Bible Commentaries
Hebrews 9

Verses 1-10

A Description of the Sacrifices of the Earthly Tabernacle Under the Old Covenant Hebrews 9:1-10 gives a brief description of the ministry and sacrifices of the earthly Tabernacle under the old covenant. It also gives us an additional brief glimpse into the symbolic meaning of the Tabernacle as it reflects the redemptive work of Christ Jesus. We are given some insight into our access into this heavenly Tabernacle in Hebrews 10:19-22.

Hebrews 9:1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

Hebrews 9:1 Word Study on “sanctuary” - The Greek word the α ̔́ γιον (sanctuary) used in Hebrews 9:1 refers to the entire Tabernacle and Temple structure, while in the next verse the same Greek word α ̔́ γιον is used to refer to the first room of the Tabernacle only.

Comments Hebrews 9:1 give us a general summary of the book of Exodus once the children of Israel reached Mount Sinai, and of the book of Leviticus.

The First Covenant God made a covenant with the children of Israel, which is actually instituted in Exodus 24:1-8, after the giving of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:1-22, establishing the institution of the Decalogue (Moral Laws) into the government of the nation of Israel.

The Ordinances of Divine Service - Exodus 20:22 to Exodus 23:33 records the institution of the primary statutes (Civil Laws) that gives the children of Israel understanding in how to apply various aspects of the Ten Commandments to their daily lives. The book of Leviticus records the ordinances of divine service that were given to the Levites and priests as they served in the Tabernacle.

A Worldly Sanctuary Exodus 24:9 to Exodus 40:38 records the details of the construction of the Tabernacle of Moses, which the author refers to in Hebrews 9:1 as the “worldly sanctuary,” having told us that it was made after the pattern of the heavenly sanctuary (Hebrews 8:5).

Hebrews 8:5, “Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.”

Hebrews 9:2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.

Hebrews 9:2 Comments The first room in which the priests entered the Tabernacle to perform daily services was called the קדשׁ (Holy Place, sanctuary) (Exodus 26:33) and in New Testament the α ̔́ γιον (Hebrews 9:2). This room housed two articles of the Tabernacle, the candlestick and the table of showbread.

Exodus 26:33, “And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.”

Hebrews 9:3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;

Hebrews 9:3 Comments The second veil is distinguished from the veil that covered the entrance into the Tabernacle. The second veil hung between the two rooms of the Tabernacle.

The second room in the Tabernacles was called the קדשׁ קדשׁ (lit. Holy of Holies; thus, the Most Holy) (Exodus 26:33), and in the New Testament the ῞Αγια ῾Αγι ́ ων (lit. Holy of Holies; thus, the Holiest of all).

Exodus 26:33, “And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.”

Hebrews 9:4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

Hebrews 9:4 “Which had the golden censer” Comments Hebrews 9:4 refers to the altar of incense as the golden θυμιατη ́ ριον (censer), which BDAG says refers to “a place or vessel for the burning of incense.” The Greek word θυμιατη ́ ριον is used twice in the LXX, and both times it refers to a censer as the vessel in which incense was placed (2 Chronicles 26:19, Ezekiel 8:11, 4Ma 7:11 ). [235] However, F. F. Bruce notes that Philo ( Who Is Heir of Divine Things? 226f; Life of Moses 2.94, 101) and Josephus ( War 5.218; Antiquities 3.147, 198) use this same Greek word to refer to the altar of incense as well, and it is used in classical literature in reference to an “incense-altar” (Herodotus, Histories 2.162; Aelian, Varia Historia 12.51). [236] Thus, scholars generally agree that the author of Hebrews is referring to the altar of incense rather than to a censer itself.

[235] A Handy Concordance of the Septuagint (London: S. Bagster and Sons Limited, n.d.), 117.

[236] F. F. Bruce, The Epistle to the Hebrews, in The New International Commentary on the New Testament, ed. Gordon D. Fee (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990), 200.

