Hebrews Chapter 10
By
Jim Bomkamp
1. VS 10:1-3 - “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.” - Being just
a shadow of what was to come the Law of Moses could not make perfect those who
would draw near to the Lord under it
1.1.
The particle "for"
in verse 1 seems to be merely a particle of transition and connection equivalent to saying,
"moreover” or “furthermore."
1.2.
The ‘law’ referred to here
signifies the Mosaic Law.
1.3.
This system of the Mosaic Law
is said to have, " a shadow of good things to come, and not the very
form of the things."
1.4.
The ‘good things to come’
which the law is a shadow of refers to the blessings of the New Covenant to be
enjoyed under the Messiah. Perfect
expiation of moral guilt, moral purification, free and favorable intercourse
and fellowship with God, these are some of the ‘good things to come.’
1.5.
The word ‘shadow’ is
used by artists to denote the first rude outline which they take of an object
which they mean to represent, whereas the word "form" denotes the
completed picture or statue. The apostle
means that the Mosaic institute contained in it a rude sketch, but not by any
means a complete picture, of the blessings to be enjoyed under the
Messiah.
1.6.
There are two truths taught
here :
1.6.1. Not everything under the Mosaic economy was a type.
1.6.2. That what was a type under the Old Covenant was a crude imperfect
representation not a complete correspondence to the New Covenant.
1.6.2.1. There were many high priests not one.
1.6.2.2. There were many sacrifices, not one.
1.6.2.3. There were many entrances into the holy place, not one.
1.6.2.4. There was not one offering and entrance into the holy place where the
Israelites had been delivered from all the evils threatened, and secured in all
the privileges promised, under the first covenant, all the days of their life.
1.7.
In the sacrifices offered
year by year, the one who would ‘draw near’ could not be made
"perfect." There was not
complete and permanent expiation and purification, but imperfect and temporary
expiation and purification (those under the Old Covenant didn’t have the same
experience we have of coming to “be saved.”
1.8.
To ‘perfect’ a
worshipper means to accomplish him as a worshipper. Some would say that it also refers to
actually coming to possess eternal salvation.
1.9.
Now, what is necessary to
fit a guilty and depraved man for the acceptable and comfortable worship of
God?
1.9.1. Perfect expiation must be made, complete pardon bestowed, the
conscience must be quieted, and the heart purified. This is also what is necessary in order to
the accomplishing of the worshipper as a worshipper.
1.10.
In verse 2, the author gives
two proofs that the repeated expiations under the Law could not make the
worshippers perfect:
1.10.1.
From the frequent
repetition.
1.10.2.
They would have ceased since
they would be unnecessary if perfection had been achieved (there would be no
noisy conscience).
1.10.2.1. Those sacrifices in the first place bring to remembrance again each
year the peoples' sins.
1.10.2.2. The offering was an acknowledgment that the offerers were yet sinners,
whose sins had not been completely expiated.
1.11.
In 1 John 1:8 it says that
“if we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in
us," so being under the New Covenant doesn't mean that we are removed from
the ability and awareness of having sinned, since we are but flesh anyway. Rather, our conscience needs no more
cleansing or expiation for sins already covered by Christ's atonement. And, His sacrifice once for all is full
propitiation for the sins of our whole lifetime. We need only appropriate Christ's pardon for
our sins, as we daily let the blood of Christ cleanse us from all sin as we
confess and repent of any transgressions committed.
1.12.
The Israelites never knew
the experiential release from the fear brought on by guilt. They never knew what it was like to have no
more any consciousness of their sins.
1.13.
In verse 4, the author
states, ‘it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take
away sins’. To ‘take away sins’
is to expiate guilt. It was impossible
for the Israelites to have their guilt taken away, because the shedding of the
blood of animals was no adequate manifestation of the displeasure of God
against sin, no effectual means of vindicating the honor of His violated Law
and abrogated authority. Only Christ’s
death could provide this, and, only Christ’s imputed righteousness could bring
about the transforming of a sinner's character.
1.14.
In application to those of
us who are believers in Christ I want to ask a question, “When you confess your
sins, do you leave them at the altar in heaven as you should? Or, do you carry them with you afterwards?”
1.15. The Israelites lived with guilt, fear, defeat, and frustration because
they could never have their sins washed away, their hearts and minds
regenerated, and have assurance of their acceptance before God and
salvation. We as Christians must never
be satisfied to live in that same guilt, fear, defeat, and frustration as the
Israelites did. If we will learn to
confess and repent whenever we sin, and then in faith trust God’s Word that we
are forgiven, we can get victory and be set free from the same type of
lifestyle that the Israelites lived. One
is a life under the Law, the other is a life lived in the Holy Spirit.
