When a heavenly body is in eclipse it can be examined with even greater precision than when the astronomer's eye is directed toward its burning glory; so in Leviticus we can discover details of our Lord's atonement otherwise overlooked. This is notably the case in Leviticus 1:1-17; Leviticus 2:1-16; Leviticus 3:1-17; Leviticus 4:1-35.
The keywords of this chapter are year by year and day by day as contrasted with continually and forever. Repetition means imperfection. The ancient offerers of sacrifice could never be sure that they were finally accepted. Each year they had to go over the odd ground. How different from us, who have heard Jesus say, "It is finished"!
The spirit of inspiration offers to us the secret of our Savior's work in His voluntary identification with the divine purposes. It was not so much His outward anguish and blood-shedding that made reconciliation possible, as His cry, "Not my will, my Father, but thine." His attitude reminds us of the ancient custom of boring fast to the door the ear of the servant, who desired never again to leave His master's service. "Mine ears hast thou bored." See Psalms 40:6, margin. [source]
Chapter Summary: Hebrews 10
1The weakness of the law sacrifices 10The sacrifice of Christ's body once offered, 14for ever has taken away sins 19An exhortation to hold fast the faith with patience and thanksgiving
Greek Commentary for Hebrews 10:4
Should take away [απαιρειν] Present active infinitive of απαιρεω aphaireō Old verb and common in N.T., only here and Romans 11:27 with “sins”. Cf. Hebrews 9:9. [source]
Hebrews 10:5 [] d Confirming the assertion of Hebrews 10:4by a citation, Psalm 40:7-9, the theme of which is that deliverance from sin is not obtained by animal sacrifices, but by fulfilling God's will. The quotation does not agree with either the Hebrew or the lxx, and the Hebrew and lxx do not agree. The writer supposes the words to be spoken by Messiah when he enters the world as Savior. The obedience to the divine will, which the Psalmist contrasts with sacrifices, our writer makes to consist in Christ's offering once for all. According to him, the course of thought in the Psalm is as follows: “Thou, O God, desirest not the sacrifice of beasts, but thou hast prepared my body as a single sacrifice, and so I come to do thy will, as was predicted of me, by the sacrifice of myself.” Christ did not yield to God's will as authoritative constraint. The constraint lay in his own eternal spirit. His sacrifice was no less his own will than God's will. [source]
Hebrews 6:6It is impossible to renew them again [αδυνατον παλιν ανακαινιζειν] The αδυνατον adunaton (impossible) comes first in Hebrews 6:4 without εστιν estin (is) and there is no “them” in the Greek. There are three other instances of αδυνατον adunaton in Hebrews (Hebrews 6:18; Hebrews 10:4; Hebrews 11:6). The present active infinitive of ανακαινιζω anakainizō (late verb, ανα καινος ana class="normal greek">ανακαινοω kainos here only in the N.T., but αδυνατον anakainoō 2 Corinthians 4:16; Colossians 3:10) with αναστραυρουντας εαυτοις adunaton bluntly denies the possibility of renewal for apostates from Christ (cf. 3:12-4:2). It is a terrible picture and cannot be toned down. The one ray of light comes in Hebrews 6:8-12, not here. Seeing they crucify to themselves afresh (τους παραπεσοντας anastraurountas heautois). Present active participle (accusative plural agreeing with ανασταυροω tous ανα parapesontas) of και παραδειγματιζοντας anastauroō the usual verb for crucify in the old Greek so that παραδειγματιζω ana - here does not mean “again” or “afresh,” but “up,” sursum, not rursum (Vulgate). This is the reason why renewal for such apostates is impossible. They crucify Christ. And put him to an open shame (παραδειγμα kai paradeigmatizontas). Present active participle of δειγματισαι paradeigmatizō late verb from paradeigma (example), to make an example of, and in bad sense to expose to disgrace. Simplex verb deigmatisai in this sense in Matthew 1:19. [source]
1 John 3:5Was manifested [επανερωτη] Same form as in 1 John 3:2, but here of the Incarnation as in John 21:1, not of the second coming (1 John 2:28).To take away sins (ινα τας αμαρτιας αρηι hina tas hamartias arēi). Purpose clause with ινα hina and first aorist active subjunctive of αιρω airō as in John 1:29. In Isaiah 53:11 we have αναπερω anapherō for bearing sins, but αιρω airō properly means to lift up and carry away (John 2:16). So in Hebrews 10:4 we find απαιρεω aphaireō and Hebrews 10:11 περιαιρεω periaireō to take away sins completely (the complete expiation wrought by Christ on Calvary). The plural αμαρτιας hamartias here, as in Colossians 1:14, not singular (collective sense) αμαρτιαν hamartian as in John 1:29.And in him is no sin “And sin (the sinful principle) in him is not.” As Jesus had claimed about himself (John 7:18; John 8:46) and as is repeatedly stated in the N.T. (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 7:26; Hebrews 9:13). [source]
1 John 3:5To take away sins [ινα τας αμαρτιας αρηι] Purpose clause with ινα hina and first aorist active subjunctive of αιρω airō as in John 1:29. In Isaiah 53:11 we have αναπερω anapherō for bearing sins, but αιρω airō properly means to lift up and carry away (John 2:16). So in Hebrews 10:4 we find απαιρεω aphaireō and Hebrews 10:11 περιαιρεω periaireō to take away sins completely (the complete expiation wrought by Christ on Calvary). The plural αμαρτιας hamartias here, as in Colossians 1:14, not singular (collective sense) αμαρτιαν hamartian as in John 1:29. [source]
What do the individual words in Hebrews 10:4 mean?
