10. Jesus promised that he would provide what additional freedom?

¹⁰ Earlier, Jesus had said: “If you remain in my word, you are really my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” His Jewish listeners replied: “We are Abraham’s offspring and never have we been slaves to anybody. How is it you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered: “Most truly I say to you, Every doer of sin is a slave of sin. Moreover, the slave does not remain in the household forever; the son remains forever.” (John 8:31-36) Therefore, fleshly descent from Abraham could not liberate the Jews from slavery to sin. Jesus made this historical declaration regarding freedom to call attention to something that was coming and that would be greater than what Israelites experienced in any Jubilee.

The Christian Jubilee Begins

11. Why does our interest in the Christian Jubilee focus on the year 33 C.E.?

¹¹ The Jews did not see that the Jubilee of the Mosaic Law covenant was typical of a greater Jubilee. (Colossians 2:17; Ephesians 2:14, 15) This Jubilee for Christians involves “the truth” that can set humans free​—that truth centering on the Son, Jesus Christ. (John 1:17) When did this greater Jubilee that could bring freedom even from sin and its effects begin to be celebrated? It was in the spring of 33 C.E., on the day of Pentecost. This was ten days after Jesus’ ascension to heaven to present the merit of his sacrifice to Jehovah God.​—Hebrews 9:24-28.

Out of interest in liberation, we should especially note one feature of the new covenant. The apostle Paul called attention to this, writing: “‘This is the covenant that I shall covenant toward them after those days, . . . I shall by no means call their sins and their lawless deeds to mind anymore.’ Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.”​—Hebrews 10:16-18.

15. Why can we say that at Pentecost 33 C.E. the Christian Jubilee began for anointed ones? (Romans 6:6, 16-18)

¹⁵ Jesus was pointing to this liberation from sin when he said: “If the Son sets you free, you will be actually free.” (John 8:36) Imagine​—freedom from sin made possible on the basis of Christ’s sacrifice! Starting on the day of Pentecost, God declared believing ones righteous and then adopted them as spiritual sons having the prospect of reigning with Christ in heaven. Paul explains: “For you did not receive a spirit of slavery causing fear again, but you received a spirit of adoption as sons . . . If, then, we are children, we are also heirs: heirs indeed of God, but joint heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:15-17) Unquestionably, the Christian Jubilee had begun for anointed Christians.

16. What additional blessings and prospects were involved for those celebrating the Christian Jubilee?

¹⁶ So on that day of Pentecost in the year 33 C.E., the new nation of spiritual Israel came into existence. It was made up of humans whose sins had been forgiven on the basis of Christ’s sacrificial blood. (Romans 5:1, 2; Ephesians 1:7) Who of us could deny that those first members of spiritual Israel taken into the new covenant experienced a marvelous liberation by having their sins forgiven? They were made by God into “‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for special possession, that [they] should declare abroad the excellencies’ of the one that called [them] out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9) True, their fleshly bodies were still imperfect and they would die in time. Yet, now that God had declared them righteous and had adopted them as spiritual sons, their fleshly death was just a “releasing” that allowed for their resurrection to Christ’s “heavenly kingdom.”​—2 Timothy 4:6, 18.

17, 18. Why was the liberation of the Christian Jubilee more valuable than the preliminary freedom that Jesus proclaimed?

¹⁷ The initial or preliminary step of freeing believing Jews from mistaken notions and practices had much value. However, we have seen that Jesus went beyond that spiritual liberation. From Pentecost 33 C.E. onward, he liberated believing humans from “the law of sin and of death.” (Romans 8:1, 2)