Christ Once for all Sacrifice - Anamnesis

[Byzman]

I was looking at Scripture and caught on to something that I wondered if anyone could offer an explanation as to if what I came up with is correct.

In Hebrews 10:2-3 it says

Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder(anamnesis) of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

and of course Christ once and for all Sacrifice is the very exact same Sacrifice of the Mass, and it is celebrated in a remembrance(anamnesis) of Him 1 Corinthians 11:24

This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance(anamnesis) of me

Does this show that the Church is to offer Christ’s once and for all Sacrifice as often as possible, like those of the Old Law, instead our Sacrifice gets the job done, so to say, as in forgives us completely? Instead of a reminder of sins, as the Old Law, but a reminder of Christ’s saving redemption?

 

[Tom]

I was looking at Scripture and caught on to something that I wondered if anyone could offer an explanation as to if what I came up with is correct.
In Hebrews 10:2-3 it says
and of course Christ once and for all Sacrifice is the very exact same Sacrifice of the Mass, and it is celebrated in a remembrance(anamnesis) of Him 1 Corinthians 11:24
Does this show that the Church is to offer Christ’s once and for all Sacrifice as often as possible, like those of the Old Law, instead our Sacrifice gets the job done, so to say, as in forgives us completely? Instead of a reminder of sins, as the Old Law, but a reminder of Christ’s saving redemption?

Once and for all indicates there needs to be no “other” or further sacrifice. It does forgive us completely, but, we are human, and we still fall into sin. His sacrifice is not “repeated” it never ends. The sacrifice does not repeat, but, or sin does. His grace is always available, it is up to us to accept it. He doesn’t offer you more grace than I, His offer is the same, it’s all we can handle. What differs is which of us will accept His grace more.

 

[diorthosis]

I was looking at Scripture and caught on to something that I wondered if anyone could offer an explanation as to if what I came up with is correct.

In Hebrews 10:2-3 it says

and of course Christ once and for all Sacrifice is the very exact same Sacrifice of the Mass, and it is celebrated in a remembrance(anamnesis) of Him 1 Corinthians 11:24

Does this show that the Church is to offer Christ’s once and for all Sacrifice as often as possible, like those of the Old Law, instead our Sacrifice gets the job done, so to say, as in forgives us completely? Instead of a reminder of sins, as the Old Law, but a reminder of Christ’s saving redemption?

Well, it is interesting that if you go down to Hebrews 10:18 it says, “Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer {any} offering for sin.” And Hebrews 9:26 says that now once at the consummation of the ages He, Christ, has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

It looks to me like sin was dealt with (“put away”) by the sacrifice of Christ Himself. And then wasn’t He raised from the dead three days later in the same body, only glorified? And wasn’t He ascended into Heaven with that glorified body? So I’m wondering how the Mass could be the exact same sacrifice of Jesus if Jesus now has a glorified body, one which cannot die?

So if He “put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself,” and “there is forgiveness of these things,” why does there even need to be a continual sin offering (of Him)? It seems it should be just as Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of Me.”

 

[Nita]

**diorthosis;7733584 **And Hebrews 9:26 says that now once at the consummation of the ages He, Christ, has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

Hebrews 9:23 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 9:24 For Christ has entered, not into a sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 9:25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the Holy Place yearly with blood not his own; 9:26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. As a high priest in the Old Covenant, the high priest entered the Holy of Holies only one day of the year, and then departed. When he would return in a year, the previous sacrifice had long ago corrupted and a new sacrifice had to be obtained. In the New Covenant, the high priest (Jesus) entered the true Holy of Holies and has never departed. He Himself is the sacrificial offering - an offering that is incorruptible. He remains in heaven as our high priest, to offer sacrifice on our behalf. (Heb 8:1-3 below.)
Hebrews 8:1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 8:2 a minister in the sanctuary and the true tent which is set up not by man but by the Lord. 8:3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; hence it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Can I ask you - ** Fulfilling, right now, His role as our high in heaven, what is the sacrifice that you believe Jesus is offering to the Father on our behalf?**
Or do you think He no longer functions as our High Priest?

