1 For the law, having a shadow (shade; adumbration) of good things to come and not the very image (icon; likeness) of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make those who come to it perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased (discontinued; stopped) to be offered? Because the worshipers once purged (cleansed) should have had no more consciousness (intellectual awareness) of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance (recalling to mind) again made of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible (impotent; not able) that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away (remove) sins. 5 Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me; 6 In burnt offerings (the burning of animals whole - Leviticus 1:3) and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure (not pleased). 7 Then said, I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book (scroll - Psalm 40) it is written to me) to do thy will, O God. 8 Above, when he said, Sacrifice, and offering, and burnt offerings, and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure in them, which are offered by the law, 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away (choose; take up) the first, that he may establish (set up) the second; 10 By which will we are sanctified (set apart; make holy) through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all (only one time ever). 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering (doing service) and offering often (frequently) the same sacrifices, which can never (at no time) take way sins; 12 But this man, after he had offered (offered up) one sacrifice for sins forever (for all time), sat down on the right hand of God, 13 From henceforth expecting till (looking for; waiting for) his enemies (foes) be made his foot-stool (the footstool of His feet). 14 For by one (single) offering he hath perfected (finished; fulfilled) forever them that are sanctified (made holy; set apart). 15 And the Holy Spirit also is a witness to us; for after he had said before, 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 (imagination; understanding) will I write (inscribe; write upon) them, 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 18 Now where remission (deliverance; forgiveness) of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness (confidence; assurance) to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new (recently made) and living way, which he hath consecrated (dedicated; inaugurated) for us, through the veil (curtain), that is the say, his flesh, 21 And having an high priest over the house of God, 22 Let us draw near (approach; come nigh) with a true heart in full assurance (complete assurance) of faith, having our hearts sprinkled (washed) from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast (possess; hold) the profession (confession; acknowledgment) of our faith without wavering (unyielding; with unabated strength) (for he is faithful that promised), 24 And let us consider (perceive; think about thoroughly) one another to provoke (incite; stir up) unto love and to good works, 25 Not forsaking (abandoning one in distress) the assembling (gathering together; congregating) of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting (comforting; entreating) one another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching (coming near; drawing near).
26 For if we sin willfully (deliberately; voluntarily) after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth (leaves) no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful (terrifying) looking for (anticipation; prospect) of judgment (condemnation; accusation) and fiery indignation (zeal; earnest ardor), which shall devour (consume; eat up) the adversaries. 28 He that despised (disannuled; rejected) Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses; 29 Of how much sorer punishment (penalty), suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy (consider the merits equal), who hath trodden (trampled; tread down) under foot the Son of God, and hath counted (esteemed; judged) the blood of the covenant, with which he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance (rectify a wrong) belongeth unto me, I will recompense (repay; give back), saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge (decree condemnation on) his people. 31 It is a fearful (terrible; terrifying) thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 32 But call to remembrance (remind; bring to remembrance) the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated (enlightened), ye endured (remained under; were patient) a great fight (combat; struggle) of afflictions (suffering), 33 Partly, while ye were made a gazingstock (brought on a stage; publicly exposed) both by reproaches (verbal affronts; insults; taunts; slurs) and afflictions (persecutions; tribulations); and partly, while ye became companions of them that were so used (turned back; behaved self). 34 For ye had compassion (suffered together) on me in my bonds (in prison; captive), and took joyfully the spoiling (extorting; pillaging) of your goods (substances; possessions), knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better (superior) and an enduring (abiding) substance (goods). 35 Cast not away (don't throw away; don't abandon), therefore, your confidence (boldness), which hath great recompense (retribution) of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience (remain under the load) that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise (assurance). 37 For yet a little while (an insignificant time period), and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry (delay). 38 Now the just (righteous) shall live by faith; but if any man draw back (withdraw; abandon), my soul shall have no pleasure (not think well) in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back (shrink back) unto perdition (damnation; destruction; misery), but of them that believe to the saving (reserved; fencing in) of the soul.
