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Hebrews Chapter Ten

 
The Superior Sacrifice (10:1-18)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. In showing the superiority of the New Covenant, we have seen the 
 author discuss...
 a. The better promises - He 8:7-13
 b. The better sanctuary - He 9:1-28
 
2. The author now reaches a climax in his discussion with a look at 
 "the better sacrifice"...
 a. Not that he hasn't already made mention of it - He 7:26-27; 
 9:11-14,24-26
 b. But now there is a contrast to the Old Covenant sacrifices in the
 clearest of terms
 
3. In this section, we will find the author...
 a. Bring together the main ideas he has alluded to earlier
 b. Add a further thought not stressed before
 
[In the first four verses of chapter ten, then, we find...]
 
I. THE SUPERIOR SACRIFICE: ITS NEED (1-4)
 
 A. ANIMAL SACRIFICES DID NOT PROVIDE TRUE REMISSION OF SIN...
 1. The Law was only "a shadow of the good things to come"
 - He 10:1a
 a. Its gifts and sacrifices were a "copy and shadow" of the 
 heavenly things - He 8:4-5
 b. They symbolized what Jesus would actually do - He 9:11-12,
 24
 c. The "good things" included such things as:
 1) His better sacrifice
 2) The better hope
 3) The eternal redemption and the eternal inheritance
 2. The sacrifices did not make the worshippers "perfect" - He 10:
 1b-2
  a. Perfect in regard to the conscience - He 9:9
 b. The repetitive nature of the sacrifices prevented this
 
 B. ANIMAL SACRIFICES PROVIDED A REMINDER OF SIN...
 1. Every year there was the constant reminder of sins - He 10:3
 a. In addition to the daily and monthly sacrifices, there were
 the annual sacrifices on the Day of Atonement
 b. The constant sacrifices reminded them of their sin and need
 for cleansing
 2. It was not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take
 away sins - He 10:4
 a. The blood of animals could not really take away sin
 b. Their purpose was to impress upon the people their need, 
 and to foreshadow what would one day be accomplished in 
 Christ
 
[The sacrifices of the Old Covenant accomplished their purpose; they 
served as "a shadow of the good things to come". Those "good things"
involved the sacrifice found in the New Covenant, of which we now 
read...]
 
II. THE SUPERIOR SACRIFICE: ITS PROVISION (5-9)
 
 A. IT WAS PROVIDED BY GOD...
 1. From Ps 40:6-8, we see the attitude of Christ when He came
 into the world
 2. Burnt offerings and sacrifices did not meet His Father's 
 ultimate desire - He 10:5-6
 3. But what did meet God's desire, God provided Himself: a body 
 - He 10:5
 -- This reminds us that propitiation for sin was provided by God,
 not man - 1 Jn 4:10
 
 B. IT WAS OFFERED FREELY BY CHRIST...
  1. Christ came as prophesied to do the will of God - He 10:7-9a
 2. Here is a striking difference between Christ's sacrifice and
 the animal sacrifices...
 a. Animal sacrifices were offered against their will
 b. Jesus freely offered Himself in accordance with His 
 Father's will! - cf. Jn 6:38
 
 C. IT ESTABLISHED A NEW COVENANT...
 1. In doing the will of His Father, Jesus has taken away the 
 first covenant - He 9:9b; cf. Co 2:14-17
 2. Making it possible to establish the second covenant, of which 
 He is the mediator - cf. He 9:15
 
[So what animal sacrifices could not accomplish, God did by the sending
of His Son who freely accepted the task of offering Himself for sin. 
 
But was His sacrifice adequate? Read on...]
 
