The Letter to the Hebrews

The Letter to the Hebrews Chapter 10 Jan-Apr 2014 FXCC

Hebrews 9 and before • Jesus is greater than • Angels • Moses • Prophets • Levitical Priesthood • Jewish High Priest • Jesus is the perfect sacrifice

Hebrews 10 • Warnings and reasons to rejoice • Jesus is greater than any other sacrifice • Jesus is the Perfect sacrifice

Hebrews 10 • Quotes from • Psalm 40:6-8 (vss 5-7) • Jer 31:33 & 34 (vss 16, 17) • Deut 32:35-36 (vs 30) • Isa 26:20 (vs 37) • Hab 2:3-4 (vss 37-38) • Alludes to • Psalm 110:1 (vs 12, 13), Zeph 1:18 (vs 27), Isa 26:11 (vs 27), Deut 17:6 (vs 28)

Hebrews 10:1-4 • 1 For the law possesses a shadow of the good things to come but not the reality itself, and is therefore completely unable, by the same sacrifices offered continually, year after year, to perfect those who come to worship. 2 For otherwise would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers would have been purified once for all and so have no further consciousness of sin? 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year after year. 4 For the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins.

Hebrews 10:1-4 • The Law of Moses was never intended to save people! • The proof? • The sacrifices required by the Law HAD to be offered again and again and … • The author’s summary – the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin

Hebrews 10:1-4 • The priests and sacrifices of the Mosaic Law were inadequate • Inadequate when compared to Jesus and His sacrifice

Hebrews 10:1-4 • In vs 1 “continually”, is the same word used in vss 12 and 14, but translated/meaning “for all time” • Greek διηνεκὲ • “…the same sacrifices offered continually, year after year,…” • “…offered one sacrifice for sins for all time,…” • “…has perfected for all time those who are made holy…”

Hebrews 10:1-4 • The continual sacrifices reminded us of our sins (vs 2, consciousness of sin) • This is not saying those sins weren’t forgiven • The one time sacrifice of Jesus has perfected us forever

Hebrews 10:1-4 • Are we ever tempted to think that some good work on our part will cancel out some bad thing we’ve done?

Hebrews 10:5-10 • 5 So when he came into the world, he said, “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me. 6 “Whole burnt offerings and sin-offerings you took no delight in. 7 “Then I said, ‘Here I am: I have come – it is written of me in the scroll of the book – to do your will, O God.’” 8 When he says above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sin-offerings you did not desire nor did you take delight in them” (which are offered according to the law),

Hebrews 10:5-10 • 9 then he says, “Here I am: I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first to establish the second. 10 By his will we have been made holy through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 10:5-10 • Jesus became the perfect sacrifice • The quote from Psalm 40 is applied to Jesus and our situation • Burnt offerings of animals, in the end, did not cut it (were not adequate to accomplish the necessary goal) • Thus a “body/person” was needed • Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, because He and only Hedid the Father’s will (vs 7)

Hebrews 10:5-10 • Psalm 40 is a prayer for deliverance (40:11 and 40:14) • The Psalm notes that God is most interested in transformed lives (hearts of obedience) • See also I Sam 15:22 “…obedience is better than sacrifice, and paying attention (to harken) is better than the fat of rams.” • Is God truly not interested in sacrifices?

Hebrews 10:11-14 • 11 And every priest stands day after day serving and offering the same sacrifices again and again – sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 where he is now waiting until his enemies are made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are made holy.

Hebrews 10:11-14 • The Levitical priests stood to do their religious work • Their work was NEVER done • Thus they NEVER got to sit down • Jesus offered His ONE sacrifice • And now Jesus is SITTING at God’s right hand

Hebrews 10:11-14 • In these verses the concept of “holy” is grammatically a present passive • Indicating a process of transformation • Have been made holy (vs 10), but are also in the process of being made holy (vs 14) • Both/and not either/or

Hebrews 10:11-14 • We are saints, but yet in the process of being sanctified • We are cleansed, but in the process of transformation • We are forgiven, but yet in the process of learning obedience