1 The Mosaic law was but a shadow (skian from skia meaning shade; adumbration) of the good things of the new covenant which came some 1,400 years later. It was the image (eikona from eikon meaning icon; likeness), however, of the things that were to come. The observance of the Mosaic law could never with its sacrifices offered year after year make the comers thereunto perfect. The law could not, nor was it intended to, bring spiritual fulfillment to its adherents. Hebrews 7:25 reads, "Wherefore, (God) is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by (Christ), seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." Sinners are saved by placing faith in Christ and not in an animal sacrifice. Kellar writes, "The good things to come are the blessings of salvation which were somewhat veiled under the law but which were plainly manifested through the redemptive work of Christ. They include redemption, divine assurance, comformity and nearness to God. These things the believer possesses by faith. One day they are going to be fully enjoyed and appreciated. The law had only the shadow of these things; the gospel has their very image. The law merely symbolized these great spiritual blessings. The gospel gives them to the believer in their very substance" (p. 34).
2 If the way to God and to heaven were by sacrificing an animal, then animal sacrifices would not have ceased (prospheromenai from prosphero meaning to stop; cease). If the worshiper could have been purged (kekatharismenous from kathairo meaning to cleanse) his conscience (suneidesin meaning intellectual awareness) from his sins by an animal sacrifice then no more sacrifices were necessary. If Aaron could have offered an animal that would have satisfied man's consciousness of sin, then we would still have animal sacrifices in our Christian worship. Hebrews 8:7 reads, "For if that first (covenant) had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second (covenant)." See my comment on 8:7. Furthermore, one trip to the tabernacle or Temple with an animal would have been sufficient for the worshiper, but, no, there was a consciousness of sin every day. Hence the need of the Israeli to offer sacrifices daily.
3 On the Day of Atonement when a worshiper came to worship there was a remembrance (anamnesis meaning to recall to memory; reminder) year after year of his sins. These sacrifices would quicken the conscience. The worshiper was in the same position with God that he was the year before at Atonement. When the Christian observes the Lord's Supper, as he partakes of the elements he is reminded anew of Christ's once-and-for-all sacrifice for his sins. As Jesus and His disciples ate the Passover Meal Mark 14:22 - 25 read, "And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed and brake it, and gave it to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the Kingdom of God. Then in Luke 22:19, after eating the bread and drinking the wine, Jesus said, "...This do in remembrance of me." In I Corinthians 11:24, 25 Paul writes the same thing, "...This do in remembrance of me." Whereas the Israelite was reminded of his sins each year, which were not atoned for, the Christian as he observes the Lord's Supper looks back at our Lord's once-and-for-all sacrifice 2,000 years age.
4 Again the author of Hebrews states the fact that animal blood can not take away (aphairein from apo plus aireo meaning remove) sins; it is an impossibility (adunaton meaning unable; incompetent). Yeager writes, "When Israel is restored, God will take away their sins. This is something that animal blood cannot do. Note however, that the fact that every Day of Atonement reminded them of the fact that they were sinners (verse 3) proves that they knew in their hearts that their worship in the Levitical temple was an empty ceremony" (p. 325).
5, 6 In these verses the author quotes from Psalm 40:6 - 8 (LXX), "Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not; but a body hast thou prepared me: whole-burnt-offering and sacrifice for sin thou didst not require. Then I said, Behold, I come: in the volume of the book it is written concerning me, I desired to do thy will, O my God, and thy law in the midst of mine heart." One can see that the King James Version follows Psalm 40 almost verbatim. The language of the Psalm applied primarily to David, but is applicable, typically to Christ. When our Lord came into the world, Jehovah God no longer wanted animal sacrifices (whole-burnt-offerings) but rather God provided Him a body for sacrifice at the incarnation. In Galatians 4:4, 5 Paul wrote, "But, when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." In other words Jehovah God designed a body for His Son. How did He do this? Luke 1:35 tells us, "...The Holy Spirit shall come upon (Mary), and the power of the Highest shall over shadow (Mary); therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of (Mary) shall be called the Son of God." God took no pleasure (eudokesas from eudokeo meaning pleased; to think good of) in burnt offering (holokautomata from holokautoo meaning to burn whole) and sacrifices for sin. When God prescribed sacrifices for Israel He was pleased, but He was not pleased that they misunderstood the reasons for sacrifices. A scripture concerning Saul comes to mind, in I Samuel 15:22 we read, "...Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."
