Heb 10:11-18 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 11. And every Priest standeth daily ministering . That is, this is done every day. It does not mean literally that every priest was daily concerned in offering sacrifices, for they took turns according to their courses, ( ,) but that this was done each day, and that every priest was to take his regular place in doing it, . The object of the apostle is to prove, that under the Jewish economy sacrifices were repeated constantly, showing their imperfection, but that under the Christian economy the great Sacrifice had been offered once, which was sufficient for all. And offering oftentimes the same sacrifices . The same sacrifices were offered morning and evening every day. Which can never take away sins . ; . (c) "daily" (d) "never take away"

Hebrews 10:11-18

Verse 11. And every Priest standeth daily ministering. That is, this is done every day. It does not mean literally that every priest was daily concerned in offering sacrifices, for they took turns according to their courses, (Lk 1:5,) but that this was done each day, and that every priest was to take his regular place in doing it, Nu 28:3. The object of the apostle is to prove, that under the Jewish economy sacrifices were repeated constantly, showing their imperfection, but that under the Christian economy the great Sacrifice had been offered once, which was sufficient for all.

And offering oftentimes the same sacrifices. The same sacrifices were offered morning and evening every day.

Which can never take away sins. Heb 9:9; Heb 10:1.

(c) "daily" Nu 28:3 (d) "never take away" Ps 50:8-13, Is 1:11 Verse 12. But this Man. The Lord Jesus. The word man is not in the original here. The Greek is literally "but this;" to wit, this priest. The apostle does not state here whether he was a man, or a being of a higher order, he merely mentions him as a priest, in contradistinction from the Jewish priests.

After he had offered one sacrifice for sins. By dying on the cross. This he did but once; this could not be repeated; and need not be repeated, for it was sufficient for the sins of the world.

For ever sat down. That is, he sat down then to return no more for the purpose of offering sacrifice for sin. He will no more submit himself to scenes of suffering and death to expiate human guilt.

On the right hand of God. Mk 16:19. Comp. Eph 1:20, and following.

(e) "sat down" Col 3:1 Verse 13. From henceforth expecting. Or, waiting. He waits there until this shall be accomplished according to the promise made to him that all things shall be subdued under him. 1Cor 15:25 and following.

Till his enemies. There is an allusion here to Ps 110:1, where it is said, "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool." The enemies of the Redeemer are Satan, the wicked of the earth, and all the evil passions of the heart. The idea is, that all things are yet to be made subject to his will --either by a cheerful and cordial submission to his authority, or by being crushed beneath his power. The Redeemer, having performed his great work of redemption by giving himself as a sacrifice on the cross, is represented now as calmly waiting until this glorious triumph is achieved, and this promise is fulfilled. We are not to suppose that he is inactive, or that he takes no share in the agency by which this is to be done, but the meaning is, that he looks to the certain fulfilment of the promise.

His footstool. That is, they shall be thoroughly and completely subdued. The same idea is expressed in 1Cor 15:25, by saying that all his enemies shall be put under his feet. The language arose from the custom of conquerors in putting their feet on the necks of their enemies, as a symbol of subjection. See Josh 10:24; Isa 26:5, Isa 26:6.

(e) "enemies" Col 3:1 Verse 14. For by one offering. By offering himself once on the cross. The Jewish priest offered his sacrifices often, and still they did not avail to put away sin; the Saviour made one sacrifice, and it was sufficient for the sins of the world.

He hath perfected for ever, He hath laid the foundation of the eternal perfection. The offering is of such a character that it secures their final freedom from sin, and wilt make them for ever holy. It cannot mean that those for whom he died are made at once perfectly holy, for that is not true; but the idea is, that the offering was complete, and did not need to be repeated; and that it was of such a nature as entirely to remove the penalty due to sin, and to lay the foundation for their final eternal holiness. The offerings made under the Jewish law were so defective that there was a necessity for repeating them every day; the offering made by the Saviour was so perfect that it needed not to be repeated, and that it secured the complete and final salvation of those who avail themselves of it.

