Hebrews 10:1-10 study

My translation with comments

Verses 1-2

Σκιὰν γὰρ ἔχων ὁ νόμος τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν, οὐκ αὐτὴν τὴν εἰκόνα τῶν πραγμάτων, κατʼ ἐνιαυτὸν ταῖς αὐταῖς θυσίαις ἃς προσφέρουσιν εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς οὐδέποτε δύναται τοὺς προσερχομένους τελειῶσαι· 2 ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἂν ἐπαύσαντο προσφερόμεναι, διὰ τὸ μηδεμίαν ἔχειν ἔτι συνείδησιν ἁμαρτιῶν τοὺς λατρεύοντας ἅπαξ κεκαθαρισμένους;

1 Because the law possesses a mere shadow of the coming good things, not the true form of those things, it is never able, by the same yearly sacrifices which they offer without interruption, to make perfect the people who draw near. 2 For otherwise, wouldn’t the sacrifices have ceased being offered? Because the worshipers, if they had been cleansed once for all, would no longer have consciousness of their sins.

The law is the shadow, not the substance of the reality. (Col 2:16-17)

The ongoing nature of the sacrifices proves their ineffectiveness at accomplishing a perfect redemption.

The ongoing sense of guilt of the worshipers shows that their cleansing is not full or permanent.

The Law was good, but it was unable to bring people to the goal of a right relationship with God.

Hebrews Exegesis

The law points forward to something better, to genuine forgiveness of sins; but the law itself doesn’t truly forgive sins, and this is evident since the sacrifices are repeated continually.

Hebrews Exegesis

The fundamental problem with the law and its sacrifices is disclosed here. It can’t “perfect” (τελειῶσαι) those drawing near to God.

Hebrews Exegesis

The word “perfect” here, then, communicates the idea of a true cleansing of the conscience that brings one into God’s presence. The law and its sacrifices did not and cannot accomplish such, and hence they function as a shadow of the good that has come in Jesus Christ, where such perfection becomes a reality.

Hebrews Exegesis

They would be assured that full and final forgiveness had been accomplished and would be free from the defiling guilt of sin.

Verses 3-4

3 ἀλλʼ ἐν αὐταῖς ἀνάμνησις ἁμαρτιῶν κατʼ ἐνιαυτόν, 4 ἀδύνατον γὰρ αἷμα ταύρων καὶ τράγων ἀφαιρεῖν ἁμαρτίας.

3 On the contrary, in the continuation of these sacrifices is a yearly reminder of sins, 4 For the blood of bulls and goats is incapable of removing sins.

The ongoing nature of the sacrifices reminds the worshipers that the relationship with God is still broken, that their sin has not been fully taken care of.

Animal blood did not have the power - the worth - to truly take away sins forever. Only the blood of a man could truly atone for man.

An animal could not be a willing sacrifice - freely choosing to die in place of another.

Hebrews Exegesis

Animals could scarcely provide atonement. They didn’t realize why they were slain and had no consciousness of the significance of their death. They certainly didn’t give their life voluntarily for the sake of sinners but were coerced to die against their will.

Hebrews Exegesis

Hence the blood of animals functioned typologically and symbolically, pointing forward to the blood of Christ, which truly cleanses from sins.

Hebrews Bridge

Hebrews declares that any pathway to forgiveness outside the sacrifice of Jesus Christ doesn’t avail. Only Jesus’ death truly cleanses the heart of its sin and provides assurance of a right relationship with God.

Verses 5-7

5 διὸ εἰσερχόμενος εἰς τὸν κόσμον λέγει· Θυσίαν καὶ προσφορὰν οὐκ ἠθέλησας, σῶμα δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι· 6 ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας οὐκ εὐδόκησας. 7 τότε εἶπον· Ἰδοὺ ἥκω, ἐν κεφαλίδι βιβλίου γέγραπται περὶ ἐμοῦ, τοῦ ποιῆσαι, ὁ θεός, τὸ θέλημά σου.

5 For this reason, when He enters the world He says, “You didn’t desire a sacrifice or an offering, but You prepared a body for me; 6 You found no satisfaction in whole burnt offerings and sin offerings. 7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come, as is written concerning me in the roll of the book, to do what You wish, O God.’”

