Read the passage here.

As we’ve been working through the letter to the Hebrews, we’ve seen that the author is establishing the superiority and sufficiency of Jesus, and doing so by means of various comparisons.  For the past several weeks, we’ve been looking at Jesus as the true High Priest in comparison to the High Priest (and indeed, all priests) that the people are likely familiar with.  As part of this, the author has been walking us through how such priests are supposed to function (which ultimately falls short of God’s intended purpose) and how Jesus truly fulfills these priestly functions. 

And the author is not quite done yet.  In our passage today, he continues to consider the difference (that he brought up previously) between the Old and the New – that is, between the Old Covenant (or the temple system as we’ve discussed) and the New Covenant (or the work that is completed in Christ). 

By this point, in considering our passage, we should be already familiar with what the author is talking about, so I don’t want to rehash too much ideas that we’ve already discussed.  However, I do want to raise a couple of items and then spend a little bit of time thinking about a particular issue that the author raises. 

Firstly, looking at vv. 1-10, we can see that the author is essentially reiterating the idea that the Old is merely a shadow of the New.  Or to put it another way, the Old Covenant merely pointed to God’s ultimate promise, the ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, under the New Covenant.  So we read: 

^10:1 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. ² 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. ³ But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. ⁴ It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Again, the assertion here, that the Old is only a shadow of the New, is one we’ve looked at already.  Also, the idea that the Old Covenant sacrifices are not, and were never intended to be sufficient, is something that we discussed in last week’s passage as well, so we won’t revisit that. 

However, in the subsequent verses, the author introduces a different take on, or adds a new dimension to this.

⁵ Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
    but a body you prepared for me;
⁶ with burnt offerings and sin offerings
    you were not pleased.
⁷ Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—
    I have come to do your will, my God.’”

 ⁸ 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. ⁹ Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. ¹⁰ And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Now the scripture reference the author is quoting is from Psalm 40.  Here, the author is likely using the Septuagint version, which is why it’s slightly different than what you will find in your English bibles. And without doing a deep dive into it, this Psalm – a Psalm of David – has David contemplating his trials and troubles (we’re not sure of the exact situation), reflecting on how no matter what God is faithful.  And (our verses in Hebrews) how the appropriate response to God’s faithfulness is not “sacrifices and offerings,” but is to live according to the law, or the will, of God.  Borrowing from F.F. Bruce, God desires a sacrifice of our own wills – He desires our obedience.  In other words, God’s faithfulness requires not acts of supposed piety or acts of religiosity, but changed hearts. 

So what our author of Hebrews seems to be doing is emphasizing that sacrifices and offerings are not the point.  The point is changed hearts and minds.  The point is renewed and redeemed lives.  If it were just a matter of offerings and sacrifices, Jesus, the better and true sacrifice, would have never been necessary.  Jesus said, “⁹ …’Here I am, I have come to do your will.’ [Jesus] sets aside the first to establish the second. [by this, it likely means the first as the “old,” and the second, as the “new”].  ¹⁰ And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Moving on, in vv. 11-14, the author again notes that the new covenant supersedes the old.  Whereas according to the old covenant, sacrifices must be repeated again and again, according to the new covenant, Jesus’ sacrifice is sufficient once for all. 

^10:11 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. ¹² But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, ¹³ and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. ¹⁴ For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

I think this is pretty straightforward, so we’ll leave it at that.  But just as a quick aside, verse 14 is really interesting and I want to come back to that later. 

The last section of our passage essentially reiterates or wraps up what the author has been saying: 

^10:15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:

¹⁶ “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.”

¹⁷ Then he adds:

“Their sins and lawless acts
    I will remember no more.”

¹⁸ And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.

Now these Old Testament quotations are taken from Jeremiah chapter 31.  The immediate context reads: 

^{Jer. 31:31} “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
    “when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel
    and with the people of Judah.
³² It will not be like the covenant
    I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
    to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
    though I was a husband tothem,”
declares the Lord.
³³ “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
    after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds
    and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.
³⁴ No longer will they teach their neighbor,
    or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
    from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive their wickedness
    and will remember their sins no more.”