7 Psalm 40 prophesied of the coming Messiah; it was recorded on a scroll (kephalidi from kaphalis meaning the knob "little head" on the scroll of roll, later used for the entire scroll itself). Our Savior came to do the Father's will since it was not the will of the Father for animal sacrifices to please Him. Kellar writes, "The Son of God is represented as offering Himself to do God's will. Such surrender would necessitate an offering of Himself in behalf of sin. Since the burnt offering did not bring pleasure to God, the Son presented Himself as an offering to God" (p. 34).
8, 9 Our Savior came to earth to fulfill the law and to take away (anairei from anairo meaning choose; take up) the first (law) covenant and to establish (stese from histemi meaning to make stand; set up) the second (grace) covenant. These verses in Hebrews are the current parts of Psalm 40. "So the writer is asking us to contrast what is quoted in verse 8 with the quotation in verse 9 - 'Consider this...and now consider this...Once again the student is warned to construe to proton and to deuteron in terms of the immediate context. To deuteron means the covenant of grace. Yet the grace covenant with Abraham antedated the law by 430 years before, but grace (to deuteron in Hebrews 10:9) can abrogate law by sending God's Son to fulfill the law and then die as though He had transgressed it in every point" (Yeager, p. 329).
10 Jehovah God wanted to set apart (egiasmenoi from agiazo meaning to sanctify or make holy) a people for Himself to do His will, so He sent His only begotten Son to give His life once and for all (aphapax meaning only one time ever). Jesus in His intercessory prayer prayed, "And for their sakes (His believers) I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth" (John 17:19). This did Jesus when He went to Calvary and died for His disciples and for us. He presented Himself to Jehovah God as our sacrifice for sin. "The divine will, unfulfilled in animal sacrifices, is realized in Christ's offering of Himself" (Robertson, p. 408).
11 - 13 What the priests under the Levitical economy could not do; that is, take away sin by the continual sacrifice of animals, Jesus did when He died on the cross. Every priest stood daily ministering (leitourgon meaning performing a service) and offering the same (pollakis meaning again and again; frequently) sacrifice, but that sacrifice could never (oudepote meaning at no time) take away the Israelite's sins. There is a note of disgust in this verse; however, verse 12 gives a lift of delight.
Delitzsch is quoted thus, "The priest of the Old Testament stands timid and uneasy in the holy place, anxiously performing his awful service there, and hastening to depart when the service is done, as from a place where he has no free access, and can never feel at home, whereas Christ sits down in everlasting rest and blessedness at the right hand of Majesty in the holy of holies, His work accomplished, and He awaiting its reward" (Fudge, pp. 107, 108). This man, the God-man, offered (offered up) Himself once and took away our sins forever (dienekes meaning for all time); He is also set down at the right of God. The sacrifices of Aaron and his sons covered only the past sins committed by the children of Israel; animal sacrifices did not cover the sins of the future. The shed blood of our Lord covers sins past, sins present and sins future; only God can know the sins of the future so Christ's blood covers all sins. Furthermore, our High Priest is seated at Jehovah God's right hand there to intercede for His people. I John 1:9 reads, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Bruce writes, "To all who are uncertain of their acceptance of God comes the voice that brought encouragement to the soul of John Bunyan: 'Sinner, thou thinkest that because of thy sins and infirmities I cannot save thy soul, but behold my Son is by me, and upon him I look, and not on thee, and will deal with thee according as I am pleased with him" (p. 240).
