Frameworks:
Hebrews 9 & 10
(The
objective of these ‘Frameworks' is to provide an easy-to-read
layout of the text in order then to use these individual verses
for verse-by-verse study or meditation. To focus each
verse we have also added in italic a simple comment of what is
happening)
GO
TO Ch.10
FRAMEWORKS:
Hebrews 9: Earthly Worship & the use of Blood
v.1-10
Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle
v.11-28
The Role & Use of Blood
v.1-10
Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle
v.1-5
The Tabernacle
v.1
(Tabernacle
worship was at the heart of the first Sinai covenant – see Ex
25-27) Now
the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly
sanctuary.
v.2
(the main room
was called the Holy Place) A
tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and
the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy
Place.
v.3,4
(behind a curtain
was an inner sanctum called the Most Holy Place) Behind
the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which
had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the
covenant. (in there was
kept the ark, a gold covered chest signifying the dwelling place
of God) This
ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded,
and the stone tablets of the covenant.
v.5
(over it was
angelic figures) Above
the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement
cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.
v.6-7
The priestly Ministry
v.6
(the priests
served regularly in the main room) When
everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly
into the outer room to carry on their ministry.
v.7
(but only the
high priest went into the inner sanctum and that just once a year,
always taking in blood [signifying the value of life before God])
But
only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once
a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself
and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.
v.8-10
The Lessons
v.8
(this inner
sanctum [the presence of God] was not available to all) The
Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy
Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle
was still functioning.
v.9
(offerings we
to a distant God) This
is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts
and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience
of the worshiper.
v.10
(all to do with
outward behaviour) They
are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external
regulations applying until the time of the new order.
v.11-28
The Role & Use of Blood
v.11-15
Christ's use of his own blood
v.11
(but Christ
has entered the reality, heaven) But
when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now
already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle
that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part
of this creation.
v.12
(as a human
he did it bringing his own blood, shed on the Cross) He
did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he
entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus
obtaining eternal redemption.
v.13
(blood in the
old system indicated a life given [an animal] to pay for the sins
of the offerors) The
blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on
those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they
are outwardly clean.
v.14
(how much more
the blood of the Son of God) How
much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal
Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences
from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living
God!
v.15
(thus Christ's
death, his body offered as a ransom for sinners, ushered in the
new covenant that brought cleansing and forgiveness and much more)
For
this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those
who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now
that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed
under the first covenant.
v.16-23
The Use of Blood in Old Testament times
v.16,17
(consider how
a will works: it doesn't come into force until the person has
died) In
the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the
one who made it, because
a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes
effect while the one who made it is living.
v.18
(death – a sacrifice
– signified the operation of the first covenant) This
is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without
blood.
v.19
(this Moses
did initiating that first covenant) When
Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people,
he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool
and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people.
v.20
(in accordance
with God's command) He
said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded
you to keep.” [Exo
24:8]
v.21,22
(everything
to do with worship of God had to have been touched by blood, the
sign of reliance on another for our sinfulness) In
the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle
and everything used in its ceremonies. In
fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with
blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
v.23
(remember these
were but copies of the heavenly reality) It
was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to
be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves
with better sacrifices than these.
v.24-28
The Function of Christ's Sacrifice
v.24
(Christ didn't
enter a man-made tent but heaven) For
Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was
only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to
appear for us in God's presence.
v.25
(nor did he
do it repeatedly…) Nor
did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way
the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood
that is not his own.
v.26
(… but just
that once) Otherwise
Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation
of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination
of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.
v.27,28
(we all die
once and face judgement, as did Christ but as the Son of God the
effect was salvation for us) Just
as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
so
Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and
he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation
to those who are waiting for him.
[Explanation:
Because these issues are so alien to most people today,
they need further explanation. The ceremonial law to do with the
Tabernacle (and later the Temples), instigated by the Sinai covenant,
helped mankind face two issues: the perfection of God and the
sinfulness of mankind. Perhaps nowhere else in the Bible is it
spelled out so clearly as here.
The
Problem: Our consciences tell us when we have offended right living.
Justice is all about putting situations right after wrong doing.
Even the small child, complaining about not being given the same
as their brother or sister, appeals to ‘fairness', a demand for
the wrong to be righted. We know wrong when it confronts us, but
how to deal with it, how to be at ease before a holy God who demands
right living (to conform to the way he has designed the world),
how to live without fear?
The
Solution: Thus God ordained these laws (see Leviticus 1 onwards)
that simply required a person aware of their sin, a person with
a guilty conscience (especially alert when that Holy God was making
His presence known in their midst), to be able to perform a religious
act of sacrifice. They did it by taking an animal and killing
it by their own hands in the Tabernacle. As they would see the
life ebbing out of the creature they would realise that they were
the cause of this loss of life, the creature was dying in their
place, so they didn't have to receive further punishment. The
twofold effect of this would be a) to provide a means of conscience
being eased and b) to so impact the person that it would help
them not to sin in this way again.
Comment:
The writer
basically divides this chapter between two subjects. First (v.1-10)
to remind his readers of the practices of the Law in establishing
and using the Tabernacle as the heart of their worship and acknowledgement
of God in their midst. Second, because the High Priest took blood
into the Most Holy Place to atone for the sins of himself and
the nation, the writer parallels Jesus entering heaven, having
died on the Cross as a way of presenting his own blood, his own
life given up atoning for the sins of others. In the second part
the use of blood is covered (v.11-28), first Christ's blood being
shed (v.11-15) which paralleled how blood was used in old covenant
(v.16-23), and the effect it had (v.24-28) to bring us salvation.
