Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Hebrews 7:27

"who needeth not daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the [sins] of the people: for this he did once for all, when he offered up himself." — Hebrews 7:27 (ASV)

There is a problem in the reference to offering sacrifices “day after day” for, while there were daily sacrifices in the temple, the high priest was not required to offer them personally; and the sacrifices that did demand his personal action, those on the Day of Atonement, took place once a year, a fact the author well knows (9:7, 25; 10:1). Perhaps what he had in mind was that it was always possible for the high priest, as for anyone, to commit inadvertent sin, which required the offering of a sin offering (Leviticus 4:2–3), and that thus the high priest needed to offer daily (to ensure his own fitness for ministry). We should also bear in mind that Leviticus requires the high priest to offer the grain offering each day (Leviticus 6:19–23). This came to be regarded as expiatory.

Jesus stands in contrast to the earthly priests. He has no need to offer for his own sins because he has none (4:15). And he has no need to keep offering for the sins of the people, for his one sacrifice has perfectly accomplished this. Earthly priests were sinful people who had to provide for the putting away of their own sin before they were in a fit condition to do anything about the sins of the people. What they did for themselves they then proceeded to do for others.

But Christ’s offering is different. There is none for himself. And he offered “once for all” (GK 2384). There is an air of utter finality about this expression. Characteristically, the author introduces the thought of Christ’s sacrifice but does not elaborate. He will return to the thought later and develop it.