How long will Jesus be seated at God's right hand? Until God makes Christ's enemies (echthroi meaning foes) His footstool (hupodion ton podon autou - the footstool of His feet); we can expect (ekdechomenos from ekdechomai meaning looking for; waiting for) it to be so, as does Jesus Christ. When this takes place it will be the fulfillment of Psalm 110:1 which reads, "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool." He has made an acceptable sacrifice, an efficacious one, and has risen from the death to die no more. He was also received up into heaven by His heavenly Father Who gave His unqualified approval of what His Son had done. "The enemies of the Redeemer is Satan, the wicked of the earth and all the evil passions of the heart. The idea is, that all things are yet to be made subject to His will -- either by a cheerful and cordial submission to His authority, or by being crushed beneath His power" (Barnes Notes, p. 227).
14 One (mia meaning single) offering of the Son of God was sufficient; he perfected (teteleioken meaning finished; ended; consummated) forever them that are sanctified (agiazomenous from agiazo meaning to made holy; set apart). Yeager says of this verse, "Once again we have the intensive perfect in teteleioken, with its punctiliar action in the past with its durative result - *_____________. A completed redemptive act at Calvary resulted in continuous state of condition of salvation. This is Christ's part of the transaction" (p. 334). Bruce writes "Three outstanding effects are thus ascribed to the sacrifice of Christ: by it His people have had their conscience cleansed from guilt; by it they have been fitted to approach God as accepted worshippers; by it they have experienced the fulfilment of what was promised in earlier days, being brought into that perfect relation to God which is involved in the new covenant" (p. 241).
15 - 17 And the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Godhead, is a witness to us; for after that he has said before, 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. And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. These verses are a quotation from Jeremiah 31:33, 34 on which we have already given an exposition (see Hebrews 8:10 - 12). Jehovah God promises, "In their minds (dianoian from dianoia meaning imagination; understanding) will I write them (My laws)." Compare the comment on 8:10 - 12. So "the order of God's dealing with His people, as set forth in Jeremiah 31:31 - 34, as it applies, first to the unsaved and then to His people after they are saved is set forth: (1) God obligated Himself with a two-fold oath, (a) to Abraham and (b) to Christ, to make the seed of Abraham His own people through whom He would some day rule the world...He needed also (2) to promise to write His moral laws upon their hearts in the new covenant of regeneration...(3) now (He) goes further in writing His laws, already in his heart, more deeply into his understanding. This is the function of the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 10:15) in the lives of those who in Hebrews 10:14 have been 'once for all' sanctified by the one offering of Christ, by which he is perfected" (Yeager, p. 337). God will forgive their sins and iniquities (anomion meaning unrighteousnesses and transgressions) and will remember them no more. "A little boy was once much puzzled about sins being blotted out, and said, 'I cannot think what becomes of the sins God forgives, mother.' 'Why, Charlie, can you tell me where are the figures you wrote on your slate yesterday?' 'I washed them all out, mother.' 'And where are they, then?' 'Why, they are nowhere; they are gone,' said Charlie. 'Just so it is with the believer's sins -- they are gone; blotted out; 'remembered no more.'" (B. I. Volume LII, p. 100).
18 When remission (aphesis meaning forgiveness; deliverance) of sin is made, there is no more offering needed for sin. "With characteristic brevity B. F. Westcott lists three consequences of sin: (1) debt which requires forgiveness, (2) bondage which requires redemption, and (3) alienation which requires reconciliation" (Kistemaker, p,. 284). Yeager says, "Thus the continued Levitical offerings in Solomon's temple after the death of Christ, as they patched the rent veil and continued as before, ignored the death of Christ and rejected the story that He had risen from the dead" (p. 338).
19 - 22 The author now begins his section on exhortation and warning. He begins with, "Having therefore, brethren..." What he writes in this verse governs all of the sentences through verse 25. Because of what has been written in preceding verses, "having therefore" (exontes oun) looks back to all of chapter 10: 1 - 18; that is, what follows is to be understood in the light of previous material presented in the text. He mentions boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. Because of Jesus' sacrifice for our sins, the believer can have boldness (parresian meaning confidence; free access) to enter heaven with our supplications. We have an High Priest whose blood covers the sins of lost mankind. Our High Priest goes first with His blood, then we have access by the same blood. The blood of Christ figuratively sprinkled on the mercy seat in heaven is the efficient means of realizing communion and association with God.
