The Doctor

“‘…I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,’ then He adds, ‘Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more'” (Hebrews 10:16-17).

Earlier in chapter eight, the author of Hebrews began an extended discussion of the New Covenant based on a portion of Scripture from the book of Jeremiah. Now. our author will close that discussion with a reference to that same passage from Jeremiah 31:31-34.

You see, one primary aspect of Hebrews 8:8 to 10:17 involves a focus upon God’s internal work within us under the New Covenant. However, we can also find many examples of the Holy Spirit’s work in the lives of other individuals throughout the Old Testament period as well. Some of those Biblical personalities included…

• Balaam (Numbers 24:2).
• Saul (1 Samuel 10:10).
• Azariah (2 Chronicles 15:1).
• Othniel (Judges 3:9-10).
• Gideon (Judges 6:34. We’ll read more about Gideon in Hebrews chapter eleven).
• Jephthah [Judges 11:29. We’ll also see more of Jepthah in the following chapter of Hebrews as well).
• Amasai (1 Chronicles 12:18).
• Jahaziel (2 Chronicles 20:14).
• Zechariah (2 Chronicles 24:20).
• Ezekiel (Ezekiel 11:5).

So how do we reconcile God’s Old Covenant work in the lives of these individuals in light of the New Covenant? We find the answer in something that they all held in common. In each of these examples, we’re told that the Spirit of God “came upon” those men to equip them for a specific work or ministry. Unlike the internal work of the Holy Spirit under the New Covenant, the Spirit came upon them in a manner that empowered them to complete a specific task  (or tasks).

This represents an important difference between the Old and New Covenants. The difference is that we are not simply empowered to perform a work for God under the New Covenant. Instead, those who accept Christ by faith are recipients of a new internal nature according to the promise given to us in Jeremiah 31:31-34. That new, God-honoring internal nature serves to influence and empower our internal decisions and external actions each day.

The following passage from the New Testament epistle of Galatians underscores this idea…

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

“The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: ‘This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds…'” (Hebrews 10:15-16 NIV).

This reference to the Biblical testimony of the Holy Spirit in Hebrews 10:15 offers an opportunity to examine a related passage from the New Testament epistle of 2 Timothy…

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

This process of inspiration finds its origin in the word theopneustos (or, “God- breathed”) in the original language of 2 Timothy 3:16. Much like the act of human exhalation, this portion of Scripture tells us that God “breathed-out” His Word through each Biblical author. It is this unique two-part authorship that makes the Bible different from any other book.

First, we can say that God is fully responsible for the content of the Scriptures. This explains why the Bible claims to be authoritative (Exodus 4:30, 1 Thessalonians 2:13), eternal (Psalm 119:89, Matthew 24:35), and true (Psalm 119:142, John 17:17). However, the doctrine of Biblical inspiration does not mean that these Biblical authors functioned as human word processors, copy machines, or stenographers.

Instead, God used the personality, cultural background, vocabulary, and writing style of each human writer to communicate the Scriptures in a precise and errorless manner. For example, the Scriptures display the humanity of each human author through such things as human research (Luke 1:1-4), human emotion (Nehemiah 13:25), and even human memories that were fragmentary and incomplete (1 Corinthians 1:15-16).

Therefore, as one commentator observes…

“With these two acts of God—breathing out His Word and carrying the writers along by the Spirit—we can come to a definition of inspiration: The Holy Spirit moved men to write. He allowed them to use their own styles, cultures, gifts, and character. He allowed them to use the results of their own study and research, write of their own experiences, and express what was in their minds.

At the same time, the Holy Spirit did not allow error to influence their writings. He overruled in the expression of thought and in the choice of words. Thus, they recorded accurately all God wanted them to say and exactly how He wanted them to say it in their own character, styles, and languages.” ₍₁₎

(1) Brian H. Edwards, Why Should We Believe in the Inerrancy of Scripture? Answers in Genesis https://answersingenesis.org/is-the-bible-true/why-should-we-believe-in-the-inerrancy-of-scripture/ Retrieved 28 October 2022

“But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, ‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord…'” (Hebrews 10:15-16).

While Jeremiah the prophet served as the human author of the quotation in the passage above, we should not overlook this attribution to the Holy Spirit here in Hebrews 10:16. This is not the only portion of Scripture to feature this type of acknowledgement…

“Notice a number of places in the New Testament where portions of the Old Testament that were written by various men are assigned to the Holy Spirit as the author. The only way to account for this phenomenon is to recognize a dual authorship (see Mark 12:36, where the Spirit is said to be the author of what David wrote in Ps. 110; Acts 1:16 and 4:24–25, where Ps. 41 and Ps. 2 are ascribed to the Holy Spirit; and Heb. 3:7; 10:15–16).” ₍₁₎

The following passage from the Biblical epistle of 1 Peter helps us understand how this “dual authorship” took place…

“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21 NIV).