2. VS 10:5-9 - “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.” - The Lord has told us in the
Old Testament that sacrifice and offering would not appease Him, instead He has
said that He has prepared a body for Himself to come and live among us in, and
eventually become a sacrificial victim in
2.1.
Quote: Psalm
40:6-8, “6 Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired; My
ears You have opened; Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required. 7
Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of
me. 8 I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my
heart.”
2.2.
The connecting particle
"wherefore" is equivalent to the author say, “in accordance
with” these statements.
2.3.
These incredible verses from
Psalm 40 and are clearly Messianic, the Messiah is speaking. What is said here can be true of none but the
Messiah, and all that is said here is true of Him. David could not say that God did not require
of him sacrifice and offering, or that in his time there was to be an end put
to the oblations, nor could he say that he came to do that will of God which
all these sacrifices could not accomplish.
None but the Messiah could say these things.
2.4.
In verses 5 and 6, the
Messiah is quoted as saying that ‘Sacrifice and offering, and
burnt-offerings, and offering for sin, You would not, you have no pleasure in
them.’ The offerings under the
Levitical system could not expiate guilt, cleanse completely the conscience,
and set the sinner free. Thus God had no
real pleasure in that mode of worship, rather a better way had been
planned. The incarnation of Christ is
indicated then as the Messiah speaks out about this more perfect way, "Thou
hast prepared a body for me."
2.5.
In verses 9 the author says,
‘He takes away the first in order to establish the second,’ which
teaches the Jewish Christian that the first covenant had to be abolished and
done away with in order for the benefits of the New Covenant to be
enjoyed. "New wine will not fit
in old wineskins," Jesus taught.
Christianity cannot be contained as a facet of Judaism. You cannot have your sin expiated and
conscience cleansed and be living under the ordinances of the Law at the same
time. This is an impossibility.
2.6.
In verse 10 the apostle
says, ‘by this will we have been sanctified by the offering of the body of
Jesus once for all.’ The will of God
was completely fulfilled in Christ's offering His body once for all for the
sanctification of His people.
2.7.
For the Christian it is also
through God's will that he enters in to God Himself. The central blessing that Jesus gives men is
a heart in which the will of God lives.
It is as people do the will of God, that they enter into God's presence
at salvation and dwell there in His presence in the heavenly Holy of Holies.
2.8.
The
"sanctification" of Christ's people does not mean exclusively or
primarily the making them inherently holy.
Rather, it means the expiation of their sins, leading to the remission
of their sins, the quieting of the conscience, the purifying of the heart, and
thus to consecrating of them to God as His peculiar people.
2.9.
Jesus was glorified in man's
salvation. Justice was satisfied, and
mercy had free course.
3. VS 10:11-14 - “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.” - The Levitical priests make
offerings for sins day after day, however Jesus made just one offering for sin
and then sat down at the right hand of God
3.1.
This paragraph, which ends
with verse 18, forms the conclusion of the doctrinal part of the Epistle to the
Hebrews. These verses seem to be just a
summing up of the argument arising out of the contrast between Aaron and his
sons and Jesus Christ as sacrificing priests, and as to the efficacy of their
respective ministries.
3.2.
The term ‘every priest’
probably refers to "every high priest" since that has been the force
of Paul's argument up to this point.
However, the high priest did not "daily" offer up
sacrifices. But, as the one ultimately
responsible for the priesthood and all of the many and daily sacrifices, the
high priests through the inferior priests did offer daily sacrifices.
3.3.
The high priests are
portrayed as "standing" as they daily minister, however, in contrast
Christ sat down at the throne of God since his "one sacrifice for all
time" was then completed and perfect in all that it achieved.
3.4.
Jesus is a priest upon His
throne where he reigns along with God.
He returns no more to earth to offer sacrifice. That is utterly unnecessary, ‘For by one
offering He has perfected for ever them that are sanctified.’
3.5.
The “once” of Christ's work
is the secret of its being for ever, and comes about because of the power of an
endless life.
3.6.
In response to His sacrifice
once for all, we must once for all believe and be saved.
3.7.
In verse 14, those who are
called ‘sanctified’ are simply those who are separated unto Christ, His
people, made holy through application of His blood over their sins.
3.8.
Many have struggled for
years in doubt of their salvation and fear of God simply because they did not
apprehend the ‘once for all’ of Christ's atonement. We must trust in our life that His sacrifice
is sufficient to cover our sins and provide forgiveness for us. The Devil tries to make us doubt our salvation
and that we are forgiven, however we must realize that if we have confessed and
repented of our sins, yet we still feel guilty, that it is just the Devil
accusing us, not God!
3.9.
