Hebrews 9:27-28 says, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after that the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him, He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”
Because of the fall in the Garden, every person with two exceptions – Enoch & Elijah, has died! All the Old Testament and New Testament prophets, apostles, pastors, etc. have died. As great as these people were, they were still subject to being mortal. And 1 Corinthians 15:26 says, “the last enemy that will be defeated is death.” All humans will die and that includes you and me! The important thing is to be prepared for it by submitting to the Lordship of Jesus Christ! Those who believe in and know Jesus will only die physically. Those who reject Him will die twice – physically and eternally. Jesus defeated death at His resurrection, and that same spirit will resurrect us (Romans 8:11, Romans 6:5, John 5:28, Revelation 20:5, 1 Thessalonians 4:16) when He comes again!
‘Jews would be acquainted with a repetition of sacrifices. They would need to understand why the death of Christ was final and unrepeatable. This verse implies that a repeated offering would have involved Christ in continual suffering. If Christ’s death were repeatable, it would need to begin with the dawn of history when sin entered the world and to last throughout the ages.
‘However, the death of Christ could happen only once in history. There was only one incarnation and death. The timing of this event occurred in God’s perfect wisdom.
‘Several facts about Christ’s death are presented. First, it happened in history when he appeared on earth. Second, it was once for all and never needed repetition. Third, the effect of the sacrifice was to do away with sin. Fourth, the death was voluntary. Christ offered himself. 9:27–28. These verses contrast the death of human beings and the death of Christ. The death of human beings was destined, and judgment followed after it. We cannot avoid death. God has appointed that death should visit every human being.
‘The fact that judgment follows death does not mean that it occurs immediately after death. An interval separates death and judgment. The mention of judgment after death does not suggest that no judgment occurs prior to death. These verses speak of the final judgment which clearly occurred after physical death.
‘The death of Christ was voluntary. We saw this expressed clearly in 9:14, but verse 28 also implies it. The death of Christ was not only voluntary, but the malice of the Jews and the plan of God demanded it.
‘Christ died to take away the sins of many people (see 9:26). At a time after his death, he will come again not to deal with sin but to bring salvation to his people. Jesus dealt completely with sin in his death. At His return, he will usher his people into the experience of eternal life. The idea of Christ’s appearance a second time reminds us of the reappearance of the high priest after he had completed his task in the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement (see Luke 1:21–22).1’
Some ask, ‘if Jesus defeated death on the Cross & Resurrection, why must we die physically?’ Paul answers that, to some degree, in 1 Corinthians 15:50-54, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” Short answer: corruptible cannot inherit the coming manifestation of the Kingdom.
Another question that often arises is, ‘If we pray with faith, claiming the healing promises, why do some people still die?’ Answer: It is appointed for the mortal body to die to get an incorruptible body for eternity. Even those who were restored to life in the Bible had to die again to get theirs. In this age, there is no way around death. But when Jesus fully manifests His Kingdom after His return, death will totally be done away with! (Revelation 21:4).
‘It is somewhat unexpected for the writer to introduce at this stage the idea of judgment. But he has been dwelling on the necessity for Christ’s death and this leads him to make a general statement about man’s destiny. Death in itself is unavoidable: it is appointed for men to die once. No one is exempt from this experience. The difference between Christ’s death and all others is that His was voluntary whereas for all others it is appointed (apokeitai), i.e. stored up for them. The expectation that some will escape death (cf. 1 Thess. 4:15ff.) is an exception to the general rule stated, occasioned by the special event of the coming of Christ. It is not therefore in conflict with this statement in Hebrews.
‘The words and after that comes judgment are not intended to imply that judgment follows immediately after death, but rather that judgment is to be expected subsequent to death. Furthermore, this does not mean that no act of judgment ever happens before death. The judgment (krisis) alluded to is the final assessment.
‘In making the comparison between everyman and Christ, the writer begins with a common factor: he died once, a point repeated yet again. What is most significant about this statement is that the death is now stated in the passive, having been offered, instead of the active as in verse 14. No hint is here given about who made the offering. Taken in conjunction with verse 14, it may be said that both active and passive aspects are necessary for a complete understanding of the offering. While it was voluntary, it was also imposed by external circumstances: historically by the malice of the Jewish murderers and theologically by the definite plan of God (cf. Acts 2:23).
‘The purpose of the offering is again stated in similar though slightly different terms from verse 26. Here the phrase to bear the sins of many (pollōn anenenkein hamartias) is precisely paralleled in the Septuagint of Isaiah 53:12. The same idea occurs in 1 Peter 2:24 where the bearing of sins is said to have been ‘in his body on the tree’. Similarly, John the Baptist’s announcement that the Lamb of God would bear away the sin of the world echoes the same thought. The ‘many’ contrasts with the one offering.
‘The Christ who has dealt with sin at his first coming will appear a second time for a different purpose. Had the parallel with judgment been pressed, some aspect of Christ’s coming to judge might have been introduced. But the second coming is said to be for salvation. The second coming is in fact the divine seal on the complete acceptance of the sacrifice offered previously. The emphasis falls on the effect that the second coming of Christ will have on those who are eagerly waiting for him (i.e. Christians). Nothing is said about unbelievers as would have been natural after the mention of judgment. But it is Christ’s work of salvation that engages the writer’s attention. There might here be some analogy to the expectations of the worshippers as they wait to greet the high priest on his return from the holy of holies on the Day of Atonement. But the words not to deal with sin (chōris hamartias) quickly put a different complexion on the analogy. Sin needs no further atonement. All that is necessary is the appropriation of the salvation which Christ’s self-offering has secured. The verb translated eagerly waiting (apekdechomenois) occurs in 1 Corinthians 1:7, Philippians 3:20, and Romans 8:19, 23, 25, in each case of the great expectancy of believers waiting for the glories to come.’2
1. Thomas D. Lea, Hebrews, James, vol. 10, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 171–172.
2. Donald Guthrie, Hebrews: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 15, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1983), 201–203.