‘And every priest indeed stands day by day ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, the which can never take away sins, but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God, henceforth expecting till his enemies be made the footstool of his feet.'
For, says the writer, I want you to note the contrast. The priests minister day by day, standing and continually and regularly offering the same type of sacrifice over and over again, their service never ceasing. (He has in mind the priesthood as described in the Pentateuch, rather than the later multiplied priesthood). Yet they can never take away sins. But He in contrast, having offered one sacrifice of sins for ever, had accomplished once-for-all what was required for the taking away of sins, for He sat down at the right hand of God, complete proof that His priestly work was done and satisfactorily accomplished.
And now, His task being completed successfully, He reigns and encourages His people, and waits for all His enemies to be defeated and humbled at His feet. Success has been achieved, victory over all evil in the heavens and in earth has been accomplished. His work has been finalised. He could triumphantly say, ‘it is finished'. All that awaits is the final consummation.
Note the deliberate contrasts:
1) ‘Every priest' emphasises multiplicity and anonymity, ‘but He' stresses one Who was unique.
2) They minister ‘day by day', He has offered ‘once for ever'.
3) They continue to minister ‘standing', He has ‘taken His seat' on the throne, having completed His ministry.
4) They offer repeated sacrifices, He has offered one sacrifice for sins for ever.
5) Their sacrifices are without power, His has resulted in supreme power.
‘Can never take away.' Can never remove that which envelops (perielein). Man has woven his filthy garment of sin (Isaiah 64:6) which cannot be removed by priestly offerings. But through Christ it can be removed and we can instead be enveloped in His obedience (Hebrews 10:14). For the idea compare Psalms 109:19; Zechariah 3:4.
‘Sat down on the right hand of God, henceforth expecting till his enemies be made the footstool of his feet.' This further reference to Psalms 110 ties in with the continual references to this Psalm in the letter (Hebrews 1:3; Hebrews 1:13; Hebrews 5:6; Hebrews 7:17; Hebrews 7:21; Hebrews 8:1). His triumph as revealed in this Psalm was clearly central to his thinking. He has taken His seat because His redeeming work has been accomplished, and He awaits the final triumph that must result because it is all connected with the same purpose.