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DEALING WITH SIN (2)

Hebrews 10:5-12a

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    The cause of all this discussion is sin.

 

B.      Hebrews 10 has a lot to say about sin. 

1.      We have entitled this chapter:  “Dealing with Sin.”

2.      Keep in mind that the writer is dealing with Jewish believers returning to Judaism.  There- fore, he continues to make contrasts between the system of Judaism and the system of Christianity.

 

C.     In this chapter, the writer will end the doctrinal details of his discussion (See vs 18-19, 22-24) and begin to make some very practical admonitions to his readers.

 

D.    Outline:

 

i.                    SINS REMAINED (Heb. 10:1-4)  Remembrance of sins

ii.                  SINS ARE REMITTED (Heb. 10:5-14)  Remittance from sins

iii.                SINS REMEMBERED NO MORE (Heb. 10:15-18)  Remembered no more sins

iv.                NO SINS BRING RESPONSIBILITY (Heb. 10:19-25)  Responsibility after sins

v.                  SINS ARE RECOMPENSED (Heb. 10:26-31)  Recompense for sins

vi.                SIN:  NO RETURN (Heb. 10:32-39)  Resolution against sin

 

I.                   SINS REMAINED (Heb. 10:1-4)

 

II.                SINS ARE REMITTED (Heb. 10:5-14)

 

A.    Sanctified (Heb. 10:5-10)

1.      A human body (Heb. 10:5-6)

a.      Rejection (Heb. 10:5a)

 

Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not…

 

1)      The person who came into the world was Jesus.

2)      He was sent into the world by the heavenly Father (John 8:42).

 

Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me:  for I preceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

 

3)      Jesus was sent because God would not accept the sacrifices and the offerings made under the law as sufficient for man’s forgiveness.

b.      Preparation (Heb. 10:5b)

 

…but a body hast thou prepared for me.

 

1)      NOTE:  This is a quote from Psalm 40:6.  There has been much discussion on the difference between the psalm’s wording and the language employed by the writer of Hebrews.  Barnes has a very in depth discussion of this point.

2)      In contrast to the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament, the only sacrifice that would suffice would be a human sacrifice.

3)      Prior to Jesus’ being born to Mary, He was a spirit being, equal with the Father.

a)      John 1:1

 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

 

b)      John 8:58

 

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

 

c)      John 17:5

 

And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world began.

 

d)     Colossians 1:17

 

And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

 

4)       In order for Jesus to die for the sins of the world, He needed a body, and one was prepared for Him.

a)      Mary would be the instrument by which this body would be given.

b)      John 1:14a

 

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…

 

c)      This is known as the incarnation of Christ.

d)     NOTE:  His body was identical to ours:  the same needs, limits, and subject to the same temptations and pain.

2.      An honorable will (Heb. 10:6-7)

 

In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast no pleasure.   Then, said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God.

 

a.      The writer repeats the point that the sacrifices of the Old Law were not acceptable.  Here, he states that God had no pleasure in them.  They did not satisfy the demands of divine law.  Thus, God could not delight in them.

b.      Jesus not only had a body given to Him, He also desired to do the will of God.

1)      “Lo, I come…to do thy will, O God.

2)      Jesus wanted to do what needed to be done for the salvation of mankind.  His was a voluntary sacrifice.  (NOTE:  This could not be said of animal sacrifices). 

3)      Again, there is the reference to the prophecy of Psalm 40:7-8.  This is the volume of the book in which the statement is written.

 

Then said I, Lo, I come:  in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God:  yea, thy law is within my heart.

 

4)      Once Jesus came to this earth, the desire to do His Father’s will never left him (John 4:34; 6:38; 8:29).

 

For I came down from heaven, not do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

 

3.      A holy covenant (Heb. 10:8-9)

 

Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure in; which are offered by the law.  Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God.  He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

 

a.      He reaffirms that the sacrifices of the law did not please God.  It is interesting that he directly says:  “…which are offered by the law.”

b.      He notes again the willingness of Jesus to do the will of God in bringing forgiveness to mankind.

c.       He then gives us a new fact.  Jesus’ death would take away the first so He could establish the second.

1)      Take away

a)      Strong (337):  take away, abolish

b)      Thayer:  take away, abolish, to put out of the way

2)      Establish

a)      Strong (2476):  to stand

b)      Thayer:  to cause or make stand, to place, put, set, to establish, to make firm, fix,

3)      LESSON:  This is another NT passage that affirms that the Old Law has been taken out of the way.  If these Jewish Christians were going back to the Law, they were going back to something that has been abrogated.

4.      A holy people (Heb. 10:10)

 

By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Christ once for all.

 

a.      Jesus came to do God’s will and it is that same will that sanctifies God’s people today.

1)      Sanctified

a)      Strong (37):  to make holy…purify, consecrate

b)      Thayer:  to separate from profane things and dedicate to God, to purify, to purify internally by renewing the soul

c)      Vine:  sanctify, separation to God

1)      Our sanctification came “through the offering of the body of Christ once for all.”

a)      By means of an offering (presentation, oblation, sacrifice).

b)      The offering consisted of the body that had been prepared for Jesus.

c)      The offering only had to be made once.

d)     It was made for all.

b.      LESSON:  If these Jewish Christians left Christianity to return to the Law, they could not be sanctified.  Sanctification came through Jesus Christ, not by the Law.

 

B.      Perfected (Heb. 10:11-14)

1.      Sacrifices of the priests (Heb. 10:11)

 

And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

 

a.      Daily:  “standeth daily ministering”

b.      Duplications:  “offering oftentimes the same sacrifices”

c.       Deficient:  “which can never take away sins”

2.      Sacrifice of Christ (Heb. 10:12-14)

a.      A single sacrifice (Heb. 10:12a)

 

But this man, after had had offered one sacrifice for sins forever…

 

1)      This contrasts the previous verse:  standeth daily…offering oftentimes

2)      Because it only took one sacrifice, we are impressed with the power the sacrifice contained.  One sacrifice for all sins.

3)      The sacrifice of Christ never has to be offered again. 

a)      It was one sacrifice forever.

b)      This refutes the doctrine of the Eucharist and transubstantiation of the Roman Catholic Church.  In this “celebration,” the priest is said to offer Jesus on the cross again.

b.      The Son seated (Heb. 10:12b-13)

 

…sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.