To Save Those Eagerly Waiting for Him

Hebrews 9:27–28 – Jesus Is Better
Fourth Sunday of Lent – March 15th, 2026 (am)     

Our ESV Bibles have a helpful Introduction to Hebrews. It tells us this brief letter (13:22) was written to encourage Christians in a time of trial. It does so by focusing on the absolute supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ. … [He] accomplished complete salvation for all who trust in him (1:1-10:18). We dare not “neglect such a great salvation” (2:3; 5:12-6:20; 10:19-39). Rather, in our faith and in our everyday living, we should imitate the example of Christ and of those on the honor roll of faith (cc.11-13).

But what does it look like to imitate their example? We get a very good idea in today’s passage. And it’s a richly symmetrical and thematically interwoven text at that, as beautiful as it is brief (cf. 13:22)—just two verses. Let’s walk through it as a unit, a single thought, and appreciate all the rich reward that intersects/intertwines here.

Into the Text

We’ve just heard a really engaging summary of some of the most amazing works Jesus accomplished on our behalf: 26 … he… appeared once for all at the end of the ages, inaugurating the last days, to put away sin, to defeat/eradicate/cancel (cf., Bruce 231) it, by the sacrifice of himself. Every part of this statement is virtually beyond our ability to comprehend in its greatness and glory!

Sin is pretty much definable as the manifestation of our prideful, selfish rebellion against God. And yet, Jesus’ purpose in coming wasn’t put us in our place, or retaliate, or get even. He didn’t cancel us sinners; He canceled our sin!

He canceled it at His own cost, and not just a cost He could pay from petty cash, or withdraw from long-term savings, or even borrow against established equity. He absorbed the just penalty for our capital offense against God by laying down His innocent life, sacrificing himself, to cover our guilt and free us from sin, to put [it] away forever!

He did it once for all, the third of four times this wording appears in Hebrews (7:27; 9:12; 9:26; 10:10) describing Jesus’ sacrifice. He’s fully human, so it fit (cf. 7:26). He’s fully God, so it worked. And doing it marks the end of the ages in God’s plan.

That brings us into today’s text and our instruction on how we might best imitate the example of Christ and of those on the honor roll of faith (esv). Having just heard that Jesus appeared… to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself (26), the author initiates a sweet comparison by contrasts (27-28): we see comparison in his structure: just as… man, so Christ…. And we’ll see contrasts as we trace out his observations regarding man and Christ.

And by the way, this is one of those places where man is supposed to be understood as man and woman or human. Masculine pronouns used to be understood as the proper way grammatically to refer to men and women collectively. But that isn’t so any longer, and it’s not really ours to debate the legitimacy of that development. Studies have shown that quite apart from any gender-orientation debates in our day, women just don’t hear themselves as included when masculine pronouns are used, even women who wouldn’t have any quarrel with it. And some of our younger women don’t even have any experience hearing that older rule of grammar during their lifetime. So, it’s good to be clear.

On with the comparison and contrasts; removing the closing explanatory clauses: 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear… sins…, will appear a second time….

Humankind has a date with destiny. Due to our sin, we’re born with a non-negotiable expiration date. Psa.139:16 tells us God knows the precise date, and He knew it even before we were born. But we all know there is a date, even if we don’t know when. We know it can’t be avoided even though we have a sense that we can delay it a bit by things like diet and exercise and regular visits to a doctor.

Jesus, being human, also had a date with destiny. Even though His death was a sin offering, He still had to die. And in that He is distinctively human. This does appear to be part of the point the author is making, that Jesus’ singular death is not just coincidental, but is an actual demonstration of His true humanity, His full identification with humankind. However, being God, it’s also the appointed means by which He put away sin, once for all, this sacrifice of himself (26). Thus, the death of Jesus was not due to any sin of His own.

This comparison leads immediately into the first contrast. It’s in the second part of each statement: 27 … just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear… sins…, will appear a second time… to save …. There’s one contrast: judgment awaits humankind after death, but salvation is the outcome of Jesus’ death. Even so, there’s layering and texture here. The two parts of this contrast are interconnected, even interwoven. The judgment that awaits all humanity can go one of two directions. And the difference-maker is how each one responds to the death of Christ.

But first, let’s add in resurrection; it follows death for both Jesus and humankind (Rev.20:4-5, 13). For Jesus, it was immediate, three days later, just as He promised three times as His death approached (Mar.8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34). His resurrection proved His power and victory over sin and death. It was also His implicit promise that our resurrection would surely happen.

For humanity, resurrection comes either at His return, before the millennium—that’s believers; it’s called the first resurrection (Rev.20:4-5) and it’s followed by the judgment seat of Christ (2Co.5:10) then reigning with Christ for a thousand years (Rev.20:5)—or it comes after the millennium—that’s unbelievers, resurrection to stand in judgment before a great white throne (Rev.20:11); it precedes what is called the second death, the lake of fire (Rev.20:14), which is eternal judgment, banishment forever from the presence of God.

So, judgment comes for all. But not all judgment is the same. Throughout this letter, the author has been calling his readers not to turn back from this salvation, an action which could only result in tasting this eternal judgment. Surely we shall not escape if we neglect such a great salvation (2:3).      

Now let’s add back in the closing explanatory clauses and see how that just magnifies the message of this sweet little passage. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. There are two more contrasts here, one explicit and the other implicit.