 

[Nita]

… And Hebrews 9:26 says that now once at the consummation of the ages He, Christ, has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. …

Hebrews 9:23 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 9:24 For Christ has entered, not into a sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 9:25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the Holy Place yearly with blood not his own; 9:26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. As a high priest in the Old Covenant, the high priest entered the Holy of Holies only one day of the year, and then departed. When he would return in a year, the previous sacrifice had long ago corrupted and a new sacrifice had to be obtained. In the New Covenant, the high priest (Jesus) entered the true Holy of Holies and has never departed. He Himself is the sacrificial offering - an offering that is incorruptible. He remains in heaven as our high priest, to offer sacrifice on our behalf. (Heb 8:1-3 below.)

Hebrews 8:1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 8:2 a minister in the sanctuary and the true tent which is set up not by man but by the Lord. 8:3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; hence it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Can I ask you - Fulfilling, right now, His role as our high priest in heaven, what is the sacrifice that you believe Jesus is offering to the Father on our behalf?
Or do you think He no longer functions as our High Priest?

 

[diorthosis]

Hebrews 9:23 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 9:24 For Christ has entered, not into a sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 9:25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the Holy Place yearly with blood not his own; 9:26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. As a high priest in the Old Covenant, the high priest entered the Holy of Holies only one day of the year, and then departed. When he would return in a year, the previous sacrifice had long ago corrupted and a new sacrifice had to be obtained. In the New Covenant, the high priest (Jesus) entered the true Holy of Holies and has never departed. He Himself is the sacrificial offering - an offering that is incorruptible. He remains in heaven as our high priest, to offer sacrifice on our behalf. (Heb 8:1-3 below.)

Hebrews 8:1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 8:2 a minister in the sanctuary and the true tent which is set up not by man but by the Lord. 8:3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; hence it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Can I ask you - Fulfilling, right now, His role as our high priest in heaven, what is the sacrifice that you believe Jesus is offering to the Father on our behalf?
Or do you think He no longer functions as our High Priest?

The Book of Hebrews doesn’t say He’s offering any sacrifice in heaven (as our High Priest He ever lives to make intercession for us, Heb. 7:25) but that He entered the heavenly tabernacle, once for all, with His own blood that was shed here on earth: “and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12).

The writer of Hebrews makes a clear comparison between the inferior animal sacrifices under the Mosaic Law, which never “put away” sin, and the superior, historical, sacrifice of Jesus, which did, once for all (Hebrews 9:25).

What sacrifice do you think Jesus is making in heaven? And to what purpose since He already obtained eternal redemption 2000 years ago for all who believe in Him, and He abides there now in His glorified, resurrected body, which can never die again?

 

[elvisman]

The Book of Hebrews doesn’t say He’s offering any sacrifice in heaven (as our High Priest He ever lives to make intercession for us, Heb. 7:25) but that He entered the heavenly tabernacle, once for all, with His own blood that was shed here on earth: “and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12).

The writer of Hebrews makes a clear comparison between the inferior animal sacrifices under the Mosaic Law, which never “put away” sin, and the superior, historical, sacrifice of Jesus, which did, once for all (Hebrews 9:25).

What sacrifice do you think Jesus is making in heaven? And to what purpose since He already obtained eternal redemption 2000 years ago for all who believe in Him, and He abides there now in His glorified, resurrected body, which can never die again?

Rev. 13:8**, when it tells us that Christ was crucified “before the foundation of the world.” His is an eternal sacrifice. Rev. 5:6* says, “And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain*, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.”**

In God’s eyes, Jesus is crucified before the foundation of the world and ever-present as a sacrifice before him now. Jesus is neither “re-sacrificed” nor does he “die often” in the Mass as is falsely charged. The Church recognizes that God is eternal and is not confined by the restraints of time as we are. As the Scriptures state, Jesus was always our Paschal Lamb and always will be - the perfect sacrifice, the propitiation for our sins.**

As sinners, we must repent whenevr we fall into sin.

