No Temple Now, No Gift of Price
No temple now, no gift of price
This hymn articulates the Lutheran understanding of Christ's fulfillment of the Levitical priesthood and the sufficiency of His single sacrifice, rejecting both Jewish temple sacrifice and medieval Mass theology. It emphasizes the immediate access to God granted through Christ's blood, central to Protestant soteriology.
History & Background
Written by Bishop James Robert Woodford of Norwich in 1871, this hymn expounds the Epistle to the Hebrews' doctrine of Christ as the ultimate High Priest. It was published in Hymns Ancient and Modern and has been included in Lutheran hymnals as a meditation on Christ's once-and-for-all sacrifice.
Hymnal Appearances
- Lutheran Service Book — 530
Bulletin Note
Written by James Robert Woodford in 1871, this hymn directly challenges both Jewish ceremonial religion and medieval Catholic Mass theology, asserting the Protestant conviction that Christ's one sacrifice renders all other offerings obsolete and unnecessary.
Preaching Connection
This hymn crystallizes the Lutheran distinction between the Law's exposure of human inability (the inadequacy of temple sacrifices) and the Gospel's proclamation of Christ's singular, all-sufficient work—making it a natural liturgical anchor for sermons on Hebrews or the meaning of the cross.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Christ's Lenten self-denial models our repentance; His victory over Satan empowers our spiritual triumph; His presence sustains us through suffering toward Easter joy and eternal paradise.
Themes
Christ's sacrificial atonement Superior priesthood of Christ Access to God through faith Fulfillment of Old Testament types