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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Hebrews 10:32 - 10:39
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Heb_10:32-39
32But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, 33partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. 34For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one. 35Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.
37For yet in a very little while,
He who is coming will come, and will not delay.
38But My righteous one shall live by faith;
And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.
39But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
Heb_10:32 "remember the former days" This is a present middle imperative, possibly referring to Heb_5:12.
▣ "after being enlightened" This was used of the unbelieving group in Heb_6:4. I do believe there are two groups being addressed.
1. those Jews who have seen the power of God in the lives and testimonies of their believing friends
2. the believing Jews still worshiping in a synagogue setting.
The "you" of Heb_10:32-36 is contrasted with Heb_10:26-31 (as is Heb_6:9-12 with Heb_6:4-8).
▣ "endured" This is a metaphor from an athletic contest (cf. Heb_12:1-3; Heb_12:7).
▣ "great conflict of suffering" This probably refers to the persecution which befell the Church, but not the synagogue, because Judaism was a legal religion under Rome, but Christianity was not. This paragraph seems to imply they helped others who went through the persecution and thereby shared some of the reproach (cf. Heb_10:33-34; Heb_6:10).
Heb_10:34 "to the prisoners" Some Christians had been imprisoned, but not the recipients of the letter. They were believers, but not fully identified with the church. This may corroborate the view that they were Jewish believers still attending a synagogue (see Introduction, Recipients).
The KJV has "in my bonds," which many commentators have used as evidence to establish Paul's authorship. However, there are several possible manuscript variations: (1) "in bonds" (P13, A, D*, and the Vulgate and Peshitta translations); (2) "on the bond" (P46 , Ø , and the Greek text used by Orige n); and (3) "on my bonds" à , D2, K, L, P and the Greek text used by Clement of Alexandria).
▣ "accepted joyfully the seizure of your property" This is a sure evidence of our hope in Christ and our inheritance in Him (cf. Heb_9:15; Heb_11:16; Heb_13:14; Mat_5:12; Luk_6:22-23; Rom_5:3; Rom_8:17).
▣ "better" See full note at Heb_7:7.
Heb_10:35-36 These verses document the need of the believing group (1) not to throw away their confidence (cf. Heb_3:6; Heb_4:16; Heb_10:19) and (2) to endure (cf. Heb_12:1-3). In many ways this sounds like the message to the seven churches of Revelation 2-3 (cf. Rev_2:3; Rev_2:5; Rev_2:7; Rev_2:10-11; Rev_2:13; Rev_2:16-17; Rev_2:19; Rev_2:25-26; Rev_3:2-3; Rev_3:5; Rev_3:10-12; Rev_3:20). True faith is a persevering faith (cf. 1Jn_2:19). God's covenant promises must be received and held. See Special Topic at Heb_4:14.
The real issue in security is not struggling believers, but the multitude of modern western church members who have no evidence of faith in their lives. Easy believism, coupled with an overemphasis on security, has filled our churches with baby Christians at best and lost people in Christian clothing at worst! Discipleship and the call for radical holiness are missing in a materialistic, capitalistic, decadent, modern western culture. Salvation has been turned into a product (a ticket to heaven at the end of a self-centered life or a fire insurance policy against ongoing sin) instead of a daily, growing, personal relationship with God. The goal of Christianity is not only heaven when we die (product), but Christlikeness now!! God wants to restore His image in mankind so that He can reach fallen humanity with His free offer of salvation in Christ. We are saved to serve! Security is a by-product of a life of service and discipleship.
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Heb_10:36 This verse is stated with a contingency!
▣ "the will of God" See Special Topic at Heb_13:21.
▣ "you may receive what was promised" This refers to the promises of the new covenant in Christ (i.e., Heb_9:15)!
Heb_10:37-38 This is a quote from the Septuagint of Hab_2:3-4, but with the last two clauses reversed for emphasis.
▣ "He who is coming" The Hebrew Masoretic Text has "it," but the Greek Septuagint makes it personal, which implies the Messiah.
Heb_10:38 "shall live by faith"
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▣ "my" There is Greek manuscript confusion as to the antecedent of this personal pronoun. It is related to either "righteousness" or "faith." Our author uses the ambiguity of MT and LXX translations to emphasize (1) the Messiah's coming and (2) the need for believers' faithfulness.
In the ancient Greek uncial manuscripts A & C, "my" relates to righteousness. In the LXX, Peshitta, and ms D*, "my" relates to faith. In P13, Dc, Hc, K, P and the Textus Receptus "my" is omitted (following Paul's omission in his quote from Hab_2:4 in Rom_1:17; Gal_3:11).
The "if" in the second part of the verse is a third class conditional sentence, which means potential action.
Heb_10:39 The author summarizes his confidence in his readers' perseverance (cf. Heb_6:9-12)!
▣ "of those who shrink back" This is an allusion to Hab_2:4 in the LXX "if he should draw back, my soul has no pleasure in him." The issue in Hebrews for believers is faithfulness to the end. The great danger is "shrinking back."
The interpretive question in this verse is to whom does the phrase "those who shrink back" refer.
1. Israelites in Habakkuk's day
2. the two groups of Heb_6:1-12, one Jewish and the other believing Jews; the unbelieving group have shrunk back from clear gospel witness to destruction
3. believers in general who do not hold out to the end in faithfulness
The context of the book as a whole and Heb_6:9-12 supports #2.
▣ "destruction" This term is often used of those who do not have eternal life (cf. Mat_7:13; Php_1:28; Php_3:19; 2Th_2:3; 1Ti_6:9; 2Pe_2:1; 2Pe_2:3; 2Pe_3:7). This is not to be understood as ultimate annihilation of the unbeliever, but the loss of physical life. The same metaphorical use is abundant in the OT. One of the mysteries and pain of Hell is its eternal aspect (cf. Dan_12:2; Mat_25:46).
NASB "but of those who have faith to the persevering of the soul"
NKJV "but of those who believe to the saving of the soul"
NRSV "but among those who have faith and so are saved"
TEV "Instead, we have faith and are saved"
NJB "we are the sort who keep faith until our souls are saved"
The opposite of "shrink back" is faithfulness. This quote from Habakkuk is used in a different way than Paul uses it in emphasizing the need for initial faith apart from works (cf. Rom_1:17; Gal_3:11), while Hebrews uses it for continuing faith. This statement sets the stage for the role call of faithful in chapter 11. This role call shows that faith often causes persecution, even death. It emphasizes that these OT believers, even amidst great difficulties (cf. Heb_10:32-33) continued in faith! The author of Hebrews asserts his confidence that his believing readers will also continue in faith to the end.
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