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2BC BIBLE STUDY NOTES

Wednesday in the Word

Second Baptist Church

September 20, 2023

Hebrews 10:1-39

  1. Verses 1-7. As we have seen in the last few weeks, the sacrifices, the temple, and the priesthood are all to be seen as a symbol of the real thing. JESUS. Christ is the reality of those things which were found in the law. He is the real sacrifice, the real high priest and the real sanctuary. This is all articulated in chapter 9. In Chapter 10 the writer refers to these things in the law and calls them a shadow of things to come. This word in the Greek means model, example, design, or pattern. The English word "type" is understood to mean an "outline (something) that represents or symbolizes another." (Websters) Elsewhere Paul writes about features of Jewish worship: "Those things are a shadow of the things to come, but the reality belongs to the Christ.” (Colossians 2:17). Because these earthly symbols (animal sacrifice, the Levitical priesthood and the temple) are just shadows, they are incapable of actually bringing anyone to salvation. These symbols or shadows are just pictures of what can bring someone to salvation. And since they are only shadows no matter how many times you perform these symbols or shadows the worshipper is never made right or saved by them. If these things in the law actually had power they would only need to be done once. The inefficacy of these rituals was an acknowledgment of the fact that something greater was needed. The writer can sense that someone would ask, well why did God prescribe those things to be done? His answer is in verse 3, the rituals are an annual reminder of sin. The sacrifices year after year reminded the people that they needed a sacrifice greater than the blood of bulls and goats. The writer sees another question coming and so he quotes from the 40th Psalm that the prophet David was inspired to write that God said that animal sacrifices did not satisfy God, but that God had already prepared a sacrifice (the body of Jesus Christ). The writer points out to his Hebrew audience that this Psalm showed that the real sacrifice would be something other than the normal animal sacrifices that they had done year after year. The sacrifice would be a person not an animal.

  2. Verses 8-10. The writer seeks to explain his use of Psalm 40 by pointing out that God desired something more that the animal sacrifices. God created the sacrifice and offered it himself. The Psalm showed that the sacrifice that God desired did not come from his people, but God gave the sacrifice that was the payment for sin. The writer goes on to show that by doing this God put aside the first to establish the second. God satisfied his first covenant with his sacrifice because the law required a sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. Since the sacrifice that was made forgave sins once and for all the first covenant was fulfilled. There would be no need for anymore priest or anymore sacrifices. Since the old covenant was fulfilled it was necessary for a new covenant to be established.

  3. Verses 11-14. The writer compares, by using symbols, the incomplete work of the old priest to the complete work of the New High Priest Jesus. The old priest had to stand symbolically because their work was never done. Jesus sits down symbolically because his work is complete. The point of these verses is the idea that the sacrifice is complete. The great High Priest doesn’t need to offer anymore sacrifices because this one cleansed us once and for all.

  4. Verses 15-18. The writer now tums his attention to another Old Testament scripture Jeremiah 31. The writer uses this scripture to show that God was going to establish a new covenant that was based on putting his law in the hearts of his people as opposed to some sort of outside religious rituals. Secondly the writer uses this passage in Jeremiah to show that God was also going to make a way for the sins of the people to be forgiven. So, after quoting this passage the writer concludes that since the sins have been forgiven there is no longer a need for sacrifice. If the sins had been forgiven, and the sacrifice was for sins what is the need for the old priesthood and the old sacrificial system? Verses 19-25. With this knowledge of Christ, the writer gives his audience two choices, the first choice in in verses 19-25, and the second is in verses 26-31. In verses 19-25, the writer gives the only real faithful response to this knowledge is to accept Christ as savior and Lord and draw near to God. The other choice is to reject the knowledge of Christ and act as if the sacrifice of Christ was nothing. One choice leads to salvation the other leads to judgment. The author teaches the faithful response in verses 19-25 by reminding us that we have two major benefits in Christ: 1) "We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus" and 2) "We have a great priest over the house of God" (vs. 19-21). Since we have these two benefits, he says, we should respond in five ways:

