9:13 The ashes of a heifer refers to the ceremony involving the red heifer (Numbers 19). A heifer would be taken
outside the camp, killed, and then burned. As it was burning, the priest would throw cedar, hyssop, and scarlet wool
around it. Afterwards, the ashes would be gathered and stored outside the city. When anyone became
ceremonially unclean because of contact with a dead body, these ashes would be mixed with water and sprinkled
on that person. This procedure certainly demonstrates the largely ceremonial nature of purification provided by the
old covenant practices.
9:15 The redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament: The Old Testament sacrifices could
not take away sin (10:4); they merely made a provisional atonement, a temporary covering, for sin. Christ's
sacrifices expiated all those past sins that had received such atonement (Romans 3:25). The Old Testament
sacrifices might be compared to the writing of a check. The paper on which it is written is practically worthless. Yet it
is used and accepted in place of money, since it is backed by what has been deposited in the bank. Christ's death
was deposited from the foundation of the world as that which backed the Old Testament sacrifices. With Christ's
death on the cross, the deposit was released and all the past checks were honored and paid.
9:16, 17 The word testament (Greek diatheke) refers here to a will (in accordance with the Greek usage of the New
Testament era) even though the Greek word is commonly used in Hebrews and throughout the New Testament for
a covenant. A will requires the death of its maker before it can be set in force. Christ's sinless life could not
establish the New Testament. His death, involving His shed blood, was necessary.
9:22 on the basis of the preceding verses the author concludes two things: (1) the law seems to require that almost
everything be purged with blood; and (2) there is no remission, forgiveness, without the shedding of blood.
9:24 This verse identifies the true holy places as heaven itself. This would dispute the notion that heaven contains
a tabernacle corresponding in appearance to that which Moses was commanded to build. Heaven itself is the
fulfillment, or archetype of that pattern.
9:27, 28 The relation of verse 27 to its context is often dismissed in order to stress the certainty of man's future
judgment. It is axiomatic that man dies once. However, exceptions do exist: Enoch and Elijah of the Old Testament;
the saints who are alive at Christ's return, who will never die; Lazarus and others who were raised from the dead
and later died a second time. But no exceptions concerning God's judgment can be cited. There is no
reincarnation; every person gets one chance to prepare. Yet the full significance of verse 27 cannot be seen apart
from verse 28. As it is appointed unto men once to die...so Christ was once offered: The author is clearly
presenting a comparison. As it is with man, so it was with Christ. As man can die only once, so the Man Christ could
die only once as a sacrifice. His relation to humanity would be marred if He had to die more than once. Further, a
second comparison seems evident. Beyond death there exists another reality. For man it is the reality of appearing
for judgment; for Christ it is the certainty of appearing with deliverance from condemnation for them that look for
him.
Hebrews chapter 10
10:1-18 The feature of the new covenant emphasized here is Christ's once-for-all sacrifice. The author has
frequently stated this point in the preceding chapters (7:27; 9:12, 26, 28), but here it becomes the focal point of the
discussion. First, this truth is highlighted by contrast with the repetitious service of the Mosaic system. Those
sacrifices had to be offered year by year continually. Later, the author demonstrates that Christ's single, one-time
sacrifice is completed by His continuing position--seated at God's right hand (verses 11-14).
10:20 Jesus Christ is the new and living way by which believers have direct access into the very Holy Place of God
(4:14; 6:20; 7:25; John 14:6).
10:24 The word translated provoke (Greek paroxysmos) usually has a negative sense, as is witnessed by its only
other New Testament usage (Acts 15:39). The positive connotation which the word has in the present text means to
stir up. It is easy to stir up hatred and godless deeds; it takes much more to stir up another to love and good works.
10:25 Not forsaking the assembling: This admonition involves fare more than erratic attendance. It involves the
entire worship of Christ and is an outward indication of an inner condition. The assembling of God's people
provides opportunity for reciprocal encouragement, strengthening, and the stirring up that can be gained from one
another (Colossians 3:12-16). It consists of participation in worship and fellowship. The church is a body interacting
(1 Corinthians 12:14-27); it is not merely a dispensary of spiritual food and medicine.
