Hebrews 10 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes

From all that has been said it appears, that the law, the Mosaic dispensation, being a bare, unsubstantial shadow of good things to come, of the gospel blessings, and not the substantial, solid image of them, can never with the same kind of sacrifices, though continually repeated, make the comers thereunto perfect, either as to justification or sanctification. How is it possible, that any who consider this should suppose the attainments of David, or any who were under that dispensation, to be the proper measure of gospel holiness; and that Christian experience is to rise no higher than Jewish?

They who had been once perfectly purged, would have been no longer conscious either of the guilt or power of their sins.

There is a public commemoration of the sins both of the last and of all the preceding years; a clear proof that the guilt thereof is not perfectly purged away.

It is impossible the blood of goats should take away sins — Either the guilt or the power of them.

When he cometh into the world — In the fortieth psalm the Messiah's coming into the world is represented. It is said, into the world, not into the tabernacle, Hebrews 9:1; because all the world is interested in his sacrifice. A body hast thou prepared for me — That I may offer up myself. Psalms 40:6, &c.

In the volume of the book — In this very psalm it is written of me. Accordingly I come to do thy will — By the sacrifice of myself.

Above when he said, Sacrifice thou hast not chosen — That is, when the Psalmist pronounced those words in his name.

Then said he — in that very instant he subjoined. Lo, I come to do Thy will — To offer a more acceptable sacrifice; and by this very act he taketh away the legal, that he may establish the evangelical, dispensation.

By which will — Of God, done and suffered by Christ. We are sanctified — Cleansed from guilt, and consecrated to God.

Every priest standeth — As a servant in an humble posture.

But he — The virtue of whose one sacrifice remains for ever. Sat down — As a son, in majesty and honour.

Psalms 110:1.

He hath perfected them for ever — That is, has done all that was needful in order to their full reconciliation with God.

In Hebrews 10:15-18, the apostle winds up his argument concerning the excellency and perfection of the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ. He had proved this before by a quotation from Jeremiah; which he here repeats, describing the new covenant as now completely ratified, and all the blessings of it secured to us by the one offering of Christ, which renders all other expiatory sacrifices, and any repetition of his own, utterly needless.

Jeremiah 31:33, &c

Having finished the doctrinal part of his epistle, the apostle now proceeds to exhortation deduced from what has been treated of Hebrews 5:4, which he begins by a brief recapitulation. Having therefore liberty to enter, —

By a living way — The way of faith, whereby we live indeed. Which he hath consecrated — Prepared, dedicated, and established for us. Through the veil, that is, his flesh — As by rending the veil in the temple, the holy of holies became visible and accessible; so by wounding the body of Christ, the God of heaven was manifested, and the way to heaven opened.

Let us draw near — To God. With a true heart — In godly sincerity. Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience — So as to condemn us no longer And our bodies washed with pure water — All our conversation spotless and holy, which is far more acceptable to God than all the legal sprinklings and washings.

The profession of our hope — The hope which we professed at our baptism.

Not forsaking the assembling ourselves — In public or private worship. As the manner of some is — Either through fear of persecution, or from a vain imagination that they were above external ordinances. But exhorting one another — To faith, love, and good works. And so much the more, as ye see the day approaching — The great day is ever in your eye.

For when we — Any of us Christians. Sin wilfully — By total apostasy from God, termed "drawing back," Hebrews 10:38. After having received the experimental knowledge of the gospel truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins — None but that which we obstinately reject.

He that, in capital cases, despised (presumptuously transgressed) the law of Moses died without mercy — Without any delay or mitigation of his punishment.

Of how much sorer punishment is he worthy, who — By wilful, total apostasy. It does not appear that this passage refers to any other sin. Hath, as it were, trodden underfoot the Son of God — A lawgiver far more honourable than Moses. And counted the blood wherewith the better covenant was established, an unholy, a common, worthless thing. By which he hath been sanctified — Therefore Christ died for him also, and he was at least justified once. And done despite to the Spirit of grace — By rejecting all his motions.

The Lord will judge his people — Yea, far more rigorously than the heathens, if they rebel against him. Deuteronomy 32:35, &c.

To fall into the hands — Of his avenging justice.

Enlightened — With the knowledge of God and of his truth.

For ye sympathized with all your suffering brethren, and with me in particular; and received joyfully the loss of your own goods.

Cast not away therefore this your confidence — Your faith and hope; which none can deprive you of but yourselves.

The promise — Perfect love; eternal life.

He that cometh — To reward every man according to his works.

Now the just — The justified person. Shall live — In God's favour, a spiritual and holy life. By faith — As long as he retains that gift of God. But if he draw back — If he make shipwreck of his faith My soul hath no pleasure in him — That is, I abhor him; I cast him off. Habakkuk 2:3, &c.

We are not of them who draw back to perdition — Like him mentioned Hebrews 10:38. But of them that believe — To the end, so as to attain eternal life.