When He enters the world - incarnation.

Hebrews Exegesis

Since the law and its sacrifices can’t perfect worshipers and cleanse the conscience of sins and since animal sacrifices can’t atone for sins, “therefore” Jesus did not come into the world to offer animal sacrifices but to give of himself.

Hebrews Exegesis

Preexistence is probably implied here, for the one coming into the world speaks, declaring his intention upon entering into the world.

Contrast between Saul and David in 1 Samuel 15:22-23 & Psalm 40:6-8.

God delights in obedience more than burnt offerings and other sacrifices.

He wants His anointed to obey (Obedience would mean there would be no need for these sacrifices)

Saul chose to disobey, but David determined to do the LORD’s will.

Saul rejected the word of the LORD (and so was rejected as king), but David had the LORD’s Torah within his heart.

Psalms, Volumes 1 & 2 40:6–11 (MT 40:7–12), The Proclamation of the Prophesied One

Sacrifice makes provision for those unsuccessful at obedience. Obedience is Yahweh’s first choice, and sacrifice is provided for those who try to obey and fail

Psalms, Volumes 1 & 2 40:6–11 (MT 40:7–12), The Proclamation of the Prophesied One

The sacrifices were only provided for when obedience failed. Jesus did not fail to obey, and his sacrifice accomplished what those outlined in the Old Testament never could. As David replaces Saul, Jesus replaces the failed mediators and provisional sacrifices of a failed covenant.

Hebrews Exegesis

David is saying that such offerings without obedience and consecration to the Lord are meaningless. Religious ritual without a change of heart doesn’t avail before God.

Verses 8-9

8 ἀνώτερον λέγων ὅτι Θυσίας καὶ προσφορὰς καὶ ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας οὐκ ἠθέλησας οὐδὲ εὐδόκησας, αἵτινες κατὰ νόμον προσφέρονται, 9 τότε εἴρηκεν· Ἰδοὺ ἥκω τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ θέλημά σου· ἀναιρεῖ τὸ πρῶτον ἵνα τὸ δεύτερον στήσῃ.

8 After He says above, “You neither desired nor found satisfaction in a sacrifice, nor an offering, nor burnt offerings, nor sin offerings” (which are offered in accordance with the law), 9 Then He has said, “Behold, I have come to do what You desire.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second.

God’s lack of desire isn’t because these things are wrong, but because He desires a holy, perfected people who don’t need to offer these sacrifices, because their sins are taken care of already.

He takes away the first in order to establish the second - the first covenant, the first priesthood, the first king (Saul), the first tabernacle, etc. — all are replaced by the second (covenant, priesthood, king, tabernacle, etc.)

David truly desired to keep God’s law, but only Jesus truly did. His perfect obedience makes Him the perfect sacrifice.

Verse 10

10 ἐν ᾧ θελήματι ἡγιασμένοι ἐσμὲν διὰ τῆς προσφορᾶς τοῦ σώματος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐφάπαξ.

10 By His desire we have been set apart through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.

By His desire (literally in which desire — that is, the desire of God for Christ, God’s will that Jesus should die for our sin (Isaiah 53:10).

Because God desired for Jesus to be our substitute in His death, and because Jesus was obedient to that will or desire, we have been set apart (sanctified, consecrated to God).

In contrast to the daily and yearly sacrifices of the Old Covenant, Jesus’s body only had to be offered once, and that one offering has accomplished redemption forever. (This would stand against the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation)

Hebrews Exegesis

We return here to the sequence Hebrews discerns in the text: the “first” is taken away, i.e., the sacrifices and offerings mandated in the law. The “first covenant” (8:7, 13; 9:1, 15, 18) and the “first tabernacle” (9:8) and the “first” sacrifices have given way to the “second” covenant (8:7), the heavenly tabernacle, and the final and definitive sacrifice. That which is second and later is “better” and superior. The “first” anticipates and points to the second, but once the second has come, believers should not revert to the first. Now that the Servant of the Lord has given himself as an offering for the people, there is no going back. OT sacrifices will never be reinstituted now that the great and final forgiveness has come in Jesus Christ.