10:26-29 Verses 26-31 contain the fourth warning passage of Hebrews (2:1-4). The surrounding verses (verses
19-39) contain related exhortations, but the warning itself is limited to these verses. They warn of the critical
danger of turning from Christ's once-for-all, perfect sacrifice back to their old ways. If we sin willfully reveals that
this act is deliberate. It parallels the sin of Numbers 15:30, 31. When one willingly or defiantly disobeyed God, there
was no sacrifice for such apostasy. He had to die. This is the nature of the sin in verse 26. Verse 28 seems to
allude to Deuteronomy 17:2-7. These verses record that upon the testimony of two or three witnesses, death by
stoning was the punishment for apostasy--going after and serving false gods (Deuteronomy 17:2). Now in verse
29, the one who would despise the person of Jesus and His ministry as High Priest is worthy of even greater
judgment. Verse 29 (due to the verb and participle used) should not be understood as judgment that has
happened because of such apostasy, but as judgment that would happen should such apostasy occur. The author
places his recipients and himself (we) under this warning just as he did in the earlier warnings. By so doing he
demonstrates that the warnings are intended for the saved as well as for the unsaved. Yet, here, as in chapter 6,
the author does not say that anyone committed this sin. He describes what would happen, not what has happened.
He is describing a hypothetical situation. The severe admonition of this warning, and all others in Scripture, is
God's means to ensure our perseverance.
10:30, 31 These verses, along with verses 27-29, reveal the severity and certainty of God's judgment. At times
some express the idea that God's punishment ought to be milder during this age of grace. They entertain the
notion that judgment was more severe under law. These verses should shatter that impression. This harmonizes
with what Jesus often taught. The man who has greater revelation will receive greater judgment (Matthew
11;20-24); and to whom much is give, much is required (Luke 12:48). One's knowledge of God ought to
strengthen, not weaken, his awareness of God's inevitable judgment. His divine character demands justice and
holiness; His divine attributes can perform punishment. The fifth warning passage (12:18-29) further reveals God's
judgment.
Hebrews chapter 11
11:1 - Verse 1 is not so much a definition of what faith is, as it is a description of what fiath does (cf. 11:6). Two
truths concerning its activity are stated here. First, faith provides "substance" (Gr. hypostasis). Though broad in its
usages, this Greek word nomrally has the meaning of "assurance" in the New Testatment (cf. 3:14; 2 Cor 9:4;
11:17) and this seems to be the best sense here. Second, faith provides "evidence" (Gr. elegchos). It is evidence
in the sense of proof that results in conviction. The difference between assurance and evidence would be minimal
were it not for the phrase qualifying each: "of things hoped for" and " of things not seen." The first involves future
hope; the second involves present realities that are unseen. The first includes the hope of the resurrection, the
return of Chrit, and the gloriciation of the saints. the seocnd involves unseen realities, such as the forgiveness of
sin through Christ's sacrifice and the present intercession of Christ in heaven. Hope is faith relating to the future;
conviction is fiath relating to the present.
11:4 - "Abel offered unto God a more ecellent sacrifice than Cain:" In what way was his sacrifice better? Was it
cecause his was animal and Cain's vegetable? Or his a firstling and Cain's not the firstfruit? Or his with blood and
Cain's without? Both Hebrews and Genesis (4:1-15) demonstrate that is was not the offering that made one
acceptable and the other unacceptable. God accepts both grain and animal offerings according to their purposes.
The character of the worshier accepts boht grain anda mimal offerings according to their purposes. The character
of the worshiper made one offering acceptable and the other not. Abel offered his "by faith;" Cain obviously did not.
Genesis records that even before the rejection of Cain's offering his heart was not right with God (Gen. 4:7).
