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THE BOOK OF HEBREWS |
James Deering, AncientPath.net
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THE VISUALIZED TEXT (NASB) (conjunctions
& prepositions underlined,
words not in original text in italics)
(alternate text in purple)
10:1 For the Law,
since it has only a shadow
of the good things to come and
not the very form of things,
can never
by the same sacrifices year by year,
which they offer continually,
make perfect those who draw near.
2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered,
because the worshipers,
having once been cleansed,
would no longer have had consciousness of sins?
3 But in those sacrifices
there is a reminder of sins year by year.
4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats
to take away sins.
5 Therefore,
when He comes into the world,
He says, "SACRIFICE AND OFFERING THOU HAST NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY THOU HAST PREPARED FOR ME;
6 IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices
`FOR SIN THOU HAST TAKEN NO PLEASURE.
7 "THEN I SAID, 'BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE ROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME)
TO DO THY WILL, O GOD.'"
8 After saying above,
"SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND
sacrifices FOR SIN THOU HAST NOT DESIRED,
NOR HAST THOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them"
(which are offered according to the Law),
9 then He said, "BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO THY WILL."
He takes away the first in order to establish the second.
10 By this
will we have been sanctified
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ
once for all.
11 And every priest
stands daily
ministering and
offering
time after time
the same sacrifices,
which can never take away sins;
12 but He,
having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time,
SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD,
13 waiting from that time onward
UNTIL HIS ENEMIES
BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL
FOR HIS FEET.
14 For by one offering
He has perfected
for all time
those who are sanctified.
15 And the Holy Spirit
also bears witness to us;
for after saying,
16 "THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE
WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS,
SAYS THE LORD:
I WILL PUT MY LAWS
UPON THEIR HEART, AND
UPON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM,"
He then says,
17 "AND THEIR SINS
AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS
I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE."
18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things,
there is no longer any offering for sin.
19 Since therefore, brethren,
we have confidence
to enter the holy place
by the blood of Jesus,
20 by a
new and
living way
which He inaugurated
for us
through the veil, that is, His flesh,
21 and since we have a great priest
over the house of God,
22 let us draw near
with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled clean
from an evil conscience and
our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast
the confession of our hope
without wavering,
for He who promised is faithful;
24 and let us consider
how to stimulate one another
to love and
good deeds,
25 not forsaking our own assembling together,
as is the habit of some, but
encouraging one another;
and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.
26 For if we go on sinning willfully
after receiving the knowledge of the truth,
there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
27 but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and
THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.
28 Anyone who has set aside
the Law of Moses
dies
without mercy
on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
29 How much severer punishment
do you think
he will deserve
who has
trampled under foot the Son of God, and
has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant
by which he was sanctified, and
has insulted the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know Him who said,
"VENGEANCE IS MINE,
I WILL REPAY."
And again,
"THE
LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE."
31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32 But remember the former days, when,
after being enlightened,
you endured a great conflict of sufferings,
33 partly,
by being made a public spectacle
through
reproaches and
tribulations, and
partly by becoming sharers
with those who were so treated.
34 For you
showed sympathy to the prisoners, and
accepted joyfully the seizure of your property,
knowing that you have for yourselves
a better possession and
an abiding one.
35 Therefore,
do not throw away your confidence,
which has a great reward.
36 For you have need of endurance,
so that when
you have done the will of God,
you may receive what was promised.
37 FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE,
HE WHO
IS COMING
WILL COME, AND
WILL NOT DELAY.
38 BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE
SHALL LIVE BY FAITH;
AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK,
MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.
39 But
we are not of those who shrink back to destruction,
but
of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
Hebrews 10
God the Father is the Creator and Ruler of man and the Provider of redemption through His love (John 3:16). God the Son is the Redeemer, who became man for the purpose of our redemption. God the Holy Spirit is the "Executive of the Godhead," the "Vicar of Christ," Who applies to each believing soul the benefits of redemption. We see this very clearly in Hebrews 10:1-17
Hebrews 10:1-4
1 For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Here are some Questions Concerning Hebrews 10:1-4
Q. Verse 1 - Of what is the Law only a "shadow"?
A. All those things made possible through the redemption made through Jesus Christ.
Q. Verse 1 - What can the Law never do?
A. Make perfect those who draw near to God.
Q. Verse 2 - Why did the OT sacrifices have to be made over and over again?
A. Because the could never make perfect those who draw near to God.
Q. Verse 3 - How were the sacrifices a reminder of sin?
A. Because they had to be repeated over and over again.
Q. Verse 4 - What was the defect in the OT sacrifices?
A. It was impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Hebrews 10:5-10
5 Therefore, when He (The Son of God, Jesus) comes into the world, He says, "Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, But a body You have prepared for Me; 6 In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have taken no pleasure." 7 Then I said, "Behold, I have come (In the scroll of the book it is written of Me) To do Your will, O God." 8 After saying above, "Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them" (which are offered according to the Law), 9 then He (The Son of God, Jesus) said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will." He takes away the first in order to establish the second. 10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Q. Verse 5 - What is the point of this verse?
A. Jesus would not sacrifice the blood of animals, He was appointed to be the blood sacrifice that would accomplish redemption.