 

[Byzman]

Well, it is interesting that if you go down to Hebrews 10:18 it says, “Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer {any} offering for sin.” And Hebrews 9:26 says that now once at the consummation of the ages He, Christ, has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

It looks to me like sin was dealt with (“put away”) by the sacrifice of Christ Himself. And then wasn’t He raised from the dead three days later in the same body, only glorified? And wasn’t He ascended into Heaven with that glorified body? So I’m wondering how the Mass could be the exact same sacrifice of Jesus if Jesus now has a glorified body, one which cannot die?

So if He “put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself,” and “there is forgiveness of these things,” why does there even need to be a continual sin offering (of Him)? It seems it should be just as Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of Me.”

Ok no where does the Church teach that Christ dies again in every Mass. In one sense it can be said but in the other sense it cannot whatsoever. That one sense, in which it can be said, is that His death that took place 2000 years ago is now the same moment in the consecration of the Eucharist. We Catholics eat and partake of His Glorified Risen Body by reason of concomintancy. In no way is this a new death of Christ because like you said and Hebrews says He can never die again or offer a new one again. Instead the Church always offers the same.

Now I am glad you ended that post with Christ’s words, “Do this in remembrance of me.” This is exactly why I brought up this thread. The word for “remembrance” used here is “anamnesis.” It says that the Old sacrifices served as a “anamnesis” for sins. Because they could never put away sin. They had no power to completely forgive sin. Notice it says that only Christ’s Sacrifice had the power to put away sin, completely forgive sin. In other words the Old sacrifices could not do the work(get the job done) so they had to offer a new sacrifice every year. Christ’s Sacrifice, offered once to the Father, got the job done, and there is no need for Him to do it again(come back to Earth, die, and re-enter the Holy of Holies). But Christ said to “Do this in ‘anamnesis’ of me,” as in, what I believe as the Old offered sacrifice in “anamnesis” of sin, the New offers Sacrifice in “anamnesis” of putting away sin. I think this is what Hewbrews 10 is stating. So I asked if anyone else can see this also, or caught onto it too?

 

[dcdurel]

Yes, Jesus sacrificed himself only once, but it is an eternal sacrifice. It is a sacrifice which has not ended. His death is over, but the essence of a sacrifice is the offering. Jesus offers himself as a sacrifice continually. That is why scripture says of Jesus, you will be a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek. A priest is one who offers a sacrifice. Jesus is the high priest who offers himself in sacrifice to the Father forever, for our salvation.
Just as I got married only once and the marriage ceremony is over, but my marriage is not over, it is a continuous marriage.

Why does Jesus offer himself as a continual sacrifice?
For our liberation from sin. Jesus came to save us from our sins, which means to free us from the slavery of sin. He earned this grace by His suffering, death and resurrection. At the mass this grace is made available to us in order to reduce and suppress our inclination, or our desire to sin, and so make it possible to love God and our neighbor the way we should, which brings happiness.

 

[Byzman]

The Book of Hebrews doesn’t say He’s offering any sacrifice in heaven (as our High Priest He ever lives to make intercession for us, Heb. 7:25) but that He entered the heavenly tabernacle, once for all, with His own blood that was shed here on earth: “and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12).

The writer of Hebrews makes a clear comparison between the inferior animal sacrifices under the Mosaic Law, which never “put away” sin, and the superior, historical, sacrifice of Jesus, which did, once for all (Hebrews 9:25).

What sacrifice do you think Jesus is making in heaven? And to what purpose since He already obtained eternal redemption 2000 years ago for all who believe in Him, and He abides there now in His glorified, resurrected body, which can never die again?

Jesus is our High Priest forever…he doesn’t stop being our High Priest. Every High Priest has something to offer…Jesus continually offers Himself to the Father. Melchizedek is mentioned in Hebrews, and So is Christ in the Order of Melchizedek. Melchizedek offered bread and wine…so does Christ… and so does Christ who now offers through the ministry of priests.