Why is “the golden censer,” or golden altar, associated with the Holy of Holies in the book of Hebrews? Except for the Day of Atonement, this altar was where man communed with God. The ark represented God’s throne. The altar of incense, called the golden censer in this verse, represented our prayers. The second veil represented man's separation from God, being done away with through Jesus Christ at the time of the writing of the book of Hebrews.

The golden altar was placed outside veil before the Holy of Holies (Exodus 40:26, Leviticus 4:18). However, when Christ Jesus died, the veil was torn and the altar of incense found itself closer to the mercy seat than the two articles in the Holy Place.

Exodus 40:26, “And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the vail:”

Leviticus 4:18, “And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the LORD , that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.”

Hebrews 9:4 “wherein was the golden pot that had manna” Comments - Why did God feed the children of Israel manna for forty years? God wanted the children of Israel to know that man does not live by bread alone, but by the daily partaking of the Words of God.

Deuteronomy 8:3, “And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.”

Hebrews 9:4 “and Aaron's rod that budded” Comments - The rod that Aaron carried was a dead tree. The fact that it budded was a sign that God creates life out of death. This was figurative of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 9:5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

Hebrews 9:5 “And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat” Word Study on “mercyseat” - Strong says the Greek word ἱλαστήριον (G2435) means, “an expiatory (place or thing), an atoning victim, the lid of the ark.” BDAG says it means, “that which expiates or propitiates, a means of expiation, gift to procure expiation.” The Greek word ἱλαστήριον is used two times in the New Testament, being translated in the KJV as “propitiation 1, mercyseat 1.” Webster says the verb “expiate” means, “t o extinguish the guilt of by sufferance of penalty or some equivalent.” Webster says the verb “propitiate” means, “t o appease, to render favorable.”

Hebrews 9:5 “of which we cannot now speak particularly” Comments - The author was capable of describing the symbolism of the articles of the Tabernacle, but the main point of this section is the significance of Jesus entering into the Holy of Holies once to make an atonement for the sins of mankind.

Hebrews 9:6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.

Hebrews 9:6 Comments The priests entered the first room of the Tabernacle daily, morning and evening, to light the candlestick, and to offer incense upon the altar of incense, and they entered weekly to change the shewbread.

Hebrews 9:7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

Hebrews 9:7 “But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood,” - Comments The second room was called the Most Holy and separated from the first room by a veil. The high priest alone was allowed to enter this room (Leviticus 16:32-33), and only on the Day of Atonement to offer the blood of the sacrifice upon the mercy seat.

“which he offered for himself” - Comments William Lane notes that the author of Hebrews uses the Greek word προσφε ́ ρω to describe how the High Priest “offered” the blood of the sacrifice in the Most Holy Place, in contrast to the LXX, which uses the words ῥαίνειν (to sprinkle) and ἐπιτιθέναι (to apply). [237] Lane suggests this choice of words is Christological in that it prepares the readers for the offering ( προσφορα ́ ) of Christ in behalf of the sins of the world in Hebrews 10:10; Hebrews 10:14.

[237] William L. Lane, Hebrews 9-13, in Word Biblical Commentary: 58 Volumes on CD-Rom, vol. 47b, eds. Bruce M. Metzger, David A. Hubbard and Glenn W. Barker (Dallas: Word Inc., 2002), in Libronix Digital Library System, v. 3.0b [CD-ROM] (Bellingham, WA: Libronix Corp., 2004), comments on Hebrews 9:9.

“and for the errors of the people” Word Study on “errors” BDAG and David Allen say the Greek word α ̓ γνο ́ ημα means, “sin committed in ignorance.” [238] This specific designation of unintentional sins appears to conflict with the details of the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16:16, which says the high priest made an atonement for all of the sins of the people. The TDNT says it carries the broader meaning of “error” as well, being equivalent to the Hebrew word מִשְׁגֶּה (error).

[238] David L. Allen, Hebrews, in The New American Commentary: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture, vol. 35, ed. E. Ray Clendenen (Nashville, Tennessee: B & H Publishing Group, 2010), 457.

