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| Chapter 10 |
| Bible Text | Notes and Thoughts |
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1 ¶ For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come and not the very image of those things, can never, with those sacrifices which they offered continually year by year, make those who come unto it perfect. 2 For then would not sacrifices have ceased to be offered? For worshipers once purged should have had no more consciousness of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year, 4 for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 5 Therefore when He cometh into the world, He saith, "Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not have, but a body hast Thou prepared for Me. 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast had no pleasure. 7 ¶ Then said I, ’Lo, I come (in the volume of the Book it is written of Me) to do Thy will, O God.’" 8 Above when He said, "Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings, and offering for sin Thou wouldest not have, neither hadst pleasure therein" (which are offered in accordance with the law), 9 then said He, "Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God," He taketh away the first, that He may establish the second. 10 By this will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering time and again the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from henceforth expecting until His enemies be made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He hath perfected for ever those who are sanctified. 15 Of this the Holy Spirit also is a witness to us; for after he had said before, 16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." 18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. 19 ¶ Having therefore boldness, brethren, to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living Way, which He hath consecrated for us through the veil (that is to say, His flesh), 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast to the profession of our faith without wavering (for He is faithful who promised), 24 and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as ye see the Day approaching. 26 For if we sin willfully after having received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath accounted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath despised the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him that hath said, "Vengeance belongeth unto Me; I will recompense," saith the Lord. And again, "The Lord shall judge His people." 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 32 But call to remembrance the former days in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions, 33 partly while ye were being made a gazing stock by reproaches and afflictions, and partly while ye became companions of those who were so used. 34 For ye had compassion on me in my bonds and took joyfully the despoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance. 35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 "For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him." 39 But we are not of those who draw back unto perdition, but of those who believe, to the saving of the soul. |
The final and closing Victory, 10:1-18. The writer now returns to the superiority of Christ’s sacrifice, adding some additional thoughts to those shown earlier. v1-4 Animals could not satisfy the requirements of God for the punishment of sin. The law showed an outline, a shadow, of the future. The system of sacrifices showed the Jewish nation of their sin and the need of atonement. A sinner was not allowed to enter the presence of God but He allowed, once a year, the High Priest to enter and make the offering for sin. So keeping visible the purity of God but a hope of future access to Him. v2,3 If the person had been really made clean and sinless they would not have continued to sin, there would not have been the need for any more sacrifices. The worshipper was not made clean or perfect, all the animal sacrifices did was to remind the person of his sin filled life. v4 The sacrifice of the animals was necessary at the time, reminding the worshipper of the need for punishment for sin, they were a symbol of the future sacrifice of Christ but could never take away sin. v5,6 The writer quotes Psalm 40:6-8 to prove that the sacrifice of a spiritual being is greater then the death of a sacrificial animal. God had no pleasure in the sacrifice of animals for a person when the person continues in the sinful life with no repentance. v7 At the time, according to the will of God, Christ came into the world, just as prophesied in the Old Testament. v8-10 God had to do two things first before the Christ could come and suffer the sacrifice on the cross, according to God’s will. To create a human body so that He could come as a man and die in place of Man. Remove the old system of sacrifice as the sacrifice of Christ was to replace it in a once only sacrifice. Incarnation and sacrifice had to both occur, one was dependant upon the other. v11,12 To show further superiority of Christ’s sacrifice the writer points out that the Levitical priest was never allowed to sit down while making all their daily imperfect sacrifices, but Christ’s one and only sacrifice was so complete He sat down on the right of God for ever, the task was complete. v13 it seems that from the time Jesus sat down all His enemies were destroyed. This may seem difficult to grasp but we must realize that the spiritual realm of God is