Hebrews 10:1 - 10:18
summary of the high priest

intro

 
(prayer)
 
review
first section: christ is the ultimate revelation (heb 1-4)
his revelation supercedes that given by angels, that given by moses, and any other carrier.

second section: christ is the ultimate high priest (heb 5-10)
the author first argues that the levetical priest system was temporary, and we knew that because of melchizidek and the comments in psalm 110.
then we get a comparison on the sacrifice of animals in the earthly temple vs the sacrifice of christ before god.

 
heb 10:1-10 tabernacle sacrifices were incomplete
1. For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.
2. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins?
3. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year.
4. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5. Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, "SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED,
BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME;
6. IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO PLEASURE.
7. "THEN I SAID, `BEHOLD, I HAVE COME
(IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME )
TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.' "
8. After saying above, "SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them" (which are offered according to the Law),
9. then He said, "BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL." He takes away the first in order to establish the second.
10. By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
v1-4 - didn't do the trick
- done yearly (v1-3)
- animals weren't enough (v4)
 
this idea (sacrifices don't remove sin) is a recap.
we've had this in hebrews already; see chapters 8,9.
the author is reviewing the argument he made there in prep to move on.
'speech' vs essay.
remember that this was likely to be done as a speech; he's reviewing his major point before heading on to the next warning.

v5-9 - the old testament says this as well.
basically, our author is going to prove that the old testament said this too.
the author adds another quote to prove that the old testament indicated that sacrifices did not suffice.
 
note: important to prove this.
the new testament is dependent on the old. for the new testament to be true, the old testament must not only be true, but the new testament must be consistent with it.
that is a huge reason why the new testament quotes the old testament so extensively.
 
for us, we can see that this is an idea consistent with the old testament in that the jews, who only hold to the old testament, don't practice sacrifices either.

contrast with paul in romans
those of you who know romans will recall that paul references abraham as an example of salvation through faith instead of sacrifice.
that's an exceptionally good point to prove that salvation is apart from the law and is through faith.
but abraham still made sacrifices;
so the author here chooses to find old testament examples that show that sacrifices were never enough.
here, we get psalm 40
psalm of david (and bono)
it speaks of god caring for david, and covers a wide variety of topics (righteousness, god's character, etc)
it also speaks of sacrifices.
ps 40:6-8
6. Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired;
My ears You have opened;
Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required.
7. Then I said, "Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
8. I delight to do Your will, O my God;
Your Law is within my heart."

additional old testament quotes that make this point:
1 sam 15:22 - god wants obedience, not sacrifices (sacrifices were a part of obedience)
Samuel said, "Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As in obeying the voice of the LORD ?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.

ps 51:16,17 - god values repentence, not sacrifices (sacrifices are a piece of that)
16. For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.
17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

ps 69:30,31 - god desires praise...sacrifices are only a piece of that
I will praise the name of God with song
And magnify Him with thanksgiving.
And it will please the LORD better than an ox
Or a young bull with horns and hoofs.

isa 1:11-16 - sacrifices do not make you holy. the are not accepted from the wicked.
11. "What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?"
Says the LORD.
"I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of fed cattle;
And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats.
12. "When you come to appear before Me,
Who requires of you this trampling of My courts?
13. "Bring your worthless offerings no longer,
Incense is an abomination to Me.
New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies--
I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly.
14. "I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts,
They have become a burden to Me;
I am weary of bearing them.
15. "So when you spread out your hands in prayer,
I will hide My eyes from you;
Yes, even though you multiply prayers,
I will not listen.
Your hands are covered with blood.
16. "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight.
Cease to do evil,
17. Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Reprove the ruthless,
Defend the orphan,
Plead for the widow.

also see jer 7:23, hosea, 6:6, amos 5:21, and micah 6:6-8,

v.10 is our transition to talking about the nature of the sacrifice

heb 10:11-18 - sacrifices are now complete; christ's sacrifice completes atonement
11. Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;
12. but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD,
13. waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET.
14. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
15. And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying,
16. "THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM
AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD:
I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART,
AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM,"
He then says,
17. "AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS
I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE."
18. Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.
this point as well is review.
chap 7:25-28 made this point; heb 9:11-28 made the point.

v11-18 - breakdown
11-14 - christ's work
15-17 - jeremiah promise (more than salvation here...sanctification)
18 - summary

jer 15-17; quoted again?
yup. that's a big big section to our author.
it's a huge point; it shows that the old testament system
- wasn't dealing with the problem of sin (since there was a new covenant planned to do so)
- that it would be dealt with (since god had a plan)
once the sin was dealth with, there would be no need for sacrifice.
 
the secret is that getting there required the ultimate sacrifice; god himself.


 
review: basic and advanced principles in 5-10
1. the need for a sacrifice is affirmed.
- you can not be good enough to pay for your sins.
- sin is bad enough that death is the only solution.
- god allows someone else's blood to pass

2. the levitical/sacrificial system is attacked
- god revealed a system of priests and sacrifices with moses.
- god also revealed that the ultimate plan was beyond that.
- a go between (priest) has always been required; you can not approach god yourself.
signs showing the limits on moses priesthood:
- melchizedek prophecy (won't make sense if you weren't here for heb 7)
- sacrifices were ongoing, never quite did the trick
- jeremiah said that the real solution was yet to come.

3. jesus christ is the true priest and the true sacrifice, who offers himself in our place.
- he is our ultimate blood sacrice; he is our ultimate priest.
- he offers his own blood for us, and completes the job of paying for our sins; no more sacrifices are necessary.

ideas to consider:
the section started with a challenge by the author; to leave behind milk for solid food, to press on to maturity.
thoughts about how exactly christ paid for our sin and for how this was part of god's plan are not required to become a christian.
but they are important for our growth.
 
quite honestly, i think there are lots of areas here that we often don't believe very strongly.
a full consideration of the fact that blood was shed for us to become innocent is easy to move past.
a full consideration of the fact that our sin has been removed is easy to move past.
it's worth thinking through the pieces of this section because it helps define how we view ourselves in relation to god.
 
the next verse starts with, "since therefore, brethren, we have confidence..."; the application continues from there, both positive and negative.

application; stuff we can all think about together for the week.
those of you who have acknowledged your sin, repented, and received the forgiveness of christ, here's your application.
1. read this a few times; it was important enough for the author to quote twice.
"their sins and their lawless deeds, i will remember no more.
2. think it through, and believe it.
you may need to think through some of the crap you've performed in your life.
remember the things you have done, and remember that god has said that he will remember it no more.
3. thank god for it.
thankfulness and praise, the response we should have.
prayer