Q. Verse 6 - What pleasure did God find in the blood of bulls and goats?
A. None
Q. Verse 7 - Whose will was it that Jesus should come and do?
A. God's
Q. Verses 7-8 - Was Jesus aware that the blood of bulls and goats was ineffective as to remission of sins?
A. Yes
Q. Verse 9 - Who would come, to dwell among men, to do God's will concerning remission of sins?
A. The Son of God, Jesus.
Q. Verse 9 - Jesus takes away the First what in order to establish the second what and what does that mean?
A. Sacrifice - Jesus put an end to the Old Testament Covenant (Law, Sacrifices, and Ordinances based upon the shed blood of animals - and established the New Testament Covenant of full remission based upon the shed blood of the Son of God, Jesus the Christ.
Q. Verse 10 - What did this New Covenant Sacrifice accomplish?
A. "We have been sanctified (set apart, made Holy) through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 10:11-18
11 Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12 but He (The Son of God, Jesus), having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet. 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, 16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, And on their mind I will write them," He then says, 17 "And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."
18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.
Q. Verse 11 - What did the OT Priests do?
A. They stood "daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices which can never take away sins."
Q. Why did God require them to do this?
A. To teach them of the great sacrifice that way yet to come by the "cutting-off of Messiah." (cp. Daniel 9:26)
Q. Verse 12 - What did High Priest Jesus do that was different at the end of His sacrifice?
A. "Having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, he sat down at the right hand of God."
Q. Verse 13 - According to this verse what is Jesus doing right now?
A. Waiting until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet.
Q. Verse 14 - What was so great about the Sacrifice the Son of God made?
A. "for by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified."
Q. Verse 15-17 - What did the Holy Spirit say and Testify to us?
A. "This is the covenant that I will make with them After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, And on their mind I will write them," He then says, 17 "And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."
Q. Verse 18 - How does the Holy Spirit wrap up this chapter using the writer of Hebrews...
A. "Now where there is FORGIVENESS of these things, there IS NO LONGER ANY OFFERING FOR SIN."
As we have said in class many times - The issue of SIN is "Off-The-Table" as God, through the Work of God's Son, is now completely reconciled to the world (man), therefore there no longer is any reason for a continuing sacrifice for sin. That also means that there is no longer any use for the OT Law or the Priesthood which administrated that Law.
Hello everyone, and welcome, to our video series on the book of Hebrews.
We're teaching a word-on-word, line-on-line Book of
Hebrews Video series.
II.
Jesus Better than the
Angels, and the Ultimate Man, 1:5-2:18
III.
Jesus Better than
Moses, 3:1-6
IV.
Jesus and the Sabbath
Rest, 3:7-4:13
V.
Jesus the Great High
Priest, 4:14-7:28
VI.
Jesus the Appointed
High Priest, 8:1-10:19
VII.
Our writer as Pastor
presents Nearness, Hope and Encouragement, 10:19-25
VIII.
An Embedded Warning
against Apostasy and an exhortation to Perseverance, 10:26-39
Beginning with part 7 [VII] we can see how chapter 10 fits into the general flow of the outline. Part 8 [VIII] begins a dialog about the Superior Ministry of Jesus as the Appointed High Priest. Chapter 10 begins with part �d.� and introduces us to two important concepts about the differences between "things that are pictures of the future" and the future in reality, and "Things here on earth given to the nation of Israel," and "Things in heaven given to the Nation of Israel and all believers of every nation."
Here's that part of
the outline:
IX.
The Superior
Ministry of Jesus the Appointed High Priest, 8:1-10:18
a.
A Study in Contrasts,
9:1-14
b.
Christ the Mediator of
the New Covenant, 9:15-22
c.
Christ's Perfect
Sacrifice, 9:23-28
d.
Shadow and
Reality, 10:1-4
e.
The Temporary and
the Final, 10:5-18
The outline continues with three sections on
encouragement to Draw Near to God, to Hold to their (our) hope in God, and a
directive to Encourage One Another.
f.
Let Us Draw Near
to God, 10:19-22
g.
Let Us Hold
Unswervingly to the Hope We Possess, 10:23
h.
Let Us Encourage
One Another, 10:24-25
Continuing on with chapter 10 Starting in verse 26, our writer introduces us to
a section warning his congregation (and us) to Encourage each other and
persevere in the faith.
X.
Perseverance and
Faithful Endurance, 10:26-12:29
a.
Embedded Warning
Against Apostasy and an Exhortation to Perseverance, 10:26-39
i.
Stern Warning,
10:26-31
ii.
Encouragement to
Remember and Persevere, 10:32-39
VI.
The Superior Ministry of Jesus the Appointed
High Priest
VII.
Pastoral Application in the Light of Christ's
Superiority
VIII.
Perseverance and Faithful Endurance
Here I will put the flow of these three sections into
plain talk: First, in the first section, we'll continue to look at the superior
ministry of Jesus as the appointed High Priest. We'll see the importance of
being able to see, and separate, the difference in the scriptures between those
things that are shadows of real things, and the real things themselves. In a
similar way we'll see the difference between those things which are temporary
and those things which are final and eternal.
In the second section
we'll look at what Christ's superiority in these areas means to us in our
relationship to the Body of Christ, i.e., our need to draw near to God, our need
to hold onto the hope we have in Christ, and our need to keep on encouraging one
another in that hope.
