The Greek word parresia, which appears in verse 19 (“confidence”) and in verse 35 (“confidence”), frames the section and forms an inclusio tying the thought together.
The writer began with a three-fold admonition, which is all one sentence in the Greek text. The long sentence intensifies the writer’s appeal.[327]
“In view of all that has been accomplished for us by Christ, he says, let us confidently approach God in worship, let us maintain our Christian confession and hope, let us help one another by meeting together regularly for mutual encouragement, because the day which we await will soon be here.”[328]
10:19–20 “Therefore” sums up the entire argument to this point but especially the affirmation of 8:1–2 and its exposition in 9:1—10:18. “Brethren” recalls the writer’s address of his audience of believers in the earlier parenetic units (cf. 3:1, 12; 6:9). All believers now have an open invitation to come into the holy place. Under the old covenant that privilege was reserved for the priesthood.
There are two reasons we can and should approach God (v. 22). First, we can have confidence to enter God’s presence now and in the future because of what Jesus Christ has done for us.
We can enter God’s presence through Jesus’ crucified flesh as though we entered the holy of holies through the torn temple veil (Matt. 27:51). This is an example of a thing (i.e., the veil in the temple) being a type of another thing (i.e., Christ’s flesh).[331] above.
See also John 14:6 - Jesus as the way.
“The way to God is both ‘new’ and ‘living.’ It is ‘new’ because what Jesus has done has created a completely new situation, ‘living’ because that way is indissolubly bound up with the Lord Jesus himself.
“The author is saying in his own way what the Synoptists said when they spoke of the curtain of the temple as being torn when Christ died (Matt 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45).”[334]
10:21–22 Second, we can have confidence to enter God’s presence because we have a great High Priest (cf. 7:1—10:18).
We should draw near with freedom from guilt and with holy conduct (cf. 4:16).
“Approach” refers to approaching a service by the altar (Lev 9:7–8 LXX), but also approaching God (Ex 16:9).
“True heart” - genuine and sincere heart;
“Full assurance of faith” - trust in what God has done for us through Jesus Christ.
From this verse it seems that our conscience is located in our hearts;
the sacrament of baptism - the word of God and the water - the word of God cleanses our inner conscience, the water cleanses our body.
10:23–25 We should not only exercise faith (v. 22) but also hope (v. 23) and love (v. 24). The admonition to hold fast to our hope is the one the writer emphasized most strongly in this epistle. It is an exhortation to perseverance. The basis of our steadfastness is the fact that God is faithful to His promises concerning our future.
The third admonition (v. 24) moves from the vertical to the horizontal dimension of Christian living. This admonition to love one another, our social obligation, was also necessary since some were abandoning the faith. The readers needed to stimulate one another to remain faithful to the Lord. This type of love is the product of communal activity; we cannot practice it in isolation from other believers.
Regular attendance at church meetings facilitates love for one another because there we receive reminders and exhortation to persevere. It is only natural for one who has abandoned his faith to absent himself or herself from the meetings of his or her church. However this is the very thing such a person should not do. We need each other.
“Whatever the motivation, the writer regarded the desertion of the communal meetings as utterly serious. It threatened the corporate life of the congregation and almost certainly was a prelude to apostasy on the part of those who were separating themselves from the assembly …”[339], p. 290.
The writer was urging mutual accountability since we will have to give an account of ourselves to God. The “day” that is approaching is the day we will give an account of ourselves to God (cf. v. 37). This may have been an allusion to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 for the original readers.[340] But it is definitely an allusion to the judgment seat of Christ.
The writer turned from positive admonition to negative warning to highlight the seriousness of departing from the Lord.
10:26–27
Willful sin in the context of Hebrews is deliberate apostasy, turning away from God (2:1; 3:12; 6:4–8). If an apostate rejects Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, there is nothing else that can protect him or her from God’s judgment (cf. 6:6).
Fire is a frequent symbol of God and His work in Scripture (Exod. 3:2; 19:18; Deut. 4:24; Ps. 18:8–14; Isa. 33:14; Ezek. 1:4; Mal. 3:2), and it often indicates His judgment (Mal. 3:2; Matt. 3:11; Luke 3:16).
“The motif of inescapable judgment is developed with an allusion to Isa 26:11. The imagery of ‘raging fire ready to consume God’s adversaries’ is vividly suggestive of the prospect awaiting the person who turns away from God’s gracious provision through Christ. The apostate is regarded as the adversary of God. The description of judgment as a fire that devours and utterly destroys recalls the actual experience of the followers of Korah who were consumed by fire because they had shown contempt for God (Num 16:35; 26:10). The consequence of apostasy is terrifying, irrevocable judgment.”[343], p. 293.