Leviticus 16:16, “And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.”

Hebrews 9:7 Comments The lengthy description of the procedures for the High Priest on the Day of Atonement make a clear distinction between the sins of the priest and those of the people. In fact, the priest was required to offer a bull for his own sins prior to offering the goats and a ram for the sins of the people as a separate part of this annual ceremony (Leviticus 16:6-7). Thus, the write of Hebrews makes the same distinction by saying, “which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people.”

Leviticus 16:6-7, “And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house. And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.”

Hebrews 9:8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

Hebrews 9:8 “while as the first tabernacle was yet standing” - Comments God had reestablished a meeting place with mankind before the ark of the covenant. Yet, a building had been erected that prohibited access to this meeting place. While the physical Temple with its ordinances was still standing, man could not free have access to God. The mercy seat and the ark of the covenant were there, the place where God met man; yet, man could not get into this room, the Holy of Holies, without the penalty of death, unless he followed the strict procedure on the Day of Atonement.

Hebrews 9:8 Comments The presence of God was now on earth again, not being manifested since Adam had fellowship with God in the Garden. Yet, a building was erected around the Holy of Holies so that man could not access it except once a year because man did not yet have free access to God.

Hebrews 9:9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;

Hebrews 9:9 “Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices” - Comments The rules for obtaining access to the mercy seat where God’s presence dwelt upon earth were designed as a type and figure for the redemptive work of Christ Jesus. Every aspect of Day of Atonement symbolized an aspect of Jesus’ atonement.

“that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience” - Comments Under the Mosaic Law the Jews remained conscience of their sins on a continual basis simply because they had to offer sacrifices for each transgression. Failure to continually offer these sacrifices would violate the Law. Thus, those under the Law lived with guilt each time they sinned. The Law was unable to cleanse the conscience of man (Hebrews 10:2), so the Jew lived a life of condemnation.

Hebrews 10:2, “For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.”

However, the life of David was an exception in that he learned how to fall into the hands of God through faith in His Word and repentance. David was the first individual in biblical history to call God by the name “Father,” as recorded in some of the psalms. David discovered that God and His presence was actually accessible to the pure in heart. Therefore, when he became king, he wore a priestly ephod and placed the ark of the covenant in a tent in Jerusalem where he could have direct access to the presence of God.

Hebrews 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

Hebrews 9:10 Word Study on “reformation” Strong says the Greek word διο ́ ρθωσις (G1357) is a compound word that literally means, “to straighten thoroughly.” Within the context of Hebrews 9:10, BDAG says it means, “improvement, reformation, new order.”

Hebrews 9:10 Comments In Galatians 3:24 Paul described the Law as our παιδαγωγο ́ ς , our attendant, custodian, or guide ( BDAG) that brings us to Christ. The busy, endless ceremonies of the Law revealed to the Jews their sinful nature and need for a redeemer; for they could not fulfill the Law themselves. The Law gave them a continual awareness of their sinful nature, pointing them to the coming Messiah.

Galatians 3:24, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

Verses 1-28

Jesus Christ Offers a New and Better Covenant Through a Superior Sacrifice Having proven that Jesus Christ is the mediator of a better and more superior office of priesthood in Hebrews 7:1-28 under the order of Melchizedek, the author then proceeds to explain how this new covenant necessitated a better sacrifice as well by referring to Jeremiah 31:31-34 in Hebrews 8:8-12. Therefore, Hebrews 8:1 to Hebrews 10:18 focuses upon the establishment of a new covenant through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ and a doing away of the old covenant, and it, and its serves largely as an exegesis of Jeremiah 31:31-34.

Outline Here is a proposed outline:

1. A Summary Statement Hebrews 8:1-2

2. The Promise of a New Covenant Hebrews 8:3-13

3. Sacrifices Under the Old Covenant Hebrews 9:1-10

4. Sacrifice Under New Covenant Hebrews 9:11 to Hebrews 10:18

Scripture References:

Hebrews 8:7, “For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.”

Hebrews 8:13, “In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.”