The Apostle Peter described this process with a nautical term that means “to move or be conveyed” in the original language of these verses. ₍₂₎ We can illustrate the that means of conveyance with the image of a sailboat on a lake. Just as a sailboat is moved by the wind that fills its sails, the Holy Spirit carried these Old and New Testament authors along, so they went exactly where the Spirit wanted them to go in their Biblical works.

These human authors were active in writing the words of the Scriptures as God’s Spirit carried them along, just as sailors are active on a ship that is moved by the wind. Thus, an important observation made earlier in our study of the book of Hebrews is one that bears repeating…

“This is attributing the inspiration of the OT to the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 28:25; Heb. 10:15). In context this is very significant because Scripture is attributed to the Father in Heb. 1:5,13; 2:6,11; 4:3,4; 10:9; 13:5. Therefore, this is a strong passage on the deity and personality of the Spirit (cf. Heb. 9:8; 10:15). ₍₃₎

(1) Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Bible, 1995 Update, Expanded ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1995), 2080.

(2) See G5342 phero Thayer’s Greek Lexicon https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5342/kjv/tr/0-1/

(3) Dr. Bob Utley. Free Bible Commentary, [Hebrews 3:7] Copyright © 2014 Bible Lessons International http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/new_testament_studies/VOL10/VOL10_03.html

“For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14).

It may be easy to associate the word “perfected” with the quality of flawlessness. However, we should be careful to note that this passage does not communicate the idea of sinless perfection. The Biblical book of 1 John prohibits that interpretation when it tells us, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (1 John 1:10).

Instead, Hebrews 10:14 uses this word to convey a sense of full development or maturation. In other words, those who accept Christ obtain a position of perfect standing with God. Since Jesus has perfectly atoned for our sins through His sacrificial death, we receive forgiveness and liberation from the shame of a guilty conscience before God.

One Biblical scholar provides us with a detailed explanation of this important idea…

“The word ‘perfected’ is the translation of teleioo which means ‘to bring to a state of completion.’ Here, the completeness of the state of salvation of the believer is in view. Everything essential to the salvation of the individual is included in the gift of salvation which the sinner receives by faith in Messiah’s sacrifice. The words ‘for ever’ here are to be construed with ‘perfected.’ It is a permanent state of completeness in salvation to which reference is made.” ₍₁₎

Thus, we can say along with Paul the Apostle in his Biblical letter to the Philippian church…

“I don’t mean to say I am perfect. I haven’t learned all I should even yet, but I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ saved me for and wants me to be. No, dear brothers, I am still not all I should be, but I am bringing all my energies to bear on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God is calling us up to heaven because of what Christ Jesus did for us” (Philippians 3:12-14 TLB).

Finally, this passage also serves to refute the idea of purgatory, or a place of temporary punishment where one is cleansed (or purged) from sin before entering heaven. Since Hebrews 10:14 tells us, “…by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (ESV), no further purging is necessary. Instead, Jesus completed the work of redemption on our behalf in saying, “It is finished” (John 19:30) from the cross.

(1) Kenneth S. Wuest, Word Studies in the Greek New Testament (Hebrews 10:13-14) Copyright © 1942-55 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

“But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet” (Hebrews 10:12-13 ESV).

This reference to the “right hand of God” in Hebrews 1:12 represents another image that periodically reappears over the course of this epistle. This passage finds our author quoting once again from one of his favorite Old Testament resources, Psalm 110:1: “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.'” We saw this same imagery earlier in Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 1:13, and Hebrews 8:1. This word-picture will also make one final appearance later in Hebrews 12:2.

As mentioned previously, the symbolism associated with the “right hand of God” is important, for it finds its origin in an ancient, cross-cultural symbol of authority and power. Since the right hand serves as the dominant hand for most people, the right hand (or right arm) eventually came to be associated with the greatest degree of skill and strength in the ancient world.

This eventually led to a further identification with the concepts of favor, importance, righteousness, blessing, and sovereignty. In fact, we continue to acknowledge this ancient imagery today whenever we refer to a person who serves as the “right hand” of someone in authority. Other New Testament authors employ this imagery as well, further attesting to the powerful nature of this metaphor..

In a similar manner, this reference to a footstool conveys an image of complete subjugation of one’s enemies. Today, we might use the analogy of a combatant who places his foot on the neck of a vanquished opponent to communicate a similar idea. However, there are some other aspects to this idea that we would do well to contemplate…

“Isaiah 66:1 records the Lord as saying, ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.’ God used this metaphor to help us comprehend how great He is and how insignificant we are by comparison. If our entire planet is nothing but a footstool to our Creator, how small are we in the grand scheme of things?

