Once again recalling Jeremiah's words about the new, messianic union-covenant, the author of the letter...
Once again recalling Jeremiah's words about the new, messianic union-covenant (vv. 15-17; cf. Jer. 31:31-33), the author of the letter thereby moves from the concept of the external Torah to the concept of the inner Torah, and also to the image of the living Torah, which was well known not only to Jewish tradition but also to early Christian tradition. These concepts and images were foundational for the Christian worldview of his teacher as well: Paul in his letters also turned more than once to the theme of the inner Torah and to the image of the living Torah, seeing them as the basis for understanding what Christianity and life in the Kingdom are.
The main distinguishing feature of life in the Kingdom, the author of the letter, following the apostle, considers to be freedom from sin, which makes the former priestly Torah no longer relevant: in its former quality it was directed precisely toward resisting sin, which cannot exist in the Kingdom (v. 18). Yet its meaning and significance remain the same: the main purpose of the priestly Torah was the sanctification of the people, and this task remains relevant. Life in the Kingdom is sanctified life, so that the residents of the Kingdom need sanctification no less, and even more, than those who sought and awaited the Kingdom in our still-untransformed world in pre-Christian times. Moreover, they need sanctification in all its fullness, which the former priesthood cannot give, but whose possibility is opened to them with the coming of the Savior (vv. 11-14). And this sanctification had to be not external, touching first of all the body of the one being sanctified, but internal, beginning in the heart and eventually taking hold of the whole person.
Of course, such sanctification cannot be instantaneous, since it presupposes a person's final liberation from sin and the transformation of his nature; but by definition it does not allow repetition. If, for any reason, this spiritual process is interrupted, a falling back is inevitable, and then everything has to begin again from the start. In the Kingdom there is not and cannot be repeated cleansing and repeated sanctification: repeated cleansing would mean that a resident of the Kingdom at some moment ceased to be one, cutting himself off from the life he had lived before, and now he needs to return, in a certain sense beginning everything from zero. That is why the author of the letter speaks of the perfection of those being sanctified: they have already become residents of the Kingdom, now awaiting its final triumph and Christ's return in glory (vv. 12-14).
10
10:1 From all that has been said it appears, that the law, the Mosaic dispensation, being a bare, unsubstantial shadow of good things to come, of the gospel blessings, and not the substantial, solid image of them, can never with the same kind of sacrifices, though continually repeated, make the comers thereunto perfect, either as to justification or sanctification.How is it possible, that any who consider this should suppose the attainments of David, or any who were under that dispensation, to be the proper measure of gospel holiness; and that Christian experience is to rise no higher than Jewish?
10:2 They who had been once perfectly purged, would have been no longer conscious either of the guilt or power of their sins.
10:3 There is a public commemoration of the sins both of the last and of all the preceding years; a clear proof that the guilt thereof is not perfectly purged away.
10:4 It is impossible the blood of goats should take away sins - Either the guilt or the power of them.
10:5 When he cometh into the world - In the fortieth psalm the Messiah's coming into the world is represented.It is said, into the world, not into the tabernacle, Heb 9:1; because all the world is interested in hissacrifice. A body hast thou prepared for me - That I may offer up myself. Psa 40:6,etc
10:7 In the volume of the book - In this very psalm it is written of me. Accordingly I come to do thy will - By the sacrifice of myself.
10:8 Above when he said, Sacrifice thou hast not chosen - That is, when the Psalmist pronounced those words in his name.
10:9 Then said he - in that very instant he subjoined.Lo, I come to do Thy will - To offer a more acceptable sacrifice; and by this very act he taketh away the legal, that he may establish the evangelical, dispensation.
10:10 By which will - Of God, done and suffered by Christ.We are sanctified - Cleansed from guilt, and consecrated to God.
10:11 Every priest standeth - As a servant in an humble posture.
10:12 But he - The virtue of whose one sacrifice remains for ever. Sat down - As a son, in majesty and honour.
10:13 Psa 110:1.
10:14 He hath perfected them for ever - That is, has done all that was needful in order to their full reconciliation with God.
10:15 In this and the three following verses, the apostle winds up his argument concerning the excellency and perfection of the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ. He had proved this before by a quotation from Jeremiah; which he here repeats, describing the new covenant as now completely ratified, and all the blessings of it secured to us by the one offering of Christ, which renders all other expiatory sacrifices, and any repetition of his own, utterly needless.
10:16 Jer 31:33, etc