III. THE SUPERIOR SACRIFICE: ITS ALL-SUFFICIENCY (10-18)
 
 A. IT PROVIDES TRUE SANCTIFICATION...
 1. We have been sanctified through the offering of His body - 
 He 10:10
 2. Its sufficiency is seen in that He only had to offer it "once"
 a. The repetition of the daily sacrifices illustrated their 
 inadequacy - He 10:11
 b. But with Jesus, it was "one sacrifice for sins forever" 
 - He 10:12-13
 1) Illustrated by His sitting down at God' right Hand 
 - cf. He 1:3; 8:1
 2) Where He waits (and reigns - 1 Co 15:25-26; Psa 110:1-2)
 till all His enemies are made His footstool
 3. Thus "by one offering" He has provided true sanctification 
 - He 10:14
 a. "He has perfected forever" (doing what animal sacrifices
 could not - He 10:1)
 b. "those who are being sanctified"
 1) Note the present tense - sanctification is an on-going 
 process - He 2:11
 a) In one sense we have been sanctified - 1 Co 1:2; 
 6:11; He 10:10,29
 b) In another sense we will be sanctified - 1 Th 5:23
 2) Made possible by the one-time sacrifice of Christ - 1 Jn
 1:7-9
 
 B. IT PROVIDES TRUE REMISSION OF SINS...
 1. As the Holy Spirit bore witness through Jeremiah in Jer 31:
 31-34 (quoted earlier in He 8:8-12) - He 10:15-17
 2. With true remission of sins, there is no need for repeated 
 sacrifices for sin - He 10:18
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. By providing complete sanctification and remission of sins, the 
 sacrifice of Jesus is truly "The Superior Sacrifice"!
 a. Why would anyone want to return to sacrifices...
 1) That did not make the worshiper "perfect"?
 2) Were there is the constant reminder of sin that weighs heavy 
 upon the conscience of man?
 b. With the sacrifice of Himself, offered freely keeping with the 
 will of God, Jesus provides what the Law could not!
 
2. With verse eighteen, we come to the end of the two main arguments in
 this epistle...
 a. That Christ is superior, for He is: 
 1) Better than the prophets, as a much better Spokesman - He 1:
  1-3
 2) Better than the angels, by virtue of His Deity and humanity 
 - He 1:4-2:18
 3) Better than Moses, for He is the Son who provides a heavenly 
 rest - He 3:1-4:13
 4) Better than Aaron, as His priesthood is a superior one - He 4:
 16-8:6
 b. That the New Covenant is superior, for it is:
 1) Based upon better promises - He 8:7-13
 2) Based upon a better sanctuary - He 9:1-28
 3) Based upon a better sacrifice - He 10:1-18
 
The purpose of the author has been to encourage his Hebrew brethren to
remain true to Jesus Christ. Though one may not be a Hebrew by race,
the same arguments should encourage all Christians to remain true to 
Jesus and abide by the conditions of the New Covenant of which He is
the Mediator!

A Gracious Exhortation (10:19-25)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. To this point in "The Epistle To The Hebrews", doctrinal arguments
 have been presented to encourage faithfulness and steadfastness...
 a. Demonstrating the superiority of the Son - He 1:1-8:6
 b. Illustrating the superiority of the New Covenant - He 8:7-10:18
 
2. With He 10:19, the author begins making application based upon these
 premises...
 a. Which he does through a series of exhortations and warnings
 b. Such composing the remaining part of this epistle
 
3. In verses 19-25, we find a three-fold exhortation...
 a. To draw near to God
 b. To hold fast our faith
 c. To stimulate one another in love and good works
 -- All based upon what Christ has done and will do for us!
 
[I have entitled this lesson "A Gracious Exhortation", for certainly
each aspect of the exhortation is based upon God's wonderful grace 
bestowed upon us through Christ, and it reflects the tone of the author
as he makes his heartfelt appeal. Beginning with...]
 
