VII.
A New and Better Covenant (continued) (8:1–10:39)
H.
One Sacrifice for Sins ()
8.
() Continued: "Until" introduces the reason for the statement in verse 13.
a.
As in verse , the author uses the concept of sanctifying to characterize the saved. The present tense in "those who are sanctified" is differently translated. Some see it as timeless; others think of it as indicating a continuing process of adding to the number of the saved; still others claim that it refers to those who in the present are experiencing the process of being made holy. The idea of sanctification as a continuing process of holiness does not get specifically mentioned in Hebrews, but the word sanctification means that this process is occurring in lives. So, all the views mentioned are fine. Those Christ saves are set apart forever for the service of God. The writer, then, is contemplating a "great salvation" (), brought about by one magnificent offering that cannot and need not be repeated — an offering that is eternal in its efficacy and that makes perfect the people it sanctifies to be holy over their lifetimes. Sanctification ends when our lives end, and glorification begins.
9.
() The divine writer consistently regards God as the author of Scripture and, as we have seen, ascribes to God words uttered by Moses and others. He does not often speak of the Holy Spirit as responsible for what is written (see also ; ); but this is consistent with the writer's general approach, and we should not be surprised at it here. The Holy Spirit, he says, "testifies", a word that implies that there is excellent testimony behind what he has been saying about Christ. Once more he quotes from (see ), citing enough of the passage to show that it is the "new covenant" passage he has in mind; he then goes straight to the words about forgiveness of sins, omitting everything else that does not directly apply. The author therefore emphasizes the fact that Christ has established the new covenant and that He has done so by providing for the forgiveness of sins.
10.
() This short verse emphatically conveys the utter finality of Christ's offering and the sheer impossibility of anything further. Where sins have been effectively dealt with, there can be no additional offering for sin. The author sees this as established by Scripture, and this is consistent with his normal use of the Old Testament. Since the new covenant has been established as a reality, the prophetic word allows no further sacrifices for sin.
I.
The Sequel — The Right Way ()
We have now concluded the solid doctrinal section that constitutes the main section of the letter. As Paul often does, the writer of Hebrews exhorts his readers on the basis of the doctrine he has made so clear. Because the great teachings he has set forth are true, it follows that those who profess them should live in a manner befitting them. There are resemblances between the exhortation in this paragraph and that in . But we must not forget that the intervening discussion has made clear what Christ's high priestly work has done for His people. Based on Christ's sacrifice, the writer exhorts his readers to make the utmost use of the blessing that has been won for them.
1.
() The address "brethren" is affectionate, and the writer exhorts them on the basis of the saving events. "Therefore" links the exhortation with all that has preceded it. These saving events give the Christian a new attitude toward the presence of God. () Nadab and Abihu died while offering incense, and it had become the custom for the high priest not to linger in the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement lest people be terrified. But Christians approach God confidently, completely at home in the situation created by Christ's saving work. They enter "the Most Holy Place," (called “Holy Place” in this verse) which, of course, is no physical sanctuary but is, in truth, the presence of God. And they enter it "by the blood of Jesus," i.e., because of His saving death that paid their wages of sin in full.
2.
() The way to God is both "new" and "living." It is "new" because what Jesus has done has created a completely new situation; it is "living" because that way is indissolubly bound up with the living Lord Jesus. () This is not the way of the dead animals of the old covenant; rather, it is the way of the living Lord. This way to God He "inaugurated" (this word is the same one used in of putting into effect the old covenant with blood), which hints again at His sacrifice of Himself. The "veil" goes back once more to the imagery of the tabernacle, for it was through the veil that hung before the Most Holy Place that the high priest passed into the very presence of God.
a.
There is a problem as to whether we take "that is, His flesh" with "veil," which is the more natural way of interpreting the Greek, or with "way." The difficulty in taking “His flesh” with "veil" is that it seems to make the flesh of Christ that which veils God from human beings. There is a sense, however, in which Christians have always recognized this, even if in another sense they see Christ's body as revealing God. As a well-known hymn puts it, "Veiled in flesh the Godhead see." The value of this way of looking at the imagery of the veil is that it was by the rending of the veil — the flesh being torn on the cross — that the way to God was opened. (; ; ) The author is saying in his own way what the writers of the Synoptic Gospels said when they spoke of the veil of the temple as being torn when Christ died. The "body" ("flesh") here is the correlate of the "blood" in verse 19.
3.
() The term "great priest" is a literal rendering of the Hebrew title we know as "high priest" (see ; ). We have had references to Jesus as "a Son over [God's] house" () and as a high priest. Now these two thoughts are brought together. The author does not forget Jesus' high place. He has taken a lowly place (cf. the reference to His flesh, ), and He has died to make a way to God for the family of God. But this assumption of the role of a servant should not blind us to the fact that Jesus is "over" God's household. Once again, we have the highest Christology combined with the recognition that Jesus rendered lowly service.
