Hebrews Chapter 10: Jesus, the Greater Sacrifice

Christ’s Sacrifice Takes Away Sin (1-10)
-The need for a better sacrifice (1-4)

For the Law…

-Since it only has a shadow…

-By the same sacrifices year by year

-Which they offer continually

…can never make perfect those who draw near.

But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. Note Galatians 3:21-25.

The blood of bulls and goats covered sins, but it could never take away sins.

-The provision of the better sacrifice (5-9)

Therefore… A body Thou hast prepared for Me – In Psalm 40:6 this phrase is literally “My ears you have opened.” Opened ears indicates a body ready for service.

I have come to do Thy will, O God – Jesus was always doing the Father’s will (John 8:28, Luke 22:42).

He takes away the first in order to establish the second. By doing the Father’s will Jesus takes away the old covenant and establishes the new covenant. The first, the Law and all the sacrificial system, had to be done away with in order that Jesus could inaugurate the new covenant.

By this will – God the Father’s will.

Sanctified = set apart

*Through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for al*l – New Testament saints are set apart finally and completely!

** Christ’s Sacrifice Does Not Need Repeating (11-18)**

(see pdf notes)

Now He is Waiting…

For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

“We have perfect standing before God because of the finished work of Christ.” Warren Wiersbe

The Holy Spirit bears witness through the Word of God. The quotation from Jeremiah 31:33-34 to emphasize, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin. We can confidently say that our sins are remembered no more!

** Christ’s Sacrifice Opens the Way to God (19-39)**
-A Gracious Exhortation (19-25)

Since therefore…

-Let us draw near – Come to God with a clean heart and clear conscience (1 John 1:5-2:2)

-Let us hold fast – Hope based on the faithfulness of God

-Let us consider one another – The emphasis is how we contribute to one another

-A Solemn Warning (26-31)

“The believer who begins to drift from the word (Heb. 2:1-4) will soon start to doubt the Word (Heb. 3:7-4:13). Soon, he will become dull toward the Word (Heb. 5:11-6:20) and become “lazy” in his spiritual life. This will result in despising the Word, which is the theme of this exhortation.” Warren Wiersbe

For if we go on sinning willfully – We denotes Christians. The issue is willful sin or presumptuous sin.

No sacrifice for sins – Under the Law, there was no sacrifice for deliberate and willful sins (Numbers 15:27-31). This is spoken to believers. The judgment seat of Christ is a trial by fire (1 Cor. 3:13-15). In the background is the rebellion at Kadesh-Barnea (Numbers 13-14).

The punishment for presumptuous sin under the Law was death (Deut. 17:12). This is illustrated in Numbers 15:32-36.

How much severer punishment for the one:

-Who has trampled underfoot the Son of God

-Regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant

-Has insulted the Spirit of grace

The Lord will judge His people. It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

** -An Encouraging Confirmation (32-39)**

Verses 37-38 (From Isaiah 26:21 and Habakkuk 2:3-4)
Two key themes are emphasized:

-The certainty of the Lord’s return to reward His faithful servants.

-The necessity to live the Christian life by faith! Verse 39

Destruction – Not eternal destruction. The idea is a life that is wasted.

Preserving of the soul – Soul is psyche and is often translated “life.”

“A believer who does not walk by faith goes back into the old ways and wastes his life.” Warren Wiersbe