Why The Need For A Body?
By Mike Riley
In Hebrews 10:5 NKJV, the Hebrew writer points out
the fact that “. . . Sacrifice and offering you did not
desire, but a body You have prepared for Me.”
.
The Hebrew writer is arguing that animal sacrifices
can never appease God (Hebrews 10:1-4; Hebrews 10:6-14).
In Hebrews 10:5-8, the inspired
writer does not say that God did not require such sacrifices, but that they could never take away sins (Hebrews 10:11 NKJV).
The only sacrifice that could atone for
sins was the perfect, sinless Son of God (cf. Hebrews
10:4-14 NKJV; 1Peter 1:18-20 NKJV).
Let’s notice the words the writer uses
in Hebrews 10:5 NKJV: “. . . when He came into the world . . . But
a body You have prepared for Me.“
.
The “He” that was coming into the world was the pre-existent “ho logos” (“the Word” – John 1:1 NKJV).
.
He comes into a body that was prepared
for Him.
.
The “He” existed
before the body and the body was prepared “for
Him.”
.
Let’s ask ourselves, “Why the need for a body?”
.
A body was essential to the offering of
a sacrifice (cf. Exodus 12:1-13 NKJV).
Without a body there could have been no
sacrifice and without a sacrifice man would still be in his sins (Hebrews 9:28 NKJV; 1 Peter 2:24).
The body was offered once for all time (Hebrews
10:5; Hebrews 10:10).
This offering stands in stark contrast
to the blood offering of bulls and goats (Hebrews
10:1-4; Hebrews 10:11).
The body also identified “ho logos” with mankind:
“For in that He Himself has suffered being
tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (Hebrews 2:18 NKJV).
.
Being “made
like His brethren” made it possible for
Him to be “a merciful and faithful High Priest” (Hebrews 2:17 NKJV).
The Hebrew writer later tells us that our Lord can “sympathize with our weaknesses” because
He was “in all points tempted as we are” (Hebrews 4:15 NKJV).
.
Unlike other men, He did not sin (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:21-22).
A body, because it is physical,
subjected “ho logos” to
the suffering common to all men.
.
Suffering was especially true of the
Son, because He came as the light of the world and was hated by the darkness.
.
He was despised, rejected, and beaten (cf. Isaiah 53:4-10 NKJV) — without a body that would not have been possible.
.
And in His suffering we have a perfect
example to follow (cf. 1 Peter 1:19-21 NKJV; 1 John 2:1-6
NKJV).
A body was essential — the ultimate
goal being a perfect sacrifice for sin (1
Peter 1:18-19 NKJV; cf. Exodus 12:5 NKJV).
Thus, the “ho logos” came into the world
to die for the sins of mankind.
.
A body made Him one of us and by
experiencing what we experience, He became our compassionate high priest (Hebrews 4:14-15 NKJV).
And, because He suffered for
righteousness in that body, He became our perfect example for dealing with our
own sins and suffering (1 John 1:7-9; cf. 1 Kings 8:44-61
NKJV).
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“Lord I Lift Your Name On High”
Maranatha
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lyrics
Lord I lift Your name on high Lord I love to sing Your praises
I'm so glad You're in my life
I'm so glad You came to save us
You came from heaven to earth
(To show the way)
(To show the way)
From the earth to the cross (My debt to pay)
From the cross to the grave
From the grave to the sky
Lord, I lift Your name on high
From the grave to the sky
Lord, I lift Your name on high
“The
Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. The Lord is nigh
unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.” (Psalm 145:17, 18)
“I
will praise the Lord according to His righteousness: and will sing praise to
the Name of the Lord most high” (Psalm 7:17)
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