 

[Byzman]

Jesus is our High Priest forever…he doesn’t stop being our High Priest. Every High Priest has something to offer…Jesus continually offers Himself to the Father. Melchizedek is mentioned in Hebrews, and So is Christ in the Order of Melchizedek. Melchizedek offered bread and wine…so does Christ… and so does Christ who now offers through the ministry of priests.

One more thing. I think it would be pointless to say that “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek,” if He weren’t offering bread and wine anymore, as He does in the Liturgy(Mass).

 

[dcdurel]

A priest is one who offers a sacrifice. Look up the definition. Anyone can intercede for us, but the specific duty of a priest is to offer sacrifices. Jesus is the ultimate priest, He is a high priest forever, because He offers Himself forever. It is a continual sacrifice. Just as I got married once, but it is an ongoing marriage, Jesus died once and offered Himself once, but it is an ongoing sacrifice. The essence of the sacrifice is not the death of Jesus, but the offering of Jesus, an offering the continues forever.

What sacrifice do you think Jesus is making in heaven? And to what purpose since He already obtained eternal redemption 2000 years ago for all who believe in Him, and He abides there now in His glorified, resurrected body, which can never die again?

We have to start with the purpose of God becoming man. Jesus became man to save us from our sins. Save means to set free. Thus, the Church teaches that God became man to free us from our inclination to sin, to free us from our slavery to sin, to free us from concupiscence. All these mean the same thing. Sin is a failure in genuine love of God and neighbor cause by a perverse attachment to certain goods. Sin is exciting and pleasurable at first but always causes misery in the end. Thus a perverse attachment to drugs, alcohol, sex, hatred, money or possessions, etc, cause a failure in love of God or our neighbor, and we become slaves to sin. Jesus became man to teach us how to live and to make available this saving grace that frees us from our slavery to sin. At the mass Jesus continues His work of salvation by making available this grace that saves us from our sins.
Of course, we first receive this grace at baptism and through prayer, but at the Mass God pours out his grace of salvation upon his body, the Church.
Those who are slaves to sin, (all of us), can be freed from this addiction to sin through prayer and the sacraments, especially the mass, where we are made present at the same sacrifice that happened at Calvary. It is this grace that redeems us. Redeem means to buy back. By this grace, which we first receive at baptism, but continues to a greater degree in the Mass, Jesus frees us from the slavery to sin and frees us from the power of the devil so we can now be free. We are no longer slaves to sin. We have been bought back from being a child of the devil to being a child of God, where we can now love God and our neighbor the way we should. This grace does not force us to love God, but makes love of God possible to the extent that God originally intended. And since we are no longer oppressed and under the slavery of sin, we can be extremely happy when we love God and others the way we should.
In short, God became man, suffered and died, to make it possible for us to love God and our neighbor the way He intended so we can have happiness starting here and now on earth, and eventually eternal bliss in heaven.

 

[Nita]

The Book of Hebrews doesn’t say He’s offering any sacrifice in heaven (as our High Priest He ever lives to make intercession for us, Heb. 7:25) but that He entered the heavenly tabernacle, once for all, with His own blood that was shed here on earth: “and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12).

Yes, He makes intercession for us. But, if nothing is needed anymore in regards to forgiveness of our sins and thus our salvation, **what do you think is the object of His intercession for us? ** Do you see His intercession as being only for our temporal needs and wants here on earth?

Catholics also believe Jesus makes intercession for us, for our temporal needs too, but MAINLY for the needs of our souls; for our eternal salvation; for the forgiveness of our daily sins. His sacrifice on earth is what merits fulfillment of those intercessory prayers and He offers/presents it to the Father as part of His High Priestly intercessory prayer on our behalf. He doesn’t need to come back down to earth and die again!! Once was sufficient to atone for all men for all time. It is present as an offering for all men for all time in heaven.

