Sacrifices that cannot take away sin
Are priests really false mediators offering sacrifices that cannot take away sin
or is Mike Gendron teaching falsehood?
Dan Bregant on Face-book posts one of Mike Gendron’s writings alleging that priests are offering “same sacrifices that can never take away sins” (Heb 10:11). I asked Dan several times what were these same sacrifices that cannot take away the sins of the world? He said many things, much of which was true; however, he never actually answered the question.
There are two pertinent questions that must be answered in order to determine the context. What are these same sacrifices that cannot take away sins? And are priests actually offering these same sacrifices?
What are these same sacrifices that cannot take away sins? And are priests actually offering these same sacrifices?
Animal sacrifices cannot take away sins. In chapter 10 of Hebrews it tells us very clearly what these “same sacrifices” are. “For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats take away sins” (Heb 10:3-4). Now we know that the sacrifices that can never take away sins are animal sacrifices. Why doesn’t Mike Gendron indicate that these “same sacrifices” are animal sacrifices? This is because the moment that he mentions that these are Old Testament animal sacrifices, he can no longer use this against the New Testament offering of Jesus at every Mass. We do not offer animal sacrifices at Mass; we offer one same Sacrifice Jesus at every Mass.
Are priests actually offering animal sacrifices? No they are not. If you attended Mass and a priest was offering animal sacrifices, he would be in violation of Hebrews 10. However, there is no violation because he is offering Jesus at the Mass.
Michael Gendron, by confusing animal sacrifices with the one same Sacrifice of Jesus celebrated at every Mass, is teaching falsehood
Dan, you are right, Gendron does not say that animals can take away sin. Herein lies the problem he quotes a verse in Hebrews that has to do with Old Testament animal sacrifice and tries to apply it to the new testament Mass where Jesus is offered. The priest at Mass does not offer animal sacrifices. Gendron is both quoting out of context and is being intellectually dishonest.
Gendron quotes from Hebrews “Every priest stands daily at his ministry, offering frequently those same sacrifices that can never take away sins” (Heb 10:11).
In the Old Testament we have a priest and in the New Testament we have a priest. And so what is the difference in priesthoods? It is in the offering. In the old, the priest offers animal sacrifices. In the new we offer Jesus.
And so the next question is this; how do we know that Hebrews 10:11 is speaking of animal sacrifices? How do we know that this verse does not have to do with sacrifice of Jesus, when it refers to sacrifices that can never take away sins? This is because the context in verse 4 says that it is in fact animal sacrifices.
“For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4).
And so the context is animal sacrifices,
Gendron is both quoting out of context and is being intellectually dishonest.
12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, “he sat down at the right hand of God,” 13 and since then has been waiting “until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.” 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,
Verse 11 in context should be read this way; “Every [Old Testament] priest stands daily at his ministry, offering frequently those same sacrifices [animal] that can never take away sins.” Alfonso and others are confusing animal sacrifices with the Sacrifice of Jesus in the Mass.