“Knowledge” (v. 26) is full knowledge (Gr. epignosis).
10:28–29 The point of these verses is this. Since an Israelite who spurned the Old Covenant suffered a severe penalty, we will suffer a greater penalty if we spurn the superior New Covenant. Apostasy under the New Covenant has the effect of walking roughshod over the Son of God by despising Him. Also it involves despising the superior blood of Jesus Christ that “sanctified” the apostate (who is a Christian; cf. vv. 10, 14). Furthermore the apostate insults the Holy Spirit who graciously brought him or her to faith in Christ. These three parallel participial clauses in the Greek text stress the serious effects of apostasy.
Willful rebels under the Old Covenant only lost their lives (cf. Deut. 17:2–7; 13:8), but willful rebels under the New Covenant lose an eternal reward. Not only so but God often begins to punish modern apostates in this life.
10:30–31
In Deuteronomy 32, which the writer quoted here twice (Deut. 32:35–36, 40–41), Moses warned the Israelites against apostatizing. That was this writer’s point here as well. It is a terrifying prospect for a believer who has renounced his or her faith to fall under God’s hand of chastisement. Note that the writer addressed this warning to believers, though many interpreters have applied it to unbelievers.[347]
“Actually, Heb. 10:30, 31 forms a parallel reference to II Cor. 5:10, 11, and the preceding verses (vv. 26–29) provide additional information concerning that facet of the judgment seat associated with the ‘terror of the Lord.’“[348]
The writer concluded his warning by reminding his readers of their former faithfulness when tempted to encourage them to endure their present and future tests (cf. 4:12–16; 6:9–20).
“The juxtaposition of 10:26–31 and 32–35 suggests that it may have been the experience of suffering, abuse, and loss in the world that motivated the desertion of the community acknowledged in v 25 and a general tendency to avoid contact with outsiders observed elsewhere in Hebrews (see … 5:11–14).”[350], p. 297.
10:32–34 In the past the original readers had proved faithful in severe trials of their faith. They had stood their ground when others had encouraged them to abandon it. They had withstood public shame and persecution for their faith. They had also unashamedly supported other believers who had undergone persecution in the same way.
For Christians visiting prisoners was a meritorious act (Matt 25:36). But there was some risk, for the visitors became identified with the visited. The readers of the epistle had not shrunk from this. It is not pleasant to endure ignominy, and it is not pleasant to be lumped with the ignominious. They had endured both.”[352]
They had also been willing to suffer material loss because they looked forward to a better inheritance in the future (cf. Luke 21:19). Moreover they had done this joyfully, not grudgingly.
“The eternal inheritance laid up for them was so real in their eyes that they could lightheartedly bid farewell to material possessions which were short-lived in any case. This attitude of mind is precisely that ‘faith’ of which our author goes on to speak.”[353]
10:35–36 Now was not the time to discard that confidence in a better reward (cf. 3:6; 4:16; 10:19). They needed to persevere, to keep on keeping on. By doing this they would do God’s will and eventually receive what He promised, namely, an eternal reward (1:14; 3:14; 9:15; Matt. 6:19).[354] This exhortation is a good summary of the whole message of Hebrews.[355]
“What they had endured for Christ’s sake entitled them to a reward. Let them not throw it away. The NT does not reject the notion that Christians will receive rewards, though, of course, that is never the prime motive for service.”[356]
10:37–38 After all, we will not have long to persevere. The Lord’s return is near (Rev. 22:20). In the meantime we need to keep walking by faith. If we abandon that purpose, we will not please God.
The allusions in these verses are to Isaiah 26:21 and Habakkuk 2:3–4 in the Septuagint. The writer took all his Old Testament quotations from this version except the one in 10:30, which he took from the Hebrew Bible. “My righteous one” is a believer. “Shrinking back” refers to apostasy.[359], p. 305; Moffatt, p. 158.
10:39 The writer assumed that his readers, along with himself, would not apostatize. “Destruction” (or ruin) could refer to either eternal damnation in hell or to temporal punishment. In view of what has preceded, the latter alternative is probably in view (cf. Matt. 26:8; Mark 14:4; Acts 25:16). The writer did not want his readers to be the objects of God’s discipline.[361]