…A footstool in the Bible is a symbol of lowliness, humility, and unimportance. It signifies that the one using the footstool is far superior to the footstool itself. It’s amazing that, while God calls the earth His footstool, He still humbled Himself and took on human flesh to become One who lived on that footstool. And He requires that kind of meekness and humility in each of His followers (Philippians 2:5–11).” ₍₁₎

(1) GotQuestions.org, “What is the significance of a footstool in the Bible?” Retrieved 18 October, 2022 from https://www.gotquestions.org/footstool-in-the-Bible.html

“And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool” (Hebrews 10:11-13).

Much like a teacher who seeks to reinforce a lesson in the minds of his or her students, the author of Hebrews returned to supplement an earlier teaching in the passage quoted above. Consider this excerpt from Hebrews 10:12: “…after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.” Unlike an Old Testament priest who stood to conduct the various sacrificial offerings, Jesus finished His sacrificial work as evidenced by His seated position at the right hand of God.

We find this same imagery in several other portions of this epistle…

“…when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3 KJV).

“But to which of the angels has He ever said: ‘Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool’?” (Hebrews 1:13).

“Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Hebrews 8:1).

These passages convey the idea of Jesus’ completed work, as well as His exalted position. In fact, this word-picture is so important that our author will return to it once again in Hebrews 12:2. The following commentary prompts us to consider the significance of this imagery and helps explain why our author has returned to it so often…

“Christ’s work is contrasted with the work of the Jewish priests. The priests’ work was never finished, so they had to stand day after day and offer sacrifices; Christ’s sacrifice (dying in our place) is finished, so he is seated. The priests repeated the sacrifices often; Christ sacrificed once for all. The sacrifice system couldn’t completely remove sin; Christ’s sacrifice effectively cleansed us.” ₍₁₎

Another source adds a practical application in reminding us that we can do nothing to secure God’s favor apart from what Christ has done on our behalf: “If you feel like you’re in a rut, doing the same things every day to try to impress God, you’re under the old system. And like the priests of old, your work is never done.” ₍₂₎

(1) Life Application Study Bible NKJV [Hebrews 10:11-12] Copyright © 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2004 by Tyndale House Publishers Inc., all rights reserved.

(2) Courson, J. (2003). Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (p. 1489). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

“By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10).

One potentially overlooked aspect of this passage involves Jesus’ will to accomplish God’s objective for His life. Perhaps the clearest expression of that commitment is recorded in a passage from the Gospel of Matthew. That portion of Scripture describes Jesus’ interaction with His disciples at the time of His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane…

“…Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” (Matthew 26:53-54 NLT).

Even though Jesus possessed the ability to escape the events that were about to befall Him, He declined that option in accordance with the Scriptures and God’s desire for His life. He thus provides us with an example to follow as we seek to align ourselves with God’s will in our own lives.

Hebrews 10:10 also references another important Biblical term: sanctification. This word conveys the idea of separation from sin and dedication to God. A person or object that is “sanctified” is something that has been set apart for God’s use. The following source offers additional clarity in defining sanctification as, “the act or process by which people or things are cleansed and dedicated to God…” ₍₁₎

Because God has brought us into union with Christ, Jesus has thus “…become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (NIV) according to 1 Corinthians 1:30. Therefore, we can say that our text from Hebrews 10:10 also addresses our positional sanctification in Christ…

“‘Sanctify’ means to ‘make holy,’ to be set apart from sin for God (cf. 1Th 4:3). When Christ fulfilled the will of God, He provided for the believer a continuing, permanent condition of holiness (Eph 4:24; 1Th 3:13). This is the believer’s positional sanctification as opposed to the progressive sanctification that results from daily walking by the will of God” ₍₂₎

Nevertheless, this reference to progressive sanctification in the quotation above reminds us that every man and woman of God is also involved in this process of sanctification. A portion of the New Testament epistle of 1 Thessalonians serves to illustrate this idea: “For this is the will of God— your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality, that each of you learn how to maintain control over his own ‘vessel’ in holiness and honor” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4 Mounce).

In light of this, we can say that God’s people are responsible to learn, grow, and participate in this practice of sanctification as well.

(1) New Dictionary of Theology, (Leicester/ Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity, 1988) pg. 613

(2) MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Heb 10:10). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

“Previously saying, ‘Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them’ (which are offered according to the law), then He said, ‘Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.’ He takes away the first that He may establish the second” (Hebrews 10:8-9).

Hebrews 10:8-9 provides us with a brief description of the offerings associated with the Old Covenant sacrificial system. Those sacrificial offerings from the Biblical book of Leviticus included…

• The burnt offering (chapter one).
• The grain offering (chapter two).
• The peace offering (chapter three).
• The sin offering (chapter four).
• The trespass offering (chapter five).