The explicit contrast is between the purpose of Jesus’ first coming and that of His second. He’s not going to deal with sin next time; that job is done, once for all (26). He’s going to deliver salvation. And that introduces the implicit contrast.

The recipients of His salvation are mentioned explicitly, but those headed for the second death (Rev.20:14) stand unmentioned in the shadows as a point of implicit contrast.

The ones who are looking forward to Jesus’ return are described as those who are eagerly waiting for him. We want to be numbered among this crowd, yes? This is the disposition we want to display. This is how we want to live day by day. This is the perspective we want to characterize us in all our dealings of every sort. If we’re awakened in the middle of the night, we want our first conscious thought to be the question of whether it may have been the return of Christ that roused us. I don’t believe we see nearly enough people, brothers and sisters in Christ, who are eagerly waiting for [Jesus’ return].

I’m sympathetic with those who shrink back from death, feeling unsure about letting go of this life. I wish it weren’t so. I wish we were each firmly convinced that to die is gain (Phi.1:21), that we were like the overcomers in Rev.12:11 who did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die (nlt). Even so, I’m sympathetic with that.

What I don’t understand is any believer who’s not calling out with the Apostle John regularly, saying: Come, Lord Jesus! (Rev.22:20) Come quickly! There’s our takeaway today. There’s how we can best imitate the example of Christ and of those on the honor roll of faith (esv). We can long for his appearing (2Ti.4:8 niv).

Conclusion

We need to cultivate a heart, a mindset, an outlook, a disposition, a will that is eagerly waiting for [Jesus]! (28) We need to hold up this worldview before one another’s eyes. We need to urge one another toward it. We need to remind one another continually that this is where we belong. We need to disciple our children in this understanding. We need to encourage one another with these words (1Th.4:18): that 1Th.4:16 … [believers who have died] will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord!

When we get caught up in the demands of schedule such that we’re feeling stretched and pushed and pulled and stressed, we need to remember that this world is not our home, that our life is anchored to the city that is to come (13:14).

When we’re worried about our health, or that of a family member or friend, we need to remember that this world in its present form is passing away (1Co.7:1), and that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven (1Co.15:50).

When we’re weary under the weight of responsibility and every new development just seems to add to the burden, we need to remember that God has said: I am making all things new, and these words are trustworthy and true (Rev.21:5).

When we’re feeling discouraged with our spiritual growth, like we just keep cycling through the same series of lessons without any advance, we need to remember that he who began a good work in [us] will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus (Phi.1:8). We need to remember that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is (1Jo.3:2).

There is nothing in our daily lives, nothing in our range of experience or circles of relationship, nothing in our realms of desire or imagination that won’t just be significantly improved but infinitely refined and enhanced at the very moment our Lord appears, so long as our hope is fixed in him, so long as we are eagerly waiting for him (29). This is our blessed hope (Tit.2:13); we need to live in it, live into it, and enjoy all the fruit it will bear in us!

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Resources

Anders, Max, gen. ed. 1999. Holman New Testament Commentary. Hebrews & James, by Thomas D. Lea. Nashville: Broadman & Holman.

Arnold, Clinton E., gen. ed. 2002. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary. Vol. 4, Hebrews to Revelation. Hebrews, by George H. Guthrie, 2-82. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Barclay, William. 1976. The Daily Study Bible Series. The Letter to the Hebrews, Revised Edition. Louisville: Westminster John Knox.

Beale, G. K., & D. A. Carson, eds. 2007. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Hebrews, by George H. Guthrie, 919-995. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.

Bruce, F. F. 1990. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Hebrews. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Calvin, John. 1553. Commentary on the Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews, trans. by, John Owen. Logos.

Carson, D. A., R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham, eds. 1994. New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition. Hebrews, by David Peterson, 1321-1353. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

Clendenen, Ray E., gen. ed., David S. Dockery, NT ed. 2010. The New American Commentary. Vol. 35, Hebrews, by David L. Allen. Nashville: Broadman & Holman.

Dever, Mark. 2005. The Message of the New Testament. Ch. 19, The Message of Hebrews: Sticking with the Best, 413-425. Wheaton: Crossway.

Fee, Gordon D., gen. ed. 1990. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. The Epistle to the Hebrews, Revised Edition, by F. F. Bruce. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Grudem, Wayne, ed. 2008. ESV Study Bible. Study notes on Hebrews, by David W. Chapman. Wheaton: Crossway.

Guthrie, George. 1998. The NIV Application Commentary. Hebrews. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Hubbard, David A., & Glenn W. Barker, gen. eds. Ralph P. Martin, NT ed. 1991. Word Biblical Commentary. Vols. 47a, Hebrews 1-8; Vol.47b, Hebrews 9-13, by William L. Lane. Dallas: Word.

Hughes, Philip Edgcumbe. 1979. A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Longman III, Tremper, & David E. Garland, eds. 2006. Revised Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 13, Hebrews-Revelation. Hebrews, by R. T. France, 17-195. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Morris, Leon, gen. ed. 1983. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Vol. 15, Hebrews, by Donald Guthrie. Downers Grove: InterVarsity.

Owen, John. 1855. Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews, 7 Vols. Edinburgh: Johnstone and Hunter.

NEXT SUNDAY: Hebrews 10:1–10, Wes Karsten