Hebrews 9:15, “And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.”

Hebrews 10:9, “Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.”

Verses 11-14

Christ Entered a Greater Tabernacle with a Greater Sacrifice Hebrews 9:11-14 explains how Christ entered a greater tabernacle with a greater sacrifice than that of the Levitical priesthood. This passage reveals how the Day of Atonement under the Law was a type and symbol of our redemption when Christ Jesus entered Heaven and paid for man’s sins with His own precious blood.

Hebrews 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

Hebrews 9:11 Comments Jesus entered a spiritual Tabernacle in Heaven. Moses built the earthly Tabernacle after the image of the spiritual one that was shown to him while he was on Mount Sinai (Exodus 25:40, Numbers 8:4, Acts 7:44, Hebrews 8:5).

Exodus 25:40, “And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.”

Numbers 8:4, “And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work: according unto the pattern which the LORD had shewed Moses, so he made the candlestick.”

Acts 7:44, “Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.”

Hebrews 8:5, “Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.”

Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Hebrews 9:12 Comments Hebrews 9:12 compares the entrance of Jesus Christ into the heavenly Tabernacle to entrance of the high priest into the Most Holy on the Day of Atonement, which is mentioned earlier in Hebrews 9:7, “into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood .” The high priest brought blood into the holy of holies once a year, representing the atonement Jesus Christ accomplished in Heaven when He offered His blood for our eternal redemption. He offered His blood once and for all for our sins, past, present, and future. Every child of God has received “eternal redemption,” not just redemption until the next time he sins, as was the case under the Law. When a child of God falls into sin, he is not separated from God and lost because that sin was atoned for at Calvary. However, the apostle John tells us that this atonement paid for the sins of the whole world, for all of mankind. Thus, this payment for sins reached back to Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden and it stretched forward until the last man sins before we are ushered into Eternity.

1 John 2:2, “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

Hebrews 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

Hebrews 9:13 Comments On the Day of Atonement, the priests offered sacrificial animals that were without blemish, which signified that an innocent life was being offering in the place of one that was defined and sinful (see TWOT, word study on ( כֹפֶר ) ransom).

Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Hebrews 9:14 Comments Perhaps the most dramatic evidence of a person’s initial salvation is the experience of having a clean conscience. He feels like he has been washed clean on the inside; and he has because his sins have been washed away and his conscience no longer condemns him of any sin.

Verses 11-28

A Description of the Sacrifice of Christ Jesus in the Heavenly Tabernacle Under the New Covenant Hebrews 9:11 to Hebrews 10:18 gives a lengthy description of the ministry and once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ in the Heavenly Tabernacle under the new covenant. A key word in this passage of Scripture is “blood.”

Note the proposed outline:

1. Christ Entered a Greater Tabernacle with a Greater Sacrifice Hebrews 9:11-14

2. Christ Became the Mediator of the New Covenant Hebrews 9:15-22

3. Christ’s Sacrifice was Once for All Hebrews 9:23 to Hebrews 10:18

Verses 15-22

Christ Became the Mediator of the New Covenant Hebrews 9:15-22 explains how Jesus Christ became the mediator of a new covenant.

Hebrews 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

Hebrews 9:15 Comments Ancient Jewish tradition assigned six hundred and thirteen commandments to the Mosaic Law. [239] A Jew lived under an astounding weight of concern so as not to break the least of these commandments. Because Jesus Christ offered His blood through His redemptive death, mankind has been redeemed from the many transgressions that he would have committed had he lived under the Law with its many commandments. The blood offering of Jesus was man’s only hope of obtaining an eternal inheritance, for no man could have fulfilled these commandments, except the man Jesus Christ.

[239] The Babylonian Talmud reads, “R. Simlayi lectured: Six hundred and thirteen commands were said to Moses; three hundred and sixty-five of them negatives, corresponding to the number of days in a year counting according to sunrise; and two hundred and forty-eight positives, corresponding to the members of a man’s body.” (Maccoth 3) See Michael L. Rodkinson, New Edition of the Babylonian Talmud, vol. 9 (Boston: New Talmud Publishing Company, 1903), 53-54.