Then in the third section
we'll be confronted with a warning against apostasy and be exhorted to remember
and persevere.
It's important to remember as we enter into this study
that:
God the Father is the Creator and Ruler of man and the Provider of redemption
through His love (John 3:16). God the Son is the Redeemer, who became man for
the purpose of our redemption. God the Holy Spirit is the "Executive of the
Godhead," the "Vicar of Christ," Who applies to each believing soul the benefits
of redemption.
Section VI - Shadow VS Reality and Temporary VS Final
and Eternal, 10:1-18
Part-1, 10:1-4 Shadow VS Reality
1 For
the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the
very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer
continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.
2 Otherwise,
would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once
been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? 3 But in those sacrifices, there
is a reminder of sins year by year. 4 For
it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
In this lesson we'll be quoting some more or less famous bible teachers, and
scholars, concerning these verses. Each of their comments comes from their works
on the book of Hebrews.
Harry Ironside notes: "The Levitical economy was but a shadow of the coming good things. It was therefore impossible that the sacrifices offered on Jewish altars yearly to perpetuity could perfect those who presented them so far as their consciences were concerned."
William Barkley says, "To the writer the whole business of sacrifice was only a pale copy of what true and real worship ought to be. The whole business of religion was to bring a man into a close and intimate relationship with God, to give him free and full access to the presence of God. That is what these sacrifices could never do. The best that they could do was to give a man a distant and spasmodic contact with God."
10:1
1 For
the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the
very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer
continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.
A Shadow is a mere indication that a reality exists.
Kenneth Wuest notes that: "A shadow is a bare intimation that good things were to be given, where reality is an actual presentation of these good things in an apprehensible form."
The verse says, "By the same sacrifices - offered year by year," Davidson notes
that: "No repetition of the shadow can amount to the substance." No matter how
close a shadow can be - it can never provide the closeness of intimate contact
with the real thing.
2 Otherwise,
would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once
been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins?
In Verse 2, the words, "make perfect, [to make complete]" hold the idea that the
ceremonial law could not actually save the believer.
The constant renewal of the yearly sacrifices proves that they were ineffective,
for had the worshippers once been cleansed they would have had no longer any
consciousness of sins and would therefore, have sought no renewal of sacrifice.
The distinction is most important. Today I may be conscious of sin in thought,
word, and deed, but confessing my sins, I look up into the face of my Father
with confidence, knowing that for these very sins the blood of Christ has
answered. Thus, my conscience is freed from condemnation.
3 But in those sacrifices, there
is a reminder of sins year by year
Actually, the Old Covenant Jew who would come to the tabernacle, present his
animal for sacrifice, look ahead in faith to the God appointed Lamb who would
some day bear his sins, was, in fact, saved in Jesus' precious blood and saved
forever. This is, of course, from God's viewpoint. The blood of Jesus was just
as powerful to save and keep saved for time and eternity before the Cross as
since the Cross, for we have a God who takes things that are not in existence to
bring to naught the things that are. Or in everyday English... We have a God who
has taken into account the needs of believers in our past, pre-Christ, when He
designed the plan and program of eternal salvation. Even though Christ has not
suffered as the supreme sacrifice for sins at the time of Israel's sins... God's
plan covered them.
4 For
it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
There is no relation between the physical blood of animals and man's moral
offence. There's no way the slaying of an animal could provide any effective
removal of sin or guilt from sin. But as a type of the sacrifice of God's Son
(The Lamb of God), it should have been an effective teaching tool of the truth
that God would forgive their sins through the reality of a future REAL sacrifice
that God would provide.
The Old Covenant was that teaching tool - for the then "Children of Abraham,"
and for all those who came into contact with the writings of the Old Testament -
and all those who came in contact with this nation of God's chosen people.
As we have said, the sacrifice of an animal, or the blood of an animal, or any
of the other sacrificial gifts and offerings was incapable, in and of itself, to
take away sin and sins. But Having a true Faith in them, and in the God of their
design, did. But even then, the effectiveness for the removal of the sin, it-s
guilt and punishment, was solely based upon the Free-will sacrifice of God's
Son. The Old Covenant merely "POINTED" to the finished work of Christ that was
yet to come.
Here�s five questions and answers to recap the first 4 verses:
Q.
Verse 1 - Of what is the Law only a "shadow"?
A. All those things
made possible through the redemption made through Jesus Christ.
Q.
Verse 1 - What can the Law never do?
A. Make perfect
those who draw near to God.
Q.
Verse 2 - Why did the OT sacrifices have to be made over and over again?
A.
Because they could never make perfect those who draw near to God.
Q.
Verse 3 - How were the sacrifices a reminder of sin?
A.
Because they had to be repeated over and over again.
Q.
Verse 4 - What was the defect in the OT sacrifices?
A.
It was impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Part-2, 10:5-18 The Temporary and The Final
We'll handle this part in groups of verses ' first verses 5-7
5 Therefore, when
He comes into the world, He says,
"Sacrifice
and offering You have not desired,
But a
body You have prepared for Me;
6 In
whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for
sin You have taken no pleasure."
7 Then
I said, "Behold, I have come
(In the
scroll of the book it is written of Me)
To do Your will,
O God."