We have sought to spell out the reasoning for it in the explanation
above. In the first half of the following chapter the ideas of
sacrificed are continued and are then followed by an appeal not
to take these things for granted perhaps, but to do all we can
to persevere in the faith.]
FRAMEWORKS:
Hebrews 10: Sacrifices, Encouragements & Warnings to Persevere
v.1-4
Old Testament Sacrifice
v.5-10
Christ's Sacrifice of Himself
v.11-18
Christ's Sacrifice deals with sins and brings forgiveness
v.19-25
Three Calls to action
v.26-31
Warnings against disobedience
v.32-34
Encouragement to remember their testimony
v.35-39
Encouragement to Persevere
v.1-4
Old Testament Sacrifice
v.1
(seeking to
put all this into a ‘big-picture context, we are reminded of the
imperfect law) The
law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the
realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same
sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those
who draw near to worship.
v.2
(if it had
been perfect the rituals wouldn't have had to continue) Otherwise,
would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers
would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have
felt guilty for their sins.
v.3
(entering the
Most Holy Place once a year reminds of failure) But
those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.
v.4
(blood can't
remove sins) It
is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
v.5-10
Christ's Sacrifice of Himself
v.5,6
(Christ's body
was key to our salvation, not offerings) Therefore,
when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering
you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with
burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.
v.7
(prophetically
he had declared his availability) Then
I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have
come to do your will, my God.'” [Psa
40:6-8]
v.8
(he pointed
out that meaningless offerings [from empty hearts] weren't what
God wanted) First
he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings
you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they
were offered in accordance with the law.
v.9
(he put aside
legalistic but heartless offerings to do God's will) Then
he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside
the first to establish the second.
v.10
(His will was
that Christ would atone for us) And
by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of
the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
v.11-18
Christ's Sacrifice deals with sins and brings forgiveness
v.11
(constant sacrifices
didn't stop sinners sinning) Day
after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties;
again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never
take away sins.
v.12,13
(but Christ's
offering of himself completed the work) But
when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins,
he sat down at the right hand of God, and
since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool.
v.14
(for his sacrifice
cleansed and made us perfect in God's sight) For
by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being
made holy.
v.15,16
(but prophetically
he had spoken of new heart people) The
Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: “This
is the covenant I will make with them after
that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts,
and
I will write them on their minds.” [Jer
31:33]
v.17
(and then their
sins would have been dealt with) Then
he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”
[Jer
31:34]
v.18
(… and once
forgiven they need no further sacrifice) And
where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer
necessary.
v.19-25
Three Calls to action
v.19-22
(so now we can
come in close to God by Christ's work) Therefore,
brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most
Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by
a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is,
his body, and
since we have a great priest over the house of God, [1.
let's do it in full assurance of faith] let
us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance
that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from
a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
v.23
(even more…
) [2. let's be secure in our hope] Let
us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised
is faithful.
v.24,25
(… and even..)
And
[3. let's keep encouraging one another,
apurring one another on] let
us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good
deeds, not
giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing,
but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day
approaching.
v.26-31
Warnings against disobedience
v.26,27
(but watch out,
deliberate sin after all this, means we open ourselves up to judgment)
If
we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge
of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but
only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that
will consume the enemies of God.
v.28
(disobeying
the law brought death) Anyone
who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony
of two or three witnesses.
v.29
(so how much
worse for someone who knows all this and purposely disregards
it) How
much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished
who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as
an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them,
and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
v.30
(God will deal
with such people) For
we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” [Deut
32:35] and
again, “The Lord will judge his people.”
[Deut 32:36; Psa 135:14]
v.31
(and that is
a fate to be avoided!) It
is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
v.32-34
Encouragement to remember their testimony
v.32
(but to resist
that, remember from where you've been, your testimony of overcoming
suffering) Remember
those earlier days after you had received the light, when you
endured in a great conflict full of suffering.
v.33
(…and the persecution
and opposition you've experienced) Sometimes
you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other
times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.
v.34
(you really
went through it!) You
suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the
confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves
had better and lasting possessions.
v.35-39
Encouragement to Persevere
v.35
(so hold on
and you'll be rewarded) So
do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
v.36
(when you persevere
you'll receive your promised rewards) do
not throw away your confidence so that when you have done the
will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
v.37
(Jesus is coming
soon ) For,
“In just a little while, he who is coming will come and
will not delay.” [Isa
26:20; Hab 2:3]
v.38
(don't forget
we're called to live by faith) And,
“But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure
in the one who shrinks back.” [Hab.
2:4]
v.39
(let's not be
those who draw back but those who press on) But
we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but
to those who have faith and are saved.
[Comment: The Flow of
Writing: The writer continues on this theme of Christ
being our high priest sacrificing himself by first reminding us
that the old covenant just didn't do the job, sacrifices needing
to be continually offered (v.1-4), but Christ's sacrifice was performing
God's will to bring redemption (v.5-10). The old sacrifices needed
doing again and again but Christ's sacrifice was a one-off (v.11-18)
that brought forgiveness and cleansing. With all this in mind the
writer calls us to draw near to God, be assured of our hope and
to encourage one another to keep going (v.19-25). The other side
of the coin is to ensure we are not disobedient because apostasy
will bring judgment (v.26-31). To help counter such a possibility
he exhorts them to remember their testimony what they have already
been through and not squander it (v.32-34) but instead hold on and
persevere and await Christ's coming (v.35-39). A chapter of further
explanation and subsequent encouragements and warnings. It concludes
that faith is the key ingredient to enter into and fully experience
our salvation and so the next chapter will remind us of the people
who did just that.]
(CONTINUE
to CHAPTER 11)