In verse 20 the author writes that the child of God has access to heaven by a new (prosphaton meaning a recently made way; recently opened) and living way, which our Lord has consecrated (enekainesen from egkainizo meaning dedicated; declared in force) for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh. The new and living way would not be there had it not been for the slaughter of God's Lamb. The word "new" is from pro and sphao or sphazo meaning a freshly slaughtered way. Sphazo means to slay, murder or kill with reference to Christ's death; His death made a new and living way to heaven. Where does this way lead? It leads behind the veil or through the veil (dia tou kataptasmatos) - "physically through the veil." Yeager says, "Before our Lord died it was impossible to pass through (the veil). But after, and as a result of His death, half of the veil hung limply on one side and the other half on the opposite side. Thus we pass dia tou kataptasmatos. Every time the child of God comes boldly to the throne of grace to find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16) he should look left and right and remember what it cost Jesus to open the way for us" (p. 340).
Verse 21 reads, "And having (since we have) a high priest over the house of God..." The kai can be translated "since" Jesus is our high (magan meaning greater) Priest then we have some privileges that the Israelite did not have under the Levitical priesthood. He is the Great One since He is the only one of His kind, and because of that fact, we are challenged or admonished to do three things and one thing we are forbidden from doing listed in verses 22 - 25. This is an encouragement for drawing nigh to God; our Forerunner has pased through the veil and opened a path for the believer to follow. "The house of God" seems here to be the heaveny house, the abode of God, and the predestined dwelling place of His children. It compares here with the "father's house" of which Jesus spoke in John 14.
The author begins, in verse 22, a trio of hortatory subjunctives - the reader is entreated to "draw near," "hold fast," "consider." The first of these is "Let us draw nigh (proserchometha from proserchomai meaning to approach; come near) with a true heart in full assurance (plerophoria from plerophoria meaning complete confidence) of faith, having our hearts sprinkled (rhipantismenoi from rhantizo meaning washed) from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed (we have taken a bath) with pure (clean) water." Because we have a High Priest in Jesus Christ our Lord, the child of God can draw near or approach God's throne of grace with full assurance because we have been washed in the blood of Calvary's Lamb; our hearts have no deceit, dissimulation or doubt. The way to the heavenly Holy of Holies is now open because of Who sits at the right hand of God's throne.
23 - 25 Another hortatory subjunctive is "Let us hold fast (katechomen from katecho meaning possess; hold a doctrine) the profession (homologian from homologia meaning confession; acknowledgment) of our faith without wavering (akline from aklines meaning with unabated strength; unyielding) (for he is faithful that promised),..." The blood of Christ must be sprinkled upon our hearts to cleanse away the sense of guilt, replacing it with conscious reconciliation, pardon and spiritual peace. As the people of the old covenant were sprinkled outwardly by Moses with the blood of the unconscious victims, so let us come with boldness, having had our hearts sprinkled with the blood of Him Who, through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself to God.
"...And let us consider (katanoomen from katanoeo meaning perceive; think about thoroughly) one another to provoke (paroxusmon from paroxusmos meaning to incite; stir up) unto love and to good works,..." Historians tell their readers that one of the crowning characteristics of the early Christians was their love for one another; their love was manifested by their actions. John 13:35 reads, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." When they saw another Christian in need they came to his rescue. Furthermore, they were admonished to "arouse each child of God to love all others and to live the victorious life which God has planned for each of us (Ephesians 2:10)...It is the spiritual obligation of every child of God to promote the growth in grace of every other" (Yeager, p. 346).