Yet despite the fact that these offerings are painstakingly described over multiple chapters of God’s Word, our passage from Hebrews reminds us that, “…the Levitical system by itself was not the means willed by God to remove His people’s sin permanently; rather, it was given to point people to the only effectual sacrifice for sin—Jesus Christ.” ₍₁₎

Hebrews 10:9 couples that idea with Jesus’ willingness to accept this sacrificial responsibility: “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” In fact, Jesus expressed that sentiment on several occasions as He led  by example…

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day” (John 6:38-39)

“…He knelt down and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done'” (Luke 22:41-42).

“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father” (John 10:17-18).

“While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. Then one said to Him, ‘Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.’ But He answered and said to the one who told Him, ‘Who is My mother and who are My brothers?’ And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, ‘Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother'” (Matthew 12:46-50).

(1) Sproul, R. C. (Ed.). (2015). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (p. 2213). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust.

“In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God'” (Hebrews 10:6-7).

The Gospel of John records several instances where Jesus signaled His intent to fulfill God’s will in accord with this passage…

“Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work'” (John 4:34).

“I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me” (John 5:30).

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38).

However, Luke’s Gospel may contain the greatest expression of that commitment…

“So [Jesus] came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.

And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.’

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing'” (Luke 4:16-21).

In referencing this Old Testament quote from our passage from Hebrews,  one source observes, “The OT prophets had warned the Israelites that sacrifices alone would not please God. He desired obedience as well (Ps. 51:16, 17; Is. 1:13–17; Mark 12:33). This messianic psalm indicates that Jesus’ obedience to God the Father was one of the reasons His sacrifice was better than the OT sacrifices.” ₍₁₎

Another commentator adds…

“God’s will was a new covenant with all humanity established by Jesus’ death and resurrection (cf. Mark 10:45; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 10:9). When animals died in sacrificial offerings they had no choice. Jesus willingly laid down His own life (cf. John 10:17-18).” ₍₂₎

(1) Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (p. 1650). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.

(2) Dr. Bob Utley, Hebrews 10 [10:7] Copyright © 2014 Bible Lessons International http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/new_testament_studies/VOL10/VOL10_10.html

“So when he came into the world, he said, ‘Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me'” (Hebrews 10:5-6).

This passage features a quotation of Psalm 40:6 from an ancient translation known as the Septuagint. This translation is sometimes abbreviated as LXX (the Roman numeral for seventy) when it is referenced within a contemporary Biblical translation. The Septuagint is a Jewish translation of the Old Testament Scriptures from Hebrew and Aramaic into Greek that predated the life of Christ by about 200 years. It gets its name from the traditional belief that seventy scholars took part in its translation.

However, some significant differences emerge when we compare this reference to the Hebrew text from the Book Of Psalms. The following sources identify those issues and help provide us with an explanation…

“Psalm 40:6 cites the Messiah as saying ‘My ears You have opened,’ but the writer of Hebrews quotes it as ‘a body You have prepared for Me’ (10:5). There is no similarity whatsoever in these quotations. The NT seems to totally distort this OT passage…

The solution may lie in the fact that Hebrews is a loose rendition, and Psalms is a more literal translation of the same idea, namely ‘You have fitted me for obedient service.'” ₍₁₎

“The Hb. text of Ps. 40:6 reads, ‘God has opened my ear’ (cf. Is. 50:5). Hebrews follows the Septuagint, which speaks of the readiness of the whole person (‘the body’) and not only a representative part (the ears). Thus, Hebrews understands the ‘ears’ of the Hb. text to be a part of the body that represents the whole body, which is a typical Hb. figure of speech called ‘synecdoche.’ The ‘body … prepared for me’ is the humanity assumed by Christ in the course of His full obedience to the Father (2:14; 5:8).” ₍₂₎

“Psalm 40:6 reads, ‘My ears you have opened.’ This does not represent a significant alteration in the meaning of the psalm, as indicated by the fact that the writer quoted the LXX version of the Heb. idiom, which was an accurate representation for Greek readers. The Greek translators regarded the Heb. words as a figure of speech, in which a part of something signified the whole, i.e., the hollowing out of ears was part of the total work of fashioning a human body.” ₍₃₎

These explanations thus allow us to focus upon the essence of this passage: God has provided a sacrifice in the form of His Son, a sacrifice that is both well-pleasing and acceptable to Him (Romans 8:32, Ephesians 5:2-2).

(1) Geisler, N. L., & Howe, T. A. (1992). When critics ask : a popular handbook on Bible difficulties (p. 521). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.

(2) Sproul, R. C. (Ed.). (2015). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (p. 2213). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust.

(3) MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Heb 10:5). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers