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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Heb_10:11-18
11And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, 13waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet. 14For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15And the 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 upon their heart,
And on their mind I will write them,"
He then says, 17
"And their sins and their lawless deeds
I will remember no more."
18Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.
Heb_10:11 "every priest" The ancient Greek uncial manuscript A has "high priest." The author often uses both terms for Jesus.
▣ "stands" The priest stands every year to offer sacrifices, but Jesus "sits" (Heb_10:12), His work done!
Heb_10:12 "one sacrifice for sins for all times" Jesus has dealt with the human sin problem. No one is lost because of "sin." The only barrier to all the world being saved is unbelief. God has provided a way for all, for all time.
The Greek term diçnekçs, translated "forever," or "for all time," occurs in Hebrews three times (cf. Heb_7:3; Heb_10:12; Heb_10:14). It is usually associated with the term or phrase that precedes it, which would relate it to "one sacrifice for sins." It is not part of the Psa_110:1 quotation which follows.
▣ "sat down at the right hand of God" This is a recurring allusion to Psa_110:1 a (cf. Heb_1:3; Heb_8:1; Heb_12:2). The "right hand" is an anthropomorphic metaphor to the place of royal power, authority, and preeminence. It is also the place of intercession (cf. Rom_8:34; Heb_7:25; 1Jn_2:1).
Jesus is the Priest (cf. Psa_110:4) and King (cf. Psa_110:1-3), like Melchizedek (chapter 7) who has gone before us and provided everything that we need.
Heb_10:13 "until his enemies be made a footstool for his feet" This is another quote from Psa_110:1 b. The spiritual battle has been won (cf. Col_2:15), but not yet consummated.
Heb_10:14 This verse shows the tension of the whole book in the area of security. Jesus' once-for-all sacrifice has permanently perfected (perfect active indicative) believers (see Special Topic at Heb_7:11). The sacrifice is adequate and complete to accomplish its redemptive task (unlike the Mosaic covenant, cf. Heb_7:11; Heb_7:19; Heb_9:9).
Believers must continue in their faith response, which is sanctifying them (present passive participle). Continuing faith is the key to individual assurance of salvation. The new heart and new mind (cf. Eze_36:22-38) motivates believers to live godly lives in gratitude for a free, complete, and comprehensive salvation. In this book there is never a question about the adequacy of Jesus' sacrifice, but there is a question about individual response—one group's initial profession and a second group's continuing profession.
Heb_10:15 "the Holy Spirit" This shows the author's view of the inspiration of the OT (cf. Mat_5:17-19; 2Ti_3:16).
Heb_10:16-17 This is a quote from Jer_31:33-34, but the order of the phrases is reversed. The author seems to have quoted from memory because this quote differs from the Masoretic Hebrew Text and the Septuagint, as does the same quote in Heb_8:10-12 (unless it was a purposeful reversal).
Heb_10:18 This is the climax of the believers' argument and our great hope (the first way has passed away, cf. Heb_8:13).