For a moment we need to reflect back to Abraham and Genesis Chapters 11 and twelve. At the end of Chapter 11, Abraham's father Terah, who lived in the Ur of the Chaldeans took his son Abram and his whole estate to a place north of the land of Canaan called Haran (they apparently named that place after Grandfather). Abram grew up there and married Sarai. There God spoke to Abram, "Go forth, leave your relatives, and to a place that I'll show you when you get there." Then Genesis, Twelve, verse 4 says, "So, Abram went forth as the Lord has spoken to him." The contents of the Abrahamic Covenant were spoken to Abram in the first verses of Chapter 12. Later, when Abraham's (God changed Abram's name) son Isaac was a teenager, God told him, "take now your son, your only son... and offer him there as a burnt offering... Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son..." The angel of the Lord stopped him and said, "...now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."
Why have I brought this up, you might ask? I bring this up because I want you to
pay close attention to what God was up to with Abraham, and why the Abrahamic
covenant was established. Abraham loved God. He loved Him so much that when God
said, "Move far away," Abraham moved far away. When God said, "Sacrifice your
only son by burnt offering," Abraham loved God so much - that's what Abraham
needed to do. That is the definition of believing faith. It is proven by
the devotion and obedience of the believer.
Devotion and obedience... let's look at what this does not mean. "I'll be
devoted to God, and I'll be obedient to Him and He will give me salvation as the
result of my devotion and obedience." No, absolutely not.
Devotion and obedience are the RESULTS of the salvation that He offers in turn
for willingly giving Him your love. If you don't get this right... then you will
spend your life trying to please God and being concerned about all of your
"works" in order to get to heaven. God's plan is through Grace, He offers you
salvation if you, in fact, come to love Him. Your proof of His graceful
salvation is that you freely and willingly, because of His salvation given,
respond to Him with devotion and obedience. That relationship between you and
God, can only be known by you and Him. From the outside it is impossible for one
to determine if one is a true believer through devotion and obedience. They both
look the same from outside the relationship. But the true believer offers their
devotion and obedience as the result of your relationship with Him.
So, as we consider the words of this section of Hebrews, may we be mindful that
when we speak of obedience, we are speaking of a response to the love of God �
not a way of creating a relationship with God.
Our writer, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, has taken the words of the
Psalm and he has put them into the mouth of Jesus. What the psalm says is that
God does not want animal sacrifices; He wants obedience to His will - like
Abraham's obedience... He wanted to be obedient to God's will, just because God
asked Him to - not because He wanted to earn God's good pleasure. His heart was
to be obedient to God.
5 Therefore, when
He comes into the world, He says,
"Sacrifice
and offering You have not desired,
But a
body You have prepared for Me;
Messiah volunteers to become the sacrifice. In so doing He sets aside the First
and establishes the Second Covenant.
Now, in contrast to the weakness of the Old Covenant Levitical offerings, we now
come to the strengths of the sacrifice of out "Better sacrifice," Jesus Christ.
William MacDonald's commentary on the book notes, "By way of introduction, we are permitted to hear the Savior's soliloquy at the time of His incarnation... quoting from Psalm 40, He noted God's dissatisfaction with the sacrifices and offerings of the Old covenant."
Psalm 40 is a wonderful Psalm that clearly shows forth its messianic message.
Written by King David the psalm beautifully speaks of both David's and the
Messiah's trust and love in the Heavenly Father and their difficulties they
faced in this evil world. David's
theme demonstrates that deliverance from sin is not obtained by animal
sacrifices, for they were unwilling victims whose blood was powerless to
cleanse, but by fulfilling God's Will.
With the words of Psalm 40 We should be reminded that throughout the Old
Testament scriptures, it is a witness of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, that He
took delight in accomplishing the will of His heavenly Father.
The end of this verse has very special significance. The Son of God comes down
to earth and becomes human flesh. God, His heavenly Father, gives to Him the
very tool that will complete the eternal plan of salvation. He gives His Son a
human body... for without it the eternal plan of salvation could not be
accomplished. The Son of God needed to become human in order to be sacrificed
for the sins of humanity. His Godness was needed to make His sacrifice eternal.
In eternity past God the Father PREPARED for the day and time that Jesus would
need a body to complete the plan of salvation for man.
6 In
whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for
sin You have taken no pleasure.
Here
we see that the roll of offerings and sacrifices for sin... were only used as a
teaching tool. The Hebrew who was paying attention to the Tabernacle or Temple
offerings should have thought, "This is what God will do when He comes and
provides for my sin and sins." But for the many, it just became legal,
religious, works. God was not pleased with the animal sacrifices; they were just
a teaching tool. But He was not also pleased with many of the hearts of the
Hebrew people who did not wish to love God, and those who would not see His plan
for their ultimate salvation.
To clarify the meaning of this verse it is not that God did not take pleasure in
the offerings through the Levitical sacrifices. They were, in face, in obedience
to God's law and will. He did not take pleasure in the fact that these
sacrifices under the law did not, nor could not, pay for sin. The pleasure of
God would be in the eternal plan whereby His Son would provide the appropriate
sacrifice that would cleanse from sin - completely forever.
7 "Then
I said, �Behold,
I have
come
(In the
scroll of the book it is written of Me)
To do Your will,
O God."
