Lent Day 23–The Gospel According to Einstein

Albert Einstein has been credited with saying some really great quotes. A couple of his best summarize today’s passage,

Hebrews 10:1-18.

Let’s contrast Einstein with the author of the New Testament Book of Hebrews.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. (Einstein)

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming– not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.

But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins (Hebrews 10:1-4).

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them (Einstein).

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.” Then I said, “Here I am– it is written about me in the scroll– I have come to do your will, O God.”

First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them” (although the law required them to be made).

Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” (Hebrews 10:5-9)

Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex and more violent. It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction (Einstein).

[Jesus] sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy (Hebrews 10:10-18).