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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Heb_10:26-31
26For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. 28Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge His people." 31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Heb_10:26 "if we" This is not a typical conditional sentence. Possibly the genitive absolute (hamartanontôn hçmôn) is functioning as the protasis (if clause).
Surprisingly the author grammatically identifies himself with the wilfully sinning group, but this may be a literary technique (editorial plural) similar to Heb_2:3. The first person does not automatically identify him with the group spoken of in Heb_10:26-29. This same type of literary technique using the first person can be found in 1Co_13:1-3.
▣ "sinning willfully" "Wilfully" is placed first in Greek for emphasis. The word is possibly analogous to the "high handed" sin of the OT (cf. note on Heb_5:2). The grammatical form of the verb (present active participle genitive masculine first person plural) has been used by some to suggest that this refers to believers who continue in sin. If they would cease sinning they would avoid the judgment. However, this does not fit the ominous context of Heb_6:1-6 and Heb_10:26-29. This is a life or death warning, a once out, always out warning! Rejection of Jesus in the presence of the clear light of revelation produces the darkest possible spiritual night.
▣ "after receiving the knowledge of the truth" The verb in English, "receiving," is an aorist active infinitive. This is the crux of the interpretive problem. If they once received the full experiential knowledge (epignôskô) of the (definite article) truth; this sounds like believers! This is the same theological issue as Heb_6:4-6.
It must be admitted there is no easy, clear, obvious interpretation. My personal fear is that my own biases may dominate a very clear text. I must resist a systematic, denominational agenda which silences this powerful, inspired text. The issue is not sinning believers. The issue is believers who cease to believe! I cannot accept a theology that (1) makes salvation dependant on human performance or (2) turns assurance into a dogmatic pronouncement totally unrelated to the Christian life. I reject a theology of lost, saved, lost, saved, lost, saved! I also reject a theology of "once saved, always saved" which is unrelated to the continuing belief and lifestyle faith. Therefore, what do I do? I exegete the text: in its historical setting, in its literary context, in its grammatical expression, in its choice of terms, in its genre, and its parallel passages. I must admit that if all I had to work with was Heb_6:4-6; Heb_10:26-29, there would be little option but that believers fall away from grace. However,
1. the historical setting, the Jewishness of the book, and the presence of persecution are major issues
2. the literary context (cf. Heb_5:11 to Heb_6:12) and the three groups (cf. "us," "you," and "those who") seem to reveal a Jewish setting of "believing Jews" and "unbelieving Jews" worshiping and fellowshipping in a synagogue setting
3. the use of so many OT quotes related to the tabernacle, the use of the term synagogue (cf. Heb_10:25), and the roll call of faith, all point toward a reader familiar with the OT
Therefore, after exegeting the text I think the best overall explanation (not without its own problems and assumptions) is the supposed historical reconstruction of R. E. Glaze, Jr. in No Easy Salvation, published by Insight Press, 1966.
Hebrews seems to be a specialized book, to a select group. Does that mean it has no message for today? The warnings of this inspired author (along with James, Peter, and the writer of I and 2 John) should motivate believers to continue to run the race (see F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions, pp. 124-125)! The answer does not lie in an easy believism, nor in a fear-generated legalism, but in a godly life of faith, a striving toward holiness, produced by an attitude of gratitude in a full, finished, and final salvation (cf. Heb_10:14) through Christ by faith.
Heb_10:27 "judgment" The author has emphasized again and again the wonderful hope that believers have in Christ, but the negative side is as compelling; judgment is coming, and all will stand before a holy God (cf. Heb_9:27; Gal_6:7).
▣ "the fury of a fire will consume the adversaries" This is an allusion to Isa_26:11. Fire is often associated with holiness or cleansing. God is an ethical being; His creation is an ethical reality. Humans do not break His laws, they break themselves on His laws.
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Heb_10:28
NASB "anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses"
NKJV "anyone who has rejected Moses' law"
NRSV "anyone who has violated the law of Moses"
TEV "anyone who disobeys the Law of Moses"
NJB "anyone who disregards the Law of Moses"
This is a strong word of wilful rejection. In A Handbook on the Letter to the Hebrews, Ellingworth and Nida say:
"The word fordisobeys is a strong word, used not of incidental sins, but of breaking the whole covenant (Eze_22:26), for example, by idolatry (Deu_17:2-7), false prophecy (Deu_18:20), or blasphemy (Lev_24:13-16)" (p. 236).
▣ "dies without mercy. . .two or three witnesses" In the OT a capital trial always required two witnesses (cf. Deu_17:6; Deu_19:15). There are consequences to disobedience!
Heb_10:29 "How much severer" This is an argument from the lesser (Moses' covenant) to the greater (Jesus' covenant). This comparison is the theme of Hebrews.
▣ "trampled under foot" This imagery means to treat contemptuously (cf. Heb_6:6). This is an aorist active participle, which implies a completed act, as does the next participle.
▣ "Son of God"
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▣ "regarded" This means a deliberation of facts resulting in a choice.
▣ "unclean" This refers to something that is ceremonially unclean, not fit for its assigned purpose.
▣ "the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified" The question here relates to the verb (aorist passive indicative). Is this referring to the initial rejection of the new covenant or is this a turning away from the new covenant? The aorist participles in the previous phrase and the aorist passive participle in the following phrase imply an initial rejection.
The problem with this interpretation is that every place in Hebrews that "sanctified" is used it refers to believers (cf. Heb_2:11; Heb_9:13; Heb_10:10; Heb_10:14; Heb_13:12). For me the issue is one of covenant-keeping. The sovereign God has produced a covenant relating to salvation. It is free; it is for all, but it must be received (human free will), not just in an emotional response (cf. Mat_13:20-22), nor in a uniting with a church (cf. 1Jn_2:19). Believing is the key. Those who believe/faith/trust (all possible translations of pisteuô) are saved and have assurance. The dual warning of Hebrews is to (1) receive the gospel offer and (2) walk in it. If one fails to receive—judgment; if one ceases to believe—judgment!
▣ "and has insulted the Spirit of grace" He convicts of sin, brings us to Christ, baptizes us into Christ and forms Christ in us as believers (cf. Joh_16:8-11). The Spirit is insulted or outraged when unbelievers reject His wooing and convicting. Some of the recipients of this book were rejecting Christ in the presence of clear revelation from other members of the synagogue (see Introduction, Recipients).
Heb_10:30 "vengeance" This is a quote from the Septuagint of Deu_32:35 a and 36a. This is not anger, but full justice handed out to all involved.
▣ "the Lord will judge His people" This is a further quote from the Septuagint of Deu_32:36 a. The Hebrew text has "vindicate" instead of "judge." Does this phrase imply that the ones wilfully sinning were once God's people? Usually only one aspect of the OT quote is intended. It is probably "judge" that is the focal point of the quote, not that in its original context it referred to idolatrous Israel. The author has been using God's rejection of His own people in judgment as a warning throughout the book.
Heb_10:31 "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of a living God" This phrase (cf. Heb_3:12) reflects the covenant name of God, "YHWH" (cf. Exo_3:14), from Hebrew verb "to be" (cf. Mat_16:16). See Special Topic at Heb_2:7. Unbelief reaps an eternal consequence!