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THE MESSAGE

Hebrews 13:10

The altar from which God gives us the gift of himself is not for exploitation by insiders who grab and loot. In the old system, the animals are killed and the bodies disposed of outside the camp. The blood is then brought inside to the altar as a sacrifice for sin. It's the same with Jesus. He was crucified outside the city gates—that is where he poured out the sacrificial blood that was brought to God's altar to cleanse his people.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Jesus Continued;   Types;   The Topic Concordance - Sanctification;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Altar of Burnt-Offering, the;   Types of Christ;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Altar;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Beneficence;   Discontent;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Altar;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Censer;   Hebrews, the Epistle to the;   Incense;   Malachi;   Reuben;   Sacrifice;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Hebrews;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Church;   Hebrews, Epistle to;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Altar;   Atonement (2);   Hebrews Epistle to the;   Lord's Supper (Ii);   Mediator;   Minister Ministry;   Priest;   Right;   Sacrifices ;   Sheep, Shepherd;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - The Brazen Altar;   Hebrews, Epistle to the;   13 To Worship, Serve;   32 Altar;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Altar;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Marriage;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Altar;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Hebrews;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Authority in Religion;   Lord's Supper (Eucharist);   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Altar;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for July 2;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
We have an altar from which those who worship at the tabernacle do not have a right to eat.
King James Version (1611)
Wee haue an altar whereof they haue no right to eate, which serue the Tabernacle.
King James Version
We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.
English Standard Version
We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat.
New American Standard Bible
We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.
New Century Version
We have a sacrifice, but the priests who serve in the Holy Tent cannot eat from it.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.
Legacy Standard Bible
We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no authority to eat.
Berean Standard Bible
We have an altar from which those who serve at the tabernacle have no right to eat.
Contemporary English Version
But we have an altar where even the priests who serve in the place of worship have no right to eat.
Complete Jewish Bible
We have an altar from which those who serve in the Tent are not permitted to eat.
Darby Translation
We have an altar of which they have no right to eat who serve the tabernacle;
Easy-to-Read Version
We have a sacrifice. And those priests who serve in the Holy Tent cannot eat from the sacrifice we have.
Geneva Bible (1587)
We haue an altar, whereof they haue no authoritie to eate, which serue in the tabernacle.
George Lamsa Translation
We have an altar from which those who minister in the tabernacle have no right to eat.
Good News Translation
The priests who serve in the Jewish place of worship have no right to eat any of the sacrifice on our altar.
Lexham English Bible
We have an altar from which those who serve in the tabernacle do not have the right to eat.
Literal Translation
We have an altar of which those serving the tabernacle have no authority to eat.
Amplified Bible
We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle (sacred tent) have no right to eat.
American Standard Version
We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat that serve the tabernacle.
Bible in Basic English
We have an altar from which those priests who are servants in the Tent may not take food.
Hebrew Names Version
We have an altar from which those who serve the holy tent have no right to eat.
International Standard Version
We have an altar, and those who serve in the tabernacle have no right to eat at it.1 Corinthians 9:13; 10:18;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
But we have an altar of which it is not lawful for them to eat who minister in the tabernacle.
Murdock Translation
And we have an altar, of which they who minister in the tabernacle have no right to eat.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
We haue an aulter, wherof they haue no ryght to eate which serue in the tabernacle.
English Revised Version
We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.
World English Bible
We have an altar from which those who serve the holy tent have no right to eat.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat who serve the tabernacle.
Weymouth's New Testament
We Christians have an altar from which the ministers of the Jewish Tent have no right to eat.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
We han an auter, of which thei that seruen to the tabernacle, han not power to ete.
Update Bible Version
We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat that serve the tabernacle.
Webster's Bible Translation
We have an altar, of which they have no right to eat who serve the tabernacle.
New English Translation
We have an altar that those who serve in the tabernacle have no right to eat from.
New King James Version
We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.
New Living Translation
We have an altar from which the priests in the Tabernacle have no right to eat.
New Life Bible
We have an altar from which those who work in the place of worship have no right to eat.
New Revised Standard
We have an altar from which those who officiate in the tent have no right to eat.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
We have an altar - to eat out of which, they, have no right, who in the tent are doing divine service;
Douay-Rheims Bible
We have an altar whereof they have no power to eat who serve the tabernacle.
Revised Standard Version
We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
We have an altre wherof they maye not eate which serve in the tabernacle.
Young's Literal Translation
we have an altar, of which to eat they have no authority who the tabernacle are serving,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
We haue an altare, wherof they haue no power to eate, which serue in the Tabernacle.
Mace New Testament (1729)
We have a victim, whereof they, who still serve at the tabernacle, have no more right to eat,
Simplified Cowboy Version
We have a sacrifice religious folks can't eat from.