not restricted by human time, Death, sin were all overcome on the cross, though they may still appear to be here they have been destroyed, Satan judged, atonement and eternal life are now available to those who believe. v14 Sanctification was made available by this one sacrifice, through faith this perfect work can be completed. v15-18 The Holy Spirit is now added to the witnesses. v17 No more remembrance of sins. Satan will always try to remind us of our failures, but our Lord has covered and forgotten them, we should also forget once forgiven. v18 No more sacrifice for sins. The Holy Spirit, who through Jeremiah 31:31-34 (already referred to in Heb 8:8ff) states that there is no more need of a sacrifice. This prophecy speaks of the ultimate aim of the new covenant, forgiveness of sins. This covenant having been set up through the blood of Christ allows God to say "their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." 1 John 1:7. v19-39 The writer now examines some practical results of the previous arguments. v19 Because of the new covenant all believers have an even greater privilege than the old high priest, they are able to approach without fear and have direct access to God by the blood of Jesus. v20 Our access into God’s presence has been consecrated or opened for us by a new and living way John 14:6 our great High Priest has opened the veil into the "Holy of holies." Some people compare the "veil" being split with the flesh of Christ damaged on the cross, but scripture does not seem to make the link, the splitting of the veil showed the end of the old covenant. v21 Heb 3:1-6 We now have a great High Priest, a King over the house of God, all of God’s people are included, those under both the old and new covenants who worship Him. v22 Let us draw near, just as the Israelites approached the tabernacle under the old covenant, we who are under the new covenant, can in faith, through the sacrifice of Jesus, approach God, but our heart must still be in a condition which is not wrong with God, it must be washed and clean. Our heart must be prepared, just as the priest under the old covenant washed in the laver before entering the tabernacle. Leviticus 8:6-23; Exodus 30:17-21. v23 He is faithful who promised, we must hold fast to our faith and hope. v24 We must fix our attention not on ourself but on one another, encouraging each other in the faith, we are all one in the body of Christ and any body parts need to work together. v25 Developing the previous verse, the writer encourages the "body" to join together in worship. It appears that some Jewish Christians were not worshiping together, this may have been due to the pressure of persecution. The Day approaching could be referring to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 but must also include the ultimate return of Jesus. v26-31 The following verses show the danger of not worshipping as a united body. v26-27 If we sin willfully, if we deliberately sin, if we ignore the salvation offered, having received the truth, then the writer says that there is no other sacrifice for them, only judgement. v28,29,30 The writer puts emphasis on the effect of turning against God’s offer of salvation. Using Deuteronomy 17:1-7 as an example, where the person(s) are guilty of worshipping other god’s, idolatry. Any one turning away from the living God under the new covenant, trodden under foot the Son of God, must expect judgement, it is a sin against the Holy Spirit, true sanctification means separation from sin and dedication to God. v30 The writer quotes Deuteronomy 32:35,36. Paul also used this quote Romans 12:19. We know Him , we know who He is, the true living God, and what He can do, He is all powerful, omnipotent. v31 2 Samuel 24:14. The terror of falling into a judging God. v32-39 Further severe warnings. v32,33 The writer calls the reader to remember what they were called upon to do when they first turned to the Jesus as their Saviour. Persecution perhaps by the Romans and the other Gentiles, perhaps they had been put into the Roman arenas, being made a gazing stock by reproaches and afflictions, though Heb 12:4 suggests they had still not died for their faith. v34 The first words of this verse have been used as evidence that Paul was the writer but the original Greek can also be translated "with the prisoners," not only had the readers suffered for their faith they were able to also help those who were in prison for their belief. They were also willing to suffer loss as they had a true treasure in heaven to look for. (the word "heaven" is not found in some originals.) v35,36 Therefore they were encouraged not to throw away their Christian confidence but to continue in their faith and the Lord. To do this will one day bring rewards, but you need faith, trust and seek to do the will of God to reach the promise of God. v37 Habakkuk 2:3,4 The return of the Lord is very close, we may think that He has not come in over 2000 years and that is not very close, but to a God of eternity it is just a moment. v38 The writer has used Habakkuk 2:4 but changed the order. The person who is righteous belongs to God and if his trust continues in God and His promises, they shall live. v39 It appears that the writer has only been making these serious warnings against apostasy (turning away from your religious faith) was hypothetical (not based on fact ) The readers had not turned away from God, the writer was just warning them what might happen. |
Easy English Translation
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