Heb. 10 Heb. 10:1–4 The sacrifices of the law, being often repeated, could not take away sins. Heb. 10:5–9 The abolition of them, and substitution of Christ’s body in their stead, foretold by the psalmist, Heb. 10:10–18 by the offering of which body once for all we obtain perfect remission. Heb.

For: this for is connecting this to the foregoing discourse, and is a further improvement of the argument laid down, Heb. 9:0, proving the necessity and excellency of the one sacrifice offered by Christ for sinners unto God, from the weakness of all the legal ones.

For then would they not have ceased to be offered? for proves the weakness of that shadowy service under the law, because it never ceased, which it would if it had perfected its users; and having reached its end, and done that work, have ceased; for these sacrifices would not of right have been…

If the legal sacrifices could have perfected their offerers, there would have been no remembrance of sins; but there is a remembrance of sins yearly, therefore they are weak and cannot perfect.

For gives a reason of the precedent proof, that the legal sacrifices did keep sins in remembrance; for they were of such matter as could not have any causal power to take them away.

Wherefore, Dio, introduceth the proof of the invalidity of legal sacrifices, and the efficacy of the one sacrifice of Christ, from Divine testimony about both of them.

Two other sorts of sacrifices are added to the former, as whole burnt-offerings, which were all devoured by fire on God’s altar, and no part of them came to the priests, Lev. 1:3, Lev. 1:9–10, Lev. 1:13–14, Lev.

Then said I, Lo, I come: when the Father declared the sacrifices of beasts and birds would not please him, nor be accepted for expiating sins, then I said, I appeared in person, and declared, Lo, I come with a fit and proper sacrifice; I approach myself with my human nature, fully resolved to offer…

In this verse the apostle repeats the whole testimony, produced out of the Psalm, only with a specification in a parenthesis, which are offered by the law, viz.

In this verse the apostle collects the psalmist’s assertion of God the Father’s accepting his sacrifice, the offering whereof was so exactly agreeable to his will, when he was displeased with the legal ones; and this revealed to David when he was punctually using them according to the law.

By the which will; that spoken of Ps. 40:8, that will and command of God given to Christ, God-man, that he should once offer up his body a sacrifice for sin, which he willingly and heartily obeyed, Phil. 2:8.

Having proved, that not the yearly repeated legal sacrifices could perfect a sinner, but only the sacrifice of Christ, the Spirit proceeds to prove, that the daily legal sacrifices can do as little for this work as the annual; and therefore these Hebrews ought to desert all these, and depend only…

But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins: opposed to the legal priests is this Priest, God-man, an almighty Minister, having once offered, and no more, one sacrifice of his body for the sins of others, (he had none of his own, as every other priest had), that they might be pardoned…

That which remaineth he expecteth, even the fulfilling of his Father’s promise to him, Ps. 110:1, patiently waiting, earnestly looking, for what is most certain, and wherein he cannot be disappointed; for in respect of himself.

For by one offering: for here gives the reason of the precedent effect, and it is opposed to the reason of the legal offerings’ defect; their sacrifices multiplied could not perfect sinners, but this one doth it fully.

The assumption cleared before, the apostle now proceedeth to prove out of the Old Testament, viz. that God’s purpose was, by Christ’s one sacrifice to take away all sins for ever; therefore there was no need of the repetition of the legal sacrifices.

God promiseth his true Israel his entering with them into a new testamental covenant; after the days that the covenant administration at Sinai was expired, then the Lord saith, Jer.

God covenanteth to give not only sanctification, but justification to his believing Israel, so as their sins shall be remitted, and God will solemnly absolve them from the punishment they merit; see Heb. 8:12; promised, Jer. 31:34.

The Spirit having cleared his assumption before, now concludes; Whereas perfect forgiveness of sins is from God’s grace, by the one sacrifice of his Son once offered, acquired and effected for penitent believers for ever, as the promise voucheth, Jer.

At this verse the Spirit applieth and maketh use of the doctrine of the great gospel High Priest, and his one all-sufficient sacrifice, and continueth it through part of Heb. 13.

