Let’s read through the book of Hebrews one verse at a time in 2023. Every day explore a single verse and its cross references. AI-generated text draws the passages together. RSS feed.
Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people.
The cross references for Hebrews 5:3 all relate to the idea of a high priest offering sacrifices on behalf of others, either for his own sins or for the sins of the people. This is a theme that is very prominent in the Old Testament, and these cross references help to illustrate how this concept is being applied to Jesus in the New Testament. In particular, the references to Hebrews 7:27 and 9:7 demonstrate how Jesus is a superior High Priest who offered Himself as a one-time sacrifice, thus replacing the need for a human high priest to offer sacrifices daily.
| Passage | How It’s Related (AI-Generated) |
|---|---|
| Exodus 29:12-19: and shall take part of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and the rest of the blood you shall pour out at the base of the altar. And you shall take all the fat that covers the entrails, and the long lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar. But the flesh of the bull and its skin and its dung you shall burn with fire outside the camp; it is a sin offering. “Then you shall take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram, and you shall kill the ram and shall take its blood and throw it against the sides of the altar. | Both passages demonstrate the importance of sacrifice in the Old Testament. In Hebrews 5:3, the human high priest is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins and those of the people. Exodus 29:12-19 outlines the specific instructions for the sacrificial offering of a ram, which includes sprinkling the blood on the sides of the altar and burning the flesh, skin, and dung outside the camp. This sacrificial act was seen as a sin offering and was a way for the people to atone for their sins. |
| Leviticus 4:3-12: if it is the anointed priest who sins, thus bringing guilt on the people, then he shall offer for the sin that he has committed a bull from the herd without blemish to the Lord for a sin offering. He shall bring the bull to the entrance of the tent of meeting before the Lord and lay his hand on the head of the bull and kill the bull before the Lord. And the anointed priest shall take some of the blood of the bull and bring it into the tent of meeting, and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle part of the blood seven times before the Lord in front of the veil of the sanctuary. And the priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense before the Lord that is in the tent of meeting, and all the rest of the blood of the bull he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting. | Both passages refer to the sacrificial system of the Old Testament, in which the high priest would offer sacrifices to atone for the sins of the people. Hebrews 5:3 explains that the high priest was obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as those of the people. Leviticus 4:3–12 outlines the specific steps for offering a bull for a sin offering, including the sprinkling of blood on the altar and the pouring out of the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. |
| Leviticus 8:14-21: Then he brought the bull of the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull of the sin offering. And he killed it, and Moses took the blood, and with his finger put it on the horns of the altar around it and purified the altar and poured out the blood at the base of the altar and consecrated it to make atonement for it. And he took all the fat that was on the entrails and the long lobe of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat, and Moses burned them on the altar. But the bull and its skin and its flesh and its dung he burned up with fire outside the camp, as the Lord commanded Moses. Then he presented the ram of the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. | Both passages describe the sacrificial practices of the Old Testament. Hebrews 5:3 explains that the human high priest was obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins, as well as those of the people. Leviticus 8:14-21 outlines the specific steps of the sacrificial ritual, including the killing of the bull of the sin offering, the pouring of its blood on the altar, and the burning of the bull and its skin outside the camp. Together, these passages demonstrate the importance of the sacrificial ritual to the Old Testament faith. |
| Leviticus 9:7: Then Moses said to Aaron, “Draw near to the altar and offer your sin offering and your burnt offering and make atonement for yourself and for the people, and bring the offering of the people and make atonement for them, as the Lord has commanded.” | Both passages discuss the role of the human high priest in offering sacrifices to make atonement for the people. Hebrews 5:3 explains that the human high priest is obligated to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as for the people. Leviticus 9:7 describes the specific instructions given to Aaron to draw near to the altar and offer his sin offering and burnt offering to make atonement for himself and for the people. |
| Leviticus 16:6: “Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. | Both passages refer to the need for a human high priest to offer a sacrifice for his own sins. Hebrews 5:3 explains that the human high priest was obligated to offer a sacrifice for his own sins in the same way he did for the sins of the people. Leviticus 16:6 provides an example of this, as it states that Aaron, the first high priest, was to offer a bull as a sin offering for himself and his house. |
| Leviticus 16:15: “Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it over the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat. | Both passages discuss the role of the high priest in offering sacrifice for the people. Hebrews 5:3 explains that the human high priest is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins, just as he does for those of the people. Leviticus 16:15 describes the ritual of the high priest bringing the blood of the goat of the sin offering inside the veil and sprinkling it over the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat. |
| Hebrews 7:27: He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. | Both passages discuss the role of the high priest in offering sacrifices for sins. Hebrews 5:3 speaks specifically of the human high priest, who is obligated to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as those of the people. Hebrews 7:27, on the other hand, speaks of Jesus, who, unlike the human high priest, did not need to offer sacrifices for his own sins and those of the people because he offered himself up once for all. |
| Hebrews 9:7: but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. | Both passages discuss the role of the high priest in the offering of sacrifices. Hebrews 5:3 describes how the high priest is obligated to offer sacrifices for his own sins and for the sins of the people. Hebrews 9:7 further explains that the high priest is the only one allowed to enter the second part of the temple, and that he must offer blood for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. |
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus, who offered Himself once and for all to pay the price for our sins. We thank You for the example of the human high priest, who was obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as those of the people. We thank You for Your mercy and grace that covers us and makes us clean. Help us to remember the cost of our redemption and to live our lives in a way that honors Your great love. In Jesus' name, Amen.
This reading plan reads through a single verse each day, six days a week, paired with the most-popular cross references for the verse. AI-generated (and human-reviewed) text provides an opening thought and concluding prayer along with an explanation for how each cross reference relates to the verse. In 2023, this reading plan works through Hebrews one verse at a time. Every seventh day is a catchup day. Want more info? Try this blog post.
Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.