Again, we can’t discuss this in detail, but we’ve seen this passage used by the author of Hebrews before.  And again, the thrust of the Jeremiah passage, speaking to a people in exile, who are wrestling with the possibility that the covenant has failed (or, if they are honest, that they have failed God’s covenant), is that God is still working, that His purposes will yet be revealed.  God’s purposes will be revealed in a new covenant that is about changed hearts and minds, and will lead to the full and final redemption of sin. 

Now all of this boils down to what the author has been saying repeatedly throughout the book of Hebrews – that Jesus is superior and sufficient.  Here, specifically, he is saying that the work that Jesus has done, His work on the cross, a sacrifice on our behalf, is the true fulfillment of God’s purposes. 

Now, I mentioned that I wanted to revisit something that the author has written.  In verse 14, he says: 

^10:14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. (NIV)

The NASB and NRSV translations say: 

^10:14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.  (~NASB, NRSV, etc.)

The ESV and NKJV translations say: 

^10:14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.  (~ESV, NKJV, etc.)

I don’t want to get into a discussion of the Greek and the grammar here – mostly because I’m not competent to do so.  However, what I want to consider is the relationship between what has already been accomplished and what has yet to be done – here, the juxtaposition of “made perfect” (past and completed) and “being made holy” (present and on-going). 

Firstly, a quick consideration of the terms themselves.  Perfect, or “made perfect” is the word teteleiwken which is itself a variation of the word teloV.  teloV, you might recognize, is sometimes translated “end,” and has the sense of final purpose or goal. 

And “being made holy” or “[being] sanctified,” is a variation of the word agiazomenouV, which is a variation of the word agioV.  agioV is frequently translated as holy, or the something along those lines. 

Now both words are, I hope obviously, related in the context of the argument of Hebrews.  Indeed, Paul Ellingsworth, author of the New International Greek Testament Commentary on Hebrews seems to suggest that the two words are used interchangeably (in terms of their semantic force) in Hebrews. 

And by the same token, it may be that we are giving too much weight to the difference in verb tenses here.  That is, it’s possible that I’m over-stating the distinction between the past perfect and present participle. 

But with those provisos noted, it is worth considering that the author says that we (and the audience of Hebrews) are “made perfect” (that is, it has already been done), and that we are at the same time, “being made holy” (that is, it is an on-going process, not yet having reached completion).  Put in question form, if we are already made perfect, why would we need to then be made holy, or continue to be made holy? 

But indeed, this is consistent with what is going on throughout the book of Hebrews.  For we know that the author is insistent that the work that Christ has done is sufficient, once for all.  This is his major concern, his theological purpose, throughout the letter.  But at the same time, we can see that he is also concerned with exhorting the readers to continuing faithfulness.  And this, as we have said, seems to be his desire throughout the book – his pastoral purpose. 

And the relationship between what has been done and what we must still do is something that Christians have wrestled with throughout the years – or the relationship between what God has done and what we must do, or how we must respond.  The intricacies of the various theological debates are not worth discussing here.  But what we see throughout scripture is that salvation is wholly and completely a work of God.  It is entirely by grace, and nothing we can earn or achieve. 

But at the same time, we (as the saved people of God) are called to holiness, to faithfulness, to live up to and into the salvation that we have received. 

Now even the way that I say that likely gives you some insight into my theological inclinations – indeed, I’ve talked about it many times before.  And make no mistake, the main concern in this passage is that Christ’s work is complete.  It completely fulfills the plan and purpose of God.  The author is concerned, here, with asserting the sole sufficiency of Jesus Christ. 

But this truth is not spoken to us without being accompanied with an exhortation.  Throughout the book/letter of Hebrews, the author is not concerned only with theological instruction.  Throughout the book, theology is always accompanied by exhortation.  What has been done is always accompanied by what we must do.  We read: 

• ^2:1 We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. ² For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, ³ how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?
• ^4:1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.
• ^4:11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.
• ^6:1 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity…

And also,

• ^12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

We have every confidence in the work that Christ has done.  Christ is all and Christ is enough.  But because of the work that has been accomplished in Him, because of the salvation which we have received, because of the life to which He calls us, …let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.