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Hebrews 10 – Text and Notes
1 For the Law [Specifically the application is made to the sacrificial system, but elsewhere the same principle applies to all of the Law (i.e., temple], since it has only a shadow [Apparently a primary word; “shade” or a shadow (literally or figuratively [darkness of error or an adumbration]): – shadow. (Strong)] of the good things to come and not the very form [lit., image; eikon (1504) – “an exact replica, representation, or ‘picture’ of an original; eikon ‘always assumes a prototype, that which it not merely resembles, but from which it is drawn’ (Trench)” (The Discovery Bible, p.531)] [form vs. shadow] of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make [aorist] perfect those who draw near [proserchomai (4334); Heb.4:16; Heb.7:25; Heb.10:1; Heb.10:22; Heb.11:6; Heb.12:18; Heb.12:22]. [Drawing near to God is the main thrust of Hebrews. This is why everything associated with the New Covenant is “better.”]
- “Without Christ you cannot get beyond the shadows of God.” (William Barclay)
- Jewish rituals brought no serenity, only shame.
- Religion without serenity brings only shame.
- Religion without shame brings a shallow serenity.
- Jesus first brings shame then serenity.
2 Otherwise, [Rhetorical question follows] would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers [latreuo], having once been cleansed [perfect], would no longer have had consciousness of sins?
3 But in those [lit., them there] sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. [This is directly connected to the “consciousness” of sins.]
4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take [present] away sins. [This is directly connected to the “consciousness” of sin.]
5 Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, [Ps.40:6-8] [Extended Notes]
“Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, [Why? V.4]
But a body You have prepared for Me; [Why? V.4]
6 In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have taken no pleasure. [Why? V.4]
7 “Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come
(In the scroll of the book it is written [perfect] of Me)
To do Your will, O God.’” [Why? V.4]
8 After saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have not desired [i.e., the ritual itself ], nor have You taken pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the Law), [1 Samuel 15:22; Ps.51:16,17; Hos.6:6; Isa.1:11-20; Micah 6:6-8; Heb.10:5-9]
9 then He said [perfect], “Behold, I have come to do [aorist] Your will.” He takes away the first in order to establish [aorist] the second. [Why? V.4]
10 By this [lit., which] will [thelēma (2307); not diatheke] we have been sanctified [perfect] through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 Every priest stands daily [Num.28:3-8; therefore the Day of Atonement sacrifice is not the only one being considered; Jesus sat down (v.12)] ministering [leitourgeo (3008) – “literally, the service performed by priests and Levites in the Temple (Arndt/Gingrich); figuratively, of the priestly service offered by each believer whose life becomes a living sacrifice to God” (The Discovery Bible, p.543)] and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take [aorist] away sins;
12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time [or, sins, forever sat down], sat down [Priests could not sit down in the service of sacrificing – v.11] at the right hand of God,
13 waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made [aorist] a footstool for His feet. [Who/What are the Enemies?]
14 For by one offering He has perfected [perfect] for all time those who are sanctified [or, being sanctified].
15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying [perfect],
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, [Is this in contrast to putting the O.T. laws on tablets in the ark of the covenant?]
And on their mind [dianoia (1271) – “That part of the intellect capable of abstract reasoning and moral reflection; that ‘faculty of the mind which understands, feels, and desires’ (Thayer)” (The Discovery Bible, p.540)] I will write them,” He then says,
17 “And their sins and their lawless deeds
I will remember no more.”
- Theological Lesson – I am not guilty before God.
- Practical Lesson – I am not guilty in my conscience.
- Legal vs. Emotional/Mental Forgiveness
18 Now [oun (3767) – then, therefore, accordingly, consequently, these things being so (Thayer); Heb.2:14; Heb.4:1; Heb.4:6; Heb.4:11; Heb.4:14; Heb.4:16; Heb.7:11; Heb.8:4; Heb.9:1; Heb.9:23; Heb.10:19; Heb.10:35; Heb.13:15] where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin. [This is my proof that I am forgiven – Jesus is no longer being offered as a sacrifice.]
- Heb.13:22 – Exhortations:
- 2:1-4; 3:7-4:16; 5:11-6:12; 10:19-39; and 12:1-13:22
19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place [i.e., most holy place (v.20 – the veil)] 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 [Looking Upward] draw near [proserchomai (4334); Heb.4:16; Heb.7:25; Heb.10:1; Heb.10:22; Heb.11:6; Heb.12:18; Heb.12:22] with a sincere [lit., true] heart in full assurance of faith, [Looking Inward] having our hearts sprinkled [perfect] clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed [perfect] with pure [katharos (2513) – “free from impurities and undesirable elements; purged; clean; unmixed (Barclay); free from admixture” (The Discovery Bible, p.527)] water. [What makes the water pure? The blood of Jesus Christ.]
