Hebrews 10 English
Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)
Christ's Sacrifice Once
for All
10
For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the
true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are
continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise,
would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshippers, having once
been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in these
sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for
the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5
Consequently, when Christ[a] came into the world, he said,
“Sacrifices
and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me;
6
in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
7
Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the
book.’”
8
When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices
and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered
according to the law), 9 then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.”
He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 10 And by that
will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ
once for all.
11
And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices,
which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ[b] had offered for all time
a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting
from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14
For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being
sanctified.
15
And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,
16
“This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, declares the Lord:
I
will put my laws on their hearts,
and write them on their minds”,
17
then he adds,
“I
will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
18
Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
The Full Assurance of
Faith
19
Therefore, brothers,[c] since we have confidence to enter the holy places by
the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through
the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest
over the house of God, 22 let us draw
near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with 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. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good
works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but
encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
26
For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the
truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful
expectation of judgement, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.
28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence
of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be
deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood
of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of
grace? 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 fearful thing to fall into
the hands of the living God.
32
But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard
struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and
affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had
compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your
property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an
abiding one. 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 is
promised. 37 For,
“Yet
a little while,
and the coming one will come and will not
delay;
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 and are destroyed, but of those who
have faith and preserve their souls.
Matthew Henry's
Commentary
Verses 19-39
6.
He presses them to persevere, from that recompense of reward that waited for
all faithful Christians (Heb. 10:35): Cast not away therefore your confidence,
which hath great recompense of reward. Here, (1.) He exhorts them not to cast
away their confidence, that is, their holy courage and boldness, but to hold
fast that profession for which they had suffered so much before, and borne
those sufferings so well. (2.) He encourages them to this by assuring them that
the reward of their holy confidence would be very great. It carries a present
reward in it, in holy peace and joy, and much of God’s presence and his power
resting upon them; and it shall have a great recompense of reward hereafter.
(3.) He shows them how necessary a grace the grace of patience is in our
present state (Heb. 10:36): You have need of patience, that after you have done
the will of God you might receive the promise; that is, this promised reward.
Observe, The greatest part of the saints’ happiness is in promise. They must
first do the will of God before they receive the promise; and, after they have
done the will of God, they have need of patience to wait for the time when the
promise shall be fulfilled; they have need of patience to live till God calls
them away. It is a trial of the patience of Christians, to be content to live
after their work is done, and to stay for the reward till God’s time to give it
them is come. We must be God’s waiting servants when we can be no longer his
working servants. Those who have had and exercised much patience already must
have and exercise more till they die. (4.) To help their patience, he assures
them of the near approach of Christ’s coming to deliver and to reward them
(Heb. 10:37): For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and
will not tarry. He will soon come to them at death, and put an end to all their
sufferings, and give them a crown of life. He will soon come to judgment, and
put an end to the sufferings of the whole church (all his mystical body), and
give them an ample and glorious reward in the most public manner. There is an
appointed time for both, and beyond that time he will not tarry, Hab. 2:3. The
Christian’s present conflict may be sharp, but it will be soon over.
7.
He presses them to perseverance, by telling them that this is their
distinguishing character and will be their happiness; whereas apostasy is the
reproach, and will be the ruin, of all who are guilty of it (Heb. 10:38, 39):
Now the just shall live by faith, etc. (1.) It is the honourable character of
just men that in times of the greatest affliction they can live by faith; they
can live upon the assured persuasion they have of the truth of God’s promises.
Faith puts life and vigour into them. They can trust God, and live upon him,
and wait his time: and, as their faith maintains their spiritual life now, it
shall be crowned with eternal life hereafter. (2.) Apostasy is the mark and the
brand of those in whom God takes no pleasure; and it is a cause of God’s severe
displeasure and anger. God never was pleased with the formal profession and
external duties and services of such as do not persevere. He saw the hypocrisy
of their hearts then; and he is greatly provoked when their formality in
religion ends in an open apostasy from religion. He beholds them with great
displeasure; they are an offence to him. (3.) The apostle concludes with
declaring his good hope concerning himself and these Hebrews, that they should
not forfeit the character and happiness of the just, and fall under the brand
and misery of the wicked (Heb. 10:39): But we are not, etc.; as if he had said,
“I hope we are not of those who draw back. I hope that you and I, who have met
with great trials already, and have been supported under them by the grace of
God strengthening our faith, shall not be at any time left to ourselves to draw
back to perdition; but that God will still keep us by his mighty power through
faith unto salvation.” Observe, [1.] Professors may go a great way, and after
all draw back; and this drawing back from God is drawing on to perdition: the
further we depart from God the nearer we approach to ruin. [2.] Those who have
been kept faithful in great trials for the time past have reason to hope that
the same grace will be sufficient to help them still to live by faith, till
they receive the end of their faith and patience, even the salvation of their
souls. If we live by faith, and die in faith, our souls will be safe for ever.
