation, there can finally be a meeting of minds as we are fashioned into a new creation, invited to sit in heavenly places, created for good works.

The Intercessory Character of Christ

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Jesus demonstrated the importance of intercessory prayer, a practice urged by Paul for spiritual siblings, family members, rulers, and even enemies.

Abraham's Sacrifice (Part Four): Providence Manifested

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The story of Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac encourages God's people that they need never doubt God commitment and ability to give them everything they need.

Abraham's Sacrifice (Part One): Faith Perfected

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The Scriptures place a paramount importance on sacrifice. Abraham's 'sacrifice' of Isaac confirmed him to the position of father of the faithful.

Ecclesiastes and Christian Living (Part Eight): Death

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

Ecclesiastes 7:1-4 highlight the Bible's attitude toward death, particularly its insistence that we allow the reality of death to change our approach to life.

Abraham's Sacrifice (Part Five): Promises Confirmed

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Some critical scholars, unable to distinguish between conditional and unconditional promises, mistakenly jump to the conclusion that God cannot be trusted.

The Christian Fight (Part Three)

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

With all the military metaphors in the Bible, there can be no doubt that God likens the Christian life to a war against the evils and temptations we face.

I Am Barabbas

Article by Staff

To some, Barabbas is nothing more than an interesting detail in Christ's trial. His presence during that event holds significant implications for us.

Lessons From a Worm

CGG Weekly by John Reiss

In Psalm 22, which prophesies of Christ's suffering, He says 'But I am a worm...." His reference is to a tola worm, which is rich in symbolism and meaning.

What Is Propitiation? (Part One)

Bible Study by Martin G. Collins

Propitiation is the way God and man can be reconciled and experience a profitable relationship.

Of Sponges and Spears

Article by Staff

Jesus calls on us to remember His affliction, including the piercing, the cup, the sour wine, and the gall.

The Awesome Cost of Love

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

We assess costs and values all the time in our daily lives. We should employ the same process to God's love for us in giving His Son as the sacrifice for sin.

Holy Days: Passover

Bible Study by Earl L. Henn

Passover may be the most important festival ordained by God. Not only does it memorialize Christ's death, it also symbolizes our redemption and the covenant.

Are You Bearing Your Cross?

'Ready Answer' by Staff

How do we, as modern Christians, bear our cross as Jesus commands? Christ meant far more than simply carrying a stake over our shoulders!

The Messiah in Three Psalms

Sermonette by Ted E. Bowling

Psalms 22, 23 and 24 form a trilogy, each part of of which is a Messianic prophecy that tells a part of the Gospel of God's Kingdom.

Death of a Lamb

Article by Staff

Since the church no longer keeps the Passover with the slaughter of a lamb, we miss important and poignant details that could enhance our observance.

Remember: Truth and the Real Torch of Freedom

Sermon by Mark Schindler

The Night to be Much Observed emphasizes that Jesus Christ is the true Torch of Freedom, extricating us from Satan and his multiple deceits.

Passover: An Extraordinary Peace Offering

Sermon by David C. Grabbe

The Passover sacrifice is basically unconnected with atonement, but represents the peace and security which attends fellowship with God because of His acceptance.

Fellowship With God

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Only those who have fellowship with God can have any hope, understanding, peace, or rest. The world remains under the sway of Satan, unable to live righteously.

Why Is Atonement a Fall Festival?

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Though Passover and Atonement both deal with Christ's sacrifice, several reasons emerge to make Atonement a better fit for the fall holy days.

Atonement: Physical and Spiritual Cleansing

Sermonette by Ryan McClure

Physical fasting provides insights to a parallel spiritual process of cleansing and removal of sin. Our High Priest commands us to let go to lighten our burden.

Priceless

CGG Weekly by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Christ's sacrifice is often not as real as it needs to be, but what He and His Father did for the elect, and ultimately, most of humanity, is priceless

The Bread and Wine of Passover

Sermon by David C. Grabbe

The Passover reminds us of the New Covenant on the anniversary of the Abrahamic covenant God using the original elements of the meal between Melchizedek and Abraham.

Preternatural, Natural, Unnatural, Supernatural (Part Three)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Christ's life and death were supernatural in that He had God's Spirit from the beginning, giving Him power over things, as well as undeniable logic.

What Would You Die For?

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Christian martyrs, convicted by God's truth, having an ardent love for Christ, have attained a special place of honor because of their ultimate sacrifice.

