In this chapter the apostle pursues his argument, showing the weakness and imperfection of the Levitical priesthood, and the superior excellency of Christ’s, which he closes with suitable exhortations to faith on Christ, as the alone high priest, and to a constant profession of him.

For the law having a shadow of good things to come By which is meant not the moral law, for that is not a shadow of future blessings, but a system of precepts; the things it commands are not figuratively, but really good and honest; and are not obscure, but plain and easy to be understood; nor are…

For then would they not have ceased to be offered The Complutensian edition, and the Syriac and Vulgate Latin versions, leave out the word “not”; and the sense requires it should be omitted, for the meaning is, that if perfection had been by the legal sacrifices, they would have ceased to have been…

But in those sacrifices The Arabic version reads, “but in it”; that is, in the law; but the Syriac version reads, and supplies, as we do, (בדבחא בהון) , “in those sacrifices”, which were offered every year on the day of atonement: there is a remembrance of sins made again every year; of all the…

For it is not possible There is a necessity of sin being taken away, otherwise it will be remembered; and there will be a conscience of it, and it must be answered for, or it will remain marked, and the curse and penalty of the law must take place: but it is impossible that the blood of bulls and…

Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith In (Ps. 40:7, Ps. 40:8) . This was said by David, not of himself, and his own times, for sacrifice and offering were desired and required in his times; nor was he able to do the will of God; so as to fulfil the law, and make void legal sacrifices;…

In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Which were the principal kinds of offerings under the law: thou hast had no pleasure; not only in comparison of moral duties, or spiritual sacrifices, such as those of praise and thanksgiving, (Ps. 69:30, Ps.

Then said I, lo, I come Christ observing that legal sacrifices were not acceptable to God; that there was a body prepared for him; and that it was written of him in the book of God, that he should come; and the time being now come, with a note of attention and admiration, the matter being of great…

Above when he said, &c.] In the afore cited place, (Ps. 40:7, Ps. 40:8) Sacrifice and offering, and burnt offerings, and offering for sin thou wouldst not, neither hadst pleasure therein; this is a recapitulation of what is before said; and all kind of sacrifices are mentioned, to show that they…

Then said he, lo, I come to do thy will, O God (See Gill on Heb. 10:7) he taketh away the first, that he may establish the second; the sense is, either that God has taken away, and abolished the law, that he might establish the Gospel; or he has caused the first covenant to vanish away, that place…

By the which will we are sanctified That is, by the sacrifice of Christ, which was willingly offered up by himself, and was according to the will of God; it was his will of purpose that Christ should be crucified and slain; and it was his will of command, that he should lay down his life for his…

And every priest standeth daily ministering The Alexandrian copy, one of Stephens’s, the Complutensian edition, the Syriac and Ethiopic versions, read, “every high priest”; who might minister daily, if he would; but since the daily sacrifice was generally offered by the common priests, these are…

But this man Jesus Christ, for he is a man, though not a mere man; or this great high priest, who came to do the will of God, and whose body was offered once for all: after he had offered one sacrifice for sins; the sacrifice of himself, body and soul, and this but once: for ever sat down on the…

From henceforth expecting According to God’s promise and declaration to him, . Till his enemies be made his footstool, (See Gill on Heb. 1:13).

For by one offering The same as before; himself, body and soul; this is a reason why he is set down, and will continue so for ever, and why he expects his enemies to be made his footstool; because by one sacrifice for sin, which he has once offered, he hath perfected for ever them that are…

Wherefore the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us In (Jer. 31:33, Jer. 31:34) . This preface to the following citation shows that the books of the Old Testament are of divine original and authority; that the penmen of them were inspired by the Holy Ghost; that he existed in the times of the Old…

This is the covenant that I will make with them (See Gill on Heb. 8:10).

And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. ] (See Gill on Heb. 8:10). The words are cited to a different purpose here than there; the principal thing for which they are cited here, is to observe God’s promise of non-remembrance of sin; which is no other than remission of sin, and which…

Now where remission of these is That is, of these sins; and that there is remission of them, is evident from this promise of the covenant, just now produced; from God’s gracious proclamation of it; from the shedding of Christ’s blood for it; from his exaltation at the Father’s right hand to give…

Having therefore, brethren As they were to the apostle, in a natural and civil sense, being Hebrews, as well as in a spiritual relation, being believers in Christ; which is observed, to testify his affection to them, and to engage their regard to the duties hereafter urged, particularly brotherly…

By a new and living way Which is Christ, the God-man and Mediator; who is called the “new” way, not as to contrivance, revelation, or use; for it was contrived before the world was, and was revealed to our first parents, immediately after the fall, and was made use of by all the Old Testament…

And having an high priest over the house of God. ] The church of God, over which Christ is as prophet, priest, and King, and as the Son and owner of it; (See Gill on Heb. 3:6); (See Gill on Heb. 4:14).