I. LET US DRAW NEAR IN FAITH (19-22)
 
 A. WE ARE EXHORTED TO DRAW NEAR TO GOD...
 1. To "enter the Holiest" - He 10:19
 a. That heavenly place where Christ has entered! - He 9:11-12
 b. Into the presence of God Himself! - He 9:24
 2. To so enter:
 a. "having boldness" (with great confidence) - He 10:19
 b. "with a true heart" (with all sincerity) - He 10:22
 c. "in full assurance of faith" (without doubt) - He 10:22
 -- Though not expressed explicitly, this is a call to draw near 
 to God in prayer! - cf. He 4:16
 
 B. THE BASIS FOR THIS EXHORTATION...
 1. We are able to "enter" God's presence because:
 a. Jesus has consecrated "a new and living way, through the 
  veil" - He 10:19-20
 1) There is now a new way to approach God in heaven, 
 through One who lives!
 2) It is made possible by "the blood of Jesus...His flesh"
 (His death on the cross)
 b. Jesus now serves as "a High Priest over the house of God" 
 - He 10:21
 1) Who is able to come to our aid - He 2:17-18
 2) Who sympathizes with our weakness - He 4:14-16
 3) Who ever lives to intercede in our behalf - He 7:24-25
 2. But we are also able to "enter" God's presence because:
 a. We have had "our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience"
 1) This is an allusion to the Old Testament practice of 
 taking blood from the altar and consecrating the priests
 by sprinkling them with it - Exo 29:21
 2) It is the blood of Christ that is truly efficacious in 
 purging our conscience of sin - He 9:14
 b. We have had "our bodies washed with pure water"
 1) Another allusion to the manner in which priests were 
 consecrated - Exo 29:4
 2) The author likely has reference to baptism...
 a) For baptism is referred to as a "washing"- Ac 22:16;
 cf. Ep 5:26; Ti 3:5
 b) Though the stress is on the inner cleansing, not the 
 outer - cf. 1 Pe 3:21
 
[With Christ as our "High Priest", and our own consecration as 
"priests" through the blood of Jesus, we should not hesitate to draw 
near to God in prayer and worship, looking forward to that day when we
literally enter "through the veil" into God's wonderful presence!
 
For similar reasons we should also heed the next part of "A Gracious
Exhortation"...]
 
II. LET US HOLD FAST OUR HOPE (23)
 
 A. WE ARE EXHORTED TO HOLD FAST THE CONFESSION OF OUR HOPE...
 1. In Christ we have a much "better hope" - He 6:19; 7:19
 2. But there is the danger of apostasy - He 3:12-13; 4:11
 3. For which reason we must "hold fast" the hope which we confess
 - He 3:6,14; 4:14
 -- Indeed, we need to "hold fast...without wavering" - He 10:23
 
 B. A GOOD REASON TO HEED THIS EXHORTATION...
 1. The faithfulness of God: "for He who promised is faithful"
 - He 10:23
 2. God will not fail us (He 13:5); therefore we need to emulate
 the faith of Sarah, who "judged Him faithful who had promised"
 - He 11:11
 
[We can depend upon God to keep His promise. But will we remain 
faithful to Him? To help ensure that we will, we need to heed the 
final part of "A Gracious Exhortation"...]
 
III. LET US CONSIDER ONE ANOTHER (24-25)
 
 A. IN ORDER TO STIR UP LOVE AND GOOD WORKS...
 1. As we "draw near" to God and "hold fast" our hope, we are not
 to do so alone
 2. We are to be mindful of each other and how we are doing
 ("consider one another")
 3. With a view to incite or spur on ("stir up") both "love and
 good works"
 - This is reminiscent of the exhortation in He 3:12-14
 