Contextual Overview

1Stay on good terms with each other, held together by love. Be ready with a meal or a bed when it's needed. Why, some have extended hospitality to angels without ever knowing it! Regard prisoners as if you were in prison with them. Look on victims of abuse as if what happened to them had happened to you. Honor marriage, and guard the sacredness of sexual intimacy between wife and husband. God draws a firm line against casual and illicit sex. 5Don't be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, "I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you," we can boldly quote, God is there, ready to help; I'm fearless no matter what. Who or what can get to me? 7Appreciate your pastoral leaders who gave you the Word of God. Take a good look at the way they live, and let their faithfulness instruct you, as well as their truthfulness. There should be a consistency that runs through us all. For Jesus doesn't change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he's always totally himself. 9 Don't be lured away from him by the latest speculations about him. The grace of Christ is the only good ground for life. Products named after Christ don't seem to do much for those who buy them. 10The altar from which God gives us the gift of himself is not for exploitation by insiders who grab and loot. In the old system, the animals are killed and the bodies disposed of outside the camp. The blood is then brought inside to the altar as a sacrifice for sin. It's the same with Jesus. He was crucified outside the city gates—that is where he poured out the sacrificial blood that was brought to God's altar to cleanse his people. 13So let's go outside, where Jesus is, where the action is—not trying to be privileged insiders, but taking our share in the abuse of Jesus. This "insider world" is not our home. We have our eyes peeled for the City about to come. Let's take our place outside with Jesus, no longer pouring out the sacrificial blood of animals but pouring out sacrificial praises from our lips to God in Jesus' name. 16 Make sure you don't take things for granted and go slack in working for the common good; share what you have with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship—a different kind of "sacrifice"—that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets. 17 Be responsive to your pastoral leaders. Listen to their counsel. They are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the strict supervision of God. Contribute to the joy of their leadership, not its drudgery. Why would you want to make things harder for them?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

an altar: 1 Corinthians 5:7, 1 Corinthians 5:8, 1 Corinthians 9:13, 1 Corinthians 10:17, 1 Corinthians 10:20