11:7 "Things not yet seen:" Noah was asked by God to do in faith things that were incongruous with his former
experience. He had never seen rain (Gen. 2:5), and yet God told him to build an ark because of a coming flood
(Gen. 6:13-17).
11:19 Though Abraham was stopped before the actual slaying of his son, Isaac was as good as dead in Abraham's
mind (cf. Gen. 22:10-12). Thus, Isaac serves as a type (Gr. parabole) of a literal resurrection. This incident
prefigured the resurrection of Abraham's ultimate Seed, Jesus Christ.
11:22 "His bones:" Though Joseph spent most of his life in Egypt, his faith in God's promises concerning the
Promised Land of Canaan prompted him to order the return of his bones when the nation returned (Gen. 50:24,25).
11:39,40. Genuine faith perseveres to the end; emotional decisions do not. True faith continues to believe the
turth. Once again, the author shows the superiority of the new covenant. God saved this "better thing," or the
fulfillment of "the promise," for this age. In fact, without those of the new covenant, even the mightiest champion of
faith from the Old Testament could "not be made perfect."
Hebrews chapter 12
12:1 The present exhortation to run finds its basis in the example of the champion mentioned in chapter 11. These
heroes of the faith are like a cloud of witness. As "witnesses" (Greek marturon) they are sometimes regarded as
spectators (Greek theatai) or as martyrs; yet this Greek word should be understood as referring simply to those
who testify or witness. The emphasis is on the witness provided by their living by faith. This race of faith is
described by three modifying statements. First, it is to be run by laying aside every weight. This refers to
impediments that weigh one down, whether clothing or excessive body weight. These things are not inherently
wrong, but for the diligent runner or the faithful Christian they must be removed. Second, it is to be run by putting
off the entangling sin. This seems to refer to the one sin above all others that defeats a Christian. This may be a
different sin for each individual. Third it is to be run with patience (Greek hypomones). Since patience is not an
attribute commonly associated with running, this word would be better translated as endurance (as it is in the
cognate verb forms of verses 2, 3). Endurance and persistence have been on the author's mind since the end of
chapter 10 (10:32, 36-38; 11:13).
12:2 Just as verse 1 establishes some qualities for the entrance into and the actual running of life's race, so verse
2 directs one's eyes to the finish line. Jesus is the author and finisher in that He has already blazed a trail and
finished the course.
12:3, 4 Though chapter 11 provides many champions for believers to emulate, the supreme example of endurance
in Jesus Himself.
12:6 Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth: God's principle of disciplining His own people is completely congruous
with human practices. This quotation from Proverbs 3:12, stating God's practice, corresponds to the commands
God gave to fathers: "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes
[promptly]" (Proverbs 13:24; 22:15; 23:13). Love and corporal punishment are not incongruous; they are two
complementary and necessary aspects of training.
12:12, 13 Some of the runners of verse 1 have grown so weary that they have become stooped and need spiritual
strength to be straightened up again. They must be given help, yet they themselves also must straighten their
paths by avoiding obstacles that would spiritually trip them up.
12:15 Root of bitterness accurately portrays the nature of bitterness. First it is hidden, but when it is discovered its
noxious roots have spread and it springs up as something much bigger and more destructive (Deuteronomy 29:18).
12:16, 17 Profane person: This profanity (Greek bebelos) involves far more than one's speech; it is a quality of
one's life. The author sees this quality exemplified in Esau, even though Esau was not a vile man. In fact, he was
less of a crook than his brother Jacob. The author accurately focuses on the one area that revealed Esau as
profane--the selling of his birthright. To "profane" is to regard something as unhallowed, to treat something sacred
as common. Being totally concerned with his temporary and material needs, Esau gave them priority over his rights
as the firstborn son and his responsibility as heir to the blessing of the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 25:29-34).
The result in Esau's life was that afterward, when he wanted the blessing, he was rejected. He repented with tears,
but the situation was irrevocable.