The Awesome Cost of Salvation

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

We need to be sobered at the awesomeness of the cost to set us free from sin—what the Creator endured. We have been purchased, and are obliged to our Purchaser.

Leadership and Covenants (Part Twenty-Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Much of Protestantism misconstrues the significance of the New Covenant as a 'free pass into Heaven' without paying attention to the Law within the Covenant.

The Offerings of Leviticus (Part Six): The Sin Offering

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

Jesus' perfect offering of Himself for us fulfilled the sin offering of Leviticus 4. Our acceptance of His offering for atonement puts us under obligation.

Preparing to Be a Priest

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The primary function of a priest is to assist people in accessing God so that there can be unity with God. A priest is a bridge-builder between man and God.

Passover (Part One)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The annual reaffirmation of the covenant through the Passover is at the core of an on-going relationship with the Father and Son, beginning the perfecting process.

Azazel: Beginnings

Sermon by David C. Grabbe

While there is a handful of common starting places for understanding the azazel, none of them has multiple witnesses of Scripture. We must begin elsewhere.

What Does 'Discerning the Lord's Body' Mean? (Part Three)

CGG Weekly by David C. Grabbe

The Corinthians were in danger of eating and drinking judgment to themselves because they were not being partial to Christ's spiritual Body as a whole.

Truly Unleavened

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

God has imputed righteousness to us as His Children because we are in Christ. Our state before God is unleavened provided we maintain this relationship.

Psalms: Book Four: All His Benefits

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

All that we have has come from others, especially God. The Day of Atonement points out how needy and dependent on God we are; fasting shows our frailty.

According to His Pleasure

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

God 'took pleasure' in Christ's being bruised, not in the pain and suffering that His Son endured, but in the ultimate goal of adding to His Family.

The Offerings of Leviticus (Part One): Introduction

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

The offerings of Leviticus, though not necessary under the New Covenant, are invaluable for teaching about Christ in His roles as sacrifice, offerer, and priest.

The Cost of Reconciliation

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Reconciliation is the product of a sacrifice to pacify the wrath of an offended person. We must imitate Christ in His approach toward hostility from others.

Forgiveness and the Perpetual Covenant of Peace

Sermon by Mark Schindler

It is commonly thought that we pay no price for forgiveness, yet Scripture shows that God gives us significant responsibilities to be a part of His family.

An Unequal Comparison

Commentary by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

While the sacrifice in life or limb is commendable and worthy of honor, to compare it with Christ's work on the stake trivializes Christ's sacrifice.

Grateful For Reconciliation

Sermonette by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

We must remember what we were and how far God has brought us out of that place, pulled out of the muck and brought into His glory.

A Worthy Manner?

CGG Weekly by Pat Higgins

Why does it mean to observe the Passover in a worthy manner? It is not about works. It begins with realizing the depth of our sin, yet our focus must go beyond this.

The True Savior of the World!

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

God the Father sent Jesus as the true Savior of the world to heal the sick, to comfort the broken-hearted, and to liberate the captives.

The Offerings of Leviticus (Part Two): The Burnt Offering

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

The burnt offering is completely consumed on the altar. This type of offering teaches us about Christ's total dedication to God—and how we should emulate it.

Listen To The Lamb's Voice

Sermon by Mark Schindler

The movie Ben-Hur captures the essence of the time and ministry of Christ. By letting go of anger and hatred, we take on the yoke of Jesus Christ.

A Pre-Passover Look

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

We must thoroughly examine ourselves, exercising and strengthening our faith, actively giving love back to God, to avoid taking Passover in a careless manner.

Hebrews (Part Eleven)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

Hebrews emphasizes the infinite superiority of Christ's priesthood and one-time sacrifice as contrasted to the repetitive Aaronic sacrifices.

Offerings (Part Six)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

The sin offering was for sin in general deals with our evil nature, while the trespass offering deals with the fruits of that nature.

How Does Faith Establish the Law? (Part Two)

'Ready Answer' by David C. Grabbe

The meaning of Romans 3:31 is plain unless one believes that grace abolishes God's law. Justification by faith is based on the law's true purpose.

Sins Borne Away

Sermonette by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The Day of Atonement represents both a blood sacrifice for covering/cleansing and a means of removing sin permanently from the camp of Israel.

By This We Know Love!

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

As God's people keep God's law in its spiritual intent, they begin to think like the Father and His Son, both of whom habitually do good.

An Unpayable Debt and Obligation

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

When God calls us and redeems us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we suddenly come under obligation—a debt we cannot pay but overshadows all we do.