The Perfecting of the Church continues. Heb. 10:11-14 (110)
“There is a glorified Man at God’s right hand! Christ is the only one among all the hosts above who deserves to be there! Christ has entered heaven for His people. He has gone there in his official character. He has gone there as our Representative; to appear before God “for us” Heb. 9:24. He is there as our great High Priest, bearing our names on His breastplate. “Whither the fore-runner is for us entered…” Heb. 6:20. There the mighty Victor sits “crowned with glory and honor.” He occupies the Throne of universal dominion, of all-mighty power, of sovereign and illimitable grace. He is making all things work together for the good of His own. The kingly scepter shall He wield until all His redeemed are with Him in glory.” Pink Arthur W.
- “From henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool” v. 13. “The Lord said… Sit Thou at My right hand, until…Thy footstool” Ps. 110:1, Heb. 1:13. The state of glory and position of honor had been appointed the Mediator following on the presentation of His offering to God. His place on the throne of heaven, till His foes were completely subjugated. To enter the place of service and die again He was no longer capable! His is now invested with unlimited power and dominion, and nothing now remains but the accomplishing of all those effects which His sacrifice was designed to procure. These are twofold; the saving of His elect, the subjugating of all revolters against God, for “He hath appointed a day…to judge the world… by that Man… ordained” Acts 17:31. He now calmly awaits the fulfillment of the Father’s promise: cf. 1Cor. 15:25–27…. He will yet say, “I will tread them in Mine anger, and… in My fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon My garments … for the day of vengeance is in Mine heart” Is. 63:3, 4: cf. Rev. 14:20. Then will men experience the terribleness of “the wrath of the Lamb” Pink A. W. Rev. 6:16, Dan. 2:44, Matt. 22:44, Lu. 20:43, Ac. 2:35.
- “One would think such a person as Christ could have no enemies except in hell; but it is certain that he has enemies on earth, very many, and very inveterate ones. Let not Christians then wonder that they have enemies, though they desire to live peaceably with all men. They shall be made his footstool; some by conversion, others by confusion; and which way soever it be, Christ will be honoured. Of this Christ is assured, this he is expecting, and his people should rejoice in the expectation of it; for, when his enemies shall be subdued, their enemies, that are so for his sake, shall be subdued also.” M. Henry Read Lk 19:27. Christ can destroy all His enemies in a moment, yet He has bided His time. Why? Because, even in Heaven… His final triumph is still postponed, because He calmly waits that day which God has “appointed” Acts 17:31. In Rev. 1:9 “the… patience of Jesus Christ”. Whatever be our lot and condition, however the forces of evil rage against us, we are to possess our souls in patience Lk. 21:19, knowing that there is a “set time” to favor Zion Ps. 102:13. Ere long, every enemy of Christ and of His church shall be overthrown—overthrown, not “reconciled”: “His enemies be made His footstool” Pink A. W.
- “For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (v. 14). Three things claim our attention here: first, the relation of this view to the context; second, what is meant by “perfected for ever”?; third, who are the “sanctified”? First, it intimates that what is now said furnishes additional proof for the very fact that the one offering of Christ has “perfected for ever” those sanctified by God, gives the efficacy and sufficiency of it, and the needlessness of any repetition. Second, the fact that the Mediator’s sitting at God’s right hand until His enemies are made His footstool—His work having accomplished such a blessed result, He is entitled both to rest and reward. “For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” The word for “perfected” literally means “completed” or “consummated.” This verse is not speaking of the Church’s eternal state in Glory, but of its present standing before God. By His sacrifice Christ has procured for His people the full pardon of sin and peace before God thereon. His people are both perfectly justified and perfectly sanctified, that is, a complete righteousness and complete fitness to worship God. Let it be added that, this perfect objective sanctification in no wise renders the less requisite our need of being constantly cleansed, experimentally, by the Spirit’s use of the Word: John 13:10, 1Pet. 1:2. Those perfected by the “one offering” of Christ are eternally set apart by the Father Jude 1. They are referred to as “heirs of salvation” Heb. 1:14, “sons” Heb. 2:10, “brethren” of Christ, Heb. 2:12), “partakers of the heavenly calling” Heb. 3:1, “heirs of promise” Heb. 6:17, “the house of Israel” and “of Judah” Heb. 8:8; but here “the sanctified,” because the Spirit’s object in the whole of this passage is to trace everything to its origin, namely, the imperial will of a sovereign God.” Pink A. W.