The Bible Panorama
Hebrews 10
V 1–4: REGULAR REMINDER The regular sacrifice
and entry by the high priest was an annual reminder that sins had to be
forsaken and forgiven. The need to repeat the sacrifice often shows that those
sacrifices could never remove sin.
V 5–10: BIBLICAL BASIS When God came to earth
in a human body which would become a sacrifice for sins, prophecies of
Scripture were fulfilled.
V 11–18: SINGLE SACRIFICE The Old Testament
priests made many sacrifices. But Jesus has made ‘one sacrifice for sins for
ever and sat down at the right hand of God’. Thus ‘there is no longer an
offering for sin’. Either a sinner is saved through Christ, or he is not saved
at all. Evidence of salvation includes God’s laws being written in his heart.
V 19–23: COME CONFIDENTLY Because of the ‘new and
living way’ which Jesus has made for us through His flesh, into heaven, we can
come with boldness, knowing that we are cleansed and accepted by our faithful
God. Boldness is not the same as presumption!
V
24—25: ENCOURAGING EXHORTATIONS It is important to encourage one another to
live for Christ, and to have regular fellowship and worship together. Time is
short.
V 26–38: ENDURANCE
EVIDENT
Because ‘there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins’ other than the finished
work of Christ on the cross, Jews or Gentiles will be lost if they trample that
sacrifice underfoot. As in this passage, people can go to the very edge of
conversion and even experience the influence of the Holy Spirit, without
getting saved. One can experience all those overtures of God’s love and yet
still trample on the shed blood of Christ, incurring God’s judgement. The test
of conversion is endurance in Christ, which shows that a real work has been
done. The ground of conversion is the death of Christ on the cross for us.
V 39: SOULS SAVED Notwithstanding the
solemn warning of the preceding verses, we can know that ‘we are not of those
that draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the
soul’. Blessed assurance!
Dictionary of Bible
Themes
7924 fellowship, in
Christian service
Partnership
in a common enterprise. God’s people are called to work together especially in
the task of mission, to recognise one another’s gifts and to give support to
one another’s ministries.
Fellowship
in mission
Partnership
in preaching the gospel Gal 2:9 See also Mk 10:7; Lk 10:1-2; Php 1:5
Supporting
the work of others Ac 14:26; Php 4:14-16 The Philippians share in Paul’s work
through their giving. See also Ac 13:2-3; Ac 15:40; 2Co 11:9; 3Jn 5-8
Standing
together in adversity Heb 10:32-34 See also 2Co 1:7; Php 1:27-30; Php 4:14; Heb
11:25
Fellowship
between Paul and his co-workers Php 4:3 Barnabas: Ac 11:26-30; Ac 13:42-50; Ac
14:1-23; Ac 15:22-29
Ro
16:3 Priscilla and Aquila; Ro 16:9 Urbanus; Ro 16:21 Timothy; 2Co 8:23 Titus;
Php 2:25 Epaphroditus; Phm 1 Philemon; Phm 24 Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke
In
fellowship different gifts are combined for effective service
1Co
12:12 See also 1Co 12:4-6
Spiritual
gifts are given to all to share 1Co 12:7 See also Ro 12:4-8; 1Co 12:14-20; 1Pe
4:10
Recognising
one another’s gifts 1Co 12:21-26
Accepting
one another’s ministries Gal 2:7-8 See also 1Co 12:27-31; 1Co 16:15-18; 2Pe
3:15-16
Examples
of sharing in different roles Ne 4:16-22; 1Co 3:5-8 See also Ex 4:15-16; Ex
17:10-13; 1Co 12:8-11
Examples
of working together in fellowship
Ecc
4:9-12 See also Dt 3:18-20 the Reubenites and the Gadites join with the rest of
Israel to conquer Canaan; Jdg 20:11 all Israel unites against Gibeah; Ezr 3:8-10
Those returning from exile work together to rebuild the temple; Ne 4:6 The
Israelites work together to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem; Lk 5:7-10 Peter and
Andrew, James and John are business partners.
Fellowship in mission
1.
Partnership in preaching
the gospel
Galatians
2:1-9New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The
Council at Jerusalem
2
Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with
Barnabas, taking Titus along also. 2 [a]It was because of a revelation that I
went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles,
but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might
be running, or had run, in vain. 3 But not even Titus, who was with me, though
he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 But it was because of the
false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty
which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. 5 But we did
not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the
gospel would remain with you. 6 But from those who [b]were of high reputation
(what they were makes no difference to me; God [c]shows no partiality)—well,
those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me. 7 But on the contrary,
seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel [d]to the uncircumcised, just
as Peter had been [e]to the circumcised 8 (for He who effectually worked for
Peter in his apostleship [f]to the circumcised effectually worked for me also
to the Gentiles), 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me,
[g]James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and
Barnabas the right [h]hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles
and they to the circumcised.
