The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Hebrews 10:1-4
The author of Hebrews is now wrapping up this central core section of the letter, and he is doing so by once again focusing on the superior sacrifice that Jesus brought to establish a superior covenant with superior promises. Again, he states that the Law is merely a shadow of a reality to come, stating again that it’s sacrifices can not take away sin. In fact, he seems to have found three ways to restate this in just a few short sentences here. I’ve never actually gone through these chapters and counted the number of times he’s made this same point, but if you’ve been following these posts for the past week, you will recall that there is a lot of repetition here… why? It might just be that this point takes a lot of repetition before we comprehend it! The Law was not sufficient to complete God’s purposes, so it has been replaced by a better system, a perfect one, that takes our sins away entirely, after all, the Law was but an illustration of what was to come, and what was to come was the reality of Jesus Christ!
Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:
“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
with burnt offerings and sin offerings
you were not pleased.
Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—
I have come to do your will, my God.’
Hebrews 10:5-7
After the restatement of the Law’s inadequacy in the first 4 verses, this quotation from Psalm 40 shows the attitude of Christ, the real sacrifice, who gave up His life as the sacrifice that would end the problem of sin once for all.
First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 10:8-10
Acting as commentator, the author restates another of his themes: The first covenant was set aside to make room for the second, and by that second covenant, the New Covenant, we have been made holy by the removal of our sins in Christ.
Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
Hebrews 10:11-14
You’ve probably noticed that the mere fact of the repetition of the old sacrifices, has been used by the author to make the point that they could never take away sins, and here that is one more time, set beside the contrasting one time sacrifice that Jesus made. This fact alone, repetition of the same sacrifices, day after day, year after year, is proof enough that this system is finished… yet so many miss it even now! Jesus, after making His sacrifice has sat down on high and awaits his enemies being made His footstool. Interesting imagery, for sure. His enemies are defeated, and upon His return, their activities will cease once and for all time, becoming as a footstool for His feet!
The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:
“This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”
Then he adds:
“Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more.”
And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.
Hebrews 10:15-18
Once again, we see the verses from Jeremiah 31 foretelling of the New Covenant that was to come, and now has come, and notice the final sentence, the author’s summation of these chapters. Sin has been forgiven, and further sacrifices are no longer necessary: The Old Covenant is over.
When the same things are repeated over and over again, it is incumbent upon us to take notice of them. This repetition isn’t simply poor writing style, if anything, the letter to the Hebrews of Rome is one of the best written of all the New Testament books; some of the phrasing is nothing less than brilliant. No, the repetition is a literary device to underscore these points, to highlight them. The author really wants the people to remember them, and is it any wonder to us today when we see the Old and New Covenants merged together in many places, to the serious detriment of the Gospel, when we see large groups of Christians expecting Jesus to return to set up once again this old system that He set aside by His sacrifice on the cross!
As I mentioned at the beginning of our tour of Hebrews, this book is often quoted, but seldom taught today!
Life Project Blog 
Don. A few things rolled around my head as I was reading this. It is a form of multi-tasking under-rated as a skill or a gift – but I digress.
One thing was a theory of communication, not just repetition – different “forms”: visual, logical, and sensory. One being the preference of each of us. One being the preferred way of “hearing” for each of us. I have not done my homework, yet I suspect all three are littered throughout this repetition. Under the circumstances this letter was written, there was a compelling reason for presenting a compelling case.
The second is simply that of “repetition”. And the priestly offering of sacrifice. And a ponderment (less specific than a question) – concerning current religious rituals, services and liturgy. How much is reinforcing the old, how much is reinforcing the (new) now. How much is “we are not good enough” kind of beat myself up in quasi sacrifice old, and how much is “forgiven and family” with gratitude and love and a desire to please new.
The third is this. Heather gave me a wonderful comment a while ago: “You peel back its layers and reveal the juicy center.” Whilst not seeing my words in quite such a fine light, I have to say – on reflection – that her comment applies to much that is written by many (including her own). And of Hebrews and your posts here – totally spot on!
Paul I think you’re right, for in the repetition the author is coming at the same issue from slightly different ways, almost as if to say “look people, you need to get this… every one of you, no matter how your brain works, no matter your past experiences or frames of reference, this is a big deal!” And I would say that the same applies to us now, whatever our backgrounds or theological orientation, this is a big deal and we need to understand it, so yes, you’re right on the money in your multi-tasking. In our time, it makes those elements that are stuck in their “isms” have way too much they need to explain away…
thank you for sharing this with us Don!
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As we know Don we need to see the Big Picture not just bits and pieces or build a theology just on one book of the Bible as some do, all Scripture fits together to form the Complete Picture, which we see and understand with Spiritual eyes (1Corinthians 2:9-16 )
What do the Scriptures in completeness tell us about sin and not keeping the Law, is it OK to sin and no longer keep God’s Commandments now that Jesus has set us free from the Law’s punishment for our past sins.
Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the Law through Faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the Law.
Romans 6 : 1 – 2 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Romans 2:7-9 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the Truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
1 John 2:4-6 He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the Love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.
As Scripture confirms Don, Jesus fulfilled the Sabbath, He is our rest so we have liberty to choose which day we set aside for God or to worship and break bread together, the early Christians met everyday not just on Saturday or Sunday and they went to the Temple everyday too. God also tells us all Creatures are permissible to eat with thanksgiving, as for the other Commandments God gave the Jews, we keep them in keeping the Commandment to Love because they are all about Love, as you said Don we are no longer under the old Jewish Covenant we are in Christ Jesus, the New Covenant but that does not give us liberty to sin.
And when we are Born again we don’t sin, we have God’s seed…….
1John 3:9 No one who is Born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been Born of God.
As this Scripture confirms and many others, if we do sin we are not Born again , not saying we won’t be before we die after coming to heart repentance. But if we sin yes we can be forgiven but we are still in darkness. We are to claim we are dead to sin not keep saying we will sin, Jesus has set us free now, not some time in the future.
Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:5-7 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Ephesians 4:23-24 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
2 Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Romans 6:18-20 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
John 3:2 -7 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this Hope in Him purified himself, even as He is pure. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous.
I have more Scripture Don on my last Post, that confirms we are not at Liberty to sin now or ever and we cannot Sin when we are Born again. In Christ Jesus we are not only forgiven of our past sins we are set free from the Slavery of sin and so no longer sin.
John 8:34-36 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Christian Love from both of us – Anne.
I started doing that some years ago; go through the bible and pick out repetition in the Word; it is amazing in the OT, especially when God is speaking how he reiterated instructions. I could go through Psalm, Ezekiel and Isaiah (to name a few) and would number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. The same words over and over again. Must be some importance to the repeating words. Thanks for bringing it to our attention. vw
Another great point! In some places it’s like reading a legal document the way the text repeats, parallels and uses multiple words that say the same thing. Of course much of the OT is a legal document!
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I missed a comment you made on “the shadow of things” and picked it up again when I visited the “Last will and testament”; which brings me to the point in this post “the shadow”. Do you ever get to contrasting this shadow to Psalm 23: yea do I walk through the valley of the shadow of death? For years it gave me the willies to read it, but I recently discovered it is a “shadow” not the real thing, just a shadow, so I indeed need not fear. It is a powerful reality. vw
Amen, what a great point!
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