serve: Numbers 3:7, Numbers 3:8, Numbers 7:5

Reciprocal: Genesis 8:20 - builded Exodus 27:1 - altar of shittim wood Exodus 37:25 - General Exodus 38:1 - the altar Exodus 40:6 - General Exodus 40:29 - the altar Numbers 7:84 - the dedication Deuteronomy 26:4 - before the Judges 21:4 - built there 2 Chronicles 7:7 - hallowed Isaiah 6:6 - which Isaiah 19:19 - General Isaiah 53:10 - when thou shalt make his soul Isaiah 60:7 - they shall Ezekiel 44:29 - eat Ezekiel 45:17 - he shall prepare Luke 5:38 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 3:6
When the Woman saw that the tree looked like good eating and realized what she would get out of it—she'd know everything!—she took and ate the fruit and then gave some to her husband, and he ate.
Genesis 13:1
So Abram left Egypt and went back to the Negev, he and his wife and everything he owned, and Lot still with him. By now Abram was very rich, loaded with cattle and silver and gold.
Genesis 13:8
Abram said to Lot, "Let's not have fighting between us, between your shepherds and my shepherds. After all, we're family. Look around. Isn't there plenty of land out there? Let's separate. If you go left, I'll go right; if you go right, I'll go left."
Genesis 13:10
Lot looked. He saw the whole plain of the Jordan spread out, well watered (this was before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah), like God 's garden, like Egypt, and stretching all the way to Zoar. Lot took the whole plain of the Jordan. Lot set out to the east. That's how they came to part company, uncle and nephew. Abram settled in Canaan; Lot settled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent near Sodom. The people of Sodom were evil—flagrant sinners against God . After Lot separated from him, God said to Abram, "Open your eyes, look around. Look north, south, east, and west. Everything you see, the whole land spread out before you, I will give to you and your children forever. I'll make your descendants like dust—counting your descendants will be as impossible as counting the dust of the Earth. So—on your feet, get moving! Walk through the country, its length and breadth; I'm giving it all to you." Abram moved his tent. He went and settled by the Oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to God .
Genesis 14:8
That's when the king of Sodom marched out with the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, that is, Zoar. They drew up in battle formation against their enemies in the Valley of Siddim—against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five.
Isaiah 15:5
Oh, how I grieve for Moab! Refugees stream to Zoar and then on to Eglath-shelishiyah. Up the slopes of Luhith they weep; on the road to Horonaim they cry their loss. The springs of Nimrim are dried up— grass brown, buds stunted, nothing grows. They leave, carrying all their possessions on their backs, everything they own, Making their way as best they can across Willow Creek to safety. Poignant cries reverberate all through Moab, Gut-wrenching sobs as far as Eglaim, heart-racking sobs all the way to Beer-elim. The banks of the Dibon crest with blood, but God has worse in store for Dibon: A lion—a lion to finish off the fugitives, to clean up whoever's left in the land.
Jeremiah 48:34
"Heshbon and Elealeh will cry out, and the people in Jahaz will hear the cries. They will hear them all the way from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah. Even the waters of Nimrim will be dried up.
Ezekiel 28:13
The Money Has Gone to Your Head God's Message came to me, "Son of man, tell the prince of Tyre, ‘This is what God , the Master, says: "‘Your heart is proud, going around saying, "I'm a god. I sit on God's divine throne, ruling the sea"— You, a mere mortal, not even close to being a god, A mere mortal trying to be a god. Look, you think you're smarter than Daniel. No enigmas can stump you. Your sharp intelligence made you world-wealthy. You piled up gold and silver in your banks. You used your head well, worked good deals, made a lot of money. But the money has gone to your head, swelled your head—what a big head! "‘Therefore, God , the Master, says: "‘Because you're acting like a god, pretending to be a god, I'm giving fair warning: I'm bringing strangers down on you, the most vicious of all nations. They'll pull their swords and make hash of your reputation for knowing it all. They'll puncture the balloon of your god-pretensions. They'll bring you down from your self-made pedestal and bury you in the deep blue sea. Will you protest to your assassins, "You can't do that! I'm a god"? To them you're a mere mortal. They're killing a man, not a god. You'll die like a stray dog, killed by strangers— Because I said so. Decree of God , the Master.'" God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, raise a funeral song over the king of Tyre. Tell him, A Message from God , the Master: "You had everything going for you. You were in Eden, God's garden. You were dressed in splendor, your robe studded with jewels: Carnelian, peridot, and moonstone, beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald, all in settings of engraved gold. A robe was prepared for you the same day you were created. You were the anointed cherub. I placed you on the mountain of God. You strolled in magnificence among the stones of fire. From the day of your creation you were sheer perfection... and then imperfection—evil!—was detected in you. In much buying and selling you turned violent, you sinned! I threw you, disgraced, off the mountain of God. I threw you out—you, the anointed angel-cherub. No more strolling among the gems of fire for you! Your beauty went to your head. You corrupted wisdom by using it to get worldly fame. I threw you to the ground, sent you sprawling before an audience of kings and let them gloat over your demise. By sin after sin after sin, by your corrupt ways of doing business, you defiled your holy places of worship. So I set a fire around and within you. It burned you up. I reduced you to ashes. All anyone sees now when they look for you is ashes, a pitiful mound of ashes. All who once knew you now throw up their hands: ‘This can't have happened! This has happened!'" God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, confront Sidon. Preach against it. Say, ‘Message from God , the Master: "‘Look! I'm against you, Sidon. I intend to be known for who I truly am among you.' They'll know that I am God when I set things right and reveal my holy presence. I'll order an epidemic of disease there, along with murder and mayhem in the streets. People will drop dead right and left, as war presses in from every side. Then they'll realize that I mean business, that I am God . "No longer will Israel have to put up with their thistle-and-thorn neighbors Who have treated them so contemptuously. And they also will realize that I am God ." God , the Master, says, "When I gather Israel from the peoples among whom they've been scattered and put my holiness on display among them with all the nations looking on, then they'll live in their own land that I gave to my servant Jacob. They'll live there in safety. They'll build houses. They'll plant vineyards, living in safety. Meanwhile, I'll bring judgment on all the neighbors who have treated them with such contempt. And they'll realize that I am God ."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