Philippians
1:2-6New American Standard Bible (NASB)
2
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always offering prayer with joy
in my every prayer for you all, 5 in view of your [a]participation in the
gospel from the first day until now. 6 For I am confident of this very thing,
that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ
Jesus.
2.
Supporting the work of
others
Philippians
4:11-20New American Standard Bible (NASB)
11
Not that I speak [a]from want, for I have learned to be [b]content in whatever
circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also
know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned
the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and
suffering need. 13 I can do all things [c]through Him who strengthens me. 14
Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.
15
You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the [d]first preaching of the
gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of
giving and receiving but you alone; 16 for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift
more than once for my needs. 17 Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for
the [e]profit which increases to your account. 18 But I have received
everything in full and have an abundance; I am [f]amply supplied, having
received from Epaphroditus [g]what you have sent, [h]a fragrant aroma, an
acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. 19 And my God will supply [i]all
your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God
and Father be the glory [j]forever and ever. Amen
3
John 1:1-8New American Standard Bible (NASB)
You
Walk in the Truth
1
The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.
2
Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health,
just as your soul prospers. 3 For I was very glad when brethren came and
testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. 4 I have no
greater joy than [a]this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.
5
Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren,
and [b]especially when they are strangers; 6 and they have testified to your
love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner
worthy of God. 7 For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing
from the Gentiles. 8 Therefore we ought to [c]support such men, so that we may
[d]be fellow workers [e]with the truth..
Dictionary of Bible
Themes
7925 fellowship, among
believers
The
fellowship that believers share as a result of their common union with God
through Jesus Christ is expressed in life together. It is evident in worship
together, in a love for one another which reflects God’s own love and in a
practical commitment to one another which is demonstrated in concern for the
weak and readiness to share with the poor and needy.
Sharing
in the fellowship of God’s love
1Jn
4:10-12 See also Jn 13:34; Jn 15:12; Eph 5:1-2; 1Jn 3:10
Sharing
in the fellowship of a common devotional life
Ac
2:42
Worshipping
together Ps 55:14 See also Ps 42:4; 1Co 14:26; Eph 5:19; Col 3:16
Praying
together Ac 1:14 See also Ac 4:24; Ac 12:12; Jas 5:16
Breaking
bread together 1Co 10:16-17; 2Pe 2:13; Jude 12 Love feasts accompanied the
Lord’s Supper though these were open to abuse.
True
fellowship means sharing with those in need
Heb
13:16 See also Ac 20:34-35; Eph 4:28
Showing
hospitality Ro 12:13 See also Isa 58:7; Heb 13:1-2; 1Pe 4:9; 3Jn 8
Sharing
money and possessions Dt 15:10-11; Ac 2:44-45 See also Dt 10:18-19 God’s people
are to reflect his concern for the needy in society; Mt 25:35-36; Lk 3:11; Ac
4:32-35; 2Co 8:13-15; 1Ti 6:17-18; Jas 1:27; Jas 2:15-16
Examples
of sharing with the needy Job 31:16-20 Job’s compassion for the needy; Ac 6:1
the daily distribution to widows; Ac 9:36 Tabitha’s concern for the poor The
collection for believers in Judea: Ac 11:29-30; Ro 15:26; 2Co 8:3-4
Strengthening
one another in fellowship together
Bearing
with the weak Gal 6:1-2 See also Isa 42:3; Ro 14:1; Ro 15:1; 1Th 5:14
Strengthening
the weak Isa 35:3-4 See also Job 4:3-4
Encouraging
one another Heb 10:24-25 See also 1Sa 23:16; Ro 1:12; 1Th 5:11; Heb 13:3
Putting
the needs of others first Ro 15:2 See also 1Co 10:24,32-33
True
fellowship means living in harmony
1Pe
3:8 See also Ro 12:16; Eph 4:2-3; Php 2:1-4; Col 3:12-14
Showing
equal concern for all Ac 10:34; 1Co 12:25; Jas 2:1-4
Examples
of fellowship Nu 10:31-32 Moses and Hobab; 1Sa 18:3 David and Jonathan; 2Ki
10:15-16 Jehu and Jehonadab
Failure
to exhibit true fellowship 1Sa 30:22 Troublemakers in David’s army are
unwilling to share the spoils; 1Co 1:11-12 factions within the church at
Corinth; 1Co 11:17-22 Selfishness at love feasts humiliates the poor.
3.