 B. ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH FREQUENT ASSEMBLING...
 1. An important purpose of our assembling is to "stir up love and
 good works"
 a. Yes, we do come to worship and praise God
 b. But we also come to edify and exhort one another! - He 10:
 25a
 2. Therefore we must not become guilty of "forsaking the 
 assembling of ourselves together"
 a. The word "forsake" means "to abandon, desert"
 b. I.e., to stop assembling with the saints altogether
 c. Some evidently had done so ("as is the manner of some")
 3. Exhorting one another through assembling is even more 
 imperative "as you see the Day approaching"
 a. Some commentators believe the "Day" referred to is the
 destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70
 1) Which was impending at the time this epistle was written
 (ca. 63-65 A.D.)
 2) Certainly such an event would call for encouragement 
 through frequent assembling
 b. Others suggest that the "Day" refers to the Judgment Day at
 the Second Coming
 1) It certainly fits the context of He 9:27-29; 10:27,37
 2) And while one might not know the "day and hour" of His 
 coming, we were given some general signs of His coming 
 - cf. 2 Th 2:1-8
 -- The main point is to appreciate the value and necessity of our
 assemblies, and that forsaking them is indicative of apostasy!
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. With "A Gracious Exhortation" before us, we are encouraged to:
 a. Draw near to God in full assurance of faith
 b. Hold fast the confession of our hope
 c. Consider one another to stir up to love and good works
 
2. As motivation to heed this "exhortation", we are reminded of:
 a. The "new and living way" now open to God, made possible by Jesus'
 death
 b. The High Priest who now serves for us over the house of God
 c. How we have been "consecrated" through having our hearts 
 sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure
 water
 d. How He who has promised is faithful
 e. How we have each other to encourage us along
 f. The approaching Day, in particular the Day of Judgment
 
If we truly appreciate the blessings we now have in Christ, we will do
all that we can to draw closer to God, hold fast that hope which we 
confess, and utilize the opportunities we have to encourage one another
in love and good works!

A Warning Against Willful Sin (10:26-39)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. Immediately following a gracious exhortation to draw near to God and
 hold fast the confession of our hope, we find an ominous warning...
 a. It is a warning against "willful sin" - He 10:26-39
 b. It speaks of reaching a terrible state in which:
 1) "there longer remains a sacrifice a sacrifice for sins"
 2) There is "a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery
 indignation"
 
2. Is this a warning for Christians? Some would say no...
 a. They believe in the doctrine "once saved, always saved"
 b. Who hold that true Christians:
 1) Cannot so sin to point of being eternally lost
 2) If they begin to sin to the point where they might be lost, 
 God will intervene and take their life to prevent it from 
 happening
 
3. Does the Bible teach "once saved, always saved"?
 a. It teaches "the security of the believer" (i.e., those who remain
 faithful are secure)
 b. But it also teaches that a "believer" can become an "unbeliever",
 at which point a person has every reason to fear for his or her 
 salvation! - cf. He 3:12-14
 
4. The possibility of apostasy is taught in the Bible, especially in 
 "The Epistle To Hebrews"...
 a. We have already seen several warnings implying this possibility:
 1) A warning against drifting - He 2:1-4
 2) A warning against departing - He 3:12-14
 3) A warning against disobedience - He 4:11
 4) A warning against dullness, leading to apostasy - He 5:11-6:6
 b. But perhaps now, with "A Warning Against Willful Sin", we learn
 the real danger of losing our salvation if we despise what we 
 have received! - He 10:26-39
 
[To see if that is really what the Bible teaches, let's begin by 
considering...]
 
I. WHAT IT MEANS TO "SIN WILLFULLY" (26)
 
 A. COMPARE OTHER TRANSLATIONS...
 1. "If we deliberately keep on sinning..." (NIV)
 2. "For if we willfully persist in sin..." (NRSV)
 3. "For if we go on sinning willfully..." (NASB)
 
 B. THE SENSE OF THE GREEK IS ONE OF REPEATED ACTION...
 1. Implying not an "act" of sin, but a "state" of sin
 a. All Christians have moments of weakness, or ignorantly sin 
 - 1 Jn 1:8-10
 b. It is not "inadvertent" sin, but "deliberate" sin that is 
 under consideration
 2. A "state" in which one...
 a. Knows the truth - cf. He 10:26b
 b. Yet chooses to deliberately and continuously persist in 
 sin!
 