Hebrews 9:16-17 Comments Scholars are evenly divided over the translation of the word διαθη ́ κη , since it can be translated either “covenant” or “will/testament.”

Hebrews 9:18 Comments - This blood represents the death of the testator (Leviticus 17:11). It represents man’s communion with God. The ark was God’s throne. The altar of Incense represents our prayers to God. The second veil represented Jesus' flesh.

Leviticus 17:11, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.”

Hebrews 9:18-22 Comments The Sprinkling of the Blood of the Covenant Exodus 24:6-8 records the sprinkling of the blood of the covenant God made with the children of Israel.

Exodus 24:6-8, “And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.”

Verses 23-28

Christ’s Sacrifice was Once for All Hebrews 9:23 to Hebrews 10:18 explains how the sacrifice of Jesus Christ was once for all.

Hebrews 9:23 Comments The Tabernacle of Moses was built after the pattern of things in Heaven. It was necessary that they be sanctified by the sprinkling of blood, as described in Hebrews 9:18-22. The blood sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ is the “better sacrifice” that was necessary in Heaven itself.

Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die” - Comments - It does not say that each individual man must die, but of mankind in general. It seems that some men did not die, such as Enoch, Elijah and those in the coming rapture. They did not experience mortal death. In the rapture, we will be changed in the twinkling of the eye.

Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Hebrews 9:28 “and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time” - Comments The phrase “and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time” tells us that Jesus Christ is coming back for a particular group of believers, which are those who are looking for and ready for His Second Coming. The Parable of the Ten Virgins tells us that some believers will not be ready for His Coming, and will be left behind, while other will be ready and will meet Jesus Christ in the air (Matthew 25:1-13).

“without sin unto salvation” - Comments The phrase “without sin unto salvation” refers to Jesus Christ and means that He is our Great Priest who is without sin, unlike the Levites who must make atonement for themselves as well as the sins of the people. He is not coming a second time for the purpose of bearing the sins of mankind; but rather, He now comes to bring us into the completion of our salvation.

Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

Hebrews 10:1 “For the law having a shadow of good things to come” Comments - The Law foreshadows the coming events of Christ and the good news of the Gospel. The phrase “of good things to come” also refers to future of the Church as well as the present church age. The Law foreshadows events in our future.

For example, in the ministry of the temple and the worship of God, the procedures of offering the burnt offerings were a way we offer ourselves to God. It represented a way that we have to deal with sin through the shedding of blood. The shewbread represent the words of our Lord Jesus. His Word is our bread of life. It is to be taken and eaten, or hid in our hearts. The mercy seat is a figure of how we enter into God’s presence. The Mosaic laws of daily conduct should be fulfilled through loving our neighbors.

For example, the prophet Zechariah predicts a time in the future when Israel and the Church will keep the Feast of Tabernacles (Zechariah 14:16-19).

Zechariah 14:16-19, “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.”

Hebrews 10:1 “and not the very image of the things” Comments - The law and its ministry were not the exact way things were to be done. The Law was a figure, or a foreshadowing of future events.

Hebrews 10:1 “can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect” - Comments Under the Mosaic Law, there were morning and evening sacrifices, constant trespass, sin, burnt, thanksgiving offerings, festival offering and numerous other ministries. These took place “year by year continually.” The repetition of these sacrifices testifies to their ineffectiveness to deal with man’s sinful nature.

Hebrews 10:1 implies that through Jesus’ perfection and sacrifice for sins (Hebrews 2:10; Hebrews 5:9; Hebrews 7:28) we are made perfect, which the author states in Hebrews 10:14, “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” The word “perfect” describes the condition of man’s spirit when he is born again. Hebrews 12:23 says “and to the spirits of just men made perfect.” Colossians 2:10 says, “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:”

Hebrews 12:23, “To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,”

We are also becoming mature in the sense that we are developing in the ways of God. That is, our minds and bodies are becoming conformed to the image of Christ day by day. Ephesians 4:11-13 says that we are, “coming…into the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” That is, we become Christ-like, more like Jesus. This is what God intended us to be in the Garden of Eden. Therefore, Hebrews 6:1 says, “let us go on to perfection.” However, Hebrews 10:1 is placing emphasis upon the completed work of Calvary, so that it states our spirits are now complete in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 10:1 Comments - The Law could not make anyone perfect, because no one was able to fulfill it (Romans 8:3), until Jesus Christ came and fulfilled the Law (Galatians 3:19). The Law simply revealed man’s depravity (Romans 3:20; Romans 5:20; Romans 7:5; Romans 7:7; Romans 7:9). The blood of sacrificial animals was insufficient to cleanse our sins and conscience (Hebrews 10:4)

1. Hebrews 10:4, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins .”

2. The passions of sin, which are revealed by the law, worked in our members bringing death (see Romans 7:5; Romans 7:7):

Romans 7:9, “For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died .”

3. Romans 3:20, “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin .”

4. Romans 5:20, “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound . But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:”

5. Romans 7:7, “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.”

6. Romans 8:3, “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh , God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:”

7. Galatians 3:19, “ Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions , till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.”

Hebrews 10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

Hebrews 10:2 Comments - The author of Hebrews, a born-again Christian, was an example of a believer who had no more conscience of sin, for in Christ he has a pure conscience (Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 10:22; Hebrews 13:18). However, the Jews under the Law were not able to achieve a clear conscience, for the Law brought them into a life of condemnation and guilt as it exposed every sin (Hebrews 9:9). Had the Jew been cleansed with a clean conscience, he could have stopped offering sacrifices because there would have been no more sin for which to atone.

Hebrews 9:14, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God ?”

Hebrews 10:22, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience , and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Hebrews 13:18, “Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience , in all things willing to live honestly.”

Hebrews 9:9, “Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience ;”

Hebrews 10:3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

Hebrews 10:3 Comments - Under the old covenant, a cleansing of the conscience is not made, but the opposite is made in the daily sacrifices. These sacrifices are a reminder of their sinful nature, binding them to a life of condemnation.

Hebrews 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

Hebrews 10:4 Comments - The Mosaic Law only made atonement, or a covering over, for sins. It did not do away with sins. The blood of the animal sacrifices simply covered over the sins of men, hiding them from God until the offering of the blood of Jesus Christ, which made a perfect atonement for the sins of mankind (Romans 3:25).

Romans 3:25, “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;”

Hebrews 10:5-7 Old Testament Quotes in the New Testament The author of Hebrews quotes two passages from the Old Testament within this chapter which give scriptural support for the fact that the Mosaic Law under the old covenant has been done away with and a new covenant has been established through Christ Jesus This first quote is taken from Psalms 40:6-8.

Psalms 40:6-8, “Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.”

The author will soon quote Jeremiah 31:33-34 in Hebrews 10:16-17 as a second witness to this great revelation of a new covenant.

Jeremiah 31:33-34, “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Hebrews 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

Hebrews 10:6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

Hebrews 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

Hebrews 10:7 “in the volume of the book it is written of me” - Word Study on “volume” Strong says the Greek word “volume” ( κεφαλίς ) (G2777) means, “roll.”

Comments The phrase “in the volume of the book” means, “in the roll of the book,” meaning the entire scroll. Note

Ezekiel 2:9, “And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein;”

Hebrews 10:7 Comments Jesus Christ became familiar with the biblical prophecies concerning His life, passion, resurrection and exaltation, as He testifies in Luke 24:44. Jesus made many references to the Old Testament concerning His life while teaching His disciples.

Hebrews 10:8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;

Hebrews 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

Hebrews 10:9 Comments - The author of Hebrews quotes an Old Testament passage that gives scripture evidence that the Mosaic Law has been done away with and a new covenant has been established with God’s people. This is a pretty big statement to make to Jew, using their Sacred Writings to prove that their Law has been abolished. Yet, this is exactly what the author is saying.

Hebrews 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 10:10 “By the which will” - Comments - The NASB says, “By this will.” By whose will? By God’s will. Verse 9 says, “I come to do thy will O God,” which was the offering of the body of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:10). Jesus prayed in the garden, “not my will, but thine, be done.” (Luke 22:42) By the Father’s will, we are sanctified through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Luke 22:42, “Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”

“we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ” Comments - Because we are sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ, we are now called “saints” in the Pauline epistles.

“once for all” Comments - A comment that Jesus made at the Last Supper refers to this great truth that His blood cleanses us once for all. He told the disciples that they did not need to wash all over except their feet only (John 13:10). This means that His blood would do away with all of their past sins and their newly committed sins could be dealt with by confessing them (1 John 1:9). His blood purges our guilty consciences from dead works and frees us to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:13-14).

John 13:10, “Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet , but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.”

1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Hebrews 9:13-14, “For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

Hebrews 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:

Hebrews 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

Hebrews 10:13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

Hebrews 10:12-13 Comments Jesus’ Enemies are Made His Footstool - The opening passage of the epistle of Hebrews makes a reference to God’s enemies being made His footstool (Hebrews 1:13).

Hebrews 1:13, “But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?”

Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Hebrews 10:14 Comments Hebrews 10:14 says that we have been “perfected” ( τελειόω ) (G5048) by the one-time offer of the blood of Jesus Christ. According to Hebrews 12:23, this perfection is referring to the born-again spirit of man, which reads, “and to the spirits of just men made perfect.” We know that our minds and bodies are in the process of becoming sanctified, but our spirit-man is already perfect in its sanctification. Because of our new birth, which creates in us a perfected spirit, 2 Peter 1:3 can say that God has given to us “all things that pertain unto life and godliness” through His divine power. In other words, God is now at work in our spirit-man to bring our entire man, spirit, soul and body, to perfection.

Hebrews 12:23, “To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,”

2 Peter 1:3, “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:”

There are other verses that discuss the perfection and sanctification of the believer. He is a new creation, which refers to the rebirth of the spirit of man (2 Corinthians 5:17). He is a new man, because the old man died, that is to say, the spirit of man was born again and the old spirit died (Ephesians 5:17). For this reason, we can stand on earth and be as Jesus is in regards to our inner man. [240]

[240] Andrew Wommack, “Momentary Redemption,” in “Hebrew Highlights,” [on-line]: accessed 4 June 2011; available from http://www.awmi.net/extra/audio/1061; Internet.

2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Ephesians 4:24, “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

1 John 4:17, “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.”

Hebrews 10:15-17 Old Testament Quotes in the New Testament The author of Hebrews now provides a second witness from the Old Testament regarding the prediction of a new covenant and a doing away with the old in Hebrews 10:15-17. The author interprets this passage out of Jeremiah 31:33-34 in order to bring out the main point of this passage of Scripture, which is that the one-time sacrifice of Jesus for our sins is to make us perfect. Thus, the verse following this passage (Hebrews 10:18) says, “no more offering for sin.”

Jeremiah 31:33-34, “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts ; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more .”

Hebrews 10:15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,

Hebrews 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

Hebrews 10:16 Comments - Hebrews 10:16 makes a reference to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

John 14:17, “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

Hebrews 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Hebrews 10:17 Comments God will remember none of our sins, those we committed before we were saved, and those we commit afterwards.

Hebrews 10:17 Scripture References - Note similar verses:

Psalms 103:12, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”

Isaiah 43:25, “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”

Jeremiah 31:34, “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Jeremiah 50:20, “In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.”

Micah 7:18, “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.”

Hebrews 10:18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

Hebrews 10:18 Comments Hebrews 10:18 a literally reads, “Now where there is forgiveness for (all) these (sins)…” Christ Jesus provided remission of our sins, past, present, and future. If this remission did not include all of our sins, there would remain a need for another sacrificial offering for those sins that God yet holds us indebted to appease.