Sharing in the
fellowship of God’s love
1
John 4:7-14New American Standard Bible (NASB)
God
Is Love
7
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves
is [a]born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God,
for God is love. 9 By this the love of God was manifested [b]in us, that God has sent His [c]only begotten Son into the
world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved
God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one
has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His
love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His
Spirit. 14 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the
Saviour of the world.
John
15:12-17New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Disciples’
Relation to Each Other
12
“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.
14 You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you
slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called
you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known
to you. 16 You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you
would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you
ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. 17 This I command you, that
you love one another.
4.
Encouraging one another
Hebrews
10:19-25New American Standard Bible (NASB)
A
New and Living Way
19
Therefore, brethren, since 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 [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; 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.
Romans
1:8-12New American Standard Bible (NASB)
8
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ [a]for you all, because your faith
is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. 9 For God, whom I serve in my
spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how
unceasingly I make mention of you, 10 always in my prayers making request, if
perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. 11 For I
long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may
be [b]established; 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while
among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.
Encyclopedia of The
Bible
PERSEVERANCE. The word itself is not
Biblical, being used only once, and then only as a recommendation for
steadfastness in prayer: “Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and
supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication
for all the saints” (Eph 6:18).
Perseverance
is, however, strongly supported in Scripture and has had a long history in the
theological debates of the Church. In John 10:29, in a continuation of the
passage on Jesus as the great shepherd, Jesus said: “My Father, who has given
them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the
Father’s hand.” Paul wrote that “the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable”
(Rom 11:29); and again he gave assurance to the Philippians, “I am sure that he
who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus
Christ” (Phil 1:6; cf. 2 Thess 3:3; 2 Tim 1:12; 4:18). On the basis of such
promises, a strong position has been taken historically by those of the
Reformed and Calvinistic tradition, where it is maintained that “once saved,
always saved”; that those whom God has elected and upon whom He has poured out
His Spirit effectually will persevere to the end.
The
doctrine of perseverance maintains itself in those theologies where election
and predestination are firmly and completely maintained. It tends to slide away
in any theology where man is considered to have any decisive part in his own
salvation. The synergism and Semi-Pelagianism that show themselves in the
Church of Rome, in Lutheranism, and esp. in churches of Arminian descent,
naturally undermine the doctrine of perseverance. Those who hold a complete
view of perseverance emphasize that the persevering is God’s, not man’s; that
salvation is all of God, “all of grace,” and that any persevering done by man
himself is not because this would be normal or natural with him, or even
desired by him, but is because the feeding in by the persevering God of His Holy
Spirit makes the regenerate man hold fast. Man holds steady to the end because
he is held by God.
On
the other hand, there are Scriptural reasons why perseverance is brought into
question. The words of the writer to the Hebrews pose a constant threat to
those who would rest in perseverance:
For
it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been
enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of
the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers
of the age to come, if they then commit apostasy, since they crucify the Son of
God on their own account and hold him up to contempt (Heb 6:4-7).
Or
again,
For
if we sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no
longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful prospect of judgment, and a
fury of fire which will consume the adversaries (Heb 10:26, 27).
These
are strong statements and give reason for those who point out that a man’s
behavior even after his regeneration may destroy everything that God has done
for him.
Those
who argue for perseverance insist that what is said in John (10:27-29, see
above) cannot in the consistency of the Bible be gainsaid in Hebrews. Two
things must then be said about those portions of Scripture that seem to
indicate a falling from grace: either the man was not saved in the first place
in spite of any appearances to that effect; or, the necessary fruit of the fact
of regeneration will be the works that necessarily follow a new life principle,
a “new birth,” and therefore a man will consciously strive for the things of
Christ. If he does not, one can question the reality of his experience of
Christ, which is really a variation of the first argument. Even what appear to
be cases of real apostasy (1 Tim 1:19, 20; 2 Pet 2:1, 2; etc.) are faced by the
same argument: the apostasy is impossible once a man has been saved, and if it
takes place after he appears to have been saved, the apostasy proves that
regeneration never really took place, to which is added the ever possible
argument that no one really knows what has finally taken place in a man’s heart
even up to death.
Questions
concerning perseverance are perennial and end with two basic theological
questions: (1) How does an absolutely sovereign God act and interact with a
morally responsible man? (2) What assurance does any man have in a universe
where God is not completely in control; how sure is salvation if it depends on
the undependability of the man’s will?
Bibliography
A. H. Strong, Systematic Theology (1907), 868, 881, 886; L. Berkhof, Systematic
Theology (1946), 545-549; J. Edwards, Works, III, 509, 532; C. G. Finney,
Systematic Theology, 544, 619; ISBE IV, 2328, 2329.
Be
blessed today
Yours
for the sake of His Glorious Gospel, His Church and His Kingdom
Blair
Humphreys
Southport,
Merseyside, England