We have an altar,.... By which is meant, not the cross of Christ, on which he was crucified; nor the Lord's table, where his flesh and blood are presented to faith, as food, though not offered; but Christ himself, who is altar, sacrifice, and priest; he was typified by the altar of the burnt offering, and the sacrifice that was offered upon it; the altar was made of Shittim wood, and covered with brass, denoting the incorruptibleness, duration, and strength of Christ: the horns of it, at the four corners, were for refuge; whoever fled to it, and laid hold on them, were safe; so Christ is a refuge to his people, that come from the four corners of the earth; and who believe in him, and lay hold on him, are preserved and protected by his power and grace: the use of it was for sacrifice to be offered upon it; which being a male, without blemish, and wholly burnt with fire, was a sweet savour to God; and which was typical of Christ's human nature, offered on the altar of his divine nature; which was pure and holy, suffered the fire of divine wrath, and was for a sweet smelling savour to God: this altar was but one, and most holy, and sanctified what was put upon it; all which is true of Christ: now this altar the saints have, and have a right to eat of it; even all Christ's friends and beloved ones; all that are made priests unto God by him; all that know him, believe in him, have a spiritual discerning of him, and hunger and thirst after him:

whereof they have no right to eat that serve the tabernacle: there is something of this altar, or that was offered up upon this altar, that is to be eaten, even the flesh and blood of Christ; and to "eat" of it is to believe that Christ is come in the flesh, and is become an offering for sin, and for us that eat; it is to receive, embrace, and possess the blessings procured by it; which is done by faith, with spiritual joy and gladness, and with sincerity and singleness of heart: now those, who served the tabernacle, or adhered to the service of the ceremonial law, they had no right to eat of this altar: the allusion is to the priests' eating of the sacrifices, and to some sacrifices, of which they might not eat, Leviticus 2:10 and this is not to be understood of believers, before the coming of Christ, who did attend tabernacle service; for they ate the same spiritual meat, and drank the same spiritual drink, as believers do now; but of such, who obstinately persisted in the ceremonies of the law, when they were abolished; and so cut off themselves from all right to the substance of these shadows. See Galatians 5:2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

We have an altar - We who are Christians. The Jews had an altar on which their sacrifices were offered which was regarded as sacred, and of the benefit of which no others might partake. The design of the apostle is to show that the same thing substantially, so far as “privilege” and “sanctifying influence” were concerned, was enjoyed by Christians. The “altar” to which he here refers is evidently the cross on which the great sacrifice was made.

Whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle - A part of the meat offered in sacrifice among the Jews became the property of the priests and Levites, and they had, by the Law, a right to this as a part of their support; see Leviticus 6:25-26; Numbers 18:9-10. But the apostle says that there is a higher and more valuable sacrifice of which they have no right to partake while they remain in the service of the “tabernacle” or temple; that is, while they remain Jews. The participation in the great Christian sacrifice appertained only to those who were the friends of the Redeemer, and however much they might value themselves on the privilege of partaking of the sacrifices offered under the Jewish Law, that of partaking of the great sacrifice made by the Son of God was much greater.

Which serve the tabernacle - notes, Hebrews 9:2-3. The Jewish priests and Levites.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Hebrews 13:10. We have an altar — The altar is here put for the sacrifice on the altar; the Christian altar is the Christian sacrifice, which is Christ Jesus, with all the benefits of his passion and death. To these privileges they had no right who continued to offer the Levitical sacrifices, and to trust in them for remission of sins.


 
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