Verse seven is another important place to stop and think about what the Old
Covenant Hebrew should have focused upon during their earthly lives. They missed
the message of the Scriptures. They missed understanding the words God has
communicated through the Prophets. They followed self, they followed corrupt
leaders, they centered their lives on the non-performance of shadowy religious
laws. Their leaders created mountains of law that could never be followed - and
called it their religion. But the book was full of the one who would come to
free them, full of the one who would deliver the appropriate sacrifice, full of
the one who would fulfill the promises and lead them into the true and real
"Promised Land," and full of the one who would bring them true and real
salvation.
8 After
saying above, "Sacrifices
and offerings and whole
burnt offerings and sacrifices for
sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in
them" (which are offered according to the Law), 9 then
He [d]said,
"Behold,
I have
come to do Your will."
He takes away the first in order to establish the second. 10 By [e]this
will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus
Christ once for all.
We covered the meaning of this verse back when we looked at verse 6.
Moving on to verse 9, This verse demonstrates the central theme of the Book of Hebrews. The establishment of the New Covenant and the dissolution of the Old Covenant through God Himself providing an eternal solution to the problem of sin whereby He Himself becomes a man and provides Himself as the ultimate blood sacrifice that will "take away the sins of the world."
Harry Ironside notes: "By Christ's accomplishment of God's will, we who believe in Him are now eternally set apart to God on the basis, not of our promises or feelings or of our personal righteousness, but of the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. How slowly truths like these seem to seep into our souls and become part of our very beings. But one may safely say there is no lasting peace until this aspect of Christ's work has been laid hold of in faith."
William MacDonald notes: "Our Salvation is a positional salvation."
In case you have not been introduced to positional truth - let me give you an
example that will help. The process of adoption takes many forms but for our
purposes let's keep it simple.
1.
Here we have a little girl who for any number of reasons has lost her family.
She does not "belong" to anyone.
2. Here we have a small family who is seeking to adopt a young girl into their family. We should note that in this case this small family has a son. That son has many rights and graces that come with being a son. Two that go good with our little story is the fact the son "belongs" to his family. He is bound to them and their love for him. A second good thing that comes from being a child in the family is called inheritance. That which belongs to the family also belongs to him.
3.
Our little girl takes a trip and visits our little family. She stays for a
couple days, gets to know the mom and dad, and the son - but she does not
belong.
Our family loves the little girl, and the little girl loves the family. All the
legalities are settled... and...
Our little girl is adopted by our family and she is:
4. changed... She now Belongs and has an inheritance - because she is now a
member of the family.
Nothing physical has changed, however this small child is now Positionally
moved from being a non-family member to a full family member.
Salvation is like that. Upon your faith in Christ and your love of God - you are
moved from the position of being an unforgiven sinner
to the position of a fully forgiven Child of God complete with all the
rights, privileges and inheritance of full family membership. All accomplished
by the Grace of God through the sacrifice of the Son of God, Jesus the Christ.
We are set apart by God, to God, and For God. We become His
royal priesthood (royal because we are now members of God's family the Royal
family) and we serve Jesus, like Moses and Aaron, as He is our Great High
Priest.
The Greek New Testament has two words for "child." The first word, "teknon," is
the word for a little child, one who is basically chattel. That is they have no
legal rights - speaking of course of New Testament times. The second word, the
one used for believers, is "hUios." This child is one who has grown into
adulthood - either by age or declaration, who has attained legal status and is
in standing for the responsibilities and inheritance of the family possessions
and standing. They have "come of age." When we are adopted into the family of
God... we are not adopted as "teknon," the little child, we are adopted into
God's personal family as ones having the full rights of a "hUios," first born,
adult male child, in succession for full inheritance. Those are your rights, and
your inheritance, regardless of being male, female, boy or girl believer.
Verse 10 belongs to both this paragraph and the next, remembering that chapter
and verse divisions were later added for clarity and teaching. In the context of
this paragraph we see the connection of the sanctifying work, on behalf of the
believer, is coupled to the one-time sacrifice of Christ Himself and because of
His eternal nature -- that sacrifice need never be repeated ever again.
When we get to the next chapter we'll see that verse 10 introduces us to the
"Finished" work of Christ at the Cross... and as the great High Priest His
sacrificial work is "Finished" and as High Priest He takes the position of
"sitting down," no longer having to "sacrifice" either daily or annually. More
when we get to verse 11.
Here's seven questions to recap verses 5-10:
5 Therefore, when
He comes into the world, He says,
"Sacrifice
and offering You have not desired,
But a
body You have prepared for Me;"
Q.
Verse 5 - What is the point of this verse?
A.
Jesus was appointed to be the blood sacrifice that would accomplish
redemption.
6 In
whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for
sin You have taken no pleasure.
Q.
Verse 6 - What pleasure did God find in the blood of bulls and goats?
A.
None
7 Then
I said, "Behold, I have come
(In the
scroll of the book it is written of Me)
To do Your will,
O God."
8 After
saying above, "Sacrifices
and offerings and whole
burnt offerings and sacrifices for
sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in
them" (which are offered according to the Law),
Q.
Verse 7 - Whose will was it that Jesus should come and do?
A. God's
Q.
Verses 7-8 - Was Jesus aware that the blood of bulls and goats was
ineffective as to remission of sins?
