Chapter 10:1-18

The Epistle To The Hebrews: A Study Guide

By Pastor James P. Vold

Hebrews 10:1-18

10 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices, which they offered continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. 2For then would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, once purged, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance of sins every year. 4For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. 5Therefore, when He came into the world, He said, “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. 6In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have had no pleasure. 7Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—in the volume of the book it is written of Me—to do Your will, O God.’ ” 8Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), 9then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. 15And the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before: 16“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” 17then He adds, “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 18Now where there is no remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. (Heb. 10:1-18 NKJ)

In previous studies we have noted Christ’s superiority to Aaron. In Part 9 we considered:

G. Christ’s Priesthood Is Superior In Operation And In Provision under the following headings:

1) Summary of the Old Testament Priesthood

2) Summary of Christ’s Operation As A Priest

3) The Propriety Of Christ’s Operation.

4) The Provisions Christ’s Operations Secured (10:1-8)

In this great summary the writer notes:

A. The Ineffectiveness Of The Old System

He calls to our notice that the Levitical system was an object lesson to illustrate the good things to come. It could never give its followers a complete standing before God (vs 1). This is demonstrated (shown) in two ways:

1) Effective sacrifices would not be repeated
(vs 2a).

2) Effective sacrifices would free the conscience (vs 2b).
If the extreme penalty of sin is truly paid, the inner voice (the conscience) does not condemn us. It is so important that we understand that while sin’s earthly penalties—troubles, unhappiness, sickness and death—may have to be paid, the extreme penalty—eternal separation from God—has been paid and therefore we will never experience it. The ineffectiveness of the Levitical system is shown in two other ways:

1) The yearly sacrifices on the Day of Atonement recalls sins of the past (vs 3).

2) The required sacrifices (bulls and goats), the two sacrifices on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16) cannot take away sins (vs 4).

B. The Establishment Of The New System (vs 5-9)

Because the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin, Christ came into the world saying:

1) Sacrifice and offering (the very basis of the Levitical system) the Lord did not want.

2) A body was prepared for the Son of God.

3) In that body He came to do the will of God as recorded in Scripture. (Quoted and paraphrased from Psa. 40:6-8)

4) That God is not satisfied with the sacrificial system and that the coming of Christ to do God’s will took away the first (the Levitical system) that He may establish the second (the New Covenant).

C. The Provisions Of The New System (10-18)

Three direct achievements are noted:

1) In God’s will the completed sacrifice of Christ sanctified us (vs 10-13). To sanctify is to set apart for God. When Christ made the single effective sacrifice—that effectiveness shown by His being seated at God’s right hand—our ownership and destiny were transferred to God for His special purposes.

2) By His single completed sacrifice, the Lord Jesus obtained for us an eternal proper standing with God (vs 14). The actual result of Calvary created an unchanging perfection before God. This is one of the most remarkable statements about the value of the cross and the basis for an unshakeable assurance.

3) The Spirit witnesses that the single sacrifice, which sanctifies and perfects, establishes that New Covenant with its great provisions (vs 15-18).

These provisions are summarized thus:

The Law is written into hearts and minds, not on stone tablets.
Sins and iniquities are placed outside of God’s judgment and remembrance.
The Old Testament sacrificial system is done away with.

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