The Typical Sacrifice. Heb. 10:1–4. (102)
“The 10th chapter of our epistle has two main divisions: the first is occupied with a setting forth of the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice unto those who believe, vv. 1–20; the second is devoted to the making of a practical application of the doctrine of the first section unto faith, obedience, and perseverance, vv. 21–39. In the closing verse of chapter 9 two things are joined together: the cross of Christ and His second coming. And what intervenes between Calvary and the actual entrance into Glory of those who were there redeemed and reconciled to God? This: the Christian-life on earth, and it is this which is mainly in view in the closing chapters of our epistle. It is the present status, privileges, walk, discipline and responsibilities of the saints which are therein set forth. The order of thought which is followed in the first main division of our present chapter ought not to be difficult to grasp. First, we have an affirmation and demonstration of the deficiency of the legal sacrifices to “perfect” the worshipper: vv. 1–4. Second, we have a manifestation and exemplification of the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice to “perfect forever” (v. 14) those for whom He made satisfaction unto God: vv. 5–20. Thus, the apostle proves again the imperative need for the supplanting of all the inefficacious offerings of Judaism by the all-sufficient offering of Christ. In the development of the first point, an assertion is made of the inadequacy of the Levitical sacrifices to expiate sin and meet the dire needs of the offerer (v. 1). A confirmation of the truth of this assertion is drawn from the frequency of their repetition (v. 2). It is shown that the annual typical propitiation was only a constant re-opening of the question of sin (v. 2). From these facts the inevitable conclusion is drawn that it was impossible for such sacrifices to remove sins.” Pink Arthur W
“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect” (v. 1). Three questions are suggested to the thoughtful reader of this verse. First, exactly what is the contrast pointed by “shadow” and “image”? Second, what is meant by the comers being made “perfect”? Third, why did God appoint sacrifices that were so inefficacious? These shall be our points of focus as we endeavor to expound this verse.
- “Shadow is put first emphatically; only an outline of the substantial and eternal blessings promised. A shadow has no substance; but brings before the mind the form of the body from which it is projected! The ‘image’ itself is given to us in Christ, a full and permanent embodiment of the good things to come” (Adolph Saphir). The correct idea is clearly borne out by 8:5; 9:9, 11, 23, Col. 2:17, “which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ.” In Heb. 10:1: the Mosaic economy, with all its ordinances and institutions of worship, gave only an earthly adumbration or representation, and did not possess the substance, reality, or “body”: that is found only in Christ Himself, to whom the Old Testament shadows pointed. A “shadow” gives a representation of a body, a more or less just one of its form and size, yet only an obscure and imperfect one. The “good things to come” (future, not when this epistle was written, but at the time that the Mosaic economy was instituted) has reference to all those blessings and privileges which have come to the church in consequence of the incarnation of Christ and the discharge of His office. Well might they be designated “good things,” for there is no alloy or mixture of evil with them; other things are “good” relatively, but these things absolutely. The “image” or substance of them is found in Christ and set forth in His Gospel: for a similar use of the term “image” cf. Rom. 8:29. “This therefore is that which the apostle denies concerning the law. It had not the actual accomplishment of the promise of good things; it had not Christ exhibited in the flesh; it had not the true real sacrifice of perfect expiation: it represented these things; it had a shadow of them, but enjoyed not, exhibited not the things themselves. Herein was its imperfection and weakness, so that by none of its sacrifices could it make the Church perfect” (John Owen.
- “Can never with ver. 3, 4, 11–18, ch. 7:18, 19; 9:8, 9, 25 those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. Three things are affirmed in the second half of our verse. First, the impotency of the “law” or old covenant, or Mosaic economy. It could never “make perfect.” It could by no means, in no way do so; it was impossible that it should. This is stated so emphatically to remove from the minds of the Hebrews all expectations of perfection with Judaism. Second, that with respect unto which this impotency of the law is here ascribed was its “sacrifices,” which was the very thing in which most of the Jews had chiefly placed their hopes. But not only is that affirmed of the sacrifices in general, but also in particular of the great sacrifice on the day of atonement, which was offered “year by year”: if that was ineffectual, how much more so the minor offerings! Third, that wherein its impotency lay was its inability to “perfect” the “comers.”