A.
Yes
9 then
He [d]said,
"Behold,
I have
come to do Your will."
He takes away the first in order to establish the second.
Q.
Verse 9 - Who would come, to dwell among men, to do God's will concerning
remission of sins?
A. The second
person of the God head, the Son of God in human flesh, Jesus.
Q.
Verse 9 - Jesus takes away the First what in order to establish the
Second what?
A.
In the context of the paragraph, our answer would be Sacrifice -
In the larger context of the book, Jesus put an end to the Old Testament First
Covenant (Law, Sacrifices, and Ordinances based upon the shed blood of animals -
and established the New Testament Second Covenant of full remission based upon
the shed blood of the Son of God, Jesus the Christ.
10 By [e]this
will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus
Christ once for all.
Q.
Verse 10 - What did this New Covenant Sacrifice accomplish?
A. "We
(believers) have been sanctified (set apart, made Holy) through the offering of
the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 Every
priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same
sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12 but
He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for
all time, sat
down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting
from that time onward until
His enemies be made a footstool for His feet.
14 For
by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
In spite of the ushering in of the New Covenant,
based upon the blood sacrifice of Messiah, the temple priests were still
practicing the law with animal sacrifices. Those priests were still
standing and
sacrificing animals, yet Jesus, as the Great High Priest, had finished His
sacrifice and was now seated
at the right hand of God His Father. The former priests were still trying to
cover sin that the Great High Priest had eliminated forever. The Levitical
priesthood became apostate by rejecting what Jesus Christ, the foretold Messiah,
had done. They were in defiance of the clear will of God.
11 Every
priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same
sacrifices, which can never take away sins;
Our teacher continues to clarify the differences in the Priesthood between the
Old and New Covenants. As we noted before in the Aaronic (Levitical) priesthood
during their scheduled times of service were not allowed to sit down. There were
no chairs or benches within the Tabernacle boundary fence. Their work was never
completed. Sin was never eradicated - it was only temporarily "covered over."
The effectiveness of their "salvation" would not be fully realized until the
sacrificial death of the Messiah.
F. F. Bruce, the British biblical scholar said, "The sacrifices could never take
away sins. Aaron, though an important personage within the Levitical system, was
after all but a sacerdotal drudge, ever performing ceremonies which had no real
value." I would add that his statement would be true in the Old Testament under
the Old Covenant, however when applying the blood of Christ to that Old
Covenant... the faith of the Old Testament saints was, in fact, effective
towards their ultimate salvation. Those rituals could not bring pleasure to our
heavenly Father, as noted in the referrals to the Old Testament writings - as He
was speaking at a earthly time in history before the Sacrifice of His Son,
before the effectiveness of His sacrifice could be applied to the Old Covenant
sacrificial offerings of animal's blood.
12 but
He, having offered one sacrifice for [f]sins for
all time, sat
down at the right hand of God,
Two things are mentioned in this verse: The offering of one sacrifice for "sins
for all time," and "He sat down at the right hand of God." Both of these
statements are true and we often see this as one event. But there are two great
separate truths here. Jesus did offer Himself as that sacrifice for "sins for
all time." We must separate the second truth and see the great value of it. His
self-sacrifice was of such a remarkable value that He merited the "Better" honor
of being seated by His Father, the Almighty, Holy, Righteous God at His chosen
right hand. No one else, before nor after, will ever be asked to sit in that
seat.
William McDonald concludes his writing on this verse with the following poem:
He fills the throne, the throne above,
He fills it without wrong;
The object of His Father's love,
The theme of Heaven's song.
-- Thomas Kelly
"Behold the Lamb with Glory Crowned
13 waiting
from that time onward until
His enemies be made a footstool for His feet.
The plan of God is continuing according to the Father's timetable. Part of that time-table includes a future time when "His enemies be made a footstool for His feet."
We find verse 13 expanded in Paul's letter to the
Philippians 2:10-11
10 so
that at the name of Jesus every
knee will bow, of those
who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and
that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God
the Father.
14 For
by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
Wuest says, "Here, the completeness of the state of salvation of the believer is in view. Everything essential to the salvation of the individual is included in the gift of salvation which the sinner receives by faith in Messiah's sacrifice. In Verse 14. The words "for all time," or "for ever" here are to be construed with "perfected (fully completed)." It is the believer who is sanctified, set apart to God."
Those through all time, from creation to the Judgement seat of Christ, who have
satisfied the just demands of God and have been set apart to God from the world,
that is all true believers - received by faith - will eternally enjoy the
blessings placed upon them through the once for all sacrifice of God's Son.
15 And the
Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying,
16 "This
is the covenant that I will make with them
After those days,
says the Lord:
I will put My laws upon their heart,
And on their mind I
will write them,"
In these verses in Jeremiah, God promised to make a New covenant with His chosen
earthly people. And the writer quotes the prophet Jeremiah and reminds his
audience that Jeremiah was writing under the influence of God's Holy Spirit and
that authenticated Jeremiahs words. The Holy Spirit is He who now opens the
Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament, allowing us to see in them what saints of
old never realized was there. What was promised to Israel and Judah through the
new covenant is true of all who turn to Christ. Through the new birth God puts
His laws in their hearts and writes them in their minds, and declares without
any qualification "Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." "Where
remission of sin is, there is no more offering for sin." [Heb 10:18]. He places
his audience, those Jews in his assembly who wish to return to Judaism, into the
position where they will either accept their prophet Jeremiah - and thus the New
Covenant, or reject their prophet and the New Covenant... thus rejecting the
writings of their own holy scriptures by their own holy prophet. His main point
is that the Christian Church was experiencing the prophet's vision of the
benefits of the New Covenant. If they rejected the Church - they would have to
reject what Jeremiah wrote under the guidance of the Holy spirit.