Impossible [it is]indeed[for the] bloodof bullsandof goatsto take awaysins
Greek Commentary for Hebrews 10:4
Present active infinitive of απαιρεω aphaireō Old verb and common in N.T., only here and Romans 11:27 with “sins”. Cf. Hebrews 9:9. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Hebrews 10:4
The heart is the proper seat of the work of grace. Free grace is the motive-power of Christ's sacrifice (2 Corinthians 8:9; Galatians 1:15); it is behind the blood of the new covenant, and is the energetic principle of its saving operation. See Romans 5:2, Romans 5:15; 1 Corinthians 15:10; Ephesians 2:5, Ephesians 2:7, Ephesians 2:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:16; Hebrews 2:9; Hebrews 4:16; Hebrews 10:29. With meats stands for the whole system of ceremonial observances, in contrast with grace, working on the heart. See Hebrews 9:10. This ceremonial system yielded no permanent benefit to those who lived under it. See Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:9, Hebrews 9:13, Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 10:1, Hebrews 10:2, Hebrews 10:4. [source]
d Confirming the assertion of Hebrews 10:4by a citation, Psalm 40:7-9, the theme of which is that deliverance from sin is not obtained by animal sacrifices, but by fulfilling God's will. The quotation does not agree with either the Hebrew or the lxx, and the Hebrew and lxx do not agree. The writer supposes the words to be spoken by Messiah when he enters the world as Savior. The obedience to the divine will, which the Psalmist contrasts with sacrifices, our writer makes to consist in Christ's offering once for all. According to him, the course of thought in the Psalm is as follows: “Thou, O God, desirest not the sacrifice of beasts, but thou hast prepared my body as a single sacrifice, and so I come to do thy will, as was predicted of me, by the sacrifice of myself.” Christ did not yield to God's will as authoritative constraint. The constraint lay in his own eternal spirit. His sacrifice was no less his own will than God's will. [source]
The αδυνατον adunaton (impossible) comes first in Hebrews 6:4 without εστιν estin (is) and there is no “them” in the Greek. There are three other instances of αδυνατον adunaton in Hebrews (Hebrews 6:18; Hebrews 10:4; Hebrews 11:6). The present active infinitive of ανακαινιζω anakainizō (late verb, ανα καινος ana class="normal greek">ανακαινοω kainos here only in the N.T., but αδυνατον anakainoō 2 Corinthians 4:16; Colossians 3:10) with αναστραυρουντας εαυτοις adunaton bluntly denies the possibility of renewal for apostates from Christ (cf. 3:12-4:2). It is a terrible picture and cannot be toned down. The one ray of light comes in Hebrews 6:8-12, not here. Seeing they crucify to themselves afresh (τους παραπεσοντας anastraurountas heautois). Present active participle (accusative plural agreeing with ανασταυροω tous ανα parapesontas) of και παραδειγματιζοντας anastauroō the usual verb for crucify in the old Greek so that παραδειγματιζω ana - here does not mean “again” or “afresh,” but “up,” sursum, not rursum (Vulgate). This is the reason why renewal for such apostates is impossible. They crucify Christ. And put him to an open shame (παραδειγμα kai paradeigmatizontas). Present active participle of δειγματισαι paradeigmatizō late verb from paradeigma (example), to make an example of, and in bad sense to expose to disgrace. Simplex verb deigmatisai in this sense in Matthew 1:19. [source]
Same form as in 1 John 3:2, but here of the Incarnation as in John 21:1, not of the second coming (1 John 2:28).To take away sins (ινα τας αμαρτιας αρηι hina tas hamartias arēi). Purpose clause with ινα hina and first aorist active subjunctive of αιρω airō as in John 1:29. In Isaiah 53:11 we have αναπερω anapherō for bearing sins, but αιρω airō properly means to lift up and carry away (John 2:16). So in Hebrews 10:4 we find απαιρεω aphaireō and Hebrews 10:11 περιαιρεω periaireō to take away sins completely (the complete expiation wrought by Christ on Calvary). The plural αμαρτιας hamartias here, as in Colossians 1:14, not singular (collective sense) αμαρτιαν hamartian as in John 1:29.And in him is no sin “And sin (the sinful principle) in him is not.” As Jesus had claimed about himself (John 7:18; John 8:46) and as is repeatedly stated in the N.T. (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 7:26; Hebrews 9:13). [source]
Purpose clause with ινα hina and first aorist active subjunctive of αιρω airō as in John 1:29. In Isaiah 53:11 we have αναπερω anapherō for bearing sins, but αιρω airō properly means to lift up and carry away (John 2:16). So in Hebrews 10:4 we find απαιρεω aphaireō and Hebrews 10:11 περιαιρεω periaireō to take away sins completely (the complete expiation wrought by Christ on Calvary). The plural αμαρτιας hamartias here, as in Colossians 1:14, not singular (collective sense) αμαρτιαν hamartian as in John 1:29. [source]