Hebrews chapter 10

The sacrifice of Jesus Christ only took place once. Yet it was for all people. You should be fully assured in your faith. And do not sin.

 


 

THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS CHRIST WAS ONCE FOR ALL

 

VERSE 1. For the law, having a shadow of the good to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near.

 

VERSE 2. Or else wouldn’t they have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins?

 

VERSE 3. But in those sacrifices there is a yearly reminder of sins.

yearly reminder. The liturgical event served to remind people of sin. Otherwise they might have forgotten.

 

VERSE 4. For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.

 

VERSE 5. Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, “You didn’t desire sacrifice and offering, but you prepared a body for me.

into the world. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ was not a spiritual sacrifice that took place in a spiritual realm. Rather, it was a bodily sacrifice. And it took place in our physical world.

 

VERSE 6. You had no pleasure in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin.

 

VERSE 7. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God.’ ”

 

VERSE 8. Previously saying, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you didn’t desire, neither had pleasure in them” (those which are offered according to the law),

sacrifices … you didn’t desire. What does it mean to seek the LORD. It does not mean attending liturgies. Amos says God hates our liturgies! Micah delivers a splendid answer. Read more »

 

VERSE 9. then he has said, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He takes away the first, that he may establish the second,

I have come to do your will. To do God’s will is a wonderful sacrifice.

 

VERSE 10. by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

sanctified. It is God’s will that we believers are sanctified.

Jesus Christ. This is a composite name. It is the first time it appears in the Letter to the Hebrews. The word “Jesus” is a name, and “Christ” is a title.

once . This is where the famous expression comes from. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ only happened once, as we see in verse 12 below. And it happened for all people.

for all. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ was entirely sufficient for all people:

  • Everyone from the past who has ever lived
  • Everyone who is alive right now
  • Everyone in the future who will ever live

 

VERSE 11. Every priest indeed stands day by day serving and often offering the same sacrifices which can never take away sins,

day by day. Every day, a priest offers a sacrifice for sin. Then the next day, he offers another sacrifice for sin. Then the next day, it happens again.

The benefit of that sacrifice only lasts one day. Such a thing cannot take away sins. In contrast, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ was once-for-all.

 

VERSE 12. but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God,

one sacrifice. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ only happened once, as we saw in verse 10 above.

 

VERSE 13. from that time waiting until his enemies are made the footstool of his feet.

 

VERSE 14. For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

perfected forever. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ is how he makes us perfect.

 

VERSE 15. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,

 

VERSE 16. “This is the covenant that I will make with them: ‘After those days,’ says the Lord, ‘I will put my laws on their heart, I will also write them on their mind;’ ” then he says,

The LORD God promises to write his Law on the tablet of our hearts. This is beautiful! May it be true in our own lives! Read more »

 

VERSE 17. “I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more.”

 

VERSE 18. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

 

BE FULLY ASSURED IN YOUR FAITH

 

VERSE 19. Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus,

boldness. When we walk with the LORD God, we can overcome our fears and be bold. As bold as a lion! Read more »

 

VERSE 20. by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh,

 

VERSE 21. and having a great priest over God’s house,

God’s house. In the Old Testament era, the temple in Jerusalem was the House of God. But in our New Testament era, the LORD God dwells within his people. Read more »

 

VERSE 22. let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our body washed with pure water,

NASB translation: 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.

fullness of faith. That is, “full assurance of faith.” Are you fully assured in your faith? Or are you tentative about it? Many liturgical Christians do not know if they are saved or not.

 

VERSE 23. let’s hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful.

 

VERSE 24. Let’s consider how to provoke one another to love and good works,

This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Letter to the Hebrews and from the entire Bible.

provoke one another. We are to spur one another on toward the doing of loving deeds and good works.

 

VERSE 25. not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Letter to the Hebrews and from the entire Bible.

not forsaking our own assembling. They should not cease meeting together.

as the custom of some is. Some Christians were in the habit of meeting regularly. Think: Bible Study group, or Prayer group, of Scripture Memory group, of Sunday worship service.

exhorting one another. They were to encourage one another.

the Day. The Old Testament prophets expected the arrival of the Day of the LORD.

See also the Didache:

There are two ways, one of life and one of death; and between the two ways there is a great difference.

Didache, Part 4, Chapter 16, Paragraph 2

 

DO NOT SIN

 

VERSE 26. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins,

sin willfully. That is, “sin deliberately.”

after we have received the knowledge of the truth. That is, after we are saved. In other words, a Christian who sins.

no more a sacrifice for sins. The Lord Jesus says whoever commits blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. What is this Unforgivable Sin, and how can we avoid doing it? Read more »

 

VERSE 27. but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries.

a fierceness of fire. That is, a consuming fire.

The Lord Jesus says whoever commits blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. What is this Unforgivable Sin, and how can we avoid doing it? Read more »

 

VERSE 28. A man who disregards Moses’ law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses.

 

VERSE 29. How much worse punishment do you think he will be judged worthy of who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

 

VERSE 30. For we know him who said, “Vengeance belongs to me;” says the Lord, “I will repay.” Again, “The Lord will judge his people.”

 

VERSE 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

 

VERSE 32. But remember the former days, in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great struggle with sufferings;

after you were enlightened. Are you “enlightened?”

 

VERSE 33. partly, being exposed to both reproaches and oppressions; and partly, becoming partakers with those who were treated so.

 

VERSE 34. For you both had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an enduring one in the heavens.

 

VERSE 35. Therefore don’t throw away your boldness, which has a great reward.

 

VERSE 36. For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise.

 

VERSE 37. “In a very little while, he who comes will come, and will not wait.

 

VERSE 38. But the righteous will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

live by faith. We are called to live by faith. Read more »

 

VERSE 39. But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul.

faith to the saving of the soul. If you have faith in Jesus Christ, are you saved?

 


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HEBREWS

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