By a new and living way; which way is figuratively setting out the means of entering into the holiest in heaven by the blood of Christ. By way is understood that by which approach to God in heaven is made, and wherein we must have our access to him, even Christ himself, John 14:6; προσφατον, a way…

Christians have not only a liberty of coming, but a way wherein, and a help whereby, to reach home to God; which help is a surpassing Priest to all others, the great and eminent one for real worth and dignity, Christ himself, God-man, exalted to the right hand of the Majesty on high, after he had…

Let us draw near; this contains the duty grounded on, and enconraged to, by the former privileges, viz. the spiritual motion of his church, using Christ for their coming home to God, in prayer, and all parts of worship and conversation: see Heb. 4:16, Heb. 7:25.

Let us hold fast; this duty is inferred from the doctrine of the gospel High Priest, and the perfect work he wrought in taking away sin, and bringing in everlasting righteousness: let us herefore persevere in the faith and hope of him, really, actually, stedfastly, retaining it with all our might…

Having urged from the gospel doctrine of our High Priest our duty to God, the Spirit proceeds to show what influence it should have on Christians for performing their duty one to another, in their inspection and observation of the whole body of Christ, consisting of Jew and Gentile, who have…

Helps to the performance of both the former duties, to God and fellow Christians, with their respective motives, are laid down in the following part of the chapter. The first is couched in this verse; neither slighting in thought, nor vilifying in word, nor separating, nor leaving by dissociation.

If we sin wilfully: the severe exaction which God will take upon such as apostatize from him, is further enforcing the former duty, and is introduced by the particle for, to that end; if we by a free and spontaneous desertion of Christ, and his ordinances, without a coercion by threats and…

But a certain fearful looking for of judgment: But, is introducing the terrible evil asserted to be expected when sacrifice cannot hetp such sinners, especial and certain, terrible and dreadful (such as fills the soul with fears and horrors) expectation of judgment by their awakened consciences,…

The punishment threatened on such sinners is illustrated by an instance proper to the Hebrews; For if the lesser sin against Moses’s law was punished by death, the greater sin against the gospel of Christ shall be more punished.

Of how much sorer punishment: the expostulation aggravates both the sin and the punishment in the consequent on the former assertion; a punishment heavier, bitterer, sorer, more grievous, and unexpressibly greater, than death.

For we know him that hath said: For brings in the proof of the soreness of God’s punishment to be inflicted on apostates, from God’s own testimony about it; which we, who are conversant with the Scriptures, are well acquainted with; we know what God hath spoken, and by whom he hath spoken it, John…

The punishment of these apostates is further aggravated from the inflicter of it, the knowledge of which should make them tremble; the thoughts of it might affect them, as the hand-writing on the wall did Belshazzar, Dan. 5:6.

But call to remembrance the former days: But is not so much adversative as copulative, adding another direction for their persevering in Christianity, even the revolving in their minds, and bringing again to thought, what was past, carrying in it both the act and the end of it.

Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; their sufferings personal in this famous instance, θεατριζομενοι. They were so publicly exposed as on a stage or theatre, so as multitudes might sport themselves with them, 1 Cor.

For ye had compassion of me in my bonds; for ye sympathized in my bonds, &c., is a proof of both kinds of their sufferings forementioned. As to their suffering with others, he instanceth in himself, as a witness of it; for when he was in bonds for preaching the gospel, both at Jerusalem, Acts…

Cast not away therefore your confidence: this introduceth the last direction for helping on their perseverance in Christianity. Μη αποβαλλητε denieth all degrees of apostacy, from secret undervaluing to an utter renouncing, not to slight, despise, or reject; they had endured already so much as…

For ye have need of patience: for shows this to be an enforcement of the former direction: Cast not away your confidence, for you have need of grace, which that must maintain in order to carry back your reward.

The reason of their retaining their confidence to the end, is the shortness of his coming, who will reward them for it, proved out of God’s promise written to and for the church, by Habakkuk, Hab. 2:3.

These are, as the former, the words of the Prophet Habakkuk, Hab. 2:4, enforcing the former duty pressed from the gain of perseverance, and the loss by withdrawing, when Christ shall come.

The conclusion is a hopeful assertion of their condition, or a sweet intimation of what they ought to be, even like himself; and so the apostle removes all jealousy of his reflecting on them, as Heb. 6:9.