Having completed his main teaching point in 10:1-19, the Preacher begins to deal with the consequences of the teaching for his congregation. This is a basic Christian methodology: teaching, followed by exhortation to act on the teaching. This second half of chapter 10 falls neatly into three parts: positive call to act (verses 19-25) then a strong warning about not acting (26-31) and, finally, reassurance and confidence about action (32-39).
Hebrews 10:19-39 in three parts:
19 Therefore, brothers, since through the blood of Jesus we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary 20 by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil, that is, his flesh, 21 and since we have “a great priest over the house of God,” 22 let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. 23 Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy. 24 We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works. 25 We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you see the day drawing near.
With Christ we (not just a priestly group, but all Christians) can enter the real Temple and the real holy of holies (not just the earthly model). Christ’s sacrifice, in his own flesh, opened the way, a “living way” for us to enter. “Sprinkled clean” by baptism, we then enter by way of “his flesh” the Eucharist. These images remind us of the ordination of Old Testament priests, who went through washings and were sprinkled with the blood of sacrifices—images now made real for us by Christ. But, as you and I well know, it is a long road: not everyone who begins well continues to join the community for worship regularly over the years—and the clock is ticking… .
26 If we sin deliberately after receiving knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains sacrifice for sins 27 but a fearful prospect of judgment and a flaming fire that is going to consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who rejects the law of Moses is put to death without pity on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Do you not think that a much worse punishment is due the one who has contempt for the Son of God, considers unclean the covenant-blood by which he was consecrated, and insults the spirit of grace? 30 We know the one who said:
“Vengeance is mine; I will repay,”
and again:
“The Lord will judge his people.” (Deuteronomy 32:35, 36)
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
In this second paragraph, the warning comes. Note: it is aimed at those who “deliberately” abandon the community. The Law itself carefully distinguishes people who sin with clear forethought and understanding from those who sin inadvertently or with mitigating circumstances. As the Preacher points out, the consequences for choosing sin are dire. Dire for the Jewish worshipers before Christ who should have come to the Temple that was only a copy; more dire, then for worshipers supposed to approach the actual Living Temple that is Christ! To knowingly stay away shows contempt for Christ, a rejection of his sacrificial flesh and blood offered in the Eucharist, and “insults” the Holy Spirit who is ready to pour more life into us! Yet…if Hebrews is written before the destruction of the 2nd Temple in A.D. 70, surely the old ways, the ways of their parents and grandparents, called strongly to the first generation of followers of Christ as the years went on and political pressures on Jews the Temple increased… .
32 Remember the days past when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a great contest of suffering. 33 At times you were publicly exposed to abuse and affliction; at other times you associated yourselves with those so treated. 34 You even joined in the sufferings of those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you had a better and lasting possession. 35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence; it will have great recompense. 36 You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised.
37 “For, after just a brief moment,
he who is to come shall come;
he shall not delay.
38 But my just one shall live by faith,
and if he draws back I take no pleasure in him.” (Habakkuk 2:3-4)
39 We are not among those who draw back and perish, but among those who have faith and will possess life.
The Preacher does not linger over the warning. Instead, he reminds his “enlightened”* hearers how faithful they have been in the past, even at great cost to themselves. He is telling them he has every reason to believe they will remain faithful in their current situation. Notice in the last line he does not say “you” (plural) but “we”—the Preacher is with them.
*”Enlightenment” was one early name for the sacrament of Baptism. That is the background for the candle representing Christ we still use in baptismal services.
For reflection: If there is one line from this that we, today, need to hear, it is verse 36:
You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised.
Read verses 32, 33, and 34 to see the kinds of things these early Jewish Christians had to live through. Just to ask one question out of many possible ones, how many of us today would be ready to “joyfully accept the confiscation of our property”? The Preacher is not talking about being generous toward the poor. He is speaking of a punitive grabbing of what belonged to the members of the community. They did not rejoice because they lost their property. They rejoiced because losing it was a proof that the their steadfastness with Christ was deep and certain. Between the pandemic and everything else that presses upon followers of Christ today in the social and political spheres, have we readied ourselves to rejoice in the same way?