 C. CAN A TRUE CHRISTIAN EVER REACH THIS POINT? YES...
 1. Note the pronoun "we" (the author includes himself in the 
 warning) - He 10:26a
 2. He later describes one who was sanctified by "the blood of the
 covenant" - He 10:29
 -- This warning is directed to those who have been sanctified by
 the blood of Jesus!
 
[When one persists in sin with "a high hand" (i.e., presumptuously, cf.
Num 15:30-31), they are in grave danger. This is especially true when
one is a Christian! What sort of danger? Consider...]
 
II. THE CONSEQUENCES OF "WILLFUL SIN" (26-27)
 
 A. THERE NO LONGER REMAINS A SACRIFICE FOR SIN...
 1. What sacrifice is under consideration here? Christ's
 sacrifice!
 2. What sacrifice no longer remains? Christ's sacrifice!
 -- The blood of Christ is no longer available for one who
 persists in "willful sin"!
 
 B. THAT WHICH DOES REMAIN...
 1. "a certain fearful expectation of judgment" - He 10:27a
 a. One can expect a judgment that is "certain"! - cf. He 9:27;
 Ac 17:30-31
 b. One can expect a judgment that is "fearful"!
 1) For we must answer to Christ Himself - cf. 2 Co 5:10-11
 2) And we will be in the hands of the living God! - He 10:
  30-31
 2. A "fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries" - He
 10:27b
 a. A judgment involving "fire" (figurative, but torment just
 the same) - cf. Re 21:8
 b. A judgment involving "indignation" (the wrath of God) 
 - cf. Ro 2:5-11
 c. Such a judgment will "devour" (not annihilate, but destroy)
 - Mt 10:28
 
[Such are the consequences of "willful sin", and the warning is 
directed to Christians!
 
Is God just to bring such a punishment upon His children who have been
redeemed by the blood of His Son? Evidently so...]
 
III. THE JUSTIFICATION FOR PUNISHING "WILLFUL SIN" (28-31)
 
 A. WHAT WAS REQUIRED UNDER THE OLD COVENANT...
 1. Death without mercy! - He 10:28
  2. Such was the punishment for a particular kind of sin:
 a. Sin that was "deliberate"
 1) In which one "rejected Moses' law" (NKJV)
 2) In which one "despised Moses' law" (KJV)
 b. Sin that was "open"
 1) It had to be seen by two or more
 2) For death was not rendered unless there were "two or 
 three witnesses"
 -- Again, it is sin with "a high hand" that is under 
 discussion
 3. While there was mercy for sins of weakness or ignorance, there
 was none for open and deliberate sin under the Old Covenant!
 
 B. WHAT IS REQUIRED UNDER THE NEW COVENANT...
 1. One is worthy of "much worse punishment"! - He 10:29
 a. What could be worse than physical death?
 b. Only "fiery indignation"! (i.e., hell)
 2. Why? Because a Christian who "sins willfully" has...
 a. "trampled the Son of God underfoot"
 1) The word "trampled" comes from katapateo
 {kat-ap-at-eh'-o}
 2) It "denotes contempt of the most flagrant kind" (MOFFAT)
 -- Such a person treats Jesus who died for him like dirt!
 b. "counted the blood of the covenant by which he was 
 sanctified a common thing"
 1) The "blood of the covenant" clearly refers to Jesus'
 blood - He 9:14-22; 13:20
 2) It is by this blood one is "sanctified" (i.e., made a 
 Christian)
 -- Such a person consider Jesus' blood a "common thing"!
 c. "insulted the Spirit of grace"
 1) Perhaps a reference to the Holy Spirit
 a) Through Whom the message of salvation was given - Jn
 16:13-14
 b) Through Whom our sanctification takes place - 1 Co 
 6:11; Ti 3:5-7
 2) Or perhaps referring to the spirit (disposition) of 
 God's unmerited favor
 -- Whichever, a person who openly and deliberately sins 
 "insults" God's grace!
 3. This passage clearly teaches two things:
 a. That a Christian can so sin as to reach this point of open
 rebellion against Jesus!
 b. That the punishment reserved for such is "worse than 
 death"!
 
