Hebrews 10:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

NIV: For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

NASB: For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

CSB: For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified.

NLT: For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.

KJV: For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

NKJV: For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

Sacrifices under the old covenant had to be repeated over and over. This, according to the writer of Hebrews, is a deliberate aspect of the old covenant, as ordained by God (Hebrews 9:6–10). These animal sacrifices could temporarily cover human sin, but could not remove it. This repetition, along with other aspects of the old covenant, was meant to point us towards Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the new covenant. That new covenant was promised, by God, to be something different from the Levitical priesthood, and anchored inside the hearts and minds of the people (Hebrews 8:7–13).

Recently, the writer of Hebrews has been specifically referring to repetitive animal sacrifice, which is inferior to the single sacrifice given by Jesus Christ. Psalm 40 was quoted to show that God Himself contrasted offerings and sacrifices with the use of a "body" to accomplish His will. The work Jesus did on the cross, then, becomes the fulfillment of that promise.

The use of the term "perfected" here should be taken in the usual biblical context: as a reference to maturity and completion. This is not a reference to sinlessness, since even Jesus—who had no sin (Hebrews 4:15)—is said to be "perfected" in a sense by God as He performed the Father's will (Hebrews 2:10). Instead, this echoes the idea presented in Hebrews 7:25: that Christ's sacrifice can do, completely, what the animal sacrifices of the old covenant could only do partially.

Hebrews 10:1–18 summarizes the writer's argument that the new covenant, in Jesus Christ, is superior to the old covenant, based on animal sacrifices. Using themes developed in earlier passages, this section points out that God's own Word promised to replace the system centered on the priests and the temple. Those flawed earthly components were symbols of the ''real'' remedy for sin, which is the one-time sacrifice of Jesus. Having completed this long, detailed discourse, the writer will move on to practical applications, including a very stern warning.

God's own words, found in the Old Testament Scriptures, declare His intention to replace the old covenant with a new covenant. Jesus fulfills all of these prophecies, and all of the symbolism found in the system of priests, the tabernacle, and animal sacrifices. Knowing that Jesus Christ is, undoubtedly, God's remedy for our sin, we should be encouraged in holding on to our faith in the face of persecution. However, that same confidence means dire spiritual consequences for those who know Christ's salvation, but choose to act in defiance of His will.

Chapter 10 completes the long, detailed explanation of why the new covenant is superior to the old covenant. Starting in chapter 7, the writer gave various arguments and Scriptures to support this idea. The theme of these points is that God had always intended to send Jesus, as the real fulfillment of the old covenant's symbolism. The second half of this chapter transitions into more practical ideas, including an extremely dire warning about the dangers of apostasy.

The book of Hebrews is meant to challenge, encourage, and empower Christian believers. According to this letter, Jesus Christ is superior to all other prophets and all other claims to truth. Since God has given us Christ, we ought to listen to what He says and not move backwards. The consequences of ignoring God are dire. Hebrews is important for drawing on many portions of the Old Testament in making a case that Christ is the ultimate and perfect expression of God's plan for mankind. This book presents some tough ideas about the Christian faith, a fact the author makes specific note of.