We must realize that in
Jesus’ one sacrifice He was not only perfected Himself, but He perfected
us. Jesus took us into the fellowship of
His own perfection, implanted His own perfect life in us, and gave His
perfected human nature to us that we are to put on, and to live in. Christ Himself is our perfection. In Him we are complete. Abiding in Him continually is
perfection.
3.10.
The verb tense in verse 14
shows that we are "being sanctified."
There is a process by which our new life in Christ has to master and to
perfect holiness through our whole outer being.
We need to then let our progressive sanctification have its rest and its
assurance in the "once and for ever" of Christ's work. Jesus has perfected forever those who are
"being sanctified."
4. VS 10:15-18 - “15 And
the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying, “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.” - Under the New Covenant in Christ, He puts His
Laws into our hearts as He forgives our sins and remembers our lawless deeds no
more
4.1. Quote: Jeremiah 31:33, “33 “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”
4.2.
These verses seem to be
added just to add a connection to the scripture for the general teachings of
the New vs Old Covenants. They do not
appear to be the basis for grounding any particular immediate argument.
4.3.
Translations that add
"Wherefore" to the first of verse 15 use it as a supplement since it
is not supplied in the original. They do
this in order to try to show that these verses are the ground of a particular
argument, however, the verses seem only there to add the connection to
scripture. So, verse 16 seems to
indicate that the Lord, having given us His Law will write that law upon our
hearts. Then, in verse 18, as a result
of this law put within His peoples' hearts, "where there is remission of
sins, there is no longer any offering for sin."
4.4.
The remembrance of sin by
God, as seen in the Levitical sacrifices, is equivalent to the sentence of
condemnation remaining in force. The not
remembering of sin by the Lord is equivalent to remission or pardon.
4.5.
With verse 18, the doctrinal
portion of the book of Hebrews is complete.
4.6.
The design of the Epistle was
to establish the pre-eminence of Christianity above Judaism, and this was
completed by showing in succession that Jesus Christ, who is the sum and
substance of Christianity as its Author, is superior to the three great objects
of Jewish veneration: the angels, Moses
and the Aaronical high-priesthood.
4.6.1. The stating of these arguments and proofs occupied this first section
of the book. The latter portion of the
book, which includes the rest of it, is entirely devoted to admonitions which
naturally result from the foregoing statements.
It concerns practical application.
5. VS 10:19-23 - “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;” - Since we have been brought into the holy
place by Jesus let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of the
faith we have received
5.1.
Having in the preceding part
of this Epistle proven the superiority of Christianity to Judaism, the author
now begins to outline duties which naturally arise from the foregoing
statements. First, he gives a statement
of principles, which are taken for granted as having been fully proved, and
secondly he gives injunction of duties based upon those principles.
5.1.1. The principles stated are :
5.1.1.1. ‘We have confidence to enter the Holy Place by the blood of Jesus.’
5.1.1.2. ‘We have a great High Priest over the house of God.’
5.1.2. The duties associated with these are :
5.1.2.1. “Entering in."
5.1.2.2. "Drawing near."
5.1.2.3. "Holding fast the profession of our hope without wavering."
5.2.
The reason that we can have
boldness to enter into the Holy of Holies is based upon not our works or
worthiness, but because Jesus has gone in and opened up the way for us. He is holy and blameless and the perfect lamb
of God whose blood was shed as propitiation for the sins of the whole world,
and completely received into the Holy of Holies in heaven. It is by the blood of Christ and nothing else
that we can be brought into the very presence, into the living and abiding
fellowship of the everlasting God.
5.3.
Some have interpreted the
phrase in verse 20 ‘through the veil, that is His flesh’ as saying that the
veil to the Holy of Holies is the flesh of Jesus. However, a more likely interpretation is that
the phrase is saying that Jesus entered through the veil in the Holy of Holies
in His flesh. He has entered bodily, not
in a metaphorical way, rather in a way as real as the Levitical priest entered
the earthly representative Holy of Holies.
5.4.
Jesus has entered into
Heaven with "blood," "His own blood," the result of the
all-perfect expiation of our sins, which He effected by the shedding of His own
blood.
5.5.
“He has consecrated
[inaugurated] for us, a new and living way," means that He literally
'opened up' this "new and living way" to us.
5.5.1. His entrance to heaven is our way of entering it, and it is a new way,
a way which man could never have opened up, and it is newly proclaimed in the
doctrine of Christianity.
5.5.2. It is a ‘living way’ or 'life-giving' way. It never decays or waxes old, but always
retains its first perfection and freshness.
It is a ‘living way’ which opens a track and supplies the strength
to carry the traveler along.
5.5.3. It acts in the power of the endless life, in which Christ was made a
High Priest. We saw how the Holy Spirit
watches over the way into the Holy of Holies, and how He, as the Eternal Spirit
enabled Christ, in opening the way, to offer Himself without spot unto God.