Harry Ironside wrote the following, about 90 years ago, when He was pastor of Chicago's Moody Church: "It is to be regretted that so few Christians seem to apprehend all this today. It is safe to say that for thousands who have hope in Christ, the veil might just as well never have been torn. They do not have any conception of liberty for access into the holiest, but think of themselves as a people still on probation. They think that if only they are faithful to their profession they will eventually be fitted for admission into the presence of God. How much is lost through failure to understand the true Christian position."
Bound up in these verses is the fact that Jeremiah's revelation of the terms of
the New Covenant doesn't describe the terms of the Old Covenant.
With the beginning of the Church Age, at Pentecost, the believer, through
adoption into the family of God, the New Covenant saint has both the advantages
of regeneration and the personal indwelling and the sanctifying work of the Holy
Spirit. Thus, under the First Covenant God wrote His laws on stone, whereas
under the New Covenant He writes them upon the heart.
The author's important conclusion:
18 Now
where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for
sin.
Once the individual becomes saved, he is taken from the
position of being a sinner and put into the position of being
set-apart-unto-God, i.e. Holy, once and for all time and eternity. Never again
to be proclaimed a sinner. Never again to have need of a sacrifice to cover
his/her sin. Thus, there is never again any need for the Old Covenant - the Law
and the Levitical priesthood.
In all of the world there is only one remedy for sin and
it has already been paid - The Lord Jesus Christ. There is only one way to gain
access to the efficient and effective sacrifice that was paid by Him. You must
come to God with a heart yearning for Him, and you must only come through His
appointed Messiah, God's appointed mediator - Jesus, the Son of God.
Here�s seven questions to recap verses 11-18:
11 Every
priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same
sacrifices, which can never take away sins;
Q.
Verse 11 - What did the OT Priests do?
A. They stood
"daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices which can
never take away sins."
Q.
Why did God require them to do this?
A. To teach them of
the great sacrifice that was yet to come by the "cutting-off of Messiah." (cp.
Daniel 9:26)
26 Then
after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah
will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come
will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood;
even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.
The book of
Daniel spells out the duration from the proclamation to rebuild the temple in
Jerusalem under the Persians until the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross -
virtually to the very day.
12 but
He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for
all time, sat
down at the right hand of God,
Q.
Verse 12 - What did High Priest Jesus do that was different at the end of
His sacrifice?
A. "Having offered
one sacrifice for sins for all time, he sat down at the right hand of God."
13 waiting
from that time onward until
His enemies be made a footstool for His feet.
Q.
Verse 13 - According to this verse what is Jesus doing right now?
A. Waiting until
His enemies be made a footstool for His feet.
14 For
by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
Q.
Verse 14 - What was so great about the Sacrifice the Son of God made?
A. "for by one
offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified."
15 And the
Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying,
16 "This
is the covenant that I will make with them
After those days,
says the Lord:
I will put My laws upon their heart,
And on their mind I
will write them,"
17 "And
their sins and their lawless deeds
I will remember no more."
Q.
Verse 15-17 - What did the Holy Spirit say and Testify to us?
A. "This is the covenant that I will make with them After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, And on their mind I will write them," He then says, 17 "And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."
18 Now
where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for
sin.
Q.
Verse 18 - How does the Holy Spirit wrap up this chapter using the writer
of Hebrews...
A.
"Now where there is FORGIVENESS of these things, there IS NO LONGER ANY
OFFERING FOR SIN."
As we have said many times - The issue of SIN is "Off-The-Table" as God, through
the Work of God's Son, is now completely reconciled to the world (man),
therefore there no longer is any reason for a continuing sacrifice for sin. That
also means that there is no longer any use for the OT Law or the Priesthood
which administrated that Law. The plain and simple question that each man,
woman, boy, or girl must answer in this age is... "What is your heart
relationship to Jesus the Christ."
Acts 16:31 - "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and Thou shalt be saved."
As Dr. S. M. Lockridge used to repeat over and over again in his famous sermon: "That's my King, Do you know Him?"
So now we move from "The Superior Ministry of Jesus the Appointed High Priest"
to Carson's Roman Numeral 7, the "Pastoral Application in the Light of Christ's
Superiority," 10:19-25
Part-1, 10:19-22 Let us draw near to God
19 Therefore,
brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of
Jesus, 20 by a
new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His
flesh, 21 and
since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let
us draw near with a sincere
heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil
conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Arthur Pink writes, in spite of their shameful
apostasy, the plea of Moses was that they were still God's people, and that His
glory was concerned in sparing them... It brings before us the essential
elements of those "effectual fervent prayers of a righteous man which availeth
much".... In the energy of his intercession... he goes back to the absolute and
unconditional promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, reminding the Lord of
the two immutable things in which it was impossible for Him to lie (Heb. 6:18).