4.
() Now come three exhortations: "Let us draw near," "Let us hold fast" (vs. ), and "Let us consider" (vs. ). The contemplation of what Christ has done should stir His people into action. First, we are to draw near to God "with a sincere heart." The "heart" stands for the whole of our inner life; and it is important that as God's people approach Him, they be right inwardly. It is the "pure in heart" who see God (). Furthermore, in view of what Christ has done for us, we should approach God in deep sincerity. The "full assurance of faith" stresses that it is only by trusting in Christ, who has performed for us the high priestly work that gives access to God, that we can draw near at all.
a.
The references to the "sprinkled" hearts and the "washed" bodies should be taken together. The washing of the body with pure water is surely a reference to baptism. But the thing that distinguished Christian baptism from the multiplicity of purifications that were practiced in the religions of the ancient world was that it was more than an outward rite cleansing the body from ritual defilement. Baptism is the outward sign of an inward cleansing, and it was the latter that was the more important. So here it is mentioned first. The sprinkling of the hearts signifies the effect of the blood of Christ on the inmost being. (; ) Christians are cleansed within by His shed blood (cf. the sprinkling of the priests).
5.
() The second exhortation is to "hold" fast to the confession of hope. () The author has already used this verb in urging his readers to "hold on to" their confidence and their glorying in hope. () He also has told them to "hold fast" to the confession. Now he wants them to retain a firm grasp on "the hope” we profess. This is an unusual expression, and we might have expected "faith" rather than "hope." But there is point in referring to hope, which has already been described as an "anchor of the soul" (). Christians can expect that the promises God has made will be fulfilled because behind them is a God in whom they can have full confidence. God can be thoroughly relied on. When He makes a promise, that promise will be infallibly kept.
6.
() The third exhortation is to "stimulate" one another. The author is speaking of a mutual activity, one in which believers encourage one another rather than one where leaders direct the rest. The word rendered "stimulate" is actually a noun, which usually has a meaning like "irritation" or "exasperation." It is unusual to have it used in a good sense, but the choice of the unusual word makes the exhortation more striking. Christians are to spur one another to "love". This is the characteristic New Testament term for a love that is not self-seeking, a love whose paradigm is the Cross (). This is a most important Christian obligation, and believers are to help one another attain it. It is interesting that this kind of love is thus a product of community activity, for it is a virtue that requires others for its exercise. One may practice faith or hope alone, but not love (see also ). The readers are to urge one another to "good deeds" as well as to love. The contemplation of the saving work of Christ leads on to good works in the lives of believers. The expression is left general, but the writer selects as especially important love and the gathering together of believers (vs. ) — an interesting combination.
7.
() The exhortation in this verse belongs grammatically with verse , rather than functions as an independent exhortation. Some believers were giving up "assembling together." We have no way of knowing who these abstainers were; we know no more than that the early church had its problems with people who stayed away from church. It was a dangerous practice for any early Christian to try to live without the support of the community of believers. Perhaps these abstainers saw Christianity as just another religion to be patronized or left alone. They had missed the finality on which the author lays such stress. The writer goes on to suggest that Christians ought to be exhorting one another, and all the more as they see "the Day" getting near. Most certainly this Day is Christ’s Day of Judgment. The main thing is that the writer is stressing the accountability of his readers. They must act toward their fellow believers as those who will give account of themselves to God.
J.
The Sequel — The Wrong Way ()
While the writer continues to express confidence that his friends will do the right thing, he leaves them in no doubt as to the gravity of their situation and the terrible consequences of failing to respond to God's saving act in Christ. Our God of love is implacably opposed to all that is evil. Those who persist in wrong face judgment.
1.
() The writer clearly has apostasy in mind here. He is referring to people who "have received the knowledge of the truth," with "truth" standing for the content of Christianity as the absolute truth. They know, then, what God has done in Christ. If they revert to an attitude of rejection and of continual sin, there remains no sacrifice for sins. Such people have rejected the sacrifice of Christ, and the author has earlier shown that there is no other. If they revert to the Jewish sacrificial system, they go back to sacrifices that cannot put away sin (vs. ). The writer adopts no pose of superiority, but his "we" puts him in the same class as his readers.
2.
() Far from any sacrifice to put away the sins of the apostates, "only a terrifying expectation of judgment" awaits such evil people. The precise nature of this expectation is not defined, and the fact that their fate is left indefinite makes the warning even more impressive. "Terrifying" conveys the idea of "frightening." The writer describes the judgment as "fury of a fire" (possibly borrowed from ). The word "enemies" shows that the apostates were not regarded as holding a neutral position. They have become the adversaries of God.