Them that are sanctified. Those who are made holy by that offering. It does not mean that they are as yet wholly sanctified, but that they have been brought under the influence of that gospel which sanctifies and saves. Heb 2:11, 9:13. The doctrine taught in this verse is, that all those who are, in any measure; sanctified, will be perfected for ever. It is not a temporary work which has been begun in their souls, but one which is designed to be carried forward to perfection. In the atonement made by the Redeemer there is the foundation laid for their eternal perfection, and it was with reference to that, that it was offered. Respecting this work and the consequences of it, we may remark, that there is

(1.) perfection in its nature, it being of such a character that it needs not to be repeated;

(2.) there is perfection in regard to the pardon of sin--all past sins being forgiven to those who embrace it, and being for ever forgiven; and

(3.) there is to be absolute perfection, for them for ever. They will be made perfect at some future period, and when that shall take place it will be to continue for ever and ever.

(g) "perfected "Heb 10:9" Verses 15-17. Whereof the Holy Ghost is a witness to us. That is, the Holy Ghost is a proof of the truth of the position here laid down --that the one atonement made by the Redeemer lays the foundation for the eternal perfection of all who are sanctified. The witness of the Holy Ghost here referred to is that which is furnished in the Scriptures, and not any witness in ourselves. Paul immediately makes his appeal to a passage of the Old Testament, and he thus shows his firm conviction that the Scriptures were inspired by the Holy Ghost.

For after that he had said before. The apostle here appeals to a passage which he had before quoted, Jer 31:33,34. See it explained in Heb 8:8; Heb 8:9-12.

The object of the quotation in both cases is, to show that the new covenant contemplated the formation of a holy character or a holy people. It was not to set apart a people who should be externally holy only, or be distinguished for conformity to external rites and ceremonies, but who should be holy in heart and in life. There has been some difficulty felt by expositors in ascertaining what corresponds to the expression "after that he had said before," and some have supposed that the phrase "then he saith" should be understood before Heb 10:17. But probably the apostle means to refer to two distinct parts of the quotation from Jeremiah, the former Of which expresses the fact that God meant to make a new covenant with his people, and the latter expresses the nature of that covenant, and it is particularly to the latter that he refers. This is seen more distinctly in the passage in Jeremiah than it is in our translation of the quotation in this epistle. The meaning is this, "The Holy Ghost first said, this is the covenant that I will make with them:" and having said this, he then added, "After those days, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." The first part of it expresses the purpose to form such a covenant; the latter states what that covenant would be. The quotation is not, indeed, literally made, but the sense is retained. Comp. Heb 8:8-12. Still, it may be asked how this quotation proves the point for which it is adduced--that the design of the atonement of Christ was "to perfect for ever them that are sanctified?" In regard to this, we may observe,

(1.) that it was declared that those who were interested in it would be holy, for the law would be in their hearts and written on their minds; and,

(2.) that this would be entire and perpetual. Their sins would be wholly forgiven; they would never be remembered again--and thus they would be "perfected for ever." (a) "this is the covenant" Jer 31:33,34 Verse 17. Heb 10:15.

(1) "Their sins" "Some copies have Then he said, And Their Verse 18. Now where remission of these is. Remission or forgiveness of sins; that is, of the sins mentioned in the previous verse.

There is no more offering for sin. If those sins are wholly blotted out, there is no more need of sacrifice to atone for them, any more than there is need to pay a debt again which has been once paid. The idea of Paul is, that in the Jewish dispensation there was a constant repeating of the remembrance of sins by the sacrifices which were offered, but that in reference to the dispensation under the Messiah sin would be entirely cancelled. There would be one great and all-sufficient sacrifice; and when there was faith in that offering, sin would be absolutely forgiven. If that was the case, there would be no occasion for any further sacrifice for it, and the offering need not be repeated. This circumstance, on which the apostle insists so much, made a very important difference between the new covenant and the old. In the one, sacrifices were offered every day; in the other, the sacrifice once made was final and complete: in the one case, there was no such forgiveness, but that the offender was constantly reminded of his sins by the necessity of the repetition of sacrifice; in the other, the pardon was so complete that all dread of wrath was taken away, and the sinner might look up to God as calmly and joyfully as if he had never been guilty of transgression.