[speaking of the golden calf incident] "Indeed, in the emergency which had
arisen, everything depended on the mediator, and in His grace God had provided
one who could stand in the breach, and he pleaded God's people's cause - not on
the ground of what they were, for by their sin they were exposed to the
righteous indignation of a holy God - but on the ground of what and who God was,
and on that of His counsels revealed and confirmed to the patriarchs, both by
oath and promise." Here we have the true picture of the Mediator and his task.
Part-2, 10:23 Let Us Hold Unswervingly to the Hope We
Possess
23 Let
us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is
faithful;
Given this new
relationship to God, our immediate responsibility is to "Draw near to God with
the full assurance of Faith." Salvation in Christ should lead to that full
assurance of Faith. That full assurance of Faith should lead the believer to
"Hold unswervingly to the Hope we possess."
As our writer speaks to his two very
distinct audiences, the Christian and the fellowshipping Jew we can see that He
has carefully chosen his words to be effective to both groups.
Part-3, 10:24-25 Let Us Encourage One Another
24 and
let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not
forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some,
but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
As a quick recap of these verses we see that our writer exhorts his
listeners, and us, three times with the words, "Let us...". "Let us draw near"
[verse 22], Let us hold fast" [verse 23], "Let us consider one another" [verse
24]. He speaks to believers as a group, a collection, and as a community. "Let
us draw near," we are encouraged to openly engage one another as sin-freed
children and enter into the presence of Almighty God forgiven and freshly washed
in the Blood of Christ. "Let us hold fast." So many erroneously think that the
true believer can "let go," but that is not the case. Instead we "hold fast"
because that is the very description of who we are... to the end of our days, we
are those who hold fast. And finally, we are called to take time to consider our
brothers and sisters and how we can be a constant encouragement to them towards
love and good deeds - the very fruit of our salvation. If perhaps you are
considering falling away... you may want to consider that the basis of your
faith may not be centered in Jesus Christ. It may be centered somewhere else.
Please, take time to consider Jesus Christ and make Him the very center of your
belief and your faith.
Section VIII � Perseverance and Faithful Endurance, 10:26-12:29
Part-1 Embedded Warning Against Apostasy and an
Exhortation to Perseverance
Harry Ironside states: "God sees every believer in Christ, and the feeblest saint has immediate access into the holiest through the atoning blood. The exhortation and warning that follow were never intended by the Holy Spirit to becloud this blessed truth in the slightest degree, but rather to accentuate the importance of holding fast what is here revealed."
A Stern Warning, 10:26-31
26 For
if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there
no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but
a terrifying expectation of judgment and the
fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.
28 Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy
on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How
much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under-foot
the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which
he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
30 For
we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine,
I will repay."
And again, "The Lord will judge His people." 31 It
is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32 But
remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a
great conflict of sufferings, 33 partly
by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly
by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. 34 For
you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your
property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting
one. 35 Therefore,
do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For
you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you
may receive what was promised.
Yes, indeed, life can be full of reproaches and tribulations - as believers, but we should always be aware of those who have gone before us in their trials and tribulation without losing their faith, but always clinging to their hope in Christ. We are encouraged in that hope to continue doing the will of God, building our confidence and renewing our endurance, "so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised."
As we look today on these verses, we should see that the writer speaks of
earlier in their Christian lives they had seen much persecution, conflict, and
suffering. Yet, there they were, just a hand-full of years from the persecution
of the Romans, the destruction of the temple, and the burning of Jerusalem, and
the diaspora of the Jews - and more persecutions to come. Our writer gives them
the call, "remember the former days," remember the faithfulness of our God in
all things.
As we may face great persecution in our futures... it is a good thing to consider the blessings, the wonders, the satisfaction of our God and Christ. Do not "throw away" your confidence, continue to endure, do the Will of God, and thus "receive what was promised."
37 For
yet in a very little while,
He who is coming will
come, and will not delay.
38 But
My righteous one shall live by faith;
And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in
him.
These words are from Habakkuk and give us one last warning. It is good that you,
the Righteous one, to continue in Faith because of the soon return of our Lord
and Savior, Jesus Christ - but, we must also remember the story presented here
in the book of Hebrews, that our God will find no pleasure with those who
abandon Him and the faith.
39 But we
are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to
the preserving of the soul.
And finally, the encouragement of a loving pastor. "We are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul."
For those who sought to leave this is a pastor's plea... Don't be one of these,
don't shrink back... for your future is destruction.
For those who believe this is a wonderful encouragement. "But we," are not like
"them," but we... are those who have faith... with the end result being the
"preserving of the soul."
Thank you for
joining us for this lesson from the book of Hebrews Chapter ten. We hope that
you have enjoyed this time together and that you have learned much, but mostly
that you have a greater understanding of the Old Testament relationship to the
New Testament. The New is built on the Old.
If you're interested in the rest of the series... here's the link to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/VideoFromJimmy
The resources for this series on Hebrews -
Outlines, Introductions, Horizontal charts - and various Addenda can be found
Here:
http://ancientpath.net
Dr. S. M. Lockridge, "That's my King, Do You Know Him"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCuRKE707MM
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2020-10-31
2024-03-19 update