 C. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH GOD'S NATURE...
 1. Isn't God a God of love? Of course! - cf. 1 Jn 4:8
 2. But He is also a God of justice, One who judges His people 
 - He 10:30
 a. To who much is given, much is required - Lk 12:47-48
 b. Those who despise His love, set themselves up to be 
 recipients of His wrath - Ro 2:4-6
 3. Therefore it truly is "a fearful thing to fall into the hands
 of the living God" - He 10:31; cf. He 12:28,29
 
[What can we do to ensure that we do not become guilty of "willful 
sin"? In the remaining verses of chapter ten, I believe we find the 
answer...]
 
IV. THE SOLUTION TO AVOIDING "WILLFUL SIN" (32-39)
 
 A. REMEMBER YOUR EARLY CONFIDENCE...
 1. The writer reminds his readers of their "former days"...
 a. Those days after they were "illuminated" (enlightened)
 - He 10:32
 1) I.e., shortly after their conversion
 2) In the days of Justin (ca. 167 A.D.), this term was a 
 synonym for baptism
 b. Those days in which they were "made a spectacle" - He 10:
 32-34
 1) By their own sufferings
 2) And by sharing in the sufferings of others, including 
 those of the author
 a) In whom they had compassion in his chains
 b) In which they "joyfully accepted the plundering of 
 your goods"
 -- Knowing that they had "a better and enduring possession"
  in heaven!
 2. It is such confidence they must be careful not to "cast away"
 - He 10:35
 a. To "cast away" is the opposite of "hold fast"
 b. Only in "holding fast" our confidence is there "great
 reward" - cf. He 3:6,14
 -- Likewise, we need to rekindle the fire of that newfound faith
 we had when we first responded to the gospel! - cf. Re 2:4-5
 
 B. ENDURE TO THE END...
 1. Endurance is needed to receive the promise - He 10:36
 a. For the Lord is coming - He 10:37
 b. And the just lives by faith - He 10:38
 -- If we draw back (become unfaithful), the Lord will not be 
 pleased! ("My soul has no pleasure in him.")
 2. The author speaks of his own confidence - He 10:39
 a. He is not of those "who draw back to perdition" (who cast
 away their faith)
 b. But of those "who believe to saving of the soul" (who 
 remain faithful to the end)
 -- We too need to "believe to the saving of the soul", or to put 
 it in the words of Jesus, "be faithful unto death" - Re 2:10
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. We can look forward with great anticipation to the "saving of the 
 soul", if we...
 a. Remember (and rekindle) that confidence early in our conversion
 b. Endure to the end with the faith that saves
 
2. But with "A Warning Against Willful Sin", we must never forget that
 one can...
 a. Fall from grace!
 b. Fall into the hands of the living God!
 -- Which is a terrifying thing!
 
3. How much better, though, to be "upheld" by the hand of God, as the 
 Psalmist wrote:
 
 "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights
 in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; 
 For the LORD upholds him with His hand." - Psa 37:23,24
 
Such is the case of those who remain strong in their faith and trust in
the Lord. Are we believing to the saving of the soul...?

－－《Executable Outlines》

Follow God’s will

Set aside the first

Establish the second

I. Sacrifice once for all

1. Made holy

2. Take away sins forever

3. Made perfect forever

II. Draw near to God

1. By a new and living way

2. Enter the most holy place

3. Live in the house of God

III. The righteous lives by faith

1. The fourth warning

2. Accept joyfully

3. Richly rewarded

－－ Chih-Hsin Chang《An Outline of The New Testament》