Hebrews 10:15-18 • 15 And the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us, for after saying, 16 “This is the covenant that I will establish with them after those days, says the Lord. I will put my laws on their hearts and I will inscribe them on their minds,” 17 then he says, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no longer.” 18 Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Hebrews 10:15-18 • We have already looked at Jeremiah 31 (back in Heb 8) • Another perspective, way to understand it • The new covenant is internalized • It is not what we do, but who we are (new creations in Christ) • No more a king and his subjects, but a father and his children

Hebrews 10:15-18 • Here the author emphasizes 2 parts of Jer 31 • Under the new covenant our new life is transformed by the presence of God’s Spirit in us • Our cleansing is decisive, i.e. God no longer remembers our sins! • Since God no longer remembers them, we need not remember them • Sin is gone, we are transformed

Hebrews 10:19-25 • 19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the fresh and living way that he inaugurated for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings, because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.

Hebrews 10:19-25 • 23 And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy. 24 And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works, 25 not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near.

Hebrews 10:19-25 • Because Jesus (the creator of the universe) died for them/us and in our place • We/they can confidently draw near to God (enter the sanctuary) • “Draw near” a term meaning come into the presence of God • Before only the High Priest could do this (enter the Most Holy Place, the Holy of Holies)

Hebrews 10:19-25 • Because Jesus (the creator of the universe) died for them/us and in our place • We/they should hold unswervingly to our hope • Depend on Jesus’ promise • Don’t give up

Hebrews 10:19-25 • Because Jesus (the creator of the universe) died for them/us and in our place • We/they must consider how to spur/urge each other on to love and good works • Remain a community • Hold together • Remember they were apathetic, feeling neglected, discouraged

Hebrews 10:19-25 • Because Jesus (the creator of the universe) died for them/us and in our place • We/they should continue to meet together • This is more concerned with continual failure to assemble, than being used as a “hammer” when someone misses one worship service • Forsake is the idea of not coming at all • In II Chron “forsake” is used for apostasy 15 times • In Heb 13:5 we read God will not forsake (abandon) His people

Hebrews 10:19-25 • Why meet together? • Failing to assemble is shown here as a “bad habit” • What is the assembly supposed to accomplish per these verses? • Encourage each other (vs 25) • Encourage to what? (vs 24) • Love • Good works

Hebrews 10:19-25 • Vss 22-24 • Vs 22, “…in the assurance that faith brings…” • Vs 23, “…hold unwaveringly to the hope…” • Vs 24, “…spur one another on to love…” • We draw near with faith • Persevere with hope • Encourage with love

Hebrews 10:26-31 • 26 For if we deliberately keep on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins is left for us, 27 but only a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a fury of fire that will consume God’s enemies. 28 Someone who rejected the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much greater punishment do you think that person deserves who has contempt for the Son of God, and profanes the blood of the covenant that made him holy, and insults the Spirit of grace?

Hebrews 10:26-31 • 30 For we know the one who said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Hebrews 10:26-31 • This warning is • STRONG • SEVERE • SCARY • Deliberate sin • Telling God, “I don’t care what You say/want/command” • This is not a ONE time rebellion, but a way of life

Numbers 15:22-31 • 22 “‘If you sin unintentionallyand do not observe all these commandments that the Lord has spoken to Moses – 23 all that the Lord has commanded you … – 24 then if anything is done unintentionally without the knowledge of the community… 25 And the priest is to make atonement for the whole community of the Israelites, and they will be forgiven, because it was unintentional and they have brought their offering, … , for their unintentional offense. …

Numbers 15:22-31 • 30 “‘But the person who acts defiantly, …, insults the Lord. That person must be cut off from among his people. 31 Because he has despised the word of the Lord and has broken his commandment, that person must be completely cut off. His iniquity will be on him.’”