"...Not forsaking (egkataleipontes from egkataleipo meaning to abandon one to distress; to let one down) the assembling (episunagogen from epi + sun + agoge meaning gathering together; congregating) of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting (parakalountes from para + kaleo meaning to comfort; to entreat) one another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching (eggizousan from aggizo meaning come near; be at hand)." The Second Coming of Christ draws nearer all the time, therefore, the exhortation is appropriate for Christians of all ages. As in all ages some of the Christians were not gathering together as they should; this never encourages the pastor or others. Would it not be good if every church member would assemble himself in God's house every Lord's Day? Absence from regularly scheduled church services do not boost the moral of the faithful. Many a pastor has wept himself to sleep because of negligent church members! The author states as we see the approaching or coming of our Savior, we should be more and more diligent in our attendance at the house of God; the nearness of our Lord's coming should inspire our commitment to the Lord. Bruce suggests that the author may have been referring to a sign of the impending catastrophe in Judaea when Jesus' prediction of the destruction of the temple was about to take place, but New Testament writers refer to "the day" as the time of the Second Coming of Christ.
26, 27 If the child of God sins willfully (ekousios meaning deliberately; voluntarily) after receiving the knowledge (epignosin from epi + ginosko meaning enlightenment; acknowledge; perfected knowledge) of the truth there remains (apoleipetai from apoleipo meaning leaves) no more sacrifice for sin. This involves the deliberate rejection of the only Priest we have. What does this verse mean? When a child of God commits a sin knowing full-well that he is saved and knows that his sins will be under the blood yet deliberately commits that sin; that person is on dangerous grounds. In fact, he should ask himself the question, "Am I really saved?" Just because God has promised to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness does not mean that we should sin willfully. A child of God may "slip into" sin, but he will not "live" in sin; in fact, when his sin is pointed out by the Holy Spirit, he must repent (turn away from his sin and turn back to God) and seek immediate forgiveness. I John 3:9 illustrates the true believer, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit (practice) sin; for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. "Permit three remarks as to the impossibility of a child of God so falling away as to be finally lost in hell. First, there is not a positive statement in all the Bible which declares that persons in question do fall away. The only thing positively stated is the desperate consequences of such falling, in case it may happen. Second, there are repeated statements made throughout the New Testament that the truly regenerated cannot fall away -- see I John 3:9; John 10:28, 29; Romans 8:35 - 39. Third, in the whole New Testament, apostasy is regarded as subjectively possible. And so everywhere he treats the perseverance and final salvation of believers as resting instrumentally on their efforts; and, subjectively, they are always in danger of falling away" (Kellar Notes, p. 37).
Wilful sin repudiates the High Priesthood of our Savior; if a person repudiates the work done on Calvary by our Savior, there remains no other way for him to be saved or forgiven. If a lost person persists in his sinful ways knowing full-well that he can be saved if he places his faith and trust in Jesus as Savior there is no other way he can be saved. For the lost person, a good illustration is given herewith: "The key to the passage is in ekousios. It speaks of deliberate rejection of Christ, the believer's Advocate, when we know that we are rejecting the only priest. A man in a burning building in which all exits are blocked except one, must avail himself of the one exit still available to him, or he must die. Thus this passage boils down to a truism. If men who have received the knowledge of the truth that Christ is the only means of salvation, and who are in dire need of forgiveness, rejects the only means, there is no other" (Yeager, p. 349).
A child of God will not remain in his sins, but he can look forward to the chastening hand of God and will pay in this life for his wilful sins. A lost person who remains in his sins and forever turns his back on the only Savior of sinners can only look forward to "a certain fearful (phobera from phoberos meaning terrible; terrifying) looking (ekdoche meaning anticipation or prospect) for of judgment (kriseos from krisis meaning condemnation; accusation) and fiery indignation (puros zelos meaning zeal; earnest ardor), which shall devour (esthiein from esthio meaning to eat up; consume) the adversaries." To know God's estimate of sin and those who remain in sin, Paul wrote in II Thessalonians 1:8 how God can show His wrath against the Antichrist and his followers, "And then shall that wicked one be revealed, whom the lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming..." Those who are truly saved and whose punishment for repudiating Christ will be the loss of rewards and the anger of God for his wilful sinning, but the unsaved can only anticipate the wrath of Almighty God. Those who lose their rewards are going to discover that their works have been "wood, hay and stubble" (I Corinthians 3:12).
