Scripture Daily

Context No. 993 of 4322 · Hebrews

Context · Reflection

Hebrews 10:8-16: in context

8Previously saying, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you didn’t desire, neither had pleasure in them” (those which are offered according to the law), 9then he has said, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He takes away the first, that he may establish the second, 10by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11Every priest indeed stands day by day serving and offering often the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins, 12but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God, 13from that time waiting until his enemies are made the footstool of his feet. 14For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. 15The Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying, 16“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days,” says the Lord, “I will put my laws on their heart, I will also write them on their mind;” then he says,

The writer of Hebrews is showing why Christ's sacrifice replaces the whole system of sacrifices. Quoting the psalm, he notes that God did not ultimately desire sacrifices and offerings, and then Christ says, behold, I have come to do your will. He takes away the first, the old system, to establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus once for all. And then the contrast: every priest stands day after day, offering the same sacrifices that can never take away sins, but Christ, having offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at God's right hand.

The whole argument turns on two postures: standing and sitting. The old priests stand, day after day, endlessly repeating sacrifices that can never actually finish the job, because a sacrifice that truly worked would not need repeating. Their standing is the posture of unfinished work. But Christ, having offered one sacrifice for all time, sat down. The sitting is everything. It is the posture of completion, of work that is done and does not need doing again. He is not up offering himself over and over; he made the one offering and took his seat, because by that single offering he has perfected forever those who are being made holy. This is the deep relief of the gospel: the work of atonement is finished, sat-down finished, not a treadmill we keep running or a sacrifice we keep having to top up. And the Spirit seals it by pointing back to the promise of a new covenant, laws written on the heart, sins remembered no more.

Am I still standing, as it were, endlessly trying to atone for myself, or can I rest in the finished work of the One who offered a single sacrifice and sat down?

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