5.5.4. It is Jesus whose mighty energy pervades this way, and inspires it with
life divine. Jesus said He was the
"way, truth, and the 'life,'" and, this life is the life lived within
the heavenly veil with Jesus.
5.6.
We as Christians need to
come to God with a ‘true’ or ‘sincere’ heart, being teachable, a
good listener, willing to obey, not just trying to get something from
God... As in John 21 when Jesus asked
Peter if he loved Him more than these, the question in our life is as to how
our love for Him compares with all of the other loves in our lives.
5.7.
We Christians must realize
that the way into the Holiest is the living way of perfect conformity to Jesus,
wrought in us by His Spirit. It is
through the rent veil of the flesh. It
is the way of death that opens up the way of life. The only way to be set free from our fallen
nature, with the curse and power of sin resting on it, is to die to it.
5.8.
This "boldness"
mentioned is the result of the assurance of our salvation which we receive from
believing the promises of God's word, knowing that when we shall die we shall
be with the Lord.
5.9.
The fact is that ‘we have a great Priest over the house of
God,’ and as a result of the principles the author has taught in this epistle,
we are exhorted to "draw near with a true [sincere] heart, in full
assurance of faith," and to "hold fast the profession of our faith
without wavering; for He is faithful
that promised."
5.10.
To ‘draw near’ is the
same as to "come to God," to come to the throne of grace to receive
mercy. It also expresses worship of
God.
5.11.
The ‘full assurance of
faith’ speaks of “the fullest and most assured belief.” It is translated in some versions
"fullness of faith."
5.12.
The phrase ‘having our bodies
washed with pure water’ is possibly a reference to the water baptism which
Jewish believers made to declare publicly that which had happened internally to
them through belief in Jesus and His shed blood for their sins. They were testifying that they had died with
Him, been buried with Him, been raised with Him.
5.12.1.
It is with our bodies that
we sin, and thus it is our bodies which likewise must be washed with water, or
cleansed. The Psalmist wrote, "Who
shall ascend unto the hill of the Lord?
or who shall stand in His Holy Place?
He that has clean hands, and a pure heart."
5.13.
The author says in
persuading us to hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering that, ‘For
He who promised is faithful.’
5.13.1.
God, has confirmed by an
oath that declaration in reference to the everlasting priesthood of Jesus
Christ, on which all our hope depends, and He cannot lie, and He cannot deny
Himself. Jesus has been brought up from
the dead, and will also in due time fulfill all the promises which He has made
to us His people, bringing us again from the dead, and giving us that,
"kingdom prepared for them before the foundation of the world."
5.14.
Jesus said in John 4:24 that
acceptable worship is that which is in "spirit and in truth." God is not impressed by mere bodily service,
therefore we need to come to Him "with a true heart," with our mind
enlightened with the truth, and with our heart made true, sound, upright. True religion is a thing of the heart and
inward life. God's great quarrel with
His people is that their heart is turned from Him. In chap. 3, we heard Him
complain of the hardening of the heart, the wandering heart, the unbelieving
heart. No wonder that the first
requisite for entering the Holiest of All should be a true heart. We need then to stretch forth, lift up, reach
out that withered heart that we have, and trust that God shall make it whole,
so we can serve Him wholeheartedly.
5.15.
The Holy Spirit asks us
first for a true heart, and then for ‘fullness of faith.’ This full faith is one where the whole being
surrenders and lets go all, and yields itself to God to do His work. In "fullness of faith" let us draw
near.
5.16.
God wants to show us His
faithfulness if we will but step out in faith upon the promises of His word, in
particular in relation to His being the faithful High Priest over the house of
God.
5.17.
Unless we have our ‘hearts
sprinkled clean from an evil conscience,’ we shall be aware we have
offended God, and have no solid ground of hope of pardon, and that we are unfit
for affectionate fellowship with God.
Our minds shall remain a stranger to confidence and love, but rather be
full of jealousy, and fear, and anger. A
man must get rid of this ‘evil conscience’ in order to come to God.
5.18.
As we submit our mind, heart
and will to believe God's promises revealed to us, we our cleansed by the blood
of Christ from all unrighteousness. The
blood has put away the thought of sin from God, the blood puts away the thought
of sin in me too, taking away the evil conscience that condemns me.
6. VS 10:24-25 - “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.” - The author admonishes us to
encourage and stimulate one another to love and good deeds
6.1.
The author writes here that
we Christians are not merely to be concerned about our own improvements and
safety as individuals, but as members of one body we are to seek to promote
each other's best interests. We are to
"consider each other."
6.2.
When other believers have
various wants, infirmities, temptations, and dangers, we are to seek to give
assistance in the form of advice, caution, admonition, and consolation. In this way we are to stir up each other ‘to
love and good deeds.’