The Mass is the ritual Christ established as the way He wants us to be participating in that heavenly worship; in the timeless offering of His sacrifice for us.
Just as all of time is inserted, so to speak, in Jesus’ timeless once for all offering in heaven, so the eternal timeless once for all offering is inserted into time when the Mass is offered according to Jesus’ instruction. The words He ordered make it clear the offering is sacrificial in nature – the giving of His body and the pouring out of His blood.
Luke 22:19 “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Mt.26:28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

The writer of Hebrews makes a clear comparison between the inferior animal sacrifices under the Mosaic Law, which never “put away” sin, and the superior, historical, sacrifice of Jesus, which did, once for all (Hebrews 9:25).

Agreed; absolutely!

What sacrifice do you think Jesus is making in heaven? And to what purpose since He already obtained eternal redemption 2000 years ago for all who believe in Him, and He abides there now in His glorified, resurrected body, which can never die again?

What sacrifice? He offers Himself, the only pure offering; His historical sacrifice on Calvary (loving obedience to the Father’s will even unto death) which merited atonement and redemption for the sins of all.
He offers His risen, glorified, life giving flesh and blood to be poured out and given to us daily in the Eucharist.

By the way, the “killing” of the sacrificial victim never took place in the Holy of Holies. The actual killing of the victim was never what was offered. It was the flesh and blood after the animal’s death that was offered.

From the final prophetic book in the Old Testament:
For **from the rising of the rising of the sun to its setting ** (continually) my name is great among the natIons, and **in every place **(“every place”, not just in heaven) incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.
It is truly awesome. If you can learn correctly what the Church teaches, you will see how the OT sacrifices and rituals were truly a “shadow” or “pattern” of what is now present in their New Covenant fulfillment. And not just the yearly Day of Atonement sacrifice when the high priest entered the Holy of Holies, but ALL of the OT sacrifices and the priesthood (high priest and assisting priests).

 

[Nita]

Ok no where does the Church teach that Christ dies again in every Mass. In one sense it can be said but in the other sense it cannot whatsoever. That one sense, in which it can be said, is that His death that took place 2000 years ago is now the same moment in the consecration of the Eucharist. We Catholics eat and partake of His Glorified Risen Body by reason of concomintancy. In no way is this a new death of Christ because like you said and Hebrews says He can never die again or offer a new one again. Instead the Church always offers the same.

Now I am glad you ended that post with Christ’s words, “Do this in remembrance of me.” This is exactly why I brought up this thread. The word for “remembrance” used here is “anamnesis.” It says that the Old sacrifices served as a “anamnesis” for sins. Because they could never put away sin. They had no power to completely forgive sin. Notice it says that only Christ’s Sacrifice had the power to put away sin, completely forgive sin. In other words the Old sacrifices could not do the work(get the job done) so they had to offer a new sacrifice every year. Christ’s Sacrifice, offered once to the Father, got the job done, and there is no need for Him to do it again(come back to Earth, die, and re-enter the Holy of Holies). But Christ said to “Do this in ‘anamnesis’ of me,” as in, what I believe as the Old offered sacrifice in “anamnesis” of sin, the New offers Sacrifice in “anamnesis” of putting away sin. I think this is what Hewbrews 10 is stating. So I asked if anyone else can see this also, or caught onto it too?

I guess I see the use of the word “anamnesis” in Hebrews 10 as demonstrating the connection between “remembrance/anamnesis” and the reality – the reality being present in the remembrance. The sins they were “remembering” were really still present – since the blood of animals had not removed them. What was “remembered” was “present”. (As in the Mass and Eucharist, what is being “remembered” is really also present.)

Anamnesis is one of those rare words in Scripture. In the New Testament it is used only in the passages regarding the Eucharist (Last Supper in 3 synoptics; 1 Cor 11:25) and here in Hebrews.
In the Old Testament it is used in Leviticus 24:7 in connection with the bread of the presence and in Numbers 10:10. The Numbers 10:10 again plainly shows the connection between the “remembering” and the reality – “they shall serve you for remembrance before your God”.