Hebrews 10:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, "Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me;

NIV: Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;

NASB: Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, 'YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED SACRIFICE AND OFFERING, BUT YOU HAVE PREPARED A BODY FOR ME;

CSB: Therefore, as he was coming into the world, he said: You did not desire sacrifice and offering, but you prepared a body for me.

NLT: That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, 'You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer.

KJV: Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

NKJV: Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me.

A recurring theme in the book of Hebrews is the use of Old Testament quotations. The writer is making it very clear that the message of the New Testament is not a rejection of the Old, or a claim that Judaism was wrong. Instead, the point of the old covenant was to foreshadow the new covenant. The physical objects and rituals were meant to explain mankind's need for a single, perfect sacrifice. The repeated rituals, the use of human priests, and even the construction of the temple were all meant to demonstrate this truth (Hebrews 9:8–10). To support this idea, the writer has shown how God, in His word, has promised this new covenant, which is fulfilled completely in Jesus Christ.

The point of this new covenant is not a repetitive, temporary sacrifice. It is not about delaying judgment or dealing with ceremony. Instead, the new covenant is meant to be a permanent, personal cleansing from sin (Hebrews 8:7–13).

In verses 5, 6, and 7 the author quotes from Psalm 40:6–8, once again appealing to the Old Testament to prove this was, in fact, God's plan all along. This quotation is interesting because the writer of Hebrews quotes from the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. For this reason, Hebrews 10:5 and Psalm 40:6 are often phrased differently, in English, in the same translation. The ESV, for instance, translates Psalm 40:6 as "you have given me an open ear." The KJV makes a similar choice.

The literal Hebrew phrasing in Psalm 40:6 refers to God "digging ears" for the Psalmist. This seems to be a Hebrew idiom which implies God forming ears which allowed a person to receptively hear His Word. This also implies the idea that God is the one who has fashioned the body of the speaker. The Septuagint translator, as quoted by the writer of Hebrews, seems to have emphasized the latter aspect of the idiom. The point referenced from the Old Testament, then, is that God has "digged ears," or "dug ears," or "given open ears," or "created the body" of the person speaking.

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.