Hebrews 10:26-31 • God does see a difference in sins • Unintentional • Deliberate • When Israel turned from God to idols and refused to come back, that was DELIBERATE • When a Christian renounces Christ and doesn’t come back, that is DELIBERATE

Hebrews 10:26-31 • Deliberate sin • Shows contempt for the Son of God (KJV – trampled the Son of God underfoot) • Profanes the blood of the covenant (KJV – considers the blood to be unholy, trivial) • Insults the Spirit of grace • This warning appears right after the verse on assembly

Hebrews 10:26-31 • This warning appears right after the verse on assembly • Again not one sinful act • Persistent habit of sin • Due to rejecting Jesus as God’s Son, our Savior • If you reject Jesus, THEN there is NO OTHER sacrifice, there is NO HOPE

Hebrews 10:26-31 • Heb 13:5 is from Deut 31:6 • Deut 31:6 promises God will not abandon/forsake His people • BUT Deut 32:35-36 also clearly declares that God will judge and punish His people • Those who forsake God will be forsaken by God

Hebrews 10:32-39 • 32 But remember the former days when you endured a harsh conflict of suffering after you were enlightened. 33 At times you were publicly exposed to abuse and afflictions, and at other times you came to share with others who were treated in that way. 34 For in fact you shared the sufferings of those in prison, and you accepted the confiscation of your belongings with joy, because you knew that you certainly had a better and lasting possession.

Hebrews 10:32-39 • 35 So do not throw away your confidence, because it has great reward. 36 For you need endurance in order to do God’s will and so receive what is promised. 37 For just a little longer and he who is coming will arrive and not delay. 38 But my righteous one will live by faith, and if he shrinks back, I take no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not among those who shrink back and thus perish, but are among those who have faith and preserve their souls.

Hebrews 10:32-39 • The readers had experienced persecution • Publicly exposed to abuse and affliction (insult and persecution) • Stood side-by-side with (supported/shared) the ill treatment others had endured • Compassion (com=with, passion=suffer, i.e. suffer with) • Suffered with those in prison • Had their possessions confiscated (notice accepted this with joy!)

Hebrews 10:32-39 • The readers had experienced persecution and had already persevered • Back at that time they endured joyfully • Their were secure in their faith and hope • Don’t forget your past experience with God • Don’t forget how God has worked in the past

Hebrews 10:32-39 • The quote from Habakkuk admonishes and warns • Hang in there “…he who is coming will arrive…” • Suffering for God’s people is not a new thing • “Live by faith…” • But if you “shrink back” • “I will take no pleasure…”

Hebrews 10:32-39 • Habakkuk and his readers/hearers were told, by God, to wait • The time is coming when God will step in again • So when you are feeling down, ready to give up… • LOOK BACK to see what God has done (His faithfulness)

Hebrews 10:32-39 • The chapter ends on a positive/encouraging note • “We are not among those who shrink back…” • “…but are among those who have faith” • “and preserve their souls” • LOOK FORWARD to the 2nd coming and God’s future work

References • F.F. Bruce, “The Epistle to the Hebrews”, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, Eerdmans, 1967 • Edward Fudge, “Our Man in Heaven: An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews”,, Baker, 1974 • Available on-line for free • http://www.edwardfudge.com/written/omihtext.html

References • Edward Fudge, “Hebrews: Ancient Encouragement for Believers Today”, Leafwood Publishers, 2009 • John Mark Hicks, Hebrews, Word Doc • http://johnmarkhicks.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2009/03/hebrews-edited.doc

References • Referenced in John Mark Hicks, Hebrews, Word Doc are the sites for a sermon series (Strength for the Journey) by Rubel Shelly and John York on Hebrews • http://www.rubelshelly.com/content.asp?lShow=20&ListSG=316&Start=121&SortAlpha= • http://www.rubelshelly.com/content.asp?lShow=20&ListSG=316&Start=101&SortAlpha= • http://www.johnyork.org/content.asp?lShow=20&ListSG=260&Start=161 • http://www.johnyork.org/content.asp?lShow=20&ListSG=260&Start=141

References • Bobby Valentine’s “Stoned-Campbell Disciple” blog • http://stonedcampbelldisciple.com/2013/08/20/paul-and-the-unquestioned-authority-of-the-old-testament/

The Letter to the Hebrews