• Hebrews Outline:
  • Chapter 1 Christ is greater than the prophets and the angels.
  • Chapter 2 Christ's message is greater than the angel's.
  • Chapter 3 Christ is greater than Moses.
  • Chapter 4 Christ is greater than Joshua and His rest is superior.
  • Chapter 5 Christ's High Priesthood is greater than the Aaronic Priesthood.
  • Chapter 6 God's faithfulness to Abraham and his seed is confirmed by an oath.
  • Chapter 7 Christ is a Priest in the order of Melchizedek and Christ is greater than Abraham.
  • Chapter 8 Christ is Mediator of a new covenant.
  • Chapter 9 Christ offered a better sacrifice at a better sanctuary.
  • Chapter 10 Christ's sacrifice was offered only once and then He sat down.

• Introduction & Review

The author has just completed his comparison of the relationship between the pictures and shadows of the temple, vessels and sacerdotal functions. In this next section he goes on to more fully explain the purposes for the sacrificial shadows and the glory of the once for all sacrifice of Christ.

• Exposition

Hebrews 10:1-18

1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

"The difference then which the author makes between the Law and the Gospel is this,-that under the Law was shadowed forth only in rude and imperfect lines what is under the Gospel set forth in living colors and graphically distinct. He thus confirms again what he had previously said, that the Law was not useless, nor its ceremonies unprofitable. For though there was not in them the image of heavenly things, finished, as they say, by the last touch of the artist; yet the representation, such as it was, was of no small benefit to the fathers; but still our condition is much more favorable. We must however observe, that the things which were shown to them at a distance are the same with those which are now set before our eyes. Hence to both the same Christ is exhibited, the same righteousness, sanctification, and salvation; and the only difference is in the manner of painting or setting them forth." John Calvin

• This opening verse provides similar language to Colossians 2:16-17 where Paul describes the ceremonies of the Old Covenant to be shadows of the realities found in Christ.

• In essence, the author is stating that any thinking person should know that killing a goat won't make a lie or adultery right in the sight of God. The problem came about by those who misunderstood these things by thinking that killing the bull or goat really did make them right before God. The argument here is that if that were true, then they wouldn't have needed to occur year after year.

• The problem did not rest with the system. Rather the problem came from those who thought that the fundamental purpose in God was to make animals suffer for our sins instead of us. This is foolishness.

• When the author speaks of those who did not have their consciences unburdened by their sacrifices we must also realize at the same time that God has completely put away our sin. There is no annual reminder of our sin; God has dealt with it fully and finally in such a way that it is gone and forgotten.

5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. 7 Then I said, 'Behold, I have come -- In the volume of the book it is written of Me -- To do Your will, O God.' " 8 Previously saying, "Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them" (which are offered according to the law), 9 then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God." He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Psalm 51:15-19 15 O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise. 16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart -- These, O God, You will not despise. 18 Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, With burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar. (NKJV)

1 Samuel 15:22-23 22 Then Samuel said: "Has 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 heed than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king." (NKJV)

Hosea 6:4-7

4 "O Ephraim, what shall I do to you? O Judah, what shall I do to you? For your faithfulness is like a morning cloud, And like the early dew it goes away. 5 Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of My mouth; And your judgments are like light that goes forth. 6 For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. 7 "But like men they transgressed the covenant; There they dealt treacherously with Me. (NKJV)

• As we can see the proper understanding of the Old Testament sacrifices can be found in the O.T. Those who were scholars of the scriptures should have seen this and not fallen into the trap of thinking that God's wrath could be turned aside by killing a goat. God prefers our obedience not sacrifice. Although when we sin we can be sure that the sacrifice of Christ will cleanse us from all unrighteousness, it would be better not to call on grace and to obey.

• Christ's death was a once for all death. Cf. Romans 6:1-14. We see from these verses that Christ died and now He lives. Death was the event and life is the process. The problem is that we frequently will turn this around and make life the event (I was saved...) and death the process (dying daily). This is just backwards.

11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

• After Christ completed His work on the cross, He sat down at the right hand of the Father. This is a position of a ruler. In that position or capacity Christ is ruling now. Note that He will stay their until His enemies are made His footstool. This is a tremendously important verse with regard to our eschatology. Christ is ruling the nations now. He will continue to do so until this happens. Then we believe that He will return-not to make the enemies the footstool, apparently this will have already happened.

15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, 16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them," 17 then He adds, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." 18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. (NKJV)

• Here the author returns to the promise of God to establish a new covenant and he highlights the two most important aspects of the new covenant-the internalization of the law and the forgiveness of sins.