John Calvin Complete Commentary - Hebrews 10:10 - 10:10

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John Calvin Complete Commentary - Hebrews 10:10 - 10:10


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10.By the which will, etc. After having accommodated to his subject David’ testimony, he now takes the occasion to turn some of the words to his own purpose, but more for the sake of ornament than of explanation. David professed, not so much in his own person as in that of Christ, that he was ready to do the will of God. This is to be extended to all the members of Christ; for Paul’ doctrine is general, when he says, “ is the will of God, even your sanctification, that every one of you abstain from uncleanness” (1Th_4:3.) But as it was a supereminent example of obedience in Christ to offer himself to the death of the cross, and as it was for this especially that he put on the form of a servant, the Apostle says, that Christ by offering himself fulfilled the command of his Father, and that we have been thus sanctified. (166) When he addsthrough the offering of the body, etc., he alludes to that part of the Psalm, where he says, “ body hast thou prepared for me,” at least as it is found in Greek. He thus intimates that Christ found in himself what could appease God, so that he had no need of external aids. For if the Levitical priests had a fit body, the sacrifices of beasts would have been superfluous. But Christ alone was sufficient, and was by himself capable of performing whatever God required.

(166) “” here, as in Heb_2:11, includes the idea of expiation; it is to be sanctified, or cleansed from guilt, rather than from pollution, because it is said to be by the offering of the body of Christ, which was especially an expiation for sins, as it appears from what follows; and the main object of the quotation afterwards made was to show that by his death remission of sins is obtained.

“ the which will,” or, by which will, is commonly taken to mean, “ the accomplishing of which will;” or ἐν̀ may be taken as in Heb_4:11, in the sense of κατὰ “ to which will we are cleansed (that is, from guilt) through the offering of the body of Christ once made.”

“” here does not mean the act of willing, but the object of the will, that which God wills, approves and is pleased with, and is set in opposition to the legal sacrifices. And as there is a οἱ in many good copies after ἐσμὲν some have rendered the verse thus, “ which will we are cleansed who are cleansed by the offering of the body of Christ once made.” Thus “ will,” or what pleased God, is first opposed to the sacrifices, and then identified with the offering of Christ’ body. — Ed