Hebrews 10:19-39 Lesson 429

Hebrews 10:19-39
Lesson 429

Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

In this lesson:

Why faith in Jesus is superior to the Mosaic Law (10:19-25).
Show love and do good deeds (10:24).
A warning (10:26-31).
Persevere in your faith (10:32-36).

Hebrews is divided into two main segments,
doctrinal (1:1-10:18) and practical (10:19-13:25).
This lesson begins the practical discussion of the superiority of faith
(the New Covenant) over the Mosaic rites and ceremonies of the Old Covenant.

Jesus praying.

By Munir Alawi, a photographer and digital artist born in Bethlehem.

Study Tip:

Read both the Old and New Testaments.

"Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian."

Aiden Wilson Tozer (1897-1963).

The Epistle of Paul The Apostle To The Hebrews

The King James Bible

Hebrews 10:19-39
Live by faith

19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

21 And having an high priest over the house of God;

22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32 But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;

33 Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.

34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.

35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Margin notes:

"Therefore." (10:19) - A connecting word linking the thoughts in verses 10:10-18 (lesson 428) to what the author is about to say.

"Enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus." (10:19) - Again, the "holiest" part of the Temple was blocked by a veil. Only the high priest could enter. In the "holiest" part of the Temple, the high priest would commune with God or offer up a sacrifice. Thanks to Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, that barrier is removed (Matthew 27:50-51; Mark 15:37-38). Christians now have direct access to God and need not go through a high priest.

"By a new and living way." (10:20) - Jesus offers a new way to salvation, by faith. Seeking heaven by following the rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic Law is the old way.

"High priest over the house of God." (10:21) - Jesus Christ lives within Christians. Since His sacrifice on the cross, Jesus is now our High Priest and the church is His house (3:6).

"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith." (10:22) - "Let us draw near (to God) with a true heart and total confidence in Him." See Psalm 73:28.

"Our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience." (10:22) - "Our hearts have been washed clean of guilt (by the blood of Christ)." Paraphrased from the prophecy of Jesus found in Ezekiel 36:25.

"Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works." (10:24) - "Let us think of ways to serve one another by inspiring love and good deeds in each other."

"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another." (10:25) - "Don't stop meeting (going to church), as some have, but encourage one another." Because of persecution (Acts 8:1-4; 12:1-5; 1 Thessalonians 2:14-15), many early Christians stopped meeting in public and kept their faith a secret.

"Ye see the day approaching." (10:25) - "You see the Judgment day approaching."

"If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of truth ." (10:26) - "If we deliberately sin after we receive the Gospel." To turn away from God after believing is called apostasy.

"A certain fearful looking for of judgment." (10:27) - "A fearful expectation of judgment."

"Shall devour the adversaries." (10:27) - "Shall destroy (God's) enemies."

"He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses." (10:28) - If two or three witnesses verified that someone rejected the Mosaic Law, they were put to death (Deuteronomy 17:6).

"How much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God." (10:29) - "How much more severe punishment would a person who trampled on the Son of God deserve."

"The blood of the covenant." (10:29) - The sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ confirmed the New Covenant.

"Hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace." (10:29) - "Has insulted the Holy Spirit (by rejecting the Son of God)."

"Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people" (10:30) - "Vengeance is mine, I will punish sin, said the Lord. And again, the Lord will judge all people" Paraphrased from Deuteronomy 32:35-36. See also Psalm 135:14.

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (10:31) - It is only "fearful" to the unrepentant sinner (10:27).

"After ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions." (10:32) - "After you were enlightened, you endured great suffering."

"Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions." (10:33) - "Sometimes you were made a public spectacle, you were insulted and suffered."

"Them that were so used." (10:33) - "Those that were so treated."

"Ye had compassion of me in my bonds." (10:34) - "You had compassion for me in my chains."

"The spoiling of your goods." (10:34) - "The loss of your property."

"Ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance." (10:34) - "You have something better and permanent in heaven."

"Which hath great recompence of reward." (10:35) - "Which has the great promise of reward."

"Ye have need of patience." (10:36) - "You need perseverance."

"Ye might receive the promise." (10:36) - "You will receive (God's) promise (Ephesians 6:8; Colossians 3:24."

"For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come..." (10:37-38) - This is a paraphrase from Habakkuk 2:3-4. It prophesied the birth of Christ six hundred years before He was born.

"The just shall live by faith." (10:38) - Salvation comes through faith in Jesus, not the Mosaic Law. This important teaching is reinforced in Romans 1:17 and Galatians 3:11).

"We are not of them who draw back unto perdition." (10:39) - "We are not one of those who abandon faith and then face destruction."

New Living Translation

Hebrews 10:19-39
A Call to Persevere

19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven's Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.

20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.

21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's house,

22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

26 Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins.

27 There is only the terrible expectation of God's judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies.

28 For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

29 Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God's mercy to us.

30 For we know the one who said,

  "I will take revenge.
      I will pay them back."

He also said,

  "The Lord will judge his own people."

31 It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32 Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering.

33 Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things.

34 You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.

35 So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!

36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.

37 "For in just a little while,
      the Coming One will come and not delay.

38 And my righteous ones will live by faith.
      But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away."

39 But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.

This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word-for-word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."

Today's question:

1. What is God asking in verses 10:22-25?

"There has been one sacrifice for sin. There will never be another. Whoever will not avail himself of what Christ has done for him on the cross may as well make up his mind to say goodbye to God forever."

By author and minister Henry Hampton Halley (1874-1965).

Answer: (Do you agree?)

1. In verses 10:22-25, Christians are urged to...

A) Draw nearer to God and trust Him with a sincere heart (10:22).
B) Trust God's promise of salvation (10:23).
C) Consider each other's problems, and to love and encourage each other to do good works (10:24).
D) Attend church (10:25).
E) Encourage others with the good news, Jesus is returning (10:25).


Application thought for the day:

When you face a crisis, disappointment, or hardship, let your faith be a source of strength and encouragement.
God knows the challenges and temptations you face and will see you through.
Turn to Him, ask for guidance, and remember, you have been promised a heavenly reward (10:35).

Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course, the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
© 2023 evolke

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