6.3.
The word ‘provoke’
here does not mean the bad sense of the word, but rather to "excite"
a fellow Christian. Accordingly, the
author exhorts us to be consistent in attending the stated meetings for instruction
and worship: ‘not forsaking the
assembling of yourselves together."
6.4.
Some of the Hebrews
Christians had become negligent in attending to their duties. The apostle calls on his readers to
"exhort one another" concerning the importance of remaining in the
body of Christ and participating in every aspect of it.
6.5.
The author states that we
are to be exhorting one another to be "steadfast and immovable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, ‘And so much the more, as you see the day
approaching.’
6.6.
The day referred to here is
probably not the day of the destruction of the Jewish State in 70AD, but
instead the future return of Christ.
6.7.
Forsaking the assembling of
the body was in the apostle's mind a symptom of imminent danger. This neglect of Christian fellowship is at
once the indication of an indifference which is dangerous and the also the
cause of further backsliding.
6.8.
We Christians ought to keep
an eye on one another. We ought to think
about our brother’s and sister’s needs, desires, temptations, dangers, etc. so
that we can pray for them, encourage and/or rebuke them as needed. Likewise, we ought to be as the Old Testament
says, “iron sharpening iron,” in our dealings with one another, challenging in love
one another to grow.
6.9.
We ought to try to not miss
church meetings, especially Sunday mornings, since we need that time so
desperately, for our growth and spiritual walk.
7. VS 10:26-27 - “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.” - The author returns to warning
the reader, now he warns of the danger of continuing on in sin once you have
come to have a knowledge of the truth
7.1.
To impress on the Hebrew
Christians still more strongly the infinite importance of perseverance in the
faith and profession of the Gospel, the author lays before them a view of the
complete and "everlasting destruction" in a future state which awaits
the one who has become apostate.
7.2.
Two things must be noticed
in these verses:
7.2.1. These ones have ‘received the knowledge of the truth’ yet have
continued on in sin.
7.2.2. By ‘the truth’ we are to understand that they have become, or at
least consider themselves to have become genuine born-again Christians.
7.2.2.1. To ‘receive the knowledge of this truth’ is not only to be
furnished with the means of obtaining a knowledge of Christian truth, but
actually to apprehend its meaning and to make a profession of believing
it.
7.3.
The word "sin"
is used in a somewhat peculiar sense.
7.3.1. It is descriptive not of sin generally, but of a particular kind of sin,
apostasy from the faith and profession of the truth, once known and
professed.
7.3.2. It is not the sin of apostasy, but the sin of continual apostasy.
7.3.3. Their sinning is not only habitual but is done "willfully"
and “obstinately,” in opposition to all attempts to reclaim them.
7.3.4. This is not a temporary apostasy from the truth, but a determined,
persevering, final apostasy. With
regards to such a person, the author declares that ‘there no longer remains
a sacrifice for sins.’ These words
are meant to cause trembling fear of the prospect of a furious fire of God's
wrath in judgment upon sin, everlasting shame and contempt, and a disastrous
fall into the hands of the living God.
This is what awaits those who, after gaining knowledge of the truth,
deliberately sin. There is no salvation
without pardon and no pardon without a sacrifice for sin.
7.3.5. In apostatizing from the faith of Christ, they have renounced all
dependence on His sacrifice and there is no other which will suffice.
7.4.
The word ‘judgment’
here is equivalent to “punishment” to which the sinner is doomed.
7.5.
The Greek word ‘Tis’
translated ‘certain’ in verse 27 does not mean an assured expectation,
or the certainty of the punishment, but rather suggests that the punishment to
be expected by the apostate is a punishment of undefined, indefinable
magnitude, something that is inexpressible, inconceivable.
7.6.
The ‘fury of a fire,’
or as some translations render it, "fiery indignation," refers to God
being angry with the sinner who determines to persevere in apostasy, and the
"wrath of God abides upon him."
With this fury of fire God will consume all of His enemies, all those
who "believe not the truth."
7.7.
The day referred to is
probably not the day of the overthrow and destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD, but
the day of final judgment of the wicked upon earth. 2 Thess. 1:7-9 has a description of this
judgment of non-believers, “7 and to give relief to you who are
afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven
with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 8 dealing out retribution to
those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord
Jesus. 9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away
from the presence of the Lord and from the sglory of His power.”
7.8.
In the three previous
warnings in the book, the author had spoken of neglect (2:1-4), then of
unbelief and disobedience (3:1; 4:13), then of sloth, leading to hopeless
falling away (5:13; 6:19), and now he speaks of willful sinning, with the awful
rejection of God's mercy it implies, the horrible and certain punishment it
will inevitably bring.
7.8.1. It is not only the Holiest of All that is set wide open for us, the
gate of hell is opened wide too, to receive all who neglect or refuse to enter
the gate of mercy and of heaven.
8. We Christians ( as well as all people ) should have a healthy fear of
the Lord and His power, authority, and justice.
Since nothing escapes His eye, we must strive to have truth in our
innermost parts, that is, if we truly wise.
9. Since no wrong shall go unpunished, those who do not know Jesus Christ
as their Lord and Savior should be smart and turn from their sin and come to
know the Lord.
10.
VS 10:28-29 - “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?” - The severest punishment
awaits the one who rejects Jesus
10.1.
The person with whom the
apostate is compared in these verses is one who ‘set aside the Law of Moses,’
"the despiser of Moses' law." In
every violation of a law there is an implied contempt of the law and the
lawgiver. But "the despiser of
Moses' law" is plainly not every violator of that law since for many of
its violations there were expiatory sacrifices.
The “despiser,” or "annular" of the law is the person who acts
by the law of Moses the part which the apostate does by the Gospel of
Christ. He renounces its authority and
determinedly and obstinately refuses to comply with its demands.
10.2.
The person under the Mosaic
economy, whether a native Jew or a sojourner in the Holy Land, who despised
Moses’ Law was doomed to death. He
"died without mercy under two or three witnesses." Capital punishment
was carried out when the charges were proven.
No pardon was allowed...
10.3.
Paul now goes on to describe
the conduct of the apostate in such language as to make it plain that he is far
more deeply criminal than "the despiser of the law of Moses."
10.3.1.
The apostle uses the words ‘trampled
under foot the Son of God’ to convey the idea that this apostate has
treated with the greatest conceivable contempt the One who is of the highest
conceivable dignity. This is the
tremendous dishonor done to Jesus by apostasy, it is declaring that Jesus is an
imposter and that the gospel was devised by man. Instead of treating Jesus’ sacrifice as it
ought to be treated, as something of inconceivable value and efficacy, he
tramples it under foot as vile and worthless.
10.3.2.
The apostate ‘regarded as
unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified.’
10.3.3.
The story is told of old
father who had often pleaded in vain with his wayward son to forsake his evil
ways. One night, as the son was
preparing again to go out, the father, after renewing his pleadings, went and
stood in the door, saying, "My son, I cannot let you go and if you do go
it will be over my body.” The son tried
to push the father aside. The old man
fell, and in rushing out the son trod on his father! Jesus Christ, God's Son, comes and stands in
the sinner's way, pleading with him to turn from his evil way. He casts Himself in the way, with His
wounded, bleeding body. The sinner if he
does not heed the Lord he tramples over Him:
‘he tramples under foot the Son of God.’
10.4.
The apostate is still
further described as having ‘insulted the Spirit of grace.’ The ‘spirit of grace’ is a Hebraism
for “the gracious, the kind, the benignant Spirit.” That person of the Trinity, is termed
"the Spirit of grace," or the "gracious Spirit," to bring
before our minds that all His operations are benign and filled with mercy.
10.5.
The apostate is represented
as "insulting" the Holy Spirit for he is treating Him with indignity
and insult.
10.6.
Apostasy is akin to
blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. It is to
attribute the many works of the Holy Spirit to something else. The Holy Spirit dwelt in Jesus and attested
to His works as being of God, He distributed gifts to believers by His own
will, and He is at work in every agency of grace. The “despiser of Moses' law” despised Moses
as a holy and divine messenger, but the
apostate despises the Son and Spirit of God, and acts towards them in a far
more malicious and insulting manner than the despiser of Moses' law did towards
that legislator. If the one deserved
death, does not the other deserve damnation, "everlasting destruction,
from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power?"
10.7.
If the punishment of
"the despiser of Moses' law” was absolutely certain, can the punishment of
the apostate be in any degree doubtful?
The justice of God requires that the punishment of the apostate be
awfully severe, and indubitably certain.
10.8.
We ought to realize that
allowing willful sin in our life is to trample over the very Son of God like He
is nothing but a “welcome mat.”
10.8.1.
How could we spurn Him in
such a way as that?
10.8.2.
How could we who have
received such a wonderful salvation willfully sin now?
11.
VS 10:30-31 - “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.” - The author reminds us that
the Lord is a God of vengeance, that He will judge His people, and this is a
terrifying reality
11.1.
(Quote: Deuteronomy
32:35-36, “35 ‘Vengeance is Mine, and retribution, In due time
their foot will slip; For the day of their calamity is near, And the impending
things are hastening upon them.’ 36 “For the Lord will vindicate His people, And will have compassion on
His servants, When He sees that their strength is gone, And there is
none remaining, bond or free.” )
11.2.
These two verses with quotes
from Deuteronomy 32 give a further illustration of the awful severity and the
absolute certainty of the punishment of the apostate.
11.3.
The quotations from
Deuteronomy are from the prophetic song of Moses in Deut. chapter 32, and refer
to the punishments which God would inflict on the wicked Israelites at the
latter end.
11.4.
The meaning of the words is,
"I Myself will punish them, and the punishment shall bear the impress of
My omnipotence."
11.5.
The Greek word “krino”
translated "judge" here is not infrequently used as equivalent to
“punish” or “take vengeance.” In these
verses its use is equivalent to, “Beware of supposing that the relation you
think you stand in to God will protect you, for judgment will begin at the
House of God.”
11.6.
God is not a respecter of
persons, and He will judge all, including His people, using the same
standard.
11.7.
To instill a healthy fear of
God, the author writes, ‘it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the
living God.’
11.7.1.
Jesus taught His disciples,
saying, "Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no
more that they can do: but I will
forewarn you whom you shall fear: Fear
Him, which, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him", Luke
12:4,5.
11.7.2.
The way to be spared from
apostasy is to grow in the Lord and to do as Peter commanded us, "add to
your faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness,
brotherly-kindness, and charity."
11.8.
Prior to 70 AD, the Jews had
experienced a tremendous time of temptation, trial, and hardship, and many
Christians among them had fallen away from their faith in Christ. This is one reason the author wrote this
letter to them, to keep them from apostatizing as so many already had
done.
11.9.
If you who would gamble your
life by refusing to come to faith in Christ, would be too fearful to jump into
the cage of a wild bear or lion, why in the world would you ever want to try to
fight against Almighty God?
11.10.
As a reminder, we Christians
ought to live in view of the fact that we will give account of all our deeds to
the Lord some day. The Lord promises
that one day He will judge His people.
12.
VS 10:32-34 - “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.” - The author calls the Jewish readers to
remember their former persecutions and how they handled them so honorably
12.1.
Paul now calls on the
Hebrews to recollect their past experiences as Christians, to reflect upon all
they had suffered for their faith, and on all which it had done for them under
their sufferings. He asks them to ponder
the faith which they had once so fondly cherished, and which had enabled them
to bear, not only patiently, but joyfully, all the trials to which they had
been exposed.
12.2.
The period which is recalled
to the Jewish readers’ minds is that which immediately followed their
illumination, that day they had obtained the knowledge of the truth. That state of ignorance and error in which
they were in previously was a state of darkness. Then, when they were delivered
from ignorance and error, they were said to have been enlightened. After being enlightened, they had ‘endured
a great conflict of sufferings.’
12.3.
The author probably refers
to the severe and general persecution that followed the death of Stephen, and
also to that which took place not long afterwards by Herod, when "he slew
James, the brother of John, with the sword."
12.4.
In using the word ‘endured’
Paul probably meant to convey the idea
not only that they had been exposed to these varied and severe trials,
but that they had worthily sustained them, they had "endured" the
fight.
12.5.
In those afflictions of
their persecution the Jewish believers had been, " made a public
spectacle through reproaches and tribulations,’ and considered as
malefactors. In the theatres they were
often made, in the presence of the assembled people, to fight with each other,
or with wild beasts. False charges were
brought against them, and their faith and hope were ridiculed. Their character and conduct as Christians was
scorned.
12.6.
By ‘sufferings’ as
distinguished from "reproaches," we are to understand real sufferings
such as torture of various kinds.
12.7.
Genuine Christians feel
towards one another as brethren, and when they see their Christian brethren
suffering for the cause of Christ they naturally take part with their suffering
brethren, and thus experience their share of the public scorn which is poured
out on their brethren.
12.8.
Concerning the sufferings
sustained in their property, and the manner in which they had borne these
sufferings, the author refers to ‘the seizure of your property.’ They had been unjustly deprived of their
property, and when this occurred instead of turning back in their faith, or
thinking of retaining their property by giving up their religion, they ‘accepted
joyfully the seizure of your property.’
In other words, they were glad they had this means of showing their
attachment to Christ and His cause. They
were honored to make such a sacrifice.
12.9.
They ‘accepted joyfully
the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better
possession and an abiding one.’ They
cheerfully parted with their property because they knew that their most
valuable and permanent property was within them. No one could not take from them their eternal
life, the love of God, the comforts of the Holy Spirit.
12.10.
The author is begging the
questions then : “Why shrink from
suffering for Christianity now? Were you
not exposed to suffering from the beginning?
When you first became Christians, did you not willingly undergo
sufferings on account of it? And is not
Christianity as worthy of being suffered for as ever? Are you willing to lose all the benefit of
the sacrifices you have made and the sufferings you have sustained?” They will all count for nothing if you endure
not to the end.