  5. Verses 15-18. The writer now tums his attention to another Old Testament scripture Jeremiah 31. The writer uses this scripture to show that God was going to establish a new covenant that was based on putting his law in the hearts of his people as opposed to some sort of outside religious rituals. Secondly the writer uses this passage in Jeremiah to show that God was also going to make a way for the sins of the people to be forgiven. So, after quoting this passage the writer concludes that since the sins have been forgiven there is no longer a need for sacrifice. If the sins had been forgiven, and the sacrifice was for sins what is the need for the old priesthood and the old sacrificial system? Verses 19-25. With this knowledge of Christ, the writer gives his audience two choices, the first choice in in verses 19-25, and the second is in verses 26-31. In verses 19-25, the writer gives the only real faithful response to this knowledge is to accept Christ as savior and Lord and draw near to God. The other choice is to reject the knowledge of Christ and act as if the sacrifice of Christ was nothing. One choice leads to salvation the other leads to judgment. The author teaches the faithful response in verses 19-25 by reminding us that we have two major benefits in Christ: 1) "We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus" and 2) "We have a great priest over the house of God" (vs. 19-21). Since we have these two benefits, he says, we should respond in five ways:

    1. "Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith" (v. 22). We should accept the cleansing that Christ has given us, and use it for its purpose: that we draw closer to God. The rituals of the old covenant symbolized separation; the coming of Jesus Christ emphasizes the approachability of God.

    2. "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess" (v. 23). Christ is faithful toward us, so we must be faithful toward him, keeping him central in our thoughts.

    3. "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." Notice the focus. It is not that each person should do good. That is true, but the focus here is on encouraging others to do good. And not just exhorting others, but thinking about how we might do it better. The good deeds will be multiplied. Our relationship with God will have results in the way we interact with each other.

    4. "Let us not give up meeting together" (v. 25). It seems that some first-century Jewish Christians were no longer meeting together. Perhaps they were pressured by the Jewish community. Perhaps they were disappointed that Christ had not yet returned. Perhaps they felt that Christianity was a "gentile” religion. They were more interested in their Jewish distinctiveness than they were in Christ. So, the author urges, Don't drop out! If you don't meet with one another, you can't show love.

    5. "Let us encourage one another" (v. 25). Repetition emphasizes. The first-century Jewish Christians needed to encourage one another; mutual encouragement helps everyone stay in the faith.

  6. Verses 26-27. The author has given the positive response to the knowledge of Christ, now he highlights the negative alternative to accepting Christ. If one is not going to follow Christ, they are going to reject him and continue in sin. To know the truth but reject it and do the opposite is to ignore the fact that Christ was the fulfillment of the law and the reality of the symbolic nature of all the animal sacrifices. If any of these Hebrews were to continue to make the animal sacrifices they in reality were saying that Jesus is not the Savior of the world. This would be akin to rejecting Jesus because they don’t recognize him as the lamb that was slain to take away the sins of the world. If these Hebrews don’t accept the sacrifice of Christ, there is no other sacrifice that takes away sin. Thus, they are leaving themselves open to suffer the judgment of God. It is the blood of Christ that shields us from the righteous justice of God, without that blood one is subject to the wrath of God’s righteous judgment.

  7. Verses 28-31. The law required 2 to 3 witnesses to put someone to death for violating the law of Moses (Deuteronomy 17:7). Those who turned against the Law of Moses, faced God’s wrath, those who tum against Christ will also face God’s wrath. If there was punishment for rejecting the law which was just a symbol of better things in Christ, how much more would the judgment be for rejecting Christ and acting as the sacrifice of Christ was nothing more than something to be trampled on. Rejecting the law was bad, but rejecting Christ was an insult to the Lord. The writer warns that it would not be a good thing to insult God and think that severe judgment would not follow.

  8. Verses 32-38. The writer asks his audience at the time to remember their earlier perseverance and continue to fight the good fight of faith. The writer wants to encourage his audience to not let the pressures of persecution discourage them, but understand that their perseverance will be richly rewarded. These Hebrews had suffered much and many were thinking it would be easier if they just went back to things as usual, but a real faith would see that to go back to the old way would be a complete rejection of the Son. The writer has only one response “persevere” knowing that God will bring his reward. The writer quotes Habakkuk 2:3-4. Reminding the people that those who have a true faith stand firm knowing that God will do what he has promised. This Old Testament scripture was a reminder that it might seem for a while like the enemies of God were victorious, but it only seemed like this because in the end God would defeat his enemies. This was a word of encouragement for the people that in the end they too would be victorious.

  9. Verse 39. The writer makes it clear that his audience is not in the group who has no faith and rejects Christ, but they are in the group that has true faith, true faith that will endure and are saved.

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