28, 29 The writer proceeds to tell how wilful sins were dealt with in the Old Testament. "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses;..." He refers to Deuteronomy 17:6, 7 which read, "At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you." Under the Old Testament the laws were very strict; see also Numbers 15:32 - 36; Deuteronomy 19:15. To despise (athetesas from atheto meaning reject; disannul) the Mosaic law was a serious offense.
How much sorer punishment (timorias meaning penalty) can be expected worthy (axiothesetai from exioo meaning merit equal) for someone who has trodden (katapatesas from kata + pateo meaning to trample; tread down) under foot the Son of God, and counted (egesamenos from egeomai meaning esteemed; judged) the blood of the covenant with which he is sanctified an unholy thing and has done despite (enubrisas from enubrizo meaning outrage; contempt) unto the Spirit of grace? Anyone who considers the blood of the covenant cheap will deserve far more severe punishment than the Israelite who transgressed Moses' law because our Messiah and the Holy Spirit are much greater than Aaron, and the blood of our Savior is of more value than the blood of animals.
30, 31 Here the author refers to an Old Testament Scripture to re-enforce his premise. He quotes from the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32:35, 36 (LXX) which reads, "In the day of vengeance I will recompense whensoever their foot shall be tripped up; for the day of their destruction is near to them, and the judgments at hand are close upon you. For the Lord shall judge his people, and shall be comforted over his servants; for he saw that they were utterly weakened, and failed in the hostile invasion, and were become feeble: and the Lord said, Where are their gods on whom they trusted?" To Jehovah God belongs vengeance (ekdikesis meaning revenge; avenging); He is able to recompense (antapodoso from anti + apo + didomi meaning to give back; repay); furthermore, He shall judge (krinei from krino meaning decree condemnation on) His people. In the words of the New Testament John 5:22 reads, "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son..." The Apostle Paul also quoted from Deuteronomy 32:35 in Romans 12:19. Because God is Almighty and because He is righteous, He must judge the unsaved and also evaluate the activities of the saved. So saved or unsaved it is a fearful (phoberon meaning terrible; terrifying) thing to fall into the hands of the living Almighty God. "To fall into His hands, therefore, for the purpose of punishment - which is the idea here -- is fearful, (1) because He has all power, and can inflict just what punishment He pleases, (2) because He is strictly just, and will inflict the punishment which ought to be inflicted, (3) because He lives for ever, and can carry on His purpose of punishment to eternal ages, and (4) because the actual inflictions of punishment which have occurred show what is to be dreaded. So it was on the old world; on the cities of the plain, on Babylon, Idumea, Capernaum, and Jerusalem; and so it is in the world of woe, the eternal abodes of despair, where the worm never dies" (Barnes Notes, 241). Pink says to "'fall into the hands of' is a metaphor, denoting the utter helplessness of the victim when captured by his enemy" (Vol. I, p. 623) Robertson says, "It is an unspeakable tragedy that should warn every follower of Christ not to play with treachery to Christ" (p. 414).
32, 33 Then the author admonishes his readers to call to remembrance (anamimneskesthe meaning to be reminded of; recall) the former days after they were illuminated (photisthentes from photozo meaning brought to light; enlightened) they endured (hupemeinate from hupomeno meaning to remain under; to be patient) a great fight (athlesin meaning to struggle; combat) of afflictions (tathematon from pathema meaning passion; sufferings). They were made the gazingstock (theatrizomenoi from theatrizo meaning brought on the stage; publicly exposed) along with reproaches (oneidismois meaning verbal affronts; insults; taunts; slurs) and afflictions (thlipsesin from thlipsis meaning oppressions; persecutions; tribulations) while they became companions of them that were so used (anastrephomenon from ana + strepho meaning to turn back; return). The Christians who converted from Judaism probably suffered this kind of tribulation from their Jewish friends. "They had experienced two types of suffering. They were personally insulted and persecuted in public. Thus pilloried in public they suffered" (Yeager, p. 358).
