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10:1 For the law having a
shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto
perfect.
10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more
conscience of
sins.
10:3 But in those
sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and
offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
10:6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O
God.
10:8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by
the law;
10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of
Jesus Christ once for all.
10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
10:13 From
henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
10:15 Whereof the
Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
10:16 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 will I write them;
10:17 And their sins and
iniquities will I remember no more.
10:18 Now where
remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the
blood of Jesus,
10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
10:21 And having an
high priest over the house of God;
10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is
faithful that
promised;)
10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
10:25 Not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of
the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
10:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
10:29 Of how much sorer
punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was
sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
10:30 For we know him that hath said,
Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
10:31
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
10:32 But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;
10:33 Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.
10:34 For ye had
compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring
substance.
10:35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
10:36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
10:37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
10:38 Now the
just shall
live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
10:39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Hebrews
Book: Hebrews
Chapter: 10
Overview:
The insufficiency of sacrifices for taking away
Sin, The
necessity and power of the
Sacrifice of
Christ for that purpose.
(1-18) An argument for holy boldness in the believer's access to
God through
Jesus Christ, And for steadfastness in
Faith, and
mutual
Love and duty.
(19-25) The danger of apostasy.
(26-31)
The sufferings of believers, and encouragement to maintain their
holy profession.
(32-39)
1-10 The
Apostle having shown that the
Tabernacle, and
ordinances of the
Covenant of
Sinai, were only emblems and types
of the
Gospel, concludes that the sacrifices the high priests
offered continually, could not make the worshippers perfect,
with respect to
Pardon, and the purifying of their consciences.
But when "
God manifested in the
Flesh," became the
Sacrifice,
and his
Death upon the accursed tree the
Ransom, then the
Sufferer being of infinite worth, his free-will sufferings were
of infinite value. The atoning
Sacrifice must be one capable of
consenting, and must of his own will place himself in the
sinner's stead:
Christ did
So. The
Fountain of all that
Christ
has done for his people, is the sovereign will and
Grace of
God.
The
Righteousness brought in, and the
Sacrifice once offered
By
Christ, are of eternal power, and his
Salvation shall never be
done away. They are of power to make all the comers thereunto
perfect; they derive from the atoning
Blood, strength and
motives for obedience, and inward comfort.
11-18 Under the new
Covenant, or
Gospel Dispensation, full and
final
Pardon is to be had. This makes a vast difference between
the new
Covenant and the old one. Under the old, sacrifices must
be often repeated, and after all, only
Pardon as to this world
was to be obtained
By them. Under the new, one
Sacrifice is
enough to procure for all nations and ages, spiritual
Pardon, or
being freed from
Punishment in the world to come.
Well might
this be called a new
Covenant. Let none suppose that human
inventions can avail those who
Put them in the place of the
Sacrifice of the
Son of God. What then remains, but that we seek
an interest in this
Sacrifice By Faith; and the
Seal of it to
our souls,
By the
Sanctification of the
Spirit unto obedience?
So that
By the
Law being written in our hearts, we may know that
we are justified, and that
God will
No more remember our sins.
19-25 The
Apostle having closed the first part of the epistle,
the doctrine is applied to practical purposes. As believers had
an open way to the presence of
God, it became them to use this
privilege. The way and means
By which Christians enjoy such
privileges, is
By the
Blood of
Jesus,
By the merit of that
Blood
which he offered up as an atoning
Sacrifice. The agreement of
infinite
Holiness with pardoning
Mercy, was not clearly
understood till the human nature of
Christ, the
Son of God, was
wounded and bruised for our sins. Our way to
Heaven is
By a
crucified
Saviour; his
Death is to us the way of
Life, and to
those who believe this, he will be precious. They must draw near
to
God; it would be contempt of
Christ, still to keep at a
distance. Their bodies were to be washed with pure water,
alluding to the cleansings directed under the
Law: thus the use
of water in
Baptism, was to remind Christians that their conduct
should be pure and holy. While they derived comfort and
Grace
from their reconciled
Father to their own souls, they would
adorn the doctrine of
God their
Saviour in all things. Believers
are to consider how they can be of service to each other,
especially stirring up each other to the more vigorous and
abundant
Exercise of
Love, and the practice of good
Works. The
Communion of saints is a great help and privilege, and a means
of stedfastness and perseverance. We should observe the coming
of times of trial, and be thereby quickened to greater
diligence. There is a trying
Day coming
On all men, the
Day of
our
Death.
26-31 The exhortations against apostasy and to perseverance,
are urged
By many strong reasons. The
Sin here mentioned is a
total and final falling away, when men, with a full and fixed
will and resolution, despise and reject
Christ, the only
Saviour; despise and resist the
Spirit, the only Sanctifier; and
despise and renounce the
Gospel, the only way of
Salvation, and
the words of eternal
Life. Of this
Destruction God gives some
notorious sinners, while
On Earth, a fearful foreboding in their
consciences, with despair of being able to endure or to escape
it. But what
Punishment can be sorer than to die without
Mercy?
We answer, to die
By Mercy,
By the
Mercy and
Grace which they
have despised. How dreadful is the case, when not only the
Justice of God, but his abused
Grace and
Mercy Call for
vengeance! All this does not in the least mean that any souls
who sorrow for
Sin will be shut out from
Mercy, or that any will
be refused the benefit of
Christ's
Sacrifice, who are willing to
accept these blessings. Him that cometh unto
Christ, he will in
No Wise cast out.
32-39 Many and various
Afflictions united against the early
Christians, and they had a great conflict. The
Christian Spirit
is not a selfish
Spirit; it puts us upon pitying others,
visiting them, helping them, and pleading for them. All things
here are but shadows. The happiness of the saints in
Heaven will
last for ever; enemies can never take it away as earthly goods.
This will make rich amends for all we may lose and suffer here.
The greatest part of the saints' happiness, as yet, is in
promise. It is a trial of the patience of Christians, to be
content to live after their work is done, and to stay for their
reward till
God's time to give it is come. He will soon come to
them at
Death, to
End all their sufferings, and to give them a
Crown of
Life. The
Christian's present conflict may be sharp,
but will be soon over.
God never is pleased with the formal
profession and outward duties and services of such as do not
persevere; but he beholds them with great displeasure. And those
who have been kept
Faithful in great trails for the time past,
have reason to
Hope for the same
Grace to help them still to
live
By Faith, till they receive the
End of their
Faith and
patience, even the
Salvation of their souls. Living
By Faith,
and dying in
Faith, our souls are safe for ever.