Let us draw near with a true heart Either to the holiest of all, into which the saints have boldness to enter; or to Christ the high priest, who is entered there; or to the house of God, over which he is an high priest; or rather to God himself, as on a throne of grace, on the mercy seat in heaven,…

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering Either in the grace or doctrine of faith, or in the profession of both; (See Gill on Heb. 4:14).

And let us consider one another Saints should consider one another as men, that they are but men, of like passions and infirmities; they should consider their different tempers, and make allowance for them, and their outward state and condition in the world: they should consider one another as…

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together Or the episynagogue of one another; which word is used to distinguish Christian assemblies from Jewish synagogues, and to denote the coalition of Jews and Gentiles in one church state, and to express the saints’ gathering together to Christ; see…

For if we sin wilfully ] Which is not to be understood of a single act of sin, but rather of a course of sinning; nor of sins of infirmity through temptation, or even of grosser acts of sin, but of voluntary ones; and not of all voluntary ones, or in which the will is engaged and concerned, but of…

But a certain fearful looking for of judgment Either of some outward visible judgment in this life, which sometimes falls on such persons; or of the particular judgment which immediately follows after death; or of the universal judgment, after the resurrection, and the dreadful sentence of…

He that despised Moses’ law By breaking it wilfully, and presumptuously, for which there was no sacrifice; meaning the law which Moses was the minister of not the author; and it respects the whole body of laws given by him, from God; and is instanced in for the sake of the comparison between him…

Of how much sorer punishment Than a mere corporeal death, which was the punishment inflicted on the transgressors of the law of Moses. Suppose ye; the apostle appeals to the Hebrews themselves, and makes them judges of what punishment shall he be thought worthy; who is described as follows: who…

For we know him that hath said That is, God, whom the apostle and the Hebrews knew; not merely by the works of creation and providence, but by the Scriptures, which they were favoured with, and by which they were distinguished from the Gentiles, and by which they knew his being, nature, and…

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. ] For this is to be understood not in a good sense; so in general all mankind may be said to fall into, or be in the hands of God, as they are the work of his hands, the care of his providence, and are subject to his sovereignty; and…

But call to remembrance the former days The words may be considered either as a declaration of what they had done, and be read, “but ye do call to remembrance” or as an exhortation to remember the days of their espousals, the times of their first conversion: and the apostle’s design in this is, to…

Partly whilst ye were made a gazing stock Brought upon the stage or theatre, and made a spectacle to the world, angels, and men, both by reproaches and afflictions; suffering both in their characters and reputations, and in their persons and substance: and partly whilst ye became companions of them…

For ye had compassion of me in my bonds When he was bound at Jerusalem, by the chief captain Lysias, with two chains, or when he was in bonds elsewhere; which they did by sympathizing with him in their hearts; by their prayers for him, and in their letters to him; and by sending presents to him for…

Cast not away therefore your confidence The same word is used here, as in where it is translated “boldness”; and may design here, as there, an holy boldness in prayer, free from a servile and bashful spirit; and which appears in a liberty of speaking to God, and in a confidence of being heard;…

For ye have need of patience Not that they were destitute of the grace of patience; for where God is the God of all grace, he is the God of patience; and such, who are called by grace, are conformed to the image of Christ, and, among other things, are like him in this; and those who are born of the…

For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, &c.] That the person spoken of is the Lord Jesus Christ, is evident from the prophecy in here referred to, and from the character of him that is to come, and from parallel places, and this is to be understood, not of his coming in the flesh,…

Now the just shall live by faith The “just” man is one not in appearance only, but in reality; not by his obedience to the law, but by the obedience of Christ; and he is evidently so by the Spirit, and by faith: and he is one, who lives soberly and righteously; and the life he lives, and shall…

But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition There is a drawing back which is not unto perdition; persons may be attended with much unbelief, may be very cold and indifferent to Gospel ordinances, may fall into great sins, and may greatly backslide, and yet be recovered, as David, Peter, and…