34 The Hebrews had compassion (sunepathesate from sun + patheo meaning to suffer together) with the author in his bonds (desmiois meaning in prison; captive), and they responded joyfully as their goods (hupapchonton meaning substance; possessions) were spoiled (arpagen meaning extorted; pillaged; plundered) because they knew that in heaven they had better (kreittona meaning more excellent) things which would endure (menousan from meno meaning abide; continue) forever. Evidently some of the Hebrew Christians were imprisoned and had their possessions confiscated because of their faith; however, they suffered together knowing that better things were ahead. In fact they acted joyfully in the midst of persecution.
35, 36 The Hebrews were admonished to cast not away (apobalete from apo + ballo meaning throw away; abandon) their confidence (parresian meaning boldness) knowing that they had a great recompense (misthapodosian meaning reward; retribution) forthcoming. They were to be patient (hupomones from hupomone meaning remain under the burden; endure) any afflictions that came their way knowing that in the will of God they would receive the promise (epaggelian from epagelia meaning assurance) of God. The author wanted the Hebrews not to loose faith or cast aside their confidence just because of persecution. The future for the child of God holds a hope of great reward. God is faithful, so should His children be faithful. Luther understood this and rose to the challenge when he wrote, "Let goods and kindred go/ This mortal life also/The body they may kill/God's truth abideth still/His kingdom is forever" (Yeager, p. 360). Sure we need patience; that is, staying under the load of persecution and tribulation. A few of the Israelites in the wilderness did not murmur and complain, and they were the ones who entered Canaan Land. Jesus said in Matthew 24:13, "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."
37 When we get to heaven, the temporary tribulation suffered down here will be small compared with the glory we shall receive in heaven. For yet a little while (mikron meaning an insignificant time) the Lord will return and not tarry (chronisei from chorizo meaning delay; postpone action). Jesus is coming back to earth; the only thing making Him delay His coming is that other souls may be saved. Peter had much to say about the coming of the Lord, II Peter 3:8 reads, "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."
38, 39 The whole conclusion of the matter is that the just (dikaios meaning righteous) shall live by faith; but if any man draw back (huposteiletai from hupo + stello meaning to withdraw; shun), my soul shall have no pleasure (eudokei from eu + dokeo meaning to be well-pleased) in him. But we are not of them who draw back (hupostoles meaning to shrink back; retreat) unto perdition (apoleian meaning destruction; damnation; misery), but of them that believe to the saving (peripoiesin from peripoiesis meaning to keep; fenced in; reserved) of the soul. Habakkuk spoke of faith in 2:4 when he wrote, "Behold, his soul that is lifted up is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith." The Apostle Paul quotes from this passage in Romans 1:17 and in Galatians 3:11. Justification by faith is at the heart of both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Those who are justified by their faith will not draw back but will proceed on in the Christian faith. The Holy Spirit in us keeps and preserves us in our faith; God has never and will never lose even one soul that has placed faith and trust in Him for salvation. The security of the believer is preached and written about throughout the entire Bible. Yeager says, "We do not come from the type of stock that is cowardly, but of that which has faith...The essence of it is that true faith justifies and saves the soul, but that those who lack a genuine faith draw back unto destruction...Saving faith is supernatural and its dynamic is measured by the lives of those heros and heroines whose names are listed in Faith's Hall of Fame. Its supernatural character, origin and results are the subject of the next forty two verses" (p. 365).
| Heb. Intro. | Heb 1 | Heb 2 | Heb 3 | Heb 4 | Heb 5 |
| Heb 6 | Heb 7 | Heb 8 | Heb 9 | Heb 10 | Heb 11 |
| Heb 12 | Heb 13 | Heb Bib |