12.11.
We as Christians should
realized that we are called to share with our brothers and sisters in their sufferings
and trials, helping to shoulder their burdens.
12.12.
We Christians ought to
follow these believers example and accept joyfully our persecutions.
12.13.
We Christians ought to ask
ourselves if it would be worthwhile for us to backslide and fall away now. What would we be losing in doing this? What could we ever gain in comparison to what
we are losing?
13.
VS 10:35-36 - “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.” - The author admonishes the
Jewish believers not to throw away their confidence
13.1.
In verse 35, the ‘confidence’
or "boldness" of the Christian Hebrew is just a general name for
open, consistent, fearless adherence to Christianity amidst all the
difficulties we are exposed to. This
they were told to hold fast, and not to cast away.
13.2.
If these Jewish believers
shrunk away from the Lord and the race He had put in front of them and became
cowards, this would be to cast away their confidence. Instead of throwing it away, they were told
to hold it fast and continue, "steadfast and unmovable."
13.3.
In verse 36, the word ‘endurance’
is also translated "patience" as well as "perseverance" in
some translations. Each of these words
describe the same thing. The Hebrew
Christians were in need of perseverance so that after suffering and laboring
according to the will of God they might in the end not come short of inheriting
the promise of eternal life by apostasy.
And, the only way of obtaining this promised blessing is to persevere in
doing the will of God.
13.4.
It I cast away my boldness,
it is because I take something else into my life to replace it. Casting away our boldness always has its
cause in something else we allow to take its place in the heart.
13.5.
If we Christians refuse to
abide in Christ and put to death the sinful deeds of our body, then we should
realize that we will not be saved when Christ returns or our body dies. Jesus said this in John 15:1-6, “15:1 “I
am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 “Every branch in Me that
does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He
prunes it, that it may bear more fruit. 3 “You are already clean because of the
word which I have spoken to you. 4 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch
cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you,
unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides
in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.
6 “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up;
and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned”.
13.6.
Jesus wrote a similar
warning in Matt. 24:42-51 about how that a person must be about the business of
the master when He returns or He would be lost for eternity, “42 “Therefore
be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. 43 “But be
sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night
the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have
allowed his house to be broken into. 44 “For this reason you be ready too; for
the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will. 45 “Who then is the faithful and sensible
slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at
the proper time? 46 “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when
he comes. 47 “Truly I say to you, that he will put him in charge of all his
possessions. 48 “But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not
coming for a long time,’ 49 and shall begin to beat his fellow slaves and eat
and drink with drunkards; 50 the master of that slave will come on a day when
he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, 51 and shall cut
him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; weeping shall be
there and the gnashing of teeth.”
13.7.
If we Christians hold onto
anything that is not in the perfect will of God, this loosens our hold on the
boldness before God, and, before we know it, we have cast it away and it is
lost.
14.
VS 10:37 - “37 For yet in a very little
while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.” - The author promises the
Jewish believers that the Lord’s coming will be soon
14.1.
In this verse, the author
admonishes the Jewish believers to persevere in light of the imminent return of
Jesus Christ.
14.2.
In speaking of the return of
Christ, the author could be referring to the “Rapture” of the church that will
occur prior to the beginning of the 7 Year Tribulation of the church, the
Second Coming of Christ that will occur at the end of the 7 Year Tribulation,
or even about the fact that when each of us as believers passes away from this
life that we go to be directly in the presence of Jesus.
14.3.
These Jewish Christians
needed perseverance in order to make it through that very difficult time which
history records came not too many years after the writing of this letter. In 70 AD, the city of Jerusalem was destroyed
by the Romans and the Jews who were not slaughtered at that time were dispersed
throughout the nations.
14.4.
All of us should live in
apprehension of the imminent return of Christ, for we do not know when He shall
appear. It will come at a time when we
do not expect the scripture says. And,
any of us could die tomorrow and have to face the Lord face to face. For us, that very moment would be the second
coming of Jesus.
15.
VS 10:38-39 - “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.” - The righteous are to live by
faith and the Lord does not have pleasure in us if we shrink back
15.1.
Persevering in and living by
faith are exact opposites from the "shrinking back" mentioned in
verse 38. God's soul shall have no
pleasure in the man that ‘shrinks back.’
15.2.
No man can be saved unless
he first believes the gospel, and then no man shall be saved unless he is
persevering in faith and holiness. There
is no question in scripture but that the elect shall persevere unto the end.
15.3.
The question is whether or
not I am on of the elect myself. But,
this I can't know but by believing and persevering in the faith, adding to my
faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly-kindness,
and love.
15.4.
Love hopes and believes all
things about those whom it loves, and thus the author tells them in verse 39
that they are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who
persevere faithful unto the end.