Bible Commentaries
Hebrews 10

Verses 1-6

13 This refers to the two great sin offerings of Lev.16 and Num.19. The victim was burned, the ashes preserved, and water that flowed over them availed to purify. This ordinance fills an important place in Israel's future as well as its past ( Eze_36:25 ).

15 This new covenant is for Israel and Judah only. The nations have no part in it at all. They never had the law and never will have it. They never had a divine service or a tabernacle, neither were the promises made to them. All of this is for the Hebrews only.

16 Covenants, in ancient times, were ratified by means of sacrifices. When Jehovah wished to confirm His covenant with Abram, five different animals were divided into halves, which were laid over against one another so that the contracting parties could pass in between them, thus indicating that they ratified the covenant ( Gen_15:8-21 ). As this covenant was one of pure grace on God's part, Abram was not allowed to pass between the pieces. The symbols of Jehovah's presence passed through alone, thus confirming the covenant without conditions on the part of Abram. Until the victims have been slain no covenant was considered binding.

16 The rendering "testament" and "testator" has no concord whatever with the context. It is true that a testament is of no force while the testator is living, but that has no possible application here. If the covenant with Abram were a testament made by God, then, according to the reasoning, it has no force so long as God lives! The old covenant was confirmed by death-not the death of either party to the covenant, but by the sacrifices which the young men offered ( Exo_24:5-8 ). The blood of these victims was sprinkled on the scroll of the covenant and on the people.

18 The old covenant, under which the people rashly contracted to do all that the law demanded, was dedicated with the blood of calves and he-goats. The new is inaugurated with the blood of Christ. which has power to fend all failure, and refuses all human help.

26 It is evident that Christ did not appear at "the end of the world", nor, indeed, at the conclusion of the eons. Neither has sin been completely eliminated. Such, however, is the efficacy of His sacrifice, that we know that sin must eventually be banished from the universe. And we know also that this will be at the conclusion of the eons. Hence this somewhat complicated sentence has been rendered to this effect.

27 This is not a general statement concerning all men, but the men who have been in view continually, that is, the Levitical priests. The word judgment has no reference to the judgment of mankind for sin, but the setting to rights of those cases in Israel which continued until the death of the high priest. The innocent man-slayer lived in the city of refuge until the death of the great priest ( Num_35:22-29 ). Then he might return to his patrimony. This was his "judgment". The parallel demands that this judgment correspond with the salvation which will come to those who are awaiting Christ. He, the great Chief Priest, has died, and in due time Israel, the man-slayer, shall return to the land of his possession.

28 This appearance of Christ refers to His return to Israel. He will bring salvation to all, whether they watch or are drowsy ( 1Th_5:10 ) when He comes for us. But to Israel He brings salvation to those awaiting Him. Just as the high priest entered the holy of holies on the great day of atonement and came out to bless the waiting throng, so Christ has entered the heavenly sanctuary and will bring a benediction when He comes.

1 The sacrifices under the law were but dim figures of the great Sacrifice. They made atonement, that is, a shelter for sin. The offering up of Christ made a real propitiation, for it put away the sins which had been covered by the blood of bulls and goats. Atonement covered sin, pardon put it away, but justification, which we enjoy, goes far beyond both. The Hebrews were not justified.

5 The unbeliever's objection that the God of Israel was a terrible God Who delighted in the blood of slain beasts, is here directly denied. The whole sacrificial system, not only as an atonement for sin, but also as a means of worship by whole burnt offerings, gave Him no pleasure in itself, but only as it was typical of the true. The physical perfection of an animal was nothing to Him except as a reminder of the moral and spiritual perfection of the One Who came to do His will. The blood of beasts could cover sins, but had no power to put them away, yet it foretold the true Sacrifice, and the sufferings which suffice to offset all sins-covered or uncovered-and eventually to justify all who have committed them as well as to vindicate God for the presence of sin in the world. These grander results are not, of course, in view in this epistle.

Verses 7-39

7 So Christ "offers Himself flawless to God", not at the cross, but on coming into the world, as the Israelite presented his sacrifice at the door of the tabernacle ( Heb_9:14 ; Lev_1:1-5 ).

11 The great difference between the Levitical sacrifices and that of their Antitype is graphically brought before us in the action of the chief priests and the inaction of Christ. Indeed, had the sacrifices of the law been really efficacious, like that of Christ, there never would have been a priesthood and a sacrificial system. Moses would have offered one sacrifice, such as that at the inauguration of the covenant ( Exo_24:5 ), and, there being no further necessity for sacrifice, there would have been no need for a priesthood. The Aaronic priesthood is built on its own inadequacy. Its continuous round of unavailing ritual knew no goal, brooked no cessation, and gave no rest. No priest was allowed to sit in the holy places, for his work was never final. In these things the type is in contrast with the antitype, for Christ is seated in the holy of holies so far as His priesthood is concerned.

15 Under the new covenant, when Judah and Israel are restored to their land, the sin offering will be offered again ( Eze_43:22 ), but it is evident that it will not be for those who have been pardoned.

19 The "recently slain way" is a reference to the path into the temple. On either side were the bodies of the sacrifices which had just been slain, and offered to Jehovah. It, however, was a dead way, and no one but a priest dared enter upon it. The way now lies through the death and resurrection of Christ, hence is a living way, though recently slain. In the past even priests dared not venture through the curtain, behind which the Shekinah glory dwelt. Now, however, the Hebrews of every tribe have access, not only into the outer court of the priests, but into the holy place and into the holy of holies, where the high priest went but once a year. He went with fear and trembling, but they are invited to enter with assurance, because of the efficacy of this sprinkled blood and the cleanliness which comes through His word ( Joh_15:3 ). It is as worshipers they are to approach. This epistle speaks of Christ's priesthood, and not of that of His people.

27 Under the law, one who sinned "presumptuously" ( Num_15:30 ), or, as the Hebrew has it, "with a high hand", was to be cut off from among his people, because he had despised the word of Jehovah and broken His commandment. The man who gathered sticks on the sabbath day was stoned to death ( Num_15:32-36 ). The voluntary sin here referred to is doubtless the repudiation of the truth and apostasy from the faith. The faith of the Hebrews, having been founded on the powers and signs which were given as a token of the near approach of the kingdom, was sorely tried when these signs ceased and the kingdom did not come. But those who drew back could not do so without reproaching God and trampling on the Son of God and inviting the fiery jealousy of Jehovah. For such there is no sin offering, since they refuse the only Sacrifice that is of any avail. They are calling down the vengeance of God. How great is the contrast between these Hebrews and those who came under the ministry of Paul! Their faith did not fail for lack of evidence, because it was never founded on it ( 2Co_5:7 ). They come so completely under the dominion of grace, that persistence in sin would only increase the outflowing of favor ( Rom_6:1 ). We are beyond the sphere of condemnation ( Rom_8:1 ). The Hebrews were never introduced into such grace as this, for their destiny is the kingdom.