39 Christological implications of the three-fold interpretation of verbs siderations argue against the traditional interpretation and recommend further inquiry into the motivation for the change to the passive form in 9,2819. With the second interpretation, Christ (Theme) comes into the presence of God (Goal). This interpretation coheres grammatically and thematica- lly with the double attribution of initiation to Christ, who offers himself in 9,14.25 and accommodates the contextual thematic contrast between the efficacious agency of Christ (9,28) and the inefficacious agency of priests according to the law (10,2). This interpretation also coheres with and develops the contextual contrast between the motion of Christ, who does not come (ἔρχομαι) into a sanctuary (ἅγια) made by human hands (9,24), and the motion of the high priest, who comes (ἔρχομαι) into the sanctuary (τὰ ἅγια) [made by human hands] year after year (9,25). Thus, the second interpretation is thematically and grammatically viable in this context. With the third interpretation, Christ (Agent) offers himself (The- me) to God (Goal). As previously discussed, the explicit references to Christ’s self-offering in 9,14.25 recommend this interpretation. The need to retrieve God as the referent of the Goal from 9,14 also encourages the simultaneous retrieval of Christ as the referent of the unrealized Agent. With this interpretation, the change from the active usage with a reflexive pronoun in 9,14.25 to the passive reflexive usage in 9,28 has the rhetorical motivation of permitting the verb in 9,28 to accommodate the dual function of completing the thematic development of 9,11-28 and of contrasting this development with that of 10,1-1020. Within 9,11-28, the thematic focus is the efficacious agency of Christ the high priest of the good things (τὰ ἀγαθά) that have occurred (9,11). The first contextual occurrence of “offer” (9,14) states that the blood of Christ, who offered himself to God without blemish, will cleanse (καθαρίζω) the conscience (συνείδησις); and the second (9,25) states that Christ offered himself not on many occasions or year after year (κατ᾽ ἐνιαυτόν, 9,25). The passive reflexive occurrence in 9,28 then develops and summarizes the previous A similar situation pertains in 12,7 which presents the only other occurrence of this 19 verb that admits to a three-fold interpretation in Hebrews, In this occurrence, God is the referent of the subject. Thematic considerations argue strongly against its interpretation as the passivized form of an active usage, “God is offered to us as sons”, because Hebrews identifies no Agent that is able to act on God as Theme (or Patient). In contrast, the in- terpretations with the passive usage of motion, “God comes to us as sons”, and with the passive usage of transference, “God presents God to us as sons”, are eminently viable in this context, which considers God’s relationship with God’s children. A.C. Mitchell, Hebrews (SPS 13; Collegeville, MN 2007) 195, accepts the traditional 20 interpretation (tra. act.) and proposes an alternative rhetorical motivation for the change to the passive form in 9,28: to enhance the contrast between the old ritual, in which priest offered, and the new reality, in which Christ is offered. Curiously, however, Mitchell goes on to develop the significance of 9,28 in terms of Christ’s self-offering (tra. pass.).