23 [Looking Forward] Let us hold [present] fast the confession [Heb.3:1; Heb.4:14; Heb.10:23] of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;
24 [Looking Outward] and let us consider [present; katanoeo (2657) – “2. to consider attentively, fix one’s eyes or mind upon” (Thayer, p.334); Heb.3:1] how to stimulate [paroxusmos (3948) “Our very word paroxysm,’ from paroxuno (para, oxuno from oxus, sharp), to sharpen, to stimulate, to incite. So here in good sense (for incitement to), but in Acts 15:39 the word is used of irritation or contention….” (Robertson, v.5, p.412)] one another to love [cause] [agape (25) – “an unselfish, outgoing affection or tenderness for another without necessarily expecting anything in return. It seeks a person’s highest good on the basis of a decision of will and an inclination of heart.” (The Discovery Bible, p.538). Apparently we need reminding!] and good [kalos (2570) – “good in appearance; beautiful; aesthetically satisfying and pleasing; that which evokes admiration and a sense of the lovely and beautiful; praiseworthy; `good’ as having the perceived value and outward impression of charm and attractiveness; useful (‘The basic idea of kalos is the idea of winsome beauty’ [Barclay]; ‘excellent in its characteristics… therefore well adapted to its ends’ (Thayer)” (The Discovery Bible, p.533)] deeds [effect], [A necessary question we must ask is, what are we doing individually, and what are we doing collectively?] [6:10]
25 not forsaking our own [make the meeting personal] assembling [episunagoge (1997); extended notes] together, as is the habit [ethos (1485)] of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day [Extended Notes] drawing near.
26 [Is there any particular sin to which the writer is referring?] For if we go on sinning [harmartano (264) – “miss the mark;” Verb, Participle, Present, Active, Genitive, Masculine, First person, Plural] willfully [hekousios (1596) – “voluntarily”] after receiving [aorist] the knowledge [epiginosko (1921) – “to know (or its noun form epignosis, no.1922, `true knowledge’) adequately; to come to a `fuller, clearer, and more thorough knowledge’ (Berry); an adequate or valid knowledge; an intensified form of ginosko (1097)” (29a)] of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins [How terrifying this last statement must have been for a Jew!],
27 but a [an earlier NASB version adds, “certain”] terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries [Isa.26:11].
28 Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. [Deut.17:2-7]
- “Sinning Willfully” is more than breaking God’s law – it is severing a relationship with God, His Son and the Holy Spirit; it is personally hurting and insulting Deity.
29 How much severer punishment [Is the “severer punishment” worse than death, hence eternal damnation?] do you think he will deserve who has [1] trampled under foot the [A] Son of God, and has [2] regarded as unclean [koinos (2839) – “(literally ‘common’) profane; ordinary (Arndt/Gingrich), secular (The Discovery Bible, p.544)] the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has [3] insulted the [B] Spirit of grace [charis (5485) – Heb.2:9; Heb.4:16; Heb.10:29; Heb.12:15; Heb.12:28 (translated “gratitude”); Heb.13:9; Heb.13:25]?
30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay [antapodidomi (467) – “‘to give back as an equivalent; to requite, recompense (a complete return)” (Vine)’” (The Discovery Bible, p.542)].” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” [Deut.32:35,36]
31 It is a terrifying thing to fall [aorist] into the hands of the [C] living God.
- How To Strengthen the Weak – Look Backward
- Remember Your Enlightenment (vv.32)
- Remember Your Achievements (vv.32-33)
- Remember Your Associations (vv.32-33)
- Remember Your Attitudes (v.34)
- How To Strengthen the Weak – Look Forward
- Look for the Reward (v.35)
- How To Strengthen the Weak – Look Inward
- Confidence (v.35)
- Endurance (v.36)
- Faith (vv.37-39)
- How To Strengthen the Weak – Look Upward
- God has made a Promise (v.36)
- God has given Commands (v.36)
- God has made you Righteous (v.38)
32 But remember [present imperative] the former days, when [lit., in which], after being enlightened [6:4], you endured a great [polus (4183) – “great in amount, extent, number, or quantity” (The Discovery Bible, p.534)] conflict of sufferings, [5:8-9]
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 [kreittōn (2909) – Heb.1:4; Heb.6:9; Heb.7:7; Heb.7:19; Heb.7:22; Heb.8:6; Heb.9:23; Heb.10:34; Heb.11:16; Heb.11:35; Heb.11:40; Heb.12:24] possession and a lasting one.
35 Therefore [oun (3767) – then, therefore, accordingly, consequently, these things being so (Thayer); Heb.2:14; Heb.4:1; Heb.4:6; Heb.4:11; Heb.4:14; Heb.4:16; Heb.7:11; Heb.8:4; Heb.9:1; Heb.9:23; Heb.10:19; Heb.10:35; Heb.13:15], do not throw [negative aorist imperative] away your confidence [3:6; 4:16; 10:19; parrhesia (3954)], which has a great [megas (3173) – “great in rank, stature, level, or order” (The Discovery Bible, p.534)] reward.
36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done [poieo (4160) – “to make, produce or accomplish; to perform or carry out an act for a definite result” (The Discovery Bible, p.529)] the will of God, you may receive [aorist] what [lit., the promise] was promised [epaggelia (1860) Heb.4:1; Heb.6:12; Heb.6:15; Heb.6:17; Heb.7:6; Heb.8:6; Heb.9:15; Heb.10:36; Heb.11:9; Heb.11:13; Heb.11:17; Heb.11:33; Heb.11:39].
37 [Hab.2:3-4] 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 [ean (1437); conditional salvation (Heb.3:6; Heb.3:14; Heb.10:38)] he shrinks [aorist] back, My soul has no pleasure in him.
39 But we are not of those who shrink back [lit., but we are not of shrinking back] to destruction, but of those who have faith [lit., but of faith] to the preserving [or, possessing] of the soul.
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