Reformation
The Biblical Use of Reformation
The word "reformation" occurs only once in Scripture, in Hebrews 9:10, where the author describes the old covenant regulations as "imposed until the time of reformation." The Greek word used here means "making straight" or "correcting," and it carries the sense of restoring something to its proper condition. In this context, it refers to the coming of Christ and the establishment of the new covenant.
The Old Covenant's Limitations
The author of Hebrews presents the old covenant system of sacrifices, rituals, and regulations as inherently temporary. These "regulations for the body" (Hebrews 9:10) addressed external matters like food, drink, and ceremonial washings but could not transform the inner person. The sacrifices offered year after year could not perfect the conscience of the worshiper (Hebrews 9:9). They were shadows pointing forward to a greater reality that was yet to come.
Christ as the Agent of Reformation
The "time of reformation" refers to the arrival of Christ and His atoning work. Through His own blood, Christ entered the heavenly sanctuary once for all, securing eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:11-12). What the old system could only symbolize, Christ accomplished in reality. His sacrifice did not merely address external ritual impurity but cleansed the conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14).
Setting Things Right
The Greek word behind "reformation" literally means to straighten what is bent or restore what is crooked. This concept runs throughout the prophetic tradition. Isaiah called for preparing the way of the Lord by making the crooked places straight (Isaiah 40:3-4). John the Baptist echoed this call at the dawn of the Messianic age (Luke 3:4-5). The reformation that Hebrews describes is the ultimate fulfillment of these prophetic hopes.
The New Covenant Reality
The reformation brought by Christ established a new covenant predicted by the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Under this new covenant, God's law would be written on the hearts of His people rather than on tablets of stone. The author of Hebrews quotes this prophecy at length (Hebrews 8:8-12) to demonstrate that the old order was always meant to give way to something better. The reformation was not a repair of the old system but its replacement with something fundamentally superior.
Biblical Context
The word 'reformation' appears solely in Hebrews 9:10, describing the transition from the old covenant's temporary ceremonial regulations to the new covenant established by Christ. The surrounding passage (Hebrews 9:1-14) contrasts the earthly tabernacle and its sacrifices with Christ's superior ministry in the heavenly sanctuary.
Theological Significance
The reformation described in Hebrews is nothing less than the transition from the old covenant to the new, accomplished through Christ's once-for-all sacrifice. It represents God setting right the relationship between Himself and humanity, moving from external rituals that could not cleanse the conscience to an internal transformation of the heart through the blood of Christ.
Historical Background
The Greek word for reformation was used in medical and philosophical contexts to describe the correction or restoration of something to its proper state. The author of Hebrews draws on this concept to explain the eschatological shift brought about by Christ. The first-century audience of Hebrews would have understood this in the context of the Jerusalem temple, which still stood at the time, and the ongoing debate about the relationship between Jewish ceremonial law and the new Christian faith.